Title: New Beginnings

Summary: It was only the end of a long day for all of them but in the end they would see it wasn't really the end only the start to some new beginnings. Tag to eppy 10.19 Habeas Corpse Horatio/Calleigh Frank/Nat /Team

A/N: Wow so really didn't expect the news about Miami being cancelled in favor of another season of NY or the original – to me that's beyond lame! So disheartening for sure! But I wanted to give the team my kind of send off which in reality isn't a send off at all! (okay so my muse likes to dream BIG! Lol) but hey they never close so put on your shades H and lets get to work. Well in the very least I hope you like this small offering that Alice has dreamt up for you all (sorry multi-chap ficx still on hold). Enjoy!

Eric, Ryan and Walter watch Tom finally take his leave and then huddle around the table to finish their drinks; Frank, Natalia and Horatio already having left about an hour ago.

"You really think he met Lulu in a science chat room?" Ryan asks with a somewhat dead panned expression.

"I don't know man…I think chicks would kinda dig the freaky workin' with the dead thing," Walter shrugs as he looks at Eric for a reply.

"Hey don't look at me, I still think he used Photoshop to make that up," Eric slightly smiles.

"I mean what kind of name is Lulu."

"Waitress," the three of them offer at once and then lightly laugh; exchanging amused expressions as they work on finishing their drinks.

"Kinda feels like…something's ending," Ryan muses softly as he stares somewhat absently into the bottom of his drink.

Eric and Walter look at one another, knowing that he was still feeling the inner emotional turmoil raging inside from the devastating consequences from his ill-fated romance with Sam.

"She just wasn't the one," Walter finally breaks the silence.

"Yeah…I doubt there will ever be the one," Ryan softly laments.

"Could always go to you know Geeks Are Us . com or something," Eric teases.

"No man go find Lulu's sister," Walter lightly teases.

"Yeah…I think I'll just…think I'm jinxed?"

"Okay so before the pity party really gets started, why don't we offer one final toast to Speed and Jesse and then do something the three of us haven't done…well in a long time," Walter suggests.

"What's that?" Ryan looks at Walter with a small frown.

"Go to the Bongo Club. You know find us some ladies and shake it til the sun comes up," Walter answers with a broad smile as he breaks into a small move, garnering a modest round of applause from a nearby table. "See…workin' already."

"You know guys…I'm just not…" Ryan tries to protest.

"Actually I like that idea," Eric nods in agreement as he holds his glass up to Walter's. "Best way to forget a past love is to find a new one."

"Guys I think I just wanna wallow tonight."

"At least take the toast, my arm's gettin' tired of hangin' in mid-air," Walter retorts, Ryan finally complying. The three of them down their last sip of alcohol before three empty glasses are placed on the table and three satisfied sighs are heard.

"I still say we go dancin'," Walter huffs.

"Going home to stu about this isn't worth it," Eric reminds Ryan softly. "Not making light of your feelings but lets go for a few hours just have some fun…just the three of us putting John Travolta to shame."

Ryan looks at the somewhat pleading expressions on his two friends faces and knows they are right. As much as he wanted to pick apart what he did wrong in not suspecting Sam from the start or blaming her for ripping his emotional world apart with a heartless betrayal he couldn't just let her continue to dictate his future – that he was in control of.

"A new beginning, starting tonight. I'm in," Eric mentions first.

"Me too," Walter agrees.

"Okay, I'm in."

"Excellent this way there will be at least three of us to tired to work tomorrow," Walter chuckles as he playfully slaps Ryan on the back. Eric watches his two friends pull away and smiles. "Thanks Speed," he whispers as he tosses a few bucks on the table and follows after them. They were family and in the end taking care of each other was their strong point – no one would ever take that from them.

"Okay so who calls shotgun?" Eric's voice asks in the distance as they near the exit doors.

"Shotgun? You actually wanna drive?" Walter counters as they push through, leaving the busy restaurant behind them.

"Okay who's paying for the cab?" Ryan asks as the doors close them from view.

XXXXXXXX

"Think Ryan's gonna be okay?" Natalia asks Frank as they slowly leave the restaurant, and head outside into the warm night air; opting to go for a walk along the marina and enjoy the brilliant display of the Miami sunset over the water and boats.

