Spirit of Giving.

pairing: Calleigh/Horatio
rating:G
word count: 504
disclaimer: CSI belongs to Jerry Bruckheimer
adventdrabbles 23 Dec 06

Calleigh was miserable. She'd been fighting getting sick for a while now but the week of double shifts had done her in. Now all she wanted to do was spend her next four days off huddled under her blankets and sleep.

Never mind Christmas was in the middle of those days off. The moment she crawled in between the sheets and her head hit the pillow, it didn't matter that her tree was decorated or the pile of presents for her co-workers underneath it. Considering how many people told her how awful she looked when she left in the wee hours of the morning, she had a feeling they would understand when she gave them out late.

In her haze of cold meds, she never heard the door open or her name called softly, it wasn't until much later and darkness had once again fallen that she rose. The rich small of garlic and dill had her following her nose into the kitchen. She couldn't resist lifting the lid on the pot and breathing deeply the scent that rose in a cloud of steam. "mmm..." she said to herself, or so she thought.

Calleigh realized she wasn't alone when she looked through to her open living room. She wasn't really surprised to see him sitting on her sofa. The small lamp next to the sofa and the white lights from the Christmas tree lit the room. He'd fallen asleep, his book resting haphazardly on the arm. He was just as tired as she was, but he still came over and made soup for her.

"Hey..." she said walking over to him and running her fingers through his hair.

Opening his eyes, he looked up at her, "Hey..." he replied. "Feeling any better?"

"A little, now that I've actually slept."

"Have some soup, it'll help."

"Join me," she asked, holding her hand out to him. When he took it, they walked to the kitchen hand in hand. She only released his hand when it was time to get bowls and dish out the soup.

Never saying a word they work together in a well practiced rhythm handing bowls back and forth and getting glasses of milk. With wicker trays they headed back to the living room, bypassing the TV in favor of the stereo, tuned to a station playing Christmas music. Sitting side by said, they maintained the quiet, until the bowls were empty.

"Thank you," she said quietly taking his tray from him, stacking it with hers and setting them both aside. When he just shrugged and nodded, she snuggled close to him, resting her head on his shoulder. The years they worked together they formed a friendship that had seen each other through a lot of heartaches and triumphs. And still they came back to one another. Maybe one day she and Horatio would stop and look at what was right in front of them, until then, they would continue to be there for each other and give what and when they could.