Author's Note : I have been writing this fan fic for about 6 months...and have written 20 chapters of the story with only one or two left to finish it. I keep trying to fine tune it but I decided today that it was time to just bite the bullet and post it to see what people thought and get the inspiration to finish. So, this is an AU fic about Calleigh and Horatio and the evolution of a realtionship between them. This is my first CSI : Miami fic and I welcome any and all feedback.
Chapter 1 – Remembering
Horatio sat at his desk, head in hands. Another long day, another case solved. Lately it seemed the days were more draining, taking more of a toll and there was never any….never any what ? He looked up and reached for the picture on his desk. He picked it up and brought it closer to him, then spoke quietly to himself.
"Never any sunshine."
- - 18 months earlier - -
'Horatio, you got a minute."
Calleigh had knocked lightly on his door before coming in.
"Sure, what's up ?"
She came further into the room and a man followed her in. Horatio stood from his desk and came around to greet them.
"Horatio, this is an old friend of mine from New Orleans, Will Durand. Will, this is my Lieutenant, Horatio Caine."
Horatio reached out to Will with a firm handshake.
"Will, nice to meet you."
"Same here, Lieutenant Caine, I've heard a lot about you."
"Well, I'm sure Calleigh embellished that a lot."
"On the contrary, I've heard about you on the job. I work for the government, Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA."
Horatio nodded and looked at Calleigh who was beaming. Pure sunshine.
"Well, what brings you to Miami, is there a disaster I need to be aware of ?"
Will laughed.
"Oh, no sir, Lieutenant, I am a deputy regional manager based in the New Orleans area, I am here to introduce a new Miami deputy regional manager to a new team and coordinate training for them and consultation until they are fully operational."
Calleigh of course, answered his next question before Horatio had a chance to ask.
"He's going to be here for at least six months."
"I hope you enjoy your time here in Miami and don't have to work all the time."
"Thank you, Lieutenant Caine, I plan to do just that."
Calleigh and Will looked at each other with a smile. This moment was not lost on Horatio Caine. There was a history between these two, and it was about to be re-opened.
"Well, Will, it was nice meeting you. If you two will excuse me, I need to head down to the autopsy theatre for some last minute paperwork for Alexx."
"Oh, of course, Horatio, see you tomorrow."
Calleigh and Will left his office. He grabbed the file on his desk and headed down to autopsy.
- -
Horatio focused back in on the picture. It had been taken just six months ago, at Calleigh's wedding to Will in New Orleans. Calleigh had sent it to him a few weeks after the wedding. It was a candid shot of the two of them dancing at the reception. She looked radiant in her wedding dress and he was even smiling. Of course, how could he not be ? She had sent a note with the picture. "Here is photographic evidence, Horatio, that you have a very handsome smile. I already miss it. Love, Calleigh."
God, he missed her. He missed her sunshine after a long and hectic day and looking at the picture was never enough.
Their relationship had always been a complicated one, to say that least. They had an immediate rapport when Horatio had first hired Calleigh, the bullet girl, more than five years ago. She was at his side on most cases during the first couple of years but as her expertise and value to the team grew so did her responsibilities to help acclimate new team members, so before she left they had worked less together. Her southern charm was always a joy to him. When they had worked more closely together she had always found a way to jab at his tough exterior with her flirting and innuendo even though there was nothing more than friendship and professional respect between them.
Or was there ?
Horatio knew there had been times when he felt more, when he had wanted to feel more. And there were times when he thought she might have entertained similar notions. But, their professionalism always won out. They had both had outside relationships through the years and had never crossed the boundaries they had unconsciously set during that time.
Still, it had been difficult seeing her with Will day after day. He could see the path of their relationship as it developed and he knew this one was different. There was something about their history that had made the relationship more comfortable than any other he had seen her in. Will knew the demands of her job, because his had many of the same demands, yet their jobs were different enough.
The day Calleigh had come to Horatio with the news of her engagement might have been the last time he had a chance to make a step past the boundaries they had so meticulously built, but he hadn't been able to do it.
- - 12 months earlier - -
'Horatio, you got a minute."
