H: A Time for Healing

Chapter 37

"I know why Josie left Miami." Lieutenant Allen finally spoke as the pair came up on the basketball court. "It was because her family - Jilly and her kids - needed her in Minnesota." Jasper picked up a football a soldier had left behind and spun it around in his hands as he spoke. "She's like that you know, always taking care of people. Josie's not one to put her own feelings first." Jasper shrugged his shoulders and looked off into the distance before he spoke again. "I don't think it was an easy choice for her this time though. She fell in love with Lieutenant Caine." He looked at the young soldier standing quietly beside him.

"Josie won't tell me much else about her relationship with your dad. Long distance relationships are difficult at best, I know that from experience." Jasper's handsome face creased into a rueful smile. "And I don't really see Josie being content with that type of thing anyway." Kyle shook his head in agreement.

"Dad sounded much happier when Jo was in Miami. He would want her to help her sister and nephews, I'm sure. Dad does the same thing," he added reflectively, "he helps everyone else, his CSI's, his friends - even the families and victims he comes into contact with through his work. But he doesn't do so well with himself," he finished quietly. "Do you think your sister would go back to Miami after things get sorted out in Minnesota?"

"If she loves your dad, I'd say yes, she would go back to Miami. But I don't think that will be anytime soon, Harmon."

"Why not sir?" The bubble of hope Kyle felt burst at the other man's words. Jasper stared at the football in his hands for a moment or two, seemingly considering how much information he should divulge.

"I can tell you Josie had a mess to straighten out when she got home. My younger sister had gone into rehab for drug abuse, and her husband skipped town, leaving his sons and Jilly with no financial support. The house was going into foreclosure and Jo had to find a place to live for her and the twins." Jasper paused, trying to get his emotions under control. If he hadn't been over here, he'd have gone after that good-for-nothing-lout-of-a-husband of his younger sister. And, once she was out of rehab, he had a few things to say to her as well.

"Isn't there a third son, sir?" Kyle's question brought Jasper's attention back to the present.

"Yes, Aiden is just two. He's staying with his grandparents. Jo couldn't afford a long court battle to keep all 3 boys in her care, so she gave in to the compromise to have Aiden stay with his fraternal grandparents for now. She was able to keep the twins in their same school and find a house to live in as well as get a job at the place where she used to work, so she could support herself and the boys."

"I'm sure my dad would help her if she needed anything." Kyle didn't realize he'd spoken aloud. "He knows lots of people in the legal field that might be able to help with the custody problem."

"Lieutenant Caine did offer to help, from what Aunt Florence told me." Jasper clenched his fingers over the laces on the ball. "Josie wouldn't talk about it to me, but your dad and my Aunt have struck up quite a friendship it seems - something about her helping him with a case involving killer drugs and homeless pets and her friend Mr. Grundle." Jasper juggled the ball from one hand to the other. "Aunt Florence tells me the Lieutenant offered Josie some financial help and he knew a name of someone who could wade through the legal mess as well. He wanted to fly up to Minnesota and offer some emotional support."

"Did Jo … your sister take him up on any of it?" Kyle asked, receiving the answer he'd feared as Jasper shook his head.

"Our Josie's too proud. She's also stubborn," Jasper answered with a smile. "No matter how bad she needed your dad or wanted him with her, she'd consider this was her problem and wouldn't want to involve him in it."

"Do you think," Kyle hesitated, wondering how to phrase the next question. In the end, Jo's brother saved him from it by finishing for him.

"I've already tried to talk sense to Josie about not spending her whole life being at Jilly's beck and call. Aunt Florence tried to tell her as well, going so far even, to tell Josie that she was a fool to let the Lieutenant get away." Jasper smiled as he remembered that conversation with the elderly matchmaker. "And your father didn't escape unscathed either, Harmon. It seems Aunt Florence gave him an earful about what he should be doing to bring Josie back to Florida and make an honest woman of her."

