Title: The Fake Engagement [7/?]
Author: LeoDiabla
Disclaimer: See previous chapters
Spoilers: None
(A/N) Sorry for the long wait...Okay, I know Horatio's story might not match with his biography on www.cbs.com, but it was the only way that part would work.
Title: The Fake Engagement [7]
Horatio awoke to the sun shining hot on his face, and he blinked rapidly, trying to get the sleep out of his eyes.
He was about to stretch his arms when he realized a warm weight was on it. Releasing a full-fledged smile at the sleeping Calleigh, he mildly noted that her t-shirt wasn't entirely telling the truth.
He was trying to figure out whether to leave the bed, or stay with Calleigh, when she suddenly turned on her side, and was now facing him, her hands placed gently on his chest, with her face tilted upwards.
Sleeping Beauty Horatio thought ironically, as he brushed a strand of runaway hair that was tickling the side of Calleigh's mouth, making her frown.
He was thinking of doing the 'Chandler Roll-and-Pull-Away' trick when he thought of how comfortable she felt in his arms, and how relaxed she looked, and that was really all that mattered to him.
Just as he was about to push the returning long blond hair to the side again, she shifted in his arms, and her eyes opened. Sleepy emerald eyes met caring...no, adoring azure orbs.
After a few moments, she smiled blearily at him "Mornin' Handsome..." her southern twang stronger with fatigue.
Horatio gave her back a smile, "Hey," he replied, trying to ignore the stabbing pains in his sleeping arm that Calleigh was on.
Calleigh must've noticed the discomfort, because she moved off his arm, her eyes filled with apology.
"It's okay..." Horatio tried to assure her, but she went on, "You should've woken me up, Horatio. Now your arm must be killing you."
Horatio interrupted her, "Calleigh. I didn't wake you up...because...you looked so peaceful."
Calleigh blushed and looked at his bare arm, reaching for it. Placing it across her lap, she began to softly press on it, while explaining, "You need to get the blood flowing...Mama always massaged my arm when it fell asleep."
After a few minutes, Horatio not only got his feeling back in his arm, but he developed another feeling. A slow-spreading, almost sensual heat flowed through his arm, and then his body, and his breath caught at the emotion.
Taking a quick glance at Calleigh, he saw her completely focused on his arm, the tip of her tongue poking out in concentration, and her bed-slept hair around her shoulders.
He felt a bit guilty of leading her on to believe his am was still asleep, but the connection they had made Horatio feel like they were, not only engaged, but actually husband and wife.
And Horatio liked that feeling.
Feeling his gaze on her, Calleigh lifted her head up, and fell into deep pools of indigo depths. She slowly released his hand, softly saying, "There you go...all better."
She was about to get off the bed when a warm hand caught her arm, and pulled her back, towards Horatio's chest. "Thank you..." He murmured huskily, sleep all gone form his voice, and replaced with sensual meaning.
They locked eyes; Calleigh's unsure and cautious, while Horatio's ever calm and steady. "Horatio?" Calleigh began, as Horatio drew her in closer to him, "What are we doi---"
RING-G-G-G-G-G!!!!!!!!
The phone range loudly, and Calleigh broke away, taking advantage to Horatio's sudden pause to the electronic.
Cursing the caller to the high heavens, he picked up their rooms phone. "Yeah?" He called into it, annoyance clean in his voice, as well as his face.
Calleigh deluded that the caller must've been John or Sally. Judging by the look on Horatio's face, she figured it was Sally.
Horatio nodded, "Mmhmm...Okay, yeah, I'll tell her." At this, Calleigh paused at the adjoining door of the bedroom and the bathroom, noticing the way Horatio looked.
His shoulder's were no longer tensed, the worry lines gone from his face, and Calleigh noted, smiling to herself, despite of Sally's disturbance, Horatio mussed-up hair, darkened eyes, and softened features, he looked damned adorable.
She slipped into the bathroom right before Horatio ended the call. She kept quiet, knowing Horatio would fill her in soon.
"Seems like you have a busy day, Cal," Horatio commented after a long pause, as he slipped out of bed, and began dressing, letting Calleigh use the bathroom first.
"After we have a quick breakfast with Hagen and Sally, she's taking you to the mall."
Calleigh groaned, "Joy." She opened the bathroom door, her face freshly scrubbed, and Horatio chuckled.
"That's not all. After you gals are done, Hagen's treating us to a formal dinner."
Calleigh walked over to the vanity, and dug a brush out of her bag. Yanking it through her hair, she grunted in pain. "Stupid...hair...tangled...up..." Horatio came up behind her, and tugged the brush from her, batting her hands down. Starting from the back, he used his hands to untangle her hair.
