Chapter 18

A week later

While Calleigh was recovering from her wound in the hospital, not only was Horatio there right by her side most of the time, but the team found all the original pictures Jake had on his laptop. It was an ex-girlfriend that could almost pass as Calleigh if they looked at her in the right angle, and Calleigh informed them that she believes Jake had a partner, which after they asked how she might know that, she replied shyly at what happened at the bar and remembering that he said something about liking to take pictures and didn't see him when she had woken up from the drug that he had slipped her. So the team had asked the police to try and find him, which they did three days later and was now locked up. They also found her car destroyed in an empty lot.

Horatio did as much relaxing as he could, but seeing Calleigh get better was his first priority.

It was just after visiting hours was allowed and Calleigh and Horatio were enjoying a little TV when the doctor came into the room. He muted the TV before they both looked at him, then Calleigh asked. "When can I go home?"

He smiled and replied. "That's why I was coming in here, well besides checking your wound." They smiled a little in return before he continued. "I don't foresee any trouble on you leaving later today." Calleigh was about to smile bigger when the doctor spoke again. "But your wound still needs to be checked and taken care of, and with the placement of it I would feel better if you stayed with someone or if someone stayed with you."

"Well I uhhh..."

Horatio cuts Calleigh off. "She could stay with me." The doctor and Calleigh looked at Horatio, which Horatio looks at Calleigh. "If you don't mind of course, you are welcome to stay with some..."

This time Calleigh cuts him off. "No, that's ok, I'll stay with you."

It was a small step, but least in the right direction.

Horatio nodded with a smile. "Then it is settled."

Calleigh nodded as Horatio looked at the doctor, which he nodded and replied. "I guess it is."

After another nod, Horatio stands up from the chair he was sitting in, then spoke at Calleigh while he looked down. "I'm going to go the lab and check things out, making sure the few temporary replacements haven't destroyed it." She smiled a little as he finished. "Then I'll come back and we can get you settled at my place."

"Ok, thank you Horatio."

"You're welcome."

After one more long look, Horatio walked toward the door before walking out of the room with a small smile, thinking they could finally talk what's going to happen next with them, while still hoping there would still be a 'them', forgetting about a certain some one else that was in his life.

When he made it to the lab he walked in the building, which the receptionist was happy to see him even though he told her it wouldn't be for very long, then after making the rounds to make sure everything was good, he walked into his office just check out a few files.

He was there for a few minutes when there was a knock on his office door, so he turned around since he was standing in front of his desk, and just about gasped as he saw who was standing there. He cleared his throat before waving her in.

Sarah Parker opened the door to his office before stepping in, then after making sure it was closed, they looked at each other, feeling a little awkward. They hadn't seen each other in that week, they had even barley talked. She wasn't sure if he would be here right now or today, but knowing how he works she took a shot.

Horatio cleared his throat, but before he could say something ,she holds up her hand and said. "Can I talk first?" He closed his mouth and nodded as she walked up closer to him. She looked into his blue eyes, trying to see if he had the same look she saw when he was looking at Calleigh, but it wasn't there and she knew it never could be, so she mentally sighed before continuing. "The day that I had met you, even though it wasn't a practically best day of my life, I knew there was something special about you. You had this quiet and even a little shy demeanor about you, and it was something I was very interested in, I've been with those other types before and I wanted to be with somebody different, so I was thankful that I was and I'll cherish every moment that we had together."

Horatio realizing where this was going was about to speak, but she puts a finger to his lips and continued. "And I wish that it could last longer, but I now know it can't, you're still in love Calleigh and always will be." She saw his emotions change on his face and that confirmed it for her. "I'm normally a competitive person when it comes to something I really want to keep, but I can't compete to keep a man that was never mine in the first place, so I'm backing down."

She removed her finger from his lips and stepped back as she places her hands at her sides and looked down, Horatio took a breath, a part of him was very sorry about this. "Sarah, I want you to know that I don't regret meeting you."

She looked a little shocked when her eyes met his again. "Really?"

He nodded with a small smile before sighing. "When I had met you my feelings and head were all over the place and I was so unsure about everything, but you stabilized it, if only for a bit, but it was nice."

She gives him a little smile and nodded. "It really was." She steps up to him and asked. "Can I have hug?"

He hold out his arms and replied. "Yeah, but go easy on me." She nodded then gave him a soft hug.

When they pulled back, she cups his cheek, looks into his blue eyes one more time, then spoke while holding on to her emotions. "Goodbye, Horatio."

"Goodbye, Sarah, good luck in the future."

"You too."

Then after a nod, she removed her hand, turned and walked out of his office before walking out of the lab, wiping a tear away as she got to her vehicle.

Horatio had watched her walk out of his office until he couldn't see her anymore and sighed, as much as he still loved Calleigh and wanted her back, hurting someone like Sarah was a hard thing to do, he just hopes he didn't break her heart too bad to make her stop looking or believing in love, it could be a wonderful thing if it works out.

After a few more seconds of just standing there, he turned back to his desk, closed a few files, made sure he had his keys and sunglasses before walking out of his office, then after saying bye to the receptionist he walked out of the lab while placing his sunglasses over his eyes.