Chapter 10

It was right after 6 p.m. when Elijah looked at his watch and asked himself if he had missed her by accident. It appeared less likely, because her Jeep was still parked, but possible. Here were so many people coming and going, that it was hard to keep up.

His dad had told him once that she owned this type of car, so he was pretty sure that this one belonged to her. Sighing he sat down on a curbstone at some distance to the lab, and adjusted his baseball cap. He had already been sitting here for whole two hours, had jumped into a bush when he had seen his father and had also raised curious looks from others. If this woman wouldn't appear in the next minutes, he would get arrested and that would have a bad ending for him. His dad took that pretty seriously.

"When does she come? She's working longer than dad..," he griped, because he was hot and thirsty. He wouldn't sit here much longer, but return to his mission tomorrow. "Or the day after tomorrow, if Amber wants to go to the beach." They both had their summer vacation after all and therefore free disposal of the whole day. Waiting beside a street wasn't all that funny. Stressed out he got up again, took off his sunglasses and cap to whip away the sweat on his forehead and stretched his muscles. "She has to come out sometime, I mean no one is working overtime by choice…well except of dad maybe…" And if she did it by choice, then she perfectly fitted to his father.

Impatiently he looked around to see if some kiosk had appeared mysteriously and because of that almost overlooked the blond woman, who had left the lab. "Finally," he sighed, put on his cap and sunglasses and sprinted to the parking lot. He didn't care what his dad would say about this outfit. Well he already knew the answer anyway.

"Ma'am…Ma'am…I need your help." As a police officer she had to wait for him, right? Yes, he could be quite sly when he wanted to.

Still being deep in thoughts, Calleigh needed a moment to register that someone was talking to her. Confused she pushed up her sunglasses, looked around, but couldn't see anyone else but the boy who was approaching her with quick steps. Shaking her head she lowered her glasses again and continued walking.

Hm, weird. Normally the call for help should have been enough. "Ma'am…would you please wait a moment..," he tried again and hoped that he was luckier this time.

Again she stopped and turned around to the blond boy. Apparently he had meant her after all. Before she had thought about a mistake. "Yes?"

"Whew," he brought out and braced his hands against his thighs. Three weeks without training and he was already on his last legs. "Uhm, are you Calleigh Duquesne?" he straightened up again.

Furrowing his brows she looked at him. "Yes. And…you are?"

Just like he had learned, he took off his sunglasses and hung them on his collar. His dad had always told them, that it was polite to take off one's sunglasses when you talked to strangers. "I'm Elijah."

When she heard the name, she could make out some similarities between father and son. The nose, the dimple when he smiled and…the eyes. Those wonderful blue eyes, that seemed to be even more intense. "Hello," she replied and was unable to make heads or tails of what he wanted. "Do you want to visit your dad?"

"Oh…no, no. If dad knew I'm here…he would have my head," he smiled cheekily. "I'm here for you Ms. Duquesne…well…I want to talk to you, if you have time that is."

She blinked. "You want to talk to me? Why?"

"Uhm..oh well…," sheepishly he scratched his head, because his plan was a bit bold. But nothing ventured, nothing gained. "Basically, I want to talk about you and my dad."

"And about what in particular?" she went into it, because it didn't make any sense to her.

"About you and my dad having another try..because..I'm sure that he misses you," he answered her cautiously. Basically it didn't concern him.

"Elijah," she looked around because she believed that she was being played, though this seemed to be improbable. "I don't think it's a good idea."

"Why?" he just asked back. He maybe was still a teenager, but this didn't mean that he was too young for that.

Sighing she ran a hand through her hair. Her glance fell on her car and the on the boy, who had the typical Caine-look on his face. And that look told her, that he wouldn't give up easily. Furthermore, there was something else that came into her mind. "Shouldn't you be at home? Does your father know that you're here?" It was still hard to cotton up with the fact that Horatio was a father.

"Nah, he doesn't know. He doesn't want me to be here," he sighed and spoke the truth. "And I have summer vacation so I can stay up longer plus…I'm almost sixteen and not six." The woman was funny.

"I didn't mean it like that," she shook her head. "More like, if your father has something to do with this." You never knew what Horatio was up to.

"Dad? No," he shook his head. "You don't know my father all that well if you think that he has asked his son to do something like this. He has no idea that I'm here and talking to you. He's at home probably, brooding over some files, like he does often…" It was hard for him to balance between not giving away too much about his dad, but also showing her that he wasn't feeling well because of the break up.

