Chapter 19
Once he got back to the hospital, him and Calleigh had to wait another 10 minutes before she was officially discharged, then once she was and last minute instructions on how to clean the wound, which wasn't that complicated, they were out of the hospital and heading for his vehicle.
After the nurse pushed Calleigh to the passenger door of Horatio's vehicle, which Calleigh wasn't happy that she had to be taken out in a wheelchair but since it was protocol and it was only for a few minutes she kept quite, then Horatio helped her in and thanked the nurse before shutting the door and walking to the driver's side.
The drive back to his place was done in silence and it was a little awkward because they didn't know where they stood, but since it was nowhere near the awkwardness it had been between them, they'll take this one.
When he pulled in the driveway to his house, and after getting himself then helping her out of the vehicle, they walked toward the front door to his place. After he opened the door for her, she thanked him before walking in, and the moment she did, despite not being here in almost a month, it still felt like home because she had been here so much in the time span that she was with him.
After he shut the front door, he asked if she wanted anything to drink and she just asked for some water, which he got right to it right away, even getting him some so he could take a pain killer for his ribs.
As he was handing her a water bottle, she asked. "I forgot, but I'm going to need some of my things."
He smiled a little and replied. "I have a box of your things in my closet, you can go through them and see what you still need and we can go to your place later." She was a little touched that he kept her things, but didn't say anything, instead she just nodded before they both sat down on the couch with space between them.
After a few minutes of the same type of awkward silence they were experiencing in the vehicle, he took a sip of his water before clearing his throat and speaking. "Calleigh?" They looked at each other as he continued. "Is it possible that we could get back to the way we were, before things got so messed up?"
Calleigh sighed and replied. "I think it could be possible, but I also don't think it could be the same as it was. We need to learn to trust each other again." Tears started to come in her eyes as she finished. "You weren't the only one that got hurt, Horatio."
Horatio nodded as he scooted closer to her, then he cups her cheek, and they both still felt that spark between them, then he wipes her tears away as he replied with emotion. "And I'll be apologizing for the rest of my life for not listening to you that day. I feel disgusted with myself just thinking about what happened, knowing the truth about why he was there that day, just hurts me even more."
Calleigh nodded as she cupped his cheek with her hand and they just stared into each other's eyes, but then she remembered something and gasped as she started removing her hand from his cheek.
He looks at her with concern as he took her hand in his and asked. "What's wrong?"
She cleared her throat before looking down at the floor. "What about that woman, Sarah Parker?"
He smiled a little as he released her hand and moved her chin up so she was looking at him again, then replied. "Sarah came to the lab while I was there earlier and she broke it off with me." Calleigh looked at him wide-eyed as he continued. "She said that she couldn't be with someone that belonged to somebody else." He ran his thumb up and down her cheek as both hearts started pounding a little harder. "And she is absolutely right. I was never hers, I was always yours, I never stopped loving you Calleigh, and I never will." As a few more tears started to come down her cheek he finished with emotion. "And if by some miracle you're willing to give me one more try, I won't hesitate a second to accept it."
A part of her wanted to wait it out before accepting that offer, but the larger part of her, which included the part of her heart that was owned by Horatio no matter what happened, wanted this whole nightmare to end so they could just start over on this second chance.
So after thinking about it a few more seconds, she cleared her throat and replied with equal emotion. "I accept it." He looked at her a little shocked and she smiled while sniffling. "Yes, I accept your offer, and there wasn't a day that went by were I stopped loving you." His look changed from shock to thankful in a matter of seconds, knowing he fully didn't deserve this, but will do everything he can to make her not regret it.
As they finally showed with their eyes how much love was still there, they moved toward one another, and when their lips touched, it wasn't passionate like a long awaited kiss should have been, it was short and sweet before they put their foreheads together and closed their eyes, but it was enough, knowing they needed to take things slower this time as they learned to trust each other again, which they were willing to do as long as they were together.