Rating: G
Disclaimer: Yeah, right. If I could somehow get TPTB to give me Horatio, I'd be far too busy to write fanfic. *VEG*
Status: Complete, although there may be a sequel.
Spoilers: Big Brother
Notes: Post-ep scene for Big Brother
She found him on the beach. He had shed his jacket and the cold wind whipped through his hair and moulded his shirt to his body. Calleigh's heart broke as she took in the sight of one of the loneliest men she had ever known. He was sitting with his legs pulled up and his arms around his knees. She kneeled behind him and without a second thought, wrapped her arms around his waist. Horatio tensed for a second, waging a battle for control but he'd been strong for so long and he knew that Cal's silent offer came with no strings and no judgments. He half turned in her arms and buried his face in her neck as the harsh, dry sobs wracked through his body. She soothingly ran her fingers through his hair over and over while crooning comforting words in his ear. After a while he started to speak, telling her every painful detail before finally lifting his head to meet her gaze. He pulled away from her so that they were kneeling face to face.
"I feel like I lost him all over again today, Cal. He was addicted to meth, cheating on his wife..." he trailed off and looked to the side before picking up again, "Hagen was right, Raymond did get himself killed." The pain in his voice made Calleigh reach out and smooth her palm across his cheek, turning his face towards her.
"Horatio, your brother died because he protected someone who couldn't protect herself. Whatever else the crank may have done to him, it couldn't change the fact that at the most basic level, he was still a good person." In that instant, Horatio felt as though the clouds had parted and a sliver of light fell on his heart. He smiled then and reached up to cover her hand with his.
"My beautiful angel," he said and realized that while the healing was a long way from being complete, Calleigh had just guided him onto the right path.