Green-Eyed Monster

Written By: D’be-D’be

Pairing: Horatio and Eric


Eric Delko was restless all day. At first he didn’t quite know why, but when he had to look up a date on the calendar for his lab report, he realized that it was six months to the day that his friend and co-worker Tim Speedle had been murdered while investigating a crime scene. He had been very close to Speed, the name all his colleagues had given him, but not as close as his boss Heratio Caine had been.

Eric was hopeful that after H, as everyone called the CSI boss, was over Tim’s death, he would turn to Eric for comfort but that didn’t seem to be likely. Actually it seemed that H was spending a lot of time with the new member of the team, Ryan Wolfe, who had been a member of the Miami Dade County Police Department before joining CSI. That irked Eric to no end. More and more he felt he was being sent out on crime scenes with Calleigh Duquesne as Wolfe got to go out with Caine. It’s not like he didn’t enjoy working with Calleigh; it’s just that he wanted to be with Caine.

He had just put the finishing touches on his report when Duquesne tapped on the lab door, "Come on, Eric, a body has just washed up on the beach and we’ve been called in to investigate. Alexx will meet us at the scene."

"Where’s H? Isn’t he coming?

"No, he and Wolfe are going to the race track to investigate a murdered jockey."

"Look, Calleigh, I have a lot of work here to finish up so why don’t you go out to the scene and when I’m caught up I’ll meet you there, okay?"

"I don’t think H will like that to much."

"Don’t worry, I’ll square it up with him. You go ahead."

Calleigh, who was a beautiful blond from the south, knew Eric long enough to figure he was up to something but decided to leave it alone. She knew how much Eric missed Speedle. She also knew how much he admired and worshipped Caine and how he felt out of sorts since Wolfe joined the team, so she just turned and walked out of the lab without putting in her two cents or warning Eric about the consequences of his actions.

As soon as Duquesne left the lab, Delko grabbed his investigation kit and headed out the door to try and intercept Wolfe before he left. With a little speed and persistence he managed to catch the new member just as he was getting into the Hummer.

"Hey, Wolfe! Look, I know you’ve been asked to join Heratio at the track but I have a lot of knowledge about horses so why don’t you and I switch assignments and you join Calleigh at the beach?"

"I don’t know, Eric. The boss asked me to go, not you."

"Ya, but that was because he thought I was still working on the Murphy case. That’s all wrapped up so I’m free to join him and, after all, wouldn’t you like to spend the day with a beautiful blond on the beach instead of our boss in a smelly horse stall?"

Thinking about that for a second, the new recruit liked Delko’s logic and threw the keys at him while stating he would grab a ride with Calleigh."

Being very proud of himself, Delko jumped into the Hummer and sped off to join Caine at the track.

When he got to the track, he found Caine had already interviewed the track owner and was about to lay out the scene for investigation. He felt a little nervous when he saw the look of surprise on Caine’s face at seeing him there instead of Wolfe.

"Hey, Eric, I thought I told Calleigh to let you know I wanted you to join her at the beach site."

"No, she stated you wanted me here with you and for Wolfe to go with her to the beach. I think she may have a little thing for him, ha-ha."

Caine looked confused, because it wasn’t like Calleigh to change his orders but what was done was done and this scene had to be processed, so he let it go with a promise to himself to speak to her as soon as they got back to the lab. It wasn’t like Delko didn’t know what he was doing. Eric was quite capable and experienced enough to work on his own. He just felt it was his obligation to take the new rookie under his wing and pass on as much of his knowledge and know how to the new guy as he could.

Eric kept sneaking peeks up at his boss as he processed the scene. His mind went back to a conversation he had with Speed over a year ago, on how he suspected that Speed and Caine were closer than anyone suspected. He remembered the scary look on Speed’s face when he realized someone knew about his special relationship with H, but how Speed had firmly denied and acted insulted that Delko would even think such a thing. Delko, being a stubborn sort, wasn’t going to leave it at that so after work he offered to take Speed out for a few drinks. When he was sure his friend had enough alcohol in him to feel relaxed and open to a more intimate conversation, Delko admitted to his friend that he had observed H spanking him, over an incident that involved Speed dealing with a court appearance. He then told him that he witnessed the comforting and the soft kiss H had given Speed after the spanking was over.

"Tim, it was then and there I came to realize that is what I needed in my life, and there was no one else I wanted more that H."

He remembered how quiet Speed became at the information he had just confessed to and he also remembered the embarrassed look on Speedle’s face when he learned that Eric had been a witness to his spanking. Eric had reassured him it was okay and not to be embarrassed. It was after a couple of more drinks that Delko began asking Speed if he would be willing to share H with him.

Speed, who enjoyed having H to himself, stated he’d really have to think about that for awhile, which disappointed the young CSI but he told himself to be patient and to give Speed time to absorb all that was discussed that evening.

After a few weeks had passed, Speed came up to him and with a soft kiss on the cheek, let him know he and H had thought about it and were willing to give the relationship a try. He also suggested the three of them should try to get together and discuss it that evening. Unfortunately, it was that morning that Speed was killed in the line of duty.

After that Eric tried to put the thoughts of being with Caine out of his mind, and he was doing a pretty good job of it, until Ryan Wolfe joined the team. At night he kept seeing Wolfe in H’s arms, instead of him, and his Latin temper started getting the best of him. He had no evidence that anything was going on between his boss and the rookie, he just felt it because Caine was spending more time with Ryan that Delko thought was necessary. He came out of his daydream when he heard Caine tell him to meet him back at the lab after he was done processing the scene.

As Delko headed back to the lab with all the evidence safely stowed away in their proper places, it never occurred to him that Caine would confront Calleigh about changing his orders or what actions he had set in motion by his little deception.

