( A/n: Late chapter because I wasn't sure I should continue it and I was busy graduating. So…I thought I'd get more reviews…guess not though. )

CSIMiamiLuver: I believe in this chapter. ^^ And he kissed her on the lips.

Celkin: They should end up together once more.

Hellsmile: Thanks.

Love and Demand

About a week after her birthday, summer was coming to the sunny state. Calleigh was still job hunting and hoping that other job was still going to work out for her. She was just going along her days, though they seemed to go by at a snail's pace. She had no idea who the card was from but she almost wanted to keep it a mystery. The thing about being a CSI is that you have to solve everything and at the moment she was too tired of it. At the moment she was waiting for the mail to come and in the meantime she decided to get back to her writing.


Chapter Six

Truth be told, I haven't been so eager to get back to this. After seeing all my mistakes, I really just crawled under a rock. It's not like I can travel back in time and pull him back to me. I guess I should finally address Marisol.

Marisol isn't that bad of a person, she is rather innocent I must admit. And I didn't see her as a threat at first. I never even thought other girls would be a threat to me. Maybe I just became jealous of anyone around Horatio. It's a childish thing I know, but I'm gonna own up to it. Eric always had a few things to say about her. Some good. Some bad. But they are family so I guess it's normal.

A few times I saw Eric and Marisol chatting. Eric had told me in private that she was very ill, so my southern heart went out to the girl. I then learned she was buying drugs, and even though it was to help people, my officer side couldn't really see past that. And what was even worse that she started to drag Horatio and Eric down with her history. I hope that never came off as judgmental. I wanted to stay out of that mess. I did have my own things to worry about after all.

Then it became more noticeable, Marisol kept clinging to Horatio for help and I knew he would be drawn to such a wallflower. I honestly hoped nothing would develop and I believe nothing did. Honestly? I don't think he loved her. I believe he married her to give her what she wanted. Like giving a child their dream, telling them a gentle white lie until they are old enough or strong enough to be on their own. Marisol wasn't going to last much longer it seemed and he made a choice.

Horatio was always so giving; he had a lot of love to give and sometimes not in the right places. In no way am I trying to say she didn't deserve a great man like Horatio, but I didn't approve of the relationship they had. It was almost insulting to have him "marry" someone and not love them they way everyone did. Or most people.


Calleigh looked up and out the window and walked out to check the mail. 'I don't resent Marisol do I? Am I such a bad person?' She thought as she walked down her driveway. After seeing no mail, Cal slouched her shoulders and walked back to her house. 'I...I don't know.' She thought and pouted her lips. She didn't want to hate anyone. 'Do I hate Horatio?' She wondered as she sat back at her desk in her room now.

I guess Horatio didn't notice my stares or my glances to him as he would attend to Marisol. I mean, I'll never know what he was really doing. Guess that's when Eric and I started to hang out more. We're friends. Nothing more, I assure you.

Suddenly her cell rang, she saw it was Jake. She sighed and answered it. "Hey."

"Hey Cal. I have some good news." He greeted.

"You do?" She asked and sat up a bit more, hopeful it had to do with something on a job.

"Yeah how about we meet for lunch tomorrow and I can fill you in?" He asked.

"Why can't you do it now?" She asked and frowned, 'Is he up to something?'

"Aw come on. You don't wanna see me?" He asked her.

"Fine, fine. I guess I need to be around people more." Cali laughed.

"Great meet me at Indian Elsa." He said.

"Noon alright?"

"Noon is perfect." Jake said and hung up. She did as well and tilted her head, curious as to what good news he might have up his sleeve. Cali then texted Natalia with the potential news, and yes Nat and Eric had apologized to her with dinner for not wishing her a happy birthday. Cali then got up and went to do some other things around the house that needed to be done. In the back of her mind, Jake and Horatio kept coming up though. Soon though, she was off to sleep not really bothering to go back to work. The next morning was different. Cali was up bright and early and was at her desk with some coffee and sugar of course.


Eric and I went out when Marisol came around. He was concerned to have his boss dating his sister and I was just concerned to have him dating someone so young. Eric could tell that there was some underlying reason for my worry so I finally told him my feelings. "I think I have feelings for him…that are deeper then any normal friendship." I said, and when I said it, I realized I sounded too scientific or something.

