A/N 1- Aha. Welcome back all! I do really feel loved…mwah. Aha. Well, some thanks are in order and then we can get back to what I like to call, 'Horatio's time to mess with David's head.' I'm all pumped up for this chapter, having read a fan fiction of Harry Potter the last few days, just finishing it a few minutes ago. My god, I loved it. So long…made me cry…blah blah blah. You don't wanna hear 'bout that. You want the story!

All the virtual candy in the world to:

Lilmickey2008

Emily-brat

LA Calleigh

Abluz1191

Chi-chi-chillin(anon.)

ED'sLil'CSIGirl(mwahaha. You changed it! Mah bestie right here!)

Kerribear(anon.)

CSIMiamiLuver2012

MrsAliceCullen788

Elislin

Celkin

Mini Librarian

Also, this next riddle and chapter is dedicated to xHereInYourArms for giving me some great riddles. Yooh are the best~!

Chapter 10- The Fifth Riddle

Twiddling his sunglasses around his fingers, his all seeing eyes scanned over the body. When they had gotten to the crime scene, he had visibly stiffened when blonde hair was peeking out from the underbrush. However, when Alexx had pulled the dead girl out, carefully, it turned out her eyes were an ocean blue, and she looked nothing at all like Calleigh.

He had blown out a breath, masking his sigh of relief. David hadn't turned his back on their deal, and that, he was thankful for.

"Well, Honey, there is an ID. Her name is Cynthia Turner. Just turned twenty-one. Looks like she was partying a little too hard. Such a poor baby." Alexx murmured.

"Keep me posted, Alexx. I'm heading back to the lab." Horatio said, putting his sunglasses on.

"Will do."

Heading back to the lab in the Hummer, he stopped at a red light and opened his phone. He scrolled through the numbers he had received, deleting them all. Accidentally hitting the green button, he noted that it said he had called David's number. For a good ten minutes too!

Staring at his phone curiously, he noticed the light turn green and he pressed forward, placing his phone down again. He sped up the pace a bit, wanting to get to the lab to talk Cooper about surveillance tapes of his office.

Answering her phone, Michelle kept popping her gum.

"Hello?"

You! Did you erase the call to the lieutenant? Did you?!

"Stop yelling at me, jeez. And, um…I think I forgot…"

YOU THINK!? YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO COVER UP YOUR TRACKS!

"Sorry…?"

He's probably already checked. Go to the surveillance room. NOW. Get the tape. Tell them a lie if you have too!

"Got it."

Michelle stood up, closing her phone. Her heels clicked across the floor as she popped her gum all the way to the surveillance room.

"Hey, um, guy?" She asked, knocking on the door.

"Call me Cooper." Came the reply.

"Sorry, I'm a little new. I think…what's his name…Eric was looking for you? Down by the Hummers?" Michelle lied softly.

"Really? Did he say why?" Cooper turned full around and looked at her.

She bit her lip, intent on playing the innocent role.

"I don't really know. As I said, I'm a little new…" She trailed off, hoping it made her look something other than really guilty.

To her surprise, Cooper smiled warmly at her.

"New. Ah. The joys of it, eh? I'll go see what he wants. No worries." Cooper strolled past her out of the surveillance room, and she waited until he was around the corner to put her plan into action.

She began checking random labels on tapes until she found the correct day in Horatio's office. Pulling it out, she put everything back how she found it, before quickly and quietly leaving the room. Swearing silently, she ran back inside and grabbed the tape in the machine, no doubt as it had recorded her every movement. She also pulled one from the hallway, which also recorded her leaving and entering. She swiftly walked back to the desk, and found safety behind it, stashing the tapes in her large purse.

Dialing a number, she put the phone up to her ear, waiting for David to pick up.

Hello?

"I got it, worry wart."

Don't take that tone with me.

"What tone?"

You got it. That's all I needed from you. Goodbye.

"Wait!"

What?!

"…never mind."

Insolent girl.

David hung up and she closed her phone slowly. Sometimes, she really wondered what would have happened if things had ended differently. For him and for her.

"Cooper."

"Hello, Horatio," Cooper said grinning.

"Do you happen to have that surveillance tape I called about?" Horatio asked.

"Right here, lieutenant," Cooper said pulling out a drawer and reaching for it, but coming up empty.

Horatio raised an eyebrow as he watched him fumble around looking at other tapes.

"Huh. Maybe I took it out?"

"Check the machine. Maybe that tape will have something on it."

Cooper found the tape gone as well.

"Well, damn! They disappeared!" Cooper said.

Horatio's mouth set in a frown.

"Disappeared indeed," he muttered.

He headed back to his office, his eyes glazing over to the secretary. Feeling the lieutenant's gaze on her, Michelle looked up from her magazine. She smiled at him and waved, returning back to her magazine. Horatio just stared at her, before entering his office and sitting down.

"Hey, H," Ryan said, bringing in a stack of papers.

