Disclaimer: I do not own CSI Miami
His heart ached for his child.
He worried constantly.
He eagerly awaited phone calls, even if they were spaced weeks apart and only a few minutes long.
He dreaded every ring of the phone, praying each time it wasn't bad news regarding his only child.
He may have only found out about Kyle a few years ago, but he loved that boy as if he had known about him his entire life.
He wanted to protect him from all possible danger; he didn't want to lose another person he loved. He wasn't sure he could live through the death of his child.
He told his son when he left to come back, no matter what it takes. Fight! Fight for yourself, fight for your mother and I.
He knew Julia wouldn't be able to handle it.
He smoothed out the crumpled letter that had come from his son somewhere in Afghanistan several weeks before.
He laid his head into his palm and sighed heavily.
"God protect my son, and all the soldiers who are currently some place far from home fighting for our country." He whispered.
Frank knocked on Horatio's office door, he smiled when Horatio's tired gazed firmly met his. "They're getting ready to perform the Memorial Day service out front."
Horatio nodded and carefully folded the paper lying in front of him.
Frank stepped into the office and nodded towards Horatio's desk. "Letter from Kyle?"
"Yeah." He placed the letter back into its envelope and placed it into his jacket pocket. "It arrived a few days ago, I just.." Horatio paused and tapped his jacket pocket a few times. "I need to keep it close."
Frank nodded in understanding. "How's he doing?"
A pained look came over Horatio's face, " He's a tough kid, he's hanging in there."
Horatio shrugged.
"The letter I received was dated several weeks ago, I'm hoping everything's alright."
Frank patted Horatio's shoulder several times as they walked out the office door, "He get's that toughness from you, Horatio. I'm sure everything's going to be just fine."
They stood outside in front of the flag as a representative from the nearby base made a speech. His thoughts drifted to the moments that he had shared with Kyle over the years. Their first baseball game, when he had taught Kyle to drive standard, he chuckled at that memory.
They were playing God Bless America as they raised the flag up the pole. "Be safe, Kyle."
He didn't know that many, many miles away Kyle's thoughts were with his father back in Miami.
They were in the middle of nowhere Afghanistan, tucked into the mountains as they listened to fire fights that were closer then they all wished they were.
Kyle pulled out the picture from his jacket pocket of Horatio and himself right after he had completed basic training, arms around each other, both smiling brightly.
"I love you, Dad."
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Dedicated to all our troops.
To the brave soldiers that we've lost and the ones who keep bravely fighting for our freedom. Thank You.