The end of this chapter has very mild adult themes. It's non-descriptive, so I'm going to keep the T rating.
Chapter Six: How to Make a Woman Hate You Without Even Trying
Horatio watched her walk past the lab he was working in. He knew she could see him; the walls were made of glass, just like in his old lab. He sighed and continued looking over the case file in his hand. He stopped and flipped back several pages, re-reading over his report. He flipped forward a few pages and then back to his original spot.
"What the hell," he muttered to himself.
"What's wrong, Horatio?" Lisa asked as she walked in.
"Part of my report's missing," he said, still flipping through the case report. "I can't find the section about the woman in black fleeing the scene."
"You actually included that?'
"Yes, because I don't believe in leaving out vital details." He closed the file and grabbed a different one off the stack. He flipped through the pages, growing more frustrated by the second. "I can't believe this. It looks like someone altered my reports."
"Did you even include it in the first place?"
"Yes!" Horatio snapped, unable to hide his frustration with her. "I included the part where the suspect fled the scene in a red Dodge Stratus."
He collected his case files and rushed from the lab and up the stairs, Lisa hot on his trail. He sat at his computer and opened the original documents containing his case reports. He scrolled through the documents, becoming more aggravated.
"I can't believe this," he grumbled. "Someone's altered my reports!"
"Horatio, it's impossible for anyone to alter your reports." Lisa said, "You computer is password protected. No one can access your documents unless they have your password. You probably just forgot to include the part about the suspect."
"No, I didn't!" Horatio snapped again. "I remember because I couldn't remember the license plate numbers and it frustrated me that I couldn't recall such an important detail!"
"Horatio, you're being unreasonable," Lisa commented.
"You're one to talk," Horatio muttered.
"And what's that supposed to mean?" Lisa snapped.
"You showed up at my house at two in the morning when I didn't answer my phone."
"I was worried about you!"
"No, you thought I was cheating on you," Horatio said. "I'm surprised you didn't give me a prostate examine to make sure Eric and I weren't screwing around behind your back."
"What was that man doing at your house anyways?" Lisa hissed.
"He's my brother-in-law," Horatio said in an annoyed tone. "We were just talking, catching up on lost time. Everyone from the Crime Lab cut me out of their lives until recently."
"You mean after you save the Miami Dade Lieutenant from an assassination attempt."
"Yes, exactly," Horatio snipped. "You're just upset because Thompson gave me an accreditation for saving the life of the MDPD Lieutenant and not you."
"Anyone could have blocked a bullet," Lisa hissed as she walked away.
"But you didn't!" Horatio called after her. He couldn't help but smile to himself, knowing he wouldn't be having sex later that night.
Horatio pounded on the keys of his computer, trying to figure out where his original report had disappeared to. He was frustrated and tired. He didn't want to keep working anymore, something he had never felt at Miami Dade until the very end.
"Maybe it's time to retire," he muttered to himself.
"You can't do that. You haven't caught me yet."
Horatio turned and was surprised to see Marisol standing in the doorway of his cubical.
"You did it," he quietly said, standing from his chair. "You altered my reports, didn't you?"
"I'm sorry, Horatio," she whispered. "I had to do it."
"No you didn't!" Horatio snapped. "No where in that report did I give any vital details that gave away who you were!"
"I'm sorry, Horatio," Marisol said again. "I couldn't run the risk of the FBI finding out you actually saw me."
"Who do you work for?" Horatio quietly asked her. "The CIA or the FBI?"
"Both, but not as Marisol," she quietly answered. "I'm Marisol at the FBI and Jane here."
"Why?" Horatio said in a demanding voice.
"The FBI is trying to catch the Mala Noche with their weapon smuggling business." She stepped closer to him, looking deep into his eyes. "We've almost defeated them, Horatio. We're going to win this."
"No, Marisol," Horatio whispered, "You're going to win this. That's what you want, isn't it?"
He pushed past her and stormed through the office.
Horatio embraced Ryan and Eric each as they said their good-byes.
"It was nice of two of you to have dinner with me," he said as they lingered on his front porch in the warm Miami night.
"It's nice not hating you anymore," Ryan quietly said. "I'm sorry I was such a jerk to you, H."
"It's alright," Horatio said with a small smile. "I wasn't exactly being the nicest person about having to work your case for you."
"Really?" Ryan chuckled. "Telling someone to suck your dick isn't a nice way of interacting with the county police?"
Horatio rolled his eyes and leaned against the banister of his porch.
"You're never going to let me live that down, are you?" he asked, shaking his head.
"Nope, not as long as I live," Ryan chuckled.
"Well we better get going, H," Eric said, hugging the older man again. "Our Lieutenant doesn't take nicely to us being late, no matter the excuse."
"Just tell him to suck your dick," Horatio laughed. "Shut him up for me."
They heard a rustling sound in the bushes next to Horatio's porch. He released an exasperated sigh and shook his head.
"And it seems the nightly visit from my crazy girlfriend's about to ensue," he whispered to the other two men. "Enjoy your night and don't overwork yourselves, guys."
Horatio watched them drive away in Eric's car. He waited on his porch, scanning the yard for a sign of Lisa's car.
"Lisa, I know you're there," Horatio said to the darkness. "You might as well come out now."
A slender figure emerged from the bush and climbed onto his porch.
"When did you plant the marigolds in the backyard?" Marisol inquired as she stood next to him.
Horatio couldn't help but smile at the sight of her.
"About a year ago," he whispered.
"They're beautiful," she quietly said. "Marigolds always were my favorite."
"Father Jones told me to plant them one day after my confessional," Horatio quietly explained. "He told me it would help ease the pain of your death."
"I'm sorry, Horatio," Marisol said for what felt like the hundredth time. "I tried to get them to let me tell you, but they wouldn't let me."
Horatio looked at her. He reached out and gently touched her cheek.
"I've missed you so much," he said in a pained voice. "Everyday without you has been pure torture. I walk past the spot where you were shot and I wish I had died too."
"I wish there was something I could do to make it all up to you," Marisol whispered.
Horatio held her face in his hand. He slowly brought it to his own and kissed her gently. He opened the front door and led her inside.
"Just in case crazy Lisa's watching," he whispered as he kissed her again.
She twined her fingers into his soft red hair and parted his lips with her own. He encased her body in his strong arms, pressing her against the door. She fumbled with the buttons on his shirt and ran her hands across the t-shirt he wore beneath it.
"That's new," she commented as his lips roamed across her neck.
"One more layer to keep Lisa out," he said, ghosting his lips against her soft skin.
Marisol giggled as she continued to caress his body. "Why don't you break up with her?"
"Because she's fucking nuts," Horatio answered. "She'll torch my house or something if I try to leave her."
"So what are you going to do about it?"
"Just keep acting like a jerk until she gives up and leaves me."
Marisol giggled again and kissed him tenderly. "That doesn't sound like my Horatio," she whispered.
"That's because it's not your Horatio," he whispered.
He scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the bedroom. He laid her out on his bed, slowly pulling her clothes from her body. He took in her naked presence, gently touching her face.
"You don't look any different from the last time," he whispered.
"That's because I'm still the same person," she whispered in response.
Their naked bodies pressed together as their tongues continued to dance around each other. He slid into her familiar heat and gasped with pleasure.
"Oh Mari," Horatio whispered as he began thrusting, "I've missed you so much."
"I've never loved anyone else, Horatio," she whispered in his ear. "And I'll never love anyone again like I love you."
