No Other One, Chapter 53
Title: No Other One, Chapter 53
Author: Duckie Nicks
Rating: PG-13
Characters: Yelina Salas, Horatio Caine, the whole Caine family
Author's Note: WARNING: SPOILER FOR SEASON 6.
Summary: Almost two decades ago, Horatio made a decision that would change his family forever. Will they ever forgive him? Will he ever tell Yelina how he feels? This is an alternative to the beginning of season 6. A Horatio and Kyle story; H/Y romance in the future.
Previous Chapters: Prologue, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10, Chapter 11, Chapter 12, Chapter 13, Chapter 14, Chapter 15, Chapter 16, Chapter 17, Chapter 18, Chapter 19, Chapter 20, Chapter 21, Chapter 22, Chapter 23, Chapter 24, Chapter 25, Chapter 26, Chapter 27, Chapter 28, Chapter 29, Chapter 30, Chapter 31, Chapter 32, Chapter 33, Chapter 34, Chapter 35, Chapter 36, Chapter 37, Chapter 38, Chapter 39, Chapter 40, Chapter 41, Chapter 42, Chapter 43, Chapter 44, Chapter 45, Chapter 46, Chapter 47, Chapter 48, Chapter 49, Chapter 50, Chapter 51, and Chapter 52.
Disclaimer: I don't own the show.
“We have so much time and so little to do. Strike that, reverse it.” - Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Finding a hospital employee to see Kyle was easier than she’d thought it would be.
Preying on the male nurse whose gaze hadn’t strayed from her cleavage so far, Yelina deftly manipulated him. It was so easy; a few comments about how she really needed her nephew to be looked at and a sickeningly sweet smile was all it took before he caved.
“I can’t guarantee that he’ll be seen immediately,” the nurse had explained. “But I can get him a room to -”
Yelina interrupted kindly, “I understand.” But pretending to hesitate, she pressed onward, “I know you’re very busy. But… I am so worried about my nephew, and it would break my heart,” she drawled out slowly. Her voice and eyes filled with concern, but it was the way her delicate fingers covered her heart and drew attention to her breasts that intrigued the male nurse. “If something happened to him,” she finished, knowing the stranger would give her exactly what she wanted.
And he did.
Of course, flirtation had its downside; as the two adults walked back to Kyle, she couldn’t help but notice the way the man’s pace slowed. Now falling behind her, he had a perfect view of her backside.
Which she did not appreciate.
Frowning deeply, Yelina forced herself to keep walking and to ignore what he was doing. Ultimately, she told herself, this was… worth it; if it meant Kyle would be seen soon, it was an acceptable price to pay.
Although…
A part of her was almost instantly aware of how odd the situation was. Not just because Ray Junior had condemned her for such behavior only a brief time ago. Not simply because Horatio had found this boy or because her own son had taken it upon himself to hit Kyle.
Those things registered in her mind as bizarre enough to be unbelievable, but they did not confuse her nearly as much as her own burgeoning feelings for Kyle did.
And thinking about it some more, Yelina understood that… she didn’t feel conflicted by her feelings. Nowhere inside of her did she feel that she shouldn’t like Kyle or that she shouldn’t care about him.
Truthfully, she wondered how she could be obligated to think or feel anything in this situation. The whole scenario unique, surely there weren’t… guidelines for her to follow. Of all the things she remained unconvinced of in the world, the existence of a self-help book entitled, “How to Behave when your Brother-in-law, who’s not just your Brother-in-law, Brings home a Street Urchin,” was not one of them.
In her mind, Yelina was sure that she could react to this situation however she wanted to, could react to Kyle however she wanted to without much reproach. And yet her concern for him didn’t seem any less bizarre for her.
She didn’t know him. As much as she had learned about his circumstances, she didn’t have any real knowledge of who he was now. Favorite foods, hobbies, and the like - those things were still completely unknown to her. And from her few experiences with Kyle, Yelina suspected those bits of information would stay that way.
Just like his father, the teenager didn’t seem easy to get close to.
