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Horatio yawned, but didn't open his eyes as he rolled over on his other side and snuggled as close to Mac as his 22-week pregnant belly would allow him. It was early Wednesday morning and he only had an hour left before he had to be at the lab. He felt Mac shift in bed and his arm drape over his shoulder. Horatio smiled when Mac kissed his cheek and opened his eyes to look at his lover.

Mac smiled sleepily at the redhead before giving him a kiss on the lips and put his hand over the belly. Mac absolutely adored Horatio's baby bump (as did many others). He would take basically any chance he had to touch it and feel their baby move. It sure was an active little one inside the redhead; keeping Horatio awake almost all the time. Although Horatio rarely complained; the only time he ever mentioned being tired of having such an active baby was when he was frustrated or cranky after a hard day at work.

"Good morning, love." Mac said.

"Good morning." Horatio yawned.

Mac felt his lover's forehead and frowned; he felt a bit warm to the younger man. He got out of bed and went to get the thermometer. Horatio hadn't moved an inch when he came back and didn't even say anything when Mac put the thermometer to his ear. Mac could tell that his lover was exhausted and not feeling well.

"You have a fever of 102." Mac said and lied down on his back next to his lover.

"I can't have a fever." Horatio said sleepily.

In all honesty, he knew he wasn't feeling well. He just felt so tired and wanted nothing more than to sleep all day. However, he hated being sick and therefore always claimed that he couldn't be sick. Horatio Caine just did not get sick.

"And why is that?" Mac asked amused, knowing full well that Horatio would now make up some excuse as to why he couldn't possibly have a fever.

"Because… uh, I'm a redhead." Horatio grinned and snuggled closer to Mac.

He buried his face in the younger man's neck and Mac smiled.

"Right. Redheads don't get fevers… right. I forgot about that." Mac smirked.

Horatio chuckled and started drifting off to sleep. Mac called Calleigh and told her that Horatio wouldn't be coming in today because of his fever. Then he called Alexx; he wasn't sure what a fever could do to a pregnant man, but he was pretty sure it was harmless, (Mac was a little more concerned about how it would affect Horatio's mood). Alexx confirmed to Mac that unless the older man's fever got higher there was no need to worry. She would fill out some prescriptions for Horatio that Calleigh could pick out and bring to them during lunch.

When Mac had talked to Alexx he hung up and put Horatio's phone on silent mode; he wanted as little things as possible to disturb his lover's sleep. He knew that their baby would keep him awake enough anyway. For now though, the little fellow was sleeping too.

Mac decided to get some more sleep too, but after an hour he was awake again and instead decided to get up and do something. Horatio was out like a light and looked adorable with his hair all tousled and sticking out in every direction possible. He grabbed onto Mac's pillow when the brunette left the bed, as if it would have to do while Mac wasn't there next to him.

Mac just couldn't help himself and went to get their camera; he snapped a picture of the sleeping man. Before he left he watched as Elvis jumped up on the bed and snuggled with his master; he knew he was sick and was trying to make him feel better. Mac then went to the kitchen to make some breakfast. It was raining outside and nobody was walking on the streets either. Everything was quiet.

-I-

Mac woke up to find his lover looking down at him. Apparently Mac had fallen asleep on the couch with the TV remote on his chest and Elvis in his lap (the cat had joined him at some point during his sleep). Horatio was standing next to him with an amused expression.

"I thought it was the sick people that slept all the time." Horatio smiled.

Mac chuckled and stood up. He gave Horatio a kiss, but frowned when Horatio gently pushed him away.

"You'll get sick too if you kiss me." He said.

"No, I won't."

"Really and why is that?"

Mac shrugged, "I just won't."

Horatio grinned and let Mac give him a kiss. Mac felt Horatio's forehead again; he was still a bit warm, but a fever didn't just disappear in a few hours so that was no surprise. He looked at the clock on the wall and realized it was almost lunch, which meant that Calleigh would be arriving soon.

"Calleigh called and said she was on her way. Maybe we should get dressed." Horatio said, as if he head read Mac's mind.

Mac looked down at what they were wearing; nothing. They were both naked, (they both slept naked and had forgotten to put on clothes; besides it was their home and they saw each other naked all the time).