"I hope so…but betrayal…well I guess I know a bit about that. Course in my case…"

"I'm sorry Frank, I wasn't meaning to drag up demons from the past," Natalia states in haste.

"Ryan's got a good head on his shoulders and lotsa friends that care about him. I think he'll be okay. And you?"

"Me? I'm fine," Natalia replies with a small shrug. "Why?"

"Damn boats. Was worried about you there," Frank huffs as they near the area of the marina with the larger, luxury boats.

"Well I guess you weren't alone in the worry department," she reminds him. "But I like boats."

"I'd rather go camping than on a boat."

"Yeah but boats at least have a bathroom that works," Natalia interjects with a smile. "Trust me there are just some comforts I can't do without."

"See I thought you were gonna say some kind of electrical outlet."

"Why Frank Tripp is that female stereotype?" She counters with a mock look of shock.

"Ah no…I just meant..." he gently stammers and then stops. "Well fine I guess it was. Haven't travelled with a lady in a long time so tend not to think about things like…"

"Running water?" Natalia teases. "A bed without spiders or ticks...a..."

"Okay already, when you keep mentioning that it does sound more appealing than living off moss and washing in a river."

"Middle of the ocean, clear blue water, no bad guys to worry about...a glass of wine and good company," she continues to playfully goad as they near the end of the marina and head toward a bench and sit down.

"Does sound pretty great. Think Calleigh's gonna be okay with those kids?"

"Big responsibility but at least we know she won't be in this alone," Natalia replies with a tender smile. "I'm happy for her," she adds with a faraway glance and then looks over to see Frank watching her with a small frown. "What?"

"Ever think of adopting? I think you'd be a pretty great mother," he lightly praises, bringing a contented smile to her face.

"Thanks but um…I don't know…seems like a lot of work and…yeah I don't know," she treads carefully, remembering not to say too much that would weigh upon Frank's situation with his own estranged family. "Too much else to think about right now."

"Any future plans you wanna share?"

"Okay well I haven't told anyone but in my spare time…"

"Spare time? You actually have spare time."

"Would you let me finish?"

"Sorry," Frank smirks as he quickly lets her continue.

"Okay so in my spare time I have taken an online real estate course and I got my license and there's a really great place I found…sort of Spanish villa style. So am thinking I'd like to buy it, remodel and then resell. You know in my spare time."

"Really."

She finishes speaking and then looks over at his wondering glance, a small frown starting to slowly decorate her delicate features. "Nuts right?"

"Ambitious but I know you can do it."

"Don't think it's too much?"

"Nope in fact…if you want some help..."

"Really?" She asks with a growing smile of excitement. "You think I could actually do this?"

"I think you could do just about anything you set your mind to," he confesses in truth as his hand slowly snakes over and gives hers a squeeze. "And I'd be proud to help out, in fact I know a guy who sells stuff for cheap that you could use…you know building supplies and such."

"I'd like that," she replies as she gives his hand a squeeze in return. "Okay so what are you doing on Saturday?"

XXXXXXXX

He hadn't really expected to see Calleigh at the bar after their shift with the others; having gotten her call about being granted adoptive custody over Austin and his sister Patty. But as Horatio heads toward Calleigh's he feels his anxiety starting to rise a little. Taking on the role of full time mother to two little children with such a frenetic lifestyle at times would be challenging at best. And as much as he knows she's more than capable of making both her job and new parenting lifestyle seem effortless, something inside him was now hoping, almost eagerly, that she'd let him play a much bigger role than just a casual friend.

Horatio brings the Hummer to a stop outside Calleigh's home and looks at the somewhat quiet abode with a smile and frown; almost afraid to get out and head toward a new threshold. But his mind finally listens to the urgings of his heart and within seconds, he's at the front door, knocking on it and holding his breath.

"Horatio," Calleigh greets him her trademark smile; the single glance that even at his age could set his heart into a teenage flutter.

"Am I disturbing anything?"

"Heavens no…come in…we were…" Calleigh lets Horatio into the front entranceway and points to the two children in the living room playing with a vast array of toys all around them. "Playing."

"I see. How are you adjusting to all this?"

"I think it's gonna take a few days but like anything new…we'll set into a rhythm and just go with it," she explains as he takes off his black suit jacket and hangs it over the railing and then heads into the living room. "I have made arrangements with a trusted friend to look after them in case I can't pick them up on time and…and I know its gonna be a lot of work but I think there will be a lot of rewards also. Okay so I still do wonder if I'll be able to do this," she concludes on a quiet note.

