If tomorrow feels like a lonely room
Without someone there holding you
Know you'll be all right, I'll be at your side
At your side--your side
Hold on tight--hold on tight
You know I'll never be too far
'Cause I wrote this promise on your heart
Horatio and Yelina quickly got their passes and were lead out to the gate by a middle aged man working night shift.
“You guys work late. Somethin’ up?” the man asked, having a slight Yankee accent.
“Sir, you know we can’t tell you,” Horatio spoke patiently.
The man shrugged.
“Hey man, just wondering if my neck is at risk here,” he scoffed.
“Understandable,” Horatio nodded.
The man slid a security card and entered a lengthy code into a panel next to the gate.
“Are you from around here, sir?” Yelina asked him, to past the time as they waited for the gate to open.
“No, why’d you ask?” the man grinned.
Yelina shrugged.
“The accent,” she smiled.
“Well if we’re going by that! Yours isn’t so local, detective,” the man laughed.
Horatio grinned and titled his head to look at her, waiting for her to blush. She rewarded him graciously.
“True,” she laughed, nodding.
Soon the gate was open and the man left them to do their work. Horatio walked close beside her, his left arm brushing hers as they walked. Yelina could still feel some tension coming from him. He still had to get use to this; she had to let him adjust at his own pace.
As if sensing her thinking about him, he turned and gave her a smile.
“You okay?” he asked, referring to her emotional outburst earlier.
Yelina nodded and looked at the handkerchief of his that she still held. When she had held it to her eyes she had smelled his scent on it: he’d always smelt of Irish Springs. It suited him so well; she couldn’t imagine him having any other scent.
”I am,” she spoke, holding out the handkerchief to return it to him.
Horatio looked from her face to her hand. Maybe he was making her feel like he was pushing her too much. He couldn’t be stingy, she needed space to adapt. Expressing their emotions freely was not just new to him.
Taking her hand he folded her fingers over the cloth.
“If I’m dreaming…,” he began.
Yelina smiled and raised the cloth to her nose and inhaled.
“Why does work always get in the way?” she asked with a sigh.
Horatio raised his eyebrows.
“Impediments, we’ll get by them,” he said with utmost certainty.
Yelina smiled and walked closer to him.
“We’d better get to work then,” she spoke softly, combing her finger through the hair on the side of his head.
(update soon
)