"How long has this…been going on?" He asked after a moment of thought.

"I don't know…it just came at me one day and…" I sighed and looked off at the restaurant around us. We had gone out to lunch and just had to get it off my chest.

"So you like him…more then you think you should?"

"I think…I mean I have no idea how he could feel about me…I mean we work together, we confide in each other…though there was that time he kissed me." I said, frantically trying to piece together any sort of train of thought I could muster.

"He kissed you?" Eric sat up now, his observant state now pushed aside. "When? Where? How?"

"Boy don't you sound like a real gossip." I smiled a bit.

"I need to know…to help you." Eric said and tried to sit back, he couldn't pull off aloof now.

"Okay well it was about a month ago…we had just finished a case and he took me aside outside and just kissed me. On the lips and I was so shocked I didn't do anything."

"Nothing? At all?"

"No." I said my heart dropping at the reiteration.

"Well you didn't pull away, though you didn't kiss back so…you sort of did the worst thing." He said.

"I know and now he's with her." I told him and sopped my drink, feeling sorry for my self.

"Yeah…my sister. It is weird." He said and sighed, it seemed we both didn't like the situation.

"Can we do anything?" I asked Eric.

"Well maybe you can go and say how you really feel…tell him how nuts it makes you feel to see him with Marisol." Eric insisted.

"How do I feel anyway?" I wondered. "And even so…I don't want to sound so selfish or annoying…I mean he's helping a woman who is sick."

"Yeah but…" Eric paused. H had too big of a heart sometimes. "Marisol doesn't need charity."

"What if he does love her?"

"Are you telling me you really think H loves my sister?" He asked me.

"Well…when they're together…he's more dotting like a father…and I don't see any love or chemistry when they are together…" I said thoughtfully. "But it's not like I want to march up to my boss and say: I don't think you love that woman, and I want it to be me." I muttered. "Or something…I wish Horatio would stop this. No offense." I said to Eric.

"Hey, I'm with you. I do want her to be happy but…it just isn't right." He sighed. "I think the love is one sided, Marisol might just admire him or something. But I think H is only with her to make her life happy." The rest of our meal we started to migrate to less heavy subjects and we went back to work and I let Eric do his thing while I went to my part of the lab. A while later Eric found me when it was almost time to go. "Hey Cali…" He said I and turned, it looked like Eric had been hit with a bucket of cold water and was in a sort of shock.

"Eric? Is something wrong?" I asked and walked over to him.

"He…and Marisol are engaged." He said slowly.

"He…and—what?" I laughed a bit, now finding it hard to breathe.

"They are getting married." He said more directly.

"No. Why would they do that? They don't need to do that. You're just playing a joke on me. I know it. You want this to make me go confess my love to him and look stupid right? Well it's not funny nor will it work, so stop it." I found my self babbling, as if I didn't want to believe what I knew what true.

"Cali." He said and put his hands on my shoulders to steady me. I then realized I was shaking, or something.

"No. He can't marry her. Not for…not for such a silly reason." I muttered and looked off, very much surprised that I was taking the news so terribly. I think Eric was too.

"You said you loved him." He pointed out.

"What?" I looked up and felt my heart was beating so fast, it would surely shatter now.

"Just now, you said 'go confess my love to him'" Eric said and I frowned, almost not realizing it.

"Love, it doesn't matter apparently." I said and moved to walked out, I needed to go home. F I was there I wouldn't have to see the happy couple. It was like an annoying ghost now and I felt so bad about it. As I started for my car, Horatio walked over with Marisol in his arms.

"Calleigh." He called but I just got to my car and realized my keys weren't with me. They were back at the lab with Eric. I sighed and breathed in deeply and turned to where H was with Marisol. "Are you okay?" He asked and I wondered if he was just toying with me now.

"Yes, of course I am." I lied and smiled to them, though I tried hard not to look at the gorgeous woman in his arms. "I'm just tried from working so much." I said, any other excuse had left me long ago.

