Chapter Two: Cuddling And A New Case

December 25th, 2007, 09:30

Oh Gosh, 9:30... It's not often that we sleep this long… least of all H, Eric thought as he looked at his clock. He had just woken up from a night full of romance and love with Horatio. Horatio was still asleep, snuggled against Eric. That was the first thing Eric had been surprised about when he started dating Horatio, other then that his boss was gay. After their first night together Eric had woken up with Horatio snuggled against him, his arms around his waist and his head on his chest. Just like now. And it was the absolutely sweetest moment Eric knew about. Who would have thought that macho Lt. Caine was a guy who loved to cuddle and hug everyone around him?

Well, Horatio was a very loving and gentle man. And he always hugged Eric. At least twenty times a day. And then of course he always gave Alexx a good morning hug and then a goodbye hug. Something the ME had found quite surprising the first time it happened. But ever since Eric and Horatio got together, Horatio had loosened up and become more relaxed.

Eric smiled as he looked at his ring. He was engaged to be married. If he ever met one of his ex-girlfriends they'd have a heart attack if they saw the ring. Eric Delko had settled down with the one and only.

Horatio stirred a little, but didn't wake up, instead he snuggled closer to Eric, and Eric grinned.

Where is the camera when you need it the most?, Eric thought. He would have loved to take a picture of this moment. He had pictures of Horatio sleeping at his desk, he was always so cute when he slept.

Eric softly ran his fingers through Horatio's hair.

Please don't let anything happen today, just let me have a quiet day with my lover, Eric thought.

Since it was Christmas Day, Eric had to give Horatio a gift. Horatio's gift had been the engagement rings. Though Eric was pretty sure that H had bought something else too. Eric, however, had been looking forever for something that would be meaningful to the Lt. And it was hard, even harder then Horatio's birthday present. Horatio had told Eric that he didn't want anything, but Eric had insisted. And finally Horatio had admitted that he wanted to go a cruise ship, and that he wanted some movies, a book and maybe a CD. Eric had told Horatio that he wanted a video camera, or money to by a new laptop. And then Eric had a serious love for jewelry.

Eric jumped as his phone rang, thank good that he had it on vibrate, he didn't want to wake Horatio.

"Eric." He answered quietly.

"Why are you whispering?" Calleigh asked on the other end.

"H is sleeping."

"Oh, I see. Well, how was your Christmas Eve?"

"Amazing, and yours?"

"Amazing too… I won't talk to you forever, Ryan and I are heading back to our place, but I thought I'd just tell you that… I'm pregnant."

"Really? That's great Cal!"

"Yeah, it's great."

"How are you feeling about it?"

"Pretty good actually."

"Well, I'm here if you need me."

"I know, thanks Eric. Well time for me to get out of here. Merry Christmas and tell Horatio what I told you."

"I will, bye Cal." Eric said and hung up.

Calleigh was pregnant. Eric grinned. She and Ryan would be great parents. Eric new Cal was worried about the baby, but he was certain everything would be fine.

Horatio yawned and rolled onto the other side, away from Eric. He mumbled in his sleep. Eric chuckled and climbed out of bed. He wanted to give Horatio breakfast in bed.

H loves pancakes, so pancakes it is, Eric thought as he walked out in the kitchen to make pancakes.

A few minutes later he walked back into the bedroom, with several pancakes, some cream and strawberry jam. Horatio was now sprawled out on the bed on his back. Eric grinned and put the tray with the food down on the bedside table. Then he snapped a picture with his phone.

After that he sat down beside Horatio and gently brushed a finger over his lips. Tickling him. Horatio was very ticklish actually, and Eric often used it to wake him up. Horatio didn't often sleep through the whole night, and he always used to be the first one in the lab, two hours before everyone else. But Horatio was actually very hard to wake up in the mornings. He was lazy and preferred to stay in bed for a few more hours.

"Good morning Horatio, this is your ten am wake up call." Eric grinned, "Please move your ass."

Horatio groaned and stirred. He turned away from Eric. Eric chuckled and took some cream in his hand. Gently he laid it down on Horatio's back.

"Is that cream?" Horatio asked.

"Yes." Eric grinned and gently made small droplets of cream on Horatio's arms and then down his back towards his butt. Then Eric kissed it away.

