A/N : Sorry for the wait ;) Hope you enjoyed the previous chapter and I loved your reviews. Thank you :)
"You really want me so bad. I love that look in your eyes." Jimmy tested him again. This was the last straw for Horatio. He went up to Jimmy, pulled him out from his seat roughly and shoved him to the wall. "You son-of-a-bitch!" Horatio shouted. Eric saw what was going on and wanted to go into the other room but Frank stopped him.
Horatio held Jimmy by his neck, still shoving him into the wall. "It's me you wanted. Be a man a face me. Stop being a coward. You hurt a woman because you're a coward Jimmy. You're afraid to face the real fight." Horatio provoked and Jimmy lost his patience, punching Horatio in his face. Horatio retaliated and hit him in the stomach using his knee and Jimmy curled forward in pain. At that moment, Frank and Eric came through the door, stopping the situation before it gets out of hand and they start killing each other. Eric pulled Horatio away from Jimmy and Frank on the other hand pulled Jimmy. Frank cuffed Jimmy to the seat.
"H, calm down. You don't want him to get loose do you?" Eric said as he brought Horatio out of the interrogation room. "Take it easy H. I know it's hard. I can take over the interrogation if you want." Horatio shook his head.
"I'm taking this." He straightened himself up and made sure his appearance was fine. "I got this Eric. Thank you." He said as he went back in. This time, Frank stayed in.
"Still the same, Kelly. The violent one." Jimmy mocked again. Horatio kept his calm and just looked at him. Horatio just ignored the remark.
"You assaulted two police officers today. That should be enough to put you in prison."
"How does it feel Kelly? Being so helpless? Not being in control? And watching your loved ones get hurt?" He paused. "How does it feel?" Jimmy asked again. Horatio just kept quiet. Deep inside, he really wanted to answer that it hurts so much. So much that he would rather not live if anything were to happen to them. He's been through that before.
"I lost my wife and kids. Because of you!" Jimmy screamed. It all came back to Horatio. Why Jimmy had tried to hurt him and Calleigh.
"You did that to yourself." Horatio said.
"No! If you had just let me off, this wouldn't have happened!"
"Jimmy, you were dirty."
"It was a moment of weakness!"
"No Jimmy. You had a choice and you chose that path. You did that to yourself."
"I saw the fear in your eyes when I held your wife. The pain." Horatio went quiet. Jimmy had him. "When you sent me to prison, my wife killed herself. My kids got sent to foster care. And now they don't even know me!" Horatio saw the hurt in Jimmy's eyes. He actually felt sorry.
"I'm sorry."
"I'm sorry too. I brought this upon myself didn't I?" Horatio nodded, slightly thankful that Jimmy came to a realization. "I knew I had the choice. But I still did it." He paused. "Why didn't you?" He asked Horatio.
"Jimmy, I promised myself not to get involved. I became an officer to protect and to serve. I took an oath. And I live up to it." Horatio said calmly. Jimmy stared at him.
"You were an ass Kelly. A jerk. But you still took an oath seriously. That surprises me." Horatio smiled to himself.
"An oath is an oath Jimmy. I tried to stop you. But you didn't listen to me."
"I know you did partner. I should have listened to you. Then things wouldn't have to end up the way it did right now. I would still have my wife and kids with me." Jimmy sobbed.
"It's over Jimmy. You can't turn back time. People mess up. You just got to learn how to move on."
"I'm sorry." Jimmy apologized to Horatio. "You were my partner and I tried to hurt you. You tried to save me and this is how I repaid you. I hurt you and your wife. I'm so sorry Horatio." Jimmy finally acknowledged him as Horatio. "I'm really sorry for those words and for hurting your wife and baby." Jimmy was really remorseful. He kept apologizing to Horatio.
"Well…if anything had happened to them, I might have killed you Jimmy." Horatio said it dryly.
"Book me now Horatio." Horatio nodded and motioned for the officers to take him for booking. Jimmy looked at Horatio with full remorse. "You really love her don't you Horatio?" Horatio turned instantaneously. "I saw the pain and hurt Horatio. And on top of that, I saw the love and care. I know you love her with all your heart. I never saw that in you back then." He paused. "You've changed. You're no longer the John Kelly I know. You're no longer the jerk who toys around with girls and I'm really proud of you. I'm proud you took this big change." He said that last and allowed the officers to take him away.
