A/N: First of all, let me get this squared away: RIP "CSI: Miami." A senseless death.

As of this writing, I'm only planning it to be a half-season's worth (around 12 "episodes"). This may change as I add the "episodes" (i.e. chapters)…only time will tell.

I'm more of a character development kind of person, so if you're looking for good procedural action then this fic is not for you. I'm focusing solely on tying up most (if not all) of the loose ends (character-wise) that the cancellation of the show left behind. Most of the major ships will be touched on and/or resolved throughout my vision of Season 11.

Subsequently, I noticed that the fates of several characters were left in limbo in the series finale. I fully intend on resolving that issue as well.

Please R&R…although I've been writing fanfiction for eight years, reviews help me evolve as a writer.

Setting: 5 months after "Habeas Corpse."

11X01: "Descent"

Sunlight blanketed a homely living room. The scampering of little feet down the wood-floored hallways and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee brought an air of calm to a petite blonde making school lunches in the kitchen of a quaint yet welcoming house in a quiet Miami neighborhood.

This was finally the family Calleigh Duquesne desired her whole life. Although Austin and Patty North weren't her biological children, she loved them just as much. Her dreams were realized. Life couldn't get any better.

A pair of strong arms wrapped slowly around her waist, pulling her in to a tight embrace. She promised to let Eric Delko take the kids to school – and her to work – if he promised to help her with making the lunches.

"Good morning, doting mom," Eric Delko whispered in Calleigh's ear.

"Good morning, Eric," Calleigh chuckled. "So much for getting help with these lunches."

"Sorry, I-uh-ran into traffic on the causeway," Eric stuttered out. "First day of school. You nervous?"

"A little," she replied with one of her trademark smiles. "Now I know how all those parents feel like dropping their kids off."

"Calleigh, you are a parent," Eric reminded her. "You're a mother."

Her eyes welled with tears. "I'm a mother," she choked out happily.

Eric hugged her again. "And a damn good one, too," he added. "Those kids love you so much."

Calleigh turned to face Eric. "Thank you for being there for me…for everything." Although their on-again, off-again relationship was on hiatus at the moment, she knew she could count on Eric in her time of need, even if it was something as trivial as school lunches. Then again, she could say that about anyone on the team.

Eric wiped away the tears that ran down her face, threatening to smudge her makeup. He eyed the shiny golden badge that rested on her hip, and he couldn't help but smile. He removed it to study the bold letters that proudly proclaimed Calleigh's new position: SERGEANT.

"Well, Sergeant Duquesne, are your children ready for school?"

Calleigh giggled. "Austin! Patty!" the blonde called out to the children. "Y'all better hurry up or you'll be late for school!"

"Coming Mom!" both children called in unison. Eric looked into Calleigh's eyes: he knew that the tag of "Mom" was still new, yet exciting, to her.

He smiled as he saw more tears threatening to flow in her eyes. "Alright Sarge, time for school."

Sunrise never failed to wake Ryan Wolfe. He sat upright in his bed to stretch for a moment before turning his attention to the still-sleeping form lying next to him.

"Hey," he whispered, gently resting his hand upon the woman's shoulder. "Sleep well?"

The sight of Natalia Boa Vista rising up to greet him – tussled hair, puffy eyes and all – brought a grin to Ryan's face. "Morning," she muttered groggily.

He took that as a yes. "Morning," he replied in amusement.

"What time is it?" she asked.

Ryan grabbed a remote off his nightstand and turned on the TV. "7."

Natalia groaned. It always took her a long time to get up in the mornings, and it didn't help that her new boyfriend was a textbook morning person. She studied him as he focused his attention to the morning news: their relationship was still quite fresh, but she already felt it was right. Ryan was different from all the other men she dated. He was genuinely interested in her life. He wasn't a one-night stand or a fuck buddy…he became her best friend.

Ryan felt that she was staring at him, so he looked back at her. "What?" he asked with a chuckle.

