Haunting Pasts

Jessica laid on the log bench on her stomach, her head resting on top of her crossed arms and her legs straddling either side. Horatio chuckled at his daughter and prodded at her with a stick.

"Lay off, old man," she muttered, not bothering to open her eyes, "I'm sore."

"Could it be all the time you spent with Ryan in that tent last night?" Horatio jokingly asked as he sat next to her head.

"Yes and the fact that I'm having a major allergic reaction right now."

"Well maybe if you didn't let him stuff himself inside you while you're covered in hives you wouldn't hurt so much."

"Like I said, lay off, I'm sore."

"Maybe you should lay off the horizontal tango for a while," Horatio suggested, playing with her ponytail.

"We are, no more sex for the rest of the week…or until I heal."

"Yeah right," Eric said as he walked up, "That won't last."

"I give you guys a day," Jesse said as he sat next to Eric.

"I give them twelve hours," Eric responded.

"Want to bet on that?" Jesse asked.

Eric smirked at him. "How much you willing to drop?"

Jesse thought it over. "Twenty bucks," he answered.

"Twenty? Come on man this is Miami, not LA, we play for big bucks here!"

"Fine, a hundred!" Jesse retorted, holding out his hand.

Eric chuckled and grasped his hand firmly. "You're on!"

"Gee, thanks guys," Jessica said, clearly angered as she stood from the log, "That makes me feel great about myself." She stormed off and into the girls' tent. A few minutes later a concerned Calleigh emerged from the tent.

"Well I hope you two are proud of yourselves," she hissed at Eric and Jesse, "Because of what you said Jessica's in there crying her eyes out." She stalked past and into the boys' tent. A few moments later Calleigh and a very sleepy looking Ryan stumbled out and across the campsite and back into the girls' tent.

Eric sighed and shook his head. "We need to learn not to talk."

"You said it," Jesse agreed.

Thunder's hooves pounded against the ground as Jessica sped through the field. The wind whipped through her hair and her eyes watered behind her sunglasses. She leaned forward in her saddle, pressing her chest against Thunder's neck. She reached the edge of the field and slowed Thunder to a gentle trot. They walked around the field, Thunder cooling down from the race. Jessica smiled and scratched his neck. "Good job, Thunder," she said to him.

Horatio trotted up next to Jessica and walked along side her on Miguel. "You win this time, Bug," he smiled.

"Took me long enough to finally win one," Jessica said.

They walked to the stable and put their horses back into the paddock. They hauled their saddles back into the stable. Horatio stretched his arms above his head and then massaged his neck.

"You ok, Dad?" Jessica asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Horatio said.

"You look tired, Dad," Jessica commented, "Is something bothering you?"

Horatio sighed and slipped his hand into hers and led her to the hay stack. They climbed to the top and sat together. "I am tired, Bug," Horatio said, "You're not the only one whose past haunts them in their sleep. I don't wake up screaming like you do but the pain's the same. I see faces of my ghosts and relive my worst days. Sometimes I fear sleeping because I know what's coming."

Jessica wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing his cheek. "I'm sorry, Dad," she whispered, "What are the dreams about?"

Horatio pulled her close against his chest, lying down in the hay. He kissed her forehead and Jessica felt tears falling into her hair. "They're about my old life," Horatio whispered, "The life that I gave up for the one I have now."

Jessica was silent for a long time. When she spoke again her voice was small and timid. "Is there anything in particular? Something that keeps coming back?"

Horatio tightened his grip on her and the tears fell faster. "Izzy," he whispered almost inaudibly.

III

Horatio awoke when the door to his bedroom clicked open. Someone stumbled in and dropped to the floor next to his bed.

"Dad," Izzy's weak voice sounded, "Daddy, I need help."

Horatio shot up and turned on the light. Suzanna groaned and buried her face under her pillow. "Damn it, Horatio," she muttered, "Turn off that damn light."

Horatio looked at Izzy. Blood was running down her legs, soaking into her pajama pants. Horatio lifted her and carried her into the bathroom. He began pulling her pants off as Izzy continued to sob. He looked at her body but couldn't figure out where the blood was coming from. Her panties were soaked with blood and Horatio looked up into her eyes.
"Izzy," he whispered, "Where are you bleeding from?"

Izzy cried harder and her entire body shook with her sobs. She reached into the pocket of her pajama pants and pulled out an orange pill bottle. Her hand shook as she held it out for Horatio. He read the label and he looked at her.

"Izzy, did you take an abortion pill?" he quietly asked.

Izzy nodded as the tears streamed down her face. "I didn't want it!" she cried out, "I didn't want it in me!"

Horatio stood and wrapped his arms around her small body. "We need to take you to the hospital," he said as he released her from his arms.

"No!" Izzy exclaimed, "No more hospitals! I don't want to go back!"

"Elizabeth Johnson, you need a doctor," Horatio said, terror beginning to fill his veins. "This is the wrong dosage. You're going to bleed out if we don't get you to the hospital right now."

"No! I'm not going!" Izzy cried out, breaking away from Horatio, "I won't go!"

"Elizabeth Johnson!" Horatio snapped, "You are going to the hospital!"