"Well get some rest, I can't have my favorite CSI getting ill." He smiled and walked to the lab with his new lady. I guess that's how he saw me, just a CSI. Nothing more. I felt so damned stupid to think the kiss and my feelings meant more. I saw Eric come out with my things; he was such a good man. He'd make someone happy someday.

"Here." He said and I got my purse from him.

"Thanks." I said and glanced over his shoulder to see Horatio opening the door for his fiancé. "When did they um...say they would tie the knot?" I asked, though I didn't want to know.

"I think real soon in less then a week."

"Wow." I just said and got into my car and closed the door. That was really short notice, and I think was honestly thinking about confessing to him. Then again, I knew it was risky.

"Drive safe okay?" He smiled and looked to him, now trying to get stupid thoughts out of my head.

"Thanks Eric." I smiled and drove off.


Cali looked up and saw it was almost noon. 'Ack crap.' She thought and got up and went to get dressed and meet Jake for lunch. She was wearing a light blue top and jeans as she drove to Indian Elsa. 'I wonder what he wants.' She thought as she parked and walked in, though found her man easily and sat across from him. "So what's the news?" She asked with a grin.

"Well I think I have a good job that is willing to hire you." He smiled and leaned closer to her. "It's at the same place I saw you apply for but they took my letter of recommendation." He said.

"How?" She asked, smiling a bit.

"I called in some favors, they want to see you this Friday." He said.

"That is so wonderful. I owe you." Cali said, feeling a bit more at peace now that one problem was being solved.

"Don't mention it. I mean, we are friends." Jake laughed as he looked up and bit his lip. I Cal wondered what he was looking at so she turned and saw him. There he was, Horatio under the same roof as her.

"What is he doing here?" Cali muttered and looked down at her plate, not sure what to do.

"I don't know, go talk to him."

"No, I don't know what to say." She replied in a whisper. Horatio walked over to them before she could hide.

"Calleigh, Jake. It's nice to see you two going out again." He said curtly.

"Horatio, we're not going out." She said.

"Yeah we're just friends."

"Jake's been helping me find a job." Cali said. She most certainly didn't want their first encounter in over two months to be about Jake.

"How sweet of him." Horatio said, finding it funny that she quit and then went off with Jake for 'help.'

"It is, he's helping me. Unlike you." She stood up and glared.

"Why should I help someone who just left?"

"I didn't just leave." She glared.

"Yes you did." He said.

"Don't tell me these lies again." Calleigh said as Jake got up to intervene.

"What lies? You say you're just friends with Eric, John, Jake, Peter, but look at you." He said. He didn't really want to be fighting with Calleigh either but it just sort of came out at once.

"We are. I'm not seeing anyone, but I don't see why someone like you would concern your self with that sort of news." She said and folded her arms.

"Hey, stop bickering…" Jake said and moved in between them. "This isn't like either of you." He said.

"Yeah it's not like me...but it's his entire fault." Cali said and moved to walk out, suddenly not so hungry.

"Horatio, do something…you two need to stop fighting." Jake said as H just watched her go, a flicker of regret on his face.

"I know…"

"But now that it's done, surely you two can move on now?" He asked Horatio slowly, he wanted to help the two, like everyone else.

Meanwhile Cali was back at home making a ruckus in her kitchen trying to find something to eat. "Stupid Jake…I bet he planned this whole thing." She huffed as she got some chips finally. "And Horatio…he has some nerve." Cali then walked back to her desk to write away the anger.


Horatio even accused me and Eric of being a couple. A romantic couple. It was very much annoying because we never were like that. Here he says I'm with Eric, when I hardly want to see him Marisol. I don't even think Marisol could have lasted being Horatio's wife even if she wasn't sick and even if she wasn't shot at by the Mala Noche. Though her death was sad and premature, I think it was for the best, though it could have been handled better.


She looked up and huffed, too angry to think straight. She was so confused. "I'll write about Marisol and the aftermath later." She said and ate a chip, getting up to go watch some mind numbing tv.

( A'n: R and R please! I know it gets better as it moves on, so I need to know that people want to read more. It helps my motivation. Thanks guys. I keep wondering where my loyal reviewers went to. )