Here it is! The long awaited chapter 4! I know it's short but chapter 5 is coming shortly. Thank you all for the constant love, it means the world! :)

-C

CHAPTER 4: Horatio's Curiosity

Horatio never poked around in the personal lives of his CSIs, and he never partook in office gossip. However, with the rumors of Eric and Calleigh's budding romance flying throughout the lab, he couldn't help but recall that one day that he caught them making out in the ballistics lab. He knew Stetler would be in soon to cause problems for them and knew that he had to do something to calm the gossip.

He called Calleigh and Eric into his office, and warned them about the impending doom that is Rick Stetler.

"Look, Eric, Calleigh- you know that I'm happy for you two and frankly I think that this is way overdue. However, you both know how Rick loves to twist balls around here, and as soon as the gossip makes its way to the wrong people, you'll be questioned and be forced to undergo investigations from IAB. So, I suggest that any PDA be kept out of the lab for a bit. Just until the lab rats calm down, okay?" He said calmly.

"We understand, H. Believe me, no one wants Stetler around, especially since that whole ordeal last month." Eric stated.

"Don't remind me, I'm still filing paperwork for that fiasco." Horatio said jokingly.

"The longer we keep Rick out of the vicinity, the better." Calleigh added.

"Agreed." Horatio stated. "Now get out there before people start more rumors." He added with a smirk.

"Thanks, H." Eric added as he and Calleigh left the office.

Horatio watched as the two left his office, hand in hand until the door opened. He was so happy for them, his brother and the girl he took a chance with and brought up with him since she started 10 years ago, his number two in command. He knew, especially after Eric got shot, that he needed Calleigh and that she was more than happy to be there for him. Horatio had been watching their behavior from afar for so many months, and never said anything. He knew they needed space to handle things themselves.

He watched as they read the files from Dr. Marsh's office, and saw Calleigh's expression change when she read a file that he assumed could only be Eric's, as she looked at him in disbelief. He watched as Eric held Calleigh as she went down that one time she suffered from smoke inhalation. He saw them exchange looks in the lab as they tried to figure out what they were going to be. And once they did, he watched on as Eric and Calleigh kissed outside of ICE, and vowed to protect each other. He watched as Eric held her, as the doctors stabbed the life-saving needle into her heart, and she woke up to see only him. He watched as Eric and Calleigh left the lab together, and tried their best to hide their relationship. He saw it all.

Horatio loved that they had each other, but was worried for them. Once people started finding out, their relationship could easily be used as ammo against them. In any situation they dealt with, they were now ten times more vulnerable than before. But he never said a word, he just watched as his two closest CSIs melded into one and became who the other needed them to be.

Ignoring the fact that they occasionally came in late, together, and the fact that Calleigh had never been late in all the years he'd known her, despite Eric's occasional tardiness early on in his career, he let it slide. Also ignoring their "locker breaks" throughout the day, he figured that no one would say anything considering they did a pretty decent job at hiding their relationship at work. Especially from a group of detectives. He was actually a bit disappointed in his team until he found out about the running bet between Walter, Ryan, Natalia, Valera, Travers, Frank and Tom. Of course, he bought in, because he had the upper hand. He convinced his team that he only bought in for shits and giggles, but he knew he would win. He chuckled to himself at the thought.

Once he realized that Eric and Calleigh had left a bit of a trail, he decided to help them out. He covered for them whenever they had an inexplicable lateness, or an alibi that didn't stick, because why would there be traffic on the causeway at 6:30 am? There wouldn't be- and they all knew it. Horatio loved them like family, and would do anything to keep them safe. That's the way it is, and always has been.

Chapter 5 is coming TODAY, so stay tuned later on for the updates! :)