Looks like I'm on the road to finishing my stories this week before I travel to Florida. BUT! I will another coming out. So look out for it. It's something different, like this story. So enjoy the remaining portion of After.

Chapter 15: Aftermath, Part 2

Mitch Williams, the victim's brother, sat in a holding cell. His head was down when Horatio seated beside him.

"The officer told me that you wanted to speak with me," the boss stared at him.

"I remember..." Mitch paused, although he calmed down, he was still unsettled.

"Yes, Mitch I know you could," he encouraged, "go on, tell me."

"My brother, h-he had a girlfriend."

"What's her name?"

"Um, um," he began to stutter, "it's Maria Hernandez."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I am sure," he insisted facing him with water in his eyes. Before leaving, Horatio pat him on the back, "Hang in there, buddy."

******************

While pacing the halls Horatio waited for patrol to pick up the girl firend. Not long after, he came upon two people in a room: Jake was talking with Calleigh in the same room Eric was in before. This got his full attention, so he stopped walking and stalked them. He watched them even though he couldn't hear.

Jake was leaned over the table beside her. His hand rested on her back and he'd rub it from time to time. H.'s view of Calleigh face was obstructed by Jake's body most of the time.

"Baby, why are you crying?" he asked rubbing her back once more. Sadly she sobbed harder. He couldn't help but think it was his fault she was acting like that. "Shhh, calm down." Slowly she did and raised her head to look at him. Herface was red and she revealed, "I can't understand."

"Understand what?"

"What happened in the past few days. And the, various procedures - some I can't remember. Something's wrong."

"Nothing's wrong, babe, concussions will do that to ya."

"But, what if it wiped away my memory, Jake? I would have to learn it all over again." She stared down again and her breathing got heavy.

"Don't worry," he pressed a kiss to her temple, "you'll be fine." The finally he noticed Horatio and excused himself.

"Why is she here?" the boss queried in a concerned tone.

"Don't blame me, she forced me to bring her here," he replied surprized. Horatio still gave him his petrifing look. "She's kill me if I didn't!" Finally he softened his stare.

"She's miserable, and probably still in too much pain to think. You should have thought carefully."

"Okay, you're the only one she'll listen to," Jake gave up arguing. They both looked back at her: head on the table most like to be bawling.

He approached her slowly.

"Calleigh - Calleigh?" Gently he rubbed her arm until she responded.

"Horatio!" she gasped with her small tone. Water streamed down her eyes as she saw him.

"Sweetheart, I need you to go home, and rest. You should also take tomorrow off, too." She couldn't argue or say anything else, so she accepted. "Come on," he took her by the hand and walked her outside. From there, she grasped Jake's arms with both her hands and rested her head against it. Horatio watched as though he were suspicious of him.

*******************

Panting and gasps were heard around the halls followed by him, who was rushing pass. Natalia was reading through a file and suddenly felt a gust of wind. She quickly looked around to see what it was but shrugged when she saw no one. It was no other than Jake. Horatio had warned him about being late when he had to take Calleigh home and come back in forty minutes. It was to teach him a lesson for not thinking carefully. Let's hope he doesn't screw this up...

Finally his shoes screeched to a stop in front of interrogation. In relief he rested his hands on his knees. But back on his tail was Horatio, who cleared his throat, pointed at his watch and then to the room.

"Miss Hernandez," Eric heard the say as he entered the room. He went up to the table beside the C.S.I. "When were you last at Mike Williams house?" he continued.

"Last week," the black haired woman replied. She was seated on the opposite side of the table wearing a crimson dress.

"So you weren't there more recently, maybe like last night?" Jake asked cocking an eyebrow.

"No, I wasn't." Eric opened the file in his hands and showed her the picture.

"This is the knife that was used to kill Mike last night," he said, "the fingerprints on it are yours."

"They could've been from last week, when I was helping him in the kitchen."

"No," Jake urged leaning over the table, "this long after? See, I would have believed you if the print hadn't Mike's blood on it." Eric gave her an indignant look.

