A/N – Not sure if the term 'Hair of the dog' has made it into general usage beyond the coast of Britain, so just in case you've never heard it before it's a colloquial English expression that means drinking a small amount of alcohol as a treatment for a hangover (which by the way is not something I'd recommend – it works in the short-term but simply doesn't work long term – believe me!! Ultimately that hangover is going to come back and kick you in the ass!). It is a shortened form of the expression "the hair of the dog that bit you."

Part Two – The Morning After.

As Horatio floated out of his deep sleep and back into consciousness he groaned quietly. Oh God, it felt like someone was running a jack-hammer in his frontal cortex. There was something else not quite right with the situation he found himself in either, he realised that his arm was draped over something warm, something that appeared to be breathing. He smiled briefly, thinking how good it felt to wake up with someone in his arms, it had been so long since…the thought was left drifting as his brain started to work.

Oh no. His brain screamed. Please don't let Frank have fixed me up with one of the girls from the bar. Pleeease.

Horatio had never had a one night stand in his life. He had an innate respect for women that stopped him from using them in such a way. What the heck do you say to someone? Thanks, it was great while I was drunk, but now I'm sober you should go? Urgh.

Finally he bit the bullet and cracked his eyes open a little way and found a wall of blonde hair in his eye-line. Oh no that was not good. But suddenly another part of his brain kicked in, the scent that was filling his nostrils, it was familiar. Where did he know that smell from. And all of a sudden it hit him, and he knew where he'd smelt that before; that was Calleigh's smell. His eyes snapped open and he was fully awake now.

Of course, it was entirely possible someone just used the same shampoo as her, he assumed that she didn't have a monopoly on the brand or anything. Glancing round he located a mirror on the other side of the room and attempted to shift his position to see if he could get a look at this woman's face without actually disturbing her.

Oh my God it IS Calleigh. His whole brain screamed at him, which was a pretty mean feat considering how when he'd regained consciousness approximately ninety-nine percent of his brain had refused to function properly. He didn't know whether the fact that he'd found himself in bed with his ballistics expert was better or worse than having a one night stand with some random stranger. It was certainly preferable in his opinion to find Calleigh lying in his arms rather than someone whose name he couldn't remember, or perhaps didn't know in the first place, especially after his internal debate from the previous evening had shown him that he was in love with the petite blonde southerner.

Oh but she looked so good, her face caught in an expression of all-consuming peace, a small smile just tugging at the very corners of her lips. Besides, she fit into his arms so well, as if they were made to be together.

How was he ever going to look her in the eye again?

It was at this point that he realised he was still wearing his shirt and trousers from the day before. He breathed a sigh of relief, at least they hadn't done anything completely stupid. With any luck he could still salvage their working relationship and with a lot of hard work, hopefully their friendship too.

Horatio was debating the best way to remove his arm without disturbing her when he felt her stir, too late to get his arm back without her knowing now. He decided to feign sleep and hope that she would extricate herself from this situation meaning that he wouldn't have to deal with it. What she actually did surprised him and forced him to rethink the situation.

Calleigh came out of her slumber gently, aware that for the first time in a long time she felt safe and content. The events from the previous evening, or rather the early hours of the morning came back to her and she smiled as she became aware of Horatio's arm, still lying over her side. At some point during the night she had evidently moved her own arm to rest over the top of Horatio's so that his was resting on the side of her ribcage, tantalisingly close to her breast and she had laid her hand over his, their fingers entwined slightly. Calleigh let out a quiet, contented sigh and shuffled herself back ever so slightly, so she could feel Horatio's body pressing up against hers, spooning them together.

Horatio's mouth involuntarily dropped open as he felt Calleigh move back slightly towards him and as he watched the smile on her face widen in the mirror across the room. He had expected the opposite; that she would move sharply away once she realised how close to her he had moved his sleep, that she would be shocked by his serious faux pas. Her apparent acceptance of the situation changed everything. As well as the dull pounding of his headache his mind was now spinning out of control. What should he do now?

Finally there was an awkward moment when both were aware of the other's consciousness. Calleigh shifted her position so their fingers were no longer intertwined and Horatio withdrew his arm. Calleigh let him move his arm away, but felt like something was missing with the lack of contact.

"Um…sorry about that." He blushed a little. "I think I must've…um…while I was asleep…Sorry."

Calleigh sat up and faced him and for the first time he noticed her attire.

"Sorry." Now it was her turn to apologise for her embarrassment as she saw his eyes roam down her torso, taking in the shorts and baggy t-shirt. "Listen, I guess I should explain how…" She wafted a hand in the direction of the bed. "I didn't really know what to do with you last night, you were pretty drunk." She paused for a second. "I didn't want you to be alone."

"Thanks Calleigh. I appreciate it…I'm sorry if I…well…um…" How do you put into words I'm sorry if I offended you by groping you while I was asleep, I have no recollection of my actions if that helps in any way? Perhaps it was just better left as a bumbling ambiguous general apology.

"Actually you were pretty much passed out before I could get you into the car."

Horatio sat up and buried his face in his hands.

"I am so sorry Cal."

"Hey, no problem, I get to blackmail the boss, right? Next time I've gotta remember to take pictures. Easier to blackmail you then." She grinned.

"Next time? I have no plans for a repeat performance." In the back of his mind his inner voice was trying to persuade him to amend that statement and tell her that what he meant was he didn't plan on getting drunk out of his skull again and that actually he'd love to spend the night with her again under different circumstances.

"Oh." Whereas Horatio's inner voice was trying to coax him gently into telling her the truth, Calleigh's inner demon was simply screaming at her; 'tell him you love him, tell him you love him, TELL HIM YOU LOVE HIM. I don't care how you say it, but just say it girl.'

