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Chapter 17

Calleigh's head snapped over to the startled calling of her name. She smiled a soft southern smile that was so uniquely Calleigh. Her eyes gratefully took in the site of the team she had missed more than she'd thought possible. From the looks on their faces, they were too shocked to come to her, so Calleigh went to them.

Opening the interrogation room's door, Calleigh slipped quietly inside. "Hi." She said softly.

Horatio smiled softly. "Calleigh. It's… it's good to see you. We've missed you."

Calleigh smiled back. "I missed you guys too."

"Where have you been?" Eric's harsh voice rang out in the small room.

Calleigh snapped her eyes to Eric. She'd hurt him by leaving. She knew that. She'd hurt all of them. While she knew it wasn't likely to make things better, she did feel she owed them an explanation. "I know that what I did was selfish. And I know that whatever I say doesn't make it any less so. But… I couldn't breathe. I couldn't breathe and I had to get out." Her voice broke slightly, but she pressed on. "I hope some day you'll be able to understand that. And I hope some day you'll be able to forgive me for leaving like I did." She sighed. "I came back because… because I realized I left a part of myself behind. Not just my job… but my family."

Silence stretched throughout the room as Calleigh finished. When no one in the room reacted to Calleigh's revelation, Samantha decided to break the silence.

"I'm sorry. This… this isn't any of my business. I should let you guys talk."

"No. It's your team now, that makes it your business." Calleigh said with a soft smile. "You must be Samantha?"

Samantha smiled hesitantly. "That's right. How did you---."

"--- I may have left the lab but… I still made it my business to find out who replaced me."

Samantha appeared to shrink into herself slightly. "I couldn't… I would never… I'm sorry I…"

"There's nothing for you to apologize for Samantha." Horatio said, his voice low and slightly threatening. "Calleigh…"

Calleigh held up her hands defensively, looking for a moment like she might cry. "Horatio stop --- please stop. God I can't seem to do anything right lately." She took a deep breath. "I came back today to see if there was a place for me in this lab. Anywhere in this lab. I didn't come to take anything back and I certainly didn't come to take anything away from someone else."

Horatio nodded. "I know, Calleigh. Umm… this… this has been a very trying day and… I can't make a decision like that right now. Stop by my office tomorrow morning and I'll let you know my decision. Ok?"

Calleigh took a deep breath and nodded her head once. "Ok." Turning on her heels, Calleigh stepped out of the room.

Samantha shot to her feet and darted out after her, managing to catch Calleigh just before she got on the elevator. "Calleigh. Calleigh wait."

Calleigh turned towards Samantha. "I didn't come to take my job back."

Samantha nodded. "I know you didn't. I just… well… I don't really know why I came out here to tell you the truth. I guess I just wanted to say that I've heard a lot about you… and I hope we get the chance to work together."

Calleigh smiled. "Thank you." Her eyes flickered over to Horatio who sat in the interrogation room massaging his temples. "It looks like my leaving did some good as well."

Samantha frowned slightly and followed her line of site. "Oh." She blushed. "Yes. Yes I suppose it did. We're umm… we're expecting a baby."

Calleigh's mouth dropped open. "Oh my goodness! I expected some changes but… well certainly not that!" She held a hand to her heart, her face splitting into a wide sincere smile. "Congratulations! Horatio's going to be a father. That's just wonderful. Oh my goodness… congratulations! I'd hug you but I just met you and I don't want you to think I'm weird."

Samantha smiled and stepped forward to hug Calleigh. "There. Now I'm the one that's weird." She glanced over and noticed Horatio smiling softly at her from the interrogation room with one eyebrow arched in question. She smiled briefly at him and turned back to Calleigh. "Well… I guess I'd better let you go. Ummm… see you soon ok?"

Calleigh smiled. "Ok."

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"Knock knock."

Horatio looked up from his desk to spot Samantha leaning on the doorframe to his office. He matched the smirk on her face with one of his own and offered a soft "Hey." as Samantha came into his office. Coming around to Horatio's side of the desk, Samantha's face adopted a serious expression as she crossed her arms and perched herself on the edge of the desk. Horatio arched an eyebrow in question.

"I think you should let Calleigh come back to the lab." She said bluntly.

"I should? And why is that?" Horatio countered.

Samantha shrugged. "I like her."

Horatio let out a soft chuckle. "Am I supposed to hire everyone you like? Because I think you like just about everybody… and the Crime Lab's budget is small enough as it is."

She poked him in the shoulder. "I'm being serious."

Horatio nodded and sighed softly. "I know." He turned his attention to the papers he had been reviewing before Samantha's interruption. "I was taking a look at the budget when you walked in…" Horatio scanned the pages in front of him. "I think we can swing it. The Board is going to have my ass… but I think we can swing it. We can always use the help." He set down the paperwork and smiled at Samantha. "After all…" He reached forward and gathered Samantha into his arms so she now sat in his lap. "… I like to think my wife is going to be home raising our children from time to time…"

Samantha giggled and swatted him playfully on the arm. "Children? Hey now I never said anything about having more than o---." Samantha's breath stopped and her eyes opened wide as her mind caught up to the one crucial word Horatio had said. Wife. Her heart effectively stopped beating. "Did you just say…"

"Wife?" Horatio finished. Samantha nodded lamely. Horatio reached into his suit coat and fished out a small black box.