"Breakfast in bed again huh?" Horatio asked.

"We should do it more often."

Horatio chuckled and then sat up. He grabbed Eric's arms and pushed him down in the bed.

"My turn." Horatio smirked as he dropped cream all over Eric's chest and stomach. Then he licked it off.

"Feels nice, H."

In the next thirty minutes Horatio and Eric smeared cream and jam all over each other's bodies. They chased each other around the house and tried to compete about who would be the cleanest one once they ran our of cream and jam. So far Eric was the one with most cream on his body. All over his body in fact.

"We're starting to run out." Eric said.

"Guess that means the competition is over." Horatio said.

Eric shook his head and went to the kitchen, he came out with syrup. Horatio chuckled and ran away as Eric chased him. One the same time as Eric and Horatio were busy chasing each other, completely naked by the way. Maya was outside their house. She had tried calling both Eric and Horatio, when no one had answered the phone. She had become worried and gone to their house to see if everything was alright.

Since she thought something was seriously wrong, she didn't knock on the door. Instead she opened it with a spare key that Eric had given her. She shrieked as she opened the door and saw her brother running after Horatio, naked and covered with cream, jam and even some syrup.

"Maya!" Eric exclaimed as he hid behind the kitchen corner. Horatio was behind him.

"This was something I did not need to see." Maya said as she covered her eyes, "Are your dressed yet?"

"We're covered in food, we have to shower first." Horatio said, "What are you doing here?"

"You didn't answer your phones, so I thought something was wrong. But apparently you're fine."

"Very fine." Horatio chuckled.

"Well, I'm going now. Have a good day." Maya said and left the house. Eric and Horatio laughed and sank down on the floor.

"Embarrassing." Eric laughed.

"But fun!"

"Shower?"

Horatio nodded and stood up. He grabbed Eric's hand, "Let's have some fun." He smirked and dragged Eric into the shower.

-I-

11:30

Frank had also had a long night. Though his night hadn't been filled with romance and love making. Instead it had been filled with computer games and movies with his youngest daughter Madeline. She had gotten a laptop and five games from Frank in an early Christmas gift. Since today, she was going to her grandmother and grandfather and Frank was going to Texas and his sister's home. Madeline had insisted that Frank played with her on the computer, and that they watched the new movies she had bought. It was all horror movies. So Frank hadn't gotten to bed until 4am. And now he was standing in the bathroom looking at himself in the mirror. He had to leave soon, to fly to Texas.

Madeline came out of her bedroom, happy and not tired at all. Frank glared at her.

"How can you be so happy?" He asked her, "We went to sleep at 4am."

"I know, but I am happy. It's Christmas dad." Madeline grinned.

"I feel like a wreck."

"You look like one too." Madeline smirked.

"Thank you." Frank snorted, "Fortunately I can sleep on the plane."

"Have a good flight, bye." Madeline said and went out the door.

Frank shook his head. The youth of today. Always trying to be away from home as much as possible. Frank sighed and left the bathroom. A few minutes later he was on his way to the airport.

Once he arrived at the airport, and outside his gate. A guard looked at him with suspicious eyes.

Oh god, they must think I'm drunk or high, Frank thought. Maybe he looked worse to other people then he did to himself when he had looked himself in the mirror in the morning.

"Are you okay, Sir?" The guard asked.

Frank nodded, "Just tired."

"You look sick." The guard said.

"I'm not. Just tired."

"So you're not drunk or high either?"

Frank shook his head. The guard snorted. He was young and didn't really know what to do.

"Look, I'm a cop." Frank said, and showed the guard his ID. The guard smiled and sat down next to Frank.

"I'm Nelson." He said, "I always wanted to be a cop."

Frank nodded.

Please God, don't let me listen to this man for the rest of the time that I have to wait for my flight, Frank thought, he just wanted to sleep. Not talk.

"My great grandfather was a cop, in a small town somewhere. But I'm looking for more action, like gunfights, explosion, and catching the really bad guys, not just thieves or teenagers who were drunk." Nelson said, "Guess what my…"

Frank felt liked putting some tape over Nelson's mouth. He was starting to get a headache and just really wanted to get out of here.

