“Gil.”
“Jim.”
“She’s back and looking for Horatio,” Brass said. “She wants to claim him for her own regardless of who it hurts.”
Grissom’s eyebrow went up. “Didn’t you get the memo, Jim? Dragons can’t see the future,” he said.
“I’m not, Gil,” Jim said. “This is more her intent than what’s actually going to happen. But whatever she’s planning is going to hurt the community.”
“What about Eric?”
“Warrick says he knows what’s going on but is still able to focus on the job and what he’s doing,” Jim replied. “But it hurts him to think that someone he loves may be using him to hurt his friends.”
“I don’t know if we can keep her out of the lab,” Gil commented. “Or away from Horatio if it comes right down to it. I think we’re just going to have to watch her closely and hope nothing comes to a head any time soon.”
“When have we ever been that lucky?” Jim asked.
Gil sighed. “Never that I can remember,” Gil said. “I’ll think of something to keep the community safe. See you later, Jim.”
And behind them the shadows smiled.
********************
It took Gil a few minutes to find Horatio in the labs. The lieutenant was in his office with a sandy-haired young man who looked both awed and nervous at the same time. “Dr. Grissom,” Horatio said, motioning for Gil to come into the office. “This is Ryan Wolfe; he’s joining the day shift tomorrow.”
“Ryan,” Gil said. “Welcome to the lab. Horatio, I need to talk with you when you have a moment free.”
Horatio looked up and met Gil’s eyes with a frown. “What’s going on, Gil?”
“Too much,” Grissom sighed. “I’ll meet you outside.”
“Mr. Wolfe, if you’ll excuse me I need to check in with Dr. Grissom,” Horatio said. “If you want to walk out with me I can introduce you to Calleigh; she’ll be your partner for the next few days.”
When Horatio walked out of the lab he found Gil waiting for him under a tree. He looked around to make sure they were alone as he slipped on his sunglasses. “What’s wrong?”
“Jim’s talent is warning him of a danger to the community,” Gil said with a small sigh. “He says it’s focused on you.”
“On me?” Horatio asked. “Is this why you told me to keep an eye on Greg? Is something going to happen to him?”
“It’s all centered around Eric’s sister,” Gil replied. “Eric knows about it, that’s what he and Speed came to talk with me about the other night. He’s hurting because he thinks Marisol is only using him to get close enough to claim you for her own.”
“Why would she even think I was available?” Horatio asked. “I’ve only seen her in the labs and never talked with her. This just doesn’t make any sense, Gil. What’s going on?”
Gil rubbed his eyes. “I don’t know and I don’t know that we can find the answers quickly,” he said. “It’s possible that hunters are using her to get into the community and they’re going to wipe us all out for the money. Speed brought up the question if she could have found out about us some how.”
“I can make it very clear that I don’t want her around but I don’t want to hurt Eric,” Horatio said. “Gil, I was thinking about heading up to see Gibbs; maybe it would be better if I leave.”
“It might but I need you to stay here,” Gil said. “Mandy called and told me her next entomology class is tomorrow morning and she really wants me there. I can swing into DC easily enough to see Gibbs and Tony if you want. But I don’t want to leave Jim and Speed alone with all the humans to guard. Until this settles down I think we’re going to have to make it a point to have at least three of us around at all times. We have to protect our humans.”
“You’re right and if anyone tries to hurt them then we’ll deal with it,” Horatio said. “And we probably should stop talking about our community here at the lab until we’re sure of who we can trust and who we can’t.”
“That’s a good point,” Gil said. “Will you spread the word on that one? I’m going to talk with Eric and Speed before I head home to pack. You’re in charge until I get home. If Marisol tries anything…”
Horatio grinned. “I won’t do anything that hurts Eric,” he said. “But if she tries to hurt Greg then I make no promises.”
“I guess that’s all I can ask,” Gil grinned. “Be very careful, Horatio. I’m not sure how much of Jim’s talent is in play here but I’ve never seen him that worried before. It’s a little unnerving to be honest.”
“It’s still a handy talent to have around,” Horatio said. “I’ll see you when you get home, Gil. Keep in touch?”
“If I can,” Gil said. “If I can.”
********************
Horatio invited Eric and Speed over for supper and let them know he wanted to talk with them about Marisol and what she was doing in the lab. Greg begged off supper saying he was going to be on the computer working with Abby to get the new dragon web page up and running. Horatio was amused at how excited his human was at the idea of a web page community where dragons and humans from around the world would be able to come and meet without letting hunters know what was going on; or at least that’s what they hoped. Greg stood firm on the idea that most people who found their web page would think it was fantasy, maybe based off a book or a movie, and only those who knew the truth would be able to see it.
“H?”
“In the living room, Speed,” Horatio called. “I thought we’d be informal and have pizza while we were talking.”
“Where’s Greggo?” Eric asked.
“He’s online and talking with Abby,” Horatio replied. “Apparently Gibbs went home today so Abby is able to focus on her work again and they want to start a web page for us.”
Speed frowned. “Isn’t that dangerous?” he asked. “It’d make us really easy to track down.”
“I trust them to do what’s right,” Horatio said. “But if Gil and Gibbs think it’s a danger then I’m sure they’ll be pulling it down quickly. Gil’s worried about hunters again and now that he’s up in New York, I’m trying to figure out the best way to keep us all safe.”
“Have there been any indications that we’ve been found?” Eric asked. “Other than the obvious ones I mean.”
“No, but Jim’s at home with a headache brought on by his new talent,” Horatio said. “I’m worried about him because this appears to be hitting him so hard but I’m also worried about you, Eric.”
The young man sighed. “H, if there’s one thing I’ve learned from all this it’s family can’t always be trusted to do what you think they’re going to. Mari is set on getting you to take her out on a date and nothing I say will convince her it’s a bad idea.”
“Maybe I should talk with her,” Horatio said. “Because not only is she upsetting one of our members, she’s causing you pain and that’s unacceptable to me, Eric.”
“I think if you talk with her you’re only going to be fueling her desire for you, H,” Eric said. “Speed thinks that we should just leave it alone and everything will be fine.”
“But you don’t,” Horatio said.
“I know my sister and what she wants, she gets,” Eric said. “I have no problem leaving this all alone and letting you guys deal with it but she’s going to find a way to at least talk with you if not more. You need to keep your guard up.”
“That’s easy enough to do,” Horatio said. He broke off as Greg bounced into the room and handed him a cell phone. “Horatio Caine.”
“Hey H, it’s Abby; do you think we should put up an email section so other dragons can get in touch with us?” she asked. “I say no and Greggo says yes. We need someone to break the tie.”
Horatio took a deep breath and held it for a minute. “I think you should leave it out for now,” he finally said. “Once we’re sure we can’t be traced by this web page then you can add it in. Gil’s on his way north and might be stopping in to see you guys.”
“Oohh the bug-man is coming to town,” Abby said. “I’ll have to break out some of my bug questions from previous cases.”
“Don’t wear him out,” Horatio said. “That’s Nicky’s job. I have company, Abby, so I’m going to give you back to Greg. You two behave yourself.”
“Do we have to?” Abby asked. “Gibbs isn’t back at work yet so I don’t have to worry about getting smacked.”
“I think Gibbs would know if you’ve been misbehaving even if he’s not at work,” Horatio said. “Do you really want to risk it?”
“No, you’re right. Talk to you later, Horatio.”
“There’s pizza in the kitchen, Greg,” Horatio said as he handed the phone back.
Eric and Speed watched the young human bounce out of the room. “Where does he get that kind of energy from?” Speed asked.
“Don’t look at me,” Horatio said. “I honestly have no idea and I find it hard to keep up with him some times.”
“More than we needed to know, H,” Speed said. “So what do you think about the new kid?”
“I think he’s going to fit in well,” Horatio said. “He’s scared but I can’t fault him for that after the attack and the fact that we can’t prove anything. He’s going to have to always be with a partner for a while until I can gauge the response from the uniforms at the scenes.”
“Calleigh?” Eric asked with a grin.
“Yeah, I thought she’d be the least intimidating for him to work with,” Horatio said. “Can you guys keep your eyes open for me? If I have to fight another battle with IAB over Mr. Wolfe then I’d like to know exactly what’s going on.”
“Yeah, you got it, H,” Eric said.
“No problem,” Speed agreed.
Title: The Dragon Chronicles: Miami Community Tales
By: Tiffany F
Pairing: Gil/Nick, Jim/Warrick, Greg/Horatio, Danny/Mac
Rating: AO
Series: part of The Dragon Chronicles
Summary: These are the stories about the community in Miami. I don't own anything you know and am only playing around.
“How is he, doctor?” Horatio asked as he took off his sunglasses.
“The first twenty-four hours are critical,” the doctor replied. “Officer Wolfe sustained multiple blunt force injuries although only one to his head. We’ve done both MRI and CAT scans and there’s minimal swelling around the brain but I’ve decided to keep him sedated for a couple of days to give it time to go down.”
“Okay, thank you,” Horatio said. “He’s one of mine so I’d appreciate a phone call the moment he wakes up and can have visitors.”
“I thought Officer Wolfe was on patrol.”
“Not any more, doctor,” Horatio said, putting his sunglasses back on. “Not any more.”
********************
“Lieutenant Caine.”
“Yes sir?” Horatio paused to allow the chief to catch up.
“I understand your concern regarding Officer Ryan Wolfe’s attack and appreciate the speed in which you and your people arrived to process the scene,” the chief said. “But was it necessary to tie Sergeant Stetler to the flag pole naked with the word homophobe painted on his chest.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Horatio said. “None of my people would be so childish or risk compromising an investigation in such a manner.”
“Take off your sunglasses, Lieutenant, and look me in the eye and tell me you and your team had nothing to do with this unfortunate attack on Rick Stetler.”
Horatio slipped off his sunglasses and looked at his boss, his blue eyes serious. “Neither I nor my team had anything to do with this,” he said softly. “We would never risk the integrity of the lab.”
“You, your eyes glowed,” the chief gasped, stepping back.
“Sir?”
“Your eyes started glowing,” the chief insisted.
“It must have been a trick of the light,” Horatio said. “There is no way a human’s eyes can glow. Now, I’m assuming the scene where Rick was tied up has been compromised but I’d be more than happy to see if I can find anything that would tell us who did this.”
“Why are you so sure Sergeant Stetler is involved?”
“My report is on your desk, sir.”
“But everyone knows Rick Stetler has it in for you and your team,” the chief said. “How do I know this isn’t just a way for you to get rid of him?”
“Because I do not play those games,” Horatio replied. He slipped his sunglasses back on. “If you wish to employ a man who cannot see past his own biases and personal vendettas, chief, that is your affair; but it is not a politically sound move. I have a lab to run, if you’ll excuse me.”
********************
Speed was dozing in the hammock on his back deck, Gil watching over him when his cell phone rang. It was proof of how tired the young man was when he didn’t even flinch. Gil sighed and leaned over to pick up the phone. “Hello Horatio.”
“Gil, where’s Speed?”
“Asleep for the moment,” Gil replied. “If your young friend in New York is willing to come down I’d like you to give her a call. I don’t think Speed will survive another time like this.”
“I will,” Horatio said. ‘We’ve got a small problem, Gil, and I need your advice.”
“What’s up?”
“My boss caught me as I was coming back from the hospital and while we were talking he said my eyes were glowing,” Horatio sighed. “Is it possible I’m losing my control again?”
“No, it’s just a sign that you’re ready to blend,” Gil said. “I’ve been trying to think of a safe place for you to go as you really stand out with your red scales.”
“What about out in the ocean like Speed did?” Horatio asked.
“You need to have your human with you,” Gil replied. “But that has possibilities. Let me think about it for a few hours and I’ll see what I can come up with. Did you need to talk with Speed?”
Horatio started laughing. “I just wanted to tell him what happened to Stetler,” he said. “I wish I knew who did it so I could thank them.”
“Do I even want to know?”
“Probably not,” Horatio said. “But I’ll fill you in when we all get home tonight.”
“I’m looking forward to it,” Gil said. “I think. Do me a favor, Horatio; schedule a day off for yourself and Greg near the end of the week. I’m hoping that maybe if we do this early or late enough you won’t be spotted.”
“All right, Gil; and I’ll give Mac a call and see if he can send Mandy down for a weekend,” Horatio said. “Eric needs me for something.”
“Bye.” Gil sighed and put Speed’s phone back on the table. He really wasn’t keen on sending Horatio and Greg out into the ocean at night or early morning when the local sharks would be the most active. Even if he and Jim went along Changed, three dragons would be easier to spot than one.
Their beach was fairly isolated and no one had moved into the houses near them. He supposed it was possible that Horatio could change in the shallows behind their houses if they did it at midnight when there was no moon. Gil would have to find out if the Coast Guard patrolled by helicopter at night.
“Dr. Grissom?” a female voice broke into his thoughts.
“Yes?”
“I’m Alexx Woods, the ME that works with Horatio…”
“And mothers Speed,” Gil finished. “Horatio told me you might be stopping by.”
Alexx laughed. “My Timmy needs to be looked after,” she said. “Can you tell me what’s wrong with him? I saw something while I was out on the boat with them but I haven’t had a chance to ask about it.”
“And you doubt what you saw.”
“Yeah; I saw a large scaly creature turn into Tim,” Alexx said. “But that’s just not possible, is it?”
“It is,” Gil replied. “Please understand that what I’m about to tell you is a secret and shared on a need to know basis. If Horatio and Speed didn’t trust you implicitly then I’d be making up a story to tell you instead.”
“If it’s going to cause trouble then it’s not that important for me to know,” Alexx said. “Just as long as Tim is okay.”
“He will be,” Gil sighed. “Part of this is that he and Eric Delko are in a relationship and Eric is having problems with it. They’re bonded together at the deepest level and one will die if the other dies or if one of them leaves.”
“Are you telling me that Eric’s vanishing act is responsible for this?” Alexx asked. “I’m going to have a talk with that boy.”
Gil watched the ME storm off and reached for his cell phone. “Horatio, you might want to catch Alexx before she can find Eric,” he said. “I think I said the wrong thing.”
Horatio was waiting outside the lab when he saw Alexx come storming up the walk. He reached out and gently grabbed her arm. “Alexx, I know you’re angry right now and want to direct that onto someone else,” he said softly. “But I could use your help.”
“He hurt my baby,” Alexx said. “How could he do that to Speed?”
“Alexx, here is not the place to talk about it,” Horatio said. “Please listen to me; a young patrol officer was beaten by some of his co-workers and is in the hospital. We’re slow enough right now that I’d like you to go sit with him a while. Just talk and let him know that there’s something worth hanging on for.”
“All right, Horatio,” Alexx sighed. “But if Eric doesn’t apologize to Timmy he’s going to hear about it from me.”
“I’ll tell him.” Horatio rubbed his eyes in a rare show of emotion and pulled out his cell phone. “Mac, its Horatio.”
“What can I do for you?” Mac asked. “Is that officer okay?”
“They’re not sure,” Horatio replied. “I hope I don’t have to have officers prosecuted for murder, Mac, I really do. Actually the reason I called was I was wondering if we could borrow Mandy for a couple of days. There’s that situation I told you about and I think she’d be good to help resolve it.”
Mac sighed. “You don’t know how much that would help me out, Horatio,” he said. “Mandy has it in her head that she can go undercover with Danny to try and help solve that NCIS case and I haven’t been able to think of a single way to keep her in the lab short of tying her down.”
“But if you send her to me then you don’t have to worry about it,” Horatio grinned. “We’ll take good care of her for you, Mac. I just don’t want to go through another situation like we had with Speed and Eric.”
“Do you really think it’s the parents that are causing so much of the problem?”
“They’re putting pressure on Eric to settle down and have a family,” Horatio said. “I don’t want to put blame but he’s going to drive himself crazy trying to live up to their expectations and stay true to his bond with Speed.”
“And dragons don’t share,” Mac commented. “I’ll get Mandy on the next plane down.”
“Thanks Mac, I owe you,” Horatio said. “And you’re right; we don’t share.”
********************
Greg was bouncing around the DNA lab when Horatio walked in. He stood in the doorway for a moment and just watched his human dance. Greg had come to life since the move to Miami. Gil had commented to Horatio that it reminded him of how Greg used to be when he first started with the Vegas crime lab, before Ecklie and all the problems heaped on the young man’s shoulders. Horatio wanted nothing more than to take all the burdens from his human and make the young man’s life as easy as he could.
“Hey, how long have you been standing there?” Greg asked spinning to a stop.
“Not long,” Horatio replied. “I wanted to let you know that we both have this Friday off. And that we’re going to have company from New York.”
“Cool, who?”
“A young lady named Mandy,” Horatio said. “She’s coming down to help Speed and Eric with their situation and then I believe I am going to blend.”
“Finally!” Greg punched the air. “Has Gil told you anything about it? Where are we going so you’ll be safe? Is he going to come along to help?”
Horatio smiled. “I don’t know anything about it, Greg,” he said. “Gil is still thinking things through and it won’t be until this weekend at any rate. We’ll both have to be at work on Saturday to make up for it though.”
“I don’t suppose we could both just work really hard and take the whole weekend off, could we?”
“Save the puppy dog eyes, Greg,” Nick commented as he slipped around Horatio. “They don’t work anymore.”
“Nick,” Horatio said. “How’s your case coming?”