Horatio himself was thankful. He was thankful that he met Calleigh. She changed his whole entire life and Jimmy was right. He really loved Calleigh. He still remembers how he was in his younger days. He wasn't what he is right now. He played and toyed with women until he moved to Miami and met Calleigh. He just stared out of the window, thinking of how life would be different if he had taken the same path as Jimmy. He was really glad that he didn't go down there.
"H. You okay?" Frank's voice brought him back to reality.
"Uhh yes. I'm okay. I think I'm going back to Calleigh. Will see you later." Horatio said as he left the room. He didn't go to the hospital to be with Calleigh. Instead, he went to the beach to clear his mind. His past was coming back to him and haunting him. It's coming back to hurt him and even Calleigh. 'If Lisa knew about me, she would probably have her father or her brothers hunt me down. They must've known' He Landon found him. But again, it wouldn't be a surprise. He was all over the news and the media. It probably just needed some time before they found where exactly he was and start hurting him and his family and he didn't want that to happen again.
"Hey Cal. Where's H?" Eric asked as he and Frank came to visit Calleigh with Natalia and Ryan.
"I thought he went to the lab to meet you?" Calleigh asked, confused.
"Yeah he did and we nailed the guy already. And he said he wanted to go back to you. But why isn't he here yet? He left about 2hours ago." Eric answered. Calleigh frowned and asked for a cellphone to call Horatio but he wasn't answering. "It's okay Eric. I think he needs some time alone. I'll leave him be. He'll come back to me." Calleigh said calmly. She knew that Horatio needed some time, which is why he didn't answer the phone or actually came to see her straight. She would be understanding enough to let him have some space.
Horatio on the other hand, was just sitting there enjoying the peace and serenity of the sea. Calm and relaxing. The wind was just blowing, tousling his soft red hair. He left his phone back in the hummer. He didn't want to be disturbed as he tries to drown himself in such tranquility. He needed some time of his own to think through the things that just happened. He had just gotten married to the love of his life and too many mishaps have happened. First was Lisa. Then his former partner. He was very much disappointed in Jimmy for wanting to hurt him but in the end, he understood why Jimmy had done so. After a few moment of enjoying the breeze and the tranquility, Horatio decided to go back to Calleigh, not wanting to worry her any further. He checked his phone and there was only one missed call from Frank. He wondered why there hadn't been much more but he just pushed that thought aside and drove towards the hospital, making just one stop to get dinner for both him and Calleigh. He knows how much hospital food sucked and he knows that Calleigh would be hungry.
"Hey." Horatio said as he entered her room and settled the food he bought.
"Hey there." Calleigh smiled and didn't press him about his whereabouts. She knew that if he was ready enough, he would open up to her. "You bought Thai." Horatio nodded.
"You hungry?" He asked an obvious question. Of course she would be hungry, especially ever since the twins. He unpacked the food for her and eventually fed her.
"Horatio, you know I can feed myself right?" She raised an eyebrow at him. Horatio just smiled.
"I know sweetheart. But please?" Calleigh complied. "So Eric came here?" He asked, noticing the flowers on the table.
"Yup, with Frank, Ryan and Natalia." She answered cheerfully. "They're so sweet." She flashed her 1000-watt smile.
"You didn't ask."
"Ask what Horatio?" She asked even though she knew what he meant. She just wanted him to tell her on his own without her asking.
"Where I went before this." Horatio looked at her.
"Horatio…" She took the food from his hand and put it down and she held his hand in hers. "I know you needed some time alone. I know you needed space. That's why I didn't want to push you." She paused for a while, caressing the back of his hand. "Besides, I know you would open up to me when you're ready. I know you will come back to me Horatio." She smiled and leaned up to him, kissing him lightly. "I trust you."
"Thank you." He whispered softly.
"Horatio, look at me." Calleigh lifted his chin and made him look into her eyes. "I don't want you to beat yourself up with this okay. I miss you. I miss the cheeky you. I miss the cheerful and teasing you. Even though it's only been a day, I really miss you." Calleigh said as her thumb lightly and gently caressed his cheek. "Come back to me please Horatio?" She had tears in her eyes, pleading him not to go back to his darker days. She missed him too much.
"Sweetheart, I'm always here. I will never leave you." He took her into his arms and held her there for quite some time until Calleigh freed herself.
"Promise me?" Horatio nodded.
"Pinky promise." Horatio said. Calleigh giggled. "That's what I want to see handsome. Your laughter brightens my day up." Horatio smiled and brushed his lips against hers. "Shall we finish our dinner? I don't want the kids to get hungry." Calleigh nodded and this time, they fed each other.
TBC... Reviews?