A/N: Ahh thank you all for your reviews. I surely enjoyed reading them. Since it seems that people are still interested in the story, here is the next update. Hope you like it.

Chapter 10

The small pebbles scrunched when the Hummer slowly came to stop. The drive to the hiding place had taken them roughly 30 minutes and now they had crossed the first stages of the National Park. The drive had been quiet, everyone trapped in their own thoughts. Would they find Molly? Would she still be alive then? They didn't know. Of course Miller had promised more than once that he hadn't done any harm to the child, but then again, most of the creeps weren't doing any "harm" to the children they had captured in their own crazy world. That's why Horatio and Calleigh were expecting everything.

Slowly, Horatio turned off the engine and looked around. When Miller had said something about a fishing house, he had expected to find some small one-room lodge, but the house they were now facing was…indeed a house. There was no way, that he had a permission to build something like this in the Everglades, but in all honesty, Horatio didn't care at all. His focus was solely on the girl and the hope that she was still alive. "This is it?" he turned around and eyed Miller behind his sunglasses.

"Y-yes, it is," the man quickly nodded; looking away to avoid red-head's glare.

"Good, then let's have a look," Horatio replied and opened his door.

"I'm going with you?" Miller asked surprised when Calleigh helped him out of Hummer with a firm grip on his shoulder.

"Of course. Do you think we'll leave you here? All alone so you can go for a walk while we search for a child that isn't there?" Horatio snorted and reached for his handcuffs. "Turn around."

"She is here," Miller insisted and complained when Horatio cuffed him.

"We'll see," Horatio replied shortly and turned his attention to Calleigh. "I'll go first and you bring up the rear?"

"Sounds good to me," she agreed with a slight smile, knowing that he was always endeavouring her safety. And even though she was a woman who didn't want to be treated any different to a man, she liked that kind of chivalry and had no intention of calling him on it. "Let's go then," she motioned the men and opened the small strap of her holster just in case.

In a threesome, they made their way to the front door where they came across their first problem. Casually, Horatio tried to turn the knob, but nothing happened. "The key?" he turned to Miller, who looked suddenly very nervous.

"I—I don't have it with me, I—," he stammered, but was interrupted by Horatio.

"You let us drive almost 20 miles but don't have the key with you?" he asked, hoping that he hadn't heard correctly.

"I.. uh…," Miller started again, but suddenly his eyes widened. "I have a spare key, underneath the doormat," he said proudly, hoping to calm down the red head again.

Horatio just snorted. "How clichéd," he remarked and crouched down and moments later he had the key in his hands.

"Well there aren't many people around here, so I thought it would be a good idea," Miller shrugged and followed Horatio inside; Calleigh following them.

Like always, Horatio took off his sunglasses and let his eyes roam over the interior. It seemed like the house hadn't been used for a while, which hopefully meant that Molly was either his first victim or it had been a long while ago since he had kidnapped another child. "So where is she?" he turned around and raised his eyebrows.

"Actually…she's… upstairs in the-," he started but stopped when Horatio held up his hand.

"Don't even say it," he said with disgust and motioned Miller to take the lead. "Creep," he mumbled quietly, but not quiet enough.

Calleigh just raised her brows when she heard that. Of course, everyone thought like this of such people, but they actually kept it to themselves; especially Horatio who was even polite to the lowest scum they met. So the fact that Horatio of all people was saying his opinion out loud, made her wonder where this situation would let them, if Miller was lying to them.

Upstairs, they walked through the small hall until they reached a door that was slightly ajar. "Should I-?" Miller turned towards the two police officers.

"No you shouldn't," Horatio immediately replied in a harsh tone. "You wait here," he said and slowly opened the door a bit wider. "Keep an eye on him, Cal," he ordered and entered the room. "Molly?" he asked softly and closed the door behind him. "Molly?" he asked again and let his eyes roam over the furniture. There was a bed, a wardrobe, a small window that let some sunlight into the room, children's' toys but...no Molly.