"My name isn't Elizabeth Johnson!" Izzy screamed as she stumbled down the stairs, smearing blood across the hardwood floors. "My name is Elizabeth Caine!"

"Which means you're my daughter so you're going to listen to me!" Horatio said, grabbing her arm.

"Stop it!" Izzy screamed, "You're hurting me, you bastard!"

Horatio tightened his grip and felt anger burn through his body. "I'm sorry Izzy," he whispered. He grabbed her shoulder and squeezed the base of her neck on her left shoulder. Izzy's eyes rolled into the back of her head and she collapsed in Horatio's arms. Horatio sank to the ground and sat on the floor, cradling Izzy's body in his arms. He cried and stared at his unconscious daughter.

"I'm sorry, Jessica," he whispered, "I didn't want to do it but she wouldn't listen."

III

"I remember that night," Jessica whispered, "It hurt so much."

Horatio's eyes watered over again and he buried his face into Jessica's hair. "I was so scared Izzy was going to die and it was all because of that bastard again."

"I never told you I was pregnant until that night, did I?" Jessica quietly asked.

"No, I never knew. I don't know how you got the pills either."

"Women's clinics give them out like candy," Jessica whispered. "I was just so desperate to get rid of the baby because it meant there would be another part of James in the world."

Horatio held her tight against his chest. "I love you, Bug," he whispered.

"I love you, too, Daddy H," Jessica quietly said.

"How about nap time?" Horatio asked her with a hopeful smile. "I think we could both use it."

"Yeah, definitely," Jessica quietly muttered.

Jessica and Ryan cheerfully walked back to the campsite together after their shower, holding hands and smiling.
"I thought you were supposed to feel cleaner when you get out of the shower," Ryan playfully said as they walked into the girls' tent.

"What, we didn't do anything naughty," Jessica said as she leaned up to kiss him.

"No but I've got one hell of a boner right now and no solution to this problem."

"Oh I think I can fix it," Jessica said, cupping him in her hand.

Horatio wandered through the campsite, still picking bits of hay from his hair. "Eric do you have my cell phone?" Horatio asked, "I can't find it."

"Nope, haven't seen it lately, H," Eric said.

"I think Jessica has it," Calleigh said, "She found it by the fire pit and said she would find you after she showered."

"Where is she now?" Horatio inquired.

"I think she just walked into our tent," Calleigh said.

"Thanks Calleigh," Horatio said as he walked towards the girls' tent.

"Jess?" Horatio said outside the tent, "Jess, are you in there?" He unzipped the tent and slipped inside. The door to the other room was zipped shut and he could hear someone talking. He unzipped the tent door and was stunned at the sight that met him.

Ryan was lying on his back on top of Jessica's sleeping bag, eyes closed, knees bent, feet flat on the ground, completely naked. Jessica was naked and her head buried between his legs. Ryan was softly moaning and whispering to her.

"Oh god, Jess," Ryan quietly said, "That feels so good."

Ryan heard the rustling of the tent and his eyes snapped open and he looked towards the door. "Oh god, Horatio!" Ryan jumped and his hips shot forward. Jessica's head fell back and she began coughing and choking. She grabbed the trash can as she spit bile and semen ran from her nose. "Oh shit, Jessica!" Ryan exclaimed. He wrapped a blanket around her and held her against his chest and pulled her hair from her face.

Horatio stumbled backwards out of the tent and staggered into the campsite. Calleigh looked at his bewildered face and couldn't help but laugh.

"Did you see a ghost?" Calleigh playfully asked.

Horatio shook his head and sat on one of the benches. "Something a little more disturbing," he quietly said.

"What was that?" Calleigh inquired.

Horatio looked over his shoulder and watched as Jessica and Ryan emerged from the girls' tent and headed towards the shower house. Calleigh laughed and sat next to Horatio. "Well I guess that answers that question." She smirked, "I thought they said they were going to lay off for a while?"
"Well I guess oral doesn't count in their minds," Horatio muttered.

Calleigh laughed again and nudged Horatio. "I bet Ryan's face was red, or could you not see it between Jessica's legs."

"No, I could see Ryan's face just fine," Horatio muttered, "It was Jessica's I couldn't see."

Calleigh's mouth fell open in shock. She laughed again, clutching her sides. "Oh my god, they must be mortified!"

"Not as much as me," Horatio quietly said, "I think I made the party end too soon."

"Yeah you did," Jessica said, sitting on the bench next to Horatio with Ryan, "Ryan took off like a rocket."

"Are you ok, Bug?" Horatio inquired, "You're not hurt, are you?"

"No, I just got a like choked up, that's all," Jessica said. Horatio could see the slight blush forming on her cheeks.

Horatio smiled and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Sorry Bug, I didn't mean to ruin your fun."

"It's ok, Dad," Jessica quietly said.

"But I could have swore you guys told us a different story this morning," Calleigh said with a mischievous grin.

"Well we decided to conserve water in the shower house and well," Jessica said with a mischievous grin of her own, "Things kind of went downhill from there."

"Oh something went down alright," Calleigh laughed as she walked away. Ryan stuck out his foot and Calleigh tripped over his ankle. "Ass," she muttered as she walked away.