Disclaimer: While the ideas expressed here are my own, they're based upon the characters and themes of CSI-Miami and its multi-talented team of artists. As far as I know as of this date, 02/29/08, they have no basis in reality and aren't drawn from any known events, whether occurring in the past, currently in progress, or pending investigation and reporting.


Unknown to anyone but Horatio, he was deeply infatuated with his young associate. He'd been drawn to her fiery personality and dedication to her work. She'd held him fast with her gentleness and patience with her father's continual dives into the bottle. Watching her struggle to find happiness with a guy upset him, because he felt that no one deserved that happiness more than she did.

Horatio was determined not to cave into his emotions, because every other time he had, it had created more problems than it had solved.The electricity crackled between them and had done since they'd worked their first case. They tried to ignore that feeling, but it cropped up at the worst times during a case. Calleigh would be deep into a series of ballistics tests and his face would intrude upon her thought process, ruining her concentra-tion.

Similarly, Horatio would have a test tube in hand and her visage would appear, making him forget what he'd been doing. He was more than a little annoyed with himself for allowing her to distract him like this, but wasn't about to banish her from his heart, either. Somewhere within his battered psyche, Horatio knew he needed Calleigh in his life, in whatever capacity God chose, but allowing the Master to lead wasn't an easy thing for a man accustomed to making his decisions without divine interference.

Horatio knew office politics well enough to know that no one would believe Calleigh's talents and hard work had won her a promotion if there was even a hint of their being involved. Calleigh, likewise, wanted no one to cast aspersions on She'sd worked hard to get where she was and any promotions she might receive, no matter how much she loved him. She'd worked too hard for too long to allow her volatile emotions to scuttle her ambitions now. This latest situation with Stetler had everyone on edge, and now she had to wonder if the man hadn't arranged this latest homicide to further sully his rival's name.



She knew how it would look to outsiders if her boss were to sleep in the same house with her. She expected him to decline her offer and he didn't disappoint her.

He knew he'd fallen for her the first day they'd met. She'd been late for her first assignment and apologized effusively for delaying their deployment to the scene. Not knowing him, she'd not explained her tardiness, but had instead set to work with a vengeance. She hadn't divulged her problems at home until pressed by an internal review to do so, and had then given only the barest details. Her dad had been out until just past dawn the previous evening, and his delayed return had cost her precious sleep. From her reticence to discuss it, Calleigh made it plain that she wasn't about to embarrass her father, even though his drinking continually impeded her career goals.

"Earth to Horatio, earth to Horatio," Calleigh gibed gently, "hello in there. Are you with us, boss?"

"Yes, pal, I'm here; if a tad distracted by this mess. I was lost in a bit of a dream I've had. Unfortunately, it's one that'll never come true. Thanks for waking me."

That admission earned several curious stares, but Horatio was intelligent enough to leave well enough alone. He didn't want to embarrass Calleigh any more than he already had. Eric had seen his friend's gaze lingering on Calleigh and had an excellent idea what the dream probably was, since he'd had a similar one for awhile now. He'd also witnessed their flirting firsthand and wondered how they'd become so close so quickly. The electricity crackled between them and had done since they'd worked their first case.

Neither had encouraged that spark, but each for his or her own reasons. Horatio was too much of a moralist and too ethical to have a relationship with his subordinate. He also respected his colleague too much to mess up her chances at a promotion, once he was out of the way at work. Calleigh, likewise, wanted no one to cast aspersions on any promotions she might receive. She knew how it would look to outsiders if her boss were to sleep in the same house with her. She expected him to decline her offer and he didn't disappoint her.

Seeing his boss and friend so taken with a younger, subordinate colleague surprised him a bit; especially since the man usually chose brunettes over blondes when dating. It was all the more surprising, given his inbred inclination against dating colleagues. Given the new rules that Internal Affairs had implemented on this subject, Eric was stunned that Horatio could let his mind travel that path so soon after meeting his ballistics expert.

No but the two most intimately involved knew that they'd once been married. Even Calleigh didn't know that Horatio bitterly regretted not fighting for the marriage, both then and now. He'd forgotten the hold just her name had on his emotions, but was remembering that now with the maturity he'd needed 15 years ago. Drat, but he should have recognized that name alone, for it unusual even down south.

He kicked himself for not having recognized his love when he interviewed her for the job. Not that he'd have hired anyone else for the position, as she was the highest qualified and the best suited for it. If possible, Calleigh was even more beautiful now than she had been in her early 20s. Her added maturity and ripened figure attracted him far more than he wanted to admit, even in the privacy of his own mind.

And now that very damsel was offering him her sofa. Since the lady was far from stupid, Horatio could only conclude that she wanted him near her on whatever flimsy pretext she could summon in front of their audience. Although, as pretexts went, offering him shelter after being rudely deprived of his home was pretty good.

Horatio smiled warmly at his friend's offer. He and the rest of the team knew that he'd be sleeping on her living room sofa if he accepted it. But they all realized that not everyone would think it was an innocent occasion. The electricity crackled between them and had done since they'd worked their first case.

"That offer stands if you need it, Horatio," Calleigh smiled gently. "I know you're probably hard up for a place, since this one's now a crime scene."

"It's okay, Calleigh," he said reassuringly, "I've been preparing for such an incident for some time now. Rick's been poking around the office, into crevices best left buried. I don't want to hand the man any more ammunition against me than he already has. He's unaware of my knowing about the file he's started on me in the hopes of getting me relieved of duty."

"I've got a second place closer to work that Rick's unaware of. It's the perfect hideout while I'm working, as it offers easy access to the office while also affording me a measure of privacy for dealing with my personal affairs."