Despite that, though, she couldn’t help but find herself feeling… protective of Kyle, concerned for his wellbeing. And that made her confused, even if she was ultimately unwilling to change that fact.
As Yelina and the male nurse rounded a corner, she was dismayed to see Kyle sitting by himself, exactly how she’d left him.
Where was Horatio, she asked herself angrily.
He should have been there by now, should have known that dealing with this was more important than any case he could have been working on. Of course, her brother-in-law couldn’t know that it was Ray Junior who hit Kyle. She rationally understood that it just wasn’t feasible for Horatio to know that the divide in their family was growing.
But by now, and it would have been a few hours since he’d initially gotten the call, he should have absolutely known that Kyle was in the hospital.
That Horatio didn’t know - or didn’t care enough to show up - was damning in her eyes. The sight of her nephew all alone in the hospital proof enough of Horatio’s faults, Yelina felt the fire light up inside of her. The smoldering remains of her anger from all of the horrible events in the past week were stoked by her sudden ire.
How could Horatio do this?
The question seized hold of her mind, the query applicable to so many of his recent actions that she wanted to slap him the moment she saw him. And rising above all of that was a fierce need to care for Kyle. The origins of her concern seemingly unknown and cemented in fire, she was absolutely going to see her nephew through this.
Even if it meant widening the chasm with everyone else.
Her pace picking up, Yelina quickly closed the remaining distance to Kyle.
“Get your things,” she told him gently. The teenager hesitated to grab the backpack tucked securely behind his legs. She encouraged with a smile, “Come on. This man is going to take you to the -”
“You’re not coming?” Kyle asked. The words were uttered cautiously, casually, but something about his posture was guarded and closed off. And seeing the subtle look of fear in his eyes, Yelina could tell that…
He didn’t want her to go.
Which was fine with her, because she had no intention of doing so.
Reassuringly, she explained, “I will. But first I want to call Horatio, and I can’t do that in the room.”
“No cell phones in the hospital,” the male nurse confirmed, interrupting what felt like a private conversation.
Kyle’s only response was a slight nod of the head. But as he stood up, she couldn’t leave it at just that. “I’ll come find you when I’m done,” Yelina told him. Her gaze never leaving his own, she thought he didn’t seem entirely convinced. But if he believed she was going to abandon him, he didn’t share it with her.
Another nod of his head was all he gave her before following the male nurse.
Satisfied that she could leave him, Yelina turned and quietly exited the hospital. Her heels lightly scuffed on the pavement as she stepped outside, her hair blowing in the warm breeze.
Quickly she dialed Horatio’s cell phone.
Which he, of course, didn’t answer.
And in an odd way, she had almost expected him not to. As she left him a message about Kyle, Yelina couldn’t help but feel like this had all been anticipated. Sad as it was for her to think it, the truth was…
Horatio hadn’t ever been there for his son.
And even if Horatio was trying to fix that, trying to become a father, that still took time. That still took a concerted effort. One that he was probably willing to give, she could concede; but either way, parenting didn’t come easily.
Having had years to take on all the responsibilities, Yelina knew it took time. Time to remember your cell phone and to remember what the number of the school looked like; time to recognize that your work would suffer at times based on your child’s needs. Which her brother-in-law might have recognized in theory, might have understood that that was what he needed to do.
But it was something else entirely to put it into practice.
Especially with someone as quiet and unassuming as Kyle, Yelina worried that it was probably… easy to forget him.
That thought planted firmly in her mind, she stuffed her cell phone back in her purse and returned to Kyle.
The room the nurse had put him in was nice; the walls a subtle green color that was edged with a blue trim exuded sterile calm. And yet looking at her nephew, who currently sat on the white hospital bed, Yelina could see… he was anything but relaxed.
His insistent gaze met hers, a question being silently asked.
“I didn’t speak with Horatio,” she told him. “But I left him a message, so -”
Interrupting her, he brushed it off. “Doesn’t matter.”