Natalia pulled the covers up to her chin. "Mmm…nothing. I'm just checking you out."

"Checking me out, huh?" Ryan inquired. "See anything you like?"

"Yeah. You'll do for now. I'm glad I said something at the bar."

He remembered that day five months ago like it was yesterday: dejected that he might never find "The One," she reassured him of his good qualities. Once the rest of the team left, and Ryan paid for his and his boss's drinks, the two of them had a lengthy discussion about what they meant to each other. A bit unconventional to be discussing romantic possibilities at that stage, but they had already gone on a date or two so they knew that something was there. All it took was a spark.

He nudged her playfully and got out of bed to encourage her to do the same. "Me too. It took some balls to say it in front of the team, too. We'd better get ready soon or Horatio's going to have our asses. I'm going to hop in the shower real quick. Want to save time and join me?"

Natalia flashed Ryan a brilliant smile that rivaled Calleigh's trademark. "Absolutely!" she replied with a newfound sense of energy.

The lovers quickly stripped their bodies of what few garments they were wearing and tossed them to the floor. They gathered each other in an embrace for a quick albeit passionate kiss until Ryan broke the kiss. His eyes widened in horror after something on the news caught his eye.

"Oh my god," Ryan whispered inches from Natalia's face, his gaze still fixed on the glowing screen.

"Babe, what's wrong?" she asked before she turned around to look at the TV. "Oh my god," she repeated after she realized what she was watching.

"Sergeant Duquesne, CSI Delko, do you have anything to say about Kyle Harmon?"

A swarm of reporters surrounded Calleigh and Eric as they approached the Miami Dade Crime Lab for what they hoped would be just another day at work. One mention of their boss's son, however, meant that their day just became anything but ordinary.

"If I knew anything about Kyle," Calleigh responded. "What happened?" Deep down, however, she knew that something was very wrong. Kyle was currently serving in Afghanistan with the Army. She didn't want to fear the worst, but the thought lingered in the back of her mind.

The reporters retreated slightly; it had seemed that Horatio Caine's loyal band of CSIs were unaware of what happened overnight.

A frown crossed Calleigh's face. Her heart nearly stopped. "What happened to Kyle?" she asked a female reporter.

The reporter looked genuinely frightened of the petite blonde who addressed her. Calleigh was the infamous Bullet Girl of MDPD, after all.

"I'm not going to ask you again," Calleigh warned.

"Kyle Harmon…was killed in action," the reporter stammered.

"Oh my god," Calleigh whispered to herself. She knew her LT would be devastated. Kyle was Horatio Caine's only child and the only semblance of normalcy in his chaotic and outright tragic life. She didn't know everything about Horatio's past – she only had a sparse idea of the horrors the brave Lieutenant survived throughout his life.

The sound of doors being swung open in a fury startled the crowd gathered in the front of the Crime Lab. Natalia and Ryan sprinted toward them. "Calleigh!" Natalia called after her.

Tears flowed down Calleigh's cheeks as the two women attempted to comfort one another. "This is bad," she whispered in Natalia's ear.

"Very bad," she replied, rubbing her back in an attempt to soothe her sobs. "We need to find H."

Calleigh pulled away from her friend. "He's not here?"

Ryan and Natalia both shook their heads. Calleigh's instincts as second-in-command kicked in immediately. It was shockingly uncharacteristic for their boss to not be the first one in for the shift.

"Alright, y'all go inside and be ready for any call-outs. I'm going to see if he's at his house."

The three walked back inside with heavy hearts. Calleigh ran to a department Hummer and sped off toward the first place she deduced he might be.

"Please honor Lieutenant Caine's wishes and leave," an exotic voice sounded from behind the door.

"Yelina, it's Calleigh," she replied desperately.

Almost immediately after hearing the familiar Southern twang, Yelina Salas flung the door open. Her eyes were red and puffy from unceasing tears. She nodded respectfully to the blonde, and allowed her to enter Horatio's home.