"Ican'tbelieveit," he thought to himself, but tried his best to stay calm. There was always the option that she was hiding somewhere and who could blame her for doing so? No one. So he walked to the bed, pulled out his small flashlight and knelt down. Carefully he pulled away the comforter to have a look at what was underneath the bed, but all he could see was dust. With a sigh he stood up again and shook his head. The problem was that he couldn't sense anyone in the room. Of course he couldn't sense people, but he could sense their emotions if they were strong enough; and a frightened child should have enough emotions to fill the complete room. Yet, there wasn't anything.

"Molly? I'm a police officer," he said even though he was sure it was needless and slowly opened the cupboard's door. "Children's clothes," he said to himself and looked through it. "Dressings, underwear, shorts, god this guy is a freak," he mumbled to himself and already felt the slight anger boiling in his veins. With a little force he closed the door and stomped to the room's door. "She isn't here," he snarled and shot an icy glare towards Miller. "Where is she?"

"She-she should be here. I left her in this room, I promise," Miller stammered and tried to have a look into the room. "I swear!"

"Maybe she's somewhere else in the house," Calleigh tried to reason. "The door was slightly open, she probably left the room and is now wandering around." It wasn't that she wanted to come to Miller's defence, but there was still a high chance that Molly was in this house.

"You better hope that this is true," Horatio hissed and grabbed Miller by the arm. "How many other rooms are on this floor?"

"O-only two," Jack answered and tried to free his arm from Horatio's firm grip. "The bathroom and a very small storeroom."

"Good, then take the lead and show us," Horatio nodded and let him go.

10 Minutes later, they had found both rooms, but still no sign of Molly. Together they walked down the stairs, Miller still taking the lead, Calleigh behind him and Horatio being the last. His anger was more and more evident. He hated being played with, especially when it came to children and their molesters, so it was a good thing that Calleigh was acting as a kind of bumper between them.

"On this floor there's only the living-room, the kitchen and another small storeroom," Miller explained without being asked. He had no idea where this kid was, but he dearly hoped that she was in one of those rooms or he would get into a lot of trouble. He probably wasn't the smartest man on earth, but he did realize that the Lieutenant wasn't amused about this situation.

"I think we can leave out the living-room," Calleigh commented. "Since we're standing in it," she shrugged. "I guess she would have come out when she heard our voices and actually I can't see any hiding place here." There were no big cupboards, no niches and the couch wasn't high enough so a child could hide underneath it.

Horatio agreed wholeheartedly, but this didn't make it any better. "Then let's go to the kitchen then," he said and pushed Miller into the –what he thought- right direction.

"Stop pushing me around," the man grumbled.

"Stop lying to me and I might do that," Horatio snarled in return.

"I didn't lie to you," Jack defended himself and tried to struggle out of his cuffs.

"Yeah and that's why we have already found her, huh? Stop struggling and go," Horatio ordered with a hard voice, his anger coming more and more to the surface.

"Horatio," Calleigh said softly and rested a hand on his arm. "She might be in the kitchen and is scared, no need to scare her even more because you two are fighting."

Horatio just mumbled something unintelligible and followed their suspect into the next room. "Molly?" he called. "Are you here? You can come out, sweetie, we're police officers," he tried it again, but to be honest, he had already given up hope and this meant nothing good for Miller.

"I-I don't know where else she could be," Jack said, the disbelief in his voice was clearly notable. Something Horatio was so sick of hearing.

"Calleigh," he turned to his colleague. "You go outside and call for assistance. We need a helicopter in the air, because she clearly isn't in the house any longer."

"I can do that via cell phone," she replied, because she didn't want to leave the two men alone.

"You won't have any reception here. Go and use the Hummer's mobile radio."

"But I-"

"Calleigh, this wasn't a question, okay? I'll have a look at the storeroom with him and you call for assistance. If she's outside we don't have any time for discussions."

He was right about that, but that didn't mean she had to like it. "I'll be back in a minute," she nodded and quickly left the house.

"Storeroom?" Horatio raised his eyebrows.