"Me thinks you prostest too much, H," Ryan leered. "I've seen you with a new flame lately. I'm glad you're moving on from Julia. She's bad news."

"Yes, Ryan, I've got a new lady in my life. But she's not the reason for my pied a terre. I've held that condo for over 10 years because it's convenient to local markets while it's also distant enough from work for a measure of quiet when I'm off duty. Now, however, I need it as a place that's close to Kyle's high school and ready to hand for my own investigations into Stetler's activities."

The team simply grinned at his authoritativeness. They all knew that he reacted this way whenever someone threatened his turf. Since he considered any family members his turf as much as he did his homes, Rick's threatening Kyle hadn't helped matters much at the office. Now his was the sole unit left on days that could process the scene of Miami's latest crimes, so he had a legitimate reason to be here. An excuse they were sure he'd use as fully as permitted while his rival was forced to watch from the sidelines.

"So this is an ideal opportunity for him to snoop inside your domain while you're forcibly removed from it," Frank said thoughtfully. "No wonder you're as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rockers."

"I'm not nervous, Frank, because I've got nothing to hide. I'm angry because the man won't leave me alone. I'm not about to return his venom, either. That's another road I followed once, but it cost me a marriage and a child, so I'll not travel it again in this lifetime."

Calleigh looked startled at this comment. As far as she knew, she was the only wife he'd had before Marisol Delko. Could he have married a second time and be referring to that wife? And then, of course there was Julia, who'd given him Kyle. This was just too confusing for her to puzzle out without his Horatio's help. She gave him a certain look, one he knew well from their early days, and he signalled to her with an equally subtle glance that they needed to talk.

Alexx watched this bit of bi-play with keen interest. She'd only seen Horatio respond this way to Marisol, so she was intrigued by his focus on her young colleague. He noticed that ineterest and mouthed an invite to meet him AFTER he'd spoken with Calleigh, which she gladly and eagerly accepted. It wasn't often that he permitted her a glimpse of his quiet side, so Alexx planned to take full advantage of it.

Calleigh knew that her chances of getting promoted where she was were next to nil, but she thrived on the camaraderie and the family atmosphere between the long time detectives. They were the family she wished she'd grown up amongst, ribbing each other constantly in fun; but knowing when to back off, too. She'd grown up in a far more stringent environment, one filled with uncertainty and violence. Here, she felt safe and protected by all of her male colleagues, sometimes when she leasted wanted to be.

She thought of Eric as a dotty younger brother, which definitely put a wrench in his wishes for something deeper with her. He'd tried for years to overcome her misconceptions about his maturity, without success. Their ages were simply too far apart for her to think of him as anything more than a friend and colleague. She'd let him down from his loftier ambitions as gently as possible, but his heart was still clinging to his most fervent wish.

She wasn't at all impressed with Rick, mainly because his constant sniping at Horatio wore on her last nerve. He was sneaky, vain, and horribly short-sighted where the CSIs were concerned. They had their fair share of problems, to be sure, but worked them out so they didn't interfere with ongoing investigations. Rick, however, delighted in creating problems for everyone that he deemed of lower intellect or status than himself.

Tripp was her southern counterpart. Fully reared in the mores of the deep south while growing up in Texas, he was a staunch supporter of her career ambitions. He'd seen her potential from the beginning and was amazed that she hadn't already jumped ship for greener pastures with SWAT or another equally intense unit. A southern belle to her fingertips, she'd weasel a confession from a corpse if it got her the conviction she sought. She saw him as an older cousin, the go to guy for wisdom on the male of the species when she wasn't sure how to tell a guy it was over between them.

She also saw him as light relief. His Texan conservative views closely matched her southern mores, but they frequently ran afoul of modern ideals with hilarious consequences.. He was a constant surprise, receiving a promotion to Sargeant two years previously without bragging to one and all about it. His loyalty to the team, and their leader in particular, inspired her to do her best every time.

Alexx was her go to gal for advice, even though she hadn't been totally open with her about her previous relationship with their beloved redhead. Calleigh saw her as a mother figure, one she needed now more than ever. That she was as good a girlfriend made their professional relationship all the closer, much to Stetler's dismay. Those two always watched out for each other and their teammates, especially Horatio and Eric.

Ryan, was a dangerous mixture of teenager and grown man, often going off course. He'd gone the television route after his first release from duty, returned and cleared his name, only to fall into that issue with his former gambling debts. His gambling and other vices had almost derailed his career at MDPD, but he'd since proven his worth as an officer on several occasions. Calleigh prayed nightly that he'd remain on the straight and narrow to avoid any further troubles at work, for she knew another serious infraction would mean his permanent departure from the force, and she wasn't sure the department could do without him.

And then there was her beloved Horatio! She couldn't get enough of him, either on the job or off of it. Her man worked too hard to be the subject of such unmerited disrespect and hatred from a lackluster performer, but that was another matter for another day. Now she was dealing with knowing that her feelings for her first sweetheart hadn't changed since they'd parted ways 15 years ago. If anything, as the old saying went, "Absence made the heart grow fonder."

Watching the man to whom she'd once wed lead a team of equals in the field, as he dealt patiently with the many difficulties he faced personally, and as he interceded for his teammates professionally only made her love him that much more. How WERE they going to work this thing out between them?

Her chances of promotion from within her own department were nil to none because the men in charge weren't willing to promote a female, no matter how qualified she might be. And when she was a southern belle to boot, the thought wasn't worth thinking, at least to them. That meant seeking a promotion from an outside department, even though leaving meant seeing less of the man uppermost in her thoughts. Her departure would also eliminate the one hurdle remaining to their reunion that wasn't of their making or volition.