But of course it did matter, and the sad quality to his voice made it sound like he recognized that just as much as she did.
Yelina knew, however, that she couldn’t say anything. Couldn’t correct him, tell him that Horatio not being here did matter, because… that would only call attention to her brother-in-law’s absence.
And what good would that do?
Sighing, she closed the distance between the door and the bed. Now by his side, she asked, “Did the doctor see you?”
Kyle shook his head, a loose strand of blond hair falling in his eyes. “Not yet… although I’ve already been asked how I got hurt.” He looked at her carefully then, clearly trying to gauge her reaction.
But truthfully, Yelina didn’t know how to feel about it. On the one hand, Ray Junior going to jail was horrifying, and part of her wanted nothing more than to prevent that from happening. But… on the other hand, she rationally understood that Kyle had no reason to lie. And frankly, after what her son had done to him, she’d be shocked if Kyle had even considered making up an excuse.
“So I guess I’ll need to start collecting the bail money, hmm?” Her voice was even, calm, her humor dry. It was probably not the reaction Kyle was anticipating, but what other choice did she have?
Crying? Yelling? Giving up? None of those things were viable options, at least not in this particular moment.
“I didn’t tell - I made something up,” the teenager told her slowly, shifting around on the thin mattress. “I didn’t know…” His voice trailed off. Never finishing the thought, he didn’t say anything else. Didn’t do anything other than look at her for some sort of response.
Which he got immediately. “Thank you,” she said quietly, honestly. And wanting him to know that she hadn’t expected that of him, Yelina began to say, “You know, Kyle… I didn’t come here to -”
But her words were immediately cut off by the sound of the door behind her opening and the doctor coming in. “Kyle… Harmon?”
Both aunt and nephew nodded their heads in unison, sharing a private look that said they were being interrupted. That said all of the things their voices had not.
******************
“You think I got I a secret army of medical examiners, Horatio?” Alexx raised an eyebrow at him, the look reminding them both that dealing with spree killers was tedious.
Shifting on his feet, he said, “The night crew -”
“Already working on the last handful of bodies you found,” she told him honestly. Her eyes darting back and forth between the cadavers, Alexx said, “Unless you got an army of Oompa Loompas…”
Horatio smiled as she crouched down to look at the body closest to her. “Hey, I saw the sign when I was driving past the school. The kids trying out?”
“Hmm,” Alexx replied with a nod. Her attention was still focused on the work in front of her, but she said, “Both Janie and Bryan are auditioning for Charlie.” Horatio smirked at the idea. “It’s all part of the school’s desire to be ‘more inclusive,’ whatever they mean by that. Last I heard they even changed Wonka’s job so that the other children wouldn’t be tempted to eat chocolate.”
In all honesty, Horatio only had a vague recollection of the book; memories of reading it with Ray Junior had fallen prey to the older man’s age. Though he wasn’t… old, somehow those exact moments had begun to blur and fade. And while Horatio could still remember how his nephew had loved the part with the squirrels (or had they been geese?), he could not recall much else. “That sounds… interesting.”
“Mmm hmm. This man’s been dead since six am.” As was her way, Alexx looked at the body sympathetically, as though he were still there, still able to understand her.
Which, if he thought about it for any length of time, was actually… horrible. To not only die, but to stick around to hear their conversations? There were no words to describe how deeply wrong that was.
“The others look older than that,” Horatio said.
When she moved to another body, she nodded her head. “Given the level of decomp, I’d say this boy has been here at least a week.” As her fingers gingerly prodded around the bullet wound, Alexx noted, “This all seems a little… long for a killing spree.”
Horatio murmured his assent. “I guess… our murderer has been having… a bad month.”
She rolled her eyes. “Uh uh. A bad month is dealing with two children who haven’t been cast in the school play. This is…”
His gaze narrowed on her. “You don’t think they’ll get a part?”
Moving onto the next body, Alexx shrugged. “I love my children, Horatio. They’re wonderful - perfect. But they cannot sing.”
“There’s singing?”