Ten minutes later Frank was able to board the plane and finally get some peace and quiet. Or so he thought. Unfortunately for Frank, he happened to sit next to a family with four kids, all under the age of eight. And they were all screaming and kicking the seats.

Guess I'm not getting any sleep on this plane, Frank thought.

-I-

12:00

Tom knocked on the door to the guestroom in which Jason and Valera were in.

"It's 12 and the rest of us are planning on having lunch." Tom said from outside the door.

The was a loud bang as Valera threw her bag at the door. Tom took that as a sign for him to leave. Valera groaned and pulled the covers over her head. Jason was awake and sitting up in the bed. Valera had difficulty finding a comfortable position when she was sleeping, therefore she didn't get much sleep at all. Jason smiled and laid down again next to Valera. He hugged her from behind and she snuggled against him.

"Good morning." Jason smiled and gave Valera kiss on the cheek.

"Good morning." Valera smiled.

Today was the first time in four weeks that Valera was happy when she woke up. She was usually angry, and then she was happy during dinner instead. It was the mood swings.

"I bough you a gift." Jason grinned.

"I bought one for you too."

"You want to open them?"

Valera nodded. She and Jason sat up and opened their bags. Jason placed a small gift in Valera's lap, and Valera placed a very big one at Jason's feet.

"You first." Valera smiled.

Jason nodded and opened his gift. He smiled widely as he saw a guitar. It had been wrapped in a square box, big size.

"Exactly what I wanted, thank you honey." Jason grinned and kissed Valera.

"Anything for you baby." She smiled.

"Now open yours."

Valera opened her gift and gasped at the sight of a golden necklace. It had a small diamond on it and it was so shiny.

"Isn't this the one that I pointed out from the jewelry store?" Valera asked.

"One of them yes." Jason smiled.

He and Valera had been looking for gifts for each other for weeks, and Valera had taken Jason into a jewelry store. She had pointed at at least ten different things that she wanted. But Jason had seen in her eyes, that it was this particular necklace that she wanted the most. Valera smiled and threw her arms around Jason.

-I-

December 26th, 2007, 09:00

Horatio had given Eric and new video camera as another Christmas gift, beside the rings. And Eric had given Horatio a silver necklace, with an amulet, and the words, Horatio and Eric, forever and ever. My love and Light.

Horatio had been touched to tears and swore to always wear it. Which he was now doing as he looked down at the body of a Jane Doe. No one in the team had been happy when the Captain had called them in for a case. A woman had died in a fire. Arson and Explosives happened to be Horatio's field, and the Captain wanted the best man on this case. And if you called in the best man, you called in the best team too. Everyone except Frank was working, because Frank was still in Texas. However he was coming home tomorrow.

"Poor girl to die in a fire." Alexx said as she and Jason loaded the body into the van, "You don't have a name?" She asked Horatio.

"Nope, not yet." Horatio sighed.

The firemen were still trying to put out the fire, so Horatio and the team couldn't go inside the house yet.

"Lt." An officer named Erin Robbins said, "I found out the victims name. It's Danielle Williams."

"Danielle Williams, why does that sound familiar?" Eric asked as he came to stand next to Horatio.

Ryan and Calleigh soon joined the two.

"Maybe because Erica Sykes interviewed her a week ago." Ryan said, "Ms. Williams daughter went missing nine days ago."

"So she went to the media to ask the kidnaper for her daughter back." Calleigh said, "No sign of any girl yet?" She asked Erin.

"No, Dt." Erin said.

"Mr. Wolfe, find out more about Ms. Williams and her daughter." Horatio said, "Calleigh?"

"Yes?"

"No fieldwork for you I'm afraid."

Calleigh smiled and nodded, she went to the hummer and drove back to the lab.

After almost an hour Ryan, Eric, Natalia and Horatio were finally able to get inside the house. The fire captain had located the place where the fire started.

He led the team to the porch door, "This is it." He said, "Someone put the house on fire here."

"Yeah whoever it was couldn't be seen from here." Eric said. He pointed at the hedge surrounding the house, "No one can look over that hedge."

"And he doesn't risk getting trapped inside the house either, that's why he started the fire at the door." Horatio said, "Ladies and Gentlemen, we have an arsonist on our hands."

TBC…

AN: Please review!