"I know you can do anything you put your mind to," Horatio assures her as Austin comes up to them.

"Don't think this was a mistake?"

"Not in any way at all."

"Who's this?" Austin asks directly.

"My name is Horatio," he bends down in haste, not waiting for Calleigh to make any kind of formal introductions.

"That's a funny name."

"Yes…I suppose it is," Horatio replies as he looks at the object in Austin's hand. "What are you making?"

"Something for mummy to take to work with her."

"Well I'm sure your mum will put that on her desk and look at it every day and think of you," Horatio replies, bringing a broad smile to the little boys face as he hands the item to Calleigh.

"Thank you sweetheart," she praises, leaning in and kissing him on the cheek.

"Look what I made!" Patty comes over and joins the group, holding up her object for the adults to see and praise also.

"I think I have room on my desk for both," Calleigh tells them, garnering a hug from the little girl and making Calleigh's eyes slightly water. The two little ones go back to their pile of Lego blocks and start to chat aimlessly amongst themselves while Horatio and Calleigh settle on the sofa watching.

"When I was first told I had instant thoughts of panic…am I doing the right thing? Can I give them a better upbringing than I had? Will I fail in someway…just questions and doubts and fears…"

"Seems natural," Horatio contents as he leans back a bit further, his arm daring to reach out and lovingly lay across her shoulders, drawing her closer into him. His mind and heart delight in the fact that she doesn't pull away but snuggles a bit closer.

"But then I told myself of the special occasions, outings, school events…just things in general and they seemed to push all the fears away. I know I'll be alone but…"

"No, not alone," he assures her with a warm whisper in her ear. "Never that alone as long as I'm around."

She gently twists her head and looks up at him with a loving smile, her face instantly settling. "I was really hoping to hear you say that."

"Well if its okay, I'd like to be more than just a passing interest in their lives…as well as yours."

"Its more than okay," she replies with a whisper as her lips near his. But just before they meet they both look up to see two very little and curious faces watching and pull back with flushed faces. "Some things will take more getting used to than others."

"I'm in it for the long haul."

"Really?"

"Really," Horatio assures her with a firm nod of his head. "Besides, I know of a great babysitter."

"Frank?"

"Poor Frank," Horatio muses. "Actually I was thinking about Kyle."

"Well he has had some great training in being responsible," she praises. "But I like that idea."

"I was hoping you would."

"Look Horatio," Austin holds up another item, garnering a praiseful nod from the adult in return.

"That is excellent Austin," Horatio praises.

"Well they seem taken by you already."

"Its either the name or the hair," Horatio slightly smirks. "Or both. But you tell them they can call me whatever they want."

"Daddy?" Calleigh whispers and then looks at him in shock. "Horatio I didn't mean…"

"I think you did and you know what," he pauses as he leans in closer, his lips nuzzling her ear. "I was going to suggest that myself," he concludes by pulling back and kissing her cheek and then offering her a tender smile. "Have you had dinner yet?"

"Not even thinking about that yet. We just got home. I was gonna stop for some take out but they were too excited to get home and play with their toys."

"Well I was going to suggest an outing to MacDonald's or something but I haven idea…Austin…Patty, do you guys want pizza for supper?"

"Yes!" Both children shout in unison.

"Horatio? You sure?"

"Well unless you have other plans for the evening?" He playfully counters as he pulls her back into his arms to watch the children a bit longer.

"This is my plan for the evening."

"Mine too."

Horatio kisses her head and they sit together before he pulls his phone and places an order. It was going to be a new beginning for all of them but no matter what the team was in tact and together and as long as that would remain anything was possible – the future was now open and limitless.

"Here's to new beginnings," Horatio whispers as he looks over at his future family and offers a contended smile.

THE END!

A/N: Okay so I hope you all liked this. I do apologize if it was weak but Alice and I have been away from this fandom for a bit so please don't flame if it was really off.
As you know I ship DuCaine (I know its AU for this but I don't care lol) but also like Frank and Nat (from my other story There for You) and well had to get some of the boys being boys in this. So if you liked it please do review before you go and thanks so much!

PS: The John Travolta comment was of course referring to his dance floor moves in the movie Staying Alive