DISCLAIMER: see chapter one
A/N: Hey all, thank you for the feedback they mean so much! To have gained praise from fellow authors is always so nice (doesn't hurt the ego either :-) Hope ya all enjoy this chapter. Thanks again –RaeAnne
"When were you there?"
"Around 9:30… I got a loaf of bread and milk…he asked me for a kiss.. so I kissed him on the cheek…" Calleigh felt unwanted tears spring to her eyes, "He said that I kept him young."
"Did anything unusual happen on the way home?"
"No, nothing, I am sure that if he wanted to do something that he would have, there was no one around!" Calleigh finished standing, tiring of all the questions.
"Can I go now?" she asked the detective.
"Yes, but we may need to ask you more questions later," he answered and she nodded.
"We will have your apartment on constant surveillance, if he even tries to make a move we will see him and take appropriate action. Thank you for your time Detective," the officer led her out of the interrogation room.
Horatio sat in a chair watching the door, he felt his anger grow by the second for the man that was holding Calleigh hostage, not the man in the questioning room but the man that held captive her soul. He wanted to see her smile come back, he wanted to know that she was alright. Calleigh was tough, but there was also a gentleness that couldn't be matched, and this man was tearing her apart.
"Are you ready to go?" Horatio brought his attention to the creaking sound of a door, and saw Calleigh exit.
"Yes," was her simple answer and he walked her out.
"I want you stay with one of us tonight… I have spoken with Alexx and she says that she has more then enough room for you to stay until we catch this guy; we'll go get your stuff now." Horatio said to her as they neared the Hummer.
"What? I am not imposing on Alexx and her family!" Calleigh argued ardently as she came to a stop in front of the Hummer.
"Fine, Speed, and Eric said you can stay with them, I just thought that you would rather stay with Alexx, not a problem though," he gave the faintest of shrugs as he retrieved his sunglasses that were waiting at the base of his neck.
"I am not staying, with Alexx… Tim or Eric for that matter! I am going to stay in my own apartment! This man will not scare me from my home!" she said with annoyance at his assumptions.
"Calleigh there is a man that is quite unhinged trying to kill you, he has your routine down, and you are telling me that you are going to stay in harm's way?" he questioned in disbelief as he stood in the open drivers door.
"Yes. Because fear is something he thrives on, and I am not going to give him the satisfaction of seeing my fear!" she said leaving no room for further discussion. "Besides, they are going to have police 24/7 around my place, I will be fine."
They drove in silence. Horatio stole a glance at her, she was someone he sometimes had a hard time pegging, but now in an unguarded moment he saw through. He saw her fear, the fear that she tried so hard to deny, to remove from herself, she would not show weakness. He counted himself lucky to have had seen her in a state such as this. She felt comfortable with him and he hated that he couldn't do more to make her at ease, but he couldn't without putting too much of himself on the line.
"Are we going back to the lab?" she finally asked quietly.
"Do you want to go back to the lab?"
"I.. I don't know. They are all going to stare, Eric and Speed might try and say something supportive, I just can't deal with that right now."
"Okay," he dipped his head to the side, "Where would like to go?"
She bit her lip trying to sort out jumbled thoughts. "Could you maybe drop me off at the beach?"
He actually laughed, "Sorry Calleigh, I am not dropping you off anywhere, but we can go to the beach if you like."
"I have and gun and I know how to use it…"
"Yes—I of all people know that, still you are not going any where by yourself, face it your stuck with me, for the time being" he pulled the vehicle over as the neared a beautiful white sand beach.
She didn't answer, but got out of the car and sought a place at a nearby picnic table. He followed and sat across from her. She needed to talk, he realized as he watched her take more interest in the weathered table then in the ocean in front of her.
"I am not a victim."
"No—you're not."
"Then why is that everyone is treating me as one?"
"Who is?"
"Everyone! I saw the way everyone reacted when I came into work today, every single person knew what was going on, but me. They didn't say anything just rushed about trying to not make eye contact, because if they did they would have to try and think of something to say. I know how people treat victims, I know because I've done it."
"Do I treat you like a victim?"
Pain filled eyes looked at him and she sighed dropping them again, "No, Horatio you don't. And I never want you too. I don't want you or any of my friends to ever look at me with pity that demeaning, pity," she fell silent.
"Okay, no pity, how about friendship? Is there room for that?" he asked.
"What? What does friendship have to do with anything?"
"Friends don't let friends hurt alone. And if you choose to acknowledge it or not, you are hurting, Calleigh. You can't stop this guy by yourself, you've got to let someone help you. I know that admitting you can't do something alone is a bitter test of character, especial for us hard headed, stubborn kind," he gave her a half smile.
"I have never known you to admit you couldn't do anything Lt. Caine so therein I find my loop hole to throw out everything you just said," voice sounded like soft rain to Horatio's dry soul.
"Don't through the baby out with the bathwater. Maybe I was hoping that by including myself into the comparison you would be more willing to see it my way."
"You were mistaken, I see too many things your way all ready, it makes me one dynamite CSI, but it also means I see through your well meaning ploys that much quicker."
He nodded a finger and thumb on his chin as he realized the truth to her words and smiled.
"Yes Calleigh, you are, as you say a dynamite CSI at that. But no one got to where they are without a little help."
"Or without stepping on a few toes…. " she flashed a brilliant smile. "Thank you for talking with me Horatio, it does mean a lot… I feel better all ready."
"Anytime," he again felt a smile pulling at the corners of his mouth.