Calleigh was waiting for Delko in the parking lot and he could tell her southern blood was boiling. "How dare you tell Heratio that I disobeyed his orders. Do you know I’ve just spent twenty minutes trying to justify myself to him while not getting you into too much trouble." Delko could tell she was angry because her accent was very obvious to all that heard her.

"I’m sorry, Calleigh. I didn’t think he’d question you about it. I apologize and I’ll make things right, I promise."

"You better, young man, or things may never be the same with us again."

Delko, trying to avoid Caine for the moment until he worked out a plan in his head to justify his lying about the switch in assignments and getting Calleigh in trouble, took the evidence straight to the lab where unfortunately he encountered Wolfe.

"Hey, Eric, how was the race track?"

"Smelly! I feel like a should take a shower and being in such a tight space gave me a crook in the neck."

"You should ask H for a massage. He’s really good at that sort of thing. Why just last week I had to go into a sewer drain to process a scene and I was in there for so long I felt I was turning into a pretzel. Caine saw me rubbing my neck and rolling my head back and forth. He began rubbing the kinks out and it felt good."

While Wolfe was telling his tale, Eric had been putting evidence away. When the words that Wolfe had spoken sunk it, his Latin temper took over and he threw what may be a valuable piece of evidence against the wall.

"Look, you CSI wanta be, stop making plays for Heratio. I see you flirting with him and trying to make sure you’re at every crime scene with him. Well I want to let you know I’m on to your little scheme, mister, and I warning you to back off."

He was so green with envy and anger he hadn’t seen Caine enter the lab to witness the temper tantrum and the destroying of evidence. He became aware of it, however, within seconds when he heard the soft warning voice of his boss.

"Ryan, would you mind cleaning up Delko’s mess for him and salvage any evidence you can while he and I have a little chat in my office. Thank you. I appreciate it. Eric, if you don’t mind, please follow me."

With a downward cast of his eyes and shaky legs, Delko followed Caine into his private office and closed the door. Caine went to the window and drew the curtains that would obscure the office to the rest of the building.

"Okay, Eric, do you want to explain to me that little episode of childish behavior I just witnesses between you and Ryan?"

"I…I…Why do you spend so much time with him? Don’t you want to work with me anymore?"

Caine smiled to himself because those words sounded so familiar. Speed had stated the same thing to him about Eric when he first joined CSI.

"Eric, are you jealous of the time I spend with Ryan?"

"I…I…I don’t know. Ah ya, I guess I am. It’s just that….it’s just that.."

Delko was stuck for words and didn’t know how he could explain to H why he was jealous. He wasn’t aware of Speed having talked to H about their conversation at the bar.

"I think I know why you’re acting like a spoiled and jealous little boy. You wanted to become part of Speed’s and my family didn’t you? And after Speed was killed, you were left in limbo."

"You know….oh, dear God… you know. Why didn’t you let me know that Speed talked to you?"

"Because, my little Cuban cutie, Speed and I just discussed it the night before he died and between his death and feeling out of sorts, it took me awhile to realize that I had better let you know my feelings about what he and I had discussed. I would have looked forward to a threesome. It took a lot of guts for you to admit to anyone what you needed help to you get by in life and I am flattered that you want me to become a part of your life. I do love you, little boy. I always have, but I wasn’t aware of your feelings until Speed spoke up. So if you still want me, here I am. But first things first. We have a little discipline matter to take care of. Your behavior in the lab is unacceptable and, for that, you have to be punished."

Then without warning, he grabbed Delko and pulled him over to the desk and pushed him face down. Before Delko could react he felt the sting of Caine’s hand on his backside.

"OWWW!!!" he yelped while trying to stand up.

With his left hand, Caine held the young Cuban down while he continued to spank him with his right hand. Delko counted the slaps as he cried out five, ten, twenty. He began to beg Caine to stop. He tried through tears to tell Caine he was in pain, but his pleas were falling on deaf ears. After forty slaps, Caine stopped and pulled Delko up.

"Okay, young man, you stand there, because I know it’s too painful for you to sit right now, and listen to me. If you really want to become part of my life you will have to abide by my rules. If you misbehave or break those rules you will once again find yourself with your butt in the air and believe me, the next time it will be on bare skin, not through your jeans. Do you understand and agree?"

Delko was still crying as he listened to what Caine had to say and when the words sunk in and he realized that Caine really wanted him. He threw his arms around his boss and cried deep sobs on his shoulder.

"I’m so sorry, H. I guess subconsciously I was trying to get your attention, and…" he stopped as he rubbed his sore backside through his jeans. "I knew I might even get this kind of attention, but I never meant to act that way and I’m so sorry I may have destroyed some valuable piece of evidence. I’m also so sorry I drew Calleigh into this mess. I’ve already apologized to her for getting her into trouble. Most importantly, I do agree, absolutely! I need this and I will obey your rules to the best of my ability. I love you so much and it feels so good to finally be able to voice my true feelings."

Caine held Eric close and rubbed his back in a comforting gesture. He then pulled Eric off his shoulder so he could wipe the tears away before giving him a slow lingering kiss which suggested there would be more to come later when they were at Caine’s condo.

"Okay, little boy, I’m glad you apologized to Calleigh but now you have to do the same to Ryan. After that, meet me downstairs so we can go over to my place and discuss in more detail exactly what this relationship will be for the two of us. We can also discuss the rules and the consequences there of."

Leaning in for one more kiss, Delko felt reborn. Finally his life had meaning and he would do his best to never disappoint Caine or to dishonor the memory of his fallen friend. As he walked out of Caine’s office and headed towards the lab, he knew Caine had helped him slay the green-eyed monster and lay it to rest, never to return.

The End