Once everybody had left Eric and Horatio sat down on the couch.
Eric rested his head on Horatio's shoulder.
"Do you feel like talking now?" Eric asked.
"Only if you do." Horatio said.
Eric nodded and lifted his head up. He looked at Horatio and gave a sad smile.
"You're not mad at me are you?" Eric asked.
"No." Horatio smiled. Eric smiled back.
"I'm sorry for not telling them right away H. I should have. But they're like stranger to me, and I guess I got a little freaked out when they suddenly walked into my life again, after so many years." Eric said.
"I understand." Horatio said, "From their reactions I can definitely see why you were so nervous."
Eric sighed, "Yeah, but it's no excuse." He said.
"It's okay Eric. It did hurt when you wanted to move some of my stuff out of here for that dinner, but it's all forgiven." Horatio smiled.
"Thank you. But it will never happen again." Eric smiled, "I promise you that."
Horatio smiled and kissed him softly.
"Do you really feel that we've talked enough about all of this?" Eric asked.
"Well, I don't know what else to say. I can honestly say that it hurt, but I understand why you did what you did. And I know it won't happen again." Horatio said.
"Still, it feels like there is so much left to explain." Eric said. "Like my relationship with my parents. I mean, all they ever wanted was for me to be just like dad. It's like they've planned out my entire life for me, and I don't get to decide myself what I want. Mom has this weird dream of the perfect family. All her kids are straight, married and have like ten kids each." Eric explained, "It's like we don't know each other."
"I'm sorry for that Eric; it can't have been easy growing up with your parents." Horatio said.
"I had my sisters to lean on at all times." Eric smiled.
"One question just popped into my head." Horatio chuckled, "Whose suggestion was it to let Valera pretend to be your girlfriend?" He asked.
"I think it was both Ryan and Valera. Though I suspect that it was Ryan's idea from the beginning." Eric said.
"And once you put Ryan and Valera together." Horatio laughed.
"You can get so many weird ideas." Eric laughed, "They talked me into it, and at the moment it seemed like a good last minute solution."
"It's okay." Horatio said as he saw Eric's sad look, "Let's move on from here."
"Yeah, my parents already now, so there's no need to hide anymore." Eric smiled.
-I-
"You and Valera came up with that idea?" Calleigh asked. Ryan had just told her everything about the plan of Valera as a pretend girlfriend.
"Yeah, but the original plan was just for that one evening. You know, Horatio's birthday." Ryan chuckled.
"You two are so crazy." Calleigh chuckled.
"That we are." Ryan agreed, "Hey Calleigh I want you ask you something?"
"Sure, ask away." Calleigh smiled.
"Do you think you and I could take four days of, starting on Friday?" Ryan asked.
"Sure, that's in two days right?" Calleigh asked. Ryan nodded.
"Sure, that shouldn't be a problem, what are we going to do?" She asked.
"We're going to a small cabin that I've rented. Near the beach." Ryan smiled.
"Ryan, have you got another crazy idea?" Calleigh teased.
Ryan shook his head, "I think you're going to like this idea." He smiled.
"Okay, let's ask Horatio for some days off tomorrow." Calleigh smiled, "Now let's go to bed."
-I-
Valera walked towards the reception of Miami Dade hospital. It was Thursday morning, the clock was only 22:30, and she was on the hunt after Dr Jason Maxton. Valera had found out from a nurse friend that Dr Maxton usually worked on the night shift.
"Hi, I'm looking for Dr Jason Maxton." Valera asked the receptionist.
"Do you have an appointment with him?" The receptionist asked.
"No, but I think he wants his shirt and underwear from yesterday evening back." Valera smiled.
"Oh, Ma'm… sorry, I didn't know. I'm sorry… I'll just page him for you." The receptionist stammered.
"Thank you." Valera smiled.
It didn't take long before Dr Jason Maxton showed up. He smiled when he saw Valera.
"Well, hello again." He smiled.
"Hi." Valera said.
"Here for another pretend examination?" Jason teased.
"No, I'm here for something else." Valera said, "I came to apologize for last time."
