Title: Promises, Promises
Author: innocent choir girl (ff-dot-net), shannyfish (From Out of the Lab/Miami Heat/LJ)
Summary: Supervisor Scott O'Shay keeps his promise to Horatio, and starts to take funding away from the Miami-Dade Crime Lab, but with the cut in the media and the coverage telling residents what they're going to be losing out on; O'Shay uses his power to attack Horatio in another way other than funding. He cuts deeper. Spoilers for S5E19 "Bloodline" and S5E24 "Born to Kill".
Category: Ship Ahoy! Calleigh/Horatio
Genres: Angst, Drama, Episode Related, Friendship, Hurt Comfort, Suspense
Characters: Horatio Caine, Calleigh Duquesne
Rating: PG-13
Chapter: 12 "The Replacement"
Author's Notes: none
………………………..
Techs were gathered around A/V tech Dan Cooper as he monitored the position of the newest CSI to the crime lab. Detective Tobias Fletcher. "He looks like an okay guy," Cooper commented.
"Looks can be deceiving," Maxine Valera said annoyed with her arms over chest. "He marched into my lab and started to order me around. Horatio doesn't even do that! I mean, the DNA isn't going to be worked any faster!"
"At least he didn't yell at you," the ballistics tech said.
One of the techs from Trace shook her head, "I think he's just loud. I don't think he can control the volume of his voice."
"Oh, I know, but it was yelling Detective Fletcher HAS to go. Give me Calleigh Duquesne any day."
Valera frowned, "Yeah, I really miss her…at least she understood procedure and processing time."
"Plus, Calleigh was better to look at," Cooper asked and was rewarded with a sharp punch to the shoulder, "Ow!"
"We're got to do something," one of the techs said.
"What about going to Horatio?" Valera suggested.
"IAB has still been hovering," Cooper said rubbing his arm.
"Start a petition?" Trace asked.
"Yeah and how many signatures would we need?" Ballistics asked.
"Probably every person who works in the lab minus Fletcher," Valera spoke up.
"Well, good luck with that," Cooper wished.
………………………….
"What do you want this time, Rick?" Horatio asked from his desk.
"I like Fletcher," Stetler announced.
"So, should I take that as a hint that you don't plan on removing him from my lab?"
"Let me ask you something," Stetler said placing his hands on his hips, his jacket parted. "Have you considered early retirement?"
Horatio smirked, "Have you considered reinstating Calleigh Duquesne?"
"As I hear it, Miss Duquesne has left the state," Stetler said. "Doesn't seem like a problem. I'm sure the New Orleans Police Department will be happy to have her back."
……………………….
Horatio sat in his office staring out the glass wall. His phone rang and Horatio found himself thinking about ignoring it. But he peeked over to catch the caller ID. Calleigh. He scrambled for the phone and held it to his ear, "Hello?"
((Hey.))
"Did your flight go okay?" he asked courteously.
((Yes, thank you. I've already even checked into my hotel and everythin'.))
"Good, good."
((How are things goin' there?))
"We have a new ballistics expert," Horatio reported.
((And how's that goin'?))
"I think the techs are planning a coup," Horatio told her. "I've heard rumors of a petition."
((Is he doin' the work?))
"Yes, he's just pushing the techs around."
((He's new, he just needs time to integrate into the team.))
"I think the team is on the side of the techs," Horatio said.
((Maybe you should try to ease the transition? Maybe he needs a pep talk or somethin'. Give him a chance.))
"I wish it was you in ballistics," Horatio whispered into the phone as he leaned back in his chair.
((I know… I wish I was there, too. I miss my lab and everyone…and you.))
"I miss you."
((I miss you, too.))
TBC…
