Title:
Being close
Author: Hgirl
Summary: H has waited long enough.
Disclaimer: CSI: Miami doesn't belong to me nor does this story this is just me reading between the lines.
In
his head, Horatio remembers catching a glimpse of Yelina's cleavage
as they walked alongside the day after Hurricane Anthony hit Miami.
He can't resist all her assets and something has also changed in
Horatio.
He remembers being worried about her and Ray
junior.
He remembers stopping in the threshold of a house. The
door was wide open so he leaned in and spotted her. The beautiful
visual leaves his mind as he remembers holding onto Marty's hand.
He
remembers feeling her come close as he processed the car
for blood.
He says, "Hey"
Wide-eyed she says, "Hi!"
He copies her words and stutters nervously, "Hey"
She thinks he's here about work because he usually is. He still doesn't know how to go about this.
"Oh! I just locked up the paperwork on Burten, but - if you want it -"
His mouth stays agape. He's got other things on his mind. He nods saying: "No, that's okay. That's fine."
She pushes, wanting to please him: "It won't be a problem. I'll be just a minute."
Beaten, he looks down, "Okay," he says in a low voice. He moistens his lips and with shifty eyes watches her. His heart is beating so loudly in his chest that he wonders if she can hear it. He certainly can.
"Here you go - that's all the papers," she tells him handing him the file. She's always so thrilled to be able to help.
He leans forward and grabs the file "Alrighty," is the only word that leaves his lips. He's thinking now. How am I gonna say this? It's not going exactly as planned.
She's nervous. She makes sure her bag's well on her shoulder, feeling somewhat uneasy by his unexpected presence.
He goes for it: "Umm - I was..ahh. Stuttering again, damn, Horatio, calm down. Take it slow and steady, he thinks in his head. "I was wondering - I was wondering what - ah - you were doing tonight -you and Ray junior –"
She shifts her weight from one leg to another, holding on to her purse's strap.
Stay calm Yelina, breathe in, breathe out, she
repeats herself, but she can't breathe. Her heart is beating so
quickly that she can't hear her breathing, can't discern if she's
still alive and well.
He looks down; quick find a reason. He
continues, "Well, um, you're gonna have to ah... you're gonna
have to take that board-up down, so I assume you're gonna need some
help."
Yelina is still in shock and she knows he's tense
about her silence. He has made himself completely vulnerable,
exposed, heart on his sleeve. He wants to let her in.
"Lieutenant
Caine?" Someone disturbs the conversation. Yelina stays mouth
open, not having time to answer.
Horatio turns his head,
surprised, "Yeah?"
It's the girl who gave him that
scar on his forehead, she wants to talk to him. "You
-ah-evacuated me - she takes a small breath they told me I could
find you here -"
He replies swiftly, "Right, ah,
Julie, right?"
"Ah, Julia," she smiles. She's
attractive. Wearing a beautiful black dress probably to please
him.
He looks down briefly and tells her: "Julia. Okay.
Um, Julia," Horatio lifts a finger to indicate his decision, "I'll
be right with you."
Julia
nods and walks away.
He nods and glances up at Yelina who
gives him a look. He looks to his side "Ahhhrrr," and then
at Yelina who purses her lips. Thinking quickly, he says, "Excuse
me."
She sways tapping her foot slightly, looking away
then, watching Horatio turn his back on her. She smirks. She knows
the young lady wants something; she can sense it. She's not sure how
he's going to pull this one off.
Women are seduced everyday by this hunk of a man.
She glances at him from the side of her eye not knowing if this interruption will cost her.
She
nods looking at them. She told him before that she wanted to move on
to a more intimate relationship with him and feels relieved when she
reads his lips as the girl walks off. She can't hear the words, but
she understands: "Thank you. Alright Julia, take care."
Horatio
rests his hands on his hips in his casual way. His eyes catch
Yelina's for an instant.
She thinks it's a good time to join him and walks over.
"How'
she doing?" She asks, trying not to look at him by fear of
discovering he's re- thought his plans for tonight.
He looks
down and says: "She's.. um. I think she's gonna be fine."
She
stares at him lovingly.
Nothing is gonna stop me now,
gorgeous; his mind is made up. He quietly asks: "How - ah- how
da' later sound?" At the bottom of his soul, he has a flame of
hope burning strongly.
She's still on edge and he feels the
nervousness.
She
takes her time to recompose herself and smiled tenderly, "I
think that would be nice."
"Good. Good. Uhm.." he
says softly, lifting his eyebrows, "so I'll see you later -"
He tips his head as he says it. He's off-balance, filled with
joy.
"Yeah," she replies and seals her
lips.
"Okay"
She says "yep" and
blushes.
Their
eyes meet. They sound like teenagers trying to end an awkward moment
and she turns to walk away.
"Thank you," he tells
her and, at the tone of his voice, she turns surprised once more.
Their
eyes meet again.