A transfer to SWAT made perfect sense if she was ambitious, for that department was always in need of talented, qualified individuals. And, unlike her current division, they gladly promoted women who proved reliable and ethical to posts that merited their skills and experience. Getting in was the hard part, but she felt confident she'd be welcomed warmly once she'd proven herself. She knew she needed the change, too, as she felt she was growing stale as a ballistics analyst. She needed new challenges, and felt that a move over to SWAT would scratch that itch.

Alexx turned back to her work, but not before Calleigh caught her watching the goings on below her morgue's outside viewing window. She simply looked, up, winked, and walked silently to her car. By these actions, Alexx knew that Calleigh was onto her and her thoughts. When it came to stuff like this, her young friend's instincts were positively uncanny!

Horatio watched the subtle byplay between Alexx and Calleigh with an appreciative smile. Both women knew him better than he liked, but only one might be available for a permanent relationship. Again, he forcibly shook his head and refocused his thoughts on his coming talk with his son. He had to do something, ANYTHING, to take his mind off the fiery-spirited blonde who seemed to be absorbing more and more of his waking thoughts. Kyle was a great substitute, for he required gentle handling as well as a firm voice to keep him on the right side of the law until he reached majority age and could decide his path for himself.

"So where will you stay, since home isn't an option for awhile?"

"I've got a two-bedroom condo in Boca Raton that'll serve us just fine. Kyle needs the break from Resden's continual kidnapping attempts, and I need a place far enough from work to ensure absolute privacy."

Everyone watched his muscles ripple through his shirt as he stalked away from the home he'd purchased for his new bride and would likely sell without seeing again. Only two of the people watching him leave knew how hard it was for him to go. Calleigh remembered looking for a small place near the college they'd attended togther, and how excited he'd been to find one. She also remembered the shattered, haunted expression on his face when their disparate career paths had forced him to leave her and it behind.

Eric, contrarily, remembered helping his sister hunt down this bungalow just before she married his boss. She'd been ecstatic to find one so close to the beach that her beloved husband to be could actually afford. She was even more thrilled when he'd viewed it and agreed that it was the perfect place to raise the kids they both wanted so badly. He'd been the happiest that Eric had EVER seen him.

And then came the shooting, the rush to the hospital, and his beloved wife's unexpected death at the hands of his most hated enemy. Now, with more recent negative events still fresh on his mind, the place held too many bad memories to remain a haven for him, so selling it was his best option.

But his friends underestimated Horatio's financial wisdom. This place was located in a prime area that was rapidly expanding. Rents and lease rates were rising, so he'd contacted a real estate management agency to place it on the leasing roster pending it's being cleared from crime scene status. There wasn't an agent who'd turn down a prime location like this one, and he could use the money.

But that wasn't where HIS mind was at the moment. It had unerringly returned to the woman he'd nicknamed the Southern Fireball for her lack of tact when dealing with people that irritated her. They'd shared a lot together in the past seven years, he was growing tired of being alone, and he could think of no one better to ask out than a woman he respected.

"Horatio, old man," he muttered to himself, "you're a fool for even thinking on those lines. You're better off setting her up with Eric, as they're closer in age and interests."

Alexx watched her friend shake his head at a thought and knew what that thought was. She's seen him fighting his feelings for Calleigh since that first investigation, with mixed success. They shared a seemingly light flirtation that she knew was going to rear up and bite them both if they weren't careful.

Later that evening, over a bottle of Chianti at their favorite cafe, Horatio asked the question that had been uppermost in his mind for well over a year. He was determined to see if their plans had any legs, so his bulldog personality was out in full force. The resulting cataclysm was a sight to behold, for his irresistible force met head on with Calleigh's immovable objections. After their third go around on the issue, Calleigh expostulated in frustrated tones,

"But Horatio, you and I both know that Rick's watching you like a hawk for any little thing. If we give him that by getting together, you'll never hear the end of it. Also, our being an item might cast doubt upon the validity of any promotion I received AFTER we began seeing each other. You know how bad the gossip mill is at MDPD, we'd be all over the department blog before the end of the week!"

"Are you more worried about your reputation or mine? I'm not at all concerned at this point, since we're just discussing this. And we're both clever enough to keep it quiet once we've actually begun our affair."

"Horatio, really!" Calleigh reposted with a deep pink blush coloring her cheeks. "We mustn't, at least not until Rick's been relieved of duty. Everybody we know suspects we're already closer than we should be according to protocol at work. I've seen the leers directed at us, even if you haven't. Frankly, they're very embarassing."

Horatio watched Calleigh color and thought it was cute. He knew he had it bad for her, and she for him. He also knew, however much he wanted to deny it, that they couldn't get together in any other than a professional way without shattering either his career, her hopes, or both. This was turning into one huge mess, with no end in sight; and neither of them knew what to do about it, either.

Whether they liked it or not, his upcoming trip to Virginia would give them the breather they needed before they did something foolish. Yes, they loved each other, neither doubted that any longer. Yes, they longed to pick up where they'd left off, if only to close a gaping loophole in their lives. And yes, they'd find a way to resolve their need for each other; but they'd have to do it very carefully to avoid a professional implosion of epic proportions.

Calleigh watched longingly as the jet carrying her boss left for Virginia. As she watched it climb heavenwards, she reminisced about their short and fiery first marriage. They had shared a passion that ran deep and strong, but one that had ultimately doomed their tenderer feelings. While it had been fraught with tension, they had also shared some wonderful times.

They'd first met during an explosives analysis course, which he happened to be teaching. She'd been a shy southern belle with a big crush on her handsome instructor; while he hadn't seemed to notice her at first. Once the course had completed, they'd agreed to see each other for a short time because they shared many interests and the chemistry between them was so strong.