"Yes, Mr. Wolfe?" Horatio asked, running a hand through his hair.

"Can I use your stapler? Mine's jammed." Ryan murmured.

Horatio waved his hand toward it, and Ryan picked it up.

"Ouch," he muttered accidentally clipping himself when he put the papers together.

"Careful, Ryan."

"Just had to join the papers together. These papers belong to the report I owe you. Stupid stapling sharp points. Hurts every time." Ryan muttered, placing the papers on Horatio's desk.

He tilted his head, thinking about the riddle.

Pointed fangs, waiting, bloodless victims, eternally joining…

"A stapler," Horatio whispered.

"Yeah, the stapler…are you sure you're feeling okay, H? I mean, I know you haven't really had any rest since…well, Calleigh was taken…and that was over nine days ago! Maybe we should just face it. She's not going to be coming back." Ryan said.

"She's tough. She'll send us some signal or sign. I know she will." Horatio whispered, desperately wishing that he could tell his CSI's the truth.

"I saw how she used to look at you. I mean, when you weren't watching of course. Such…careful reserve, her eyes. Not much emotion leaked through, but when it did, hell, it was always directed at you. You never really did notice did you?" Ryan asked.

Horatio shook his head no, at a loss of words.

"Well, that's just how I saw it at least. I'm sure Eric and Alexx noticed it too. Possibly, but I've taken enough of your time. There's my report, and I'll be off." Ryan stuck his hands in his pockets, and strolled away.

Horatio struggled to keep his mind on the task at hand. The papers in front of him were from Paula's murder and it desperately needed a once over by the good lieutenant. But his mind was wandering, far away, where he could see himself and Calleigh, actually happy. Swiveling his chair around so the back was facing the door, he allowed himself to actually relax for the first time in more than a week. Closing his eyes, he smiled, falling into a deep slumber.

Once Michelle was certain the lieutenant was asleep, she picked up her purse and headed for the elevator. She pressed the button and the elevator opened for her. She immediately entered, pressing the button for where she wanted to exit. Opening her phone as soon as the doors closed, she dialed David's number.

Hello?

"I have the tapes. I'm coming."

Tapes? As in, more than one?

Michelle grinned. "Now don't tell me you thought I wouldn't remember to get the hallway and the surveillance room itself?"

Good girl. Very good. So they can't tie it to you.

"I was hoping you'd let me have a crack at Ms. Duquesne for my excellent thinking."

Well, the lieutenant never included you in the game…I suppose two good attacks would be allowed. Where at?

"I'll be giving her a nice kick in the face and a broken foot. Are they allowed?"

I think they'll be good. I'll go get the pain medication to have her take, and some other cast material. Plus, some ice. Lots of ice.

"You think of everything."

Of course I do. It's my job.

"I'll be there in ten."

Michelle hung up her phone and grinned. Since the identity of the lieutenant was revealed to her, she wanted to hurt him as much as possible, by hurting the one thing he valued more than his own life-Calleigh.

David hung up his phone and grinned. He donned a jacket, sunglasses, and a baseball cap, exiting the house he was currently renting. He began to jog down to the store, glad he had picked a house close to it. Once inside, he grabbed two bags of ice, pain medication, and a bag of flour.

David convinced himself that he was going to have to set Calleigh's foot straight before fixing her a cast. Slightly wincing, he paid for the items and grabbed his bags, walking home. He noticed Michelle's car in the driveway, a purple Buick LeSaber. Shaking his head, he grumbled to himself.

"Why oh why does she have that car? Of all the car colors in the world; purple!"

David entered the house and noticed Michelle on the couch.

"I heard you making fun of my car," Michelle said softly.

"Purple," David snorted, going into the kitchen to lay the stuff down on the table.

"Which room is she in?" Michelle asked.

David grabbed a key and led Michelle up to a doorway, unlocking the door. They saw Calleigh on the bed, sleeping soundly.

"I'll go make the Paper Mache…," David muttered, going back down the stairs.

He heard Calleigh ask Michelle a few questions before a large thud was heard.

The kick…David thought.

He combined flour and water into a large bowl and began mixing, pulling apart strips of newspapers after that. Even his abnormally loud humming could not drown out the crack of the bone, and a scream from Calleigh. Even David grimaced at this one.

Hanging the strips of newspaper over his arm, he carried the bowl and a sock up to her room. Michelle stood over the now curled up in pain Calleigh, and David looked at her.

"The pain medication is on the table. Get it." David ordered.

Satisfied with Calleigh's pain, she nodded, going back down the stairs.

"Uncurl Calleigh. Sit straight and let me see your foot." David said.

Calleigh, slowly and no doubt painfully, unfurled herself and sat up, wiping her glistening face. She moaned when she had to move her leg. David scrunched up his face looking at her foot, and he stirred the paste in the bowl again.

"I'm going to have to put this sock over your foot," David said.

"Just do it," Calleigh rasped out.

