Title: Sex, Drugs, and Rock & Roll

Author: innocent choir girl (ff-dot-net), shannyfish (From Out of the Lab/Miami Heat/LJ)

Summary: Jake Berkeley takes Calleigh undercover without the permission of who he's working for, Horatio, or even Calleigh herself… Will Jake prove his true colors?

Category: Ship Ahoy! Calleigh/Horatio

Genres: Angst, Case, Drama, Suspense

Characters: Calleigh Duquesne, Horatio Caine, Eric Delko, Alexx Woods

Warnings: Adult Themes

Rating: R

Chapter: 14 "Normalizing…trying to"

Author's Notes: This is the final chapter of this story, but keep an eye out for the sequel 

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Breakfast was the most important part of the day, so Alexx had reminded Calleigh, when she had called her and she hadn't prepared any yet. "Alexx, this really isn't necessary," Calleigh insisted as Alexx picked her up from her apartment. "I can drive on my own…"

"Don't start making excuses, you know you want to spend quality time with me," Alexx teased as she drove towards a diner that she knew. "I already called Horatio and told him that he was going to just have to wait for you, so don't you use that as your next excuse to not eat breakfast."

Calleigh sighed and shook her head, "I'm just…I'm nervous…" she finally admitted.

Alexx smiled and looked over at Calleigh briefly before turning her attention back to the road, "Honey, you have no idea how excited everyone is to have you back… I think mainly because you seem to be the most competent ballistics expert," Alexx told her. "You're going to do just fine."

"It's been a while… I tried to read journal articles that I've missed in the last six weeks, but I still don't feel prepared," Calleigh admitted.

"You don't worry about it. You're going to put on your lab coat, go into your lab, and then I'm sure you're going to switch over to auto pilot. Don't doubt yourself, Honey…" Alexx chastised. "Everything's going to be just fine."

"Everyone keeps sayin' that…" Calleigh said looking out the window.

Alexx pulled into a parking spot and turned off the ignition. She looked over at Calleigh and placed her hand on her friend's shoulder, her voice was soft and gentle as she spoke, "Then you better start believing it, Calleigh…"

…………………….

Calleigh smiled when she noticed Eric in the parking area in front of the lab as Alexx dropped her off. She had received a call to go out to a scene, and promised to cheek on her later. She carried her bag along as she approached Eric, "Please tell me you haven't been out here all this time waiting for me…" Calleigh said a bit embarrassed. "Alexx called Horatio and told him I was going to be late."

"I know," Eric told her with a smile. "I just wanted to escort you in."

"I need an escort now, do I?" she teased lightly. She appreciated being greeted by a friendly face, "Very sweet thought, Eric," she said quietly as they headed up the stairs. "Thank you."

Eric smiled, "Well…I also wanted to warn you…"

"About…?"

"Well, rumors, of course…"

Calleigh sighed, "Well, of course… I mean, not like anyone actually works…"

"Nah, not when they can spread rumors about you being on vacation," Eric filled her in. "So, that could help…"

"Thank you, Eric," she told him as he opened the door and they both entered, "For the warning…and the door." She turned to him as they walked, "I suppose I should think up a good place that I went to…"

"Could help when Valera wants to know where exactly you've been."

They entered the elevator, and Calleigh pressed the button for the correct floor, "It's nice to be back," she said with a smile. "You have no idea how bored I've been…"

"Hey now, I remember you throwing socks through that hoop I had over the back of that closet door at your house," Eric teased.

Calleigh laughed, "That does not count… I've missed my work," she told him. When the doors of the elevator opened, they approached the front desk to get their messages. Calleigh was surprised to find she had a stack, and as she thumbed through them could see that a good bunch of them were from her dad. "Thank you, Claudia," she said before walking into the lab with Eric. "My dad probably thinks I'm dead…or something," she mumbled.

"Nah, or else he'd have come into the lab and demanded to see Horatio," Eric told her. "He's probably worried though… You should call him back… Tell him you were unexpectedly out of town for a while…something like that."

Before Calleigh could have the chance to respond, her arm was taken from the other side and she turned her head to see Horatio. She smiled, "Hey there…sorry about earlier…"

"Don't worry about it," Horatio told her, "You're here right on time." He nodded to Eric and then headed Calleigh away towards ballistics.

"I'll see you later, Cal," Eric said before heading off to his respective lab.

Calleigh smiled and looked over at Horatio, "So? What do you need?"

"Well, I have bullets that I need matches on…and items that have tool marks on them, and I needed my expert…" Horatio told her with a smile. As they entered the lab, he watched her, "Miss it?"

Calleigh frowned, "Camden's not been takin' care of things it looks like," she said looking around the lab. "I'm gonna have to reorganize…"

"How are you feeling?" Horatio asked finally. Now that she was in the lab, he wondered if she felt better or worse about things in general.

She pressed forward a smile, "Overwhelmed…but…I'm gonna be okay…" Calleigh told him. She looked around, "No one supervised Camden while I was gone, did they?"

"The shift supervisor," Horatio answered.

"So," Calleigh said and smiled wider, "Nobody?"

Horatio smiled, "Mmm looks that way, doesn't it?"

"I'd ask you to help me reorganize, but I do enjoy it," Calleigh told him. "He's probably got my gun locker all out of order, too…"

"Settle in easy, Calleigh."

"I will… I promise."

Horatio stepped closer to her, so that when he whispered only she could hear. "You just remember that I'm here for you, Sweetheart. I don't want you to hesitate calling me," Horatio told her before leaning in and kissing her cheek gently. "And I'll make sure you keep that promise… I don't want you overdoing it your first day back…" Between him, Frank, Eric, and Alexx he knew that Calleigh would be well looked after. None of them were going to risk losing her, and Horatio had warned people to let her do her job. Now it was time for her to do just that. "I'll let you get back to your lab," he told her as he backed up and then headed for the door.

"Horatio?" Calleigh called, but didn't move from her spot.

"Mmm?"

"Thank you."

"You're very welcome, Ma'am."

…………………..

The End.