Inked

Disclaimer: Not mine.

A/N: My first foray into CSI:Miami fiction. I'm finding Horatio very hard to write. My apolgies if he seems stiff - suggestions and critiques welcome. I have no idea what level CSI Calleigh is, but words in italics are her thoughts.

Summary: Speed mentions Calleigh's tattoo to Horatio, and now Horatio is curious. Spoilers for 1x14, "Bunk". Shameless HC fluff.

Speed: I also checked with Ernie, the guy that did Calleigh's…

Horatio: Did Calleigh's?

Speed: Yeah. Not that she's ever going to let anybody see it.

- Bunk

"Calleigh, can I see you for a minute?" Horatio leaned out of his office door just as Callegih was walking by.

"Sure. What's up?" Calleigh stepped in Horatio's office, closing the door behind her. Horatio had returned to his seat. Calleigh remained standing.

"I heard something very interesting from Speed today," he began.

"And what would that be?"

"It seems that a member of our team has a tattoo."

Calleigh blushed.

"It also seems that this member doesn't intend to show anyone her tattoo, is that correct?"

Calleigh smiled sweetly and nodded her head. "It's just a little something for me."

"If it's just for you, then why does Speed know about?"

Calleigh's blush deepened. "It slipped out accidentally. I was a little sore the next day, and Speed asked why. I told him before I thought not to."

"I see."

"It's ok, right? I haven't seen anything in our employee manual against having a tattoo." Now she was teasing him.

"Oh, it's fine. I just wondered why you weren't showing it to anyone."

"Did you want to see it?"

Horatio smiled, but said nothing.

Calleigh crossed the office and stood in front of him. "It'll cost you."

What are you doing?

"It will?" He looked interested, so she continued.

"Oh yeah. Dinner?"

Or steamy, passionate sex, if you'd prefer.

"I suppose that's a fair trade."

"Oh, it's more than fair, handsome. See you at six?"

"See you at six." Calleigh smiled at Horatio one last time and walked out of his office.

That evening, Horatio and Calleigh sat side by side at a small table at 510 Ocean.

"Horatio, you didn't have to take me to a place this nice."

"I wanted it to be a fair trade," he said. He reached over to Calleigh with his left hand and pulled her right hand out of her lap. Calleigh looked at him and raised one sculpted eyebrow, but said nothing.

"Are you going to tell me where this tattoo is, or do I have to wait to see it?"

"Well, I guess I could tell you. But you're going to have to wait until after dinner to see it. I have to remove too much clothing to show it to you in public." She smiled broadly at him.

"You do?" Horatio was intrigued. He'd never imagined that Calleigh was the type of girl to have a tattoo.

"Don't get too excited, handsome," she said, sliding her hand out of his and patting him on the cheek. She leaned in close to him to whisper into his ear. Horatio bent forward just a bit to catch her hushed words. "It's just to the inside of my left hip."

Calleigh leaned back, slightly breathless. Horatio looked at her, an amused smile on his face.

"Calleigh, you don't have to show it to me if it will make you uncomfortable. I had no idea it was in such a personal area."

Is he embarrassed?

"Nonsense. I wouldn't have offered to show it to you if I wasn't comfortable with the idea."

"Hmm. Now I can see why you haven't shown it to anyone."

"Just waiting for the right moment, I suppose."

Or the right man.

Later that evening, Horatio pulled into a parking spot at Calleigh's apartment complex. He put the Hummer in park and looked over at Calleigh.

"Are you coming up, handsome, or did I just get a free dinner?"

"Only if it's okay with you."

"I told you it was."

Horatio and Calleigh walked slowly up the two flights of stairs to Calleigh's apartment. "Make yourself comfortable. I'll be back in just a minute."

Calleigh disappeared down the hall to her bedroom, and Horatio stepped over to the large floor to ceiling windows that opened onto her patio. He placed his hands on his hips and stared out at Miami. "Calleigh, Calleigh," he muttered to himself.

He didn't hear Calleigh padding back down the hallway in her bare feet. When she tapped him on the shoulder, he turned around to find that she had changed out of her black dress slacks into a pair of extremely low-slung jeans. "It'll be easier to see it in these pants," she laughed. "That other pair sat up too high on my hips."

"These look like they're about to fall off your hips."

Not if you pull them off first.

"That's the point, handsome. This is what's in style now."

"Mmm," he murmured. "Looks like tight still hasn't gone out of fashion."

"Lucky for you," she laughed. The tight aqua tanktop Calleigh wore was already showing at least an inch of her milky white midriff. Calleigh tugged down on the ragged waist line of her jeans a few inches. Horatio watched as what appeared to be the panhandle of Florida appeared on her skin. The dark tattoo stood out in sharp contrast to her pale skin. As Calleigh continued to reveal the rest of her tattoo, Horatio saw that her tattoo was indeed in the shape of Florida, although it had details that gave the appearance that it was a gun as well.

"Very clever, Calleigh," he said softly when she raised her eyes to meet his. "I never thought about the fact that Florida does indeed resemble a gun."

"Why do you think I moved here?" she teased. A second later, she was pulling her jeans back up, and the tattoo disappeared from his sight.

"So, what was the impetus for this piece of artwork?" he asked.

"Passing my proficiencies for level III CSI."

"I see. What did you do for Levels I and II?"

"Nothing," she said, moving away from him. "I had my sights set on Level III from the beginning. Levels I and II were just necessities."

"Did you like it?" she then asked, staring out her window. She couldn't meet his gaze.

What if he thinks it's silly?

"I did," he answered solemnly, moving next to her so that their shoulders nearly touched.

She turned and stared at his profile. "You won't tell anyone?" she asked.

If Delko or Speed find out about this, I'll never live it down.

"Of course not. I would never violate your privacy, Calleigh."

"Can I get you a drink?" she asked, her confidence returning.

"I should get going," he said, moving away from her towards the door. Calleigh stared after him, trying to ignoring the sudden ache in her chest. She followed him to the door, disappointed and yet slightly relieved that nothing had transpired between them.

Horatio placed his hand on the doorknob, then turned around to face her.

"I had a nice time tonight, beautiful," he said, staring into her eyes. His free hand reached out to her, brushing across the rough denim that covered her tattoo. His thumb came to rest on the tip of her exposed hip bone.

Calleigh smiled. It was the first time he had called her by his special nickname all night long. With his hand resting on her hip, Horatio leaned in and brushed his lips across her cheek. "Good night," he whispered in her ear.

Calleigh watched as Horatio turned around, opened her door and disappeared into the night. "Night, handsome," she finally whispered, smiling as she shut the door and locked it.

Calleigh returned to the window and stared out into the night before pulling down her waistband again and staring at her tattoo.

Nice job, beautiful.

Fin