David tried to widen the sock a bit and began fitting it over her foot. She gasped in pain, and David put it all on quickly, lifting her leg gently to pick up her foot. He soaked the newspapers strips in the mixture and began framing them around the sock.

"My accomplice…is a bit high tempered right now. It is, of course, my doing to have this done to you, but it was the only way thought possible to hurt the lieutenant. How's the kick to your face doing?"

"A split lip is what I feel right now," Calleigh murmured. "At least she didn't hit my nose. However, my cheek is throbbing right now."

Michelle brought in the pain medication and the water and soon as David finished crafting her cast.

"Let that dry, Calleigh. Stay in that position. Take the pain medication she has for you. I'll be right back." David said looking at his watch. "Almost time to call the good lieutenant."

David went back down the stairs, and Michelle glared at Calleigh.

"Here."

Michelle set the cup down by Calleigh and gave her the pain medication.

"You were fun to hit you know. The scream was a nice touch by the way. Your bone is quite sturdy, but my heels are much stronger." Michelle remarked.

Calleigh just glared up at her and took the medication.

"Don't look at me like that. I also brought you this." Michelle said, holding out a bag. "It's ice for your cheek. I suppose it smarts right now."

"Yes. You have quite a roundhouse kick." Calleigh said, taking the bag of ice.

Michelle grinned a bit. "My mother taught me."

"I bet she's not proud right now."

Michelle frowned, deeply.

"My mother's dead. Been now, for quite some time."

"My apologies."

"You're not sorry. At all. Just sit there for about twenty minutes. That should harden, but it will need to be stronger. David will be up later with another mixture." Michelle said, heading for the door.

"I have just one more question."

"What?" Michelle asked irritated.

"How do you and David know each other? He's about Horatio's age and you're, well, half of that at least."

Michelle smiled wryly.

"We've known each other for a long time. It's…a bit complicated." Michelle closed the door and locked it, heading back down the stairs.

A bit complicated indeed…

Horatio sat in his chair, fingers drumming against the desk. He noticed the secretary had just gotten back at least twenty minutes ago, and he'd been watching her ever since then, nothing better to do. He expected David to call at least a few minutes ago, but still, his phone didn't ring.

Sighing, he got up from his chair, intent on getting coffee. When he was to the door, his phone began to ring. Picking it up, he sat down again, before opening it.

"Hello?"

Lieutenant, you know you can answer the phone by saying my name.

"And you mine, David."

No thank you, lieutenant. I don't want to say your name. It's a curse to me. The answer please?

"Kind as always, David. A stapler. That's your answer."

Wonderful! Did this one give you a kick in the ass?

"Truthfully, they all do, David. They all do."

My goal has been realized.

"Praise the lord," Horatio murmured.

Are you ready for your fifth, lieutenant?

"Always, David. Get that through your head."

"My first is a number, my second another, and each, I assure you, will rhyme with the other. My first you will find is one-fifth of my second, and truly my whole a long period reckoned. Yet my first and my second, nay, think not I cozen, when added together will make but two dozen."

"Well, that's…different."

Enjoy this one lieutenant! It's a real doozy! Ta-ta!

Horatio looked at his phone, before closing it. Scribbling furiously, he got down all the riddle before forgetting it. Realizing that he had not talked to Calleigh in a while, he sighed, looking at his phone. Dialing David's number, he sighed, regretting it already.

Hello?

"It's…me."

Lieutenant? Forget the riddle already? Or have you solved it?

"Neither. I really wanted to talk to Calleigh, if that would be allowed."

He heard David draw in a sharp breath.

Well, she's sleeping right now…you know what pain medication does.

"What?" Horatio growled.

A friend of mine…well, they got a bit carried away…that Ms. Duquesne has quite a fiery temper…I'm afraid she's been hit badly.

"How badly, David?"

A bruised cheek and split lip…not to mention the broken foot.

Horatio focused on breathing in and out. In and out. In and-

"Damn you, David! Damn you and your friend to hell! I'll find you…I'll find you and-and-kill you myself! You can bet on that! You hear me? I'll kill you!"

I hear you lieutenant. May the best man win.

David disconnected the phone call and left Horatio at his desk, fuming angrily.

A/N 2- I'm a little evil person! Mwahaha~.

Anyway, I suppose the inevitable just became the evitable. *sighs* I have to thank my mother. *shudders* Oh well, I got back at her with the name.

Michelle, David's accomplice, comes from my mother's name. Mwahaha. She deserved it. I thank her for any useless bit of trivia or any blah blah idea she gave me…compliment compliment…hugs all around. Done. She told me about talking about her, didn't say it had to be good. ;]

I kid. But she reads the worthless crap I call fanfics, and she claims to like them.

Hah. At least she doesn't get me for the swearing…NO IDEAS! It makes my story good! Reviews are love! I luff you all and once again, this chapter and riddle goes to:

xHereInYourArms

Buh bye~! REVIEW! I kid. I kid. :]