Happiness for H: Ghosts
March 13 (early evening)
Erik and Calleigh were the last to leave his office.
"Thanks for the pizza H." Horatio looked up from checking his e-mail.
"You're welcome." He smiled. "I'm sorry it got so late. I hope you … didn't have plans…"
The pair exchanged looks.
"Nothing important Horatio." Calleigh said with a smile. "Now, when are you planning on going home?" She was practically tapping her foot waiting for his answer.
"As soon as I get through these e-mails and this stack of paperwork, I will be headed home. And," he finished good-naturedly, "the sooner I can get started on them, the sooner I will be out of here." He tipped his head as he looked at her. "You're beginning to sound like Alexx."
"Just following her instructions," Calleigh smirked. Erik had remained silent during this exchange, watching the two with some amusement. When she turned to him, he took her hand, saying,
"Come on Cal. Let H get some work done. Otherwise he'll never get out of here and you and Alexx will never leave him alone. 'Bye H. See you on Monday." He exchanged looks with his boss over the top of Calleighs blonde head, then led her out the office door, she still protesting that she was only following Alexx's lead..
Horatio shook his head as he watched them go, wondering about the direction the young CSI's relationship was going. It would be better not to know, he thought. With a sigh, he turned back to his e-mail.
Emily sat back on her heels and surveyed the closet. For the last 2 hours she had been in the bedroom, putting away her things alongside Horatio's. There was something comforting seeing her running shoes alongside his in the closet. Her clothes were hanging across from his suits and shirts. She was about to get up when something white caught her eye in the back of the closet. Ghost was lying on the floor beside her and he watched as his mistress disappeared into the depths of the little room she had been so busy with all afternoon. He only hoped she didn't intend putting him in there!
Whatever was back there was stuck, and Emily had to tug quite hard before she managed to get it loose. It was a frame and the white she had seen was the back of a picture. Curiously she turned it over. It was an old black and white photograph, the glass within the frame cracked diagonally, giving the picture an eerie, distorted look. Holding it up to what little light was left in the room, she could just make out two adults. She got up and turned on the light, sitting down on the bed to examine the frame and it's contents more closely. It was a simple wooden frame, slightly askew as if it had landed on the floor with some force, jarring loose a nail or two. Her heart beating faster, Emily carefully wiped the dust from the glass.
Four smiling faces looked out at her – a man, a woman and two small boys. Even in black and white, she recognized Horatio immediately. The same slight tilt to the nose, mischievous grin and knowing eyes were as evident in the boy as in the man he had become. A smile crossed her face as she touched the picture. She could just imagine what a handful he must have been to his parents. Her eyes went to the other boy, who looked a couple years younger, maybe 4 or 5. This must be Ray, his mysterious younger brother. It was obvious they were brothers, but Ray lacked the quiet intensity that radiated out of the frame from his older sibling.
Lastly she turned her attention to the adults. The woman was slender and petite, her long hair done up in a braid looped around her head. Without knowing for sure, Emily was pretty sure that hair would show up red in a color photograph. She had the same little tilt to her nose and if Emily had to guess, she would bet that her eyes were the same moonlight blue as her eldest son. The woman was smiling, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. The man stood stiffly beside the woman, the boys standing in front of their mother. He had black hair and dark eyes, a lean build that would have probably been six feet easily. Emily smiled, remembering the feel of Horatio's lean body beneath her hands. This had to be Horatio's father. She bent closer to look at the man's face. There was little resemblance to Horatio in it, and the smile was more a grimace. Time slipped away from her as she stared at the picture, gently touching the figures in the picture.
"I wonder why it was back there?" Ghost sighed and laid his head on his paws, his eyes on his mistress. She seemed sad about something. He wished he could figure out humans.
It had gotten dark by the time Horatio finished up the work that had piled up on his desk. A glance out the windows that made up the outer walls of his office told him a storm was brewing on the horizon. He should get home before it hit. Emily and Ghost would be there, waiting for him. Locking the door to his office, he decided to stop and get a welcome home latte for Emily on his way.
The house was quiet when he arrived, no lights shining from the windows, save the master bedroom.
'Em was probably napping after her long drive,' he thought, parking the car. Putting his key in the door, he heard several short barks and then the clickety-clack of Ghosts nails as he ran into the kitchen to greet his new master. The last bars of Bruce Springsteen's "My Hometown" were fading away as Horatio reached down to pat the large dog. Ghost circled around Horatio happily.
"Where is she, Ghost?" Tossing his head, Ghost led the way into the bedroom.
"Hey Emily, I'm home." The words died on Horatio's lips as he stood in the doorway to their bedroom.
"Where did you get that?" The words were torn from him and Emily looked up at him, seeing how he had gone pale beneath his tan.
TBC