Apparently this conversation would take longer, because Elijah didn't want to leave or so it seemed. As strange as it felt to talk to him, her curiosity was growing. "We should go to somewhere we can talk in private, don't you think?"

"I wouldn't mind, don't want dad to see me and get grounded. It's very uncool when you have vacation," the boy agreed with her happily. This was the first step into the right direction.

"Okay then hop in," she asked him and wondered why she was doing this. The relationship was over and she wasn't certain if the boy knew what he was doing. But he was nice and attentive. And for his sake, even though they just knew each other for 15 minutes, she would listen to him.

"I'd be glad to. I'm open to everything as long as they have something cold to drink. Next time I'm bringing lemonade with me," he told her and got into the car. Normally you shouldn't do that with strangers, but he assumed that Calleigh wasn't beneath them. "I really love a Jeep, it's perfect for the beach. But I don't think that dad has the same opinion…I'd probably get something secure that looks totally uncool..," he started talking like any boy in his age. "In case I get my own car…you never know what's going on in dad's head…hm…but a Jeep is awesome."

"Thank you," she smiled because of his praise and drove the car from the parking lot of the police department. "I think I know just the perfect ice cream parlor."

***

Satisfied, Elijah savored his milkshake and leaned back in his chair. This was good. Finally something cool and tasty. He had waited for this for hours. "Much better," he sighed and took off his cap. According to his dad, it was impolite to wear a hat at the table and since he wanted to make a good impression on Calleigh, he followed Horatio's words. Mischievously he smiled at Calleigh and ran a hand through his hair, unsure of how to start the conversation again.

"How long did you wait outside?" she wanted to know and stirred her Latte.

"I think…about two hours. Yeah this sounds good. Dad always says that he can't sign off to schedule most of the time…but I thought that quitting time would be at 4…and I didn't want to miss you," he answered her honestly. "Because it's very important for me to talk to you Ms. Duquesne…"

Even though the boy was indeed nice, Calleigh wasn't sure if this would produce a result. Even so Horatio had told her three weeks ago that he'd felt like a real family with her, but he had also bombed her in a way. He had fobbed her off and hadn't even tried to show interest in her. "Calleigh is just fine," she smiled friendly and got more serious then. "But I want to be honest to you…I don't think that this talk will get us a result."

"Okay, its Calleigh then, thanks," he thanked her politely and took a deep breath. "Personally I hope that this talk will provide a basis for you and my dad…uhm..you know what I mean," he smiled shyly. "I don't know anything about the reason of the break up and I don't want to know, because it's none of my business. I just want to know if you don't see any chance that you could be together again?"

Calleigh marveled over Elijah's dedication over this subject. It wasn't that natural for a boy in his age. But then again…he was Horatio Caine's son. So the phrase the apple doesn't fall far from the tree fitted perfectly here. "I…don't think so."

"Oh…," he murmured broken and absentmindedly played with his straw. "But you were at his house three weeks ago, right?"

"You mean after we…after we broke up? At the Saturday when you had your game? Yes, I was there. But it didn't change anything about the whole situation," she answered him genuinely because she didn't want to raise the boy's hopes. "It had been for nothing."

"It certainly wasn't helpful that I called him every two minutes, hm?" he asked rhetorically because he already knew the answer to that. "If I had known that you were there, I would have kept my mouth shut and left you two alone, because I'm sure that dad wouldn't have minded to talk to you." He probably went out on a limb, but he didn't care.

"Oh well, he didn't have that much freedom of decision, I guess. But he showed me what is more important to him and I have to accept that…I accept that," she corrected herself.

"I think that he doesn't have any hope," Elijah admitted, "he didn't have it before and..," he shrugged his shoulders, "he assumes that it's to no avail. But what I know is that I've never seen my dad so happy. He wasn't…my dad. He was in a good mood, had laughed a lot…I've known my dad for almost 16 years now and he was a completely different person."

"Elijah..," she started, "I think it's awesome that you worry, but I don't think that your father and I have a future together. Because, to be honest, he had hurt my feelings. I've worked with him for over two years now and he had never told me about you, your mother his ex-wife. And with that he showed me that he doesn't trust me. How should a relationship work then? If you can't confide in your partner?" She didn't know if the boy could understand it, but she tried not to sugarcoat it. That wouldn't work. "I mean that's everything that matters, right?"

