Author's Note: Here's a Christmas one-shot for my current story. I hope you like it and to all readers celebrating it, Merry Christmas to you :)

Timeline: Takes place somewhere slightly after the upcoming 5th chapter of Perils of Life.

Horatio Caine and the rest of his team waited in the break room for one particular person. They were going to pick a name each for the secret Santa. They were supposed to meet 10 minutes ago but Caitlyn was still not there yet. She wasn't answering any of their calls or returning them. A week ago, they agreed on doing the secret Santa and decided to include Caitlyn in it as well since she had been helping and being involved with their investigation and she had become a part of them.

Pressing on her engine, Caitlyn tried as much as she could to reach at the lab on time for the name picking but here she was, still stuck in traffic. Due to unforeseen circumstances, she had to drag her appointment longer and had to be late for the meeting with the CSIs. She heard her phone ring a few times but she couldn't answer it because she had forgotten her hands-free device and as soon as she reached the vicinity of the Miami-Dade Police Building, she parked her car and rushed in. Still panting slightly, she entered the break room with all eyes on her. She smiled sheepishly to her now-called friends.

"I'm so sorry I'm late. I had a patient earlier and I couldn't leave on time."

"It's okay Caitlyn. Here's your coffee. Double shot." Horatio tilted his head slightly and smiled as he handed the cup over to her. She smiled back appreciatively as she took it from him. Horatio had ordered coffee for the team as his treat.

"Alright, let's get started. Who's going first?" Calleigh spoke in a cheerful tone as she shook the container containing their names on pieces of paper. Everyone turned their attention towards their lieutenant. "Horatio! You first!"

Horatio picked his piece of paper then stepped away. Eric was next, then Natalia and then the rest followed until the container was empty and everyone has gotten the names of their recipients. Everyone quickly took a peek of the names on their own piece of paper then left shoved each of it inside their pockets.

"We'll meet here again on Christmas eve to exchange our gifts. Make sure you don't reveal your identities until that day. The budget, as agreed is $20. All the best and have fun finding the gifts!"

Caitlyn stood outside the elevator, staring at the piece of paper in her hands. What was she supposed to get for him. She didn't know him that much. She rarely hung out with him much and she got his name. Getting any of the girls would be much easier than getting him.

"I wonder what I should get for an old man like him."

Horatio stopped dead at his tracks when he heard her voice distinctly. Old man like him. He turned and looked Caitlyn, waiting for the elevator. He saw her holding onto the piece of paper and folding it back into position then stuffing it inside her bag. An old man. She had gotten his name and he had hers. Disappointed and disheartened, Horatio walked back towards his office. His excitement of getting her name suddenly disappeared and he didn't feel like celebrating Christmas anymore.

Lieutenant Caine stood outside the shop, staring at the display, with a lot of thoughts running through his mind. He stared at the diamond chandelier necklace. It could be a perfect gift for her. It would. He walked into the shop and his eyes roamed around, looking for something.

"Finding a Christmas gift for someone special sir?" Horatio smiled silently.

"I'm looking for a gift for a friend."

"Anything you have in mind sir? I saw you looking at the display. The diamond chandelier necklace?" Horatio pondered. His eyes still looking for something that could grab his attention but his heart was decided. He nodded. "That's a perfect choice sir. I'll have it wrapped. Do you want a note with it?"

"No thanks. That will do." Horatio paid for the gift and placed it safely inside his jacket. Perfect Christmas gift. Now he didn't have to think about it anymore. He was just going to hand the gift to Caitlyn and hope she would like it.

The day finally arrived and the team was excited. Everyone had their gifts wrapped and placed inside the break room separately when no one was watching. One by one, gifts piled up on the table in the break room. Then the time came when they finally logged out and gathered inside the break room. Horatio looked around and there was no Caitlyn. They waited for a while more but she didn't appear. Horatio sighed internally. His phone rang. Caitlyn.

"Caitlyn will be late. She told us to open our gifts first."

"Alright! But we'll still wait for her to reveal our secret Santas. In the meantime, let's have some food." Calleigh suggested as she opened the tray of food that she ordered for the mini-Christmas eve party. Caitlyn arrived a short while after the phone call.

"Again, I'm so sorry. I got stuck in traffic and it was really bad. I really apologize for my tardiness." She looked over at the table and there was one gift left. "And that's mine!" She exclaimed in excitement. She picked it up in a speed of lightning and unwrapped it. She stared into the piece of shining beauty in awe. She closed back the box. A piece of jewelry that gorgeous could only come from one person. She turned to find him but he was nowhere in sight.

"Eric, go get Horatio in. We're starting the guessing game soon."

Horatio Caine stared at his gift in his hands. Bass Pro Shop. No doubt he loved the gift card. He could get himself a fishing kit or even gun accessories. An old man. This was indeed a gift for an old man. Nonetheless, he really liked the idea behind a gift card. He could get anything he wanted. He's been meaning to get a new gun cleaning kit anyway and the gift card was perfect.

"Hey H, we're starting the guessing game soon. Come on in."

Everyone sat around the table with their gifts in their hands. They all had their gifts unwrapped and placed on the table. Ryan, excited with his remote controlled helicopter, wanted to start the ball rolling. With smile on his face, and his behavior like a little boy, he turned to Eric.

"I'd have to go with Eric with this. I told him I loved playing with it when I was younger." Eric chuckled aloud and revealed himself. Eric was next. Holding the cologne in his hand, he guessed Calleigh.

"Nope. I'm not your secret Santa, Eric." Eric groaned in defeat.

"It was me, Eric."

"Awww. Thank you Nat." Natalia was next in line.