Great, now he was alone with the redhead. That wasn't good at all. "It's the next door actually," Miller said and didn't even bother to ask if he should take the lead; he just did. "Here, there it is," he pointed at the wooden door that was right next to the kitchen's entry.

Horatio just gave him a glare. "You better hope for your own sake that she's there," he whispered and opened the door without preamble. All that greeted him was emptiness. "For God's sake," he swore and closed the door with a loud bang. "Do you think that this is funny? Is this all a big joke for you, you freak?" he snarled and made his way to Miller who on his part stepped backwards.

"I swear to you that I left her here. It's not my fault that the stupid kid left the house," he argued back and the moment the words the words left his mouth, he regretted them.

"Not your fault?" Horatio shouted back and sandwiched Miller between the wall and his body. "You fu**ing freak kidnapped her and it's her fault?"

"I-I didn't mean it like that," Miller whimpered and was more than afraid of this man. He wasn't sure, but the eyes seemed to be bluer than they'd been before; like crystal blue.

"Oh you didn't mean it like that, huh? Just like your promise, right? You didn't mean that too," Horatio scoffed, his voice definitely lower than it normally was.

"I did, I swear to you I did," Miller replied and looked around furiously. This man was crazy and now he was alone with him. "Let me go, please let me go," he begged, when suddenly his eyes fell on his rescue in form of Calleigh who had just entered the house again because she'd heard the shouting. "Please help me, he's going to kill me."

"Oh you would like that, wouldn't you? Me killing you so you don't have to rot in your cell," Horatio laughed at him.

"Horatio please," Calleigh interrupted. "Let him go, it won't help us finding the girl."

"Stay out of this," he growled at her, his fangs slightly showing. "He's getting what he deserves."

Calleigh had never seen him acting like this and to be honest, she was afraid. This wasn't her Horatio, the calm and sensible man. This was the vampire. The incalculable vampire, who could kill everyone inside this room within seconds. "Horatio," she tried it once again to knock some sense into him, but seeing his fangs, the cold blue eyes and his face told her that it was to no avail.

"Get out of here!" he ordered and the tone made it clear that she'd better follow it.

"No please, you can't leave me alone with him," Miller pleaded.

"Shut up!" Horatio immediately interrupted. This guy would get something of his own medicine.

Calleigh was torn between staying here and helping Miller and leaving like Horatio had told her. Of course, as a police officer you had to help people, but right now she wasn't sure, if Horatio's anger would be directed towards her then. Maybe it was cowardly, but in the end, the fear she felt made her leaving the house, hoping against hope that Horatio wouldn't hurt Miller.

Seeing her go, Miller felt the panic rising in his chest. "No.. no you can't leave me here," he shouted after her, but to no avail.

"Shut up, sissy," Horatio growled and grabbed him by his collar. "It's easier with little children, huh?" he snarled. "They're frightened and do everything you say, but when it comes to people your size, all you can do is whine," he went on and lifted the man up until his feet weren't in contact with the floor any longer.

"Oh God.. oh God…," Miller mumbled and tried his best to get out of the grip, but it was too strong.

"God won't help a freak like you are," Horatio laughed and pressed Miller's body against the cold wall. "Where's the girl?" he shouted.

"I-I don't know," Jack whined, "you have to believe me, I don't know."

Enraged, Horatio slammed his fist into the wall, right next to Miller's head; leaving a bump there. "Next time, this will be your head," he threatened.

Seeing the bump out of the corner of his eyes, Jack racked his brains in hope to find some explanation for all this, but he had no idea. Turning his eyes to Horatio again, he had the impression to see fangs, but this was highly unbelievable. "Dear God," he whispered, "what the hell are you?"

"I," Horatio started and leaned towards Miller's face, "am your worst nightmare."

