Marisol's death had affected him greatly, just as Speed's death had before her and Yelina's leaving had prior to him, but how would it affect him to lose someone he really allowed himself to get close to? His first wife had left him because of his inability to share emotion with her and his tendency to put all of his energy into his cases. He had lost Speedle because he hadn't kept a closer eye on the maintenance of his gun. Yelina had never been his, always his brother's...his brother's wife, his brother's widow, and then his brother's wife again, so it had been easy to invest his emotions in her. She was unattainable and therefore difficult to get close to. Marisol had needed someone, someone to take care of her and tell her that her dreams could still come true. When she had spoken of marriage and having children, he had stepped up for her, knowing she saw him more as a father figure and would allow him to keep his distance. Losing her had ignited a fire in him, allowing him to see the people he could truly love and how far he kept them from himself.
He entered the room softly, allowing her to stay lost in her gunfire. When her cartridge was empty, he gently slid his hands from her shoulders down her arms and catching her wrists in one fluid movement. He felt her instant tension, knowing the ear protectors had silenced her to his presence, but she relaxed almost instantaneously, breathing his name.
He chuckled, and the sound vibrated thru her body. Only Calleigh would know it was him that quickly when he had been out of the country indefinitely only the day before. She placed the gun down and moved to pull off her ear muffs, facing him as she did so.
"Welcome back, handsome," her blue-green eyes sparkled softly and he, in turn, graced her with a small smile, tilting his head closer to her as his eyes crinkled at the corners.
"It's good to see you, Calleigh."
"Better to see that I haven't driven the lab into the ground," she teased.
"Hmm, that ma'am, is a fear that never crossed my mind."
All teasing gone, she laid her hand on his arm. "Did you find what you were looking for in Rio?" With one simple question, she had cut straight to the heart of the situation.
"I didn't find what I thought I was looking for...more what I needed to find." She knew now was the time she should turn the conversation for him, but she found all she could do was drink him in. His mere presence had calmed her nerves and she wished she could tell him. She, however, kept her personal thoughts to herself, as always, just as he did. "What did I catch you in the middle of?"
She turned purposefully, her blonde hair brushing across his chest. "Just testing firearms." Her hands quickly grabbed the gun, pulling it out of sight. His hand, however, stilled her deftly.
"Wrong. That's your gun." Calleigh looked up at him, her breath caught in her chest. His face was tantalizingly close and his own breath warmed her nose. The sensation almost overwhelmed her until she realized he had never called her out on a lie before and astonishment swept over her instead.
His head bent down and his lips almost brushed her ear. "Not anymore, Calleigh. We can't let each other hide anymore. We have to let other people in. Let's start with each other."
The sincerity in his eyes warmed her heart and she hesitantly set forth her truth. "I was...frustrated. My dad is...my dad and I miss my partner, my friend."
Horatio felt the plea in her voice and it hurt him. "We'll work on that," he said, softly. "Marisol..." he cleared his throat. "Marisol's death hurt me, but it made me see the people I'm holding at a distance. I don't want to be that man anymore, okay? I need you to help me with this."
Calleigh nodded, but what made him happier was the smile on her face that lit up the room. "I'm glad you're back."