Horatio Caine wasn't sure why he had come down to the beach. Sometimes he came to just think, other times to swim or search for elusive seashells along the Miami beach. He would never keep them, but just admire the natured nature and time working together. Sometimes he found sea glass, which he kept, or broken bottles that he recycled. He didn't like how people would just throw out their trash along the beach. It was thoughtless, rude, and sometimes deadly for the ocean life. The beach was deserted at this time of the night, a rippling breeze fluffing his hair. He could almost hear something on the breeze, a high breathy sound that he could swear was a voice. He tried to follow it, farther down the beach, the lights of Miami behind him.

The voice grew louder, and he could feel it wrapping around his ears, his mind. He had to help whoever this was, that much was obvious. He needed to find them, get them to safety, and do whatever he could. He picked up his pace, sand spraying out around his feet as he ran further along the tide line. Finally it was ringing in his skull, close as he would get. He glanced around, desperate to find the person who was calling.

He could see someone spread over a rock in the seawall that was nearby, hair hiding their face.

He scrambled down on the rocks, calling out. "Are you alright? I'm with the police, I can help!"

The figure's head stirred. "The net, please." The voice was female, that he knew. Horatio stepped over to the rock she was holding onto. Sure enough, there was an old fishing net someone must have thrown overboard, and she was caught up in it. He reached over, slipping his fingers around the net. It was twisted around her pretty bad, and just after he started to pull it away, he realized something.

This woman wasn't wearing a swim suit.

Not a bikini, a one piece, or any other kind.

She was naked.

He told his eyes to stay on the net, untying tight little knots that must have gotten drawn even tighter in her struggles. Finally, the knots came undone, the net slipped from his fingers, and he actually touched her. He tried to pull her back, but the woman jerked out of his grasp. He snorted, reaching out for her as she floated away. Her eyes held his, green flashing in the lights from the city. Hair as red as his tumbled down to the water. He stepped out farther onto the rocks. "Come back! You need to go to a hospital."

The woman smiled, shaking her hair away away from her face. "I can't, but thank you."

"What?" Horatio wanted to step farther out, but there were no more rocks for him to jump to. "Come closer! We can talk about it!"

"Thank you, but I really must be going." She floated away, her arms propelling her.

Horatio bit his tongue, slipped his shoes off, and stepped into the water. It was warm that night, and he could swim fairly well. But she was better than him, dipping underneath the water even as he got closer. He glanced around, unsure now that this was the best course of action. The water in front of him bent, her head emerging. She was right in front of him, chest to chest as she looked at him. Horatio felt his breath hitch, she was beautiful.

"Why did you jump out here?" She asked, her hands linking around the back of his neck.

Horatio suddenly found it hard to think. "You're hurt. You need help."

She shook her head, "Not from your kind."

"My-" Horatio was cut off as something rose behind her head. It was a tail, a large feathery fin flapping on the end of it. He tried to figure out something to say, but he couldn't. A mermaid? Everything in science told him that was impossible. And yet, here she was.

Had somebody slipped pills from the evidence locker in his coffee?

She smiled, drawing herself closer to him. "I'll be fine. And thank you." With that, she wrapped him in a kiss that he didn't want to end. She was soft, yet powerful. And when she broke apart, her hands moved from his neck to his chest, pushing him away. He felt the seawall at his back, but he could still taste her on his lips.

"Where do you go?" He called as she turned to leave.

She paused in her movements. "Around, why?"

This is crazy, but I'd rather make sure I'm not dreaming. "There's an abandoned dock near here. Meet me there tomorrow?"

"Fine." She called, and then he heard the slap of fins as she swam away.

There was no way he could tell any of his team. They'd think he was crazy.

Maybe he was actually going insane.

But he'd sure as hell be there tomorrow.

AN: Well, here's my little cracky story. Hope you liked it! Please review!