Trouble with Friends

Chapter 7

The Miami-Dade Sheriff's office sent one of their private jets to retrieve Calleigh and Horatio, due to the fact that it was while on department business, Horatio was injured. They were both very surprised by the move, but agreed that it would be a more pleasant trip rather than flying commercial. Horatio slept for most of the trip back to Miami. Calleigh was grateful he could. She realized he was still recovering from the injuries he'd suffered from the accident, and would be for some time. Her mind though, was in work mode. With the assault rifle on the plane with them, along with the information given by Jared, Calleigh couldn't wait to get to the lab and begin the process of taking Joe Miller down.

Knowing they would land in a different part of Miami International from where she had left her car which was in the commercial flight parking area. She used her phone as they got closer to Miami to arrange for a tram shuttle to be at the private terminal in order to take them to her car. Horatio has no business walking that far in his condition.

After arriving, they had exited the jet and were walking across the tarmac to the waiting shuttle when Horatio weaved slightly. The shuttle driver noticed Horatio's erratic movement as he was retrieving the luggage from the cargo hold of the jet and quickly left the luggage and stepped closer to stop the redhead from possibly going over.

"Whoa, take it easy sir. You sure don't want to fall on this concrete," the large man offered while grabbing hold of Horatio's arm. "Let me help you get settled in the tram here."

"Horatio…"

"I'm alright Sweetheart. Just…I don't know, got dizzy for a minute there." Calleigh thought his face looked a little pale.

After having gotten everything in her car and Horatio settled in the passenger seat, Calleigh began driving out of the airport parking lot.

"I need to get you home Handsome. You need to rest. I'll stop on the way and pick us up some lunch to take with us."

"Calleigh, after we eat, I'm going to the lab."

"Oh no you're not Horatio, you need to take a few days off to rest. The team and I will process the information and put some feelers out on the people and places Jared told about in his confession. As you know we need to verify the information before going to a judge for the search warrants."

"Calleigh I can't sit around the house and do nothing considering all that's happened. You of all people should know that." He turned and gazed out the passenger window at the traffic and buildings they were passing.

"Horatio…"

"After we eat, I'm going to the lab; period. No more discussion," realizing he sounded harsher than he really intended to, he reached over and rubbed her hand resting on the middle console.

"Sweetheart, I appreciate your concern for my well-being. I really do. It tells me you care, but I promise I'll be fine." They were stopped for a light and he turned his head toward her and gave her that boyish smile of his which melted her anger in a heartbeat.

"You know I can't resist that smile. You don't play fair Lieutenant," smiling back at him.

As they finished their lunch on the patio, Horatio almost hated to mention what was on his mind, but they needed to discuss the problem before arriving at the lab.

"Sweetheart…" Calleigh looked up from her plate, taking note of his serious expression and paused, waiting for him to say what was on his mind. "Have you considered the repercussions we will face when the incident report, concerning Jared's visit the other night, is made known to the team and others?"

Honestly, she had not even thought of how it would look; the two of them in the room together in the middle of the night. She cringed, not for her sake, but for Horatio's. He would face the most serious reprimand for fraternization with a subordinate.

Her hand flew to her mouth before she answered, "Oh, my word Horatio - my mind has been on your wellbeing and the incident itself. I haven't even given this a moment's thought. What are we going do?"

"I'm afraid there's not much of an option other than admitting to it. I'll try to meet with the Captain today and explain so it won't come up out of the blue to administration."

Calleigh began, "I'm not concerned about me, it's you, that I'm most worried about. You could be demoted for this or…no; I wouldn't allow them to relieve you of duty. I would quit first."

Reaching out and taking her hand he softly responded, "No Calleigh that would not be an option. I'll be ok. Yes, I will probably be reprimanded, but what's trouble with friends, or lovers in our case?" Smiling sweetly as her eyes met his, still, she could detect concern behind his reassuring demeanor.

Later, as they walked into the lab, Eric was the first to spot Horatio and Calleigh. Walking out into the hall to greet his boss and friend, he could see the bruising on Horatio's face and the stitched gash on his right temple and just shook his head in amazement that the man always ignored his well-being to come to the lab.

"H, what are you doing here. You should be home in bed after what you've been through," the big Cuban smiled as he shook his head in disbelief.

Horatio stopped and placed his hands on his hips, signaling he was ready for business. "I'm here because there's work to be done my friend; hopefully with the result of ridding Miami of at least one drug kingpin. Is everyone in right now?"

"Natalia is, but Walter and Ryan are not. I sent them out to gather evidence from a shooting that occurred last night in Little Havana. They should be back soon though. Want us to start on the evidence from Georgia?"

"When they return, I want to call a meeting to discuss the Miller case and another important matter with the team."

Calleigh spoke up, "Horatio, I'll be in ballistics running a few more tests on the rifle. Call me when everyone gets in."

