Esteban walked into the room later that night exhausted. Ruiz still didn't want to give you too much info, but from the work Leigh and Papi did, it was obvious he was involved. He felt his ankle throb so he finally gave in and popped a pill.
Walking up to the bedroom he's met with a heartbreaking sight. Leigh was laying down, staring blankly into the distance. Her face was blank too, eyes empty and hollow. She looked dead almost. "Leigh?" she didn't give any indication that she heard him. Hobbling towards her, he shakes her shoulder and still no response. "Mi amor…" and all of a sudden she snaps back to reality. Gasping and sitting up, she looks to him eyes wide in panic.
"What happened, why did you get back so late? Did I do something wrong?" she asks in a rushed voice, eyes darting around taking in the surroundings. Her eyes become teary and he feels his heart shatter and his anger grow. Papi said your wife should never be the reason why she's crying and in turmoil as such.
"No, Bebe. Ruiz was being difficult and while I've made some movement, he's not giving up certain info about the extra accounts. I'm not here for that though, are you okay?"
She looks to him awake but eyes still hollow. "I don't know. I should feel something but I don't." her lifeless eyes bore a hole into his own concerned ones. "I feel nothing, I feel nothing at all"
Esteban was unsure of what to do. She's still processing what she saw and is confused. Maybe I can help her reach a conclusion.
"You experienced a lot today huh? It must be a lot for you to process. It'll get easier the more you experience it."she looked to him scared.
"More? I- I don't think I can" finally the only emotion to make it to her eyes are when she casts them downward and the tears begin to fall. He pulls her onto his lap and lets her cry. She's been quite emotional for the past few days and it has to be a good thing. "She's been completely isolated from everyone and everything she's known. She needs some type of foundation" Papi told him earlier.
"Si Bebe, more. This isn't a one time thing. You've had to experience a lot today and if you don't feel anything about it that's fine. You shouldn't be feeling anything towards scum like that. You need to focus that energy somewhere else. Look over some of the design from Papi's buildings. I know you like to interior decorate. If you ever feel like you need to get away or feel like your control is slipping, ask him to look over some things."
Calleigh perks up a bit when he brings up her hobby. It seems like she really does take control very seriously. He's known since the day she's been here that she'd have very little of it. Maybe she can reroute that frustration into decorating. "Would I have to go back in… there?" he tucks her hair behind her ear before palming her cheek.
"No Leigh, not unless you misbehave of course. That's all up to you though, it's all in your court." he kisses the bridge of her nose and she leans her forehead on his and sighs. Esteban isn't sure if he's doing it right but she seems to be receiving this well.
"In my field, a suspect who is upfront and honest has a backup plan. They tell their secrets because they know they'll get away with it. You guys are telling and showing me all this because you expect me not to say anything. Not to build any evidence against you guys."
"Well, we expect your obedience and you know the consequences if you aren't. No need to overthink that. We've got way too much power to fear even Caine knowing what we're doing." she turns in his lap to face him fully.
"Horatio is very protective of us, of me. If he knows you've… got me. He would break all the rules to try and get me back. He'd kill you or worse."
"I'm not afraid of Caine, it seems his ego and control means much more than anything else these days. You'll be fine, you're not in the field nearly as much and we aren't going to assign you to any field work with us attached to it. So you can work conscious free."
"Will you tell me when that does happen? I'm not sure why but I do want to know. It'll make me feel better I guess."
"And how do you feel now? Still nothing?"
"Yea, still nothing. I feel hollow. It's scaring me." she looks up at him tearful, frightful.
He kisses her nose again, a series of kisses across her cheeks and ending at her lips. "I'm not sure what to do, I've never had this before. But I know we can try and feel something together." he rubs her thighs, slipping his hands underneath the nightgown she's wearing. She blushes before meeting his lips for another kiss.
"I won't hurt you, I promise. I want to help you feel something" he drops the kisses to her neck and she hesitantly gives him more room to work.
"You promise?" she looks to him now, unreadable. The question meant so much more but he wasn't sure what the meaning was. Either way, it'll be better to assuage her and be able to manipulate her emotions to better suit what he needed them to be.
"Yes, I promise." he said honestly despite his uncertainty. She nodded and allowed him to roll over her.
The next morning Esteban wakes up to the sun shining in his face. He groaned low at the intrusion of his peaceful slumber. Moving to his side he's stopped by a beautiful sight. Calleigh was splayed across his chest, for the first time. Her hair fanned across his chest caught the sunlight just right and her face looked peaceful. Relaxed and calm were her features as if there was not a care in the world. Again, here she is more loving and accepting of me subconsciously. We'll get there eventually.