She offered another shrug. “I… don’t know. Maybe?” The work that needed to be done seemed forgotten then, the bodies untouched and unnoticed. Sighing, she said, “It’s been so long since I’ve had a chance to do things with the kids that I’m surprised they remember who I am.”
The admittance hung in the damp air, leaving Horatio unsure of what to say. Was he supposed to offer her time off, despite knowing that the case required her expertise? Did he offer sympathetic words?
With someone else, he might have known what to say or do. But with Alexx… things were different. Because as close as they were, as well as they knew one another, there was no… real intimacy between them.
And she had never needed him before, never needed his comfort, which made the idea of giving it seem even more foreign to him.
But before he could say anything, she interrupted, “Don’t worry - you’ll have your bodies taken care of.”
“I had no doubt,” Horatio replied earnestly.
“There’s absolutely no way I’m gonna let the hacks from night handle this.”
They shared a knowing look, but he felt the need to press anyway. “You sure you don’t want -”
“I love my job,” she declared, conviction in her voice. “But I gotta tell you - sometimes… it’s like I walk out the house in the morning, and when I come back, the kids have aged five years.” She glanced back at Horatio then. “I love my job, but I am acutely aware that it takes me away from my kids.”
And with those words, the conversation was over. Having crept into territory that strayed too far from their profession, they turned back to the issue at hand - to their work. Silence descended over them, save for when Alexx needed to point out something unique about one of the victims.
But there was no further mention of children; only a lingering sense of guilt, he supposed, proved that they’d had that conversation at all. And while he was sure it hadn’t been her intentions, Horatio’s thoughts quickly turned to Kyle.
He knew rationally that it made no sense for him to think about his… son. The job so far had not truly taken him away from the boy, had not asked him to choose between one or the other. True, Horatio had worked around and within the law to get Kyle probation, but…
There hadn’t been any real sacrifice.
At least not professionally.
Yet.
But if Alexx’s words were true, which he suspected they were, then… at some point, he would have to make a choice.
It was only just a matter of time.
Go to the next Chapter
Author: Duckie Nicks
Rating: PG-13
Characters: Yelina Salas, Horatio Caine, the whole Caine family
Author's Note: WARNING: SPOILER FOR SEASON 6.
Summary: Almost two decades ago, Horatio made a decision that would change his family forever. Will they ever forgive him? Will he ever tell Yelina how he feels? This is an alternative to the beginning of season 6. A Horatio and Kyle story; H/Y romance in the future.
Previous Chapters: Prologue, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10, Chapter 11, Chapter 12, Chapter 13, Chapter 14, Chapter 15, Chapter 16, Chapter 17, Chapter 18, Chapter 19, Chapter 20, Chapter 21, Chapter 22, Chapter 23, Chapter 24, Chapter 25, Chapter 26, Chapter 27, Chapter 28, Chapter 29, Chapter 30, Chapter 31, Chapter 32, Chapter 33, Chapter 34, Chapter 35, Chapter 36, Chapter 37, Chapter 38, Chapter 39, Chapter 40, Chapter 41, Chapter 42, Chapter 43, Chapter 44, Chapter 45, Chapter 46, Chapter 47, Chapter 48, Chapter 49, Chapter 50, Chapter 51, and Chapter 52.
Disclaimer: I don't own the show.
“We have so much time and so little to do. Strike that, reverse it.” - Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Finding a hospital employee to see Kyle was easier than she’d thought it would be.
Preying on the male nurse whose gaze hadn’t strayed from her cleavage so far, Yelina deftly manipulated him. It was so easy; a few comments about how she really needed her nephew to be looked at and a sickeningly sweet smile was all it took before he caved.
“I can’t guarantee that he’ll be seen immediately,” the nurse had explained. “But I can get him a room to -”
Yelina interrupted kindly, “I understand.” But pretending to hesitate, she pressed onward, “I know you’re very busy. But… I am so worried about my nephew, and it would break my heart,” she drawled out slowly. Her voice and eyes filled with concern, but it was the way her delicate fingers covered her heart and drew attention to her breasts that intrigued the male nurse. “If something happened to him,” she finished, knowing the stranger would give her exactly what she wanted.