He'd been instructing the class as a requirement for receiving his Master's Degree in Team Leadership. He'd noticed the quiet, intense blonde with the emerald eyes during the second class as she'd thoroughly and properly analyzed the chemical composition of one of the Florida State Bomber's devices. Her confidence in her abilities combined with her lack of conceit about her appearance had drawn him like iron filings to a magnet. When she'd proven an adept analyst as well, he'd been totally ensnared.

For her part, Calleigh had loved watching the man interact with his students. He had charisma, patience, and tact when fending off the numerous female offers that came his way. If a girl persisted, he gently but firmly reminded her that he wasn't teaching THAT kind of class and that she'd be much better off looking for a guy closer to her own age. "Serves you right, you devil," she thought mistily, "for being so dog-goned handsome."

He'd asked her out on their first official date only AFTER the final grades had posted to make certain no one could impugn either his teaching or her dedication to her class work. Before that, they'd found any excuse to have breakfast in the student lounge, coffee over class schedules in the concourse, or to walk to their next class together. She'd asked him how old he was, to which he replied, "I'm old enough to be your younger uncle, Calleigh. I shouldn't even be considering dating you, but I can't help myself where you're concerned."

She'd turned a deep crimson at that comment, for she also had a need to explore their feelings towards one another that wouldn't be denied. Neither party knew then that their first date would lead to a roller coaster of a marriage six weeks later. They only knew that they had to explore it and see where it went. Like two kids on a treasure hunt, they'd embarked on their adventure with eyes wide open to the unlimited possibilities their future held for them. Sadly for them, their unfounded optimism was soon scuttled by their jointly accrued histories.

He knew he'd fallen for her the first day they'd met. She'd been late for her first assignment and apologized effusively for delaying their deployment to the scene. Not knowing him, she'd not explained her tardiness, but had instead set to work with a vengeance. She hadn't divulged her problems at home until pressed by an internal review to do so, and had then given only the barest details. Plainly the lady wasn't about to embarrass her father, even though his drinking impeded her career goals.

"Earth to Horatio, earth to Horatio," Calleigh gibed gently, "hello in there. Are you with us, boss?"

"Yes, pal, I'm here; if a tad distracted by this mess. I was lost in a bit of a dream I've had. Unfortunately, it's one that'll never come true. Thanks for waking me."

That admission earned several curious stares, but Horatio was intelligent enough to leave well enough alone. He didn't want to embarrass Calleigh any more than he already had.

Eric had seen his friend's gaze lingering on Calleigh and had an excellent idea what the dream probably was, since he'd had a similar one for awhile now. Seeing his boss and friend so taken with a younger, subordinate colleague surprised him a bit; especially since the man actually preferred brunettes.

Once the rot had set in, it only took a matter of months to utterly demolish the castle they'd so wistfully built. While it had some solidity in their shared devotion to helping the victims of violence receive their justice, their love hadn't been strong enough to endure the stresses of two college students living on limited funds, or the unfortunate side-effects of a miscarried child.

Once again, Horatio had not been informed of the pending arrival; Calleigh hadn't seen the point of adding yet more trials to her beloved's life. Her mistaken compassion had robbed them both of the chance they needed to make it work. When she'd miscarried her daughter three weeks into the divorce, she'd nearly died. Horatio's pointed absence from her bedside duiring this event had proven her point, or so she thought then. Unlike Maia, however, Calleigh had a forgiving heart and a generous nature; making it easy for her to keep a warm spot in there for her favorite detective.

Now that she worked for him, she had other concerns; such as how to date someone who was highly regarded, but who also was her immediate supervisor. What ramfications, if any a known relationship with him would have for her career plans. Meanwhile, she'd been given yet another murder to solve.

Unbeknowst to Calleigh, Alexx and Eric had watched her expressions as she sighed after the departing jet. Both of them had realized then that there was much more to the relationship between her and their mutual boss than met the eye. Alexx suspected a soured marriage, while Eric thought it was a simple affair gone bust.

Knowing her as she did, though, Alexx knew that a long sit down was in order. She'd need time to accept that Horatio might be moving on without her and a soft, warm shoulder to cry on when that happened. Only time would tell.

Meanwhile, a fourth, less obvious figure skulked through a different exit with a big smirk on his face. Rick had been waiting for just this opportunity to pounce on Horatio's colleagues at the lab. If one of them, especially that fiery blonde, were weakened by emotional turmoil, he'd have a great chance of pulling the Lieutenancy out from under his rival's nose while he was on his prolonged hiatus.

Eric received a callout to Horatio's former home and winced in sympathy. While the cat's way the villains will play, he thought angrily. His boss and friend was off adding to his already vast knowledge of forensic analysis techniques, leaving the lab exposed to whatever attacks Rick chose to hurl in their direction. With Walter Resden as his ally and an old sore to relieve, there was no telling what was coming next from that quarter.

It was up to him, Calleigh, and Alexx to see that nothing happened to their pending cases while H was gone. Boy would he miss his mentor's advice! Hopefully, Tripp wouldn't mind filling the role of partner while H was gone. They'd recently struck up a rapport while working one of a series of tough cases.

Somewhere over Louisiana and Arkansas, Horatio fell into an exhausted slumber. He smiled as he dreamed, for life was again good for him and Calleigh. They were sunning on a beach, laughing, and playing with their four kids as the waves rolled in the background. It was a dream he'd had often since she'd come on board six years ago.

At the time, Horatio had wondered at its return. He guessed that the part of him that still craved her touch had remembered her, bringing on the spate of dreams about what life might have been had they tried harder to make things work between them. He sighed in frustration and sat up. There was NO WAY he'd get any real sleep with that for a subject.

