Thanks you all for eagerly waiting for my next update. Been busy lately.
"You know why I'm here Horatio." Rick said, matching Horatio's stare.
"We can talk about this outside." Horatio replied.
"It's ok, Rick told me what happened." Yelina added.
"You should know, Danport's pressing charges." Rick said matter-of-factly.
Yelina rolled her eyes. "Pretty bold for a guy who's likely to be on death row."
"Then you should know, Rick," Horatio paused, and took a step towards the IAB agent, "the DA thrown the case against me out."
Rick raised his eyebrows. Horatio continued.
"Melanie Bradford, name ring a bell?"
"Sounds familiar." Rick said.
"She was Danport's third victim, and niece of the prosecuting DA."
"Lucky break Horatio," Rick said, "even if the DA's not prosecuting, it's still going on your record that you beat up a suspect."
"Who was holding my wife hostage." Horatio added.
"It's still going on your record." Rick said. He loked at Yelina. "Sorry about this, just doing my job. You feel better soon."
Yelina forced a smiled and gave a polite nod as Rick left the room. She eyed Horatio who was standing a couple of feet from her bed, looking like a guilty schoolboy.
"I ah, he was taunting me, and I wanted to find you, so I..."
"Rearranged his face?" Yelina finished the sentence for him.
Horatio cocked his head to one side and gave a half-smiled. "I don't regret it."
"What you said about the DA, that's true?"
"Have I ever lied to you?" Horatio asked, slightly hurt.
"Sorry, I just wanted to be sure." She patted the space beside her on the bed, indicating that he should take a seat beside her. Horatio sat down slowly beside her.
"Card from Matt." He handed their son's drawing to her.
"One more for the refridgerator door." She commented.
-------------------------
Yelina had been discharged from the hospital after a week, and things slowly returned to some sense of normalcy for them. She attended a couple of sessions of counselling with the department psychiatrist, then gave up attending. Two months passed and her physical wounds had completely healed, and Yelina had returned to work as a homicide detective at MDPD, working the day shift now. She still had the occasional nightmare, but Horatio was always there for her.
That night she had put the boys to bed. Horatio had a particularly tough day, another unsolvable case it seemed and he was clearly frustrated. He stood at the foot of their bed, staring at the files he had strewn on the covers. He was clad only in his pyjama pants, which hung low on his hips, his brows knitted in deep thought. Yelina thought he looked decidedly sexy, and her thoughts drifted to some fun in bed with her husband, something both had neither tried initiating or talked about since her attack. She wasn't sure if she was ready, and she knew Horatio was afraid of hurting her.
"There's something I'm missing here." Horatio said, more to himself rather than his wife.
"Maybe I can help." Yelina said, it wasn't her case but she knew a new perspective often helped crack a difficult case. She stood next to him and he instinctively wrapped an arm round her shoulder, pulling her close.
Yelina was dressed in an over-sized T-shirt, with no underwear, Horatio was pretty sure. He was having trouble concentrating on the case. He turned her to him and kissed her deeply, slipping his hands under her shirt, giving her back soft, feather-like touches.
"If you keep this up, there's no way I can concentrate on the case." Yelina said in between kisses, and running her hands down his chest.
"That's the idea." Horatio whisphered, nibbling at her ear.
He swept the files off their bed and eased her onto the bed. He lay with his thigh in between her legs, and she could tell he was very turned on. He slipped his hand under her shirt again, tracing small circles round her belly, before his hand reached for her underwear to slip it off her hips. Something in Yelina's mind flashed, and she was suddenly back in the darkened room with Danport, she felt his hands on her, hands she could not fight off. Her body stiffened and she grabbed Horatio's hand, stopping him in his tracks, she pushed him off her.
Yelina got up and swung her legs over the side of the bed. She sat with her back to Horatio, her face cupped in her hands, trying to calm her ragged breathing. Horatio let her be for a moment, before scooting over to her and seating himself beside her. He daren't touch her, but he wanted to comfort her.
"It's ok." He said gently.
She turned to face him, her eyes moist with tears. "I'm sorry.... I know you're not him, but it just brought back memories..."
"It's ok." Horatio repeated. He slowly took her hand and kissed her palm. "We don't have to do anything, not until you're ready. I'd wait a lifetime for you."
Yelina smiled bitterly. "I hate how he took this away from us. I can't even make love to my husband without him clouding my memories."
"It's ok." Horatio assured her. "It takes time, and, when it comes to you, I've got all the time in the world."
"Thanks." Yelina said, reaching to hug Horatio. "I love you."
"Love you too," he took her gently into his arms and they settled into bed, Yelina falling asleep in his arms.