A/N: Those you know belong to those you know. I own the rest, including the dead bodies. No profits for me. I will take what I want from any season including 4. This is your warning. Please R&R. Thanks.

Thanks to my faithful reviewer, TenFour. I hope you will enjoy. Just a warning. This is a little angsty. There might be a board or two in here to wack you in the head.


"Lieutenant Caine! Horatio!" Horatio turned and saw Rochelle coming up the walk. "Do you have a free moment?"

"Very rarely." said Horatio honestly. "What can I do for you, Rochelle? How was the cruise?"

"The cruise was just perfect. Can we take a little walk?"

Horatio thought for a moment. "I can spare a little time." They started to walk along the building. "What seems to be on your mind?"

Rochelle wasted no time. "I'm three years older than Annabel, but she's is my best friend. Always has been. She's also family."

"And you worry about her."

"She's been some pretty dark places in her life." Ro pulled her auburn braid over her shoulder and fiddled with it. "Her parents..."

"I know about, Annabel's parents."

"How much do you know?"

"I know that her mother murder her father and then killed herself. Anything else isn't my business."

"Yea, it is. If you're thinking about getting involved with Annie, you need to make it your business. Maggie, Annie's mom, and Uncle Nick got married when she got pregnant with Annie. Maggie already had a daughter, Elie. She's five years older than Annie. Maggie was always a little off. It didn't take long for Maggie and Uncle Nick to become pretty toxic."

"That makes it very hard for a child."

"Yea. It did. For both of them. It wasn't just that. Maggie tried to commit suicide before she killed Uncle Nick. She crashed her car. Elie and Annabel with her." Horatio stopped and looked the ground. Rochelle waited before she continued. "Annie went to live with our grandparents. Elie went to live with Maggie's parents. Annabel spent a month every summer with her other grandparents and Elie. She was the one who answered the door when the police came to tell her grandparents about Maggie."

Horatio stopped again and rubbed at his eyes. "I didn't know that," he said quietly.

"Annie was always intense as a kid. But she...she became hard. It took a long time before that shell was broken. She met Chris."

"Her husband."

"It took him seven years to convince her to marry him. Then they had Lucas."

"And then they were killed."

"And then they were killed. Annie about gave up then." Rochelle shook her head. "I don't know what shook her out of it. But she pulled herself out. She made her work her life. I don't know. I don't know what finally chased her out of Chicago. But leaving behind all of the ghosts meant leaving behind all of us too. She's alone down here."

"And you think she's vulnerable. I wouldn't take advantage of Annabel, Rochelle." Rochelle stopped and looked at Horatio.

"I just want you to understand what you're facing if you get into a relationship with Annie. I don't want her getting hurt."

"Don't you think that's up to Annabel?"

"I think Annabel is alone and not as tough as she tries to make out and I think it would be easy..."

"Nothing is easy. Especially with your cousin, Rochelle." Horatio tilted his head and locked eyes with Rochelle. "Would you like to vet my history?" He started walking again. "My mother was killed when I was seventeen. Her murder prompted me to join the force. I was married. Not anymore. My brother was a cop. I have a sister-in-law and nephew. They no longer live in Miami. One of my team, Tim Speedle was killed almost two years ago. I was there. I've been to some of the same dark places Annabel has." He stopped again. He tilted his head and looked at Rochelle. "Can I guarantee her happiness? No more than she can guarantee mine. Nobody can do that. But I think it is up to her what she wants to do. I also think I know her well enough to know that she wouldn't be happy about this conversation."

"Which is why it remains between us." Horatio raised his eyebrows. Rochelle crossed her arms over her chest. "Marc thinks I'm out shopping."

"If Annabel asks me, I won't lie to her, Rochelle."

"Good. I don't want you to. She'll know it was my idea. Let her be mad at me. It won't be the first time. It won't be the last." Rochelle uncrossed her arms. "Thank you for your time, Horatio. I hope to see you at dinner."

Horatio nodded. "I will be seeing you at dinner later, Rochelle."

Rochelle smiled and nodded. "Good." She headed off. Horatio stood there a moment. He took off his sunglasses and turned them over several times in his hands before putting them back on and heading out into the midday sun.

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Annabel was toweling dry her hair when the buzzer for her apartment went off. She glanced at the clock and growled. She was running really late. Annabel crossed over and hit the intercom button.

"Horatio? Hi, I am so sorry. I'm running late. I'll unlock my door and buzz you in. Just come up and I'll be ready shortly. Really. Sorry." She unlocked her apartment door, hit the outside door button and ran for the bedroom.

