Calleigh took Horatio's hand as they walked down the hall of the school. "This is where that whole believe in me thing comes into play." She told him.

"Is this what you weekly meeting is?" He asked referring to the two hour block on Tuesday mornings she had arranged to have off every week."

"Mm, hmm. I thought when I first started coming that I did it for a break but I've found their energy rubs off on you."

"And that's what you think I need?"

She stopped and turned to him. "I don't know what it is you need." She said in quiet honesty. "All I know is that you're hurting and you're trying to make it through alone just like you've done I don't know how many times and I just..." she shrugged, "I guess I want to be the one there for you this time." She looked away unable to bear the heartbreak that looking into his eyes blunted by pain and self recrimination brought her.

Suddenly she doubted her wisdom in bringing him. "We won't stay long, okay. I promised them I'd been here today. "

"Take your time." He said, knowing that she needed to be here to lift her own heart after the tragedy they all suffered from. "Calleigh? Thank you." Despite his reticence at being there he was touched by her desire to help him.

"For what?"

He looked at the checkerboard tiled floor and explored through the guilt that ate at him. "I should be the one making sure you're okay not drowning in myself."

"I'm a good swimmer." Calleigh said with a shyly flirtatious smile. "Besides, doesn't every little girl hold a dream of being the hero for her hero? Can I help it if I just happened to pick one that wasn't there the day they warned y'all about Kryptonite?"

He smiled as taken back by what she hadn't said as what she had. And for just a moment the inner fire that had been missing since the boy's death flickered in his eyes.

"Come on." She said, squeezing his hand. "We're right there." She tilted her head toward a door several yards away. The walked the short distance in silence stopping just shy of the doorway. She took deep breath and put a bright smile on her face. "Shall we?" she whispered and without waiting for his answer silently opened the door. They stopped just inside the doorway their senses almost immediately saturated with the colors and sounds of a child's world.

"Hi y'all." Somehow she had lifted her voice over the low thunder of twenty-two aspiring Picassos at work

"Calleigh!" a cacophony of little voices blasted them and the thunder became that of child's feet rushing to see her.

Calleigh took a few steps into the room and bent down hugging the first few children who had won the race to reach her. "Micky." She said fondly, rubbing one boy's thick ash blond hair. She laughed as the others gathered around her little hands reaching over each other eager to touch her. A thin yelp was all she managed before the thrust of the mass pushed her over and she landed unceremoniously at Horatio's feet her back against his legs.

She looked up at him an amused flush coloring her cheeks and smiled at the chuckle that had made it beyond the hurt that weighed so heavily on him.

"Wait, wait, stop." She called out loudly, laughing as she warded of the hands still eagerly reaching for her.

A tall thin chocolate skinned woman stepped forward, "Class." The single syllable was enough to quiet the storm of voices. "Everyone needs to take three giant steps back."

Her orders were met with groans and mutters as the children milled about trying to figure out how to fulfill the request while still staying close to their treat.

"With me now." The teacher said, holding up her hand, "all together one," she paused as the children mingled around, "two", again she waited, "one more, three. And everyone sit down. Thank you."

"Thank you Rosemary." Calleigh said, flashing the woman a warm smile.

She pulled herself to her feet using the hand Horatio had extended for support. "Enthusiastic." He observed with a slight tilt to his head.

"That? She dismissed it with a wave of her hand. "That's nothing. But thanks for having my back." She added playfully.

"Always."

"I know." She thanked him quietly, squeezing his hand.

"Hey y'all." She said, her bright accented voice immediately gaining their attention. "I'd like you to say hi to a friend of mine. This is Lieutenant Horatio Caine."

"Hello Lieutenant Caine." The children chimed as one.

"Is he a police man like you?" One boy asked, pointing at the badge peaking from under the edge of his suit coat.

"As a matter of fact he is. But he is a special kind of police officer.

"Do you have lots of guns, like Calleigh does?" One boy asked.

Horatio laughed. "I have a few guns but not as many as she does."

"You see," Calleigh took back over, "He is in charge of a team of policemen called Crime Scene Investigators who use science to help catch bad guys and put them in jail. Do you remember us doing the science experiment last week?" That's what he does."

"A team like when we play dodge ball?"

