Title: Solace

Author: AllOverTheWorld

Shippers: Horatio/Calliegh

Summary: Calleigh takes solace in firearms, as strange as it seems to most; she finds comfort amongst Sig Sauers, Colts, Sniper Rifles, and Shot Guns, Machine Guns, exploding rounds and gun powder. Most, if not all, on the CSI team know where to find her after a particularly long or hard (most times both) case: her ballistics lab. What happens when that solace is shattered? When her one sanctuary is no longer what it was? Where will she go? Who can she turn to?

Authors Notes: Thanks to: Calleigh16, Arlene, Pinkyster, Turbidblue, daxy and muddpuppy19 for taking the time to review my story!

Calleigh began to stir soon after Battle Banana had concluded on the cooking channel and it took her a moment to fully realize who she was laying on. That brief moment before the memories of the past two days rushed back to her was the best she'd felt in the last forty-eight hours but as the saying goes 'all good things must go to an end'. Except that ending came much too soon. Gunner's green eye's flashed angrily then the echoing gun shot, followed up by her break down the night before and ending with her altercation with Stetler. It had been the longest forty eight hours of her life and she suspected that had it not been for Horatio, she may not be in this position.

On the topic of positions, she thought, Calleigh realized just how comfortable she was. It was slightly awkward but she had known Horatio longer than anyone else at CSI (except Tripp maybe) and through it all they had managed to stay strong. Her head was resting gently against his chest and the rest of their bodies mingled and extended across the rest of her worn couch. One of his arms was resting comfortingly on her back while the other held the remote which was aimed at the TV as he started to clip through the channels.

However he seemed to sense her change in breathing and feel her begin to stir because he set it down and said "How are you feeling?"

Pushing herself up, rather unwillingly, from his chest she brought her knees to her own chest and rested her chin on top "I'm okay." She said honestly

Horatio shifted to a sitting position and muted the T.V. before he spoke "You're going to get through this."

She nodded and turned to look at him "I know" she said then mused out loud "But at what cost? I can barely even think about my lab without thinking about him. How can I even begin to think about working in there. I-"

Once again Horatio put a stop to her rambling, he knew that she would be okay (granted he was sort of helping with that particular process but…) and she needed to understand that "Calleigh, you're going to be fine. Certain" he paused then decided to give her at least part of the truth "changes are taking place as we speak."

She looked at him confused "I hope your not going out of your way for me. I'm just being silly. I get shot at least once a week and this time shouldn't be any different." As she spoke her voice trailed off but Horatio's keen ears caught every word and he took Calleigh's hand up in his own.

"This wasn't a regular day. This wasn't one of our suspects shooting at us from the living room of his home. This was a man who spent thirteen years planning revenge on you and you alone. What you're feeling is normal, don't be embarrassed about how you feel." His voice was soft and whilst it was almost chastising her for how she was thinking Calleigh didn't take it that way.

In fact she was relieved that someone in the world didn't think she was crazy because she had probably already convinced Stetler of that. Shaking her head she made to stand up but as she did so Horatio's phone buzzed unexpectedly and she jumped which sent her landing back on the couch with a slight oomph.

"This is Horatio." He said and looked at Calleigh to make sure she was alright, after receiving a rather unconvincing nod from her he turned his full concentration back to the phone while Calleigh wandered into the kitchen.

"Alright, Eric, I'll meet you there."

Hanging up the phone Horatio sighed, he would rather not leave Calleigh here alone but being the Lieutenant of the crime lab did mean that upon occasion he did have to work. He eased himself up from the sofa and turned to see Calleigh looking into her empty fridge. She turned to him and asked "How on earth did you make that breakfast, there's nothing here."

Horatio shrugged and walked over to her "Will you be alright?"

Calleigh nodded "I'm going to go to the grocery store and get some food for my fridge." She was slightly hesitant of going out in public however she needed to get out of this house and at least the grocery store would give her a purpose.

Horatio was worried about this but if Calleigh figured she could handle it then he would let her "Don't push it to much." He said gently and added his now customary "I'll have my phone on if you need me."

"I wont." She said, trying to sound confident in this choice but only ended up worrying Horatio more.

They left her house at the same time and Horatio watched Calleigh's hummer disappeared after taking a left turn. He was worried, really he was but at the same time she needed to see that she wasn't an invalid. Sitting alone in the Hummer an unexpected surge of rage coursed through him and he had to take a few deep breaths. This rage was directed at Stetler more than Gunnar, although both bastards had done enough damage on Calleigh to last a lifetime.

He was angry at Stetler because he had violated her home, the last place Calleigh could feel safe and it had been ruined by that man. Throughout the years Horatio had always remained calm and respectful towards the IAB agent who was so determined to ruin his career. However this had been a deliberate attempt to sabotage not just his career but that of someone he cared for deeply. Going to Calleigh's house, knowing what kind of state she would be in, and acting how he did was a desperate attempt to get her to do something irrational (like shoot him, although as far as Horatio was concerned that wouldn't be irrational).

