A/N: Those you know belong to those you know. I own everyone else, including the dead bodies. No profits for me. This is AU, but has some spoilers for Season 4 (only the bits I want.) Please R&R. Thanks.

Thank you for the reviews. I'm glad you all think things are sounding true. LittleMissPrincess you're just gonna have to keep reading, aren't ya? Questions will be answered. Sometimes with more questions.


The early morning sunlight shone over the dappled Atlantic. Horatio walked along the beach dressed in well-worn jeans and a t-shirt. The beach was quiet, but wouldn't be for much longer. Horatio looked out over the vast expanse of sand that would soon be packed with sunbathers and families. A flash of metal caused him to turn. A bicycle went flying by along the sidewalk. Horatio watched as the bicyclist made an easy turn, came back towards him and stopped on the sidewalk near him. Horatio recognized who it was even before she peeled off her helmet and hooked her sunglasses into the collar of her t-shirt. Horatio smiled and walked up to Annabel.

"Good morning. You're out early."

Annabel ran her fingers through her damp hair. "I'd say the same about you, Lieutenant." She gave him a little grin. "You've discovered my secret." Horatio raised his eyebrows. Annabel indicated the bike. "What I do to burn nervous energy."

"You live near here?"

Annabel looked down at the display on her handlebars. "Um. About 9 miles away." Annabel smiled again, grabbed her water bottle and took a hit. "I try to fit in about 20 miles. Here, it's easy. Florida is so flat."

"I'm just surprised to see you out this early considering how late your night was." Annabel frowned.

"You were still standing in the parking lot..." Annabel stopped her mouth forming an "o" "Oh... you think..." She started shaking her head. "I'm not dating, Eric. Yea, we flirt. But we don't...We didn't..."

"I didn't ask, Annabel."

Annabel shifted her weight and looked down at the ground. Horatio watched several emotions play across her face. She bit her lip. Horatio watched her jaw tighten and she looked back up at him, her expression blank.

"I don't date. Especially not other cops. Eric." Annabel looked skyward and then back down at her feet. She looked back at Horatio. "Eric is a great guy. I like Eric. I like to flirt with Eric, but…Eric's…he's more like one of my cousins." Annabel gave Horatio a half-smile. "I've got a lot of cousins. I come from a really big, really close, extended family. It was nice to find someone I could treat like family down here." Annabel looked down at the ground again. She chewed on her lip some more and then sighed heavily. Horatio stood placidly by as Annabel fought with herself. She looked back up at him. "I don't know what you've heard around or seen in my file..."

"I'm not your supervisor, Detective. Looking into your file wouldn't be appropriate. And I don't take much stock in office gossip."

Annabel nodded. She bit her lip again and squinted out over the Atlantic. "Do you know I was with Chicago for 12 years? Only place I ever wanted to be. I'm a fourth generation cop." Annabel gave a wry chuckle. "I know how that sounds. A bunch of Irish cops from Chicago. Well, my dad was a sheriff's deputy in Ottawa County. That's in Michigan. But still... And I used to date." Annabel rubbed at her left hand. "I was even married. Not to a cop. A biology teacher." Annabel sighed heavily. "Chris and my son, Lucas were killed by a drunk driver on the Dan Ryan. Six years ago." Annabel stopped. She closed her eyes. She shifted her weight again and looked down at the ground. Her hands clenched and unclenched on the handlebars of her bike.

"Annabel," said Horatio softly. Annabel kept fidgeting. Horatio reached out and touched her hand lightly. Annabel about jumped out her skin. She looked up at Horatio. He saw tears at the corners of her eyes. Annabel rubbed at them with a fist. "Annabel. This is none of my business."

Annabel bobbed her head. "I know. I should go." Annabel reached for her bike helmet. Horatio reached out to stop her. Annabel tugged at her helmet.

"Annabel," Horatio said quietly, calmly. She looked up at him. Her eyes were a stormy grey. "Would you like a cup of coffee? My place is right over there." Annabel started to shake her head. "I promise you are not bothering me."

Annabel closed her eyes, took a deep breath. She opened her eyes, looked up at Horatio and shook her head. "Coffee would be good. I'd love a cup, but I have to get back home, shower, get dressed and get into work. I'll have to pass."

"I could drive you back to your place."

Annabel smiled a little. "That's really sweet, Horatio. But I wouldn't really gain much time that way. Thanks though."