Horatio came in and looked around. Annabel's apartment was tidy, but looked lived in. He looked out on the balcony, the view was nice, not ocean, but nice. He smiled a little. She has a hammock on her balcony. He wondered how much the heat and the bugs let her use it. He glanced at the papers spread around her laptop.

Horatio stopped to look at the bookcase next to her desk. One shelf had several framed pictures. One was a young girl that was definitely Annabel being swung over a wave by a man with the same black hair and gray green eyes. Another was of Annabel hugging a tall, blonde woman in a cap and gown. In the same twin frame was a mirror picture with Annabel in the cap and gown. An older couple danced together in a fourth frame. Horatio could see some of Annabel in their features. There was a picture with a large group of people jammed into a small space. The final picture was another twin frame. One side had a big, blond man asleep in a recliner with a small blond baby asleep on his chest. The other side was Annabel asleep with the same infant. Horatio stared at the picture for several heartbeats. He tore his gaze away and concentrated instead on the books she had.

There were numerous professional manuals, a lot of non-fiction and a few fiction books. What surprised him was the shelf full of fairy tales. There were well worn copies of Andrew Lang's Fairy Books, a copy of Grimm's Household Stories, the Collected Stories of Hans Christian Anderson, and Charles Perrault. There were also several single volumes. Below the fairy tales was a stack of four books the by the same author. Lenore Austin. He pulled one out and was looking at the cover when Annabel came out to join him.

Horatio looked up and smiled at her. Annabel was dressed in a fitted, hand-knit top. It was deep wine and the simple tie at the neck left her shoulders bare. Her gauzy skirt was gold. Annabel twirled once so her skirt flared out. She noticed the book in his hand. Annabel crossed over and took it from him. She held it up and showed him the picture on the back cover. It was the blonde woman without the cap and gown.

"My sister, Elie. Lenore Austin is a pen name. Crime novels. Funny, huh? I have autographed copies of all of them, of course." Annabel set the book back on to the shelf. She looked at the bookshelf. She looked at the pictures and then the books and bit her lip. She ran her fingers over the spines of the fairy tales. "Quite the mix. Obviously, I wasn't expecting to ever have visitors." She sighed.

Annabel took a step back and smiled up at Horatio. He smiled back. "You look beautiful, Annabel."

Annabel blushed a little. "Thank you." She gave another little twirl. "Amazed that I can look like a girl, are you?"

"I've never doubted that you were a woman, Annabel."

Annabel lifted a foot up. She looked down and twisted it back and forth showing off her strappy sandals.

"Well, I know you've never seen me in heels. Hard to run people down in heels."

"You look beautiful, Annabel."

Annabel shook her head. "You said that already. I don't think so though. I'll give you cute, Horatio. But beautiful?"

"Yes, beautiful."

Horatio stepped closer to Annabel. She backed away. Horatio reached out that ran his fingers down her bare arm. Annabel visibly shivered. She looked down at his feet. Horatio stepped closer. He slipped his fingers under her chin and tilted her face up. Annabel tensed up.

"Are you going to run, Annabel?"

Annabel licked her lips and bit down on the bottom one. She shook her head. "It would better for both of us if I did, Horatio. Or if you did."

"We all have scars, Annabel." Annabel glanced at the picture briefly and then back at Horatio. He pulled Annabel to him. Annabel turned her head so her ear was over Horatio's heart. She listened to its steady beating. Horatio heard her breathing slow and felt her body relax. He brushed his lips over her hair. "You aren't falling asleep on me are you?"

Annabel shook her head and wrapped her arms around Horatio's waist.

"Why do you always worry about me sleeping? Haven't you noticed that I don't need sleep? Just coffee." Annabel rubbed her face on his shirtfront. "This is nice, you know. Standing here. I could get used to this."

"Me too." Horatio ran his fingers across her bare shoulders. The apartment's buzzer went off.

Annabel groaned. "And then life happens. Ro has the best timing. Not." Annabel stepped away. She brushed some imaginary fuzz from the lapel of Horatio's jacket, then reached up and brushed the hair off of his forehead. Annabel locked eyes with Horatio as she traced the contours of his face with her fingers, memorizing it. She sighed. "Ro'll just come up here if we don't go down." She linked her fingers with Horatio's. "You may want to run before the evening's over. Ro can be tough. She was just being nice last time because she just met you."

Horatio chuckled and squeezed Annabel's hand. He pulled her back to him for just a minute. "I think I can handle your cousin," he whispered in her ear.