AN: Inspired by the review from: Jessi84 (from chapter 4).
-I-
Horatio had never really been interested in watching figure skating before. But then again, he had never met anyone who had talked about the different techniques used to create a beautiful piece of art. Jessica called every performance a piece of art. And Jessica was the reason that Horatio had become curious to see figure skating. Therefore, he and Kyle were sitting in the audience during a figure skating competition, waiting for Jessica's team to perform.
"If your team could see you know." Kyle smirked.
"They would think I'm a good boyfriend." Horatio said.
"The women would think that, the guys… that's a different story."
"Just because the guys don't know how treat a lady doesn't mean I don't." Horatio said, "You should actually take notes."
"I know dad, I know. It is nice of you to be here for Jessica." Kyle smiled, "I can just imagine what Cardoza will say on Monday."
"Hey! You're not going to tell him." Horatio exclaimed, "You're going to school."
"Oh, but I might come over for lunch." Kyle grinned.
Horatio gave Kyle a glare and then rolled his eyes. Kyle enjoyed teasing his father because he had never seen him in love before. Kyle had teased his mother too when she had first met her boyfriend Shane.
"When is her team going to perform?" Kyle asked, "We've watched like seven couples already."
"They're number 15." Horatio said.
Kyle groaned and leaned back in the chair. Horatio resisted the urge to do the same. After a while though, he got lost in watching couple after couple skate on the ice. It was beautiful. And amazing what they could do on the ice. He snapped out of his thoughts, when he noticed that Kyle was too quiet. He looked over at his son and growled lightly. His eyes were closed.
"Pay attention!" Horatio snapped and shook Kyle awake.
"Sorry." Kyle sighed, "How many more couples are there left?"
"2 before Jessica's team. The whole competition? 10." Horatio said, "Look at that, you wouldn't be able to move like that on the ice."
"No I can admit I would fall flat on my ass, but that doesn't mean I have to like figure skating." Kyle said.
"Then why did you come here?"
"To see you give Jessica your love looks."
"Love looks?" Horatio asked.
"Yeah, you know when you give her that smile and that look in your eyes that says: I want to take you home and worship you." Kyle grinned.
"I do not have that kind of look."
"Yes you do dad." Kyle chuckled.
Horatio shook his head and sighed. He didn't have a look like that… did he? He might have the thought of taking Jessica home and worship her and show her how talented he was in… Horatio mentally smacked himself for thinking about sexual stuff while watching a competition.
"I want a hot dog." Kyle groaned.
"After the competition." Horatio said.
Kyle shrugged. It had been two weeks since Kyle had gotten home from the army. He was going to school and studying hard. He enjoyed being home with his father and Jessica. Some nights he would sleep over at his mother's place.
"So um, you still haven't told me how you first met Jessica." Kyle smiled, "And I'm not talking about the time in the mall. I'm talking the first time."
"She crashed in to me with her car. It was raining and she didn't see me." Horatio shrugged.
"You're dating a girl that crashed in to you?" Kyle laughed, "Was it love at first sight?".
"Yes." Horatio said and blushed.
"It was love with a crash, huh?" Kyle chuckled.
"Kyle…"
"How did you and mom meet?" Kyle smiled, "She said she hurt you and then you two fell in love with each other."
"I heard a scream for her apartment and ran inside to see if she was okay. She must have thought I was somebody else and she hit me with a shovel in the face." Horatio said and rolled his eyes when Kyle laughed.
"She said a burglar had been inside her apartment."
"Yeah, I caught him." Horatio shrugged, "Then she said she wanted to make me dinner to apologize for breaking my nose."
"Let me guess, you weren't exactly impressed by her cooking?" Kyle asked.
Julia was probably the worst cook ever, so it was a good thing that Shane worked as a chef.
"No I wasn't. I smiled through the whole dinner and said it was great food." Horatio said, "She's still bad?"
"Yep, but she admits it herself." Kyle smiled, "Now it's finally Jessica's team!"
Horatio and Kyle watched as Jessica's team started their performance. Horatio glanced saw Jessica standing among the other trainers and felt his heart skip a beat. She was so beautiful while focusing on following her team's every move.
"Dad, you're supposed to watch the team not the coach." Kyle smirked.
Horatio snapped out of it and watched the team. They were very good and the judges gave them a high score. When they were done, Horatio and Kyle watched for another hour before they were able to leave. They waited for Jessica outside the arena and she came out with her team. They had come on third place.
"Great work!" Jessica smiled, "You looked amazing out there and third place is good for your fifth competition."
"Next time we get gold!" The boy grinned and he and his partner hugged Jessica goodbye.