He opened his bulging briefcase and used it to cover his lap. Other things were also bulging, things only he wanted to know about. This happened whenever the honey-haired vixen entered his dream world. No other female had quite the effect on his libido that Calleigh elicited with just a thought.

"Oh, Geez," he thought frustratedly, "is there anything else I can read or contemplate to at least temporarily keep my mind off of what could have been?"

He pulled out his first class schedule with the ATF and tried to read it, but he couldn't seem to focus for even a moment, much less the hour and a half left in his flight. He knew then he'd be getting back together with his lady, even if he had to resign his post to make it happen. No other woman compared to her now, or had since they'd met.

Whenever he'd tried to ease his loneliness and libido with another, there'd been that special something missing. He'd tried to carry the affair on for a short time, but eventually found a reason to call things off. With the ADA the choice had been an easy one because her ethics didn't match his. Rachel Turner had been cruelly killed by Walter Resden. And Marisol had been gunned down by Antonia Riaz.

Guilt assailed Horatio as he realized that he'd married Marisol for love, but also because he knew she'd die young. Even then he'd been cautious about his girlfriends, hoping one day he'd be reunited with his college sweetheart; but this time he had no intention of failing to make things work between them. Obviously, there was more than one type of education, and he, poor sot, would soon experience many of them at once.

Calleigh reached her destination just as Horatio's plane touched down at Langley. He'd chosen the CIA for his first stop because there were many new developments in cryptological analysis that he wanted to learn; both as an aid to solving his cases and to feed his starving intellect. He'd been aching for this for years, but hadn't been able to manage the 90 days necessary for the tour because of his duties at MDPD.

As he strode through the airport concourse, he watched his old friend Aidan Maxwell approach. The man was in fine shape for 55, his brown hair just now showing signs of gray. His posture was straight, his gait hurried but not rushed, and his smile genuine.

"Ah, so we're at last graced with the presence of the honorable Lieutenant from Miami," he joked. "It's high time you spent some quality time with our analysts and ladies fair."

"I'll accept your offer for the former, my friend," Horatio responded jovially, "but must regretfully decline the latter, as I'm currently spoken for."

"Who's the lucky lady, H? No one informed us of your intentions to marry."

"She's a colleague with MDPD, my ex-wife to be exact. Just one thing, old pal, the lady doesn't know how I feel about her yet, so keep mum about this please."

Aidan looked at his friend through new eyes. He'd never seen Horatio so nervous about a lady before today. It was obvious how deep his emotions ran for her, and yet he wasn't comfortable discussing her. She'd have to be special indeed to catch his heart. Especially since his debacle with Maia 15 years ago."

Aidan and the others had no way of knowing that Maia had been a rebound affair after his buddy had split from his first wife. Loving her as he did, it was a shock that he'd even let her go then, but life events had conspired to rip them apart before their bonds had gained the strength to hold them together. Aidan knew his friend well enough to know that once the man committed to a woman, it was forever; if he even let his emotions take him that far.

But when it came to her boss, she just couldn't seem to help herself. The man was sweet, funny, and so smart it almost hurt to watch him dissect a case. She'd had a big crush on him since they met during her entry interview six years ago. Now she faced a huge decision, and she needed his input to make it wisely.

Alexx, meanwhile, shook her head in sympathy for her girlfriend's plight. She knew how it felt to love someone you knew you shouldn't mess with, but to fall for him despite all the lectures you gave yourself to prevent it. Calleigh's love life wasn't exactly a secret here, either. She'd tried to make things work with Jake Berkley and Peter Eliott, but both men hadn't valued her enough to let her be who she was; so those relationships had fizzled early.

Stetler watched the byplay between his rival and Ms. DuQuesne with interest. Their obvious affection for one another piqued his curiosity enough to begin an investigation into their activities off the job. If by some slim chance they were involved, he'd have all he needed to get Horatio relieved of duty; or at the very least bucked down to a lesser rank on a less desirable shift.

As time had passed, Rick had first envied Horatio his position, and then he'd coveted that role for himself, and finally had begun consorting with questionable characters to bring about his downfall. He should have just kept his ear to the ground and waited for something to develop between Lieutenant Caine and one of his subordinate staffers.

Things had ALWAYS sizzled between him and his ballistics expert, but Rick had thought him to ethical a man to allow himself to be tempted by her nearness. Maybe, just maybe, he was wrong.

Quietly, Rick left the room to further his investigations. Chet and Stanley, seeing his shadowy figure slinking into the abyss, just shook their heads in disgust. It appeared that there was no depth the man would avoid to impugn his rival, even an affair of the heart wasn't off limits.

Both men knew that Lieutenant Caine was far too smart to begin an affair with a subordinate, even one as tempting as their current ballistics expert. They carried on an intense flirtation, but neither seemed eager to take it any deeper than the surface. This suited their superiors to the ground, as it meant that neither would be leaving their employ anytime soon.

As these two were discussing their two favorite subjects, those very people were having an intense discussion of their own in a small cafe down the street.

"Horatio, we both know it's dangerous ground to explore," Calleigh implored. "We've worked far too hard for far too long to get where we are now. It'd be a real shame to blow it now for a little toss in the hay."

"I feel far more deeply for you than that, Calleigh," Horatio said softly. "I'm more interested in a lasting relationship, maybe even marriage eventually. I'm as tired of being alone as you are; and equally tired of searching for someone who shares my passion for police work the way you do."

Calleigh, meanwhile, was battling her own emotions towards her long-time friend and boss. She'd been drawn to him during their first shared case because he'd been a patient but thorough investigator who gladly credited his colleagues for their parts in solving a case. When she'd witnessed how gentle he was with his errant nephew, she'd been lost completely. And then he'd started flirting with her.