“Pretty good, I found some skin in the handle of the briefcase and I wanted to know if it was the owner’s or a secondary donor,” he said. “The murder weapon is with Calleigh and I’ve got some prints running.”
“It sounds like you have everything coming together nicely,” Horatio commented. “Good work; let me know the results please.”
Nick watched the red dragon leave. “It’s a little creepy how he can move without making a sound,” he said, handing an envelope to Greg.
“You should see him at home, Nick, he’s always sneaking up on me,” Greg replied. “I’ve started thinking I need to make the floorboards squeak.”
“Or you could just put a collar on him,” Nick said laughing. “With a bell on it.”
Greg’s eyes went unfocused for a moment. “Hot,” he finally managed. “Very, very hot.”
********************
“Gil?”
“Good afternoon, Speed,” Gil smiled. “Do you think you can eat something?”
“In a bit.” Speed stretched, almost tipping out of the hammock. “Was I dreaming or did I hear Alexx here?”
“She was here,” Gil said. “And I didn’t realize exactly how protective of you she is. I only hope Horatio was able to catch her before she went into the lab or your human might be a little worse for wear when he comes home tonight.”
Speed winced. “Alexx can be a little overprotective of me at times,” he said.
“I noticed. Speed, you know Miami,” Gil said. “Is there an isolated spot where there is no chance of being seen by the air patrols that we could take Horatio to blend?”
“Nothing that springs instantly to mind,” Speed said. “Is he close?”
“Very; he had a small confrontation with the chief this morning and it seems his eyes started to glow,” Gil said. “If I’d remembered he was so close in I’d have started thinking about this a while ago but everything just piled up on me.”
“I’ll think about it,” Speed said. “Did anyone ask any questions about me missing work?”
“We just told them you have the flu,” Gil sighed. “The symptoms are similar enough that it won’t be a problem.”
“So what happened, exactly?”
“The best I understand it your bond with Eric is still in the baby stages,” Gil started, falling into his lecture mode. “At this time you need to be able to reconnect with your human about every four hours, the maximum I’ve read about is six. As Eric stayed away your need for him grew more and more heated until it turned into a fever that started to eat at your body. You were close to dying, Tim; I won’t lie to you about that. When Eric joined you and you were able to reconnect with him the bond and your body started to heal. But you won’t survive if he does this to you again.”
Speed closed his eyes and covered them with his left arm. “Why is this so hard, Gil?” he asked. “Everyone else seems to accept the bond with ease and move on with their lives. Why is mine so hard?”
“Because your human has very strong beliefs that he was raised with and holds true today,” Gil said. “Only time can change beliefs of this nature, if they can be changed at all, but I think Eric truly loves you. He just doesn’t understand and we don’t have the evidence to prove it to him.”
“So he could leave me again.”
“I think Horatio might have something to say about that,” Gil said. “No, we have a friend coming down from New York to talk with you, Eric and his family. We’re going to resolve this once and for all.”
“Sorry I’m late,” Greg said bouncing onto Gil’s deck. “What’d I miss?”
“The salad,” Brass said. “And Gil’s muttering about safe places for us to take the new dragons to blend.”
Horatio leaned over and kissed his human. “It sounds like we’ll be staying here and using our back beach,” he said. “Now would you like to tell me why you were so late?”
“Not in front of the group,” Greg replied. “Hey Nicky, how’d your case turn out?”
“It didn’t,” Nick replied. “Not after you got me that DNA report that the sample was the victim’s. I’m still trying to work out how the murder weapon got into the victim’s briefcase without the prints on the latches being disturbed or any trace being left behind.”
“It’ll come to you, Nicky my boy,” Gil said. “Just remember not to get so fixated that you lose sight of the big picture and you’ll be fine.”
“How’s Wolfe doing?” Warrick asked. “And are we any closer to being able to figure out which officers beat him like they did?”
Brass sighed. “Frank Tripp is the detective on the case and he’s ready to just start bashing heads,” he said. “Although I did see something rather disturbing on the front flag pole at the department today.”
Horatio started laughing. “Rick Stetler,” he said. “The chief is convinced I had something to do with that because of the vendetta Stetler has against me and my team.”
“You mean you didn’t?” Brass asked.
“As much as I want to see Stetler suffer for what he did seeing his naked body is not high on my list of priorities,” Horatio said. “I offered to find out who did but the chief turned me down and it’s probably just as well; the crime scene is contaminated by now.”
“I don’t know that I’d call it a crime,” Speed commented.
“Forcing innocent people to see Stetler like that is a crime,” Horatio said. “They may never recover from it.”
“Okay, for those of us who didn’t see this, what’s going on?” Eric asked.
Brass started the story when Horatio started laughing too hard to talk. Greg leaned against his dragon and listened to the rare laughter. “It sounds like something we would do,” Gil finally commented. “But I hope none of you were involved.”
Everyone at the table looked innocent; Gil snorted. “I’m not buying it,” he said. “Oh well, as long as you didn’t get caught. Horatio when is Mandy supposed to arrive?”
“Tomorrow morning,” Horatio replied. “And she’ll be here until Monday. I get the impression she’s trying to be a cop and Mac is trying to stop her.”
“Sounds to me like he has his hands full,” Nick replied. “Did anyone mention how Mandy knows about us?”
“She was raised near a community like you were, Nick,” Horatio said. “And she’s been taught her whole life. It sounds like she knows things that we don’t and will be a good resource for you to tap into.”
“I’m looking forward to meeting her,” Nick smiled.
********************
“Greg,” Horatio purred as he pinned his human to the back door. “Are you going to tell me why you were late today?”
“It’s something Nicky said after you left DNA,” Greg replied. He tilted his head to give Horatio better access to his neck. “The image was so hot and just stayed with me all day that I had to at least get the stuff and suggest it to you.”
“And what did Nick suggest?” Horatio asked.
The younger man squeaked as Horatio’s hand made its way down the front of his jeans. “He commented on how quietly you move,” he panted. “I said it’s even worse here at home and I was going to figure out how to make the floors squeak. Oh god yes. Nick suggested that I just put a collar on you.”
“And that idea made you hot?” Horatio whispered working Greg’s erection slowly. “So hot that you went and did what, Greg?”
“You’d, you’d better not be interrogating anyone else like this,” Greg panted, hips thrusting. “I found an address in the phone book and took the bus there after work. Artie says to tell you hello.”
“You bought me a collar,” Horatio asked. “Where did you hide it?”
“In the bedroom.” Greg’s knees went weak as he came, sagging against his dragon. “I wasn’t sure how you’d react though so that’s why I didn’t want to bring it up at supper with the others. I didn’t want to make you mad at me.”
“I promise you I’m not mad, Greg,” Horatio replied. “I’ll wear it on one condition.”
“What’s that?”
“I get to buy one for you as well,” Horatio murmured against Greg’s lips as he pulled his human towards the bedroom.
“Penny for your thoughts,” Jim Brass said as he settled next to Warrick on their back deck.
“Hey these are deep thoughts,” Warrick replied. “They don’t go for less than a dollar.”
Jim smiled and leaned up against Warrick’s taller form. “Okay, fine; just keep in mind that I’m a homicide detective,” he said. “What’s up?”
“Just a feeling, a hunch,” Warrick said. “I dunno Jim, I love it here and the safe place we’re building for us but there’s something still bugging me. It’s like we forgot something when we left Vegas.”
“Like what?”
“That’s just it, I don’t know,” Warrick said. “I’ve been talking about it with Nicky but he says I’m imagining things but I don’t think I am. Could we have forgotten something important when we all moved out here?”
“I suppose it’s possible but we’re all unpacked and settled in and no one’s said anything,” Brass sighed. “It could just be the fact that we’re having to deal with family problems out here and you’re missing your grandmother. Why don’t you give her a call tomorrow?”
Warrick smiled and turned to kiss Jim. “That’s a good idea, I haven’t had a chance to talk with her since we got here,” he said. “And I never did tell her about us.”
Brass chuckled. “Probably not a good thing to get into over the phone,” he said. “How’s she going to react?”
“Honestly I don’t know,” Warrick said. “I suppose when it all settles down again and I get some vacation time saved up I should go back and visit her. Lay it all out and tell her how it is.”
“And how is it?”
Warrick shifted around. “I’m hopelessly in love with a stiff, overbearing, scary homicide detective,” he whispered kissing along Jim’s neck. “Who just happens to have a heart of gold under that hard shell he shows the world.”
“I’m not scary,” Jim growled. He pulled Warrick’s head up and claimed his mouth in a strong, possessive kiss.
********************
“I still can’t believe I let you talk me in to this,” Horatio said as he carefully knotted a seldom-used tie.
“I think it’s hot,” Greg replied. He ran his eyes slowly up and down his dragon’s lean form. “I know what’s under the suit and its going to be driving me crazy all day picturing not only your body but that wonderful little secret.”
Horatio looked at himself in the mirror. At least his human hadn’t decided to put highlights in his hair or anything while he was asleep. But then again he’d worn Greg out the night before. And the younger man was right, it wasn’t really all *that* obvious. “If Calleigh figures this out I’m sending her to you,” he said.
“Do you really want me to tell her the truth?” Greg asked. “That I got you to agree to wear your new black leather collar under your suit all day by blowing you before letting you take me over and over and over again?”
“She probably wouldn’t believe you,” Horatio snorted. He fastened on his watch and glanced at it. “I’ve got to go, Mandy’s plane gets here in an hour and I need to be there to pick her up.”
“I think I could make Calleigh believe me,” Greg said. “I’m very persuasive after all.”
“I’ve noticed,” Horatio smiled. “I’ll see you at the lab in a few hours, Greg.”
The younger man grabbed his dragon in a hug. “Love you.”
“I love you too,” Horatio purred kissing Greg.
********************
The airport was busy as people pushed their way through the crowds to make their flights on time. Horatio used his badge to get around the security checkpoint with his gun; he’d promised Mac he’d meet Mandy at the gate so she didn’t have a chance to get in trouble. As he made his way through the crowd he noticed a few people watching him and had to repress a smile. Half of it was because he still had his sunglasses on but he had a feeling the other half was simply because of the suit Greg had picked out that morning; black with an ice blue shirt and silver tie. Horatio had commented that it’d suit Gibbs more with the ice dragon’s coloring but now maybe Horatio had to concede defeat and tell his young human that he was right.”
“Horatio.”
“Hello Mandy, welcome to Miami,” Horatio said taking off his sunglasses. “Is this everything or do we need to pick up some checked bags as well?”
She laughed. “I’m not a typical girl, Horatio; I travel light,” she said. “This is it although Abby was going on about sun screen.”
“I have plenty of that if you need to borrow some.”
“I’d like to actually get a tan while I’m here and I have a feeling that your SPF is probably too high for that,” she replied. “Are you going to take me to the lab or right to the house?”
“I thought the house but if you want to see the lab I don’t see a problem with that.” Horatio took the duffle bag from her. “Although I do have reservations about letting you meet Greg.”
“I have to, I’ve got a present for him from Abby,” Mandy said. “They finally had to redye Tony’s hair. They’re letting him go undercover on that case they’re working.”
“So Mac tells me,” Horatio said. “You do realize, Amanda, that you’re still underage and Mac could get in a lot of trouble if he let you act as a police officer before your eighteenth birthday?”
She huffed a little. “Doesn’t mean I have to like it,” Mandy said. “But still, I think I’ll do more good down here than I would there. How’s Tim doing?”
“He’s back at work today,” Horatio said. “Light duty, maybe a crime scene if he absolutely has too but this really took a toll on his body. I was scared we were going to lose him even after Eric came home again. Gil and I both have our own theories about what the real reason behind Eric’s actions is but we definitely need outside help.”
“And that’s what I’m here for,” Mandy said. “I’ll want to speak with each of them separately first so I can get an idea of what I’m walking into.”
“A possible family crisis,” Horatio said. He unlocked the Hummer and loaded Mandy’s bags into the back. “Did you have breakfast before you left this morning?”
“You mean before Mac more or less escorted me onto the plane and told me you’d be meeting me at the gate here?” Mandy grinned. “I had what passed for airline food so yes, I could eat something. Could you hit a grocery store?”
“You watch what you eat?”
“Horatio, I’m a student,” Mandy said. “I eat enough junk and fast food during term that I prefer to be as healthy as I can when not actually at school.”
“I’m glad you’re not on a diet,” Horatio said. “We had a case a year or so ago that the mother kept telling her two daughters that they were fat, gross and she didn’t want to be around them. When we arrived at the crime scene they were both dead from a combination of diet pills, dehydration, malnutrition and the fact that their bodies just didn’t want to function anymore. They were fifteen and thirteen and weighed one hundred pounds together.”
“I don’t see why American society puts so much pressure on young girls to be, and I quote, perfect,” Mandy said. “Although I’ve noticed it’s starting to filter overseas as well. If something’s not done soon then there will be a crisis and a lot more families will experience the traumatic loss of a loved one.”
He glanced at her. “How did you get to be so level-headed?”
“I’m sixteen and in college,” she said. “I’ve long had to fend for myself both in school and out. Being sensible is the only way I could find to handle the real world.”
“You must be quite a shock to the world then,” Horatio said. “Because it’s largely insane.”
********************
“Hey H, Nick’s looking for you,” Speed called when he saw his boss walk in. “Uh H, why are you in a full suit today?”
“You don’t want to know,” Horatio replied firmly. “Do you know where Nick is?”
“He said something about fingerprints,” Speed said. “Is this Mandy?”
“It is; Mandy this is Tim Speedle,” Horatio said. “Speed, why don’t you take her out to lunch today?”
“Sure thing, H,” Speed said. “I’ll do anything to get away from this paperwork. I feel fine; I could have gone out with Delko to that case on the beach.”
Horatio took off his sunglasses and tucked them into a pocket. “I’m sure you could, Speed, but humor me. That flu you had was nasty and the doctor said you needed to take it easy for a few days even after you came back to work. And paperwork never killed anyone.”
“That’s why there’s so much of it in your office?” Speed asked.
“You’re more than welcome to some of it, Speed.”
Speed smiled and turned towards the young woman. “So, Mandy, it seems I have some free time; let me show you around the lab.”
********************
“Nick,” Horatio said as the door to the fingerprint lab closed behind him, “Speed said you were looking for me.”
“Yeah, I think I figured out how the murder weapon ended up in the briefcase,” Nick said. “Watch.”
The younger CSI took a pocket knife and used the flat of the blade to press the latches so they popped open and then used the blade itself to open the briefcase. “It was driving me nuts so I finally put it under one of the magnifiers,” Nick said. “There were faint tool marks and a cut where the knife was used to open the bag.”
“Enough that we’ll be able to match them if a knife is found?” Horatio asked.
“I don’t think so but I’m going back to the murder weapon now that this is off my mind,” Nick replied. “I’m hoping that maybe our killer was careless there and it’s just something I overlooked.”
“Okay, Nick,” Horatio said. “I’ll check in with you later. Right now I wanted to let you know that Mandy is here and with Speed. They’re going to go out to lunch and talk things over and then I believe she’s going to talk with Eric as well. I am going to the hospital to check on Mr. Wolfe.”
“So you’re Horatio’s friend from New York,” Speed asked. He’d given Mandy a quick tour of the lab and they were back in his trace lab. Speed was making slides for a case that Calleigh was working and Mandy was perched on a stool across from him. ***Eric, Speed*** Jim was still trying to get used to the layout of the Miami lab and he made more than a few wrong turns while looking for his human. He could feel that Warrick was close by, he just couldn’t find him. Grumbling to himself, Jim almost fell over when he ran into a firm chest. Greg sat on the sand and looked up at the moon. He knew he had to be near-by when Horatio Changed to attempt to blend but that was all. For the most part it was Horatio who had to do all the work. Greg had talked with both Gil and Jim and both said that the Change wouldn’t last long so if anything seemed to be going wrong he needed to touch his dragon to get him to Change back to human form.
Once they had both Greg and Horatio cleaned up and tucked into their bed, Gil placed calls to Jim and Speed to ask them and their humans to come to a meeting in Horatio’s kitchen. It didn’t take Nick long to find Greg’s hidden stash of coffee or the cake they had in their freezer. Speed found his human on the darkened beach in front of their house. He sat down next to Eric so their shoulders and hips were touching. “What’s going on, Speed?” Eric asked. “I was the only one in there with no clue what you guys were talking about.”
“Is there a reason you wanted to come to the lab today?” Horatio asked. He stood next to Gil and looked into the lab where Warrick and Eric were working. Nick was lucky; Horatio knew that the knife hadn’t hit anything vital. A few stitches and some TLC by his overbearing and no doubt panicked dragon and he would be fine. “You rest, Nicky,” he said softly. “One of us will be here until Gil gets back into town and then everything will be fine.” A nurse tried to get Gil to leave when visiting hours were over but one look at his face sent her running. He was in control but only just and wasn’t planning to go anywhere as long as his bond with Nick was affected by the drugs they were pumping through the injured human. While Gil knew it wasn’t hunters that caused Nick’s injury he wasn’t taking any chances. Horatio woke up enough to move both himself and his human into their house around one in the morning. He smiled as Greg murmured in his sleep and wrapped tightly around him. With a small sight Horatio rested his cheek on Greg’s soft hair and listen to his human breathe. Horatio’s mind was racing with everything that was going on, not only in his community but Mac’s as well. He was amazed at how fast they went from worrying about hunters to all the new problems that were popping up all over the place. His biggest concern at that point was Eric’s sister and her effect on the lab and his community. “And he just passed out?” Gil asked looking down at Greg. The young human was tucked into his bed, looking pale and sweaty but calm and asleep.