His anger subsiding Horatio pulled out of her drive way and disappeared into the afternoon light.

The supermarket was colder than Calleigh had planned for and her arms were freezing as she walked quickly through the store. Initially the entire idea had seemed okay, good for her to get out of the house but now as she walked down the freezer section she realized how mistaken she was. The constant noise was making her jump and how close people inadvertently came to her was unnerving. As she negotiated another tight squeeze, in between two old women discussing types of jam, her hands gripped the cart so hard her knuckles were white.

She turned down a less used isle, pet supplies, to calm down. She slowed her cart down so that it was barely moving and closed her eyes, taking a few deep breaths. Her eyes opened and she headed down the rest of the isle. However just as she was about to exit a man entered the isle and her blood froze.

He had those same emerald green eyes but his hair was brown, not golden blond, however the resemblance was uncanny.

He's dead. Calleigh tried to remind herself

"Excuse me ma'am." Her companion in the isle said, his southern accent only proving to further Calleigh's duress "I couldn't help but notice you, are you alright."

Say something.

Anything.

Anything that will make him go away.

"Yes, thanks." Calleigh said her attention focused on the image of a Husky puppy on the front of some bag of doggy food.

"Are you sure, you seem stressed."

"Yes." Calleigh said and made to maneuver he cart around the stranger except he stuck out one of his feet to stop it.

He's dead. He's dead. He's dead. Calleigh chanted over and over again in her mind but the resemblance was too much for this to be an accident, that or a cruel trick "Are you sure there's nothing I can do?"

"Move your foot." She said and it was all she dared to say, for fear of breaking down.

"I just think it's horrible for such an attractive woman to be in a store, alone." He said and made a step towards her.

Instinct kicking in she lifted the bottom of her jacket, showing the man her gun and badge. Her hand rested lightly on her gun and she looked at him. He backed away without saying a word and disappeared down another isle. Finding herself alone once again Calleigh tried to calm herself except it was no use, instead she headed for the check out and bought the few items she had managed to grab. Exiting the store she let out a small sigh of relief, although still quite shaken, she managed to make it al the way home.

Three hours later Calleigh was sitting on her couch watching the T.V., her Glock resting on her lap when the doorbell rang. She jumped but managed to recover faster than the previous times as she walked out to see who it was. To her delight and not so much surprise she saw Horatio standing on her doorstep, for the first time in the past two days Calleigh saw how tired he looked and a pang of guilt rose in her chest.

"Hey." She said and stepped aside to let him in.

He smiled "How was your afternoon."

She hesitated for a fraction of a second before saying "It was fine."

Horatio looked at her pointedly; he had noticed the hesitation "Calleigh what happened."

Leading him into the kitchen Calleigh turned and said "Nothing, it was just a long afternoon."

"You're lying." He said, not wanting to sound too harsh but at the same time he needed to know that she was okay.

"It-it was nothing. Just some idiot in the store spooked me." She said dismissively

"What happened?" Horatio asked, probing gently.

"He just blocked my cart and kept asking me if I was okay. He cleared off once he saw I was a cop thought." She said then added, much quieter "He looked just like Gunnar, except his hair was darker. He had the accent and everything."

Horatio looked up sharply "What?"

"The man in the supermarket looked just like Gunnar. If I knew he didn't have any brothers I would have sworn they were related."

This unnerved Horatio more than he cared to let on "I'll check it out." He said "Meanwhile I'll see if I can make something out of what you brought home."

Calleigh snorted "What, a collection of frozen meals, some banana's, oranges and the cat toy that fell in my cart?"

"I'm sure I'll think of something." Horatio said "Sit down." he said and she obeyed, all to glad to stop talking about her supermarket encounter. "I'll be right back." Horatio said and walked out to the hummer.

Once outside he pulled out his phone and dialed Eric "Mr. Delko, are you still at work?"

"Yea H, what's up?"

"I need you to find out if Gunnar Matthew's had any relatives, male about his age."

"Sure thing, let me pull up his file. Can I ask why?"

"Something that happened to Calleigh in the supermarket today."

"How is Calleigh?"

"She's" Horatio breath "okay. Right now she just needs to remember that she's not alone in this mess."

"Alright, it says here in this file that Gunnar Matthews has three cousins. However only one of them is his age and" Eric paused "he has priors. Two for assault and battery and one for attempted rape."

"Can you give me his description please."

"Sure thing. He's 6'3" with green eyes and brown hair."

"Thanks Eric." Horatio said, this was not good a sign. Why was Gunnar's only cousin in Miami? "Where does he live?"

"New York, he's far from home if he's here in Miami."

"Now the question remains: why is he here?" Horatio replied

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I had it all planned out in my mind but it didn't turn out the way I wanted to. Nevertheless it is another chapter. This story will now be updated every other day because I have another story (I'll Never Let You go) that I have decided to turn into a story and not just a one shot. Anyway if you feel like letting me know how you feel about Gunnar's cousin being in town feel free.

Question of the chapter:

Best couple on CSI: Miami?

AllOverTheWorld