She was a little put out that he hadn't recognized his first wife, but had soon forgiven that oversight. She'd changed a lot since the early 1990s, so his not remembering their brief relationship couldn't be held against him. Her memories, on the other hand, hadn't been dimmed at all by the passage of time. Rather, their clarity and intensity had increased as she'd taken the steps she needed to take to ease the pain of losing her only child.

That had put her rapidly beating heart into overdrive, especially after she'd begun returning his repartee thrust for thrust. They were playing with fire and likely would be seriously burned, but it had reached the stage where neither of them particularly cared, as long as they could be together long enough to decide if they could make a relationship work.

Alexx suspected there was more to their story than they were telling, and she was right. Once upon a time, two young people met while one was on Spring Break in South Carolina. They fell head over heels for each other and married in a ring of fire that was still burning brightly, even after their divorce had seared them both.

Both sides of the family had doubted the strength of their deeper feelings for one another, and at that young an age the passion flowed fiercely, but the love just wasn't there to sustain them when things went south. Both agreed to a parting of the ways only six months after they wed, knowing they had some much needed maturing to do before they'd be able to try again with any success at all.

Then there'd been Jake, and Peter, and .... on Calleigh's side; with Monica, Maia, and ... on Horatio's end. Through each affair, they'd learned that no one could touch their first love either in their affections, or in their passionate pursuit of justice for the victims of violent crime.


Now, with Horatio as her supervisor, Calleigh realized that it wasn't likely they'd get together for ethical reasons, and sighed in frustration. She recalled his comment about the SWAT team a few years back and wondered if he'd meant something other than just a flirtatious comment by it; especially since he'd followed that with "I'd beg to differ," to her, "I don't look good in all black."

Horatio, on the other hand, had usually sensed when his "bullet girl" was troubled and offered a kind heart or willing ear when needed so she could resolve her problems without IAB discovering she had them. That trait alone drew women to him like bees to pollen. When you combined this innate compassion with a handsome face and a beautiful body, few could resist the mix. Calleigh, being exposed to his charisma daily, would naturally be drawn to the man for his finer qualities. If something more developed, she'd be sure to keep it to herself to avoid any hint of impropriety between her superior and herself.

Right this second, though, she was running late picking her boss up at the airport! Man did she have a lot to tell him! There'd been a huge showdown between Rick and his Cousin Stanley that had resulted in Stetler's ouster and prosecution for aiding and abetting a fugitive from justice (his dealings with Walter Resden had been seen by many even higher on the food chain than Stanley was), their dear friend Donald Eversley had been promoted into Stetler's old position (and he ACTUALLY wanted the job and was good at it), and lastly but most importantly to them she'd been given Donald's old job as Corporal of the Cold Cases Unit. She was so excited, she couldn't stand it!

She scurried down the ramp to her car and in her haste didn't see the man standing there watching her every move; until he struck her across the back of the head and dragged her still form into his waiting Monte Carlo. By the time she came to herself, they were half way to the Keys. Sensing that her assaialant didn't know she'd awakened, Calleigh remained still and quiet, but made a point of noticing everything around her. She heard the muted sounds of Gangsta Rap and a high revving engine, but didn't think for a moment that her kidnapper couldn't hear her movements.

She stretched a bit and realized she was crammed into a space that most definitely WASN'T meant to contain a human being. She was bent funny, over a wheel well by her estimation, and they were going way too fast. Knowing the danger she was in spurred Calleigh to gently pull her cell phone from its hiding place in her bra and hold down the "1" button until she reached Alexx in the morgue. "Oh please, please be there," she prayed with her whole heart.

"This is Alexx Woods, Chief Medical Examiner," her answering machine intoned, "please..."

"Alexx, this is Calleigh. If you're there PLEASE pick up your phone."

"Hey, girlfriend, where the heck are you?" Alexx's worried voice answered, "Horatio's been here for ten minutes already and he's not a happy camper."

"Neither am I, Alexx. I'm bent double inside the wheel well of a tractor trailer rig. I've got my GPS activated now, so you should be able to find me. Please, please hurry! I haven't a clue why I was kidnapped or where I'm going."

Horatio had been pacing the floor with frustration until he heard his beloved's panicked voice. Now he was a coiled spring with nowhere to aim his energy. Eric and Ryan both realized that there was a lot to their mentor they didn't know when they saw his reaction to the fear and panic in their friend's voice. His face reflected great rage at whomever had kidnapped his colleague; but that wasn't the half of it.

"Horatio, I'm so worried. There's been a guy hanging around the garage following Calleigh for weeks now. He turned up two days after you left for Virginia and wouldn't take 'no' for an answer from her."

"Why wasn't I informed of this then?"

"Because you'd have flown back here in a heartbeat, H, and blown any chance of salvaging your career at MDPD. We've been able to watch over her until today. Ryan and Natalia were called out to a scene, and then Tripp and I to another right after that, so we couldn't stay and watch out for her."

Horatio was about to go insane. He'd been anticipating his and Calleigh's reunion like a college kid looks forward to spring break, because he had many things to ask her. His snitch at MDPD had informed him of her promotion to Corporal in the Cold Cases Unit; which elevated her to his end of the food chain. That removed the last ethical barrier they'd faced to their love's being properly expressed at last.

Now some clown had stolen his sweetie from under his nose, and there wasn't a thing he could do about it, but find and rescue his lady fair from the clutches of this monster. He knew that Jake Berkley was still hot for Calleigh and wondered if he'd dare stoop so low to get her attention. Somehow he didn't think so.