She makes a 'yep' with her lips, but no sound
is expelled from her mouth and, finally, she walks off. She doesn't
quite know what to think of his offer, but after he thanked her, she
knows what it means. He, whom she thought was entirely closed off,
was in fact more open now than ever. He had just opened a door that
was long since closed.
Alone
now, without her around, Horatio looks up and smiles at the sunny
sky. This is a new beginning. He's in love and so is
she.
Yelina pushes Ray junior's bedroom door
lightly to peek inside. Horatio is sitting on the little boy's bed.
He has the sleeves of his shirt rolled up his forearms and he's
holding a children's book in his left hand, his other hand is gently
stroking the little boy's hair. Ray junior is sound asleep.
There's
a small light glowing on the bedside table. Yelina walks towards
Horatio and he gets up, feeling her presence.
"Hey,"
he says in a very low voice.
"Hi," she smiles "I
finished cleaning up. Thanks for taking care of Ray - I see he pushed
you into reading him a story -"
"Yeah. That's fine."
He walks towards the small bookshelf and puts the book away.
Yelina
crouches beside the bed and reaches over to her son to kiss his
cheek, then stands up.
Horatio stands behind Yelina and tells
her softly in her ear "He's got your hair." She turns her
head a bit and smiles "I was hoping he'd have red hair."
"No,
he would have been picked on in school -"
She turns
completely to him and says, "Small price to pay for being so
attractive to women."
She reaches down to flick the bedside light off.
Darkness;
only a string of light coming from the door. She can't see his
reaction, but she can guess it's a smile. She walks towards the
door.
In the doorframe, she gives him a million dollar smile
and he blushes. He follows her, leaving the door slightly ajar.
They
walk together to her living room and she tells him to have a seat and
that she'll just be a minute. She walks off and Horatio decides to
sit on her couch. He glances at the pictures on the mantle, on the
table... surrounding him. He breathes in deeply. He loves the scent
of the house. It's reassuring, cozy and soft. He feels comfortable
enough to rest his right arm on the back of the sofa.
"Are
you sure you don't want anything to drink?" Yelina gently asks
Horatio as she sits beside him.
"No, I'm fine. Thank
you," he smiles looking down then glances up at her.
"Thank
you," he tells her again, grabbing her attention.
"For
what?" she gives him a puzzled look.
"For dinner and
for allowing me to spend some time with you-" He smiles gently.
"You
don't have to thank me for dinner, it was my pleasure. As for
spending time with me-" she turns to face him, slipping her leg
under her body, leaning forward, and whispers against his ear, "I
wanted that more than you."
She changes the mood and asks
tentatively: "So, what made you change your mind?"
Was
he going to admit he needed to give himself more than just through
his job?
That he needed to give a profound meaning to his existence? He's
conscious that he's getting old and he also knows that she is much
younger than him, but he decided that all that mattered was that he
loved her. He had been reflecting on the choices he's made so far
and, without her, his life was a waste.
"They say-"
he answers "that to desire is more exciting than to possess-"
he continues "With you, that", he pauses "is
impossible."
She bites her lip wanting so badly to kiss
him, but she wants him to do so when he's ready. He very slowly and
carefully turns his body to face her and reaches in her hair with the
hand that's resting against the back of the sofa. She tilts her head
to his touch. His fingers trace down the side of her
face.
"Horatio-"
"Hmm-"
"Stay
with me tonight."
His hand slips slowly away. Thoughts
rushing through his head... What does she mean by that? Is she
thinking what I think she is?
She
interrupts his thoughts grabbing hold of his hand, "I just want
to sleep beside you-"
He hesitates "Yelina I- ah -
I." Her eyes sparkle and he surrenders, "I'd love
to-"
Yelina walks out of the bathroom after
removing her makeup and brushing her teeth. She opted for a silk
pajama instead of a negligee so H wouldn't be uncomfortable. She
wonders how he's going to sleep.
Should she offer one of Ray's old T-shirts? Maybe it's not such a good idea.
She
spots him waiting beside the bed. She crawls on the bed and tells him
he's welcomed to make himself at home. Pulling the covers, she slips
between the sheets and watches as he sits on the bed and removes his
shoes and his socks.
He lifts the covers to lie beneath them
and slowly edges his way near her body. Before he knows it, he's
holding her in his arms. It's so natural for him to want to hold her,
to need to hold her, but he's never done it before. She turns around
to rest in the curve of his body and sighs deeply, "Thank you- I
feel safe."
"I want you to-" He says in a
velvety voice, caressing her hair. She turns to face him and stares
at his lips.
He notices her gaze and says, "Yelina-"
"Yes?"
she smiles thinking she's been caught big time.
He wants to
kiss her, to be at one with her, to make love to her, but after a
brief pause, he changes his mind, "Good night"
His
hand grazes her body nonetheless and she rests her head on his
shoulder, closing her eyes.
There will be many more nights
much like these to move further into their relationship. They have
both agreed without so many words that they will take it slow.
Tonight, it's just about being close.
THE END