Samantha's hands flew to her mouth. "Oh my God."

"Samantha? Would you do me the honor… of becoming my wife?" He finished the question as he opened the box, revealing the diamond inside. Tears fell freely down Samantha's face as she began to cry. For a few moments, she wasn't able to do anything but cry, and Horatio began to feel apprehensive. "I know we haven't known each other for very long… if you wanted to wait and see if---." His speech was cut off by Samantha's lips attacking his own.

Samantha tried to pour every ounce of her love for this man into that one passionate kiss. But even as she tried, she knew it would be impossible. No amount of kisses could show all the love in her heart. Pulling back, Samantha smiled into the hopeful and passionate blue eyes of her Horatio. "Yes, Horatio. Yes I will marry you."

Horatio's face split into a wide relieved grin as he slid the ring onto her finger. "I love you, Samantha."

"I love you, Horatio." She kissed him again and Horatio closed his eyes and leaned back, keeping Samantha's body pressed tightly against his own. A low moan escaped his lips and Horatio remembered suddenly where they were.

"Samantha…" Horatio mumbled against her heated lips. "Not at work…"

Pulling back from his lips, Samantha slowly stood from Horatio's lap and walked to his office door. Horatio didn't know whether to be relieved or disappointed that she had respected his wish to keep… well… that out of the work place. Samantha, however, had other ideas as she moved purposely to the door and shut it while standing inside. Horatio was hard the second he heard the bolt click. He watched mesmerized as Samantha methodically moved around the room until all of the office blinds were drawn shut.

"I don't know if it's the pregnancy hormones kicking in already… but if you don't take me right here… right now… in your office…" She moaned and closed her eyes, letting her head fall back seductively. "I just might scream…"

"God…" Horatio let out in a rush of breath. "You're going to be the death of me."

Samantha smiled seductively, rolling her head forward again to lock eyes with her fiancé. Swaying her hips purposely as she walked forward, Samantha heard Horatio's sharp intake of breath as she sat down on his desk, sliding her body around to face the still seated Horatio and spreading her legs wide. Horatio didn't waste time removing her fitted gray dress pants, followed soon after by the rest of her clothing. Only when she lay naked on his desk did Horatio take the time to remove his own clothing.

Moving between her open legs, the two of them sighed with satisfaction as he slid fully inside her. Samantha's eyes fluttered shut as Horatio moved slowly within her.

"Open your eyes." Horatio rasped.

Obeying his soft-spoken command, Samantha opened her eyes and locked them with Horatio's. He thrust inside her slowly, watching her darkened green eyes half closed as she fought to keep them open.

Samantha gazed entranced into Horatio's midnight blue eyes while he loved her more thoroughly than she'd ever thought possible. He made love to her tenderly, thrusting inside her slow and steady as he relished in the soft moans that escaped her parted lips each time he thrust home. Samantha's breathing began to quicken and the soft noises she was making increased in volume. Both let Horatio know she was close. Still gazing deeply into each other's eyes, Horatio waited until he knew she was falling over the edge before allowing himself the same rapture. Both of them cried out their pleasure as Samantha's orgasm ripped through her and Horatio shot a stream of redundant seed deep inside her belly.

Bodies still trembling from their pleasure, Horatio sealed his lips with Samantha's, thrusting his tongue inside her mouth, making her moan with delight. Pulling back, Horatio reached up and ran his hands tenderly down the sides of her face, burying them in her soft red curls.

"My love… while I'm quite sure I would be content to make love to you every moment of every day for the rest of my life… this… this isn't something we can do at the office."

Samantha smiled and giggled. "I know. But aren't you glad you did… just once?"

Horatio smiled wide. "Absolutely."

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"Yuck. Gross… blech!"

Eric looked up amusedly from his magazine in the break room. "Something wrong Ryan?"

Ryan nodded furiously. "Ohhh yeah… mental images I didn't need."

Eric frowned in confusion. "Are you going to clarify or do I need to play twenty questions?"

Ryan shook his head and sat down across from Eric, leaning forward and lowering his voice. "I went by Horatio's office to drop off the tox results on Charles Benson. When I got there I found Horatio sitting behind his desk."

"So?"

"With Samantha in his lap."

Eric's eyebrows shot to his forehead. "Ohhhh." Eric chuckled softly. "Well… I guess that's not so bad. I mean the guy did just find out she's having his baby."

Ryan shook his head. "That's not the gross part." He gestured for Delco to follow him out into the lab. Arriving at their destination, Ryan pointed up towards Horatio's office. "What do you see?"

Delco frowned and looked upward. "Nothing. Blinds are closed."

Ryan shuddered. "Exactly. And they were wide open when I got my little peep show."

Eric's mouth dropped open. "Oh… that is gross."

"I told you!" Ryan watched with curiosity as Eric's mouth closed and formed into a smirk. "What?"

"I never told you about the cell phone call I made to Horatio at the conference, did I?"

"No. And I'm not sure I want to know."

Eric chuckled. "Well up until finding out they actually ARE in a relationship, this was all just speculation. But I think I can be pretty sure of what I heard now." He paused, lowering his voice so that no passing lab techs would be able to overhear.

When Eric finished his interpretation of the cell phone call, Ryan held his hands up to his head like he was trying to squeeze the mental images out of his brain. "Aww man… I'm all for the boss being happy but that's… that's just gross."

Eric's only response was to laugh.