Horatio interrupted her train of thought with a panicked question.

"What time is it?"

"Erm…" she twisted her alarm clock around, "about eight-thirty. Relax handsome, neither of us have to be in work today."

His heart missed a beat when she called him handsome, she often used the phrase while they were working, but this morning's situation was a little different and he thought he saw her face colour ever so slightly as she too realised what she'd said.

"Oh thank God. I don't think I've ever been happier to realise I don't have to work." A wicked smile crept over his face. "We don't have to be in work, but Tripp does."

Calleigh chuckled as Horatio pushed himself up from the bed and walked over to where Calleigh had laid his jacket the night before and pulled his cell phone out of the pocket.

Calleigh watched him move, his slightly rumpled appearance, the way his hair stuck up at angles and the light dusting of stubble along his jaw-line made him look, in her opinion, even more attractive than ever. She shook her head trying to get the thought out of her mind.

Horatio pressed a button to call a number on his speed-dial. The phone rang out for a while before a gruff voice appeared on the other end.

"Yeah. Tripp. What d'ya want?"

"Morning Francis, I'm just checking to make sure you're still alive." Horatio smirked and it was all Calleigh could do to muffle her laughter.

"Horatio? What the hell are you sounding so chipper for? Bloody hell, no-one should be able to drink what you did last night and be that cheerful for at least a week later."

"I've still got some Irish blood in me Frank, I don't get hung-over, just take some hair of the dog and get on with another day." It was a complete lie, Horatio felt dreadful right at this moment, but he was darn sure that he wasn't going to let Frank know that. He was determined to make the Texan think he was feeling absolutely fine, it was Frank's fault he got into that state, so he was going to make sure Frank feel like he was the only one nursing a bad head. "How're you feeling Frank?"

"Oh, honestly? I feel like complete and utter crap. Thanks for asking H."

"Well I'll leave you to it."

"Mmm."

When the call was disconnected Calleigh looked at him, a huge grin on her face.

"That was cruel."

"I know, but I didn't want him thinking I've suffered any negative effects of apparently drinking the bar dry last night. It's his fault I'm in this state."

"And how exactly do you feel?"

Horatio considered the question for a moment.

"Oh pretty much like I want to crawl into a darkened room and cry." He said, a grin on his face.

Calleigh laughed as she stood up and headed for the bathroom, grabbing a few items of clothing from drawers as she went.

"There's some aspirin on the bedside table."

"Music to my ears."

When Calleigh emerged from the bathroom she was fully clothed, towelling her hair dry. She found him lying back on the bad, having managed to fall asleep again. He looked so peaceful and Calleigh took a few minutes just to study every inch of his face. This was after all likely to be the only time she would see him like this and she was determined not to miss one single detail.

----------------------------------

"Something smells good." He walked up close behind her, placing his hands lightly on her hips and looked over her shoulder. He'd debated whether or not to touch her, but had decided that after the embarrassment of last night he might as well go all in and take a chance. It was amazing to be able to do that and he was pleased that he hadn't felt her tense up under his gentle touch, revelling in the new sense of intimacy the night had given them. She turned her head to give him a sideways glance.

"Pancakes. Best hangover cure in the world."

"And how would you know?"

"I've had my share of hangovers, Lieutenant." She cringed as soon as she used the word, why on earth did she say that, 'Lieutenant', she wanted to kick herself for bringing their working relationship to mind.

"Cal?"

"Yep?"

"Would you do me a favour?"

"Anything for you handsome." She took the hot pan off the stove and turned around as she spoke. Gosh he was close, she thought. She could see his chest rising and falling as he breathed.

Damn it, it made it so much harder when she called him handsome, Horatio thought, because every time she said it, all his higher brain functions suddenly stopped.

"What can I do for ya?" She asked when Horatio didn't respond for a couple of seconds.

"Oh, right. There's something I've been dying to do for…well, for a long time…and…Listen, if this doesn't go the way I planned it then…well…you should know now that I'm sorry and would you just mind forgetting that the next few minutes ever happened?"

"I don't understand what you mean." The confused look on her face was just too cute and Horatio couldn't hold back any longer.

"Damn the rules. Here goes." He took a step forward and leant down, bringing his lips softly in contact with hers. There was no responding movement from Calleigh and the thought shot through his mind that he'd overstepped the mark, made a huge mistake. He started to pull away.

At first Calleigh was shocked by his sudden movement, by his decisiveness. Then, as he felt him start to pull away she realised that she had to do something to prolong this magical moment. Now she pressed forward, returning his embrace in equal measure, bringing her hand up to run through his short red hair. Sinking into him.

Immeasurable relief swept through his brain, but only for a second, after that all thoughts were silenced and there was only her. Right here and right now there were no thoughts other than 'Calleigh'. His hands roamed over her back, before resting in one place, his left hand settled in the small of her back, whilst his right hand cupped the base of her skull pulling her ever deeper into the kiss.

Eventually the lack of oxygen deemed it necessary that they parted and both were left breathing heavily.

"Mmm." Calleigh's eyes were closed and once again a smile played on her lips as they moved apart.

"My thoughts exactly." Horatio agreed, matching her smile, running a finger softly over her cheek.

"So, do I have to forget what just happened, or is it ok if I remember it and replay it over and over again in my head?"

"No, I think it's safe for you to remember that."

"Hmm, I think I forgot a bit of it already, perhaps you should try it again so I can…"

Horatio didn't wait for her to finish her sentence before stepping forward once more and capturing her lips with his.

"Better, my memory's getting much better, but there are still a couple of fuzzy areas." She quipped as they parted for the second time.

He laughed.

"Cal, you know you said pancakes were the best hangover cure in the world?"

"Mmm-Hmm?"

"You were wrong; I just found a better cure…"

FIN