Not wanting to disturb her, he wiggles himself so they can spoon but she groans regardless. "Just a little longer" comes her mumble and he chuckles. He takes a deep breath, taking in the mix of both their smells. Something he could get used to. It was always something he was interested in, seeing how their two smells would combine. She smelled so sweet and having spent the last month together, he had started to smell his spicy scent on her more and more. But this? The hormones and pheromones mixing was something he had never expected.
Nuzzling into her neck, he kisses it gently. Just enough to be able to let her know that he's there. Her grumble is the only reply. Chuckling, he presses his nose into the junction and smells their combine scents again. His hands begin to wander over her curves again, settling under the swells of her breasts where he runs the tips of his fingers over. This causes her to squirm and grumble even more. "Esteban…" she groaned out and he pulls her back to him. Before he could respond his phone rings. And the only reason why it would be ringing would be for 'business". How convenient.
He lets out an irritated sigh, he'll have to wait it seems. Answering the phone, he eyes Leigh rolling over and heading back to sleep peacefully. Life is cruel.
With a huff he sets out to do the business he unwillingly agreed to in the first place, before the injury at least.
In the lab, Natalia was catching up on some slow cases from before the upgrades.
"Hey H, besides Trujilio and Barnes being Navarro's clients, there hasn't been any other connection to him. No DNA, no trace, no nothing." Natalia came up to Horatio as he walked the halls. At that news he stopped in his tracks angry, there is nothing he can do at this point to try and get the bastard. You've got this round Esteban, but I'll be there when you slip up.
"That's fine Natalia, thank you for checking up again. He'll slip up eventually, it's just unfortunate another victim will get in the way." it hurt him to admit defeat, no matter how momentary it is.
Natalia for a second was stunned, it's been a while since he put a halt in any of his witch trials. "You sure H, we can always keep an eye out no pr-" they were cut off by Horatio's phone ringing.
"Hey Calleigh, how's the case going?" he asks happily
"It's going pretty well, some pretty messed up stuff going on. But besides that, I'm happy to be able to…play with some new toys. And you know how much I love new toys. It's all very interesting and I'm learning new techniques in interrogation " she sounded a bit distant but hopeful and happy and that's all that matters to him.
"I'm glad you're having good time Ma'am. Are you giving these people a run for their money?" he hears her chuckle over the phone.
"As much as I can. Regardless of my reputation, people still seem to have their own misconceptions about me." he goes on to ask more about her case when a female with a sultry voice interjects. He can't hear her exact words but he can pick up on the nervousness in Calleigh's.
"Hey Horatio, I've got to go. Something came up. I'll try to call later okay?" he's not sure who that woman was but he can tell when his CSI is upset.
"Alright Ma'am, I'll talk to you later."
Natalia looks to Horatio at the change of his voice. "Calleigh seems to have been spirited away, from the sound of her voice it sounds as if it's important. It's been a while since I've heard her so… bothered. Must be a very disturbing case. She's not allowed to speak on it at all."
"Oh wow! I'm actually jealous of her. Of course she gets the exciting stuff. Not that this case of death by torture isn't exciting."
"Calleigh spoke to you?" came Eric's voice. His face was full of concern. Horatio wasn't sure when he got there but his turned eyebrows and wrinkles in between them are a sure sign he must've heard enough.
"She hasn't spoken to you?" Natalia asked completely surprised and that grabs Horatio's attention. That's surprising, I know the two of them haven't defined this new relationship of theirs but it was still stable enough for her to reach out to him at least once this month.
"No, she hasn't. She's been calling you H?" Eric asks hurt.
"Today was the first time. She got dragged away though, so I'm suure she's just busy. Maybe she'll call you later today." Horatio replies honestly and he hopes that's the truth. Something about her not calling him doesn't sit right. I am her boss though, so it does make sense, but still. What could be keeping her from calling Eric of all people?
"But Abuela, Horatio and the team are going to question why I didn't call Eric." Calleigh all but begs. Esteban is incredibly possessive and she's too scared of his retaliation to sneak away and call Eric herself. She's got to let them see what she's talking about for them to understand.
The two of them were sitting in front of a table with yet more bank statements from Ruiz this time. They had managed to get the information needed from him to prove he was the accomplice and possibly find any others who weren't named. Abuela puts her pen down and takes her glasses off before answering.
"Esteban doesn't want you talking to him during this period. That's it. And I know Esteban way too well to try and override that. Try that sympathy talk with your Papi, not me. I love you but when it comes to you, Esteban has final say. Mi hijo will be better at convincing Esteban in the romance department than I. And this is a matter of romance, you know Esteban is possessive. He's probably feeling the competition with Delko. It's only been a month, no matter how blindsided he is. The thought of you talking with that man will drive him insane. He'll probably request he be in the room with you while the phone is on speaker."