"So, you were on the verge of sex then just decided to kill him?"

"No!" she exclaimed, taking a few breaths before continuing, "I-I stopped by Mike's house sometime ago. I saw him in the backyard with another guy..."

(FLASHBACK)

Two guys were rolling around in the grass. One was laughing uncontrolably. In the distance Maria observed. Soon the two were lying on their back beside each other. Mike said to the guy, "I love you."

(FLASHFORWARD)

"...then Mike was saying 'I love you' and kisses him on the cheek. And the other one talked weird -ew, it was disgusting!" She was very aggravated.

"They weren't gay," Jake explained, "he was his brother Mitch, he's handicapped. They were just, simply playing." Maria's eyes filled with water as the officer handcuffed her. Jake stood up straight running a hand through his hair. He saw Horatio nod and walk off and he sighed.

**********************

Horatio exited the building searching for Mitch. Easily he spotted him standing on the pavement near the road. He approached his gloomy figure. This man reminded him so much of Ryan, except for the light brown hair and also a few inches taller. Horatio gazed at him before asking, "You okay, Mitch?"

"No," he sniffled, "cause, Mike is gone."

"Mitch, listen - you may not feel okay now, but it will be later. You are brave, not alot of people have the courage to speak up like you did. You helped catch a killer."

"Thanks, H.," he stared at him with watery eyes.

"Good job, partner, good job."

*********************

Keys shuffled around behind the door. He entered quietly placing the bunch of keys on the counter in the kitchen.

"Calleigh?" his big dark eyes roamed the room. She wasn't where he left her; the couch was blondeless. The knocks were soft on her bedroom door, but no reply was heard. "Calleigh?" he called with his hoarse voice as he pushed open her nearly closed door.

The seven o`clock sun gleamed down on her bed. This was the Caleligh he loved to dream about, so peaceful, so gentle with anyone - so asleep. Just about to step on her carpet he remembered she allowed no shoes on her clean carpet. Quietly he removed them. At last he was in her presence, so he could caress the side of her head by stroking the hair that covered it.

"That was some entrance," she smiled not even exposing those green eyes of hers. He froze in his tracks and wondered.

"You saw me?"

"Jake, I don't have to see you to know you're there," she now stared at him. He was still stuck on stupid. She didn't mind him over and his hands cupped her face. "So - that was a very bad entrance."

"Well," Jake loosened up, "I remembered no shoes allowed so at the last moment..." She didn't look convinced. "Okay, okay..." he ran out the door.

"Wilma! Where's ma dinner?!" he gave her the Fred Flingstone look as he entered again. Calleigh smirked, but a smirk wasn't enough. "Oh, oh, wait I got another one..."

"Lucy, I'm home!" This time he was greeted by a laugh. He walsed in a gave her a kiss on the cheek

"Very good, I like the Lucy one better though," she remarked clapping. They smiled at each other for a while. He knelt beside the bed and began kissing her neck on both sides. Then down to her chest making her giggle. His hand fondled over her stomach and then her side. Soon a hand guided him away from her body and focused his attention on her.

"Jake, stop," he voice warned. Unfortunately, Calleigh's smile disappeared too quickly.

"You okay?" he questioned stroking back her hair when his palm brushed her forehead, "you feel warm."

"Yeah, I'm sweating. I've been getting these on and off headaches since this evening."

"Well have you taked something for it?"

"I can't take it more than twice and I've already taked two tablets already. The doctor said this might happen." Jake ran out instantly and got an ice pack for her head.

"I'ma leave and let you sleep, okay," he headed towards the door.

"Please stay."

"No, Cal," he disagreed, "I just came from work. I stick, because I had to rush you here, do back to C.S.I., race to interrogation before Horatio got me fired and..."

"Soap, towels and a new tooth brush are in the bathroom and a extra large T-shirt and boxers are in the bottom drawer. So no, you're not going anywhere, honey," Calleigh sharply finished the arguement.

Later the two lay wrapped in each other's arms in her bad twenty minutes later.

"I'm glad I stayed."