And he did.
Of course, flirtation had its downside; as the two adults walked back to Kyle, she couldn’t help but notice the way the man’s pace slowed. Now falling behind her, he had a perfect view of her backside.
Which she did not appreciate.
Frowning deeply, Yelina forced herself to keep walking and to ignore what he was doing. Ultimately, she told herself, this was… worth it; if it meant Kyle would be seen soon, it was an acceptable price to pay.
Although…
A part of her was almost instantly aware of how odd the situation was. Not just because Ray Junior had condemned her for such behavior only a brief time ago. Not simply because Horatio had found this boy or because her own son had taken it upon himself to hit Kyle.
Those things registered in her mind as bizarre enough to be unbelievable, but they did not confuse her nearly as much as her own burgeoning feelings for Kyle did.
And thinking about it some more, Yelina understood that… she didn’t feel conflicted by her feelings. Nowhere inside of her did she feel that she shouldn’t like Kyle or that she shouldn’t care about him.
Truthfully, she wondered how she could be obligated to think or feel anything in this situation. The whole scenario unique, surely there weren’t… guidelines for her to follow. Of all the things she remained unconvinced of in the world, the existence of a self-help book entitled, “How to Behave when your Brother-in-law, who’s not just your Brother-in-law, Brings home a Street Urchin,” was not one of them.
In her mind, Yelina was sure that she could react to this situation however she wanted to, could react to Kyle however she wanted to without much reproach. And yet her concern for him didn’t seem any less bizarre for her.
She didn’t know him. As much as she had learned about his circumstances, she didn’t have any real knowledge of who he was now. Favorite foods, hobbies, and the like - those things were still completely unknown to her. And from her few experiences with Kyle, Yelina suspected those bits of information would stay that way.
Just like his father, the teenager didn’t seem easy to get close to.
Despite that, though, she couldn’t help but find herself feeling… protective of Kyle, concerned for his wellbeing. And that made her confused, even if she was ultimately unwilling to change that fact.
As Yelina and the male nurse rounded a corner, she was dismayed to see Kyle sitting by himself, exactly how she’d left him.
Where was Horatio, she asked herself angrily.
He should have been there by now, should have known that dealing with this was more important than any case he could have been working on. Of course, her brother-in-law couldn’t know that it was Ray Junior who hit Kyle. She rationally understood that it just wasn’t feasible for Horatio to know that the divide in their family was growing.
But by now, and it would have been a few hours since he’d initially gotten the call, he should have absolutely known that Kyle was in the hospital.
That Horatio didn’t know - or didn’t care enough to show up - was damning in her eyes. The sight of her nephew all alone in the hospital proof enough of Horatio’s faults, Yelina felt the fire light up inside of her. The smoldering remains of her anger from all of the horrible events in the past week were stoked by her sudden ire.
How could Horatio do this?
The question seized hold of her mind, the query applicable to so many of his recent actions that she wanted to slap him the moment she saw him. And rising above all of that was a fierce need to care for Kyle. The origins of her concern seemingly unknown and cemented in fire, she was absolutely going to see her nephew through this.
Even if it meant widening the chasm with everyone else.
Her pace picking up, Yelina quickly closed the remaining distance to Kyle.
“Get your things,” she told him gently. The teenager hesitated to grab the backpack tucked securely behind his legs. She encouraged with a smile, “Come on. This man is going to take you to the -”
“You’re not coming?” Kyle asked. The words were uttered cautiously, casually, but something about his posture was guarded and closed off. And seeing the subtle look of fear in his eyes, Yelina could tell that…
He didn’t want her to go.
Which was fine with her, because she had no intention of doing so.
Reassuringly, she explained, “I will. But first I want to call Horatio, and I can’t do that in the room.”
“No cell phones in the hospital,” the male nurse confirmed, interrupting what felt like a private conversation.
