Alexx arrived and brought a gurney and Horatio sat Arya on it. The second he moved away though Arya went nuts grabbing for him. Alexx smiled knowingly and whispered. "He's right there baby." Arya nodded. Alexx lifted her shirt and gasped. Arya's lip trembled and Horatio wrapped an arm around her. "Alexx..." Alexx shook her head. "Multiple scratches on her torso arms and hands.. She was bleeding but it seems to have stopped and will need stitches." Alexx went about putting a temporary bandage on her gash. Horatio shook his head holding Arya close. "I'm taking her home with me. And I'll bring her in tomorrow." He looked to Arya and she nodded slowly. "She will not leave our sight understood?" Everyone nodded. Arya looked around at the faces of the people she didn't trust and the one man they called Horatio, that she did. Horatio picked Arya up and got her in a big car. He got in and she whimpered crawling to his side not wanting to be alone. He held her close as he drove to his condo. "You'll stay with me ok? Your safe Arya." Horatio carried her through his condo to his master bathroom. He turned on the water and steam filled the air. "Are you ok to do this alone? Or you want me to help?" Horatio knew the answer but he at least wanted to give her a choice. She shook her head. "Want...help." Horatio nodded and stood. "Ok you get undressed while I get ready." He turned and pulled his watch off, rolled up his sleeves and grabbed a towel for her.
He picked up a nude Arya and sat her in the tub. He grabbed a rag and slowly washed all the blood off her body. Arya sat through his treatment starring at his shirt. Silently she obeyed his commands when he wanted to wash her hair and rinse it. "Your doing fine sweetie.. Now stand so I can get you dry." Arya stood and got out while Horatio wrapped her in the towel. He gently toweled her off and carried her to his bed. "I had my team bring me some of your clothes from home..." She nodded and got dressed. He helped her under the covers and sat down by the bed. "Just sleep sweetheart.." Arya watched him and slowly fell asleep.
The next day as Horatio and Arya walked into the lab, Rick Stetler saw them. His eyes widened seeing all the scratches on her. Quickly Rick made a call to CPS. "Horatio." Horatio turned and looked at Rick. "A word." Horatio nodded and directed Arya to the break room to find the others. Sparing a frightened glance at rick she hurried off. Horatio walked over. "Rick." Rick crossed his arms. "That the girl who's family was killed." When Horatio nodded Rick rubbed his face. "Those were defensive wounds yes?" Horatio stilled and stared Rick in the face. "Rick I don't like what you're insinuating.." "Maybe she did this." Horatio bristled at that. "She's 8! How could she kill her family?" Rick held his hands up. "I'm just saying she has wounds consistent with an attack." Horatio shook his head. "Rick we are done here." He turned his back and took a few steps. Rick called out. "Be that as it may Horatio I called CPS." Horatio stilled. He growled and squared his shoulders. "Whatever you think is best Rick." Horatio walked into his office to work and was met by the CPS agent. He groaned internally. Damned great.The woman smiled and sat down. "We gotta take her." Horatio growled. "No." "No?" Horatio stared the agent in the eye. "No. She can't leave and she won't leave me. She only trusts me." The agent thought and sighed. "Fine. I can make a few calls... Keep her in the area." She called her bosses and a few minutes later looked back at Horatio. Horatio stared back at her. He'd foster her himself if he had to. "Ok lieutenant. She will live in your house and we will check weekly on you two until this case is over." Horatio nodded. "I want to foster her after the case." As the agent stood she regarded him cooly. "Well cross that bridge when we get to it." He nodded and shook her hand. "Agent." Horatio watched as she left and booked it to the labs. Horatio gathered everyone. Everyone except Arya. She was in a corner drawing and occupied so she wouldn't hear them. Speed looked at Horatio and cocked a dark brow. "Ok don't leave us in suspense Horatio. What's up." A rare moment happened. As Horatio looked at them the team saw worry in the blue eyes of their lieutenant. "They want to take Arya away." Instantly they all erupted in denial. They might not have been with her long but one thing was for sure. She was now under the protection of Miami CSI. A family member. Horatio held his hands up. "I have dealt with it. She will live with me and they will check up on us until we solve this case. And I plan to foster her after this." He waited for objections but all he got was agreement. He smiled sadly. Calleigh cocked a brow. "That isn't all is it?" Horatio shook his head. "Rick saw her to... And it gets better. He thinks she did it." No one had a chance to react to his statement. In the span of a second Arya had slammed her crayons down and stood up. What the team didn't know was that she could hear every word they said, she was listening. Eyes swiveled to her in surprise. In a defiant way she planted her hands on her hips, stood up straight and stared at them all. At 8 she was cute looking like that. All mad. But she wasn't trying to be cute. In a surprisingly level voice she stated calmly. "I didn't hurt them."