Calleigh groaned but accepted it anyway. "I don't care nor do I mind. Bunny's got nothing to worry about Abuela, I promise. It'll cast less suspicion if I speak to him at least by tomorrow. I'll talk to Papi and Esteban then."
It was getting annoying not having the autonomy to do as she pleased WHEN she pleased. The lack of control already got to her day three but now it's getting ridiculous. She didn't know it would take her this long to snap but she's proud to have lasted this long. Saving her frustration for later, she dives back into the work in front of her. Something she thankfully could focus on.
Eric was trying his best to find the car used in the brazen robbery this morning when he felt worry for Calleigh again. Maybe she was working on something very disturbing and was bothered. Or she was being bothered. Who knows? Last he'd heard from her, she was jogging with Navarro. Was it possible that was what's bothering me? The last person to see her was Esteban…
Choosing to listen to the nagging feeling, Eric phones Calleigh for the umpteenth time. Hopefully this time she'll answer.
"Hey Eric!" her voice came in cheerful, sounds like she missed him. He couldn't help but feel happy hearing her drawl even if over the phone.
"Hey Cal! I heard you're having fun giving those FBI guys a good handing to." the both of them chuckle.
"I can't believe the things I'm doing. Right now I'm overlooking paperwork for a trail. It's taking forever but it'll be worth it. H-how are you doing?"
Eric could hear the slight hesitancy in her voice, something was bothering her. "You sound frustrated. Is everything okay there?" there was a hitch in her breath before she answered carefully.
"I'm fine. It's just a lot going on with the-the case." he can hear the tears welling in her eyes and knows there's a lot more going on than just the case.
"You sure? You sound stressed." they had gone way past the "i'm fines" and "I'll be okays". She hadn't told him those in private for almost half a decade now. He hears her sigh heavily before answering in a rushed tone "Just bad news. Can I call you back tomorrow? I've got to head back."
"Sure, I'll see you later Querida."
"See ya" she hangs up quickly and he's left to wonder exactly what was going on for her to sound so upset.
Calleigh could feel how tense Esteban was underneath her. It scared her the way he can turn from gentle to hostile in just a second. "Bunny?" she asks, turning to look up at him. He was focusing outside at the waves crashing along the shore, his eyes deep in thought as if searching for what to say along the beach.
"He still calls you 'Querida'?" his voice was tight lipped. She straddles his lap and forces his eyes to hers. She can see the anger swimming in the deep pools of brown and she feels fear for herself but mostly fear for whomever he takes that out on.
"Yes and it's okay. I'll let him know that it isn't okay anymore. Our relationship is rocky and I'll make sure to set it straight with him. An-anything you want me to say specifically?" she makes a silent prayer and hopes he isn't too harsh. Her inviting him to have a say will probably settle his anger.
He inhales slowly before she feels his breath fan across her face even slower. "I believe you. Tell him you don't want to be on shaky ground and are looking into seeing other people. He'll assume that you came across another man while on the case. And you can leave it at that."
"He's going to ask why now and what changed?" Esteban's breath hitched and he focused his attention back to her once again.
"Then tell him you were presented with a more stab-" her gasp throws him off and he snaps back to her.
"I don't want to break his heart like that"
"Why not? He needs to understand you're mine, I don't want him to even think he has a chance getting with you or making some last ditched effort to gain your favor. Use whatever words you need, but make sure he understands by tomorrow that you're mine. Or else I'll have to make sure he does and you don't want that…right?" he gives her a pointed stare and she knew he was being serious.
Calleigh leans over and kisses him on the lips. He crushes her to him more, his hands painfully gripping her thighs. "Let up, you're hurting me" he snaps back into reality and rubs away the ache.
"Los siento". She smiles before steeling herself and leaning back in for another kiss.
"Don't worry about it, you're pretty wound up. Relax, I'm not going anywhere. I'm here for you, just you." she smiles into the kiss before he ducks his head into her neck. Picking his head back up, he wraps his hand around her jaw and fixes her face to make eye contact with her. She keeps the fear at bay, afraid of showing it and giving Esteban reason to believe she was fearful of Eric's well being. And she refused to be the reason why he got hurt.
"All mine, you understand that right? Eric isn't the only one I'd have to let know. I hope not." he couldn't help but squeeze her cheeks harder than necessary but not hard enough to cause pain. The blunt of the threat was directed to Eric than it was her but she got the jist of it. If she doesn't get this done properly, her suffering will come in the form of emotional damage at watching those she loves suffer.
"I understand bunny. I'll think of a great way to convey your message without making anything suspicious or make him feel like he's got a chance. I wouldn't want anything coming between us"