A/N: Thanks to everyone who's reviewed so far, it really does make my day to get feedback. Here's the next few chapters, hope you like them!
Horatio managed to stay out of her way for the rest of the week. Frankie wasn't sure how he managed it, but he was always leaving the room as she came in, or he had to make an urgent phone call, or any one of a number of other excuses. The problem was she was as much to blame. When she did have a chance to talk to him one-on-one, she would find herself staring at him, drinking in every detail of his appearance, worrying if he looked tired, and wishing he would look at her again like he did that night. Calleigh walked up to her in a corridor, while she was watching Horatio talking to Eric in the trace lab. Frankie was deep in thought, admiring the way his blue shirt bought out the colour of his eyes, and didn't notice Calleigh's approach. Luckily for her, Calleigh was also a touch preoccupied.
"He's so good looking, isn't he?"
"What?" Frankie, startled, yelped. Then she followed Calleigh's line of sight and relaxed. "Oh, yeah, Eric's great. So you two are still going strong?"
Calleigh took her arm, and lead her down into the ballistics lab, a sure sign that some serious gossiping was about to occur. Frankie perched on the edge of the desk and waited. "He's taking me to his parents' anniversary dinner tomorrow night! I mean, I already know his mom, but he's taking me as his girlfriend!"
"That's great Cal. I'm so happy for you both, I really am." Frankie was genuinely happy for her friends, but Calleigh clearly noticed that something was not quite right.
"Who is he?"
"Who?"
"Whoever it is who's making you sad."
Frankie flushed and stammered, "No one, he's no one, I mean that, um, there isn't anyone." Calleigh gave her a disbelieving look. "I don't want to talk about it."
"Anyone I know?"
"Please Cal, I can't talk about it. He's … it's, it's an awkward situation. But I'm working on it, really I am." Just not very well, she added privately.
"I don't want to pry, that's not my style Frankie, but I'm here if you need to talk, even if it's just to sit through hours of moaning. I know how patient you and Alexx were with me, and I'll be only too glad to do the same for you."
"Thanks Calleigh, you're a good friend," Frankie said quietly, hugging the shorter woman tightly. She was so lucky to have friends like these in her life, she knew. She could trust them with anything, anything but this.
"I know. So is he good looking?" Frankie shot her an exasperated look. "What, I'm just naturally curious!"
Relenting slightly, Frankie nodded. "He's gorgeous. The best looking man I've ever met." She realised that was the truth. She would never tire of looking at Horatio. She sighed. "He doesn't want to get close to anyone though. It's going to take a lot of work to break through the barriers he's set up around himself."
"When are you seeing him again?"
Wasn't that the million dollar question? "I don't know. That's what I'm working on." Calleigh hugged her again, sympathy shining from her eyes.
"He'll come around Frankie, or he's not worth the worry."
"He's worth it, all right, that's the problem," she sighed as she left ballistics to head back to her own work.
