Thank you to everyone who's read and reviewed my story so far! It's my first story ever and I really appreciate it greatly! Unfortunately I won't be updating for about week because I'm going out of town and will have limited access to a computer. I promise though as soon as I can I will update when I'm back home.

Peace Out~KC

As long as I'm here

Jessica walked into Horatio's office to find the man she loved sitting at his desk.

"H, I've got the results of the soil samples from Murphy's tires." She told him.

"Great, let's see them." Horatio replied.

Jessica walked around his desk so she was standing next to him, and decided to do something different. She pushed his chair back and sat down in his lap, holding up the paper for Horatio to see. Horatio gently pushed her arm down and wrapped one arm around her waist and his other around her shoulders. He pulled her close and smelled her wonderful scent. They sat there in their embrace for a minute or so.

"I love you so much, Jessica. I don't know what I would have done had you never come into my life." Horatio told her, pulling her even closer.

"I love you too, Horatio. I really don't know what I would do without you." Jessica replied into the older man's neck, "It scares me to think about what could have happened if you hadn't been there that day, all those years in fact."
"Don't talk about it. I've told you before, he's gone, and you have nothing to worry about as long as I'm here." Horatio kissed the top of her head and Jessica stood up.

"Now let's look at those samples." Horatio said holding out his hand.

"Right" Jessica handed him the print out and Horatio looked over it. "As you can see the sample from Murphy's tire matches the soil sample that we took at the crime scene, with the same minerals, vegetation, and insect life. Based on these results and the tire tracks found in the field I think we can conclude that Murphy was there in his car. We just need him to confess to the crime so we can figure out his motivation."

"Well, Dr. Stone how would you like to perform your first interrogation?" Horatio asked Jessica, as he stood up from behind his desk and walked towards the door.

He watched as the young woman ran the thought through her head for a few seconds and then smiled at the expression of joy on her face.

"Yes! I think I would like that very much!" she exclaimed.

"Alright, let's find Wolfe and we'll bring in Murphy."

"Oh thank you Horatio!" Jessica said as she threw her arms around him, hugging him tight.

"Only the best for you my little Jessie Bug." Horatio buried his face in her hair and once again breathed in her scent. It always amazed him how it changed after that day.

Izzy smelled like tobacco, alcohol, and gun powder, and often trembled out of fear. Jessica smelled like the ocean, coconuts, and oranges, and was always smiling and cheerful. Though it broke Horatio's heart to think of the loss of Izzy and how he would never see that little girl again, he knew it was for the best. If Elizabeth Johnson was still wandering around the streets James might still be able to find her, even from prison. It was best that Izzy was dead now, Jessica taking her place. No one could know the truth. It was better that way.

Ryan stood in the hall, watching Jessica and Horatio's embrace. The way Jessica acted around Horatio just wasn't normal supervisor-subordinate behavior. Just five minutes ago Jessica had been sitting on Horatio's lap with his arms around her. There was something else there. Though he tried to brush it off, Ryan just couldn't help but wonder what it was about the older man that made Jessica so giddy.

There was no use in standing there, so Ryan advanced towards Horatio's office, as Jessica and Horatio ended their embrace.

"Hey Jessie, you ran out so fast I didn't get the chance to talk about the results." Ryan said as he walked in Horatio's office. His boss's office never really surprised him, with its lack of decoration and personal items. Horatio did however have a few pictures of a young girl and who Ryan assumed were her parents on his desk and walls. Horatio was in a few of these pictures with the couple and the baby.

"Mr. Wolfe," Horatio said, "It seems that your teaching has done some good and Jessica here has found the key evidence that we need to convict Mr. Murphy with the death of Thomas Freda. I've also just decided that Jessica is ready for her first interrogation. Would you like to supervise her or would you like Frank or me to do it?"

Ryan thought on this for a moment. Although he wanted to be the one that taught Jessica the proper interrogation tactics, he felt that she should learn from the truly best in the business.

"H, why don't you take this one? You taught me everything I know, so why not skip the middle man and go straight to the master?"

Horatio smiled at Ryan. "Thank you Mr. Wolfe, I didn't know you thought so highly of me."

"Now why wouldn't I?" Ryan smiled back at his boss and glanced at Jessica. She returned his smile with the same evil smirk she gave him as she left the lab. The look on her face sent a shiver down his spine and made his lips tingle.

"Alright," Horatio said, "Let's bring in Mr. Murphy; I smell fist degree charges in the air."

Jessica rolled her eyes and said, "Horatio, why do you always say the strangest things?"

"Because Jess, that's just who I am." He smiled at her and she smiled back and the three officers walked out of the Lieutenant's office.