"Gift card for a day at the spa? Hmm…I doubt Ryan would know what to get." Ryan jeered loudly yet laughed it off and gave a peck on his fiancée's cheek. "Would any men even get a gift card for a spa treatment?" Horatio smiled. "Wait. Horatio might. Are you my secret Santa?"

"It wasn't me." He answered politely.

Caitlyn glanced over at him and gave him a knowing smile which he only responded with a nod. Something was off, she thought but brushed it off and let it go when Frank's gruff voice echoed the room.

"It was me. Why can't a man pick such gifts? Nat, you're a sexist." Frank revealed himself to Natalia. He was next to guess his gift. "Seriously, how would I know who to guess. There's a lot of women here. How am I supposed to know which of you gave me a shaver." The room echoed with laughter.

"Come on Frank. Just guess it." Calleigh said.

"Caitlyn, were you the one? Ya trying to tell me to shave eh?" The rest of them laughed again at Frank's antiques. "Watch out you. What's wrong with my moustache."

"Everything. You look like Luigi!" Eric interrupted. The whole room broke out in fits of laughter with that comment.

Horatio looked over at Caitlyn. Her eyes wrinkled at the corners and her nose scrunched up when she laughed. Her hair flipped to the front and she was shaking from her laughing. It wasn't her who gave him the gift card. She wasn't his secret Santa. He wasn't the old man she was talking about. It was Frank. He smiled to himself for being a fool.

Now it was Caitlyn's turn to guess who her secret Santa was and she knew exactly who it was. As she calmed down from her laughter, she gave him a look telling him she knew it was him.

"I know it was you Horatio. And thank you for this amazing gift. I really love it." The corner of his lips tugged upwards and his eyes sparked. He tilted his head slightly and nodded with a smile. She responded with a smile of her own.

"Horatio your turn now!" Calleigh interjected, trying to break the silence between them. They could continue later.

"I'd have to go with uhm…" He took a deep breath and looked over at each of the remaining people. "This is a tough one but I'll go with Alexx." Alexx was trying to avoid eye contact with him and he just knew it was her. Alexx smiled and nodded. "Thank you Alexx."

"Alexx?"

"I kinda know who gave me these." Alexx held up the bathroom set as she replied while looking at Calleigh. She started giggling.

"Aww then it was you who gave me the scarf. It's gorgeous Ryan."

"Yeah I know. Nat helped me with it." Ryan smirked.

Caitlyn sat on the couch by the window as she enjoyed her hot tea. Horatio watched her from the other end of the room as he sipped his coffee. He watched as she scrunched the bridge of her nose while she sipped her tea slowly. There was still a smile on her face. The rest of the team was just enjoying the food and each other's company. He approached the blonde across him.

"I hope you liked the gift." Horatio took a seat beside her.

"I loved it. It's beautiful. You know you shouldn't have bought me the necklace. The budget was set at $20 and we all agreed. I don't know how to accept it."

"Just accept it. It's alright." She nodded.

"Then you have to accept mine."

"But…"

"No buts. You have to accept mine." She dug into her bag and handed him a box. "And Horatio, you're not an old man." She added and his eyes widened. "As much as your footsteps are cat-like, my ears are sharp. And if you thought I called you an old man, I didn't." She smiled cheekily.

"Caitlyn, I cannot accept this. This is…"

"It was a deal. I accept yours, and you accept mine."

"But this is a Rolex watch."

"And this is a diamond necklace." She challenged him. He lost. He had nothing to rebut her with.

"Alright then."

"Anyway, I need to go and have dinner with my friends. I'll see you soon yeah?" She smiled with so much tenderness in her eyes.

"I'll walk you out."

While waiting for the next elevator, Caitlyn glanced over at Horatio through the corner of her eyes. His eyes were focused on the elevator's floor indicator. His fingers were fiddling with his sunglasses nervously. He was fidgeting silently. She looked above her head. A mistletoe. Well she knew it was there. Ryan and Natalia were just kissing under it earlier on and she saw the look on Horatio's face. Although he was smiling, she could see that he was a little upset.

"You know, they say it's a tradition to kiss under a mistletoe." She broke the silence lurking between them. Horatio turned just slightly; enough to look at her through the corner of his eyes. He smiled but said nothing. "Come on. Just a peck. It won't kill you. I promise."

Horatio smiled again yet he still said nothing. He turned to face her and she took a step closer towards him. He leaned forward and slightly tilted his head to his right, targeting for her cheek but she turned instead, giving him a peck his lips. His lips touched hers; as gentle as it could ever be. He froze. His brain stopped functioning yet his heart continued beating fast. He pressed his lips against hers and he brought his hand up to cup the side of her face, gently. His fingers combed through her hair as he caressed the back of her neck and brought her closer to him.

Eyes closed, Caitlyn allowed her senses to take over and felt his soft, warm lips on hers. Gentle and tender. That he was. His fingers were assertive yet his touches were delicate on her skin. Her hands brought up to his chest to brace herself against him. Her head tilted slightly, she allowed herself closer into him. She parted her lips just slightly; just enough for him to tug her lips gently with his. Then a loud, high-pitched ding killed their moment. The elevator arrived. Slowly, they parted themselves.

Caitlyn gulped as she stared into his electric blue eyes. Her eyes shifty and she kept blinking. She licked her lips yet still staring into his eyes.

"That was a great way to end the night. I'll see you." She nervously broke the silence and entered the elevator; never stopped staring at the lieutenant until the door closed. Still in shock, Horatio was grounded to the floor, just staring at the steel door.

She kissed him. Under a mistletoe. He smiled to himself.

Thoughts? Review it! ;)