Chapter 18.
The clock was a little over 6Pm when Calleigh rang Horatio's doorbell. He opened and let her in before they sat down on his couch.
"May I?" he asked and looked at her belly, Calleigh nodded and he put his hand down on it.
The baby gently kicked before it settled down again and Calleigh smiled at him before he withdraw his hand.
"So how are things at home?" he asked.
"Just fine, Angel and Hanni are keeping each other company while I am here" she said.
"So he's living at your place?" Horatio asked, not that he didn't expect it.
"His place or mine, mine most lately as I'm a bit to pregnant to go over to his at times," she said.
"I see, you're a little family now," he said and nodded at her belly.
"Mhm, with pet and everything," she said with a happy giggle and added, "Are you lonely?"
"A bit at times, but I'm ok," he answered.
"But I thought you had Clarice," she said a bit confused.
"We are only good friends," he said and looked down.
"Did you hope that we might get…?" she stopped.
"I did, but it's too late now," he said.
"It is, but if you hadn't broken it of I would never have meet Hanni," she said honest.
"Don't you think I know that," he said a bit annoyed which made the baby kick hard.
"It's okay little one, daddy didn't mean to be angry," said Calleigh and stroke her belly until the baby calmed down.
"She sure looks to be annoyed and such at me," said Horatio.
"Are you accusing me of something?" she said.
"No, I'm sorry, I just miss us a lot at times," he said.
"I know you do, but we are still friends," she said.
"Still seeing you with him it's hard," he admitted.
Calleigh looked down knowing she probably never would want him back and said, "Why did you have to back away in the first place."
"I don't know... afraid of commitment or something like that, if he asks would you marry him?" he asked.
"I don't know, I haven't thought about it," she answered honestly.
"Do you honestly picture a future with him, he's after all what we fight against every day," said Horatio in a serious tone.
"Don't you think I know that, God, but it's not my fault I didn't exactly choose to fall in love with him you know;" she snapped.
"I know," he said before he added, "But nothing of this change the fact that I still love you."
"You do what, how can you say that when you know I'm happy with him, that's not right," she almost screamed at him.
"I know but I am, you are tearing me apart," he screamed at her, tears building up inside him.
"Do you think it is easy for me to see you like this, it pains me Horatio," she screamed back at him.
"Then why can you not come back to me?" he whispered.
"Because I don't love you like that anymore," she said with a heavy sigh.
"You know what you shouldn't have come, you just made it worse," he said and stormed towards where his room was.
"Horatio…" she whispered looking after him, gently stroking her belly whispering, "I don't know what to do."
Quietly she sank down on the couch sobbing, this was not how she planned this evening to go.
It was a bit later that night that Hannibal's peace was interrupted by his phone ringing. He picked up and said, "Good evening Clarice."
"Doctor Lecter," she said in the other end.
"So what may I help you with?" he asked her, wondering what she wanted.
"This girl you are seeing, is it serious?" she asked.
"I think it might be yes, I am there for her every step of the way during her pregnancy and I would like to be there when the child grows up as well," he said.
"You really wanted children, didn't you," she said.
"I don't mind them," he said.
"I am still asking you to think about this Hannibal," she said.
"What do you mean?" he asked her.
"Whether you are thinking about it or not that child is Horatio's and he is the right father. The two of them have a special bond and when that child is born that will be even stronger. You may be a good stepfather, but I still think you should step aside and allow for them to be together," she said honestly.
"What about me then, I love her," he said, well aware of what she was saying was true.
"Oh who are we trying to fool, we belong together Hannibal," she said with a sigh.
"I am not so sure anymore, I need to think, he said and hung up on her, unaware of what to do, knowing it would be a very long night.
It was early the next morning that Kyle came to home to his father's house as he was going to ask if he could barrow some money for a trip he was going with some friends the same weekend.
"Dad, dad…" he yelled out, not getting an answer.
He slowly walked upstairs to his father's bedroom opening the door, only to see Calleigh sleeping in his bed and Horatio in a chair near the window. Kyle just smile shaking his head, slowly closing the door, deciding not to wait them but to wait until his father woke up.
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