“Yes and no,” Mandy replied. “My teacher, William, is friends with Detective Don Flack’s father and when Don needed help he called his father who called me. I’m working as an intern for Mac Taylor and have been adopted by the NYDC community.”
“If you’re here then Horatio adopted you as well,” Speed said. “How much did they tell you?”
“Not a lot, just that Eric’s upbringing and religious beliefs are playing havoc with your bond and someone needs to tell his parents,” Mandy said. “I know here isn’t the best place to talk about this but do you want to tell me your take on it?”
Speed glanced at the teen sitting across from him. “Let me finish these slides and we can go outside and talk,” he finally said. “So what are you studying in college?”
“Chemistry with a focus on fire sciences,” Mandy said. “I want to be a CSI but fire investigator is a close second.”
********************
“Warrick, how’s it going?” Horatio asked.
“Still have some culture shock going on,” Warrick replied with a grin. “I remember you and Calleigh saying you’re a lot more fanciful down here and it’s just going to take me a while to get used to it.”
Horatio grinned. “I wondered about your statement that you didn’t work theories until I met Gil,” he said. “He’s a scientist to the core isn’t he?”
“And expects everyone else to be as well,” Warrick said. “It’s caused some tension before.”
“Let me guess; Catherine.”
“Yep, she likes to know why which is the human factor,” Warrick said. “Where Gris trained Nicky, Greg and me to focus on the how. It made it interesting when we were paired up with Cath on a case.”
“Well I prefer to find the answers that will bring peace and closure to the family,” Horatio said. “And Eric has a case at the beach he could use some help on.”
“You got it, what am I walking in to?”
“Two dead teens,” Horatio said. “Let Alexx tell you the how and then find out the who and the why.”
********************
Speed took Mandy to a shaded area on the side lawn of the lab where they could lean up against the building and make sure they weren’t overheard. “H and I were lovers until his Change in Seattle,” Speed started. “I knew what he is and, as it was me getting shot that brought us together in the first place; I knew I wasn’t his soul mate. But I love him and I know he still loves me. Both H and Gil were positive I was meant to be a part of their community and they included me in everything.”
“Well it looks like they were right,” Mandy said. “I know you won’t remember your first Change but do you remember everything from before it?”
“Yeah, why wouldn’t I?”
“There’s an exceedingly rare condition that happens in roughly one percent of first Changes called draconic amnesia,” Mandy said. “Mac has it and it made for a really rough initial bond time between him and Danny.”
“If it’s so rare why even ask me about it?”
“Because your Change was so close to Mac’s,” Mandy replied. “Still, I suppose it’s neither here nor there. I’m thinking Eric didn’t react favorably to the news that he was your human?”
Speed snorted. “That’s the understatement of the year,” he said. “Eric called me a monster and tried to run out of the house. Gibbs is the one who convinced me to kiss Eric and then complete the bond. I know I didn’t force Eric in to anything and that, in his own way, he loves me but there’s still something between us. And it’s something that he won’t share with anything.”
“Well, complete and totally honesty is important between dragons and their humans,” Mandy said. “Have the two of you had a chance to sit down and talk things out properly?”
“A bit; I told him about my family and growing up,” Speed said. “And how I ended up in Miami. I love him, Mandy. I feel like an idiot saying this but I can’t live without him.”
She smiled. “Have you told him that?”
“Several times,” Speed sighed. “The problem is that I’m a cynical and sarcastic bastard around the lab and no one, at least recently, has really wanted to look past that. H does, obviously, and the others in the community are learning to but I don’t know that Eric has.”
Mandy dug into her bag and pulled out a notebook. “I want you to write a letter to Eric,” she said. “I want you to tell him how you feel about him, how much you love and need him. I won’t read it, I’ll just be the messenger so don’t feel you have to hold back. And yes, I’ll have him do the same thing.”
********************
That evening when everyone was home from the lab Gil sent Eric down to the beach where he found a young woman stretched out on a large beach towel reading a forensic fire text book. She looked up when his shadow fell over the book. “Oh good, you must be Eric,” she said. “I’m Mandy, Horatio’s friend from New York.”
“Oh yeah, you’re here to talk with me and Speed,” Eric said. “I don’t know how comfortable I am talking with a stranger.”
“I don’t blame you,” Mandy said, “especially a kid. But I had lunch with Speed today and he wrote something for you. I say something because I don’t know what it says; I just promised to deliver it to you. Go ahead and read it and then I want you to write a reply to him. Be totally honest, please. And then I would like to speak with you about various ways to tell your parents about your relationship with Speed, without revealing the dragon side of things if we can avoid it.”
Eric had to admit he was puzzled by the young woman. She seemed a lot older than she appeared and wondered if he might have misjudged her age. He sat down on the sand next to her towel and picked up the notebook and flipped it open.
Mandy tells me she won’t be reading this and for some reason I trust her. Her age aside she’s a friend of Horatio’s and you know as well as I do that he has a sixth sense when someone is lying to him. Also she’s made an impression with Mac and Danny up in New York and from what I’ve heard those guys are impossible to fool.
I know I told you about my parents kicking me out when I was seventeen but I didn’t tell you the reason because I didn’t want you to worry any more than you already are. I told them I was gay. I’d never been interested in women, just pretended to keep people off my back, but I always knew I preferred guys. Horatio was my first male lover and we didn’t get together until just after Dispo Day and were in a committed relationship until Seattle.
It did hurt when Horatio Changed to save Greg, especially when he was unconscious for so long after it happened and none of us knew what was going on. When they woke up Horatio reacted to our presence in the room and, if Gil hadn’t been there, might have killed us. That’s when I knew how much he and Greg belonged together and decided then and there to support them no matter what.
We didn’t know if I was a dragon or not. You’ve read through some of the books so you know there’s no way to know until the first Change happens but deep down I hoped I was. I wanted to be able to love and care for someone as much as Horatio had me and I could see all the dragons around me caring for their humans. I don’t mean that I wanted a weak partner, far from it; I wanted someone who would love me for who I was and be an equal in the relationship. When I realized I had Changed to save you I was happy because I knew all my desires had been answered. You’re a strong man, Eric, one who will stand up to me when you think I’m wrong and yet willing to back down a little when you’re wrong.
I’ve gotten so good at masking my emotions I don’t think you saw how much it hurt when you tried to leave, to run away from me. We’ve been friends long enough that I didn’t expect everything to be smooth but I was hoping you’d at least listen and be willing to believe. I hated that we had to rush you when it was obvious that you had no idea what was going on and I still believe you followed me to bed that day only because you didn’t know what to do, not so much because you truly wanted to. But as time passed it seemed we were getting closer until the case hit the lab.
I don’t know that I can describe the pain that went through me when you left me like you did. I don’t blame you it has to be overwhelming at times to know that you’re doing something you believe to be morally wrong. I can only recall bits and pieces of the next two days as the fever consumed me. Horatio and Greg took me in, let me sleep in their guest room, and Gil stayed with me while they were at work. I was never alone but in my heart I was. You were gone and I couldn’t feel you. The bond is much deeper for a dragon than a human as we’re the protectors in the relationship and I can feel you every second of every day. I know when you’re happy, where you are; who’s with you and it makes me happy. It makes me feel complete. But when you left after our argument I couldn’t feel you anymore and it was worse than if I’d lost an arm or a leg. I’d lost the most important part of my being and I didn’t know if I would ever be able to get it back.
Eric, I love you. I know I won’t say it enough but try and remember that I do. You’re more important to my life than oxygen and I won’t survive if you leave me like that again. But as this is between us I’ll tell you that if you need to then leave. I won’t force you to be in a relationship that pains you. Just keep in mind that you’d have about a month to live before you followed me into whatever afterlife there is for dragons and their humans. We’re bonded that deeply and I hope over time you’ll come to love me as much as I love you.
If it will make you happy then fly. I won’t keep you here against your will. I won’t become one of the creeps we hunt down every day. I love you, Eric; I love you so much that I’m willing to die if your freedom will make you happy.
“I love him,” Eric said softly. “I do, Mandy; I love him so much it hurts when I’m away from him. But I also love my family and want to make them happy.” He hit the sand. “I’m being torn apart!”
“Hey now.” Mandy rolled up and moved to hug Eric. “We’ll get this taken care of, Eric. Come on, let me get dressed and let’s go see your folks.”
“I’m not sure I can do that.”
“Do you want Speed to come along?” Mandy asked. “It’ll help your nerves to have your dragon with you.” She held up a hand. “I know you’re strong enough to do this on your own and I’ll respect your wishes, just please think about it.”
Eric took a deep breath. “Okay; I’ll meet you out front.”
********************
“Amanda?”
“I’m decent, Horatio; come in.”
The red dragon opened the door to the guest room and leaned against the frame. “Eric was looking for Speed and told me about your trip,” he said. “As Speed’s still at the lab Eric asked me to come along. Is that what you’re wearing?”
Mandy looked down at her knee-length black skirt, white blouse, black vest and sandals. “Still too wile?” she asked. “This is the tamest outfit I own.”
“Leave the vest and you’ll be fine,” Horatio said.
“I could do my hair in pigtails,” Mandy sighed. “Make myself look like a good little girl.”
Horatio smiled. “Don’t be sarcastic,” he said. “Your hair looks fine. Are you ready?”
“I am but might want to put your tie back on or take of the, well, fashion statement you’re picked up.” She grabbed a black purse and paused next to the shocked detective. “Because as hot as you look in that collar I doubt the Delkos would understand.”
********************
Mandy sat in the back of the hummer with Eric as Horatio navigated the Miami streets. “Eric, this won’t be easy but can you do me a favor?” she asked. “We need to keep our tempers because if something is said in the heat of the moment…”
“I know,” he sighed. “It could ruin any chance of talking later. I’ll do my best but these are my folks and I just know they’re going to be hurt by all this.”
“Hurt feelings can heal,” Mandy said. “Let me do the talking at first. We need to hide the dragons as long as we can.”
“Amanda, how long have you been doing this?”
“What, hiding the fact that dragons exist? Since I was six and met William for the first time,” she said. “I’ve gotten a little too good at lying to people but I’m used to it. If I can keep Eric from lying to his parents then it’ll all be worth it.”
Eric tried to smile. “Mandy, I’m sorry I didn’t trust you at first,” he said.
“No worries, I’m sixteen,” she said. “I’m used to overcoming long odds to get people to take me seriously. Don’t think any more on it. Please, I’ve already forgotten.”
********************
“Eric is this the young woman you’ve been talking about?” Mrs. Delko asked. “Lieutenant Caine, how nice to see you again. Please, everyone come in and have some coffee.”
“Momma, this is Amanda,” Eric said. “She’s a friend of H’s that he asked to come down and help me with some stuff.”
Mandy sat down next to Eric. “Mrs. Delko, we’re here today because Eric is being pulled in two different directions by his heart and it’s hurting not only him but his relationship. He’s deeply in love and ready to commit to a life long partnership,” she started.
“But that’s wonderful!” Mrs. Delko interrupted. “Eric, why didn’t you tell us about this? We can have a large family gathering and wedding next summer. Oh, I’m so excited and happy.”
“Momma, please,” Eric exclaimed. “It’s not that simple.”
Mandy put her hand on Eric’s arm. “Mrs. Delko, no wedding please, and no family gathering. We’ve debated long and hard about the best way to tell you this and please excuse my bluntness in this matter but I believe that being straight is the best course of action in this situation.”
“Let me, Mandy, please,” Eric said. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a minute. Mandy tightened her grip and Horatio moved to put his hand on Eric’s shoulder. “Momma, his name is Tim,” Eric finally said. “I love him more than anything and I can’t live without him. But I love you and Dad too and I don’t want to lose you. Don’t make me choose, please.”
“How?”
“It just happened,” Eric said. “I’ve known him for a long time and it just hit us one day. He loves me, I know he does, and I’m happy; happier than I’ve been in a long time. If you can’t accept it, can’t you at least be happy for me?”
“How long?” Mrs. Delko asked. “How long have you been sinning?”
“Mrs. Delko,” Horatio said quietly, speaking for the first time. He slipped off his sunglasses. “Eric did not have to tell you or your husband about any of this but he respects and loves you too much to do that. He wanted you to know the truth. He refuses to live a lie one day longer and I ask that you show him the same respect.”
Mandy stood and moved across the room to kneel in front of the older woman. “I know what a shock this must be, ma’am,” she said softly. “But how can you say that true love is a sin? How can you condemn happiness, peace, honor and commitment so quickly? Love is love no matter who the partners are and it shouldn’t matter to any one who we love. Look at your son, look in his eyes for the love he has for Tim.”
“You’re just a kid, what do you know about love?” Mrs. Delko asked.
“Its okay, Horatio,” Mandy said not turning around. “I don’t know about love, ma’am, except for what I see with my friends. But I know exactly how fast life can change and the ones we love can die. Don’t make the same mistake so many parents make.”
“I don’t know if I can.”
“Then promise to think about it,” Mandy said. “Talk with your husband. Come visit Eric and Tim at their home and see how much they love each other. But please, please don’t shut Eric out. Don’t take away the family he loves so much. That’s all we have the right to ask of you.”
Eric stood up. “Momma, I love you but if I’m forced to choose then I’m sorry but I will choose Tim,” he said.
“And you will lose a wonderful son,” Horatio finished. “A man dedicated to his life partner, his work and helping the innocent.” He slipped on his sunglasses. “A man I would be proud to call my own.”
********************
Speed was working evidence with Nick when he felt a wash of anger, fear and sadness. He froze and focused on it, trying to figure out where it was coming from.
“Go home,” Nick said softly. “He needs you.”
“What?”
“Those emotions that just hit you are coming from Eric,” Nick said softly. “Go home and take care of your human. That’s more important than anything we’re doing here.”
“Don’t let Horatio hear you say that,” Speed snorted. “Thanks, Nicky; I owe you one.”
********************
“He’s upstairs,” Mandy said. “I’m glad you’re home, Speed.”
“Is he okay?” Speed asked.
“Go talk with him,” Mandy replied. “We’ll see you guys in the morning. Take care of him, Speed; he’s had a rough morning.”
“I will, thank you,” Speed said. He left Mandy to lock up and made his way quickly to the bedroom.
Eric was lying on their bed in a pair of shorts holding a piece of notebook paper that Speed recognized as the letter he’d written to his human. “She wasn’t happy,” Eric said as the bed dipped under Speed’s weight. “But she knows.”
“I wish I could have gone with you,” Speed said. “But I probably would’ve said something that would have made it a lot worse.”
“I told her the truth, Speed,” Eric sighed, finally making eye contact with his dragon. “If they force me into the position where I have to choose then it’s simple. I love you and I’m not leaving your or the community. I told Mandy I’m not writing a letter because I wanted to tell you this myself.”
“Speed shifted around and looked at Eric. “I’m listening.”
“My family was putting pressure on me and I unfairly put it on us and our relationship,” Eric said. “When I came back, when Horatio forced me back, and I saw how sick you were I knew I’d never leave again. I just didn’t know how to tell you that.”
“We’ve got a lot of recovery and work to do, Eric,” Speed said. “But something tells me its only going to get easier from here.”
Eric sat up and moved in to kiss Speed. “Will you make love to me, Tim?”
“That’s the first time you’ve asked,” Speed replied. He stood up and stripped off his clothes. “I love you, Eric.” His eyes started to glow as he moved towards his human.
********************
Gil and Horatio found Mandy on the beach staring out at the ocean. “Do you want to talk about it?” Horatio asked as he settled onto the sand next to her.
“About what?” Mandy asked.
“Whatever’s hurting you so badly,” Horatio replied.
“It’s nothing, Horatio,” Mandy sighed.
“You did well today,” Gil said. “Horatio told me you handled the situation with a maturity that a lot of adults wouldn’t have shown.”
Horatio put an arm around Mandy and pulled her in. “If you retain that level of sophistication and control,” he said. “Then you will be an outstanding CSI.”
She leaned against the red-head with a small sigh and Horatio was suddenly reminded of how young she really was. He resolved to take her sight-seeing before sending her back to New York.
“Looking for me, Jim?” Warrick grinned down at his dragon. He held out a hand. “I swear I could feel you coming a mile away. What’s up?”
“I’m not sure what to make of Tripp,” Jim replied. “He’s always watching me, like he’s waiting for me to screw up and that’s not a feeling I like at all.”
“Let me know if there’s going to be a battle for top dog spot,” Warrick said. “I think I could make a mint selling tickets here in the lab.”
“I’ll deal with it, this isn’t the first time I’ve been watched by other detectives,” Jim sighed. “How are those prints coming from the beach?”
Warrick chuckled at the change of subject but let it pass. “Joseph is running them for me,” he said. “Other than that we’ve got some hairs and fibers that are looking good but nothing firm yet. Alexx sent a rape kit to DNA and Greg is working on that now.”
“Hey Rick, who’s that?” Jim asked.
“Oh, that’s Eric’s sister, Marisol,” Warrick replied. “She’s been hanging around the past couple of days talking with him. I think she’s more likely to come around to his relationship and might be able to help convince the rents that it’s a good thing.”
Brass’ eyes narrowed. “Where’s Horatio?” he asked.
“At home,” Warrick said. “This is his weekend, remember? Greg’s heading out in an hour or so and everything is going to start at dusk.”