"I can help you get warm Sweetheart," Horatio murmured, delighted with the darkening of her eyes as his hands caressed her silky skin. "We start like this," he pulled her close into his arms, dipping his head to brush his lips across her mouth. The light kiss turned into something much more passionate, leaving them both breathless when Horatio's mouth left hers. He watched as her blue eyes fluttered open slowly, their blue depths almost indigo in the dim light. Jo licked her lips, feeling Horatio's body tense beneath her exploring fingertips.

"That's very nice Lieutenant, but before we go any further, I … have a couple of questions."

"What questions Josie?" Horatios' voice was husky, his warm lips nibbling the sensitive spot near her neck and shoulder. "I don't want to spend all our time together talking."

"I don't think there is much danger in that Lieutenant, but I do have to know that we won't be interrupted this time." She felt his chest heave against her with silent laughter. "I'm serious, I don't think I can take another interruption when we have … plans to be together. I might have to do something rash like give your phone to Roxie for safe keeping." This time she felt him smile against her skin. "But she might try calling all her doggie friends that have gotten homes in other states, so I hope you've got enough minutes." Now Horatio lifted his head, their eyes meeting in the low light.

"Ok, Josie. You've got one minute. What do you want to know? And for the record Sweetheart, my cell phone is on the bureau where I'll make sure to ignore it for the next several hours," he answered her, forcing himself to take a deep breath and concentrate on what she was saying.

"My Aunt is home safely, playing Canasta with Mr. Grundle, yes?" Horatio nodded, his eyes never leaving her face as she trailed a finger down his neck and across his chest. "There will be no emergencies to take you rushing away from me in the night?" Jo slanted a glance up at him as he shook his head no. "Are you expecting a call from Kyle tonight?" Again he indicated no, and asked his own question after a moment.

"Are you expecting any calls Sweetheart?"

"Nope. I spoke to Richard's parents today. They have the boys for the weekend. Jilly doesn't have access to a phone and Jasper and I spoke earlier today. I'm a free woman tonight." Jo leaned forward and brushed her lips across his.

"Good," he murmured, returning her kiss. He moved quickly then and Jo found herself on her back, Horatio's arms on either side of her. "That means no interruptions tonight," he told her huskily, one hand stroking her hair back from her face.

"Hmmm, may I remind you, Lieutenant, you … ended it the last time."

"Well, it was your aunt who needed my help," Horatio murmured, brushing another kiss across her mouth while stretching his body out alongside hers.

"But, you didn't tell me that she was in danger or that she was helping you with a case." Josie murmured, Horatio's nearness suddenly making it difficult to concentrate.

"She didn't want you to worry, Josie. I … was only following her request." Horatio slid one hand along her flat stomach, his eyes traveling over her lovely body. "Enough talking Josie. I want to love you Sweetheart. We've waited far too long," he added, his lips moving across her skin towards the shadowy hollow that had kept the towel in place earlier.

"I've got one more thing I have to tell you Horatio." Josie murmured, her fingers sliding through his ginger hair.

He sighed softly, asking "Can't it wait until morning?"

Jo set her cup of coffee down on her desk, looking in dismay at the stack of paperwork and files that had appeared since she'd left yesterday afternoon. It looked like at least a couple hours of work, she thought, pulling up her calendar in Outlook. A glance at the screen told her she had several care meetings later this morning and one staff meeting after lunch. Before she settled into her paperwork, Jo pulled out her phone, noticing the new email icon in the upper corner. The thought that it might be from one of the twins' teachers had her scanning the list quickly. She didn't see anything from the elementary school, but she did recognize one from Miami and a certain Crime Lab. Before she could tap the tab to open it, a knock sounded on her door, and she dropped the device into her desk drawer.

"Come in," she called quickly, pushing the sudden image of a certain red-haired Lieutenant with her beneath the sheets of his bed out of her mind as the door opened.

TBC