Comfort

She was awakened by the sound of the front door opening, then closing seconds later. She turned on the bedside lamp and gazed at the watch lying on the nightstand. Its hands showed 10:55 p.m. She sighed. He had worked late again.

He had been coming home long after she fell asleep throughout the week. He did not tell her much about the case he was working on, other that the victim was a six-year-old boy. That was explanation enough; she knew how much crimes involving children disturbed him and how driven he was to find the people responsible to justice.

But she was not prepared for who stepped into her bedroom. He was nothing like the man she had been with for the past two months. He looked pale, drawn and absolutely defeated.

"Horatio," she said.

He gazed at her for the first time. His blue eyes held a haunted look and were slightly red-rimmed.

"Have you been crying?" she asked.

He sighed heavily. "I want to," he murmured. "It's horrible... Just so awful."

"The case?"

"Yes. I arrested the boy's stepfather today."

"His stepfather killed him?"

"And he had been molesting him for the past six months. He killed the boy because he threatened to tell his mother about the abuse." He sighed again. "You should have seen him. He confessed, but there was absolutely no remorse. He took a child's life and didn't even care."

Her heart seized at the anguish he was so clearly feeling. She held out her arms. "Come to me, Horatio."

He walked to the bed and simply collapsed. She pulled his upper body into a firm embrace in an attempt to offer him some comfort.

"It's all right," she whispered. "It's going to be okay, sweetheart."

"Just hold me." His voice was ragged with emotion. "Hold me and don't let go. Please, please, just hold me," he begged.

Tears sprung to her eyes. She struggled to keep herself in control; her crying would do nothing to help soothe his agony. "I will, baby," she whispered. "As long as it takes. I'm here for you and I'm not going anywhere."

It did not take long; his breathing soon slowed and grew shallow. Loosening her grip on him slightly, she glanced down at his face. His eyes were closed and his pained expression had relaxed somewhat.

Taking great care not to wake him, she adjusted him so that his body was stretched out on the bed. He was still fully dressed, badge and all. She did not bother to remove his clothes since he was already asleep.

She turned off the light and settled down beside him. Hopefully he would be able to sleep through the night and get some much-needed rest, but she knew it was not likely. He often had nightmares about traumatizing cases such as this one.

Leaning over, she kissed the top of his head and whispered, "It's going to be okay, Horatio."