Horatio nodded his assurance and he tried very hard not to follow Calleigh with his eyes, but couldn't stop himself. Eric picked up on his boss's expression and could sense things were not the same between the boss and their ballistics expert, but at the moment, he couldn't detect if it was good or bad. Eric and Horatio began discussing Frank's condition as they walked into the lab.

Everyone gathered in Horatio's office an hour later, and thought the meeting was called to discuss the Miller case. After everyone expressed their concern about his and Frank's injuries, Horatio began with the information learned about the case and how he wanted everything handled about verifying what they were given by Jared. He brought them up to date on Frank's condition and the fact that he would be arriving back in Miami by the end of the week.

"Ladies and gentlemen, now that we have the case on track, there is another matter that I feel needs be made known to all of you. We are a team and in order to keep us a team, certain things should be shared that may affect all concerned.

While I won't go into detail, Calleigh and I are seeing each other when off duty." To his surprise, there was not the negative reaction that he'd expected following the admission. Only when his eyes moved to Eric, did he detect negativism. "I can assure you, our private life will in no way, absolutely no way, affect our professional lives. I want it to be known right now that I will quit my position if that were to happen."

Calleigh turned toward Horatio, catching his eye, then turned toward their teammates and reiterated what he had just promised.

"I feel the same way. While on duty, Horatio will still be my boss, I will still follow his command as always."

Walter exchanged glances with Ryan and Natalia and then spoke up first.

"As for me, I've been wondering when you two were going to realize your feelings for each other. I don't have a problem with it. I know IAB will though. Have you thought about how to handle them H?"

"I'm meeting with the Captain immediately after we're through. I wanted all of you to know first."

Natalia smiled warmly toward both Calleigh and Horatio and said, "Congrats you guys. I'm happy for both of you."

Ryan smiled and jokingly added, "Some of us thought we might actually have to hatch a plan to help push you guys along."

Horatio hung his head and began chuckling until a pain shot from his ribs causing him to stop abruptly and grab his side.

Sounding almost breathless he replied, "Thank you. All of you…"

"H," Eric began as he jumped to his feet with a hurt look that he couldn't disguise evident on his face, "Um, I'll go get started on the information" then he quickly turned and left the office.

They all looked at each other a few moments until Horatio carried on as he looked each one in the eye and said, "Thank you for your loyalty. It means everything to me and I won't let you down; ever."

The meeting broke up and Natalia hugged Calleigh and told her she was so happy for them once again, before they all filed out, headed to their respective labs to go back to work.

With a muted voice Horatio told Calleigh as she began to leave, "I need to go set things right with Eric. He's upset with our news."

"No Horatio let me. You go ahead and meet with the Captain. I'll come back by later to find out what he said."

Calleigh found Eric in trace and walked up to the table where he was working. With her most charming Southern accent she asked,

"Care to take a walk outside with me?"

At first, Eric was determined to stand his ground and continue working, but even he couldn't resist her charm.

"I guess," as he pulled off the latex gloves and shut down the program he was working with on the computer.

They strolled to the small park that was on the grounds of MDPD. Neither had said a word to the other until they sat down on a bench, facing out toward the Atlantic. The sun was warm and there was a gentle breeze that had drawn numerous sailboats out of the marinas into the bay, people taking advantage of the late spring afternoon. Watching the white boats, with their different colored sails billowing in the wind skim across the waves Calleigh began,

"Eric I know you're upset, but I promise nothing will change…"

His hurt and anger had been building ever since Horatio announced the news, Eric, with bitterness laced in his words interrupted,

"EVERYTHING'S changed Calleigh…everything," his voice trailing off at the end. Calleigh was shocked.

"What are you talking about Eric? What has changed?"

Eric snapped his head around to look into her large, green eyes, his mouth moving in an attempt to spit out the words he'd longed to say, but he couldn't and abruptly turned away, unable to admit his feelings to her.

Calleigh placed her hand on Eric's arm and asked, "What?"

Eric felt as if a heavy-weight prize fighter had socked him in the gut when he heard Horatio's admission of love for this beautiful woman, a woman that should be with him instead.

Eric looked down at the ground and then brought his head around and this time when he looked into her eyes he said,

"I love you. I just wished I'd said something before now…now, now it's too late." He hung his head, not thinking he could bear the look on her face after his admission.

For a moment, Calleigh was so shocked, she couldn't respond. Finally regaining her wits about her she softly began,

"Hey, um…Eric listen, I love you too, but I'm sorry, not in the way you're speaking of. I love Horatio. The team…we're all family; we love each other as a family would. We have each other's back.

Eric turned to face her then leapt to his feet and almost shouted, "Would you have my back? Or, for that matter, any of the other members of the team's back if you had to choose between Horatio, and one of us in a situation? Where would your heart lay Calleigh? I'm not naïve; I know who you'd choose."

Calleigh's mouth dropped open in absolute shock as she watched Eric storm back toward the building while she sat dumbfounded on the bench, close to tears.

TBC…