Outside of the house, Calleigh was waiting for the backup she had called and she tried to ignore the shouting coming from inside. Suddenly, there was a cry and it all went quiet; the first thought that came into her mind was that Horatio had killed Miller. "Oh my god," she said to herself and grabbed her gun. Miller had done horrible things, yes, but they had no right to kill him. Carefully, she made her way towards the door, when she noticed some movement that made her stop dead in tracks. Only a moment later, Horatio came out – alone. "Where's Miller? What have you done to him?" she asked, surprised that her voice sounded so calm, while the rest of her body was vibrating with fear. Fear of her own boyfriend.

"I pinned him on the ceiling and stuffed his mouth, because his whining was annoying me," Horatio answered indifferently while he passed her by. He had other things on his mind than this man. There was still a lost little girl they had to find and if she had left the house, she was in great danger.

Calleigh's eyes went wide open. "What? You did what?" she asked shocked and against better thinking, she followed him and grabbed his arm. "Horatio wait."

"Calleigh, I don't have time for stop and stay at the moment. Molly's probably out there, in the wilderness, all alone," Horatio sighed, but stopped nevertheless when he felt her hand on his arm.

"This is not only about Molly any more Horatio, this is also about your career and life, damn it," Calleigh replied irritated, because his behaviour was more and more affecting her. "You killed a man, Horatio. In cold blood of all things. There's no need to do that, he was in no second a real threat to any of us," she tried to reason him. "You probably can't die by lethal injection, but do you want to stay the next couple of years in prison?"

Everyone would know about his true nature and then? She couldn't understand why he was so thoughtless now, while he'd been so careful for so many years when it came to his closest friends. "And stop chuckling, this isn't funny at all," she snarled.

Horatio tried to, but couldn't stop. "Calleigh, do you really think that I would ruin my perfect little life because of such a creep?" he asked amused. "I thought you know me better than that."

At this very moment, it was Calleigh's anger rising to the surface and the slap was clearly audible even a few meters away. "Don't you dare to treat me like this, Horatio Caine," she huffed. "Don't you dare to make fun of me like this." In a flush, she turned around and walked back to the house.

Out of reflex, Horatio rubbed his cheek and looked after her. "Calleigh," he called. "I didn't kill him; I just locked him into the small storeroom next to the kitchen." With a sigh, he followed her. "I'm sorry, okay?"

Turning around, she sent him a glare. "No you aren't, Horatio. You aren't sorry. And now I'll have a look at Miller and he better be still alive."

"He is, I promise," he told her sincerely. "I'll have a look around here, because we didn't find her inside." Maybe the girl had left the house via the front door and the door had shut behind her. This was at least the only explanation he had considering Miller was telling the truth.

Calleigh just shrugged, her main focus was now on Miller and the hope that Horatio hadn't hurt or even killed him. She briskly made her way inside the house and was relieved when she didn't notice any blood in the living-room. But knowing Horatio, or rather said the vampire in him, this didn't have to mean anything.

Not wanting to think of such a gruesome situation, she made her way to the kitchen and the storeroom. The door was closed and a chair was stuck below the door handle, so it couldn't be opened from the inside. "Please let him be inside," she whispered to herself and opened the door.

Immediately, Miller tried to hide away and get away from the other person. "No please, I don't know where she is, I promise," he whimpered.

"It's okay Mr. Miller, it's me Det. Duquesne," she tried to reassure the obviously distraught man. "Let's get out of here, okay?"

Looking up, Miller tried to find out if the redhead was somewhere to be seen. "Are you alone?"

"Yes, my partner is searching for the girl," she nodded and held out a hand for him.

"O-okay," Miller whispered and tentatively reached for her hand. He didn't even think of trying to escape, because he knew for sure that the redhead would hunt him down and do incredible painful things to him.

"It's alright, you're safe," she smiled at him and helped him out of the storeroom. "Ohlord,Horatio.Whathaveyoudone?"

Horatio meanwhile was busy searching the area. There were so many options of which way Molly could have taken and he had just opted for the most obvious one. That's why he was following the road now, his senses on full alert. "So where are you little one?" he whispered to himself and stopped when he noticed an anomaly on one of the bushes. It looked like someone or something had fought their way through it and now several twigs were broken off.