"Yes, we wouldn't want her to see us like this." Mac said and followed his lover to the bedroom to get dressed.

Horatio was still tired, Mac could tell, and his back was clearly aching. Mac winced when he heard his lover groan as he bent down to pull his boxers and pants up. Mac gently rubbed the redhead's lower back and Horatio sighed.

"I hate being sick." He muttered.

"Why? You get to stay home with me." Mac grinned.

"Yeah, but I'm sick. There is nothing we can do when I'm sick."

"Cuddle?"

"Alright, fine. We can cuddle." Horatio smiled.

The doorbell rang and both men went to open it. Calleigh greeted them with a smile and quickly stepped inside to avoid becoming drenched in the rain.

"Hi guys." She grinned and hugged them both, "Oh, he or she is awake." She said when she felt the baby kick her as she hugged Horatio.

She put a hand on the belly and felt the little one move; clearly the baby enjoyed kicking. Horatio smiled and Calleigh handed him a small bag of medicine. She then felt his forehead and went in search of the thermometer. Horatio and Mac watched her walk around and in just a few seconds Calleigh was back with them in the hallway with the thermometer in hand. She placed it against Horatio's ear and the redhead sighed.

"You're taking lessons from Alexx on how to be a mother hen aren't you?" He asked.

"Yes." Calleigh grinned, "Every Friday around seven. The whole team is at her house for lessons. Even Mac sometimes."

They all chuckled and Calleigh checked the thermometer when it beeped.

"101, 7." She smiled, "Better."

"So what is going on at work? What have I missed?" Horatio asked.

Calleigh rolled her eyes, (typical Horatio to change the subject to work even when he was sick and should just be relaxing), and the three of them went into the kitchen. Mac called for pizza delivery while Calleigh filled Horatio in on what he had missed so far; which wasn't much.

"We have an attempted murder." Calleigh said, "Although it seems like it's a fake."

"Why?" Horatio asked.

They all sat by the kitchen table and when Mac had ended the call to the pizza delivery, he joined the other two.

"Well, because the victim doesn't seem worried at all. She called the cops herself; she keeps on asking if we can't just drop the charges." Calleigh said.

"She's not scared?" Mac asked.

"No, that's the weird thing. She's too relaxed after almost being shot in broad day light and we can't en find a bullet or a shell casing." Calleigh said, "We think she might have faked the attempted murder with a friend to get a new thrill. Apparently teenagers now a days do that so they can rescue or protect each other and then have sex."

"Why go through all that trouble just to have sex?" Horatio asked.

Calleigh shrugged.

"I can see why that would be fun." Mac said.

Horatio and Calleigh looked at him surprised and Mac blushed.

"Well, um… you know, if you save someone you love then you might want to have a little rescue-sex." Mac explained, "Even if it's just a pretend rescue."

"Well, we had a similar case once were a couple did that. The girl got kidnapped and the boyfriend was going to save her; only he ended up killing her later." Horatio said.

"Well, this is attempted murder instead. Apparently there are some kids who have done this in other states and after the so-called attempted murder the victim gets stalked and their partner ends up protecting them." Calleigh said, "Apparently it's a game that takes almost a week and during that week the couple is supposed to get aroused by it and have sex; because it's so arousing to be the victim and have a strong, tough partner trying to protect you."

"That's not even fun if it isn't for real." Horatio muttered.

Now it was his turn to have two pair of eyes look at him in surprise.

"If you know it's only pretend, then what's so fun about it?" Horatio asked, "I mean, you know it's only a game and not real."

"Some people find it arousing." Calleigh shrugged, "I seriously doubt they would if it was serious. I think that's why they can relax enough to find it fun and arousing, because they know that it's just a game."

"Kids these days." Horatio sighed, "Our child isn't dating until he or she is thirty."

"Twenty five." Mac said.

"Thirty."

"Twenty five."

"Guys?"

"Yeah." They said and looked at Calleigh.

She hugged them both and they looked confused at her.

"You two are just too adorable when you're like that." She giggled.