"I don't know about you, but I don't want those pretty strands of hair getting yanked out." He murmured in her ear, as he quickly finished with the knots.
Next, he took the brush, ran it through it own hair one time, and then began with Calleigh's, after cleaning the brush.
Mindlessly, Calleigh to two stands of her blond hair, and one strand of his vibrant red, and began to braid them together.
Finished, Horatio placed the brush down, and looked over her shoulder. "All done...what are you making?"
Calleigh shot him a smile, and help up the now-one piece of their hair. Horatio's auburn color glinted of Calleigh's platinum ones, making them clearly complement each other.
"Sure it beautiful..." Horatio began, with a half-smile of his own, "But wouldn't hold a candle to you."
His twinkling blue eyes lit up, remembering something, and he went over to the pants he wore yesterday. Taking out a small velvet box, he walked back over to Calleigh, "I was going to give it to you on the flight but it didn't seem like the right time."
He opened the box, and Calleigh felt her breath catch when she saw the matching engagement rings, "Oh, Horatio...it's beautiful."
The ring that was meant for her was a gold band with little diamond all around, finally encircling a peridot in the middle.
Calleigh looked up at Horatio, "Oh, you shouldn't have..." Her protests were cut short as Horatio took her hand and slid the band onto her wedding finger.
"No buts, Calleigh," He told her steadily, "I'm surprised Sally didn't bug you about the missing ring yesterday.
Calleigh smiled at him, Horatio was always so thoughtful...She looked down at the simple-looking ring, yet still knowing that there was an unrevealed story behind it.
"I totally forgot..." Calleigh looked back up, "Thank you."
Horatio caught her hand, and grazed the ring with his thumb. "It was my grandmothers...like mine was my grandfathers."
He remembered the day clearly.
It was Raymond's wedding, and his grandfather had called him into an empty room. Robert Caine looked very much like his grandsons, with thinning yet vivid red hair, and clear blue eyes.
His intense eyes searched Horatio's face before slipping a hand into his pocket, and drew out a velvet box. He opened it, fingering the bands gently; "This is what I gave your grandmother on our wedding day."
A small smile grew on Robert's aged face, as he remembered the late Marie Caine. "Before she died, she wanted me to give these to you...on Raymond's wedding." He shook his head, "I never did understand her much...but I knew better than to refuse Marie's wish."
Horatio swallowed thickly, a lump forming in his throat, the beautiful picture of his grandmother flashing before his eyes. Robert continued, his voice husky, "She said to keep one for yourself and the other...for the one you fall in love with."
Horatio took them from his grandfather's hands and tucked the box safely in his pocket. "Thank you both..." He managed to say, after composing a steady tone of voice.
In a moment of spontaneity, Robert reached out, and drew Horatio in for a loving hug. "She loved you, you know...and while we always knew that Raymond would find a girl first, we always believed that when you find a woman...she will be yours."
Robert clapped a hand on Horatio's shoulder, "Marie was a tough one to get...we always played around with our feelings, flirting and all...but we would never cross the line. We were too afraid to...but one day, we did. And look what we got in return."
He looked at Horatio with proud look in his eyes and voice. With a final hug, Robert strode of the room, and went to the altar to wait talk to Raymond, leaving Horatio with his thoughts.
Horatio felt a warm hand on his arm, and looked down at an attentive Calleigh. "You alright...? Lost you there for a moment."
Horatio shook his head, "Memories..." Calleigh smiled understandingly at him, "Maybe you can let me see some of those memories...someday...but meanwhile..." She pushed him towards the bathroom, "You got to go wash up."
Before she let him go, however, she winked at him, "Lookin' good, H." She appreciated, referring to his silver suit, accompanied by the cerulean silk shirt that brought out his eyes.
Horatio chuckled to himself, and went into the bathroom. When he came out, Calleigh was wearing a tight, dark green, long-sleeved shirt, cut at navel level, and flared jeans with bottoms of matching green material. Her boots were black, with flat heels that gave her another inch or two of height to her 5'3 frame. Her hair was done in a high ponytail at the mid-back of her head, with a few blonde tendrils escaping and framing her face.
"You look amazing," Horatio complemented her, as he came near. His eyes crinkled in amusement, "Let's not be late...I know how much you want to go shopping with your best friend."
Calleigh socked Horatio in the arm, who was now laughing loudly, and walked to the door. "C'mon, Caine...I know Hagen has his own little torture planned out for you." She paused dramatically.
"...CARS..."
Horatio's face fell in disbelief, "Cars?" He repeated her and Calleigh knew that Horatio wasn't like other ordinary men. He preferred crime solving to drooling over a hunk of metal with a bunch of jocks.
With a deflated shake of his head, Horatio grabbed his wallet and keys, and strode out of the room, behind Calleigh, locking the door behind him.