"I thought you might have been the press looking for comment," Yelina explained.

"I understand," Calleigh replied.

Calleigh studied Yelina: it had been a few years since she last saw the Colombian, but she still cut a striking – albeit intimidating – figure.

Yelina eyed the glint of gold hanging from Calleigh's pants. "Congratulations on making Sergeant, Calleigh."

"Thank you," she said quietly.

The two women stood at the doorway for an awkward second before Calleigh extended her arms out to hug her former coworker. No one back at the lab knew what happened to Yelina after she and her son left for Brazil with Horatio's brother Raymond. Calleigh always believed her to be dead after Horatio told her that the Mala Noche gang killed Raymond.

"Is he here?" Calleigh asked.

"Yes, he's in his bedroom."

The two made their way down a dark hallway.

"I'm so sorry about Kyle. No one at the lab knew until we were swarmed by reporters."

Yelina shook her head and balled her hands into fists. "Damn it," was all she could say in reply.

Calleigh's heart dropped as they approached the door that closed Horatio off from the rest of the world. Yelina turned the doorknob and opened the door gently.

A lone figure clad in only a white t-shirt and boxer shorts sat at the foot of a large bed. He must have received the news as he was getting ready for work, for he had yet to shave or comb his fiery red hair. His eyes remained fixed on a single spot on the floor. The fearless airs he put on every day for his job was stripped from him then, and his true self lay bare for all to witness.

Calleigh knelt in front of the mourning man. "Handsome," she choked as she took his head in her hands. His pained blue eyes looked up and met her green ones at the mention of her old term of endearment for him.

"Sweetheart," he whispered with quivering lips. Try as she might, his Bullet Girl could no longer hold back the tears that stung at her eyes. The Sergeant gently wrapped her arms around the Lieutenant's neck. Horatio returned the favor and placed his shaking hands on her back. Yelina nodded at the actions respectfully.

"I'm…so sorry, Horatio," Calleigh stammered.

"Thank you," was all he could muster. His hands clenched at the fabric of her blazer. "Thank you."

"Do you two need a minute?" Yelina asked.

"Please," Calleigh pleaded. "It'll only take a minute."

"I'll whip up some breakfast, then." Yelina shut the door behind her.

Calleigh turned back to face Horatio. She stroked his tear-stained cheeks with her hand. "Handsome, I know you're in pain," she whispered.

Horatio's sobs did little to calm the situation. "I'm sorry," he said through clenched teeth. "I'm so sorry."

Calleigh put her arms around his neck again. "Don't be. You've suffered a terrible loss today. Let it out…let it all out."

"I have…nothing left," he choked out, burying his face in her shoulder. "Kyle…he was all I had in this world."

"That's not true," she whispered. "You still have Yelina and Ray Jr. You still have the team…you still have me."

"Oh…god…" he sobbed into her shoulder.

Calleigh held him tighter. "I can't even imagine what it would be like to lose Austin and Patty. I don't want to…I don't ever want to. What you're feeling…no one should have to go through that, especially alone. Don't go down that road alone. I will walk it with you."

"Just like the old days," he finished.

Calleigh smiled. "I've always been there for you, Horatio, and I always will be."

Horatio surprised Calleigh by grabbing her hands in his. "I know you are."

"Horatio…"

He looked at the small hands within his. "Why didn't we ever work out?"

"What?"

"I thought…we could have been there for each other…on different levels."

"I don't think we should talk about this right now. I know you've suffered a big loss, but you should take some time off and relax. Okay? We'll talk about this very soon. For now, though, I need to get back to work. I'll come back tonight and make sure you're okay."

Horatio nodded. "Thank you."

Calleigh gave him one more hug before leaving his bedroom. Yelina approached her in the hall.

"You'll watch after him, right?" the blonde asked the brunette.

"Of course."

TBC