"So it's my fault..," the boy murmured and bit his lip. Or part of it was his fault in his eyes and that hurt. "He had told you about us after all, that's more than most people can say. This is even more than my friends can say…and I've known some of them since kindergarten. Dad wants to protect me, I don't know from what, but he wants it…and that he told you about me means a lot."

"No, it's not your fault, Elijah," she leaned forward alarmed, because she noticed that the boy was quarreling with himself. "I wish there would have been a happy end, but I don't know what to do. Your father and I…we both have experienced disappointments. And that's why it hit me hard that he betrayed me in a way." These were hard words, she knew that, and she didn't like that she had to tell them a teenager. Gloomily she leaned back and looked out of the window next to them. "It wasn't meant to be."

"So you just give up? Like dad? There was one argument and that's it? Well then you're right. My dad is too stubborn to make the first step, most of all because you left him…but I know that he's waiting for you. I know that, because his thoughts are miles away when I'm with him. I know that, because he's just like before." Surly he took the last sip of his milkshake. "And they say that teenagers would act childish, ha!"

"Why is this relationship so important to you?" she asked. "And what do you mean he's like before?"

"He's withdrawn, serious…like always. A few months ago I thought it would be his nature, but I was mistaken. You ask why it's so important to me? Because I know that my dad loves you, I was the one who kinda...talked him into asking you out and I want my dad to be happy. My mom already is, me too, it's just dad…who isn't."

"You convinced him?" Those were interesting news.

"Well I gave him a little push…," the boy smiled cheekily. "When I told him about my girlfriend, I asked about his…and oh well a week after he had asked you out."

Thoughtfully, Calleigh rested her chin on her hand. There was a turmoil of passions inside her. She would never forget the three months she had with Horatio, but still there was a bad aftertaste. "And you wouldn't have issues with that? I mean that your dad has a partner?" She had heard about kids, revolting against a new partner.

"This seems to be an adamant prejudice. Dad had asked me the same..," he rolled his eyes. "Do you really think, that I would be sitting here, asking you to give my dad a second chance… if I had issues with that?"

Calleigh couldn't help but smile. The more she talked with him, the more she realized that he was his father's son. "You're definitely a Caine," she told him quietly.

"Yeah? That's possible…" He wasn't so sure about it. Except of his mom and once in a while aunt Alexx he had no one to talk to about such things. But this wasn't about him. "What does that mean?"

"Once a Caine has set himself a goal, he tries to reach it. Your father is the same. He would do everything to help someone. Just like you're doing it right now," she explained him. Apparently he was interested in other people talking about his father. "It's a very nice character trait. This self-sacrifice, in a positive way of course."

"Cool. Mom always tells me that I inherited his stubbornness…and I guess she's right," he smiled lightly. "And this is what holds him back," he thought out loud and tilted his head. "Maybe you reflect about it again and I promise not to bother you."

And again she had to smile when she saw the movement of his head. "This gesture, the way you're tilting your head has to be in the Caine genes," she answered his unspoken question. But what outweighed it, was Elijah's suggestion. "I will think about it," she told him when she looked up again and saw those sparkling blue eyes, she had memorized the first she had seen Horatio.

"I think that actually more than I deserve, since I ran you down," Elijah nodded. "And it would be great, if you didn't mention this to dad. Or I will be grounded for the next 10 years and kiss driving goodbye."

"I don't think so, you're both into cars way too much," she chuckled. "But don't worry about that. I won't tell him, promise," she told him and laid her hand on his.

"Okay, thanks. Oh and you don't know my dad…when his car has a scratch…oh I don't even want to think about it and the Hummer..," he shook his head. "That's dangerous.."

"It'll be OK," she patted his hand and then grabbed her purse. "This is my treat, thanks for the talk, Elijah" she said and laid some dollars onto the tablet.

"Oh great. Thanks Calleigh." As a teenager you were always short of money. "Well I will head home then, before mom gets ideas."

"I can give you a lift," she suggested.

"Uhm…okay…but only if it's okay for you, I don't live that far away."

In the meantime she had stood up. "Nope, that's not a problem," she assured him. Besides she would be reassured that Elijah made it back safely. "So, are you up to another ride with a Jeep?"

This didn't need an answer. "Of course. Maybe you can say a good word for me…when my dad thinks about my car," he smirked. You had to use every chance.

To think about that was quite bold, but she couldn't hold it against the boy. When they walked outside, she just said, "let's get surprised."

"Okay, cool." He told her his address and hopped in. When he would tell Amber about that she would get crazy. First a Hummer and now a Jeep. Now he just hoped that Calleigh would talk to his dad.

Tbc

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