“Okay, thanks,” Jim said. “Want to give me a hint on the quickest way out of here?”
********************
“Caine.”
“Horatio, it’s Jim; I think we’ve got a problem.”
“What’s wrong?” Horatio asked putting the journal he was reading aside. Gil had him reviewing the older journals and books to make sure everything would run smoothly when Horatio tried to blend that evening.
“I was just in the lab, checking in with Rick, when I saw a woman lurking in the halls,” Jim said. “Rick told me it’s Eric’s sister but something just didn’t feel right about it. I don’t think she’s there to try and talk with Eric or find out more about his relationship with Speed. She’s there for another reason.”
“Interesting,” Horatio said. “Hey Gil, can you come here please? Jim, I’m going to give the phone to Gil and come down to talk with you.”
There was muttering over the phone for a minute before Gil’s voice came over the line. “Jim, what’s wrong?”
“I think my talent might be manifesting,” Jim sighed. “Did Horatio tell you what’s going on in my mind?”
“No, talk to me, Jim; I can’t help you if I don’t have the details.”
Jim sighed. “You know how touchy I am about people being around not only Warrick but our community,” he started. “Maybe I’m just territorial but I think that might be the first manifestations of my talent. I think I can sense when the future holds a change for our community and the people who are going to bring it smell wrong to me. Like Gibbs can smell when someone is lying to him.”
“What made you think this?” Gil asked. “What’s going on?”
“Eric’s sister is hanging out at the lab,” Jim said. “Warrick told me it’s to talk with Eric and find out more about his life but something literally doesn’t smell right about it. I think she’s there for another reason but I can’t put my finger on it.”
“We’ll have to do some research on this, Jim, and maybe call DC to find out if they’ve ever heard about this particular talent,” Gil said. “In the mean time, will you stay around the lab as much as you can? I’d like to find out exactly what Eric’s sister is doing without involving him if we can. Right now he needs to know that his family is there for him. But if I find out she’s using him to her own end then she’s going to find out exactly how pissed off a dragon can be.”
********************
Greg’s head jerked up when a very familiar presence brushed against his mind. “H!” he exclaimed. “What are you doing here; I thought you’d taken the day off?”
“I did,” Horatio replied with a small smile. “But Jim needed me and I wanted to ask if you’d noticed Eric’s sister, Marisol, hanging around.”
“She’s kinda hard to miss,” Greg said. “If I wasn’t already in a relationship with that really hot red head I think I might try and go after her.”
Horatio moved in to the DNA lab and leaned over Greg’s shoulder to look at the report on the desk. “Mine,” he growled softly.
“Always and forever,” Greg replied. “This is the rape kit on Warrick and Eric’s beach case. The salt water degraded the sample but being the awesome DNA tech I am, I managed to find enough to magnify and replicate and found a match in CODIS. I was just about to take it over to Eric when you got here.”
“I’ll take it,” Horatio said. “I have to talk with Eric anyway. Do me a favor, Greg?”
“Anything.”
“Keep an eye on Marisol,” Horatio said. “Jim says there’s something wrong with her in the lab and we don’t want to take any chances.”
“You got it,” Greg said. “We’re still good for tonight?”
“We are,” Horatio smiled. “I’ll see you when you get off shift, Greg. Good work on this case.”
********************
Gil wasn’t too sure what was going on but he put Horatio’s cell phone down on the kitchen counter and made his way back to his own house. Mandy had left her cell number in case any of them needed her and this seemed like as good a question as any to ask the young expert.
“Hey Gil,” Mandy’s cheerful voice greeted him. “You’re just in time, what’s the name of the bug that’s first to a corpse?”
“Diptera,” Gil replied. “Where’s your text?”
“Across the room and I don’t want to move to get it,” Mandy said. “What’s up?”
“I have a community talent question for you,” Gil said. “Is it possible for a dragon to be able to smell the future?”
“That’s direct; there has to be something going on for you to ask that specific a question,” Mandy said. “So tell me all about it while I try and find my books.”
“I thought you didn’t want to move.”
She laughed. “For school work,” Mandy said. “No offense, Gil, but bugs just aren’t my scene and I don’t think I’m going to be able to pass this class.”
“You’ve been hanging around Abby too much,” Gil laughed. “Email me your homework and I’ll look it over.”
“Cool, I’ll have Dr. Gil Grissom as a study-buddy,” Mandy exclaimed. “Okay, I’ve got a blank notebook. Fill me in on this new talent.”
Gil quickly outlined what Jim had told him and filled in a couple of his own thoughts. He knew he wasn’t going to get any quick answers but he felt better knowing he wasn’t the only one researching it.
“Have you called Gibbs yet?” Mandy asked.
“No,” Gil replied. “He didn’t know much about talents when he was down here so I thought of you first. I will call and give them a heads-up about this when I’m done talking with you. Horatio is at the lab checking in with Jim right now and we should know more by tonight but its Horatio’s night to try and blend.”
“So basically everything is hitting you at once,” Mandy said. “Let me finish my homework, shoot it down to you; thanks by the way, and I’ll see what my books say. And I’ll give Donnie a call and see if he’s heard about this before.”
“Thanks, Mandy,” Gil said. “I’ll talk with you soon.”
********************
“H, what are you doing here?” Eric asked. “I thought you were off today.”
“I got called in,” Horatio replied. “Here are the DNA results from your case. Greg managed to make them work out.”
Eric grinned and took the folder. “He’s amazing; Alexx said the water had seriously degraded the sample,” he said. “So what else is up, you can’t just be here for this case.”
“No, I’m curious as to why your sister is in the lab.”
“She came to take me to lunch,” Eric said. “I’m sorry, H, I know it’s not exactly protocol but she is family. Momma told Marisol everything.”
“And family is the most important thing we have,” Horatio said. “Just be careful, Eric, I don’t want you to get in trouble for bending the rules.”
“You got it, H; it won’t happen again,” Eric said. “And now, I’m off to find Tripp.”
“I think I need to buy a metal detector,” Horatio commented as he sat down next to his human.
“Why’s that?”
“Because there is definitely treasure on this beach,” Horatio said. He leaned over and kissed Greg, rolling them until his human was on his back. “And I don’t plan to share that information with anyone else.”
“Hurry up and Change,” Greg said.
“Why the rush?”
“Because I have plans for you tonight after you’re done,” Greg said. He pressed up against his dragon and kissed him again. “So the sooner we’re done out here the sooner we get to go back in the house and play.”
Horatio laughed. “Everyone is staying in tonight,” he purred. “How do you feel about sex on the beach?”
“It’s a little strong for my taste,” Greg said. He tried to push Horatio’s swimming trunks off. “I prefer less fruity drinks but have been known to indulge a little on occasion. There was one night that some friends and I…”
He trailed off as Horatio’s lips fastened on his and he felt his dragon’s erection pressing up against him. He moaned softly and shifted around until Horatio slid forward. Greg wrapped his legs around Horatio’s hips and thrust up as the red dragon started a slow, gliding pace.
********************
Grissom closed the curtains with a jerk and made his way to the library to check his email. He knew Mandy would have sent him a couple pages of her homework and he wanted to look it over before she had to be back in class in the morning. From what he could tell the teacher wasn’t great but seemed to know the basics but that was also why Mandy was getting confused. She was too smart to be jerked around like the class was doing.
“Nicky,” Gil called. “Will you let the others know to stay inside no matter what please?”
“What’s going on, Gil?”
“Let’s just say Horatio and Greg are having fun outside,” Gil blushed. “I’ll check on them in a bit to make sure they aren’t too distracted.”
“Were we like that?” Nick asked.
“I don’t doubt it,” Gil replied. “But I’ve never seen a pair who gelled as quickly as Horatio and Greg did.”
Nick grinned. “Two halves of the same soul coming back together again,” he said. “That’s what the bond is, after all, and I guess it takes us all differently. I’ll go make the calls before someone decides it’s okay to go out for a walk on the beach.”
“Thanks, Nicky.”
********************
Greg moaned as Horatio slowed down again, pulling both of them back from the edge. He wondered how his dragon could hold out for so long and then realized something. Horatio was calmer, more at peace, and relaxed. Greg pulled his mouth away and kissed down Horatio’s face to his ear. “Please, H, I’m so ready,” he whispered before sucking on the freckled lobe. “Please make me come, make me explode and let me take you along with me.”
Horatio moaned softly and thrust forward again, sharper and harder this time, and leaned down to bury his face in his human’s neck. He heard what his human was saying to him but it was muffled and didn’t make much sense. All he cared about was the pleasure spiking along his back and down to where his wings would be if he was in dragon form and he started thrusting harder wanting to reach the climax and he would be there. He could feel it building and coming together in his mind.
Everything shattered when Greg’s climax hit him, pulling Horatio over the edge as well. The world swirled around them and everything went dark.
********************
“Well this is eerily familiar,” Horatio commented looking around. He was standing on the rocky ground under the purple sky that he’d seen for the first time when he bonded with Greg back in Seattle.
“Why are we back here?” Greg asked. He wrapped an arm around Horatio’s lean waist and cuddled up next to him. “I thought this was because you and Speed were together and we needed time to talk things out.”
“Maybe we were wrong,” Horatio replied. He pulled his human in close to him. “I’ve been having dreams about this place, Greg; but they weren’t disturbing or warnings so I didn’t mention them to anyone. And I’ve always wondered if Gil and Jim truly believe us about this place.”
Greg grinned. “No evidence to follow and it’s not scientific so I can see where Gil would have problems with it,” he said. “So why do you think you’ve been dreaming about this place and we’re suddenly back here. The last thing I remember this time around is some truly mind-blowing sex and then suddenly we were here.”
“Do you think that we could find the path here on our own?” Horatio asked. “It seems like this might be a place where we can come to talk without being disturbed. I feel more comfortable here this time.”
“That’s good because I don’t,” Greg squeaked. He moved behind Horatio. “Because we’re being watched.”
Horatio turned slowly and found a dragon looking at them. The large head was crystal white with the scales shimmering in a rainbow of colors. The deep green eyes regarded him with humor and he knew that his human wasn’t in any danger. “It would be considered polite to announce yourself,” he said.
“You’re right,” the dragon replied. “I apologize but I was startled to find you here. It’s been many years since we’ve had a dragon bond pair strong enough to make the crossing. You smell familiar, red dragon. You’ve been here before.”
“I’m Horatio Caine and this is my human Greg Sanders,” Horatio said. “We have been here before, right after we bonded.”
“Welcome, Horatio and Greg; I am Chrysalis, leader of those few dragons who chose not to alter their DNA and rather leave the planet for another plane of existence. Over the millennia we’ve had a few dragons that were powerful enough to visit us but none, I think, with your power. Come and sit with us for a while and learn. I can teach you how to return under your own power and then, I think, we’ll be able to teach each other many things.”
********************
When Gil glanced out an hour later he saw both Horatio and Greg unconscious on the sand. He called to Nick and hurried out to see what was wrong with the beta pair for his community. “This is weird, Nicky,” he said. “Remember Seattle?”
“All too well,” Nick replied. “We might as well get ‘em in their house and wash them off. Who knows how long they’ll be unconscious this time.”
“What’s going on, Gil?” Jim asked. “I thought tonight was a blending night.”
“It was,” Gil replied. “Give me two seconds and I’ll have Mandy on the phone with us too.”
“Maybe we should talk with Gibbs about setting up some kind of video conference call,” Warrick said. “They must have the technology at the federal level.”
Speed and Eric came in and claimed the last two chairs. “What’s up?” Eric asked.
“We have a bit of a problem,” Gil said. “Mandy, can you talk?”
“Gil, you need to come up here and teach this class,” Mandy exclaimed. “The teacher gave me a “D” on the homework you corrected. He said I was cheating and if I did it again he was going to kick me out and report me. It’s so not fair, just because you know more about the subject that he does he automatically thinks I’m a cheat.”
“Let me see what I can do,” Gil sighed. “Right now we need your dragon expertise. I’m going to put you on the speaker phone, okay?”
“Lay it on me.”
“Horatio and Greg were out on the beach tonight to try and let Horatio blend,” Gil started. “When Nick and I looked out to check on them both were unconscious and Horatio was in human form. This has happened once before when they first bonded in Seattle.”
Jim looked up. “I remember the phone calls about that to Doc Robbins,” he said. “We never did figure out why they passed out and eventually wrote it off as a quirk of their bonding.”
“We thought it was because H and I were in a committed relationship,” Speed commented. “And when they woke up Horatio reacted to protect Greg and Gil had to physically intervene.”
“What’s their physical condition?” Mandy asked. Everyone could hear pages turning in the background. “Are they stressed? Do they seem to be aware of their surroundings? This is just fascinating, I wish I could make a study of this but I can’t be away from school right now. Gil, you’ll have to take notes and we can co-author a book for future generations.”
“They look like they’re asleep but don’t respond to anything,” Nick reported. “Gil and I moved them from the beach, washed them up and tucked them in and they didn’t respond. It’s almost like they’re not there.”
“Catatonic?” Mandy asked. There was a loud thud.
“Are you okay?” Speed called.
“Fine, I just dropped a book,” Mandy said. “I’ll have to research but I’d say if they don’t awaken by morning call Gibbs and see what he knows. And Gil you have to come up here and help me out. I can’t be kicked out of this class.”
“Let me get the community through this and I’ll be up,” Gil said. “I’d like to meet Mac and Danny at any rate and it’d be a good trip. Thanks for you help, Mandy.”
They could all hear the grin in her voice. “You’re more than welcome. Talk with you all later.”
“So we just watch ‘em?” Eric asked.
“No, I watch them,” Gil replied firmly. “I’m the only one here that’s strong enough to take on Horatio if he thinks Greg is in danger. But if you could all hit your books and see what you can find I’d really appreciate it.”
********************
Horatio had settled onto one of the more comfortable rocks with Greg between his legs and leaning back against his chest. Chrysalis came out from behind the rocks and curled up so his head was close to the men who had somehow traveled to his home. It was interesting to note that the white dragon was roughly twice the size of any of the community dragons when they Changed.
“Did we give up size and strength when our DNA was altered all those years ago?” Horatio asked his head tilted to one side.
“It is possible but we have lost touch with our kin on your world,” Chrysalis replied. “Occasionally we have had visitors but none for many, many years now. I will have to inform the others that you have made the crossing so that when you return they will be here to meet you as well.”
“So it’s possible for us to come here whenever we want?” Greg asked. “I mean, it’s like a talent we can learn. We’re not always going to pass out and scare the hell out of our community.”
“You will be able to learn and it is not hard,” Chrysalis said. “For you, young human, you must learn to quiet your mind although you will most likely follow your dragon wherever he leads you. I will give you pendants to take that will allow you transit here.”
“Chrysalis,” Horatio said. “May I ask why you chose to come here instead of staying on Earth and helping the others?”
The large white dragon snorted, messing up Horatio’s hair and adding a few more spikes to Greg’s. “They were fine on their own and we knew that there would always be a need for lore masters to remain,” he said. “The only flaw we could not foresee was the amount of power it would take for a Changed dragon to make the trip to our new world. Few have been powerful enough and I do not know if they wrote of their trips or not.”
“Dragons are hidden on our world,” Greg said. “So even if they did those books are likely in a private family collection and not something that everyone would be able to access. H, I could do a web page and make it look like a fantasy thing that other dragons would be able to find. I could work with Abby to hide where the actual server is and we could help others that way. It would be so cool, being able to hide in plain site like that and still help people who really need it.”
Horatio leaned around and kissed Greg gently. “You’re rambling,” he whispered against his human’s lips. “But I think that is a very good idea.”
“What is this web he’s talking about?” Chrysalis asked.
“A method of sharing information that everyone has access to,” Greg replied. “I’ll have to bring,” he paused and looked around, “can we bring items with us?”
“That will be for you to find out. But I can see we have much to teach each other.” The dragon’s emerald eyes unfocused for a moment. “Your community is concerned for you. I’ll send you back with the pendants. When you wish to return hold them tightly in your right hand and think of this place. You will return and I shall be here.”
********************
There was a heart beating in the room. Horatio stilled and focused all his attention on the single beat that wasn’t his humans. There was someone in the room with them. He tensed, ready to spring out of the bed to protect his human from the other dragon.
“It’s only me, Horatio,” Gil said softly. “You need to stop doing this if only because it upsets you so much when you wake up. Greg is next to you and unharmed. Welcome back.”
“Gil?”
“Yep, I kept the others out this time,” Gil said. “Do you want to tell me what’s going on?”
Horatio sat up and propped himself against the headboard. The moonlight from the window glinted off a pendant and necklace that Gil would have sworn wasn’t there before. Greg rolled over and cuddled up against his dragon, snoring. “Do you remember what I told you about the place Greg and I went to when we bonded?” he asked. “That rocky barren world with the purple sky.”
“You went back?” Gil asked. “I still find it hard to believe that it isn’t just a creation of your mind, a place you go when you’re feeling intense emotion across your bond with Greg. How is it possible for anyone to travel to another world?”
“They do it on TV all the time,” Greg muttered, not opening his eyes. “Through the Stargate and wormholes. I keep telling you to watch that, Gil.” He nuzzled against his dragon for a moment and then sat bolt upright. “I’ve got to call Abby!”
“You might want to get dressed first, Greg,” Gil commented.
