It's not like there's something out there like the perfect marriage.
Yup Tati I agree with you. And thanks all for the positive feedback.
Horatio nodded. His mind was a nest of activity. He wasn't sure if Speed would make it, and he had a little boy to find. And then there was Yelina, he had promised to talk things over with her, he never broke his promises to her. And he didn't want to. Anger over the shooting was still clouding his thoughts.
"I should have reacted faster, maybe he wouldn't have been shot... we walked into a robbery... they were shooting at us. I shot the guy shooting at me, but Speed didn't fire back. I should've... "
"You need to stop and take a breath." Yelina said, clearly concerned. Much as she was still mad at Horatio for the past couple of months, she was worried for him. She remembered when they had just started dating and her partner was shot. She knew what it felt like. And Horatio had been there for her.
"Just take a minute, I know you want to find that boy. Just give me a minute."
Yelina jogged back to her car. The advantages of being a mother, her car was always well stocked with items needed by two rowdy boys. She fished a packet of wet tissues from the glove compartment, and hurried back to Horatio. He was still standing there with his head bowed. She started to clean the dried blood off Horatio's face. She felt his breathing slow, and he seemed to relax a little.
"All done." She smiled at him, like she would after cleaning up one of their sons after a day out in the dirt.
Horatio blew out a breath. His breath felt warm against her face.
"I... I don't, I don't derserve you." He said, his eyes clouded with sadness.
"I don't
deserve you." Yelina said with more sarcasm than she intended.
Horatio nodded his head. He she had every right to be angry with him. He had hardly been home much in the past months, his work had ate him up. He was so busy solving crime that he had neglected his family.
"I know whatever I say doesn't mean much now, but I'm sorry." Horatio brushed a strand of stray hair from her face with more tenderness than he had touched her in a long time.
It was her turn to nod. "You have a kidnapped boy to find. That's more important now. You do what you have to do. We can talk when... when you can."
Yelina didn't know when that would be, but she knew how she'd feel if one of her sons had been kidnapped.
"Thank you. I'll be home soon." Horatio said, a look of promise on his face.
He leaned over, grabbing her arms on either side, kissing her hard on the lips. Yelina sensed pain and passion in the kiss.
"Be careful." Yelina said softly as Horatio turned the corner to get back to his Hummer.
--------------------------------
Horatio watched as the rescued boy ran to his mother's arms. Both mother and son embraced. Horatio felt happy, he had found the boy, safe in the Everglades. At the same time he felt a pang of pain and guilt. His family probaly missed him. He checked his watch. Yelina's shift was over. She would have left to pick the boys from her mother's. There was paperwork to be done, but he knew what he had to do. He sighed. Time to try salvage his marriage.