Little Horatio: First of all, I apologize for not being able to post anything as of late. I know that you've been waiting on updates in my current stories, and for that, I am deeply sorry.

Though I have not been able to even get an inch—trust me when I say this--near a keyboard, I have been busy writing the old fashion way, with a ball-point pen and a notebook. And "A Beautiful Mess" is one of the stories I have written several months ago, but only posted just now.

Soon, there will be updates in all of my on-going fics, I can assure you. And I even have sequels—can't tell you on what fic though.

Anyway, just enjoy yourselves, okay? I'll do my job properly this time. I don't want to disappoint any of you again with my failure to post. So, please, be lenient.

And, by the way, thanks for those who read my work and a special thank-you to those who left comments. They helped in ways innumerable.

Okay, then. On with the show.

Chapter 2

Getting tired from burying his face from all the paper work, Lieutenant Horatio Caine got up from his seat, and decided to stretch his legs. He walked around in his office, taking a glance at the clock on the wall. In less than half an hour, the clock would strike four. Not that it mattered, really.

Unaware of it, he ended up standing next to one of the glass walls in his office, the one that gave him a full view of the trace lab. He looked down.

His jaw tensed.

Calleigh Duquesne was bent over a microscope, examining evidence; her shining blonde hair falling to one side. She then straightened up and took the pen from the breast pocket of her lab coat, and started scribbling down notes.

Her hand, Horatio observed, moved swiftly, fluidly, delicately.

He smiled.

Of course. It wasn't really surprising. She was his ballistics expert. She was excellent when it came to her hands, her precision. She was also impeccably smart, kind-hearted, cheerful, energetic, resilient.

And she was beautiful.

He sighed.

And as if Calleigh had heard him, she looked up from where she was, and saw her boss. Her green eyes beamed in delight and she gave him a bombshell smile.

Horatio blushed mildly at his getting caught. And was about to return the greeting when, suddenly, something wound roughly around his neck, startling him.

"Hey," IAB Agent Rick Stetler greeted gladly, his arm still around the man's neck.

"R-Rick!"

"Hunh. That's odd," he said curiously, his smile already gone. "You sound surprised," he added, knowing all too well that Horatio was a very hard man to surprise.

"Get off," Horatio growled.

Rick ignored him. "What were you doing anyway? You didn't even hear me come in.

"Oh," he said once he had looked down from their spot. He saw Calleigh laughing. When she caught his watch, she waved pleasantly at his presence. He waved back. She shook her head, still giggling, and went back to work.

Horatio gave him a piercing stare. "Do you mind?" he said, indicating his intruder's arm.

"Depends," Rick replied, unaffected by the look the redhead was giving him. He was too used to it to get bothered. "When will you stop making that face?"

"What face?" asked the lieutenant in annoyance.

"That one," he pointed at the glass wall. Horatio followed. It was his reflection.

"It's really irritating," Rick added in a laid-back voice.

"Well, I'm really sorry, Rick; but I can't really do anything about that, now, can I?" Horatio shot back. It was strange, but, Rick was the only person he could talk to like this without ever worrying about anything. The rest were another story.

"Why not?"

"Well, because I was born with this face, for one thing..."

Rick gave him a blank look. "You know what I mean, Red."

Horatio looked away. "No, I don't."

The brunette sighed and let go of his friend. "Whatever you say." He inserted his hands in his front pockets and looked down again.

Silence fell as they watched Calleigh work in the lab. A minute passed and she was now with the company of one Eric Delko, the department's official diver. He kissed her lightly on the cheek, arms around her waist.

"How long has it been?" Rick said in a serious tone, his eyes still on the two. He knew for a fact that they're both exceptional CSIs. And that they're also together.

"Seven months, twenty-two days..." he answered softly.

Rick saw him drop his gaze, his head hanging limply from his shoulders.

"You haven't gotten over her, have you?"

Looking down at his hands, he slowly shakes his head.

"No..."

"Do you love her?" the Cuban asked calmly, but his face was stern, his eyes burning.

"Horatio, do you love Calleigh?"

Horatio looked at him with soft eyes of sky blue. They were alone at the roof of the building, the place where they agreed to meet, to discuss their conflict. He saw that the younger man was serious, that he was willing to do anything at the moment, if need be.

He was willing to fight.

