A/N: As I was writing Chapter 4 I realized that it was turning into the length of two chapters. Not wanting to edit the chapter down, I decided to split it in half and rewrite the second half slightly, turning it into a new chapter (Chapter 5). I didn't want to remove anything because I liked the way the story was developing. I hope anyone who reads these two new chapters will enjoy them. Please read and review. Thanks for your time. Chapter 6 will be up hopefully within the week.

Roger

CHAPTER 4

Calleigh hated bars. Her feelings towards bars and their atmosphere were because of her father. For years now, she would get a call every once in a while from a bartender or someone who got the information to call her number and tell her that her father was passed out, incoherent to where he couldn't leave under his own will or even worse, was being violent and threatening to the people who had the misfortune to be in the same bar he was. She always had to come to the rescue and bail him out. Every time her cellphone would ring and the caller I.D. said 'Caller Unknown', she knew it was yet another bar calling. Calling for her to come and take daddy home. She was tired and angry of walking in and feeling peoples' eyes staring at her, telling her silently what an asshole her father is. Most times, she and another person would help her take him to her car where she would then take him home where he would sleep it off. Sometimes no one would help her at all and she would have to practically drag him out. Afterwards, her father would apologize and swear to her that it would never happen again. Then he would leave and start the cycle all over. After a while, when she would walk into a bar for any other reason, she would unconsciously start looking around to see if her father was there. Calleigh was also afraid that she would be at a bar with someone and her father would show up out of nowhere and eventually ruin the moment for her. She felt she was starting to develop a social phobia towards bars and it made her sad and angry to think that she was letting her father do this to her. She loved her father so much and the thought of him hurting her this badly caused her to breakdown into tears at times. Her father's situation always turned her back emotionally into the scared little girl she remembered being in Louisiana; watching her parents fight and running away when daddy would get drunk and threaten to hurt her again. It was akin to having a wound heal over only to have the scab ripped off again and again and again.

Horatio knew of her problems with her father all too well, yet she held back telling him the most painful parts because she didn't want anyone to know how much she hurt inside. It would leave her too emotionally naked and shattered. If she didn't have Horatio around to confide in, she felt that the void would swallow her whole. Calleigh wanted so badly to confide in someone who would take the pain away in her life and make it better. Friends and colleagues could only take away the pain so much. Her lovers in the past would make her feel complete for only so long before the relationship would fall apart, leaving her more empty inside than before. It didn't matter to her that everyone else thought that she was a strong woman. All humans, regard of their outward appearances, have a fragile inner self. That inner self could only be strong if it was nurtured and supported by love. And if the lack of a certain kind of love was not there, it will eventually eat away at any other kind of love inside until there was nothing left. It was draining to Calleigh to be one kind of person to everyone else and be another when she was by herself.

It was now Thursday night and Calleigh remembered that the crew was going to the Bayview Pool Bar & Grill tomorrow night for their monthly get-together. Horatio always considered his crew like a family and he enjoyed taking them out somewhere to relax and to have personal conversations outside of work. The workloads that everyone went through prevented the group from going out more than once a month and Calleigh knew how happy Horatio was to get some personal time with everybody. Despite the fact that she would be in yet another bar, Horatio was kind enough to make reservations in the dining area. She never told Horatio not to have the get-togethers at a bar because it was not for her to tell him to adjust plans for her sake. But bless his heart, he would take everyone to a well respected place where she wouldn't feel uncomfortable and would let her unwind and have a good time over drinks. Calleigh felt blessed and lucky to work with her coworkers. She thought of Ryan again and smiled. Earlier in the day, Eric told Ryan and Calleigh somewhat risqué joke and while she thought it was funny, she got a bigger laugh over the look on Ryan's face when it was clear he had no idea what the punchline meant. Remembering seeing Ryan with a 'deer caught in the headlights' look made her giggle to herself. "God, he's so innocent." She thought while wondering if tomorrow night would be a good time to open up to him and see if there was any response.

Suddenly, thinking about opening up to Ryan made her feel a little worried. She wanted more than anything to be with him and yet, she wasn't sure if he would accept her or reject her. Never before with a man had Calleigh decided to lay everything on the line and hope for the best. She didn't know what to do if he were to say no and walk away. She didn't think of a Plan B. Calleigh likened it to placing all of her money on black and hoping that the little white marble spinning around in the roulette wheel would drop down into the spot that would make her a winner. She's only been with a few men romantically all of her life and come to think of it, they chased her. This was the very first time she was chasing after someone. Calleigh felt that something was telling her that Ryan was the one to take the chance with. It felt too right not to take it.

The growling of Calleigh's stomach told her it was time to call it a day and to go get something to eat. It was already after 9 p.m. and she had been working since 7 in the morning. She had a craving for some Italian food, so she called the restaurant she always went to get her 'fix'. "Thank you for calling Lombardi's," said the voice on the other side of the line. "How may I help you?" "Oh, hi. Yes, I would like to place an order for pick-up." Calleigh said, trying to stifle a yawn as she spoke. "I would like a single serving of Fettuccine al Limone con Pollo." "Ok. Anything else for you ma'am?" Asked the woman taking the order. "No, thanks. That will be all." Replied Calleigh. "Your total is 10.64 with tax. It should be ready for you in 20-25 minutes. Thank you for your order." Said the woman. "Thank you." Calleigh said in return and hung up the phone. Calleigh then gathered up her personal belongings and went out to her car.

Lombardi's was a restaurant located in the Bayside Marketplace that looked out over Biscayne Bay and Calleigh loved going there from time to time to enjoy a nice Italian meal with a glass of red wine. She liked to sit at a table by the window and look out over the bay. The only other time she felt so at peace was when she was at the firing range. For some reason the atmosphere of the restaurant reminded her of her favorite childhood movie "Lady and the Tramp". As Calleigh drove to the restaurant, she thought again of Ryan and wondered if they would ever share a plate of spaghetti and end up kissing each other because they both grabbed the same noodle. The thought of her lips touching Ryan's made her grin from ear to ear. She pulled into the restaurant's parking lot and walked inside. It was quiet inside, given the fact that it was almost 10 on a work night. Calleigh walked over to the pick-up area and inquired about her order. She was told that it would be another 10 minutes due to one of their ovens going out and it put them behind a little on getting the orders done on time. She asked if it was ok to wait in the dining area so she could look out the window and watch the lights out on the bay. After being told that it was ok, Calleigh started to walk through the restaurant. As she looked over to the right side of the room, she stopped in her tracks. Sitting at one of the small tables alone was none other than Ryan himself, eating a bowl of soup while reading a book.

to be continued...