A/N: In answer to bookwrangler's review, forget meet-the-parents jitters or a frustrating case; the worst is actually meeting the parents, especially the over-protective ex-FBI father! Just in case anyone thinks I'm exaggerating, Frankie's dad is simply a fictionalised version of my own dear dad, a retired police officer from Scotland Yard, who always threatened to fingerprint any boyfriend I introduced!

Frankie flipped her cell phone open and then flipped it shut. Flipped it open, flipped it shut. She kept repeating this for about five minutes until Horatio's patience wore thin, and he snatched the phone from her hands.

"Hey!"

"Stop fidgeting," he ordered. He took hold of both of her hands, as she had immediately started tapping on the edge of the chair. "Everything will be fine." They were sitting in Miami International Airport, in a coffee shop by the arrivals gates, waiting for her family to appear. Frankie had been on edge all morning, and Horatio had had to order Alexx to get her out of the lab before she broke something. When she was nervous, she couldn't stop herself fidgeting with anything, up to and including expensive pieces of lab equipment.

She took a gulp of coffee, and then started drumming her fingers on the table. Horatio sighed, but said nothing, only tightening his grip on her other hand. Grateful for his presence, as he could easily have excused himself and stayed at the lab, she held on to him and tried not to shake. Everything would be fine – Horatio had said so, and she believed him.

She spotted her father instantly. His tall figure easily stood out from the crowd as he ushered the rest of the family through. Frankie stood up, banged against the table in her nervousness, and only Horatio's lightning reflexes prevented her from greeting her family while drenched in the remnants of a large cappuccino.

"Hey Dad," she greeted him warmly, hugging him.

"How's my baby girl?" he smiled affectionately. Her mother also hugged her tightly, and Frankie had to bite back a grimace of pain as she was squeezed a little too tightly, touching her still-painful injury.

Horatio had stood back, letting Frankie greet her family by herself. She resembled her father a great deal: they had the same sharp grey eyes and strong cheekbones, although his hair was pewter grey. Her mother had Frankie's blond hair, albeit a couple of shades darker, and pale blue eyes. While she was a pretty lady, it was clear from their body language that the strength in that relationship came mainly from Mr Nelson. His was definitely the stronger character.

The sister resembled Mrs Nelson so closely it was almost possible to imagine them as sisters. Lucy was only eighteen months older than Frankie, but she dressed as though she was ten years older. While Frankie's parents appeared to have a basically equal relationship, although Mr Nelson was clearly the stronger personality, Lucy seemed completely overwhelmed when stood next to her husband. Darren was taller than both Horatio and Mr Nelson, with dark hair, dark eyes and a scornful expression. His arm was possessively around his wife's shoulders, and Horatio hated to admit it, but he instantly didn't like the man.

When Frankie flinched, however, he was brought back from his brief study of Frankie's family. He immediately stepped forward and touched her shoulder in concern.

"Are you all right?"

She grinned slightly falsely, but he decided not to press her. "I'm fine. Mom, Dad, this is Horatio Caine. Horatio, these are my parents, Mark and Victoria Nelson." Horatio shook hands with both of them, wishing he hadn't suddenly caught Frankie's nervousness. "Oh, and this is Lucy and Darren King, my sister and brother-in-law." Darren glared at Frankie, but Lucy merely smiled.

"It's lovely to meet you Horatio," Victoria Nelson smiled.

"And you, Mrs Nelson," he replied. Frankie envied the way he easily charmed her mother. "I've heard a lot about you both."

"Oh, well, you must call us Mark and Vicky," she said, patting his arm. "Now, we should go and pick our rental car, shouldn't we dear?"

Her husband, to Horatio's consternation, had been studying Horatio intently, and still didn't look away. "Of course Vicks," he said, but his eyes never left Horatio. "We'll head down there now. Horatio, I need a word with you in private later on." Frankie frowned at her father, but didn't interrupt.

Horatio swallowed hard but nodded. "Of course sir, whenever you want." His cell phone rang then, giving him a momentary respite. When he hung up, Frankie knew there was something wrong.

"I have to go," he said lowering his voice, so only Mark and Frankie could hear. "They've found another suspicious package. This one's been delivered to an insurance company downtown. I'll see you back at the lab."

"Horatio!" He had turned to go, but looked back when she called. She paused, unsure what to say. "Please, let the Bomb Squad deal with it!" His shoulders slumped slightly, like a child who has just had his favourite toy removed and she relented. "All right, but just be careful. I love you." An impish grin lit his features and she shook her head fondly.

Victoria linked arms with her youngest daughter as they walked towards the rental company. "Good looking, isn't he? And so polite and charming. Quite the Southern gentleman. Well done Frankie!"

"He'd better be a gentleman," Mark growled. Frankie rolled her eyes, and her mother laughed, but her father remained looking deadly serious. "I mean it. He's already let you get shot once, so he's got some ground to make up as far as I'm concerned."

Frankie froze in horror. Horatio still felt deeply guilty about her shooting, and refused to listen to her attempts at persuading him otherwise. The very last thing he needed, especially with such a big case on the go, was for her father to accuse him of not taking care of her. She would have to have a word with her father before he cornered Horatio.