Chapter Fourteen.
Eric was still mad at Isabelle, he wouldn't talk to her, and would barely look at her. It felt as if Eric hated her. She couldn't stand it, and began thinking about switching over to night shift. Stetler was very supportive. She, however, hadn't made a final decision.
She often talked to Stetler about how Eric was treating her, and er thoughts about switching over to the night shift.
"You should switch over to nights, you don't deserve the way Delko is treating you." Stetler said.
"Yeah, but I wouldn't be able to see you often, I'd be working, while you were sleeping." Isabelle said.
"We would figure something out." Stetler said.
The next day Stetler was walking through the hall, when he saw Eric talking to Horatio in the A.V. lab. Stetler walked in.
"Rick, what do we owe your presence to?" Horatio asked.
"Isabelle." Stetler said.
Eric frowned.
"What about Ms. Evans?" Horatio asked.
"Delko, why don't you fill Horatio in." Stetler said.
"I don't know what you're talking about Stetler." Eric said.
"You are making Isabelle switch over to the night shift, because of how you're treating her." Stetler said.
"And?" Eric said.
"Delko, I know that you dont like me, but do you have to take it out on Isabelle?" Stetler demanded.
"Stetler, everyone, except Isabelle, knows that you're just going to hurt her." Eric said.
"That's not true." Stetler said.
Eric laughed.
"Eric." Horatio warned.
"Everyone knows that you only asked Isabelle out because you knew that H liked her." Eric said coldly.
Stetler's frowned deepened.
"Calm down Eric." Horatio said.
"You don't know what you're talking about Delko." Stetler said.
"You may have fooled Isabelle, but you haven't fooled everyone else." Eric said.
"Okay, Eric, why don't you find Speed, and see what he has." Horati said.
Eric didn't say anything, he just walked out.
"Horatio, you need to watch your team. They have no right to say the things to Isabelle that have been said, or in Delko's case, haven't been said. Isabelle doesn't deserve that." Stetler said.
"I agree, rick, Isabelle doesn't deserve to be treated like that. She shouldn't have to switch shifts either." Horatio said.
"So, what are you going to do about it?" Stetler demanded.
"Don't worry, I'll take care of it." Horatio said.
"You'd better." Stetler said, then turned and left.
Horatio dialed a number. After a minute, the other side was picked up.
"Meet me in my office in ten minutes." Horatio said.
A minute later he hung up, and headed for his office.
Ten minutes later, there was a knock on his door.
"Come in." He said.
"You wanted to see me Horatio." Isabelle said.
"Yes. I've heard some news. I've heard that you are planning on moving to night shift." Horatio said.
"What? Who told you that?" She asked.
"Rick found Eric and me a few minutes ago, and told us that we were, well, are, unfair in how we have been treating you for being with him. If I have, in any way, been treating you unfair, I would like to appologize." Horatio said.
Isabelle smiled at him.
"You haven't done anything Horatio. I'll be fine." She said.
"Is there anything I can do, or say to get you to stay here?" He asked.
She gave a small smile.
"Eric is a friend of mine, and now he's not talking to me because of who I'm with. I don't like it, and it hurts how he's been treating me. I don't know how much longer I will be able to take it." She said.
"Let me talk to him, I can't chance losing one of my best criminalists to the night shift." Horatio said, with a smile.
She returned it.
"Calleigh said she would talk to him, but then he stopped talking to me altogether." She said.
"Well, let me have a word with him, and see how it goes from there. If you still want to switch shifts, then we'll start the paper work." He told her.
She smiled.
"Okay." She said.
"Why don't you head back." He told her.
She nodded.
She got to the door, but stopped. She turned to look at him.
"Thanks Horatio." She said.
He smiled.
"Anytime Isabelle." He told her.
She nodded, then left.
**********
Whatever Horatio had told Eric, must have gotten through, because he had begun being civil to her. Then, he had started talking to her again. She was happy once again. She had her friend back, she had a job that she loved, and she was in a great relationship.