Summary: Following Deadly Obsessions; Horatio is recovered and back at work, but attempts at his life keep happening, which makes him realize that his stalker from before wasn't working alone.While the team struggles to find out who keeps wanting Horatio dead, they also start to realize that someone from within is working against them. Meanwhile Natalia has some delightful, yet worrying news to share with her lover.

Author's Note: This is a sequel to Deadly Obsessions and for the those who read the end of it they know that Ryan is working against the team. I love Ryan Wolfe, but unfortunately in this story he is one of the semi- bad guys.

-I-

With the cover of darkness it was easy slipping into the run-down apartment building. He was dressed in black clothes all over and the hood of his jacket hid his face from passers-by. His heart was beating fast and he had to stop several times to take deep breaths and calm down. Meeting his boss wasn't something he enjoyed doing; he was a dangerous and intimidating man. One look at him was enough to show anyone that this was one man you did not mess with. That's why he had managed to build such a large criminal empire in his home town in Georgia. And he had managed to stay hidden and anonymous for many years; always having someone else do the dirty work for him. Anyone tried to snitch and they would find themselves with their lives shortened quickly.

The Boss's methods of execution were cruel and obviously inspired from the medieval ages. His favorite according to rumors was burying people alive. Ryan shuddered at the thought of being buried alive. Fortunately for him, the Boss wasn't angry at him; at least not at the moment. Ryan wondered how long that would last. Ryan knew he could only try to resist for so long and then he'd either have to commit one hundred percent to the Boss or pay the consequences.

As he reached the right apartment he could hear the hard thumping of his heart in his ears. He knocked on the door and waited. A big, muscular man opened and beckoned him inside. In the living room, counting bags of drugs and stacks of money was the Boss.

"Ah, Ryan! Nice of you to make it." He said, "As you can see I've had another successful business deal done today."

"Yes... uh, congratulations." Ryan hesitated.

"Hmm... yes. Certainly." The Boss grinned.

He beckoned Ryan to follow him into the kitchen and handed the young man a beer.

"I'm a bit disappointed about the fact that Lieutenant Caine is still very much alive. Perhaps using a psychotic woman wasn't the best approach. I had hoped it would have helped it look like an unfortunate case of an obsession turned deadly; rather than making it look like a professional hit." The Boss sighed, "But, I now think I need to take more drastic actions."

"Such as?" Ryan asked.

"Well, I've got a lot of uh... servants you could call them, under my command. Thugs that wish they were bigger and better. I'm going to offer some of them the opportunity to rise in the ranks."

"You're going to make them kill him?" Ryan asked.

"Oh yes, absolutely. I know some of them thugs work for MDPD, so it shouldn't be too hard." The Boss smirked, "Lieutenant Caine might just be attacked at a crime scene. After all, it happens that they are not always searched properly doesn't it? And it helps that I am not the only one who wishes him gone. He has a lot of enemies. One day someone might just get him off the streets."

Ryan took a deep breath. He didn't want Horatio to die. He just didn't have a choice. But then he thought of how happy Natalia and Horatio were now that they were together and had just moved in together. And Kyle... he would be without a father.

"Why not just hurt him bad enough that he has to quit the job?" Ryan asked; it was a risky question and the Boss was famous for not wanting to be questioned about his ideas.

"My dear boy, that man will never stop. And even if he couldn't work as a cop anymore, he'd still be behind the scenes offering his advice and consult on cases." The Boss chuckled, "No, I want him dead."

"What part do I play in this?" Ryan asked, almost afraid to hear the answer.

Surely the Boss couldn't be thinking that Ryan was supposed to kill Horatio? Ryan could never do that. It was already bad enough that he knew all this information and did nothing to give it to the team. He was already in so deep that he would spend the rest of his life in prison if he was ever caught.

"I just want you to make sure that no evidence leads back to me. And if possible, doesn't lead back to whoever kills him." The Boss said, "Although, the people I've talked to know the risks of spending the rest of their lives in jail. Still, it wouldn't hurt to make it just a bit harder for the team to find the evidence they need to put someone away."

"I'll do my best." Ryan said.

The Boss looked at him. He could see that Ryan wasn't fond of this. That he hated the situation he was in. But he had a good hold on him. After all; if Ryan refused he would have to watch two people he loved be executed and then die himself.

Ryan could sense that the meeting was over, so he excused himself and left the apartment. When he was outside he sank down on the ground and breathed hard. Fuck! He was in too deep. He was never going to get out of this situation and it was all his fault.

Finally getting up, he looked around before leaving the area. He would just have to pretend that everything was fine and pray to god that nobody succeeded in killing Horatio. And he'd also pray that he wasn't caught messing with the evidence. He wasn't sure he could handle the thought of the team seeing him as a traitor.

-I-

Arms wrapped around Horatio as he stood in the steaming shower. It was late and he had been called in to help the night shift with a case. He smiled and turned around to face Natalia.

"Good evening." He said and gave her a deep kiss.

"I missed you." She smiled, "I am so used to sleeping with out next to me, that I can't really do it when you're not here."

"Me too. But I'm here now." Horatio smiled.

Together they showered and kissed. In the end they made love in the shower and then fell exhausted into bed. Horatio spooned his girlfriend from behind and could feel his eyelids starting to get heavy.

The last eight months had been heaven for them. They had moved in together just a week ago and Horatio so very much loved coming home to a house that he shared with someone he loved. Gone were the lonely nights and quiet house.

He was also happy because his son was finally back in Miami full-time. Kyle was now attending the police academy and would be finished in a few months. Kyle had told him that at first some people had expected Kyle to be some sort of investigative- genius because of who his father was. But all that had eventually gone away as they had all got to know Kyle for who he was.

Horatio could not be more proud though; even if part of him had hoped that Kyle would have chosen a less dangerous line of work. He was truly proud of his boy.

"Penny for your thoughts." Natalia said sleepily.

"I am just thinking of how happy I am with you and with Kyle." Horatio said, "I love you."

"I love you too." Natalia smiled and gave him a kiss.

Both of them were exhausted and eventually feel asleep. Completely unaware that across town Ryan was hearing how his friend would be killed and that he would have to destroy evidence connecting the Boss to the crimes.

Horatio, who trusted Ryan with his life, had no idea just how dangerous that could be.

To be continued