He knew that Resden was busy with Jennifer Walsh, or more specifically busy keeping one step ahead of the law while he ... Horatio didn't dare let his mind wander down that way, lest he do something foolish when the bastard was finally incarcerated. He wondered which of his remaining foes had swiped his beloved from her office. He'd need to know who in order to know how to defeat him.

Little did even Stanley know that his cousin Rick was about to do the one thing that would permanently derail his career with any law enforcement agency, much less MDPD. He was in cahoots with two of Resden's nastiest cohorts, two guys known for their disrespect for women in authority. Micah DuQuesne was Calleigh's second cousin and had never cared for her, so this was his chance to get even with the stuck up b---- once and for all; and Daniel McQuade had hated Calleigh's father for years, because the man had dated his mom and abandoned them just before he was born so he could marry Calleigh's mom.

It hadn't crossed the man's mind to check in on his latest conquest, so she'd died birthing the son he'd always wanted. Daniel didn't know that the object of his venomous attacks was an alcoholic who'd taken temporary shelter in his mother's arms, that the woman had been a hooker when she conceived him, and that she'd actually died during a botched abortion. Had he known, he wouldn't have cared; because he was using that abandonment to excuse his current string of criminal activities.

Horatio collected his kits, colleagues, and courage to go after the nut jobs who'd kidnapped the love of his life. Before leaving, he ran the tags on the van they were driving, obtained their address, and extrapolated where they'd go to hide their prize before returning home for the evening. He knew that they'd have to find a well drained part of the 'glades, because they were driving an ancient Astro-van that didn't have 4-wheel drive.

As such, they'd need a dry, level, and graveled area to carry out their nefarious plans for his friend. He was headed to his Hummer when his cell phone blared the Marengue. That meant either Kyle, Madison, or Ray Jr was in trouble; but he couldn't deal with them now. His fellow officer was in deep doo doo and needed rescuing. He put that face on the situation to keep focused on his mission, rescuing Calleigh without getting her killed in the process.

"Hey, boss," Frank asked nervously, "isn't that a save me signal from one of the kids?"

"Yes, Francis, it is," he replied tiredly. "By prior arrangement, and unknown to the three whose phones are programmed with this tone, Yelina's phone has alerted her as well. She's got resources in places we don't, so it's better that she rescue them than me this time."

"And what are your plans for this mission, H?" Ryan ased respectfully. "You've always had at least a Plan A for these kinds of situations, so let's hear it."

"Actually, Ryan, Calleigh's so self-sufficient that I'd not planned for this at all. She's sending her GPS co-ordinates every five minutes, so I know exactly where she is now. I've notified patrol, as well as the FBI's kidnapping detail, and they're in hot pursuit as we speak. We're headed to the hideout to gather evidence against these creeps so they'll be put away forever, or executed, whichever a jury decides."

His entire team noticed as he sprinted for his Hummer and sped off in a rush. Seeing their beloved boss that way stunned them. He'd never, ever been so anxious for a lady, whether girlfriend or colleague; so this sudden need to fly to Calleigh's rescue completely floored them. Eric had a momentary stab of anger that he'd not been that way with his sister, but remembered that they'd only known each other a matter months when they married, so he hadn't had time to develop these deeper feelings for Marisol.

Meanwhile, the lady in question, was fending off the lecherous advances of one Luis Martinkes. He was an ugly old man, bent on having some fun with his favorite CSI before her pal Horatio arrived to spoil it. There was something on between those two and he was determined to discover what it was.

"Here, kitty, kitty, come out from your hidey hole!" He hollered lustily. "It's time to give daddy some sugar."

Calleigh, safely up a 100 foot date palm, wasn't about to give away her location. The man was ugly, he stank, and was overly fond of rum. She wondered how she managed to attract these guys in the first place. Jake couldn't commit to save his life, especially if it meant sacrificing his career ambitions; Elliott hadn't even half a clue about women, and wasn't anxious to add to his knowledge if it interfered with his predjudices about what a woman should be; and Zak Dowel wasn't her type at all, even if he was cute.

But her ex? That handsome redhead with the heart of a marshmallow? Him she could love, had and still did. If she was totally honest with herself, she'd never stopped loving him, even after her disappointment with the miscarriage. She'd dated quite a few guys since their ramshackle days, but they'd always lacked that certain something he possessed in such abundance.

"All right, Captain Fuzz," Luis screeched, "if you won't come to me, I'll come to you. I promise you won't like what's in store for your disobedience."

Calleigh maintained her calm silence because she heard several police vehicles and water craft approaching and knew that she'd soon see her beloved's face. When she also hear the low whine of an ancient Astro-van, she listened carefully for screams from within its hulking mass. She'd heard over the scanner just before her unexpected trip that Resden had kidnapped Jennifer again and was headed for this spot in a tan or beige Astro-van with a bad tranny.

If she timed her descent JUST RIGHT, she could distract the driver of that vehicle while preventing her assialant's atttacking her. It needed precise timing so the maniac behind the wheel didn't hit her. The way he was handling it... CRASH, the guy hit the very tree in which she sat watching the events unfold beneath her. There was a second crash as the rotted hulk in which she sat crashed to the ground; she felt the air rush from her lungs as she landed in someone's arms.

"This isn't quite how we planned our reunion, is it, love?" Horatio said mistily.

"No, but I'm glad it ended as it did, meaning the chase and all," Calleigh giggled nervously as the seriousness of her situation FINALLY registered in her brain. "Oh, and the landing in your arms wasn't bad, either," she winked coyly.

Her peaches and cream complexion went from pale peach, to pink, to burgundy as she slid down his lithe body and realized just HOW happy he was to see her. The warmth in his eyes only added further depth to her color, but she didn't mind. She was with the love of her life and THAT was all that mattered.

