AN: Warning: Language, but one word, and implied/suggestive adult Behavior. Thanks for the support, here is the next chapter.

Chapter 2: Still love him?

After shift

When Horatio made it back to his office from being in the break room after dismissing his team for the day, he sighed as he sat down, then after grabbing his phone, he hit speed dial number one before placing it to his ear.

Her voice was heard a few seconds later. "Hi, handsome."

He smiled at hearing her voice before replying. "Hi, sweetheart."

"You ok?"

"I am now."

There wasn't even a pause after he said that. "A bad case?"

"Yeah."

"Is there anything I can do?"

"Can I just hear your voice for a bit?"

She smiled on her end of the phone. "Of course, you want me to talk about anything specific?"

"Not really."

"Ok, I'll just start with I love you."

He smiled as he leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. "That's a very good start, and I love you too, Cal."

There was a slight pause before she started to speak, nothing specific like they agreed, but he soaked up the sound of her voice just the same as the case vanished from his mind, once again thankful he has this amazing woman in his life, especially when moments like this come up.

Hours later

By the time for the party to start, the food was cooked, and other snacks/drinks were in the dinning room waiting to be eaten, and after the time was a little past the top of the hour, the first guests started to arrive, which was Eric and his date, then came Alexx, her husband and their 13 year old daughter, and not long after that, Alexx's son Bryan showed up with his new friend/roommate, Derrick, an athletic, African-American who stood at 6'1 with brown hair and hazel eyes, Derrick's girlfriend, Ellie, who was African-American, 5'6, had a slim build with long black hair and green eyes, and Ellie's best friend, Ashley, who was also African-American, 5'7, also had a slim build with shoulder length brown hair and brown eyes, which after he showed up, things started out awkward between him, Lindsey and Nick for a few minutes before they shook it off, vowing to make the best of this time and not cause a scene.

Not long after Bryan and his friends had showed up, Nicole walked out of the kitchen carrying another snack tray, this one of the veggie variety when she saw Bryan and his new friends, and seeing him laugh at something one of the new girls were saying, sent a pang in her heart, so she turned and immediately walked back into the kitchen, and Bryan, who just got a glimpse of her before she was in the kitchen, excused himself from the group before heading towards the other room.

When he walked in the kitchen they were the only two in there, which was also the first time they've been in the same room alone since their break-up four months ago, and to say it was filled with a lot of different emotions, was an understatement.

They looked into each other's eyes, both trying to read one another, then she broke the ice while looking down at the floor. "She's beautiful."

"We are just friends, Nicole."

She chuckled humorlessly as she looked into his eyes again. "Isn't that how it always starts?"

He shook his head and turned around to leave the room, but stopped before he did and turned back around to look at her and say in a somewhat hard tone. "You know what, even if that was the case and I was dating her, you have no right to make me feel guilty about it, especially when you're the one that broke up with me."

A sharper pang went to her heart, not by his words but what she did to get them in this situation, so she nodded as she looked down again, willing herself not to cry in front of him. "You're right, I'm sorry, you have every right to date whoever you want without you feeling like it's a crime."

When he spoke in a soft voice this time, he was standing right in front of her. "And you know there is only one woman I want to be with, still want to be with."

She tried everything she could, but when she looked up at him, tears did appear in her eyes as she whispered. "Bryan I..."

He cuts her off while going with temptation and cupping her cheek, almost making her want to close her eyes at his touch, a touch she's missed the last four months. "What is it? What did I do? Did I somehow made you feel pressured into..."

This time she cuts him off. "No, you did nothing wrong, you know our first night was the best night of my life, and if you remember, I'm the one that called you, I'm the one that convinced you everything would be ok."

Flashback

Late June, 2009

(Two weeks before Kyle Left)

Nicole, who was wearing a red nighty, was sitting at the end of the hotel bed, which was the same room they had been in on his prom night last month, looking around the candle-lit room to see if everything was perfect when she heard the door opening as Bryan was speaking. "Hey Nicole, why did you want to..." He trailed off when he saw the room, then his eyes got wide and his heart raced as he saw her stand up from the bed and turn to him, making him answer his own question while the door closed behind him. "I guess I know why."

There was a long pause before she gave him a shy smile. "Hi."

He started to walk up to her with a smile on his face. "Hi, you look uhm...You look uhm..."

She chuckled as he took her hand. "Speechless?"

He chuckled with a nod, his eyes sparkling as he cupped her cheek with his other hand. "Very much so, but that babe, is nothing new. I've found myself speechless multiple times through the years just looking at you."