Kyle’s only response was a slight nod of the head. But as he stood up, she couldn’t leave it at just that. “I’ll come find you when I’m done,” Yelina told him. Her gaze never leaving his own, she thought he didn’t seem entirely convinced. But if he believed she was going to abandon him, he didn’t share it with her.
Another nod of his head was all he gave her before following the male nurse.
Satisfied that she could leave him, Yelina turned and quietly exited the hospital. Her heels lightly scuffed on the pavement as she stepped outside, her hair blowing in the warm breeze.
Quickly she dialed Horatio’s cell phone.
Which he, of course, didn’t answer.
And in an odd way, she had almost expected him not to. As she left him a message about Kyle, Yelina couldn’t help but feel like this had all been anticipated. Sad as it was for her to think it, the truth was…
Horatio hadn’t ever been there for his son.
And even if Horatio was trying to fix that, trying to become a father, that still took time. That still took a concerted effort. One that he was probably willing to give, she could concede; but either way, parenting didn’t come easily.
Having had years to take on all the responsibilities, Yelina knew it took time. Time to remember your cell phone and to remember what the number of the school looked like; time to recognize that your work would suffer at times based on your child’s needs. Which her brother-in-law might have recognized in theory, might have understood that that was what he needed to do.
But it was something else entirely to put it into practice.
Especially with someone as quiet and unassuming as Kyle, Yelina worried that it was probably… easy to forget him.
That thought planted firmly in her mind, she stuffed her cell phone back in her purse and returned to Kyle.
The room the nurse had put him in was nice; the walls a subtle green color that was edged with a blue trim exuded sterile calm. And yet looking at her nephew, who currently sat on the white hospital bed, Yelina could see… he was anything but relaxed.
His insistent gaze met hers, a question being silently asked.
“I didn’t speak with Horatio,” she told him. “But I left him a message, so -”
Interrupting her, he brushed it off. “Doesn’t matter.”
But of course it did matter, and the sad quality to his voice made it sound like he recognized that just as much as she did.
Yelina knew, however, that she couldn’t say anything. Couldn’t correct him, tell him that Horatio not being here did matter, because… that would only call attention to her brother-in-law’s absence.
And what good would that do?
Sighing, she closed the distance between the door and the bed. Now by his side, she asked, “Did the doctor see you?”
Kyle shook his head, a loose strand of blond hair falling in his eyes. “Not yet… although I’ve already been asked how I got hurt.” He looked at her carefully then, clearly trying to gauge her reaction.
But truthfully, Yelina didn’t know how to feel about it. On the one hand, Ray Junior going to jail was horrifying, and part of her wanted nothing more than to prevent that from happening. But… on the other hand, she rationally understood that Kyle had no reason to lie. And frankly, after what her son had done to him, she’d be shocked if Kyle had even considered making up an excuse.
“So I guess I’ll need to start collecting the bail money, hmm?” Her voice was even, calm, her humor dry. It was probably not the reaction Kyle was anticipating, but what other choice did she have?
Crying? Yelling? Giving up? None of those things were viable options, at least not in this particular moment.
“I didn’t tell - I made something up,” the teenager told her slowly, shifting around on the thin mattress. “I didn’t know…” His voice trailed off. Never finishing the thought, he didn’t say anything else. Didn’t do anything other than look at her for some sort of response.
Which he got immediately. “Thank you,” she said quietly, honestly. And wanting him to know that she hadn’t expected that of him, Yelina began to say, “You know, Kyle… I didn’t come here to -”
But her words were immediately cut off by the sound of the door behind her opening and the doctor coming in. “Kyle… Harmon?”
Both aunt and nephew nodded their heads in unison, sharing a private look that said they were being interrupted. That said all of the things their voices had not.
******************
“You think I got I a secret army of medical examiners, Horatio?” Alexx raised an eyebrow at him, the look reminding them both that dealing with spree killers was tedious.