"I'd like to explore this further, but now is definitely NOT the time," he chuckled deeply. "You are a wicked little minx to worry me like that."

"And you, sir, may take that up with my kidnapper at HQ. He almost ruined a perfectly beautiful day for both of us."

The cooing pair was too wrapped up in each other to notice that they'd gathered an appreciative audience until Frank said wryly, "Okay you two, enough's enough already. We still gotta cuff these dudes and get 'em back to base for questioning." Even Horatio colored to his toes at that comment. It seemed he just couldn't help it when Calleigh was anywhere nearby. She begged to be touched and gladly accepted his arms around her.

She smiled warmly at him and said, "Horatio, we both know this is neither the time nor the place to express our feelings for each other. We've got a lot of work to do to assure that this creep doesn't see the light of day for a long, long time. Thanks for the kiss, though, it felt wonderful after recent events."

Horatio just smiled tenderly at her, held speechless by her proximity. His mind was in the past, during the first months of their fiery relationship. They'd steal away whenever they could to be together, and he wanted to do that now more than ever. He'd almost lost her to the guy in the Astro-van, so he knew how short time could be.

He groaned inwardly as he watched her sashay to Eric's vehicle. She put special meaning into EVERY single sway of her hips because she knew he was watching her every move. She knew better than to ride with Horatio, given the passion contained in the embrace they'd just shared, but that didn't mean she couldn't make him suffer a little for the worry he'd caused her while he was gone. He simultaneously cursed and blessed her wisdom, for it prevented their sneaking off to finish what they'd started, while causing many raised eyebrows and knowing comments from their colleagues.

They'd just arrived at the office to begin Horatio's debriefing when a multiple 321 alert went out. There were three different homicide scenes, and Tripp suspected that they were related. He hesitated to tell Horatio about the last, for it contained Julia Winston's eviscerated remains. He knew that Resden was at the bottom of this latest scene, but couldn't figure out how to prove it in court.

Again, Horatio felt a staying hand on his shoulder, but this time it belonged to the lady who was uppermost in his thoughts. She smiled, winked, and kissed him lightly on the cheek; causing a rosy glow to suffuse his entire body, and then shimmied off to her Hummer to go to her next assignment. The minx really knew how to hurt a guy!

He saw Chet and Stanley motioning to him and sauntered into Chet's office for a conference he wasn't sure he wanted, but he knew had to happen. Outwardly he was his calm, collected self; inwardly was entirely different matter! He'd been offered several enticing positions within the Fed, but had kept his choice to himself until he'd consulted with his superiors in Miami. Now that the time had come for that meeting, he wondered what they were going to say.

Calleigh shuddered inwardly as she watched her beloved move inside the building, because she knew he wasn't in for a pleasant time. Stanley was trying to salvage Rick's career at Horatio's expense, which was never a good thing. It was especially painful for them, because they'd likely lose any chance to see if their love was strong enough to sustain them, if she lost him to the Fed at the end of it all.

It seemed that every time they had a decent chance to reignite their torches, a series of life events arose that thoroughly doused them. It just wasn't fair! To have met, loved, and married once, only to be forced to separate was understandable, even expected. But to lose her soul mate for a second time wasn't to be tolerated for a moment! Oh, what WERE they going to do about their feelings for each other?

She would rather give up her high profile job for a shot at hapiness now, than forsake her future joys for a position that lacked her beloved's presence. She was past the point of caring that he hadn't contacted her after hearing of the miscarriage. He'd been involved with Julia Winston by then, so he couldn't have found her had he wanted to do it, lest he permanently destroy the feelings she was developing towards him then.

Horatio, meanwhile, felt like a man facing the Torquemada's Spanish Inquisition. Even though Rick Stetler wasn't around to gloat, his first cousin was there to witness his rival's bitter humiliation and report what occurred there; he knew, that in spite of the strict rules of confidentiality, Stanley O'Harrah would find a way to tell his cousin everything without violating them. His nightmares abated somewhat when he realized that Mr. O'Harrah wasn't present to witness the meeting that ensued.

"Horatio, old friend," Chet said with a joyful lilt, "I've got great news for you. Rick's current sources and activities have not only unseated him, but have also caused the Fed to review Stanley's service record for discrepancies in his hiring practices. It happened that he'd employee his unkindly cousin as a favor to the family, because Stetler couldn't hold onto a job."

"I take no joy in these tidings, Chet," Horatio replied soberly, "for they mean an increased workload for my lab. I met with Solara Veracruz in budget this morning, and she told me that there's no money in our budget for new talent. That's counter productive, but she'll figure that out when she gets the bill for all the overtime we'll work to close our existing cases."

"Ah, but I haven't reached the GOOD part, yet. Calleigh was offered and accepted a promotion to Captain of the Cold Case Squad while you were on vacation."

"I'm glad for her and me from a personal point of view, Chet. But I'm now concerned even more for the staffing shortages that will result when she's installed into her latest situation."

"You were diligent on behalf of your other colleagues, friend, and your efforts have been rewarded. Eric Delko was promoted to head of the DNA and auto research facilities, while Detective Boa Vista finally passed her weapons training to inherit your position. Unfortunately, Horatio, Wolfe didn't pass his latest round of ethics and weapons tests. He's also up on charges for aiding and abetting a known fugitive from justice. This time, not even your good words can salvage his position."

"I'm sorry to hear that, but I can't say that I'm surprised. He's refused treatment for his gambling addiction, so it was bound to cause him serious trouble eventually."

"With three key staff off the job, Chet, how am I supposed to process the cases you've just sent my team out to solve?"

"Ever vigilant for his beloved city, eh," an evil voice issued from the doorway. "I'm surprised that YOU survived the purge, much less received the promotion that you did."