"He is smart, we know that, we also know that he wants Calleigh." Horatio was holding a meeting in the conference room, he stood at the head of a long table where he was quickly making notes on the large wipe off board.
"He watched her walk into the store and took action with the owner afterward. Why though?" Speed interjected.
"As he stated he was jealous. He saw me with Mr. Brown, it seems that he wants to be the focus of all my attention," Calleigh shrugged.
"The guard at the jail said they found an old book with several newspaper clippings, all of Calleigh when she testified at the trial, he is really obsessed with her," Eric commented.
"Yes, and the move of the grocer was totally a show of power, the bullets totally ripped him apart, it was brutal," Alexx added her take to it as she went over the photo's in her report.
"I don't mean to question, but isn't the police handling this?" Eric asked.
"They are – but this one of our own. We will catch this guy because we live and breathe evidence, we will know this guy inside out because we have the most to lose if the police don't watch every detail. I want someone with Calleigh every second she is out of these or her apartment walls. There is watch on her apartment but if she has to go shopping, if she has an appointment to go to one of us will be there. I don't care what it takes, this guy will not get an opportunity to strike," Horatio commanded the room with his intent and passion charged words.
Calleigh felt her insides warm with the concern she heard in his words, though she struggled with the feeling of guilt, guilt over Mr. Brown, over her colleagues.. her friends going through all of this for her.
"Okay, I think that is it," Horatio finally announced as they drew the meeting to an end.
"I'll drive you home, Cal, if ya want," Speed offered.
"Thank…" she started but was cut off by Horatio.
"Speed, on that bike? You've got to kidding, I'll…" this time it was Horatio who was interrupted.
"Don't worry, H, I got her, safe and sound, home on four wheels," Eric piped up with a smile. Horatio didn't smile, in fact he almost glared.
"Guys I am fine, I can get a cab," Calleigh laughed.
"No, go with Eric. Eric walk her to the door, all right?" Horatio pointed a finger at the young man.
"Yes, sir. Not everyday I get a beautiful woman in my car…" Eric laughed.
"No, most the time they just end up seeing the back seat right? Even at that it doesn't last long…" Speed shot with a huff.
"You're just jealous, because you don't have a back seat…"
"Boys, what can you do?" Alexx laughed pushing the bickering 'boys' into the open doors of the elevator.
"I'll be down in a second, I forgot my purse," Calleigh smiled and Alexx waved her acknowledgement.
"Everything going to be all right?" Horatio asked.
"Yeah, I think so. Thank you again for everything you have done, I don't know what I would do without all of you guys backing me up… I almost took you guys for granted, ya know," she smiled.
"Yeah, and I almost lost you… too many times to count," he thought with disdain for himself as he watched her disappear into the ballistics lab, then moments later reemerge with her purse in hand.
"Okay Handsome, ready to go?" she asked as the elevator arrived.
He just dipped his chin and smiled in usual Horatio manner and followed her in.
"Thank you again Eric, I appreciate the ride," Calleigh beamed as they paused in front of her door.
"Not a problem, Cal, anytime."
She turned to unlock the door but she turned back to him keys still in hand.
"Everything is going to be all right… I promise," Eric caught her hands and squeezed them.
She nodded then without thinking threw her arms around him and hugged him tight. He was caught off guard but quickly wrapped his arms around her and held her for a long minute.
"I'm sorry…I…just…" she pulled away swatting at tears.
"No worries, Cal, you are safe, and believe me any time you need another one of those, I am ready and willing to accommodate," he gave her a half smile and with his thumb and fore finger tipped her chin, then placed a small kiss on her forehead.
"Thank you," she whispered then entered her apartment.
She looked around her apartment with a sigh. She wasn't accustom to showing weakness, she fought to disconnect that emotion, along with her heart. Her heart just got in the way. She tossed her bag and coat on a nearby table then went to escape in her room.
Her bedroom, she ran her fingers along with light yellow walls and flashes of Truman's face filled her mind, she felt her stomach knot. He was real, he wasn't playing around, he wasn't just threatening, he was real. She knew bad guys were real, she saw and put them away everyday, but it wasn't everyday that a bad guy came after her. She wasn't so much scared as she was unsure. Terror comes in many shapes and packages, this was the terror of the unknown. Waiting for him to make a move, waiting for the other shoe to drop. She knew that if he made a move in the open he would be caught, she knew that, but it was the waiting and praying that he would slip that made her crazy. Knowing that he was out there just waiting to attack her, her friends, it was terrifying. It was like climbing up the peak of a rollercoaster, you know the drop is coming, but as you inch towards the summit, panic sets in, you know its coming, you are braced for it, but the ascent seems to crawl on. You wish it would just get over with, you feel the terror release as you descend toward the ground there you can deal with it and in the rush it ends. The anticipation was the hardest part.
Wrapped in a robe that did nothing to chase away the icy feeling in her Calleigh laid on the bed looking at the ceiling. There in the white ceiling she saw another picture, though only in her mind.
"Horatio…" the name fell silent on her lips. She saw him sitting at that dilapidated picnic table, the sun set highlighting his hair, his eyes covered by those sunglasses… that dark suit… that slight, almost smile. He was often in her mind, and permanently intertwined in her heart. A place she tried to rid him from many times, but in spite of his aloofness he remained. She whished she knew why he wouldn't let anyone close, she wished she could get in and see inside the man, the great Horatio Caine, but the door is always shut and always locked.
With his name still on her lips and his picture the only thing she could see she crawled under the blankets and tried to rid him once more.
A/N: feedback is very greatly appreciated! Thanks :-)