Title: Vendetta

Author: innocent choir girl (ff-dot-net), shannyfish (From Out of the Lab/Miami Heat/LJ)

Summary: Clavo Cruz escapes from prison and goes after those Horatio holds dear in order to really get back at him. Clavo sees that there's more between Horatio and one of his co-workers, and takes Calleigh... (takes place before current season - I swear this was thought up before "Man Down")

Category: Ship Ahoy! Calleigh/Horatio

Genres: Angst, Drama, Episode Related, Established Relationship, Friendship, Hurt Comfort, Suspense

Characters: Horatio Caine, Calleigh Duquesne, Frank Tripp (Other), Clavo Cruz (Other)

Warnings: none

Rating: PG-13

Chapter: 6 "Choices"

Author's Notes: none

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Horatio got out of his Hummer to see only Clavo waiting. He was sitting against the trunk of his car. "Where's Calleigh?" Horatio asked looking around for her. He didn't see her and that was worrying him. "Is she okay? Have you done anything to her?"

Clavo just smirked in response, and then stayed quiet for a minute and when Horatio started to take a step towards him, he leaned forward a bit. "Calm down, Caine. She's safe… She's fine…sleeping like an angel…"

"You don't want her," Horatio told him, "You want me. So, let's just trade…"

"You for her?" Clavo asked amused.

Horatio noticed that Clavo had changed and had found himself a vehicle, which he figured wasn't hard with the contacts the convict had in Miami. He watched as Clavo moved his sunglasses down the bridge of his nose. "Mr. We Never Close…wants to trade for the blonde hottie?"

Tilting his head to the side, Horatio just glared at the man from the other side of his sunglasses. "What do you say, Clavo?"

"Deal. I'll leave her along the road…she'll be found quickly enough."

"No," Horatio spoke up quickly. "No, you trade her here and now. She can take the Hummer." If Clavo told him that she was in no condition to drive, then he'd know that she needed medical care…and help.

"I'm not sure she wants to drive the Hummer… I mean, she's sleeping so peacefully… Of course, I had to give her something to help her along, but at least she'll be rested," Clavo teased with a smirk.

"So, I'll call it in and they can come pick her up out of the Hummer," Horatio tried to compromise.

"She's your girl, isn't she Caine? I mean, ya gotta have something to tap if you never close," Clavo said still smiling. "I can't blame you for that; I'd love to have some of that… At least you have a pick of a hot one…some of those women in that building are just dull…and plain… This one is gorgeous."

"She's one of my CSIs and she's a friend," Horatio defended.

"Nah…she's more than that…maybe just a friend…with benefits…but definitely more than just a friend."

Horatio was getting tired of Clavo's games. "You know Clavo, not everyone has to have sex with every girl in sight…"

"Hey, I'm just congratulating on not taking on a dog…" Clavo told him before laughing and turning around, popping the trunk open. He dragged a sleeping Calleigh from his trunk and held a gun to her head. "Time to trade, Caine."

Pulling his gun from its holster, he put it on the ground to show Clavo he wasn't armed and ready for the trade. "Let me put her in the Hummer and call it in so she'll be picked up," Horatio said. He could see that parts of her normally pristine blonde hair was stained with blood and Horatio wondered exactly where the injury was and how it had happened.

"And how do I know you'll come back?" Clavo asked and then handed Calleigh over. "Wait, that's right…I'll be the one with a gun to your head…"

Horatio cradled Calleigh in his arms, and tried to get a better look at her head, but then he felt the gun tap his shoulder. Turning, he walked Calleigh to the vehicle and set her in across the backseat before he pulled his phone out and dialed Frank. He didn't need to say anything. Frank had already been prepped and given instructions. Laying the phone down on the phone in the backseat, he closed the back door. Opening the front, he pressed down the button to lock all the doors; he didn't want Clavo coming back for her or anyone else getting to her. He closed the front door and turned to Clavo.

"What? No kisses?" Clavo teased with a laugh. "It'll be the last time you see your beauty, but Caine…it won't be the last time I see her…"

"You stay away from her!" Horatio said quickly and angrily.

"I've been watching you, Caine… You love her. I can see it. She might be blind to it, but it's definitely there…" Clavo told him. "C'mon," he said motioning to his car, "You drive…"

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TBC…