Shifting on his feet, he said, “The night crew -”
“Already working on the last handful of bodies you found,” she told him honestly. Her eyes darting back and forth between the cadavers, Alexx said, “Unless you got an army of Oompa Loompas…”
Horatio smiled as she crouched down to look at the body closest to her. “Hey, I saw the sign when I was driving past the school. The kids trying out?”
“Hmm,” Alexx replied with a nod. Her attention was still focused on the work in front of her, but she said, “Both Janie and Bryan are auditioning for Charlie.” Horatio smirked at the idea. “It’s all part of the school’s desire to be ‘more inclusive,’ whatever they mean by that. Last I heard they even changed Wonka’s job so that the other children wouldn’t be tempted to eat chocolate.”
In all honesty, Horatio only had a vague recollection of the book; memories of reading it with Ray Junior had fallen prey to the older man’s age. Though he wasn’t… old, somehow those exact moments had begun to blur and fade. And while Horatio could still remember how his nephew had loved the part with the squirrels (or had they been geese?), he could not recall much else. “That sounds… interesting.”
“Mmm hmm. This man’s been dead since six am.” As was her way, Alexx looked at the body sympathetically, as though he were still there, still able to understand her.
Which, if he thought about it for any length of time, was actually… horrible. To not only die, but to stick around to hear their conversations? There were no words to describe how deeply wrong that was.
“The others look older than that,” Horatio said.
When she moved to another body, she nodded her head. “Given the level of decomp, I’d say this boy has been here at least a week.” As her fingers gingerly prodded around the bullet wound, Alexx noted, “This all seems a little… long for a killing spree.”
Horatio murmured his assent. “I guess… our murderer has been having… a bad month.”
She rolled her eyes. “Uh uh. A bad month is dealing with two children who haven’t been cast in the school play. This is…”
His gaze narrowed on her. “You don’t think they’ll get a part?”
Moving onto the next body, Alexx shrugged. “I love my children, Horatio. They’re wonderful - perfect. But they cannot sing.”
“There’s singing?”
She offered another shrug. “I… don’t know. Maybe?” The work that needed to be done seemed forgotten then, the bodies untouched and unnoticed. Sighing, she said, “It’s been so long since I’ve had a chance to do things with the kids that I’m surprised they remember who I am.”
The admittance hung in the damp air, leaving Horatio unsure of what to say. Was he supposed to offer her time off, despite knowing that the case required her expertise? Did he offer sympathetic words?
With someone else, he might have known what to say or do. But with Alexx… things were different. Because as close as they were, as well as they knew one another, there was no… real intimacy between them.
And she had never needed him before, never needed his comfort, which made the idea of giving it seem even more foreign to him.
But before he could say anything, she interrupted, “Don’t worry - you’ll have your bodies taken care of.”
“I had no doubt,” Horatio replied earnestly.
“There’s absolutely no way I’m gonna let the hacks from night handle this.”
They shared a knowing look, but he felt the need to press anyway. “You sure you don’t want -”
“I love my job,” she declared, conviction in her voice. “But I gotta tell you - sometimes… it’s like I walk out the house in the morning, and when I come back, the kids have aged five years.” She glanced back at Horatio then. “I love my job, but I am acutely aware that it takes me away from my kids.”
And with those words, the conversation was over. Having crept into territory that strayed too far from their profession, they turned back to the issue at hand - to their work. Silence descended over them, save for when Alexx needed to point out something unique about one of the victims.
But there was no further mention of children; only a lingering sense of guilt, he supposed, proved that they’d had that conversation at all. And while he was sure it hadn’t been her intentions, Horatio’s thoughts quickly turned to Kyle.
He knew rationally that it made no sense for him to think about his… son. The job so far had not truly taken him away from the boy, had not asked him to choose between one or the other. True, Horatio had worked around and within the law to get Kyle probation, but…
There hadn’t been any real sacrifice.
At least not professionally.
Yet.
But if Alexx’s words were true, which he suspected they were, then… at some point, he would have to make a choice.
It was only just a matter of time.
Go to the next Chapter