She shyly looked down this time with her heart racing, and he lifted her chin up so he could give her a kiss, and while it was meant to be a short one, he just couldn't pull away when she deepened it, making it one of the most passionate kisses they have ever experienced as they were walking towards the bed, and only stopping their feet when the back of her legs hit the side of it.

He went along with helping her take off his jacket, but when he felt her hands on the hem of his shirt, he slowed their kissing down and placed his hands on top of hers, finally speaking once he placed his forehead to hers while trying to catch his breath. "Whoa, wait a minute."

Curious and a little confused, she asked. "What's wrong? I thought you would want this." Then she got a little sadder as she pulled from his forehead. "Want me? am I doing..."

He cuts her off tenderly as he cupped her cheek again. "Of course I want this, I want to be with you more than you can possibly know. I just need to know why now, when just last month we both agreed we would wait."

"Isn't just wanting to be with you and tired of waiting good enough for you?"

"Yes, but I can't help but think that there is another reason for this now."

Again, looking at him a curiously, she asked. "What do you mean?" Then after a pause, and while looking into his eyes, she whispered softly, like she had been betrayed. "Wait a minute, did Lindsey tell you something?"

No point in lying, he nodded. "Yes."

Nicole made a disapproving noise as she said. "I'm going to kill her."

She started to walk past him, but he took her hand and turned them around before she could get far and he continued. "She didn't come out and tell me, but I saw it in her eyes when she looked at me, and I'm quoting her word for word here, 'That if you ever give into temptation and cheat on Nicole, I will come and kick your ass.'" Nicole couldn't help but chuckle as he finished while shaking his head with a smile. "And believe me I know for a fact she wouldn't be alone."

Nicole shook her head with a small smile. "You're right, she wouldn't be."

"Which they and you have nothing to worry about, I hope you really know that, and that we don't have to do this now if you feel you have to keep me." He brings her closer to him so he could wrap his arms around her waist. "Because as far as I'm concerned, you're going to be my first and last." Then couldn't help but smirk the last thing he said, but was completely serious. "And if I play my cards right, all the in-betweens."

She chuckled for a second for the last thing he said, then replied with an emotional tone while nodding her head. "I know that, I really do."

His eyes lit up with a smile. "Ok, I'm glad to hear that." They kissed softly on the lips before they place their foreheads together and closed their eyes, then after a moment or two, he took a deep breath and continued. "Then why don't we get out of here and have a pizza."

Despite how freely the words came out of his mouth, it was actually hard, because don't get him wrong, he was tempted, very tempted, but he'll wait for how ever long he had to for her. She meant the world to him, and he wasn't going to do anything that will destroy what they have, or what they were building.

He pulled back and took the few steps from her so he could bend down and pick up his jacket, which he did, but before he could turn around and speak again, she took his hand and replied with a smile. "How about after?"

His eyes got wide again as he spoke softly. "Nicole..."

But she places her finger to his lips and spoke. "Can you just listen for a second?" While Bryan just nodded, she walked them towards the bed, turned and placed her hands on his shoulders and guided him to sit down before she took his hand again while continuing. "After I told Lindsey my fear, I really thought about what she said after, and she was absolutely right. If I actually thought sleeping with you to keep you was the right move, then I honestly can say for a fact that we wouldn't have lasted." He gets a concerned look on his face as he held her hand tighter, afraid that if he let go, he would lose her, as she continued. "And it also got me thinking that if I really thought that, then it would ultimately mean I didn't trust you enough, or believe in us, believe that we can be the small percentage of teenage romances that actually lasted beyond high-school." She then finished as she got on his lap, facing him with a smile as she cupped his cheek while his arms went around her. "I do trust you 100%, no doubt about it, and I firmly believe we'll make it through this next step of our lives. Oh, I know it won't be a piece of cake, but I'm willing to try my best."

He smiled in return. "And you already know my answer to that." Her eyes lit up and they share a few kisses, and as she was going for his neck, he closed his eyes and whispered. "Ok, so if it's really not about that, what's tonight about?"

She gave him a couple more kisses to his neck before pulling back, then after looking into his beautiful brown eyes, she answered him. "In a relationship you want to make sure it grows, right?" After he nodded, she finished as she cupped his cheek. "Then that's what tonight is, I'm just simply ready to let us grow."

She leaned toward him and they shared a few more kisses while her hands went to the hem of his shirt again, but before she even got it halfway, he pulled back and asked. "And you're sure?"

Now starting to feel a little frustrated, she replied after a deep sigh. "Of course, didn't you just..."