“How’d we get to bed?” Greg asked, looking around. “We were out on the beach…”
Gil blushed. “I saw,” he said. “It was an interesting take on blending. Nicky called the others and told them not to go outside until morning and when I looked out an hour later you were both unconscious. Nicky and I brought you home and took care of you.”
“Thank you,” Horatio said. “Greg, you don’t need to call Abby at one in the morning. It can wait. Gil, we need to have a community meeting; Greg and I have a lot to tell you guys.”
“I know and that’s my fault,” Speed replied. “I didn’t realize you hadn’t been told the whole story behind H’s first Change. When he woke up he tried to attack and kill both Nicky and me. No one is sure why both Horatio and Greg passed out when they bonded but Horatio told us about this place they went. He said it was rocky and barren with a purple sky that was dimly lit.”
“Why would he try to kill you guys?” Eric asked.
“Instinct most likely,” Speed said. “I know if I was unconscious and woke up to find someone near you I’d attack and ask questions later.”
“Really?”
“Yep,” Speed replied. “My whole being when I’m in dragon form is centered on you.”
Eric leaned over and kissed his dragon. “Thanks Tim,” he said softly. “You know Mari was at the lab these past couple of days.”
“She’s kinda hard to miss, Eric,” Speed said dryly. “I know a couple of guys who were drooling over her.”
“Except they know I’d kill them if they tried anything,” Eric said. “Mari’s been talking with Momma a lot and says she wants to make sure I’m happy and this is what I really want.”
“What did you tell her?”
“That if we could we’d be at the alter,” Eric said. “But its weird, Speed; she doesn’t want to leave it alone and she’s asking a lot of questions.”
“What kind of questions?” Speed asked. “Come on, Eric, it’s obviously bothering you.”
The younger man sighed. “It’s so hard to think that my family wants to hurt my friends,” he said. “But Marisol wants something from me and usually what she wants she gets. The problem is that this time I think someone is going to get hurt.”
“Eric, what does she want?” Speed asked. “You must have some idea; she’s your sister. Talk to me, I don’t want you hurt.”
“I think she wants Horatio,” Eric muttered. “One out of three questions over the past two days have been about him. She hasn’t asked about you at all and despite what she said about wanting to make sure I’m okay, she refuses to talk about my life now.”
Speed sighed and pulled his human into a hug. “You heard us saying that Jim’s talent seems to have manifested?” he asked. “Jim apparently can smell when someone wants to bring harm to our community. The first time it happened was when he saw your sister at the lab. I don’t know what it means, none of us do, because no dragon can tell the future but I think you should tell Gil about this.”
“And tell him what?” Eric demanded trying to pull away. “That my sister might be using me to tear apart our community?”
“Hey, easy,” Speed said. He used his dragon strength to roll and pin his human to the ground. “I’m sorry, Eric; I didn’t mean to upset you. That’s the last thing I want to do.”
Eric took a deep breath. “I’m sorry too, Tim,” he said closing his eyes. “It just hurts to think that my sister would be trying to use me.”
“You know something is going on,” Speed said. “You’ll be able to stay alert and one step ahead of the game. And you’re not alone in this, Eric, I’ve got you.”
“She wants to go to lunch tomorrow,” Eric said. “You want to come along?”
“If I’m not in the middle of a case,” Speed said. “We’ll figure this out but I still think we should tell the others. The can keep their eyes open for us.”
“Do we have to tell everyone?”
“At least tell Gil,” Speed replied. “As community leader he needs to know what’s going on so he can keep us all safe.”
“Okay; do you think he’s done at H’s?”
“If not he will be soon,” Speed said. “Come on, we can go wait on his back deck.”
********************
Greg was sitting in the middle of the bed trying to look at his new pendant. “Hey H,” he finally said. “Come here for a second.”
“What’s wrong, Greg?” Horatio asked. He sat on the edge of the bed.
“Nothing, I just wanted to see what these pendants look like,” Greg replied. “The chains are small enough that they aren’t going to come off over our heads and there are no clasps so I don’t think we can lose them but it also means I can’t make out what it’s made of.”
“Can you do that just by looking at it?” Horatio asked. He leaned back on his elbows and looked up at his human.
“In trying to impress Gil I took a mineral class,” Greg said. He leaned in and picked up the clear globe that had been nestled among the red chest hair. “They taught us to recognize various gems and other minerals based on certain clues and details. I think these might actually be real diamond.”
“What about the item in the middle?” Horatio asked.
“I’m less sure about that but it really looks like Chrysalis’ scales,” Greg continued. He looked up into his dragon’s blue eyes. “H, how are we going to convince everyone else about this? There’s no evidence his world exists other than these pendants and we could have had them made here.”
“Except for the fact that when Gil and Nicky brought us in from the beach we didn’t have the necklaces,” Horatio said. “And when we woke up again we did, and Gil saw that.”
“He’s never been good with stuff he can’t explain,” Greg said. “So I suppose we’ve got a lot of research to do before the community meeting don’t we?”
Horatio reached up and pulled Greg down on top of him. “We need to get some sleep first,” he said. “You can call Abby in the morning and start doing the research then.”
“What about you?” Greg asked threading his fingers into Horatio’s red hair.
“I think I’ll start by researching you,” Horatio replied. “And your reactions to certain stimuli.”
********************
Gil was awake long before his alarm went off at six and was on his back deck when Eric and Speed came walking along the beach. “You got a minute?” Speed called.
“Sure, come on up,” Gil said. “What’s up that has you guys up so early?”
“We’ve been talking,” Speed said. “Eric’s got something to tell you, something that we’d like to keep between the three of us for now.”
“What’s wrong?” Gil asked.
Eric took a deep breath and slowly told Gil everything that had happened over the past few days with Speed filling in some of the details. It was obvious to both dragons that it was aching Eric’s heart to talk about his family like he was and Gil had to admire his courage.
“I’m willing to follow your lead in this for now, Eric,” Gil said once the story was done. “But if she is only going to hurt you then she’s going to find out exactly how bad an idea it is to piss off a dragon.”
“Could she know about us?” Speed asked. “I mean is there any way she could have figured out about the whole dragon thing.”
“I don’t know how,” Eric replied. “As far as I know she hasn’t dated in years and my family has no clue about this world.”
“It’s something to consider,” Gil sighed. “Eric, I’d like to think your sister is just worried about you but what you’ve noticed coupled with Jim’s feelings make me think the evidence is pointing in another direction.”
“I know, Gil,” Eric said. “After Momma’s reaction to my relationship with Speed I made my decision. My heart and soul are here with Speed and the community.”
Speed wrapped an arm around his human’s waist. “I wish it didn’t have to come to this,” he said. “If I could I’d make it so you could have my love and your family too.”
“I know you would, Tim,” Eric said. “And I know that you guys will kill anyone who messes with us. Just let me try and sort this out my way first, please?”
“It’s your lead,” Gil said. He sighed and picked up his ringing cell phone. “Grissom.”
“Gil, it’s Tony DiNozzo; we’ve got a problem.”
“What’s wrong?” Gil asked.
“There’s some terrorist in the morgue,” Tony replied. “He’s taken Ducky and Gerald hostage. I’m worried that Gibbs is going to try something stupid.”
Grissom shook his head. “Tony, I’m not sure exactly what you want me to do.”
“Oh, I wasn’t expecting you to do anything specific,” Tony said. “I just needed someone to talk to who would understand what’s going on and maybe give me some advice on how to handle Jethro right now.”
“Well, short of pinning him against a wall or tying him down I don’t know that you can really stop him,” Gil said. “Although you might be able to appeal to his sense of honor and make him swear not to do anything that will put you or him in danger.”
“Gris, you’ve forgotten haven’t you?” Tony asked laughing. “Gibbs is a bastard. He’ll lie to your face and then yell at you when you ask him why. One of his rules is always be specific when you lie. His sense of honor is one thing, asking him to behave is another. Ow.”
“Let me talk to him,” Gil snickered.
“Gibbs.”
“It’s Gil Grissom; Tony says you have a problem.”
“Not really, just some dirt bag that decided to take one of my best and oldest friends hostage in his own morgue,” Gibbs snarled.
“Just remember that we can’t actually digest humans,” Gil said. “Other than that, have a field day as long as you keep Tony safe.”
Gibbs snarled again. “Are you telling me how to run my community, Grissom?”
“No, I’m telling you that your human is worried about you,” Gil said calmly. “And that you need to remember that it’s not just you if and when you confront this creep. Will you let me know how it all turns out?”
“I’ll tell you how it’s going to end,” Gibbs snapped. “That dirt bag is going to be on one of Ducky’s slabs by this evening. That’s how it’s going to end.”
“Good luck then,” Gil said. “Tell Tony to call one of us later.” He closed his phone and put it down on the table in front of him. “I can see why it’s not a good idea to have two alphas in the same community.”
Speed and Eric looked puzzled. “Why’s that?”
“They’d kill each other,” Gil sighed. “Oh well, I’m sure Gibbs knows his territory best. Now, do you want me to come to the lab with you today and see what I can figure out?”
“Don’t you have other things to deal with?” Speed asked.
“Horatio wants to have a community meeting but he says he needs a chance to do some research first,” Gil replied. “I think I can spend a day at the lab. It probably wouldn’t hurt to put in an appearance anyway.”
“Thanks, Gil,” Eric said.
“Speed and Eric came to talk with me last night, this morning,” Gil said. “Well, after you and Greg woke up at any rate. I promised them I’d keep an eye on things for the next few days.”
“Gil, did you sleep at all last night?”
“A little but I have a lot on my mind right now,” Gil sighed. “Tony called and told me they’re having problems up in DC and that makes me wonder about New York and Mandy.”
Horatio glanced at his alpha. “She really gets under your skin, doesn’t she?”
“Some of her comments made me wonder,” Gil said. “I’m going up to visit her on Monday and try and help her out with a problem teacher.”
“Just promise you won’t traumatize him for life.”
“It depends on how much attitude he gives me,” Gil said. “Horatio, do me a favor and watch yourself this week and keep a close eye on Greg.”
“You know something, Gil.”
The black dragon nodded absently. “But I promised Eric I wouldn’t say anything until he’s ready.”
“Is there anything I can do?”
“Just keep yourself and Greg safe,” Gil said. “Speed and Eric will do the rest.”
********************
Speed was in the break room when Alexx came in and sat down next to him. She took the magazine out of his hands and looked at him. “Timmy are you feeling better?”
“Yeah, I am,” Speed replied.
“Is it something you can talk about?” she asked.
“Not really,” Speed said. “I know you saw some strange stuff out on the boat and you must have a lot of questions but we’re really not supposed to say anything. It’s not bad though, I swear.”
“I know, Timmy; Horatio and Dr. Grissom filled in a few blanks for me,” Alexx said. “Just enough that I wouldn’t worry about you more than I already do.”
“You didn’t go after Eric, did you?”
“No, I wanted to but Horatio needed me to check on Ryan,” Alexx said. “He’s such a nice boy and he’s getting out of the hospital next week. Horatio wants him to come to the lab once he’s back at work.”
“Well, if those bastards go near him again they’ll find out exactly how upset H can get,” Speed said. “And if that happens I think I’m just going to leave the state for a while.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen Horatio mad before,” Alexx said. “Upset sure, but never mad.”
“You don’t want to, trust me,” Speed grinned. He didn’t mention the fact that a dragon’s temper was ten times worse than a human's.
“We’ll just have to make sure everyone understands that Ryan is a member of the lab family,” Alexx said. “And that he’s not to be messed with.”
Eric glanced around the door. “Hey Speed, Marisol’s waiting out front,” he said. “You still up for lunch?”
“Lead the way,” Speed replied. “Alexx, I’ll see you later.”
********************
Marisol had packed a lunch and suggested they go to a local park to eat. The sidewalks weren’t quite wide enough so Speed walked behind his human and admired the view while also studying Marisol Delko. There was no denying that she was a beautiful woman with a nice figure. But Speed sensed something else about her and it was something he couldn’t put his finger on. He knew it would bug him the rest of the afternoon.
“What did Alexx need?” Eric asked as he spread out the blanket.
“Just to talk,” Speed replied. “You remember Ryan Wolfe? He’s getting discharged soon and is moving to the lab.”
“I wish we’d had something conclusive,” Eric grumbled. “I’d like to nail those bastards for what they did.”
“Eric, enough about work,” Marisol said. “It’s bad enough you practically live at the lab, do you always have to talk about it?”
“That’s not true,” Eric protested. “I talk about Speed.” He leaned against his dragon for a moment. “Now he’s worth talking about.”
Speed rolled his eyes and picked up a sandwich. “Keep this up, Delko, and you’re sleeping alone for the next few nights,” he said dryly. “Thank you for making lunch today, Miss Delko.”
“Please call me Marisol,” she said. “We’re family, after all, no matter what Momma and Poppa say. I know my brother and I know he’s happy.”
“I haven’t spoken with Poppa yet,” Eric said. “Truthfully I’ve been scared to. I don’t want to be forced to choose.”
“Do you know why they feel like this?” Marisol asked. She sipped her water. “Other than their religious beliefs, of course.”
“Other than I’m the only boy and the baby, no,” Eric said. “Momma wasn’t exactly talkative when we visited.”
“You probably don’t remember Uncle George,” Marisol said. “He died when you were about six.”
“I remember all the family at our house,” Eric said. “But not the reason for it.”
“George was gay,” Marisol said. “He and his most recent boyfriend were murdered on their way home from a bar and we didn’t know about his lifestyle until it happened. So you can see why both Momma and Poppa are worried for you.”
Eric nodded. “But to go so far as to disown me because I’m with Tim,” he said. “I can understand their fears, questions, problems and all but I just don’t see why they don’t want me in the family any more. I’m not sick. It’s not a disease I’m going to pass on to the children; I’m still me. I just happen to love another man.”
“We’re all talking to them but it’s going to take time and they may never change their minds,” Marisol said. “If they make you choose, Eric, what are you going to do?”
“I’ve already chosen, Mari,” he said. “Speed is my life and nothing is going to change that.”
“How do I know you’re good enough for my brother?”
“I’m probably not,” Speed said. “But I know how lucky I am to have his heart and I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure he’s never hurt.”
“Besides, Tim was trained by Horatio and H has perfect instincts when it comes to people,” Eric said. He and Speed had agreed to try and turn the conversation to their boss at least once to see if they could figure out Marisol’s motives.
“I imagine Lieutenant Caine is perfect at everything he does,” Marisol said. “Is it true he’s not seeing anyone right now?”
Speed almost choked on his apple. There were so many ways he could answer that question and the truth tried to leap out of his mouth before he got a firm grip on his tongue. “We don’t really talk about our personal lives at the lab,” he finally said. “It gets in the way of our work.”
“I was just thinking that I could maybe cook him dinner as a thank you for being so supportive of you, Eric.”
“I don’t know if that would be a good idea, Mari,” Eric said. “H is my boss and it might look strange. It’s not like Speed and I are advertising our relationship at work. That’s how Officer Wolfe ended up in the hospital, some of the other officers found out he’s gay and beat him up; badly.”
“I can tell because you call him Speed all the time,” Marisol said. “You shouldn’t be ashamed of being in love.”
“We’re not,” Speed said firmly. “But for our own protection we have to keep it quiet because of the nature of our work. As to what he calls me, my name at the lab and home is Speed. I rarely, if ever, go by Tim unless Eric’s trying to get my attention.”
“Or Alexx is around,” Eric added with a smile.
“True,” Speed agreed.
Marisol sat quietly for a couple of minutes. “Would you at least introduce me to Lieutenant Caine, Eric?” she finally asked. “So I can tell him how much I appreciate him supporting you?”
Eric glanced at Speed, who shrugged. “Sure, I guess,” Eric said. “If he’s at the lab when we get back. Some friends of his up in DC are having problems and I thought I heard him say something about going to visit.”
“Are you talking about Jethro and Tony?” Speed asked.
“Yeah, but I didn’t hear any details,” Eric replied. “And I know Gil is heading to New York to help Mandy. It’s too bad forensic labs require degrees; she’d learn so much more by just interning with Detective Taylor for a few years and then coming down here.”
“Don’t tell her that; she’d probably drop out of school,” Speed said. “And from what I’ve been hearing Mac’s already got his hands full with her. The last thing he needs is to have her leave school.”
Eric laughed. “You’re right,” he said. “I swear she won’t ever hear it from me. I don’t want to make Detective Taylor mad at me.”
“Thank you,” Speed said. He squeezed Eric’s hand and reached for the cookies.
Greg was in a pair of black jean shorts, his still highlighted hair messy as if he’d been running his hands through it and was staring at the computer in front of him. “I can feel you coming you know,” he muttered.
“Can you?” Horatio asked. He made his way over to the desk chair and ran his hands down Greg’s bare arms. “That’s a good trick as we’re not in bed and I’m not buried in your body.”
“You know what I mean,” Greg said. “Here, take a look at this and tell me what you think.”
Horatio moved around so he could see the computer monitor clearly. The banner on the web page had to be Abby’s doing as it was black with large white lettering and two silver dragons. The name of the web page was simply ‘The Dragon’s Homeland’ and Horatio was impressed at the layout. “That looks wonderful,” he said. “You and Abby work well together; am I going to have to worry that you’ll be running off to Washington DC some time soon?”
“No, but Abby’s coming down to visit next week,” Greg said. “We’re going to go clubbing.”
“And you were going to tell me about this when?” Horatio asked.