Eric waited for an answer he was dying to hear ever since he realized; realized how the redhead looked at Calleigh, how he talked to her, how he treated her, how he cared for her, how he touched her. It was the same with him. Everything. It was the same.

They both loved the same woman.

They were both in a predicament. It almost crushed him, to think that the other was his boss, his friend. He wasn't entirely sure, but he wasn't going to give up either way. Even if Horatio was his competition, he was willing to fight. For the woman he loved. The Calleigh he cherished above all else.

They locked eyes, light blue and dark brown.

"Yes. I love her," Horatio finally answered, his fingers fiddling the arms of his sunglasses. He saw the younger stiffen at the confirmation. He already made a decision. He was going to do the right thing.

He took a step forward, standing sideways now, his eyes never leaving his younger colleague.

"I love her as a friend, Eric."

With those words, the redhead watched as Eric stared at him wide-eyed. He places a reassuring hand on the other's shoulder, feeling how tense he was.

"I love her as a friend, Eric, so there's nothing to get all worked up about," Horatio said steadily, his eyes soft, his head tilted to one side, his lips curved into a small smile. "Okay?"

It was at that moment that the young CSI was able to breathe. He abruptly let his gaze fall, turning his head, so as not to look into those deep, understanding blue eyes. He felt ashamed.

"I...I'm sorry," Eric croaked apologetically. "I just thought...you...and her..."

"It's okay, Eric." He didn't want to see him like this. "It's okay."

"I love her, you know."

"I know..." That's why I'll give her up, Horatio thought painfully. "And I also know that you'll take care of her...protect her."

"With my life."

Horatio swallowed the lump in his throat. It's for the best, he convinced himself internally.

He forced a smile.

"That's what I needed to hear..."

"And, yet, you let her go," Rick commented, turning away from the scene below. He went to lean on his friend's desk, crossing his arms on his chest. "Without a fight, I should add."

Horatio looked back; the pain in his eyes said it all.

"You love her," Rick told him, as if the redhead didn't know. "You could have given her everything."

"Love is not based upon of what one gives," Horatio stated, turning away. He looked back at the scene below, his hand slightly trembling. "But of what one gives up."

"You love her..." muttered Rick, repeating himself, "...yet you gave her up."

"I had to."

"I know, I know," Rick answered back with a scowl as he scratched the back of his head, giving up. "For Delko."

"I want him to be happy," Horatio simply answered.

Rick knew what the other meant. Horatio felt so guilty about Marisol's death. The Mala Noche Gang thought Marisol Delko was his wife, when, in fact, they were just close friends. He couldn't forget the pain on Eric's face when he found out that his sister was murdered, the redhead confessed to him on that day.

He sighed, feeling sorry for his friend. He had gone through too much death. And he didn't want to know how he was coping, even though he already had an idea.

"He needs it," the redhead added. "After what happened to him...he deserves to be happy."

Rick bit his lip, eyeing his friend carefully. "How about you?" he asked. "Don't you deserve to be happy?"

"A man like me?" he said questioningly. He just chuckled as if what he said was funny. When he stopped, he said in an unfathomable tone, "I'd rather not answer that question."

The brunette shrugged, then went back to his place, beside the redhead. He looked down again. Eric and Calleigh were laughing.

"Looks like they're both happy," commented Rick. He turned to his friend.

Horatio gave him a weary smile. "Don't worry about me."

Rick remained silent. I'll try, he thought.

"Besides," Horatio said, finally leaving his place and settling on the office sofa, suddenly feeling exhausted, "they're perfect for each other."

"Seems so," mumbled Rick. Without leaving his eyes on the two, he asked, "I know I'm being monotonous, but...Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes, sir," the redhead replied to his friend, his face unfathomable.

Rick was about to nod in understanding when Horatio added, "Though, I would feel a little better after a hot cup of coffee."

The brunette was about to say that there was still some in the break room but instead gave the other a look and said, "My treat, huh?"

He knew very well that this was one of Horatio's ways of coping; forcing himself to just forget about what he can never have, always diverting or changing the subject...to get away.

Horatio chuckled, leaning forward, his elbows now on his knees. "Ah, Rick, you spoil me too much."

The IAB Agent rolled his eyes. "Hunh, tell me about it." He turned to the door. Hand already around the knob, when he remembered, "Don't you still have paper work to finish?"

"It can wait," the lieutenant answered, getting up from the uncomfortable sofa. He was getting tired of pushing paper anyway.

Rick shrugged and went out the door.

