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: Calleigh Duquesne, Eric Delko, Horatio Caine

Warnings: none

Rating: PG-13

Chapter: 15 "Back to Normal"

Author's Notes: For all those patient people who have been waiting for me to update this story! I hope you enjoy these last couple chapters!!!

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Horatio didn't stay in the hospital for long. After only a few days he was back in the lab. He'd been very picky about who he choose to go out on scenes. If Calleigh had to, he made sure that half of the MDPD was there. Normally, he knew she'd be mad at him for holding her back from scenes, but he was beginning to think that she was having the same comfort he was having. He had been able to see her at almost all times.

He was disappointed with the lack of reports on sighting Cruz, though, and Horatio still didn't feel that they were safe. When Clavo was ready Horatio knew that he'd pop out of hiding and make himself known.

Clavo Cruz was one of those people who didn't need a publicist. He was fine making his own publicity. He didn't care who got hurt, and normally people got hurt.

……………………………..

Lunch was not often something that Calleigh did that involved being out of the lab or that was considered a proper meal. She just normally didn't have the time for it. This time, though, it was more of a lunch date. Horatio had asked her to go and had even agreed not to bring together half of the MDPD to protect them. It was a nice change from the past few days.

They were sitting out in the patio section under a brightly colored umbrella. The meal wasn't anything special, just the house salad and half of a sandwich with some fruit on the side, but the scenery was nice and a change. She also couldn't ask for better company.

Something had been bothering Calleigh, though, and she was ready to bring it up. Otherwise she feared it would nag her forever. "Now, did you want to sit out here just so you could wear your sunglasses?" Calleigh asked curiously. He'd been wearing his sunglasses ever since he'd been released. She understood why. Both of his eyes were still badly bruised, one of his eyes was bloodshot, and his face generally looked battered. But she loved his face just the same. She didn't want him to hide it from her just because he thought she found it offensive.

"Maybe…" Horatio responded with a smile.

She shook her head and reached across the table and started to remove them, "You don't have to hide from me."

"Or," Horatio said putting his hands over hers stopping her. "I've just become a lot more photosensitive since my injuries…"

Withdrawing her hands, she smiled kindly, "Now why couldn't you have just said that?" she asked him.

"We should do this more often," Horatio suggested.

"And tell the county's killers to take a break?" Calleigh teased.

Horatio smirked, "Couldn't be that easy, could it?"

Calleigh shook her head and smiled, "No."

The ring of a cell phone had them both searching for and then checking their respective phones. It was Horatio's. Calleigh watched him as he answered it. She figured it was most likely the lab calling to interrupt their lunch.

"Horatio."

((So, they found you.))

Calleigh watched as Horatio's battered face hardened. She frowned wondering what the lab wanted.

"Where are you?" Horatio asked.

((Oh, don't worry. I'm keeping an eye on YOU. You're with the hottie. Tell me, Horatio. How is she? You know…horizontally? Or do you guys play it other ways?))

Horatio gritted his teeth a bit, "Clavo," he responded semi-calmly. "Why don't we just meet and get this over with?"

"Horatio," Calleigh said shaking her head. She knew Horatio was in no shape to be doing anything that had to do with Clavo Cruz besides maybe testifying against him.

((You let the bitch dictate orders to you, huh? Mmm…and I always saw you as the one who dished out the orders.))

"Shut up, Clavo!" Horatio was getting upset, but it was mainly at Calleigh being brought up at all in the conversation. He wanted her left out of it.

((I just wanted to tell you, Caine, that I've decided I should take your motto: I never close. Because I'm gonna make sure your life and that bitch's life miserable!))

"Leave her out of this!"

((I know what you both drive, where you live, your routes… It's not over, Horatio.))

"You come after me, Clavo. You keep Calleigh out of this." Before Horatio could go on, the phone was dead. He shut his phone and tucked it back in place. "We should go."

"Tell me what just happened," Calleigh insisted.

"Calleigh—"

"Horatio," she challenged, "Tell me what Clavo said."

"He's watching us," he admitted. "He's coming after both of us again."

………………………….

TBC…