"Kind of like that. Only on this team each of us has special things that we do. I know all about guns and bullets, like I showed you. We also work with a man named Tim Speedle who uses special computers to see molecules which are tiny pieces of things. He uses them to find out what everything is made of or if something doesn't belong. And we work with a man named Eric Delko. Eric is like a fish. He knows all about the lakes and rivers and water here in Miami and often has to go diving to help us find evidence."

"What do you do?" Horatio looked down at a little voice. A small dark skinned girl with long hair done up in a thick braid stood beside him, her eyes alight with curiosity.

"He's special." Calleigh said before Horatio could answer. "Not only is he the leader of our team but he knows all about fire."

"You're a fireman?" several of the children said in awe.

"No, he doesn't put out the fires like a fireman does. He goes in after a fire happens and can tell people how it started, where it started, what started it and even who started it."

"Wow!" the children chorused and sent a thousand questions his way.

"Okay class let's not forget that you have projects you're working on."

The group groaned.

"I know you want to spend time with Calleigh and her friend, but if you want to have your paintings done for Parent's Day you need to get back to work."

"Why don't..." Calleigh said over top of a fresh round of groans, "What do you think about Horatio and I walking around and all y'all can show us your projects. How 'bout that."

A round a cheers followed her suggestion and the children quickly scattered.

Horatio felt a tug on his pant leg and looked down to find the little girl from before looking up at him. "Are you magic?"

"No." he answered gently. "But sometimes, sometimes I wish I was."

Her brown creased in doubt at his response.

The image of Jacob's small broken body swept through his vision as he settled on his toes beside her sending a crashing wave of vertigo through him that nearly tipped him over.

"Horatio." Calleigh's voice was laced with alarm. She pushed up against him her arms wrapping him tightly giving him a solid foundation to lean against. "Are you okay?" He eyes going to the gash on his forehead. "I think you've had enough. Time to go."

"No." he protested, leaning heavily against her nonetheless. "I'll be fine. I want you to stay."

"It isn't about me this time." She scolded. "I should have taken you straight home."

"I'm fine." He struggled to a stand, aware of her hands hovering protectively around him. "I just need to sit down for a minute. Besides you promised them. At least you should go around and see their projects. You will not break that kind of promise because of me."

"Horatio."

"Calleigh." The tilt of his head told her that she wouldn't win this one.

"Has anyone every told you you're too damn stubborn? Don't answer that. Fine." She nodded her acceptance reluctantly and took his arm as much for her assurance as his and guided him across the room.

Horatio sat down in a child's sized chair near the back of the room and leaned forward his elbows resting on his thighs, his hands locked in front of him.

"You're sure?" she tried one last time kneeling protectively beside him.

"Go. I'm fine."

"A few minutes and then we go."

He nodded his acceptance of the compromise. Calleigh looked him over once again, her eyes following the yellow bruise that covered his left temple and cheek. "I don't like this."

"Noted. Go."

She looked over her shoulder several times and shook her head as she made her way back to the classroom area of the room. Within seconds eager faces lined up to show her their latest creations and successes. He watched as each one approached her showing her a tidbit of something in turn receiving from her unfettered praise that left each face glowing as they moved away making room for the next in line, her eyes coming up between each child to check on him.

The cold lifeless body of a little boy who would never again sell a handcrafted masterpiece for a word of praise and a smile invaded his vision and he dropped his head fighting tears that threatened to surface. His arrogance had cost the boy his life.

"Calleigh." Calleigh felt Rosemary's hand cover hers, "look." The handsome woman whispered.

Calleigh looked across the room where Horatio sat. The small girl that had taken such an interest in him before stood only feet away from him taking minuscule steps that inched her gradually towards the unsuspecting man. Calleigh watched with trepidation as the girl studied Horatio, her head tilting one way and then other as if he was a 3-D rendering that moved when she did.

She had brought Horatio here hoping the exuberant curiosity the children shared with her would relight the passion and assurance that had been so cruelly stripped away when Jacob's father had brutally murdered him while Horatio lay injured, helpless to save him. She wondered now if it only fueled the guilt of the boy's loss.

"Rosemary..." she murmured. "He's been hurt so much already."

"Just wait."

"I can't..." she felt her heart tearing apart. "What if he..."

"Calleigh, trust it." She said referring to the bond the child had already formed with him.

'Please be gentle with his heart little one.' She plead in silent prayer.