“In the morning,” Greg replied. “I wasn’t sure when you were going to be done talking with the others and thought we might miss each other but I knew we’d be having breakfast together and I could tell you then. I thought I might invite a couple of the New York guys down too. You know, let them see Miami and get to know our community a little better too.”
“You know that Gibbs is hurt and can’t travel right now,” Horatio said. “How do you think he’s going to feel about some of his people coming down here to visit?”
“Considering he was down here not that long ago I doubt he’ll mind,” Greg said with a large smile. “So are we going to try and go visit Chrysalis tonight?”
“I don’t know if we should,” Horatio said. “With Gil gone I don’t want to hurt anyone and I tend towards the offensive when I first wake up.”
Greg spun around in the chair. “So what if you went and I stayed here?” he asked. “That way I could help you wake up and I know you’re not going to hurt me.”
“And if something happens?” Horatio asked. “Gil asked me to keep an eye on everyone and there are some problems that might need taking care of during the night.”
“I think you worry about your family too much,” Greg said. “Not that that’s a bad thing, mind you just that you need to learn to relax.”
“Are you planning on helping me with that any time soon?” Horatio whispered. He leaned in to nibble on Greg’s neck.
“Only if you try and visit Chrysalis tonight,” Greg said.
Horatio pulled back and looked at his human. “That sounds very, very close to blackmail, Greg,” he growled. His eyes started glowing as he pulled Greg from his chair and down the hall to their bedroom. He pushed his lover back onto the bed and quickly had Greg secured to the headboard. “I don’t mind trying to visit that other place, Greg, but I’ll do it on my time and when I’m calm enough to make the trip.” Horatio pulled off Greg’s shorts and stood for a moment looking at his human. “And right now that’s not how I’m feeling.”
Greg was starting to get a little worried about his dragon. Horatio hadn’t liked the idea of the leather handcuffs in the bedroom and now he was using them. He knew that Horatio couldn’t and wouldn’t hurt him but Greg was able to sense that there was something else bothering Horatio and he didn’t know how to bring the topic up.
He watched as Horatio slowly stripped out of his white t-shirt and slacks before climbing onto their bed. The dragon’s eyes had a steady glow to them and Greg was starting to get a little nervous. He jumped when Horatio stroked his hair. “I’m not going to hurt you, Greg,” he said. “I just want to make sure you know who you belong to.”
“Only you,” Greg replied.
“Trust me, Greg,” Horatio purred. “Trust me to keep you safe.”
The younger man arched up into the hand that was slowly caressing his chest and stomach. “Take me, H,” he moaned. “Please. I want to feel you.”
“Soon,” Horatio replied. He leaned over and claimed Greg’s mouth in a deep kiss, one that seemed to go on forever and at the same time only lasted a second before Horatio moved into position and thrust forward, burying himself in his human’s body. Greg moaned against and thrust his hips up towards his lover, wanting to feel Horatio moving.
“Never doubt that I love you, Greg,” Horatio said. “No matter what happens, remember that you’re mine and I love you with all my heart.”
“Love you too, Horatio,” Greg panted. He wanted to be able to touch the man, dragon, moving above him and regretted even suggesting the restraints. He though the next chance he had he’d hide them where Horatio couldn’t find the things and that would be the end of it.
Horatio’s thrusts started to become more erratic and he leaned in to take Greg’s mouth in another deep kiss, his tongue moving and taking possession of his human. Greg’s back arched again and he came, Horatio’s mouth muffling his cry of completion. The red dragon started to thrust harder and came. He slumped down on Greg and kissed the side of his human’s neck gently. “I’m sorry,” he whispered.
********************
When Horatio woke up he realized that two things had changed. One, he wasn’t wrapped around Greg and two; he wasn’t in his own world. The purple sky was the first clue and the white dragon staring at him was the other. “Hello Chrysalis,” he said. “I wasn’t planning on coming here tonight so I don’t know that I have any questions.”
“There are always questions, red dragon,” Chrysalis said. He settled down onto the ground so his head was closer to Horatio’s level. “You wonder what this world is called and how we came to be here.”
“True,” Horatio smiled. “But I’ve got more questions about taking care of my community and why I’m able to come here.”
“Why is that? You hold the power to come here. It shouldn’t be questioned.”
“But I’m not the alpha of my community,” Horatio said. “Gil is more powerful than I am; he’s the only one who can control me when I’m mad so I know he’s more powerful than I am and yet I’m the one that’s here.”
Chrysalis rumbled in his throat and Horatio realized that he was laughing. “Your alpha does not believe that this place exists and so he cannot visit,” he said. “Yes he likely does have the power to come but without the belief it is impossible.”
Horatio sighed. “So if I can show him that this is a real place will he be able to come as well?”
“We will not know unless it happens,” Chrysalis said. “This world is called pax draconis and we came here through the use of magic. Strong dragons that could see into the choices chose this world for us as a safe haven that was close enough to the world we were leaving so we could watch over the human-shaped hatchlings. As time passed fewer and fewer dragons were able to make the jump to our world and we lost touch with those we swore to protect.”
“Until now,” Horatio said. “Greg spent time working with Abby on an information page that will be camouflage to everyone who does not know of our world and help those that do. I can take the lessons back from here and teach them to the others.”
“And yet you are still troubled.”
“One of our dragons is developing a strange talent that is giving him headaches and Gil and me stomach aches,” Horatio sighed. “Jim can sense intent if it affects our community and there’s a woman who wants to do us harm. We’re all protectors of our city, police officers, so he can’t do anything to stop her at this point. I’m just worried about the effect she’ll have on our community.”
The white dragon leaned down and looked into Horatio’s eyes. “The answers are within you, Horatio,” he said. “No one can bring them out but you and deep down you know what you must do.”
“I know,” Horatio sighed again. “I just don’t want to hurt anyone.”
“A dragon can be gentle and fierce at the same time, you just need to know when to use your talons and when to use your mind,” Chrysalis said. “And you must protect your human above all other concerns.”
“One of the other detectives just had a baby and needed to work swing so they didn’t have to hire a sitter,” Jim replied. “I don’t really care what shift I work so I offered to switch.”
“That’s so sweet,” Calleigh commented with a smile. “I’m sure he appreciates it.”
“He does,” Jim said. “And so did his wife. Once things settle down I have an invitation to supper. So the woman that owns this house wakes up and finds a guy in her bed room with a knife. She screams and rather than attacking the dude rabbits and she calls us.”
“Is she okay?” Nick asked.
“Oh yeah, shook up and wants to know who it was and how he got in because she swears she locked all the doors,” Jim replied. “I looked around and didn’t see anything out of place but, then again, I’m not a scientist. You guys want to take a look around?”
“Sure,” Calleigh said. “Ryan, why don’t you come with me and we’ll check the bedroom. Nick, do you mind taking the living room and kitchen?”
“Nope,” Nick grinned. “Jim, you want to be my helper?”
Brass snorted. “Sure, but only because I know you so well, Nicky.”
The Miami community members made their way back to the kitchen, being careful to hug the walls, where Nick set his kit down and pulled on a pair of gloves. “So how’s the head doing, man?” he asked quietly. “Warrick said you had a major headache yesterday.”
“I still do,” Brass grumbled. “But I’m not going to let it stop me from working when there is scum to catch. I’m just hoping Gil gets some answers on this trip he’s on because I can’t keep popping aspirin like this. They upset my stomach.”
“Have you considered one of the all day pain killers?” Nick asked. “After I got thrown out the window and was off the prescription meds I found that Advil was easy on the tummy and killed the pain well.”
“Nicky, what kind of grown man says tummy?” Brass asked.
“The kind who likes to have it rubbed,” Nick replied with a smirk. “I haven’t heard anything from Gil but I know he was going to hit both New York and DC while he was up there and he’s probably having too much fun to call.”
“Like you guys need phones,” Brass said. “Come on, Nick, I’m dying here.”
“Okay, okay; just make sure the others don’t see me,” Nick said. *Hey Gil*
*Nicky, what’s wrong* Gil asked. The distance apparently didn’t matter for their bond talent, it sounded like his dragon was in the next room.
*Jim asked me to talk with you and see if you’d learned anything about his budding talent* Nick replied. *He’s got a killer headache and it’s making him grumpy*
*Tell him I haven’t yet but I’ve got about three hundred and fifty pages of photocopies to read through and that’s just from New York* Gil said. *I haven’t even been to DC yet. My plane leaves in an hour*
*All right, I will. You be careful and hurry home* Nick said. *The bed’s cold without you in it*
*I miss you too, Nicky my boy* Gil said. *Love you*
Nick took a moment to focus on his surroundings to make sure the link with Gil was buried again. “He says he hasn’t learned anything new yet,” Nick reported. “But he’s bringing home a lot of reading.”
“You won’t see him for a couple of days,” Brass said.
“Oh I wouldn’t say that,” Nick said with a smirk. “I have a surprise welcome home planned for him.”
********************
Horatio was working with Speed in the A/V lab when Eric stuck his head in the door. “Hey H, I hate to bug you, especially with this right now, but my sister is here and begging that I introduce you,” he said. “I don’t think we can pull off the ‘too busy’ excuse again.”
“You’re right, Eric,” Horatio replied. “Please tell her I’ll be there in a moment; Speed and I need to finish what we’re working on.”
“Gil told you, didn’t he?” Speed asked softly once they were alone.
“A little; Gil was sleep deprived when he came to the lab last and might have let a few things slip,” Horatio grinned. “But not much, more a warning to keep an eye on Greg and make sure nothing hurts him.”
Speed snorted. “Like you wouldn’t rip apart anyone who hurt your human,” he said. “Face it, H; we’re all overly protective and suspicious of everyone who gets near our humans and family.”
“Very true,” Horatio said. “But we shouldn’t let it make us rude.” He looked back at the computer. “Can you zoom in any closer on the person in the background?”
“Not like this,” Speed said. “I’ll find Tyler and see what he can do with his magic. Want me to call you?”
“Please,” Horatio said. “Thanks Speed.”
The younger man looked up at his friend. “Give me the word and I’ll be there at your back with Marisol,” he said. “What she’s doing is hurting Eric as much as it has the possibility to hurt Greg and the community.”
“I know, Speed, I know,” Horatio said. He squeezed the younger man’s shoulder and walked out into the hallways. He’d been feeling more balanced since he blended, or at least since the night he met Chrysalis, but Horatio was still wary of his control and slipped on his sunglasses as a barrier in case his eyes started glowing while he was talking with Eric and Marisol.
“H,” Eric said when his boss joined him outside. “I know how busy you are but Marisol’s been wanting to meet you.”
“Miss Delko,” Horatio said. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“Please, Lieutenant, call me Marisol,” she said with a blinding smile. “I was actually wondering if I could convince you to come to a family dinner one night soon. Momma and Poppa have a lot of questions they’d like answers to.”
Horatio put his hands on his hips and looked at Eric. He could see the hurt in the young man’s eyes. “I don’t think that would be a good idea, Miss Delko,” he finally said. “If your parents want answers then they need to speak to their son and not a stranger. I know both Eric and Speed would be more than happy to have a chance to speak with your parents.”
“Oh, I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” Marisol said. She was obviously floundering almost as if she hadn’t expected her invitation to be rejected. “They’re still trying to come to terms with everything that Eric’s told them and it’s going to take time for us kids to help them see that everything’s okay.”
“Eric’s lucky to have family that cares about him,” Horatio said. “And now, Eric, I could use your help on the case Speed and I are working. If you’ll excuse us, Miss Delko.”
“H, I’m sorry,” Eric said as he followed his boss back into the lab. “I swear I didn’t know she was going to do that. She asked Speed and me about it and we told her it wasn’t a good idea.”
“It’s not your fault, Eric,” Horatio said. “I believe you and Gil are correct and she wants more from me than a simple dinner could ever provide.”
Eric sighed. “So what are you going to do about it?” he asked.
“Nothing that will hurt you or your family, Eric,” Horatio replied. “Please trust me.”
“I do, H; but I also know you’ll protect what’s yours.”
“I will,” Horatio said. “And that’s something that no one will forget any time soon.”
********************
When they were done with their part of the house Calleigh asked Nick if he minded if she took off to the hospital to interview their victim. As Brass was still on scene and Warrick had swung by to help Nick waved her off with a smile and the promise to keep an eye on Ryan. He wasn’t sure how the younger man felt about him as Nick had more or less been the one who let IAB know about Ryan’s homosexuality but his fears were soon put to rest.
“I heard you got the guy that killed Jeremy,” Ryan said. “I know he wasn’t all that faithful to me but he was my partner and I wanted to say thanks.”
“You’re welcome,” Nick said with a smile. “I’m just sorry you got slammed like you did. We’re still looking for the evidence we need to catch the creeps that did it.”
“I wish I could help,” Ryan said, “but whoever it was snuck up behind me and hit me in the head. I don’t remember anything until I woke up in the hospital with Alexx standing next to me.”
Nick laughed. “She’s a regular mother hen isn’t she?” he asked. “Seriously man, I’m glad you came back and joined the lab. I think you’re going to fit in just fine.”
“Really?” Ryan asked. “I’m a little OCD and that makes fitting in hard just about anywhere. People just don’t want to take the time to understand the condition and it’s hard to explain when people don’t give a damn.”
“I know,” Nick said. “But when you’re working with evidence it’s good to be obsessive about what you’re doing. Just listen to Horatio and the others and you’ll do fine. We’ll give you a heads up if you start to get too annoying.”
“Or slap you on the back of the head,” Warrick added with a smirk. “Just like our pal up in DC.
“Yeah, poor Tony,” Nick said. “They’re feds, Ryan, who helped solve Jeremy’s homicide. If Tony steps out of line his boss smacks him on the back of the head to get his attention. I’m still waiting for the others to pick up on it.”
“But can you really see Horatio or Gil smacking us?” Warrick asked. “None of us ever get out of line. Hey!”
Jim smirked. “That wasn’t easy,” he said. “I thought you guys were supposed to be working not gossiping like washer women.”
“We are working,” Nick said. “In fact I think we’re about done if Warrick’s finished in the garage.”
“Yep, just wrapped it up,” Warrick said. “Did anyone manage to figure out how this guy got it?”
“We got lots of prints from all the doors,” Ryan said. “I think it’s going to take some time to figure out what belongs to who.”
“Then you’d better get started,” Jim said. “Before I tell Horatio on you.”
Nick stuck out his tongue and picked up his kit. “He’s a grump all the time, Ryan,” he said. “Don’t let him get to you. But Jim Brass is one of the best detectives I’ve ever worked with and have known him for six years; we came out here from Vegas together along with some other friends.”
“I heard about that,” Ryan said. “It caused quite a stir when you all showed up and started….oomph.”
Nick saw the man before Ryan and reacted, pushing the younger man out of the way. His hand went for his gun automatically and came up empty as he still had two more classes to go before the department would be willing to certify him to carry in the field. Cursing Nick raised his hands in defense and twisted and that was all that kept the knife from hitting anything major as it plunged into his shoulder.
Warrick didn’t realize anything was wrong until he was suddenly standing next to his dragon in full form instead of Jim. Looking around he saw Brass step on a man. “Jim, Change,” Warrick shouted touching his dragon’s neck. He knew he was far from calm but didn’t think it would matter to a blended dragon.
Ryan was up and on his phone calling for an ambulance by the time Warrick reached his best friend. Nicky was on the ground unconscious. Warrick shrugged out of his over shirt and used it to wrap around the knife blade to keep it as steady as possible. “You hang in there, Nicky,” he said. “I’ll call Gil when we get to the hospital and get him to authorize them to tell us what’s going on.”
“What happened?” Ryan asked.
“I think Nick just saved your life,” Brass replied. “Too bad the perp slipped and broke his neck; I’d like to get that scum bag in prison to rot for the rest of his life.”
“But I thought I saw…”
“Not now,” Brass said. “We’ll tell you the truth later; when it’s safe.”
“I’ll take first shift,” Warrick said. “And Jim will be here as soon as he gets all his paperwork done.”
“Where’s Speed?” Horatio asked. “I’d feel a lot better if I knew you guys weren’t alone.”
“I’m right here, H,” Speed said. He shut the door behind him. “Eric’s at the lab and so is Greg so everyone has protection close by. But you’re not going to like what’s in the hall.”
Horatio looked at the other dragon. “Are you going to tell me what’s out there?” he asked with a grin.
“Nah, I think I’ll let you be surprised.”
“Thank you, Speed,” Horatio said. “Take care of them for me.” Horatio glanced back at the bed one last time, nodded to his community members and made his way out into the sterile halls of the hospital.
Leaning against the opposite wall was the last man Horatio ever expected to see again. “Hello Rick, what are you doing here?”
“My job,” Stetler replied. “Is Stokes awake yet?”
“No and he won’t be for a while,” Horatio said. “Jim Brass was the detective on scene when the attack occurred and I believe he is the one you need to be speaking with and not the victim in this matter.”
“The victim, as you point out, is a Miami-Dade police officer and needs to be questioned,” Stetler snapped.
“Nick Stokes is one of CSIs and was injured protecting one of his co-workers,” Horatio said. “You can talk with him once he’s back at the lab and his union representative is present.”
Stetler pushed off the wall and crossed until he was standing in front of the red-haired lieutenant. “The suspect, who I might add died at the scene, was an off-duty patrol officer. That means IAB has to investigate.”
“Yes you do, but not here and not now,” Horatio said again. “The lab will have a report for you in the morning. You can speak with Nick on Monday. Good-bye, Rick.”
