A/N 1- Well. This is different, isn't it? I'm used to all the Naruto and the Twilight and the yadda yadda. Anyway, kind of new to CSI: Miami. Not exactly watching per say, but the writing. First one ya know. Flames, reviews, anything accepted. My motto for flames is that the person takes the time out of their day to comment about something bad, when they shouldn't have commented in the first place. It's a waste of their time, not mine. Yay. Anyway, I suppose I should put up a disclaimer and get rolling. And if you didn't read the summary, here you go.
Summary: Eric and Ryan put Calleigh on match dot com with her best interests at heart. But when the man she meets turns out to be an escaped convict, Horatio and the team race the clock to find Calleigh-the other half of Horatio's heart. **DuCaine**
Disclaimer: Ahaha. You think I own something? Psh, no! Onward.
1. What The Hell?
Calleigh climbed out of bed at 5:30. One quick shower later, she threw on a pair of nice black slacks, and a blue dress shirt.
Breakfast for her was the usual. Orange juice, toast, and eggs. She almost choked on her juice, however, when she glanced at the calendar. It was February twelfth, two days before the dreaded Valentine's Day.
The teams never got Valentine's Day off, but it hurt her to see all the couples (secret and non-secret) at the lab. Natalia and Ryan for one. Then there's Alexx's husband who always managed to surprise her at the lab. Not to mention Eric's infatuation with some other girl none of them had met as of late. Horatio always thanked everyone when they greeted him on said day, with a 'Happy V-Day', and a question about what he was going to do. Every answer he gave everyone was precise and quick. Nothing.
You and me both, Handsome.Calleigh thought forlornly, picking up her now empty plate and rinsing it in the sink.
With a quick brush of her teeth, she grabbed her keys and purse, heading out to her car. She turned the key and started the car, sitting there for a minute. Shaking her head, ridding her thoughts of skipping work for a few days, she drove away from her house and to the lab.
Horatio sat at his desk, fiddling with his sunglasses.
"Hey, H. Calleigh's not here yet. Have you heard from her?" Eric asked.
Horatio looked at him. "I have not, Eric. I suppose she had a bit of a hard weekend. She'll be in soon. I trust our ballistics expert."
Eric nodded and smiled at H as Calleigh's voice rang out.
"Eric! Alexx said you had the results!"
Eric tapped the doorframe and grinned, following Calleigh down to ballistics. Horatio shook his head and turned his chair around.
Horatio was quite concerned that he was surprised by the upcoming Valentine's Day. It came every year, but it seemed he had been the only one to not notice its coming. Folding his glasses, he set them on his desk and left his office.
"Miss Boa Vista. I trust you have some information for me?" Horatio questioned, entering the room where Natalia was residing.
Natalia looked at Horatio and grinned.
"Did," she corrected. "Ryan took it down to Calleigh and Eric. Along with her laptop."
Horatio raised an eyebrow. "Wasn't she on a rampage when she figured out it was gone, and no one owned up to it?"
Natalia nodded. "I thought they were stupid to do it. I mean, Calleigh on match .com? Seriously." Natalia kept rambling, but all Horatio heard was Calleigh and match .com.
"Wait a minute, Miss Boa Vista."
Natalia immediately shut her mouth and looked at him.
"What exactly did Eric and Ryan do?" Horatio asked, putting his hands on his hips.
Natalia swallowed loudly.
"I thought everyone knew…," Natalia murmured with a shaky laugh.
Horatio encouraged her with a roll of his wrist, motioning for her to tell him.
"Everyone around here notices how down Calleigh gets around this time. So, Ryan and Eric put her on match .com They told me that a few people had already sent her messages." Natalia explained.
This new information really ruffled his feathers. Ever observant Lieutenant Horatio Caine couldn't even tell his own ballistics expert's emotions around this dreaded time. Hell, he should have been able to at least tell the emotions about the woman he cared for so deeply.
Natalia took his jaw clench as a bad sign for anyone near Horatio, and his lips tightened in a straight line. Horatio stared at Natalia before marching right down to ballistics, just in time to hear Calleigh's last rant on Eric and Ryan.
"You two are so stupid! I don't need anybody okay? Valentine's Day is just another day!"
Eric and Ryan grinned as they met outside the ballistics lab. Calleigh was busy working on the results she had received from Eric.
"Hey Cal. There are from Natalia." Ryan said crossing over to Calleigh, handing her a folder.
Calleigh looked at Ryan and smiled. "Thanks."
"And this is from us," Eric said placing her laptop in front of her.
Calleigh glared at Ryan and Eric, opening her mouth to yell. She closed it slowly and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Why did you have my laptop?" She asked, menace lacing her voice.
"We notice how you are always so down around this time. Just a little something to make you happy." Ryan answered.
Calleigh regarded them with suspicion, before opening her laptop.
Snorting, she turned to them again, raising an eyebrow. "Match .com? What the hell?"
Eric grinned at her. "You already have a few messages from different people wanting to meet you."
Calleigh began yelling.
"Ryan Wolfe! Eric Delko! Since when have I ever given you permission to meddle in my personal life? You two are so stupid! I don't need anybody okay? Valentine's Day is just another day!"
She glared at them each in turn, her breathing heavy. Ryan and Eric avoided eye contact with her, shuffling their feet.
She sighed, running a hand down the side of her face. "Look, guys, I see you care. Thank you, but…it's meaningless to me. Ryan, you should be thinking of how to surprise Natalia and Eric, just woo your mystery girl." They grinned at Calleigh.
Horatio cleared his throat and all three of them jumped, staring at Horatio. "Mr. Wolfe, Mr. Delko, please allow me to talk to my ballistics expert. There is a case that needs your attention."
"Got it, H," they chorused, hustling out of the lab.
Calleigh closed her laptop and began leafing through the file. "What's up, Handsome?" She asked, ending the silence.
Horatio grinned.
"I was coming down here to warn you about Eric and Ryan, but they beat me. Natalia just told me about their plan so it seems they told everyone, but us. Tell me, do you happen to know where Frank went?" Horatio asked.
Calleigh pursed her lips. They couldn't have one decent conversation before it turned to other CSI's. "I didn't see him when I got here. Maybe Alexx will know."
Horatio nodded. "Maybe he had a bad weekend." With that final word, he strolled out of the room, leaving Calleigh.
As soon as he was out of sight, Calleigh opened her laptop and clicked on one of the messages.
I'm really going to regret this…Calleigh thought, beginning to reply to one.
A/N 2- Well, there it is. All mistakes are completely mine! Point em out, I fix em! Read and review. I would appreciate my virtual candy, since I can't have real candy! :D