"Hey look at what we have here," he smiled when he reached for a piece of clothes which was hanging on one of the twigs. "You sure know how to hide yourself, Molly," he said amused and wrestled through the vegetation. He didn't care if his suit would be destroyed afterwards, if it meant that he would find the little girl.

"Molly?" he called and walked even further into the small jungle. It was a good thing that it was still daylight, because otherwise it would have been really dangerous because of all the wild animals, but looking at the sun, he knew that time was running short. "Molly?" he called again and cocked his ears when he heard something.

Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and started to filter out the nature noises which surrounded him. "Molly?"

There! There was this noise again. He quickly opened his eyes and made his way into the direction where the noise had come from. "Molly?" he called again and stopped in relief when he saw the little girl. "Molly," he said softly and smiled gently when the girl looked up in surprise.

"Hey there little one, we've been searching for you the whole day," he slowly walked to her.

"Who are you?" she asked frightened.

"My name is Horatio. I'm a police officer," he told her and crouched down next to her. "See? This is my badge," he said and showed her the golden object.

"Ohhh," she became wide eyed and carefully stroked the badge. "There's a bad man," she said suddenly.

"I know and he can't hurt you any longer, Molly."

"I miss my mommy and daddy," she sniffed.

"I'm sure you are," he whispered and then smiled at her. "Do you want to come with me? I'm not sure if your daddy or mommy will find you here?"

"But the bad man," she protested.

"Is already back at the police station." Well he probably hadn't arrived there yet, but he surely was on his way. "I promise you he won't hurt you again. Now…come with me? I'm sure you're hungry and thirsty."

"My tummy hurts and makes funny noises," she told him and opened her arms.

"I'm sure I have some M&Ms in my car," he chuckled and lifted her up. "It was very thoughtful of you to hide here," he told her proudly and carried her back to the house. "You did very well, little one."

Back at the house, Calleigh was torn between waiting for Horatio and following him. Miller was on his way to the station with one of the other officers who had arrived with their back up and she didn't know what to do. Horatio had acted more than strange and to be honest, she was a little afraid for the little girl. Horatio the man wouldn't hurt her, but the vampire? This was a complete different story. "Waiting here won't do you any good, Calleigh," she told herself and waved at one of the officers. "I'm going to find Lt. Caine," she told him and the words had barely been spoken, when Horatio appeared out of nowhere.

"Horatio," she called and quickly made her way to him, when she noticed the little girl in his arms.

"Shhh," he whispered and nodded his head towards the child. "She's asleep; I think this day was a bit too much for her."

Realizing that he was right, Calleigh just nodded. "Where did you find her?"

"Not that far away actually; she must have followed the road and then walked further into the jungle."

"How did you find her?" Calleigh asked and followed him to their car.

"I noticed some broken twigs and a piece of clothes, why?" he asked and opened the back door of the Hummer.

"WellmaybeyouhavesomesuperpowerslikeX-Rayvisionorsomething," she thought to herself sarcastically. "Oh..just curious."

"Hm," he just mumbled and carefully put the girl inside. She was too small to sit in the car without a seat, so this was a slight problem. "Would it be okay if you sit with her in the back?" he asked and was his calm, usual self. Nothing reminded of the wild outburst half an hour ago.

This was also something that confused Calleigh a lot. "I," she blinked.

"I think it'd be safer for her if someone was sitting with her. She's much too small for the seating belt."

"Oh…yes," now she realized what he was talking about. "Sorry, yes you're right," she nodded. Ignoring his helping hand (and therefore his confused look), she got into the car. Just because he was acting normal now, didn't mean that she wasn't angry with him any more. She just didn't want to talk about it in front of others; especially not a frightened child.

They would have to talk about this and she'd made sure that she'd get some answers. All fear aside, this was her boyfriend and she needed to know who he really was and if this was what she wanted from life. Because she'd always promised herself that she'd never wanted to be with a man she'd be frightened of.

But first they had to reunite a little girl with her family. This was the most important thing to do right now. Only time could tell what would happen afterwards.

Tbc?