The doorbell rang and Mac went to open the door. It was the pizza guy. Soon the two men and the blonde woman were sitting at the kitchen table eating pizza and enjoying each other's company. It wasn't long before Mac and Calleigh noticed how tired Horatio looked. When he started yawning and rubbing his eyes, he was sent off to bed (after Mac had promised to buy lots of pineapples which was Horatio's craving).

"Have you guys talked about getting married?" Calleigh asked when Horatio had gone to bed.

Mac choked on his water and Calleigh giggled.

"Um, no."

"Well, I was just wondering since it's legal in New York now and you're having a baby." Calleigh grinned, "Besides, I would love to attend a gay wedding. The thought of you two getting married is so adorable and amazing and-"

"Calleigh?"

"Yes?"

"You're really cute when you're rambling." Mac grinned.

Calleigh laughed and took another slice of her pizza.

"We haven't talked about it. But I'm pretty sure we will after the baby is born." Mac said, "Right now, we're just focusing on that."

"Yeah, Horatio's belly is really starting to get big." Calleigh smiled, "He's just so cute when he's pregnant."

"I agree." Mac grinned.

He loved the sight of his lover with a baby bump and thought the redhead was absolutely beautiful. When the two friends had finished their lunch it was time for Calleigh to get back to work. She hugged Mac goodbye and left. Mac went to check on his sleeping lover and then decided to read a book. On a rainy day there was nothing better to do than to sit down and just read a good book.

-I-

While Horatio devoured the pineapples his younger lover had bought for him, Mac was talking on the phone with Sinclair (whom had suddenly called him). Horatio could hear Mac talking in the living room, but not hear what was being said. Besides, he was too busy with the pineapples to care. Too say that he was hungry was an understatement; he felt like he could eat an elephant and already had dinner cooking on the stove. The pineapples were just to please his craving and keep him in a good mood until dinner was ready.

The baby kicked and kicked and Horatio gently rubbed the belly; feeling the baby move underneath his hand. Horatio was feeling a bit better and his fever was almost gone now. He knew Mac would make him stay home for another day just to be sure, but he could live with that. Horatio looked up when he heard footsteps approaching the kitchen and frowned when he saw Mac's stunned expression.

"Something wrong?" Horatio asked.

"Well, a part from Sinclair asking how we are doing and how I like it in Miami..." Mac said and paused for a second, "He offered me my job back."

There was a moment of silence as both men thought about the offer. Sinclair must really like Mac to make such an offer. For a second Horatio got worried and wondered if Mac was thinking about going back to New York. If he knew his lover well enough then he already knew that Mac wouldn't take the offer, but what if…

"And um, what did you tell him?" Horatio asked nervously.

Mac saw the concern in his lover's eyes and knelt in front of him. He grabbed Horatio's hands and looked into his blue eyes.

"I told him no of course." Mac grinned.

Horatio sighed in relief and Mac hugged the older man.

"I'm never leaving you. I'm happy here." Mac smiled.

"You don't miss your job?"

"No. I miss the people I worked with; my friends. But not my job." Mac smiled, "I can't go back now and besdies, I like being retired."

Horatio grinned and kissed Mac on the lips. The kiss started getting heated just as the timer went off and interrupted them; dinner was ready.

"Ah, finally some food!" Horatio exclaimed and practically ran over to the stove.

Mac grinned; while being pregnant the only thing more important than a kiss was food. Mac knew that after dinner he and Horatio could go back to their kissing.

-I-

"Didn't I tell you not to kiss me?" Horatio asked as he sat up in bed next to his lover.

It was the morning after and Mac had a fever while Horatio was now feeling perfectly fine again. Mac shivered and hid under the covers. Horatio grinned and lied down; he too crawled under the covers and snuggled close to the younger man.

"Didn't I tell you that?" He asked again.

"Oh, shut up." Mac groaned, "This is all your fault."

Horatio laughed and embraced his lover; giving him some body heat.

"One thing is for sure though; I'm not kissing you today. I don't need to get sick again." Horatio said.

Mac smirked and leaned towards his lover. Horatio tried to push him away, but even when he was sick Mac was slightly stronger than him. They struggled for a while, until Mac had Horatio pinned to the bed and leaned down for a kiss. Horatio tried to turn his head away, but eventually Mac got his kiss.

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