Jessica saw Kyle and Horatio. She hugged Kyle and kissed Horatio.
"Um, I'm still here." Kyle said when they had kissed too long.
They broke apart and blushed.
"What did you think?" Jessica asked.
"They were amazing. You're a good coach." Horatio smiled.
Kyle nodded in agreement.
"And the other teams?" Jessica asked.
"Not as good as yours, but I get what you mean when you say it's a piece of art." Horatio said.
"They were good." Kyle said and cursed at himself for not watching better.
"Great! Let's eat dinner then!" Jessica smiled.
Jessica took them to a small diner that she loved and Horatio and Kyle listened to Jessica talking about her team's success.
"We are considered to be a very good team that will keep getting better and better." Jessica grinned, "Have you ever been out on the ice?"
"Yeah sure, in NY." Horatio said.
"Once or twice maybe." Kyle said.
"We should do it tonight! I can talk to the janitor so he can let us use the ice for a while." Jessica grinned widely, "Please for me?"
Horatio and Kyle nodded and smiled. Horatio knew he wouldn't have any trouble standing on two skates, it was Kyle who had to worry.
-I-
Jessica showed off on the ice and Horatio stood in the middle watching her. Kyle was still tying the laces and trying to calm himself down.
"Why did I agree to this?" He muttered to himself, "Oh that's right, because you're a nice guy."
Jessica grabbed Horatio's hand and they slowly skated in a circle, while waiting for Kyle.
"You look beautiful." Horatio whispered.
"Thank you." Jessica smiled.
They heard a yell and turned around to see Kyle sitting on the ice.
"Need help getting up?" Horatio asked.
"No, I can manage." Kyle said and grabbed the wall.
He managed to stand up and slowly pulled himself forward. Horatio and Jessica continued to slowly move forward and chuckled every time they heard Kyle fall.
"Just wait until I get my speed up, I'll show you how to skate!" Kyle warned and moved his feet they way he should.
He was closing in on his father and Jessica and grabbed Horatio's arm as he let go of the wall.
"You're doing great son." Horatio grinned, "Let's go faster!"
Horatio started to speed up and Kyle held his arm for dear life. When he got used to the speed he noticed that they were actually still going quite slow.
"Is that all you can do?" Kyle teased and took off.
Jessica and Horatio chuckled and just watched as Kyle skated right towards the wall. He almost fell over and then sat down on the ice again.
"Okay, I think I have realized that skating is not my thing." Kyle chuckled, "Can we go home now?"
Horatio and Jessica nodded. Once they got home, Kyle went to his room and left the two adults alone in the living room.
"Did you know that my grandfather was originally very disappointed when he heard that I loved figure skating?" Jessica asked.
"No, you haven't told me that."
"I haven't? Oh well, he said it wasn't a good career or a sport that would make me famous. He didn't understand that I just wanted to skate because I felt like I could fly on the ice."
"He never changed his mind?"
"He did after I won my first competition. Then he got angry again when I quit and started coaching others. He said I had just ruined a perfect career." Jessica sighed, "After a few years and a lot of fights between him and my dad, he finally realized that I was to fulfill my dreams, not his."
"Was your relationship with him good?" Horatio asked.
"Not always. Sometimes. He was a very controlling man and well, said things without thinking that he might hurt people." Jessica shrugged, "He passed away seven years ago."
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay. He died in his sleep and he died happy." Jessica smiled, "The last thing he said to me was: Jessica, I believe in what your heart tells you to do. I've been a fool that tried to keep you captured like a bird, now fly free."
"That was a beautiful thing to say." Horatio said.
"Yeah it was." Jessica nodded, "How do you look at Kyle's choice of career?"
"As long as he is happy and doesn't do anything illegal, I support him." Horatio smiled, "And if you and I ever get children, I will feel the same way."
"You better give me a sibling." Kyle smiled from the doorway.
"Really?" Horatio asked.
"Yeah, I realize it'll be like 20 or more years between me and my sibling, but hey! Family is family no matter the age difference." Kyle grinned, "I'm going to leave you two alone again. Just don't work on giving me a sibling yet!"
Kyle ran up the stairs and left the two adults laughing on the couch.
"He's right." Jessica said, "We should wait."
"Yeah, we should. But having children is definitely something for the future."
"How many?"
"1 or maybe even 10." Horatio grinned.
"Ten?!" Jessica gasped, "You're not the one to carry them and push them out!"
"Relax, sweetheart!" Horatio laughed, "One is enough or even two. I don't think we should decide a specific number."
"Neither do it, but we're definitely not having ten." Jessica grinned and gave Horatio a kiss.
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