"You're alright?"

Annabel rolled her eyes. "As much as anyone." Annabel pulled on her bike helmet and snapped the strap up. She looked soberly up at Horatio and slid on her sunglasses. "I promise not to ride out in front of a semi. I'll see you later?"

"Most likely."

"Okay, then. See you, Horatio." He watched as Annabel rode off.

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Annabel rushed up to her desk. Running late was completely unlike her. She stopped dead when she spotted the take out cup planted in the middle of her workspace. She picked up, flipped it open and inhaled deeply. She sighed wistfully.

"Mmmm."

"I think you're supposed to drink it, not huff it."

Annabel laughed and turned around. Calleigh was standing there with a file in her hand. Annabel took a quick drink of the coffee and swallowed. She held the cup up.

"I got a visit from the coffee fairy."

"Really?"

Annabel took another sip. "Mmmm. This is good stuff too. So, what's up?"

"I've got the trace report on the Richards' case and was going to take it up to Horatio. I was wondering if you had your write up done, I could take it with."

Annabel turned back to her desk. "Um, somewhere. She moved some papers around and snatched up a small, stapled stack. "Here it is." She handed Calleigh the papers.

"So, I hear your reign is over."

"God, Eric has such a big mouth."

Calleigh laughed. "It was the first thing he said to me this morning. Even before 'Hello.'"

Annabel rolled her eyes. "I'm surprised he didn't call you after I dropped him off last night."

"He probably considered it."

Annabel took another sip of the coffee. "Hey, Cal. I could take the file over to Horatio if you want. I haven't gotten into anything yet."

"I guess." Calleigh handed the file over. "Tell him if he has any questions he knows where to find me."

Annabel nodded. "Sure. And could you let Eric know I can hide a body if he continues give me too much grief."

Calleigh laughed. "I'll be sure to let him know that." Calleigh went back down to the labs and Annabel headed for Horatio's office.

Annabel knocked on Horatio's door. She smiled when he looked up. "Hi." She held up the coffee cup. "Thanks for the coffee. You didn't have to, you know."

"Not a problem. You didn't have to come by just to thank me."

"Actually, I didn't." Annabel held up the file folder. "Calleigh had something on the Richards' case, asked if I had my stuff on it and I offered to bring it over."

"So, that you could thank me."

Annabel ducked her head. "Yea." She gave him a small smile. "So again, thanks, Horatio."

"You're welcome, Annabel."

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Annabel pulled up to the crime scene. Horatio and Ryan were just pulling up too. Annabel waved at them as she passed. She flashed her badge at a uniformed officer and ducked under the crime tape. Frank met her by the door.

"This should be pretty easy for us."

Annabel followed him into the house, removing her sunglasses. "Oh?"

Frank led her to the kitchen. There were two bodies sprawled in coagulating blood. A shotgun lay next to the man. "Yea. Looks like a murder-suicide. We should just be able to confirm with the neighbors that they were having problems..." Annabel made a choking sound. Frank looked over at Annabel. She had gone a sickly color. "Annie?" Annabel didn't say anything; she just left the house pushing past Horatio and Ryan as they came through the front door. She tried not to break into a run as she ducked back under the yellow tape and stopped by her unmarked squad. She bent over and retched several times trying to keep her lunch down. The three men watched from the doorway. Horatio and Ryan started to move toward Annabel. Frank held out an arm to stop them.

"Don't." He shook his head. "She'll just take you down. Damn." Frank shook his head. "I should have tried to leave her out of this one."

"What?" asked Ryan. Then he nodded his head. "Oh, right." Ryan glanced at Horatio and realized that he didn't have clue what they were going on about. "Annabel's parents." Horatio just looked at him blankly.

Frank cleared his throat. "Annie's mom shot her dad and then herself. Annie was just a kid." They watched as Annabel scrubbed at her mouth and walked back towards them. She glared at them defiantly.

"I'm fine." Frank started to open his mouth. Annabel's lips thinned and her jaw tightened. "I'll...be...fine," she ground out. "I'm going to talk to the neighbors." She headed off to one of the houses next door.

Frank shrugged. "I'm not going to be the one to argue with her. If she says she's fine, she's fine." He headed to a house in the opposite direction. Ryan headed into process thescene. Horatio watched Annabel for a bit and then followed Ryan.

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