They all stared at her. They hadn't heard her talk yet. Horatio had only heard a whisper. Arya held the stare a moment longer and just as quickly as she got mad, wrapped her arms around herself and sat down. The scared girl was back. But the real one was just beneath. Tim swallowed hard and answered in a soft voice. "We know squirt.." Calleigh smiled at Tim and nodded. "Yeah.. And we're gonna prove it." Horatio smiled watching his team begin to take to Arya. Eric nodded in agreement. "We promise." Arya spared a glance at Horatio. Can I trust the other big people? Her eyes seemed to ask. He nodded slightly. Arya nodded and looked at the ground. "Pinky promise?" She asked them all. Horatio chuckled and mouthed 'Do it'. Feeling silly one by one they all confirmed pinky promise. Horatio smiled. "Ok ladies and gentlemen. Let's get to work. We have a pinky promise to keep." Calleigh smiled "I'll go get the weapons." She cheerily walked out. Eric left to saying something about prints. Speed put in his ever present earbuds and walked off with trace samples. Horatio walked over and sat down next to her cocking his head. "You talked just now. Why?" Arya poked Horatio's cheek. "Daddy tells me never to lie. That big angry man told a lie." Horatio smiled and looked at the ground nodding. "Well sweetie. That's a good reason to talk." Arya nodded. Horatio smiled and stood up tapping her pictures. "Good work." He took one step and felt Arya's little hand grab his. "Can I go with you?" Horatio looked down at her and rubbed his face. "You stay with me. Or with another officer. If you want to go anywhere ask me. And if I go to the lab don't touch anything and if I'm working please Arya stay back if I say so ok?" Arya nodded hard getting up to stand by him. "Ok." Horatio led her to his office and she watched him as he worked. The little girl was curious about her protector and this place. The other big people seemed nice though she wouldn't trust them just yet. But that one man with the dark hair who called her squirt was special to. Not near as much as this man though. As she watched him she decided that this big man would be the only one she really trusted. But...
She tugged on Horatio's jacket. He smiled and stopped what he was doing. "Yes Arya?" She looked into his blue eyes and cocked her head. "Can I go see that big dark haired man?" He cocked a brow. "Who Eric?" Arya shook her head. "No...the other one." Horatio turned in his chair and leaned on his desk. "Sweetheart he's working." Arya's head dropped. "I won't bother him. Please?" Horatio looked into her face and her sad puppy green eyes and knew that he would never be able to say no. "Ok. He's just downstairs, do what he says ok?" Arya nodded and went out the door to find that dark haired man named speed.
Tim's head bobbed in time to the music in his ears as he worked. But suddenly he got the feeling that he was being watched. Intently. He looked around without getting up from his seat. He didn't see anyone. He paused the music and looked down at his lap. And almost fell over in fright. From the height of his hip he saw the innocent eyes of Arya watching him. And of course he didn't hear her cause of his music. He jumped and jerked the buds out of his ears. "Jeez squirt! Gave me a heart attack..." She almost giggled at the way he rubbed his chest. "What you doing here squirt?" Tim bent down to her level. She shook her head. "Nothin..." She trailed off and just stared at him. Watching him. Tim cocked a brow and moved to get up. Suddenly she blurted out. "You look like my bubbie." Tim stilled and looked back at her. "What?" Arya cocked her head and looked up at him. "You look like my bubbie Jake." Maybe that's why he was so interesting. Tim willed the tears away and picked Arya up. Arya stiffened slightly but relaxed against him as he muttered sweetness in her ear. Horatio watched, tears in his eyes from his office at the touching scene before him. Soon the others saw too and tears welled in their eyes. Horatio choked and cleared his throat walking down. "Speed..." Tim and Arya looked up. Horatio had Alexx behind him and Calleigh with a camera. "We need to get her wounds taken care of." Tim set Arya down and led her to the room where they took clothes. Arya grabbed Horatio's and Tim's hands hard. She was so scared now. But with her two protectors she carefully obeyed Calleigh and Alexx as she was treated for her wounds and every one of them were photographed. By the end silent tears were falling from her face. Calleigh noticed and put her camera down. "Guys...we're done.." Arya whimpered settling against Tim's and Horatio's legs. She sobbed quietly curling into a ball. Horatio choked and held her. "Oh Arya..." Tim rubbed her back and smiled a little. "Go take her home H. We've got everything..." Horatio nodded and carried the crying girl to his car and drove off. Little did he know that Arya would have to appear in court the next week. While the killer was still out there this little girl would have to fight for her freedom. Among other things.