“I thought he’d lost his job,” Jim commented as the two dragons watched the IAB officer storm off down the hall.
“I thought so too,” Horatio said. “Nick’s asleep, guys. Speed’s in there, Jim, so the humans will be safe. Can I talk to you outside, please?”
Eric and Greg made their way quietly into the hospital room to join their friends while the dragons walked outside. “Jim, what happened?”
“Officially the creep slipped and broke his neck,” Jim said. He looked around to make sure they were alone. “The guy came out of nowhere and tried to attack Ryan. Nicky pushed him out of the way and took the wound. I Changed and crushed the guy and Ryan saw me so we’ll have to talk with him soon.”
“Does Ryan know the assault was meant for him?”
“As far as I know, no,” Jim said. “Horatio, I didn’t see this coming.”
“Gil and I keep reminding you, Jim, we can’t see the future.” Horatio slipped on his sunglasses. “I’m going to get Greg and we’ll go talk with Ryan. I want to make sure my youngest CSI knows he’s not being punished when I don’t let him work a case solo for a while.”
Jim nodded. “I’ll wait with the others for Gil,” he said. “I just hope Speed and I can keep him calm while we’re here. You know he’s going to be upset that Nicky got hurt.”
“At least we know it wasn’t hunters,” Horatio said.
“I suppose that is something,” Jim agreed.
********************
Ryan was in his kitchen making himself some supper when someone started knocking on the door to his apartment. He picked up his gun and moved quietly to look out the peephole. He grinned; there was no way anyone could miss that red hair. Ryan lowered his gun and unlocked the door. “Hey Horatio, is everything okay?”
“Everything is fine Mr. Wolfe,” Horatio replied. He took off his sunglasses. “Can we come in and talk with you for a moment?”
“We, oh hey Greg,” Ryan said when he saw the DNA tech. “Sure, come on in; I was just making dinner, can I get you guys anything?”
Horatio made sure the door was locked before following the young men into the kitchen. “No, thank you,” he said. “Detective Brass tells me that you might have seen some rather disturbing things at the crime scene today.”
“I’m not sure what I saw, Horatio,” Ryan said. “But I’ve got an appointment to get my eyes checked tomorrow. Is Nick going to be okay?”
“He’ll be just fine,” Greg said. “Few days rest and it’ll be like nothing ever happened. How are you holding up?”
The red dragon listened to the men talking about accidents and recovering from them. Horatio knew his human had been badly injured in a lab explosion and he’d spent time licking and nibbling on the scars the accident had left behind on Greg’s back.
“Mr. Wolfe, we’ve identified your attacker,” Horatio said into a lull in the conversation.
“I know who it was, Horatio,” Ryan said. “I recognized him when he showed up and attacked us. He was aiming for me though wasn’t he, not Nick.”
“We’re not sure,” Horatio said. “But you’ll understand that I don’t want to let you work a crime scene on your own for a while.”
“Actually, Horatio, I was thinking it might just be better if I left Miami,” Ryan said. “There are other crime labs around and it’d be nice to know I don’t have to watch my back all the time because of who I choose to love.”
“That’s your choice, Mr. Wolfe,” Horatio said. “How do you feel about New York City or Washington DC?”
“Why?” Ryan asked.
“I know some people at the New York crime lab and NCIS in DC,” Horatio said. “If you want I’d be more than happy to put in a good word for you.”
“Would you?” Ryan asked. “I think I could live in New York.”
Horatio smiled. “I’ll give Mac a call in the morning,” he said. “I’m sorry you’re leaving, Mr. Wolfe, you’re a good CSI and I hate to lose you.”
“I’m not keen on leaving,” Ryan said. “But if I can’t be sure of back-up here then I’ll never be able to put all my attention on the scene where it belongs.”
“I understand, Mr. Wolfe, and I appreciate your honesty and dedication to the victims.”
********************
The flight from DC to Miami was too long for Gil the moment he set foot on the plane because he could feel the pain radiating from his human. Nicky was hurting and he was both relieved and concerned when Nick finally relaxed and the pain eased. But it also shut down the bond on Nick’s end and for the first time since they bonded, Gil was alone in his mind.
Gil had tried to talk with Nick over their mental bond and was close to panic when he realized that they were totally closed off. The pain killers seemed to block the part of the mind they used. It worried him to know that something so simple and readily available could cut him off from his human. He knew it would be a great tool for the hunters to use.
The taxi ride to the hospital seemed even longer than the flight and Gil was barely hanging onto his control by the time Jim met him on the lawn. “Nicky is fine, Gil,” Jim said. “Come on, take a couple of deep breaths and calm down or they’re never going to let you inside to see him.”
“Where’s the creep that did this to him?” Gil demanded.
Jim sighed and related all the events of the attack. He knew that his alpha wouldn’t be truly calm until he could see his human but hearing that it wasn’t an intentional attack on the community seemed to help.
“How’s Ryan?" Gil asked as he followed Jim through the halls.
“Kid was shook up but seems to be doing okay,” Jim replied. “Horatio and Greg went to talk with him; everyone else is here waiting for you.”
“When can I take him home?”
“Tomorrow morning,” Jim said. “The doctors want to be sure he didn’t hit that hard head of his.”
Gil tried to smile but knew it fell flat. He followed Jim into one of the rooms and went straight to the bed. “Nicky,” he whispered leaning over to kiss his human softly. He ran his fingers through Nick’s soft brown hair and managed a smile when his human turned into the caress.
“He’ll be fine, Gil,” Speed commented. “But you need to know that Stetler is sniffing around this case.”
“Stetler, I thought he was fired,” Gil said.
“So did we and I think H is going to find out exactly what’s going on,” Speed said. “But if the city would let a homophobic man back into IAB…”
“Then who knows what might happen,” Gil finished. “I think we’re all just going to have to be extra careful when we’re at work. I don’t like the way this is playing out at all.”
“I haven’t picked up on anything,” Jim said. “Well, at least not anything new but my palms still get itchy when your sister is around, Eric.”
“She wants Horatio,” Eric said. He leaned against Speed and smiled when strong arms wrapped around him. “And I think she’s willing to do whatever it takes to get him too.”
“Horatio knows what’s going on.”
“Yeah, but you were gone for her most recent play,” Eric said. “Marisol got me to introduce her to H and then invited him to our parents’ house for supper. He turned her down and said they needed to talk to me and she started floundering like she never thought he’d say no.”
Speed kissed his human’s neck. “If she hurts you like that again, Eric, just say the word and she’s gone,” he said. “I won’t hurt her but I can make this city too uncomfortable for her to stay.”
“I just don’t know any more,” Eric said. “I thought I knew my family but they’re all acting like strangers.”
“We still haven’t spoken with your father directly,” Speed pointed out. “Gil, could we invite him over once Nicky is better? I don’t know why but I think he’ll be willing to listen to reason.”
“If you guys want to,” Gil said. “Just make sure to do it on a night when we’re all home.”
“Eric,” Speed asked. “You okay with all this?”
“Sure,” Eric replied. “It’s not like it can get any worse than it already is.”
Gil took Nick’s hand carefully in his own and threaded their fingers together. “I know I haven’t said it to you enough, Nicky,” he said softly. “But I love you so much. This world you’ve introduced me to is remarkable and, while I know I don’t believe everything about it, I wouldn’t trade my life now for anything. When I get you out of here in the morning I’m going to take you home and spoil you rotten. It scared me so badly when Jim called and told me you’d been injured while I was out of town. My heart almost stopped because if I lost you my life wouldn’t be worth living, however much time I had left. I’m not leaving you alone again until I’m sure you’re completely healthy.” Gil sighed and settled in for a long night of watching his human sleep the unnatural sleep of the drugged.
********************
Horatio sat on the beach outside his house and listened to the waves breaking on the sand. He was thinking about the members of his community and the best way to keep them all safe until Gil and Nick were home again. Horatio knew that Gil was counting on him to take care of everyone but he wasn’t sure exactly how he was supposed to do it. He, Jim and Speed agreed to keep their humans close by and everyone was safely locked in their houses but Horatio couldn’t shake the feeling that he needed to do something more.
He didn’t flinch when his human settled in next to him and leaned in. Horatio wrapped an arm around Greg and pulled him in close; letting his human’s presence relax him.
“You okay, H?” Greg asked softly.
“Just thinking,” Horatio replied. “I feel like I should Change and watch over the community tonight.”
Greg looked out at the ocean where the full moon was reflecting off the rolling water. “I think it’s too dangerous,” he said. He ran a hand through his dragon’s red hair. “As much as I love your red scales I doubt anyone else will.”
“You’re right,” Horatio sighed. “Maybe I’m just reading too much into what Jim’s been saying.”
“No you’re not, H; that woman looks at you like you’re a treat she can’t wait to taste,” Greg said. “No one gets to taste you but me.” He shifted around and took something out of his pocket. “You’re mine.”
Horatio grinned as he felt the soft leather of his collar on his neck. “If it wouldn’t raise unwanted questions at the lab I’d wear this all the time,” he said. “I love being able to show that I belong to you.”
“And you look so hot too,” Greg murmured. He shifted out of his dragon’s grip and pushed Horatio back on the sand.
“Greg?” Horatio asked as his human slithered down his body. His hips jerked as agile fingers undid his jeans and wrapped around his cock.
“I want a chance to taste you,” Greg said. He grinned, leaned over and sucked the head of his dragon’s cock into his mouth. The young man moaned softly at the taste that exploded over his tongue, the unique flavor of his dragon. He pulled back a little and slowly took more and more of his lover’s erection into his mouth and throat.
Horatio groaned his head thrashing on the sand as he was skillfully taken to the edge and pulled back over and over; Greg working him slowly and thoroughly. “Greg,” Horatio gasped, trying to warn his human. The young man smiled and dove in one last time and sucked hard on the head to pull Horatio into his climax.
The red dragon felt his human’s head resting on his hip and reached down to run his fingers through his silky hair. “Not that I’m complaining but what brought that on?”
“I love you,” Greg said simply. “I just wanted to show you.”
“And it had nothing to do with the fact that Marisol was at the lab again today?”
“Maybe a little,” Greg grinned. “But think how you would react if she was eying me like an ice cream cone.”
“We dragons are supposed to be protective and territorial,” Horatio pointed out. “But I love it when you step up and take control for the initial encounter. It reminds me that there is someone out there who loves me for who I am, not what I can do for them.”
Greg reached over and started to stroke his lover’s soft cock. “Is that what’s been bothering you lately?” he asked. “Is that why you’ve been so possessive?”
“No, when it comes to you I’m always going to be possessive, protective and extremely territorial,” Horatio purred. He arched up into his lover’s touch. “I don’t know what’s bothering me but right now, if you don’t get up here, I’m going to jump you out here.”
“It wouldn’t be the first time,” Greg chuckled. He pulled off Horatio’s jeans and his own shorts before shifting up and impaling himself on Horatio’s erect cock. Both men groaned as Greg braced himself and started moving.
********************
Purple sky; rocky terrain; almost dusk-like light in the sky, yeah this sounded familiar. But the white dragon head rising up over the rocks was twice as big as anything he’d read about or even heard about.
Deep emerald green eyes studied him closely. “You are not a dragon,” Chrysalis said in his deep rumble. “How did you come to be here?”
Nick looked around again. “I’m not sure,” he admitted. “I’m a bonded human, Nick Stokes, and I’ve heard about this place but not about you.”
“You know the red dragon and his human?” Chrysalis asked. “Why would they not mention me?”
“Who knows,” Nick said. He sat down on a rock. “I’ll admit that my dragon, Gil, has problems believing anything that can’t be proven by science or with firm evidence but he’s mine and I love him.”
“The red dragon says his alpha is powerful but does not believe our world here exists,” Chrysalis said. He rumbled in his throat. “But they return here almost nightly for lessons.”
“Lessons?” Nick asked. “They haven’t told us anything about this; I’m going to have to have a talk with Horatio.”
Chrysalis lowered his head to look more closely at Nick. “I will admit I am surprised to find you here without your dragon.”
“I was stabbed and am unconscious in the hospital,” Nick said. “Well, part of me is anyway. My bond with Gil’s been severed by the meds they gave me for pain and I’m really nervous about it. I mean think about what would happen if the hunters found out how easy it is to actually separate us.”
“Hunters?”
“H and Greggo didn’t tell you about them?” Nick asked.
“No, we’ve been focusing on lost or forgotten lore,” the white dragon said. “What are hunters and why do you fear them so?”
“Hunters appeared not long after the first dragons were born in human form,” Nick said. “They spend their time hunting down Changed dragons, taking and torturing their humans to force a Change to true form and then kill them. They make a lot of money from dragon scales, claws, fangs, and organs.”
“Are you and your community safe?”
Nick grinned. “For now,” he said. “We’ve networked with another community and we’re careful who we talk to and where we talk about community business. We all know the hunters are out there and we’re hiding as best we can.”
“Good,” Chrysalis said. “I will speak with my colleagues and see if we can think of anything that might aid you. Let me gift you with a pendant like those the red dragon and his human now wear. I believe they can teach you how to return here at will.”
“Will Gil ever be able to come?” Nick asked.
“We believe he needs to overcome his skepticism and know in his heart that we are here,” Chrysalis said.
“He’ll probably tell me this is a drug-induced hallucination,” Nick snorted. “But maybe between Horatio, Greg and me we can work things out and convince him. It was nice to meet you, Chrysalis, and I hope I’ll be seeing you again soon.”
********************
“Do you think I should call him?” Eric asked as he paced back and forth in the kitchen.
“Only if you want to,” Speed replied. He glanced out the window. “H and Greg are still out there. One of these days we should remind them that this is not entirely a private beach.”
Eric grinned. “I wouldn’t mind making love with you on the beach some night,” he said. “Sand in bad places aside I think it would be hot.”
“You would, huh?” Speed asked. “We could always go for a swim and make love in the ocean; less sand to deal with.”
“I’d like that,” Eric smiled. “Why don’t we plan on that for something special after my dad tells me I’m not wanted in the family any more?”
Speed put down the knife he was using to slice carrots and wiped his hands on a towel. “Come here, Eric,” he said opening his arms. He wrapped his arms around his human. “You don’t know that your dad is going to reject you.”
“There’s no evidence that he’s going to accept us,” Eric sighed. He relaxed against his dragon with a soft moan. “I don’t know how I could ever have tried to walk away from this.”
“You were scared and you world was turned upside down,” Speed murmured, kissing Eric’s neck. “But you figured out what you wanted and came back. We’re together now and will be forever. I just wish I could take all this pain away from you so I can see you smile again.”
“I’m still smiling,” Eric protested.
“But it’s not reaching your eyes,” Speed said. “And I can feel your pain through our bond. Come on, let me take you to bed and take it all away for a while.”
Eric pulled back a little and kissed his dragon. “Please,” he whispered. “I need you, Tim. I love you.”
********************
“What are you working on, Jim?” Warrick asked. He leaned against the door frame to the room his dragon had claimed as a retreat and really had yet to decorate other than a recliner and table.
“I’m trying to figure some stuff out,” Jim replied. “This feeling is eating at me and it hurts to think that someone might get hurt if I can’t figure it all out. But I’m not a thinker like you guys. I need time to put the pieces together.”
“Well then the answer’s easy,” Warrick said. “Let us help you. We CSIs love puzzles, the harder the better.” He made his way into the room and sank down onto the floor. “Now talk me through it.”
Jim grinned. “We should get another chair in here,” he said. “Especially if you’re going to keep insisting on helping me with these projects.”
“Don’t change the subject,” Warrick said.
“I’m not, I just want to be sure you’re comfortable,” Jim said. “Okay, so I’m thinking that Marisol wants Horatio; that’s a given, but what I can’t work out is why she’s using her brother to get to H.”
“That’s easy too; Eric’s an in to the lab,” Warrick snorted. “Marisol doesn’t know about us, about the community, so she thinks H is unattached and getting her brother to help her out is the easiest way to go. I don’t know that there’s anything we can do right now.”
Jim grimaced. “That’s not what I want to hear,” he exclaimed. “I need to figure this out to help Horatio and Greg. Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed how distracted Horatio has been of late.”
“I have but I don’t think it’s this situation that’s causing it,” Warrick said. “Horatio is a man who plays things close to the vest and, until he wants us to know something we won’t know about it.”
“I’m going to work this out if it kills me,” Jim grumbled. “Will you double check that everyone is okay for me? Gil’s going to want an update when he gets home tomorrow.”
“Sure, but only if you promise me you’ll relax,” Warrick said. He stood up, bent down and kissed his dragon. “I don’t want to lose you to a heart attack or anything.”
Jim glared at his human. “Do dragons have heart attacks?” he asked.
“Overworked homicide detectives do,” Warrick replied. “I’m heading for bed after I take a look around. Don’t be too long.”
********************
Gil was asleep in the chair next to the hospital bed when Nick’s chocolate brown eyes opened. The human turned his head automatically seeking out his dragon, their bond flaring back to life. It was obvious to Nick just how exhausted Gil was when the dragon didn’t wake along with his human.
*Hey* Nick called softly. He wrapped himself in the warmth of the missed bond.
*Nicky*
*Time to wake up, handsome* Nick replied. *We’ve got a lot to talk about*
The dragon opened his eyes and was out of his chair a second later, kissing his human. “Don’t scare me like that again,” he whispered against Nick’s lips. “I felt it when you got stabbed and when we lost the bond.”
