Without you

Author: CSISteph CSI: Miami's characters don't belong to me. They belong to Anthony E. Zuiker, CBS, Jerry Bruckheimer and a bunch of other people, but I suppose you all know the drill, don't you?

Classification: Drama

Rating: T or maybe K+ (+13 or maybe +16 as always to be on the safe side, isn't it?)

Spoilers: end season 4, beginning season 5

Summary: Do you believe in ghost stories?

Author's note: don't ask me where it comes from, I have no idea, it just came into my mind.

Thank you, Shaz, for the beta reading you are the best, my friend.

Feedbacks: well, I'd love them, of course – who wouldn't? But please, only if you respect my work because it takes a lot of time and energy to get a story together. I love writing; I wouldn't allow anyone to discourage me from doing so, never. I don't have any problems at all with readers who choose not to go for this, but I decidedly do with those who write disrespectful mails just because they didn't get the ending they would have wanted. If you want to tell me what I might have done better within the story I made up, you're always very welcome to let me know. But if your only concern is to rant about it, then please, do it in private, okay? Thank you.

Lieutenant Horatio Caine was staring at the full moon through one of the windows of his appartement.

His wife was gone. They'd only been married for a few hours, and now she was gone forever.

Horatio would never feel that warm feeling that went through him as she smiled at him. Horatio would never feel his breath being taken away again as Marisol simply looked at him. He simply wanted that someone or something to give him happiness back.

She'd been the sun of his life for the time the times they'd shared together: a dinner, a hug or even a simple touch.

Marisol was such an example for others. She never complained, even when it was more difficult day. All she'd ever wanted was to be happy nothing more.

But apparently, fate had decided otherwise… Horatio Caine knew at least, Marisol had had joyful moments they had shared with each other. He would treasure those wonderful memories with her forever.

She was supposed to have her whole life to live; she'd fought against cancer with such force. She had decided to quit chemo because she wanted to start a new life with Horatio as normal as possible.

He was still staring at the moon for a few more seconds then headed for the front door, opened it and left. A few minutes later, Horatio was standing in front of the ocean and staring at the rolling waves which had taken a darker shade.

Suddenly something—some sort of shape—appeared in the water, then he realized that the shape which had slowly come out of the waves was Marisol.

He couldn't believe it; she was actually standing a few inches of him. She was wearing a long white dress and looked like an angel.

"Oh my God" he thought.

"Hey, Horatio," she tenderly said.

Horatio want to say 'hi' back, but as he opened his mouth to do so, no words came out.

"I know it may be surprising to see me here, standing in front of you," Marisol said, reaching out to caress his cheek.

"I'm so sorry…" he breathed, leaning into her touch, and closing his eyes.

"It's okay, honey, it wasn't your fault. You did what you could; don't blame yourself for what happened.

"I should have been there with you…" he started as a single little diamond pearl rolled down his cheek.

Marisol shook her head, "don't do this to yourself, Horatio; you are not responsible for everything that is happening in the world. There are things in life you don't have any kind of control on. Someone had other plans for me, different than those I had, we had, honey. But that's not what matters the most, Horatio, because what we had was amazing. I'll cherish those moments forever. You'll be forever in my heart…"

"I miss you so much, Marisol," Horatio murmured, lifting one hand upon hers.

"I know, baby, I miss you too, but you need to move on, when I told you in the ambulance not to leave me, I didn't mean for you to stay alone."

"But, Marisol… I don't want to…"

"Honey, I want you to have a life. It's not because we were married that you need to feel yourself chained to me forever. I loved you too much to endure a whole life with no one to share it with. You can't just live on memories, Horatio. You'll find love eventually, you'll see. You'll be happy. I'll never really leave you, because wherever you will go, I'll always be with you, I'll be in your heart."

"Never without you, sweetheart," he said sadly. "I don't know how I need to keep going?"

"Yes, you do know it, and you have to do it, my brother Eric needs you, the victims need you as well as their families. Don't you ever change, honey, and never forget that I love you."

Marisol leaned forward again to brush her lips against his. Then looking at him one last time before turning around she says with a smile, "make the best out of each minute you have to spend on earth, even in the worst moments. Time is precious, use it wisely."

Horatio watches her walking away as he murmurs "I love you, too, Marisol."

A few seconds later, she's gone forever.

Staring at the horizon, Horatio Caine is about to start a new life without his beloved wife.

The End

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