Meanwhile, Horatio took one last look at the couple, looking so happy with each other. Good for them, he thought, and followed his friend out.

~~~~CSI: MIAMI~~~~

"Hey," Rick called Horatio's attention. They were already out the parking lot. "Next time, it's your turn, right?"

"If you say so."

"Good, because there's this new place I've been thinking of trying out. Said they had the best coffee in the state."

"Why don't we go there right now?" suggested Horatio.

"Hah!" exclaimed Rick. "Not when I'm buying."

At that comment, Horatio laughed, making Rick chuckle. It had been a long time since he heard his friend express amusement like that, and it made him calm inside.

It was good to see Horatio at ease for a change.

"Thanks," the redhead said once his short laughter ended. He smiled.

Rick smiled back in return. "No prob. That's what friends are for, right?"

"Yeah," Horatio said in a low voice, and slyly added, "and free coffee."

"What?"

"Nothing."

Rick raised an eyebrow before getting in the driver's seat.

Horatio chuckled and followed suit.

Watching them leave the parking lot from afar, CSI Ryan Wolfe stood looking from the window in the break room, mug in hand.

"Weird," he said, loud enough for the others to hear.

"What is?" Calleigh looked up from the sofa.

"H leaving at this time of day--" he said, stopping abruptly to gulp down the rest of his coffee.

"Leave the man alone," Calleigh told him in a teasing tone. "He deserves to leave early to have at least a little time off."

"Yeah, but...with Stetler?" Ryan said in a quizzical tone, turning to her.

"Why not?" she said. "I mean, they are friends," she added, feeling like she was stating the rather obvious.

His eyes widened. "They are?"

At that, the bullet girl laughed. "What? Didn't you know?" She shook her head, not believing what she was hearing. "You've been here for a long time, Ryan. You're a CSI. Use your noggin'," she scolded delightfully. "How could you not know?"

"No, the question is, 'How COULD I have known?'" he restated indignantly. "I mean, I've seen the two bicker non-stop ever since I landed a job in this place. And there were a lot of occasions when they're more or less at each other's throats."

"Yeah, but everybody in this building knows they're friends," Calleigh said to him, emphasizing. "And, I mean, EVERYBODY."

"Everybody?"

"Yup."

"Aw, dammit," Ryan muttered, slumping at the other side of the sofa. "I'm the only one out of the loop again."

"Cheer up, Ry; it's not your fault." Ryan gave her a glare. "Oh, okay, it is your fault," she caved, eventually shrugging the whole thing off.

"Anyway, from what I heard, Horatio and Stetler have been friends since they were kids."

Ryan looked at her, eyebrows raised, looking as cynical as ever. "You heard this piece of information from somewhere."

"Yup."

"You do know that it's not even credible, right?"

Calleigh shrugged. "Not sure. All I can say is, most of the gossip swirlin' around here end up bein' true, so, there's a possibility...that they're not only friends... " She beamed. "They're BEST friend."

The young Wolfe gave her a look. "You're enjoying yourself, aren't you?"

She smiled. "Kinda."

Ryan heaved a sigh, thoughts flowing in his mind, making him so preoccupied that he didn't even noticed Calleigh watching him with an amused expression on her face. He looked funny, she thought.

"What's with the face, Ry?" she finally asked.

"No idea," said a voice, making Calleigh turn. "Got stuck would be my guess."

Ryan turned and scowled. "Delko."

"Just kidding, Wolfe," Eric grinned, before sitting next to his girlfriend who giggled. "You were saying?"

The young CSI took a moment before saying, "It's just that...I still can't believe that Stetler and H are friends—let alone BEST friends!" Ryan looked like he was saying something outrageous. "I mean, they're complete opposites!"

"Well, you know what they say, Ry..." said Calleigh, glancing at Eric and placing her hand on his, "...opposites attract."

Eric looked at her and held her hand tighter as he gave Calleigh a grateful and endearing smile. He never felt happier...

...Which all the more made Ryan want to roll his eyes at the two.

He put a lot of effort on preventing himself from smiling.

The two were meant for each other.

................................................................................................................

Little Horatio: See? I told you Rick and H are good friends. Why can't people see that, I wonder.

And Ryan, stop pretending that you're not happy for the both of them.

Anyway, thank you for reading, and I hope you liked it.

Send word if you want to voice out something; errors or whatever you can come up with.

Thanks for reading.