CHAPTER 21: ANGER AND SURPRISES

***CALLEIGH'S POV***

Twice in two day. That was becoming an habit. The way to his house seemed more familiar already…

I was pissed. Really, really, pissed. At him, this time. Well, at Eric, too. Was that really necessary, to kiss me like there was no tomorrow, in front of our boss? Especially after having been rude to him? But boy, what a kiss… I had never moaned that much in my life… ahem, back to the present…

I was pissed at Horatio. What was he thinking, leaving Natalia, Natalia!, of all people, in charge? Why not… God, but the words hurt… why not me? I was the most senior after Horatio himself, and assistant day shift supervisor, his damn second in command! Natalia had been with us less than three years, while I had been by Horatio's side for over a decade. A decade!

He used to trust me with… almost everything! Why does he turn to Natalia all of a sudden?

That was plain jealousy, I had the grace to admit to myself. Which was rapidly turning into anger again.

He could have chosen Eric!

Okay, that was dumb. He was in no condition to run a lab, not even for a couple of hours…

There's always Ryan!

Well, that was true. It would have pissed me off all the same, but… less. Why Natalia, dammit?

She's been available while you were not!, my subconscious offered. Great, now I didn't know if I felt more like crap for not having been at my best, therefore letting Horatio down, or more disturbed by the thought of Natalia hitting on her boss.

She beats her eyelashes at him and he goes ga-ga all over her?

If I hadn't just reached his house, I would have felt bad for thinking such things about two of my best friends, but I was there, and I needed all the adrenaline I could muster to face him.

His Hummer was parked nearby. Good, he's home!, I thought angrily, slamming on the brakes of my car and striding towards his door. I tapped impatiently, crossing my arms over my chest.

It took him a good five seconds to open the door, a worried expression on his face. I admit it unsettled me somehow, that expression of his… it was as if I had interrupted something. Or maybe he'd just seen me approach his house and imagined I'd be angry at him, because he was feeling remorseful?

Duquesne, stop thinking shit!, I reproached myself. Aloud I said: -We need to talk. -, in a serious tone. He was already preoccupied, that way I couldn't gauge his reaction well.

-Uh, can it wait? I'm in the middle of something right now…-, he replied in hushed tones. He was sending me away? Without an explanation? Now I was angry.

-Well, this is important, too!-, I almost shouted at his face, when suddenly Kyle's voice rang from the inside.

-Dad, c'mere! She did it! Whoop whoo! You did it, Ronnie!-

Imagine my shock when he ran back inside, effectively leaving me at his doorsteps. Who did he think he was? Did he really think a cold treatment would discourage me?

I strode inside, going directly to the living room. Gosh, why was it so familiar? And there they were, Horatio, Kyle and Ronnie… and a pig. A pig which was running about Horatio's living room, happily rooting at the presents.

I stared in shock at the scene, at Kyle's merry face, at Ronnie's frown of concentration and at Horatio's open mouth. Open mouth? What in the name of God was happening?

-Can you… can you control it?-, the redhead whispered, addressing Ronnie. How was the girl supposed to control the animal, anyway? Was he expecting her to catch it?

Ronnie looked intently at the animal. One minute it was sniffing Kyle's foot, the next one… it went completely still.

-My God…-, I heard my boss whisper. Okay, what the hell was going on?

-Horatio…?-, I started, stepping more fully into the room. It was then that my brain registered a detail I had unconsciously decided to ignore until then: blood, on the floor, in the shape of a circle. It was a faint trace, but it was there nonetheless. I spun towards Horatio, my eyes clearly demanding an explanation, for he took a step towards me, catching my right hand in his and leading me to the couch, carefully avoiding bumping into the pig.

-Horatio, you're scaring her…-, Ronnie addressed the redhead, then glanced at me. -There's no simple way to put this, better be direct: I raise the dead. This pig was stone cold dead when you knocked, then I drew the circle with my blood… the rest is history. -, she told me seriously. All I could was stare at her.

-Calleigh?-, Horatio whispered, almost directly in my ear. I shook my head a little to try and clear it before answering.

-I recognize blood when I see it, so you indeed drew the circle. My question is: why? Why the need to make up this elaborate joke?-, I asked, trying to keep my tone of voice steady. I saw something flicker through Ronnie's eyes… anger?

-This is no joke, I assure you! I revived the pig! And I can control it, I'm its mistress, do you understand me?-, she shouted in my direction, rising her hands and pinching her index finger. I distinctly saw a fat drop of blood trail down the tip of her dark finger, then slowly, as in slow motion, hit the floor. Gravitational drop, my analytical mind supplied.

Her eyes became unfocused, hands raising even more, pointing to the ceiling. What the fuck…? Then, I felt it: electricity running though my skin, goose bumps raising as it passed over my flesh. I shivered rather violently, for Horatio put both his hands on my shoulders, trying to steady me. I felt something… raise, in the room. The lights quivered for a fraction of second, just like my head started to spin. I felt dizzy and I was about to collapse on the floor if Horatio hadn't been ready to catch me; he encircled my chest with his arms, pressing my back against his chest for support. I couldn't escape his tight hold, not that I wanted to that strongly…

Once I was sure my breath had normalized enough for me to speak, I shot a glance at Ronnie.

-I… I believe you…-, I panted. I didn't realized my heart was thundering in my ears; that must have been the reason why I didn't feel Horatio's hands on my back, his motions light and comforting, stroking my long hair.

…

Why was I angry at him again?

It was pure bliss after what I had experienced…

-Calleigh? Are you okay?-, he was asking me, his voice muffled as if coming from a long distance. But he was next to me, his mouth inches from my ear…

-I… I… did you feel it?-, I stuttered, breathing deeply to soothe my nerves.

-Not as strongly as you, it seems… my skin just prickled a little…-, he told me softly, as not to overwhelm me. Well, I appreciated it.

-Ah… I'm sorry, Calleigh… I don't know what took over me… I was… I wasn't myself. -, Ronnie told me apologetically, crossing the lifeless body of the pig lying at her feet to come near me. She crouched down in front of me, resting her right hand on my leg. I shuddered violently at the contact, shrinking away from her, effectively burying myself deeper in Horatio's half embrace.

-Ronnie, I think you're scaring her…-, Kyle whispered, standing right beside the girl. He encircled her waist, much like his father was doing with me, and dragged her away from me. I… I was glad, really. Ever the gentleman, sensing my body relax, Horatio gently let go of me. My heart dropped at the loss of contact, of warmth. Why would it?

***CONTINUES***

How was this one?