“Hey, I’m here and I’m okay,” Nick whispered. “And I’m ready to go home because we do need to talk.”
That’s when Gil noticed the pendant around his human’s neck.
“It’ll all work out,” Greg murmured. “Go back to sleep.”
“Sorry Greg,” Horatio whispered. He kissed the top of Greg’s head and closed his eyes with another small sigh. He supposed everything really would look better in the morning.
********************
Gil almost couldn’t believe what he was seeing. The pendant around his human’s neck was identical to the ones he’d seen appear around Horatio and Greg’s neck. “Nicky, where did the necklace come from?” he asked.
“You know that place Horatio and Greg went to when they first bonded and then again when H tried to blend?” Nick asked in reply. “It turns out that he’s not telling us the whole story; we’re not alone, Gil. I met another dragon. I don’t know how I managed to get there and, judging by his expression, neither does he.”
“What?” Gil demanded his eyes flashing.
Nick put his hand over his dragons. “Its okay, Gil,” he said. “Chrysalis is a lore master and just talked with me for a while. He doesn’t know why you aren’t able to make the trip to their plane of existence but he told me that they; Horatio, Greg and Chrysalis, believe that it’s because you just don’t believe it’s possible.”
“How can I believe it when there’s no evidence?” Gil asked. “Other than the pendants and what you guys are telling me. I don’t think you’re lying, Nicky, I know you can’t but I just don’t know how I’m supposed to believe all this.”
“What about the books?” Nick asked. “All the photocopies you got on your trip and what about Mandy?”
“I haven’t had a chance to look over anything I brought back because I had something more important to do.” Gil brushed Nick’s cheek with a knuckle. “We can start reading in the morning once you’re home.”
“There’s only one thing I want once I get home,” Nick said. “And I think you know exactly what it is.”
Gil smiled. “Only if the doctor clears you,” he said. “I don’t want to test the whole ‘dragon can’t hurt their bonded human’ theory too far.”
“What if I just stay flat on my back and let you do all the work?” Nick asked with a slight purr in his voice. “Just think how good it’ll feel to be buried in me again.”
“You shouldn’t tease when we can’t do anything about it,” Gil groaned.
“I know but its so much fun,” Nick grinned. “So tell me about Mac Taylor and his human. How do you think they’re going to fit in?”
“Mac strikes me as a very intelligent and dedicated man,” Gil said. “I think he’ll adapt to our world with few problems. He did tell me that he didn’t believe any of this when Don and Mandy first explained it to him.”
“That sound awfully familiar,” Nick grinned. “I wonder why you scientists have so much trouble with what most people would consider magic or fantasy.”
“It probably has something to do with the way our brains are wired,” Gil said. He leaned into Nick’s hand as it carded through his curly hair. “Keep that up and I won’t be responsible for my actions.”
Nick’s grin widened. “I suppose we don’t want to shock the hospital staff,” he sighed. “I really do want to get home and reconnect.”
“I know, Nicky, I know.”
********************
When his cell phone rang Horatio woke up and answered before his body was fully aware of what was going on. “Caine.”
“H, what’s wrong?” Greg asked.
“They need me at a crime scene,” Horatio replied. “Go back to sleep, love, and I’ll see you at the lab.”
Greg rolled over and watched with deep regret as Horatio pulled on a pair of boxers, black slacks, a pale green shirt and black suit jacket. “What would you do if I hid your sunglasses H?” Greg asked with a grin.
“I think I’d have to torture you to get them back,” Horatio replied. He leaned over and kissed his human deeply. “I love you, Greg, but if you touch the sunglasses we might just have our first fight.”
The young human dug in his bedside table with a grin. “Then you’ll need these.” He handed Horatio his sunglasses.
Horatio laughed. “I thought you were speaking hypothetically,” he said. He kissed Greg again. “Love you.”
“I love you too, Horatio,” Greg replied. “Go get the bad dudes and I’ll see you later.”
********************
When Horatio pulled the Hummer to a stop in front of the house the first thing he noticed was the lack of activity. There were no officers on scene, no crime scene tape in view and no detective waiting for him. He took off his sunglasses and looked around before pulling out his cell phone. Dispatch told him there was no call from his location and they hadn’t called him that morning for a scene. Horatio asked for a records check on the address and learned it had been abandoned for three months. With a soft sigh he requested officers and a CSI meet him at the address.
He thought for a moment and then called Gil’s cell phone. With Nick still in the hospital he wasn’t expecting an answer but wanted to let the other dragon know what was going on. He was surprised when he heard his alpha’s voice.
“What’s wrong, Horatio?” Gil asked.
“Someone called me this morning and said I was needed at a crime scene,” Horatio replied. “And I say someone because I’ve already checked in with the department and no calls were made that would result in my being sent to this location. I’m at the house now waiting for back-up to arrive but I really don’t like how this feels.”
“You think it’s a trap?” Gil asked. “Hunters?”
“I think it was but something tells me that once I go inside and look around with the others whoever set this up will be gone,” Horatio said. “I don’t believe hunters would call a dragon in their own den like sending for take out but I have a feeling who might have been crazy enough to set this up.”
“I’ll call the others,” Gil said. “Give one of us a call once the scene is clear so we know everything is okay.”
“I will; Calleigh just pulled in with some uniforms so we’re going in.”
“Be careful, Horatio,” Gil cautioned. “Remember everything that’s been going on.”
“I’ll be in touch, Gil.” Horatio put his phone down on the passenger seat and slipped on his sunglasses with a small smile before stepping out of the Hummer.
********************
Warrick and Eric were in the DNA lab talking with Greg when the young man suddenly swayed and passed out. Eric caught his friend before he hit the floor. “Get one of the dragons,” he said. “I don’t like this.”
It turned out that Speed was the closest and when he saw Greg on the floor, head on Eric’s knees, he pulled out his phone and called Horatio. “Okay, that’s not good,” Speed said staring down at the phone. “H isn’t answering his cell.”
“What are you talking about?” Eric asked. “H always answers his cell phone no matter what he’s doing.”
“Call Gil,” Warrick said. “And Jim; and let’s get Greggo home and to bed.”
********************
The house was empty but Horatio ordered a complete search to clear every room before putting an officer on each door while he and Calleigh looked for any sign of who tried to lure Horatio into a potential trap.
“Horatio, is there something you’re not telling me?”
“I’m not sure what you’re talking about, Calleigh,” Horatio replied.
“It’s like there’s some kind of secret in the lab now,” she said. “And everyone knows about it but me. It’s cool if you can’t tell me but I’ve always had your back and I just wanted you to know that you can trust me.”
Horatio looked over at the young woman. “It’s not a matter of trust, Calleigh,” he said. “But more lives are at stake than just mine and it has to be a joint decision to tell anyone and even then the rules are pretty firm. Those who don’t have to know; don’t.”
“Oh my god, Horatio you haven’t joined a cult have you?”
He started laughing. “No Calleigh, I haven’t,” he said. “Look, let me talk with the others and see what they say. But I promise you it’s not a bad thing. It’s probably the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
“As long as you’re happy, Horatio, that’s all that matters,” she said. “I’m going to go check the next room.”
“All right, I’ll take the one across the hall.” Horatio clicked on his flashlight and walked into what had probably been a bedroom. He paused in the door and sniffed, there was a definite smell of perfume that hadn’t been in the room when they cleared it and he had smelled it before; he just didn’t know where.
There was a stabbing, burning prick on his left arm and everything went black.
“One minute he was bouncing around the lab talking about some magazine he’d been reading and the next he’s on his back,” Eric said. “I’ve never seen anything like it before.”
“Something happened to Horatio,” Speed said. “I think we need to check his last known location and see what we can find.”
“I’ll stay here with Greg,” Gil said. “But I know Nicky is going to want to go along and I’m not going to try and stop him; Greg is his best friend. Just keep him out of trouble for me, please?”
Jim nodded. “I got the address from dispatch,” he said. “Let’s go find out what the hell is going on with Horatio.”
“Try not to kill anyone,” Gil said. “And be careful; we still don’t know that hunters aren’t involved here.”
********************
As Horatio came back to full consciousness he sensed another presence in the room with him. He kept his eyes closed and his breathing slow and even so the person watching him wouldn’t know he was awake. The only thing Horatio was sure of was that it wasn’t Greg sitting in the room with him.
He took some time to think about what could have happened to him at the empty house. He knew he should have been able to tell that there was someone in the room with him. He’d smelled perfume in the room, a scent he’d recognized but couldn’t place and he smelled it again. That meant that his attacker and abductor was in the room with him and all the pieces fell into place.
“You’ve made a mistake, Marisol, a mistake that will be your last if you don’t let me go right now,” Horatio said softly. He turned his head and opened his eyes. “Right now and we’ll talk about only charging you with assault and kidnapping of a police officer.”
“You wouldn’t do that because it’d hurt my baby brother,” Marisol replied.
“And you don’t think kidnapping me won’t hurt Eric?” Horatio asked. “If you have harmed anyone from my lab I won’t rest until you have personally paid for every injury you inflicted.”
Marisol laughed. “That’s tough talk coming from a man handcuffed and shackled to a bed,” she said. “I needed to be sure that you were secure while I took care of that brat you were sleeping with on the beach last night. His screams were so lovely. I left him alone for a while to think over what I told him.”
“If you touch Greg again it will be the last thing you ever do,” Horatio growled.
“Once he’s out of the way you’ll be free to date me,” Marisol said. “And we can convince my parents to take Eric back into the family.”
Horatio took a look around the room and realized it was large enough for him to Change. He snapped the chains holding him to the bed and pinned Marisol to the floor with a clawed red foot. “You are messing in things you do not understand,” he said, thankful to Chrysalis for the lessons in speaking while in dragon form. “I could squash you right now for harming my human and no one would blame me, not even Eric, because he understands bonds and what they mean.”
He lowered his head so he could look directly at the young woman under his left foot. Horatio knew at that angle she’d be able to count his fangs. “The moment you even so much as threatened my human you forfeited your life,” he rumbled. “I’m just sorry you didn’t use your talents for good.”
********************
“Horatio!” Greg yelled sitting bolt upright in bed.
“What happened, Greg?” Gil asked. He sat down on the bed next to his young friend. “What’s going on?”
“Marisol kidnapped him and said that she’d been torturing me,” Greg sobbed. “He killed her to protect me and he’s in pain. Horatio needs me.”
“Where is he?” Gil asked. “Get dressed and I’ll take you to him.”
Greg jumped up and started to dig through the closet. “You’ve got to call the others.”
“I will, Greg, but let’s get you reunited with your dragon first,” Gil said.
********************
“Speed, I need to go to the lab,” Nick said out of the blue.
“Okay, why?”
“Greg’s awake and knows where H is,” Nick said. “Gil wants me to do some research at the lab to see if we’ve got probable cause to use the cover story he wants to.”
“Okay,” Speed said again. “Was it hunters?”
Nick shook his head. “I’m sorry, Eric,” he said. “It wasn’t hunters; it was your sister.”
“I’m not surprised,” Eric said noting the past tense. “I won’t lie and say it doesn’t hurt but it’s not a surprise. She was practically drooling over Horatio every time she’s been at the lab.”
“What about Calleigh?” Speed asked. “And the officers with her?”
“Call dispatch and see if contact has been made since we left the community,” Eric suggested.
Nick opened the Hummer door. “I’ll get a taxi home,” he said. “Go make sure the rest of our family is okay.”
“I’m coming with you,” Jim said firmly. “Gil would have my head if I left your alone right now.”
********************
Nick was good with computers and he was good at digging for information in various places but there was a snag. *Gil, what exactly am I supposed to be looking for here*
*Any indication that Marisol Delko could have made enough money to either own or rent a home on Star Island* Gil replied. *Horatio was able to Change in the master bedroom and still had space left over. I checked with Eric; he says there’s no legal way she could’ve come by that kind of money*
*All right, I’ll get Jim to check for arrest reports and I’ll run her prints through AFIS* Nick sighed. *How’s Horatio doing*
*Not good* Gil said. *I’m taking them home now and I’ll talk with him there. Hurry those searches, Nicky; we need you home*
*Okay, love you* Nick said. *And hey, go easy with Eric; he’s been hit by a lot these past few months*
Gil snorted. *I’ll let Speed handle his human right now while I deal with Horatio and Greg* he said. *And I love you too*
********************
Greg put Horatio to bed and wrapped around his dragon. “You want to talk about it?”
“She told me she’d been torturing you and was going to kill you,” Horatio whispered. “I’m not sorry I killed her, Greg; but I’m sorry she’s dead. This is going to hurt Eric badly and it’s all my fault.”
“Not its not, H,” Greg said. “She made her choices and you made the only decision you could. You reacted on instinct to protect me and, even if she didn’t have me locked in another room, the threat alone would have been enough cause for you to react. She didn’t know what she was dealing with and that’s the reason she died.”
“I still feel like there should have been something else I could have done,” Horatio said. “She saw us on the beach here at the community. Why didn’t I know she was there?”
“Because you were focused on your human just like you should have been,” Eric said from the doorway. “Can I come in?”
Horatio gently disentangled himself from Greg, sat up and opened his arms. Eric almost ran across the room and hugged Horatio tightly. “It’ll be okay, Eric,” Horatio whispered. “It’ll be okay.”
“Nick called,” Speed said as he sank to the floor, leaning against the wooden door frame. “It turns out that Marisol has been arrested several times for prostitution and solicitation. She was selling herself to get the life she felt she deserved.”
“And I was the final piece of her puzzle,” Horatio said. “I am so sorry, Eric.” He pulled the young human in tighter.
“It’s not your fault, H; I don’t blame you at all,” Eric said. “In a way you saved her.” Eric sat back and wiped his eyes with his hand. “She had been changing over the past few months. It was like I didn’t even know her any more. I think this was all for the best in the long run. Maybe this will be enough to bring my family back together.”
Gil glanced in the door. “Is this where we’re having our meeting?” he asked.
“No, Gil,” Horatio smiled. “Why don’t we all move down to the deck?”
“We’ll me you down there,” Speed said. “Greggo, why don’t you come with me; I think Eric wants to talk with Horatio for a moment.”
“Okay,” Greg said. He leaned in for a kiss before following the others.
Horatio looked at Eric. “Let’s make a deal here, Eric,” he said. “I promise not to blame myself for any of this if you are willing to do the same.”
“The thought of Mari selling her body like that makes me sick,” Eric said. “Just the thought that she had sunk so low, stooped to kidnapping like that, it makes me wonder what else was going on with her.”
“Only time and investigation will tell us that,” Horatio said.
“I’ve been thinking about it and I need to go have another talk with my folks,” Eric said. “And this time I’m going to take Tim along with me.”
“That’s a good idea, Eric,” Horatio said. “Because family is the most important thing in our lives.”
********************
Nick wormed his way into the deck chair next to his dragon, wincing a little as his stitches pulled. “So Eric and Speed just left to talk with his folks,” he said. “Horatio and Greg are reconnecting and Jim is teaching Warrick to fish.”
“I’m just thinking,” Gil said. He ignored the colorful language from down on the beach; it seemed Warrick wasn’t taking to fishing well. “Was there something else I could have done to protect Horatio, Greg and Eric from this?”
“You’re not a mind reader, Gil,” Nick said. “And as you keep pointing out to Jim, dragons cannot see the future. We knew that something was going to happen and we knew that Marisol was the focus of our most recent problems. I think we did everything in our power to keep it as low key as possible.”
“It just seems that since I’m the alpha of the community there should be something I could do to protect you guys,” Gil said.
“You’re supposed to be our leader, guide us through problems that life throws at us and help us out whenever we need you,” Nick said. “And I think you manage that just fine.”
“Thanks Nicky,” Gil said. He kissed his human gently. “Just keep reminding me of that.”
********************
Speed pulled the Hummer to a stop in front of the Delko household and looked over at his human. “You’re sure you want to do this?” he asked.
“I think I have to,” Eric replied. “They deserve to hear this from me, even if it kills our relationship for good.”
“Okay,” Speed said. “Let’s go do this then.”
“I love you, Tim,” Eric said.
“I love you too, Eric,” Speed said. “I’m following your lead on this but if they hurt you I’m not keeping my mouth shut.”
Eric nodded and climbed out of the Hummer. He clutched the folders tightly in his left hand, took a deep breath and made his way up the walk to the porch. When his father opened the door Eric met his eyes calmly. “Poppa, I have some bad news; may we come in please?”
“I’m glad you’re here, Eric,” Mr. Delko said. “I was starting to wonder if you’d changed your mind about wanting to see us again.”
“What are you talking about Poppa?”
“I told Marisol months ago that I wanted you to bring your boyfriend to supper so we could meet him and welcome him to the family,” Mr. Delko said.
“Poppa, I think we’ve been played,” Eric said. “Please let us come in and talk. Mari’s had an accident and I asked them to let me be the one to tell you.”
Speed stepped into the light and put his arm around Eric’s waist. “I’m Tim Speedle; Eric’s partner,” he said. “This situation has been killing Eric and it’s not a good conversation to have in public.”
“Of course, please come in; both of you,” Mr. Delko said. “We’ve been talking about the best way to apologize for our fears and tell you that we’re sorry we hurt you.”
“Horatio reminded me that family is the most important thing we have in our lives,” Eric said. “I’ve never blamed you for any of this and neither has Speed.”
Mr. Delko shut the door behind the young men with a smile; glad that he hadn’t lost his son.
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