He cuts her off softly with all the love in his eyes, and a little worry. "And in order for it grow properly without damaging it, it needs to be nurtured and cared for."

Her frustration died down, really hearing his words and meaning, and she gave him a loving smile as she cupped his cheek. "I get it, and yes I'm 100% sure."

When he saw no doubt in her eyes, they go back to kissing, slowly at first before it started to get passionate, and when her hands got to the hem of his shirt again, this time he allowed her to take it off, then after a pause as she admired the man she loved while as she ran a hand up his athletic chest, touching his shoulder and cupping his cheek before they go back to kissing.

Eventually he picked her up, making her gasp a little, so he could turn them around and lay her down on the bed, and after several more minutes, but before anything else was taken off, he pulled, both trying to catch their breaths, he looked down at her. "At any time you want to stop, tell me, no questions asked, you got it?"

She nodded as she cupped his cheek with a smile. "Yeah, I promise. I love you Bryan Woods."

He smiled in return. "I love you too, Nicole Owings-Caine, so much. I just want to tonight to be perfect for you."

"It already is, I'm with you, and I know I'll be ok."

He turned his head and kissed her palm before leaning down to kiss her lips, softly at first before it grew to passionate proportions, letting their deep feelings for one another guide them through one of the most important moments of their lives.

End of Flashback

"If that is the case, and it wasn't me, then what happened? And don't tell me you stopped loving me that quickly, I know it isn't that."

She couldn't help but smirk at that. "You're a little full of yourself, aren't you?"

He shook his head and continued with a serious tone. "No, I just I see it in your eyes, Nicole, you still love me, but you're pushing me away for some reason, and I want to know why. What got you so scared between our first night together to three weeks later that made you want to turn your back on me, on us?"

The answers Bryan was seeking, has been seeking for four months was on the tip of Nicole's tongue, and she was going to open her mouth and speak, but their moment was interrupted when they heard new guests being greeted into the house, so she cleared her throat and stepped back, his hand falling from her face. "I better get out there, have a good time at the party."

She started to walk towards the door when Bryan spoke again. "Nicole..."

But she cuts him off. "Just move on Bryan, it's for the best."

She continued to walk out of the room without another word, leaving Bryan more confused and hurt than he had been when she suddenly broke up with him.

Deep down he knew it was something serious, and he wanted to help with whatever it was, but unless she lets him in, there was nothing he could do.

He took a deep breath before walking back into the main room, wishing they could be celebrating their 5th year of dating instead of counting another day they've been broken up.

Later that Night

Once the party was done, the guests left the house, except for Lindsey and Cassandra since they were spending the night, and after everybody got to open a present, they watched a few family themed movies before putting the younger kids to sleep and started getting ready to go to sleep themselves, but before they could call it a night, there was an important video chat coming at midnight.

Lindsey opened the bathroom door and started to walk out before stopping suddenly so she didn't run into Nick, who had just stopped in front of the door.

They smiled shyly at one another as he moved to the side so she could walk out in the hall, then as she started walking down the hall, he started to walk in the bathroom but was stopped when Lindsey said his name. "Nick?" He stepped back and looked over at her before she asked after clearing her throat. "About earlier, I..."

He waved it off with a smile. "Forget about it, it was just two friends having a nice moment."

She smiled in return as she nodded. "Yeah, that's what I thought too."

He laughed with a nod. "Of course, what else could it have been, you're in love with Kyle, my brother."

She nodded and took a breath before looking him in the eyes, speaking in a very serious tone. "I am, very much." He nodded again before she spoke again with a smile. "Then we are ok?"

No hesitation when he answered back. "Always."

"Good, because I don't want to lose you as a friend."

"And that will never happen."

After one more nod, she said she'll see him downstairs before she finally turned to walk, eventually going downstairs as he watched her until she was out of sight before walking into the bathroom with a sigh, hoping with all of his might that what he told her about their moment being just a friendly one was just that, because there is no way he could be falling for Lindsey, who not only is one of his best friends, but his brother's girlfriend, is there? He mentally shook his head before closing the door behind him.

About 10 minutes later, while Nick, Calleigh and Horatio were sitting on the coach and the girls were sitting in front of them on the floor, a live video feed came on their TV from the computer and the beautiful face of Kyle came in view.

They all smiled at one another, and as Kyle looked at his amazing family, he sighed in content before saying. "Happy Holidays everybody, love and miss you all."

AN: A little time jump next. Thanks for reading and Please review, more Ducaine to come soon. :)