He looked up from the evidence he was processing in trace.
"Always for you. What's up ?"
Calleigh smiled.
"Thanks. Listen. I need to talk to you about something."
Horatio could tell she was struggling, so he took off his protective glasses and walked around the table to her.
"What is it Calleigh ?"
She looked up at him and smiled.
"Will and I, we're getting married."
A million emotions washed over Horatio but he kept them all in check except for the smile that he reserved for his friend, maybe one of his best friends.
"That's wonderful Calleigh, congratulations."
"Thank you, thank you……."
Her news wasn't over. He dreaded what was surely to come next.
"Calleigh…talk to me."
She looked up at him, her eyes brimming with tears.
"We're getting married in New Orleans, probably in about six months and then Will will return permanently to his position there."
Horatio could not hide his emotions as well this time but managed to get past them as quickly as possible.
"So, you'll be moving to New Orleans ?"
"Yes."
What could he say ? Don't do it. After five years, I want the chance to love you. No, he couldn't say anything like that.
"We'll miss you."
Calleigh nodded, and wiped away the moisture on the verge of dropping from her eyes. She took a deep breath and recovered her composure.
"I'll miss you……all of you … … too."
- -
Now, six months after the wedding, he still missed her. Every day. He ran his fingers over her smile in the picture, when he heard a knock on his door. He looked up and saw Eric standing there with a file in hand. He sat the picture back on his desk and motioned for him to come in.
"Eric."
"H, here is the final tox report on our Jane Doe, I thought you'd like to see it before you left."
He handed Horatio the file and stood there while Horatio read through the results. He noticed the picture that Horatio had set back in its place before he had walked in. It was the one of H and Calleigh at her wedding. H wasn't one to have photos on his desk, in fact, there were only three. One of the team from a Christmas party several years ago when Speed had still been alive, one of Horatio and Marisol from their wedding day and the one of Horatio dancing with Calleigh on her wedding day.
Eric looked back to Horatio and noticed that while he was looking toward the report, he was no longer looking at it.
"So, I think we need to take another look at the trace and see if we can get something more from her clothes, what do you think ?"
Horatio said nothing.
"H? H?"
Horatio startled and looked up.
"I'm sorry, Eric, what did you say ?"
Eric smiled.
"I miss her too."
He glanced at the picture of Calleigh and then back to Horatio. Horatio smiled slightly.
"Yes, today was a rough day, I could have used her smile today. Now, what did you say before that ?"
Eric was surprised at the unedited remark but did not say anything more about Calleigh.
"I was saying, on the Jane Doe, I think we need to take another look at the trace and see if we can get something more from her clothes."
"I think that is an excellent idea. I want to get this girl identified and back to her family as soon as possible."
"Okay, see you in the morning, H."
"Goodnight, Eric."
Horatio finished up his paperwork and headed out to the car. On his way out of the building, his cell rang.
"Caine."
"Lieutenant Caine, this is Duke, Kendall Duquesne."
Horatio stopped just next to his car.
"Mr. Duquesne, how can I help you ?"
"Lieutenant Caine, I know you are a man that deals in facts so I am going to get right to the point."
Horatio did not like how this call was sounding. There was a tone in Calleigh's father's voice, a sober tone, almost too sober.
"I appreciate that, sir."
"It's Calleigh, Lieutenant Caine. She and Will were in a car accident on their way back into New Orleans tonight. It was quite serious. Will was killed and Calleigh is in the hospital with multiple injuries, she has not regained consciousness since they brought her in. I know you two were close and I wanted to tell you right away."
The life-blood drained from Horatio. But, his serious and professional demeanor took over.
"Thank you for calling me, Mr. Duquesne. What hospital is Calleigh at ?"
"New Orleans Medical Center, ICU."
"Mr. Duquesne, I want you to sit tight. I have some arrangements to make here and I will be there as soon as possible. She's going to be okay, sir."
"I hope so Lieutenant, right now it is not looking good."
"You hang in there, sir."
"Okay, see you as soon as you get here."
Horatio hung up his phone and leaned onto his car. He would not lose her again.
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