"There is no need to apologize." Jason smiled.
"So I didn't get you in any trouble?" Valera asked.
Jason shook his head.
"Good, then I have another question." Valera smiled.
"Shoot."
"Can I have your phone number?" Valera asked.
Jason looked at her for along time.
"You know, you are one cool girl." He said.
"Really? Why?" Valera asked.
"You're not shy, you just ask right away. I think that's impressive." Jason smiled. Valera smiled back.
"Thank you, now can I have it?" She asked.
Jason laughed and wrote down his number on a piece of paper form the reception.
Valera hugged him as he gave her the note.
Then she said goodbye and walked towards the exit.
"Wait! What about your phone number?" Jason called after her.
"You'll get it when I call you." Valera called back and left.
Jason just laughed.
Valera hurried home. It was raining outside and she was soaked once she got inside her apartment.
She decided to call Calleigh.
"Hello?" Calleigh answered on the other end.
"Hi, Cal, it's Valera. Guess what?" Valera said.
"What?" Calleigh asked, "Ryan stop it." She giggled.
"Cal, you're supposed to guess silly. And what is Ryan doing?"
"He's tickling me." Calleigh said, "I'm guessing that you got that doctors phone number."
"I see that they don't pay for you for nothing." Valera chuckled.
"Yep. Ryan I'm on the phone." Calleigh giggled, "Hey guess what Valera?"
"Ryan found a spot on your body that doesn't tickle you?" Valera asked.
"That would be a miracle. No, he and I are going on a four days trip to a cabin that he rented." Calleigh said.
Valera smiled; she knew exactly what Ryan was going to do there.
"That's seems very nice!" Valera said cheerfully.
"Yeah, it does. I think he's up to something." Calleigh chuckled, "Please don't tell me that you two are planning something crazy." She giggled.
"No, not that I know off." Valera said.
Calleigh laughed.
"Hey, it's getting late and we have work tomorrow, so why don't you say we call it a night?" Valera asked.
"Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow. Good night." Calleigh said.
"Good night." Valera said and hung up.
-I-
It was almost two pm when someone knocked on Eric and Horatio's front door.
Eric sleepily hurried to open it, and looked stunned at the sad person in front of him.
It was no other than his father.
"Dad." Eric greeted, "What re you doing here?"
"You're mother threw me out." Joseph said.
"Why would she do that?" Eric asked.
"Can I come in?" Joseph asked.
Eric nodded and let his father in.
"So tell me." Eric said once he had closed the door.
"I've been thinking." Joseph said, "And I love you no matter who you live with. Now I might be a little bit uncomfortable in the beginning, but I think that in time I will get used of seeing you and him together." Joseph smiled.
"Horatio. His name is Horatio." Eric said, "Yeah, well it's either accepting or loose contact with me."
"And I choose to learn to accept it." Joseph said.
"Why dad?" Eric asked, "Why am I suddenly so important? You hated me when I became a CSI; you wanted me to take over your business." Eric said.
"I know, but the older I've become and the more your very clever sister's tongue lashings that I've been given, I've understood that you shouldn't decide your child's life for them. That your child should choose whatever is best for themselves and the parents should support them no matter what." Joseph smiled.
"Is that your words or Mayas?" Eric asked. He couldn't help but to feel a little suspicious about his father.
Joseph looked a little hurt.
"Those are my words." Joseph said, "I know it will take time before you trust me. But I intend to do everything I can to make things right." Joseph said.
Eric nodded.
"Alright dad." He said, "So you need a place to sleep tonight huh?" He asked.
Joseph nodded.
"Well, the guestroom is down the hall to the left." Eric said.
"Thank you." Joseph said sincerely.
Eric smiled. He hoped with his whole heart that he and his father could become close and that all the grudge between them would disappear. He also hoped that his mother would realize the same thing that his father had done.
Eric went back to his bedroom and laid down next to a sleeping Horatio.
Horatio stirred slightly.
"Sleep H, it was only my dad." Eric said and kissed Horatio softly on the cheek.
Horatio mumbled something incoherent and then went back into sleeping.
TBC…