Unexpected Journey
A/N: Hello everyone! Well, it's finally here, the next chapter in the Isabelle Caine saga! Sorry it took so long to get written, but Horatio and Belle decided to take a three month hiatus and forgot to tell me, and I can't very well write without my stars, now can I? ;)
This story is a sequel of sorts to The Importance of Being a Caine and a prequel to Vacation. A majority of this story is flashbacks of Belle's life through Horatio's eyes. Some of these vignetteshave been told from Calleigh's point of view in The Importance of Being a Caine, but now you get to hear Horatio's version. Well, I guess that's all I have to say for now other than please review, because it makes me happy! Enjoy!
Horatio Caine opened his eyes and for a moment he couldn't remember why this day felt different, special. The sun was just beginning to wash over the ocean, waking up the world; it was a beautiful day. 'A perfect day for her wedding,' he thought absently. In that instant the sleepy haze in his brain dissipated and he remembered. Izzy was getting married today. It was his baby girl's wedding day. He sighed; had the time really passed that quickly? It seemed like only yesterday that she was an unsteady toddler taking her first steps. He glanced at the clock, and granted himself a few moments to reminisce. He leaned back against the pillow and closed his eyes, drifting back to memories of a time 21 years earlier...
As long days went, this one had nearly done him in. The call had come in early that morning; five kindergarten-aged children had disappeared from a near-by elementary school. When Horatio had arrive on scene, he was met by the faces of distraught parents. As he passed each family on the way into the building, he promised them in his heart that he'd find their children. About an hour later a note arrive, along with a video from the killer. Horatio had stood in the AV lab and watched the five little boys and girls huddled together on a cement floor bound and gagged. He couldn't get the image of their pleading, frightened eyes out of his head. The note attached to the video was written in a orderly scrawl; it said "One by one they're going to fall, until there are none left. If you can find me, maybe you'll be able to save them. Good luck Lieutenant."
His team worked as quickly as they could, hoping against hope that they'd find these precious little ones before it was too late. Even with the pressure put on them under these circumstances, Horatio couldn't help but admire the precision and unity with which they went about their tasks. Sometimes it was almost as if they could read each other's thoughts. He was in the AV lab, going over the video again and again, hoping that he would see something that would tell him where they were, but after each viewing, he came up empty handed. He was so engrossed in his work that he didn't notice Eric come into the room.
"H," Eric said, standing just behind his boss, "We've had another contact with the kidnapper."
Horatio swivelled in his chair to face his brother-in-law. "What kind of contact?" he asked wearily, almost afraid of the answer.
"This," Eric said handing Horatio a Polaroid photo.
Lying in a pool of his own blood was a little boy, no more that five years old, his throat viciously slashed and his eyes still open in death, pure terror in their reflection. Horatio recognized him as Tyson Brenner, one of the children that had been abducted. In the white margin at the bottom of the photograph were the words "One down, four to go. You are running out of time CSI".
In an act of rage uncharacteristic of him, Horatio slammed his fist into the desk top. Eric jumped, a bit startled, but understood his friend's anger. "We have to get him Eric, we have to!" Horatio said, speaking mostly to himself.
Throughout the day two more pictures came into the crime lab, both featuring the bodies of two of the little girls that had been abducted. Both girls had been killed in a similar manner as Tyson, and a similar message had been scrawled at the bottom of the picture. Each little face contorted in pain and fear brought Horatio's resolution to find the killer to a new height.
At 4:15 Calleigh had rushed into the room brandishing a collection of papers. "Horatio, we got the test results back from the original note as well as the trace results from the tire tracks by the school. The paper had traces of printing ink that hasn't been used in years as well as smudges of gold leaf. The results from the tire tracks revealed amounts of aged limestone and granite. We think he may have the children in an old printing factory. We don't know which one though, there are at least twenty five within 60 miles of here."
Horatio, who was still staring at the screen playing the video again, suddenly noticed something in the corner that hadn't been important before, a stack of boxes with yellowed labels on them. He zoomed in closer trying to get a name. "Mandel Publishing," he said, almost in a whisper, "Calleigh they're at the old Mandel publishing plant on Cherry and Dickson. Call back up, we're headed out." He heard Calleigh flip out her phone requesting squad cars to the plant, as he raced out the door towards the Hummer, Calleigh close on his heels.
As he drove at high speeds down the freeway towards the plant, he had only one thought on his mind, 'Please let me make it on time'. Calleigh, who was sitting in the passenger seat, watched her boss's tense face as they raced through the streets of Miami. Although they were all very much involved in trying to find these children and wanting them to come home alive, Horatio had made this a personal crusade of sorts. They all had their personal weaknesses on cases, and Horatio's was easily children. He was willing to put his life on the line if he could save even one innocent life.
They screeched to a halt at the fence surrounding the publishing plant and before the car had completely come to a stop Horatio was already out of the Hummer and headed over to the locked gate. Realizing it would take a great deal of time to pick this specific lock, he nimbly climbed over the fence, Calleigh, as always, close behind.
He entered the building, gun drawn, listening carefully. "Miami Dade PD!" he yelled. When no one answered he listened carefully, and, hearing a noise to his right, started down a long hallway. Just as he rounded the corner, a tall man exited a room twenty feet in front of him.
The suspect gave Horatio a twisted smile that chilled Horatio to the very bone. "Well, well, well, Lieutenant. It took you long enough to find me. I honestly expected better from you and your famed crime lab."
"Cut the crap," Horatio said, gun still pointed at the suspect, "Where are the children?"
"What does it matter, H? They aren't going to be around much longer, much like you," he said, suddenly pulling a handgun out from behind his back and firing. Horatio was too quick for him however, pulling off a shot of his own which hit the suspect directly between the eyes; he was dead before he ever hit the floor.
Horatio turned to glance at Calleigh who had been behind him the whole time. "You okay?" he asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine, the bullet didn't come anywhere close. It's a good thing he's a lousy aim and that you're such an excellent shot." she said, walking over to the dead man's body.
"You stay here with the body until everyone else gets here, I'm going to find the kids," he said opening the door that the suspect had come through right before the shooting.
The doorway led to a long hallway with doors every ten feet or so. Horatio tried them each in turn, but he had no success until he came to the last door. He pushed open the door slowly, gun still raised, and looked into the room. He blanched at what he saw. In one corner, tossed together like a bunch of rag dolls were the bodies of the three murdered children, blood gathered around them creating a ghastly reflecting pool. He heard a whimper coming from behind the boxes to his right and, stepping carefully he moved to look behind them. There, huddled together, tear streaked and fear-ridden, were the two remaining children. The little boy was hiding his face in the girl's shoulder, but the little girl faced him bravely, although the trembling in her lip gave her away.
"Hailey," he said, recognizing the little girl from her picture, "Max." The little boy lifted his head and looked into the lieutenant's eyes. "It's okay," he said bending down and holstering his gun, "My name is Horatio Caine. I'm here to help you."
"Are you a cop?" The little girl asked, her eyes drawn to the badge at his waist.
"I am and I'm here to get you guys out of here." He said softly in the voice he reserved for little kids. Just then Calleigh entered the room.
"You found them," she said, bending down next to him.
"This is my friend Calleigh," Horatio explained to the two children, "She's going to take you to your mommies and daddies." He saw a slow nod from Max and he untangled himself from Hailey's grasp. He walked over to Calleigh and she took his hand and led him out of the room. Horatio looked back at Hailey, who had yet to move. "Come on sweetheart," he said, offering her his hand, "We've got to go."
"I can't leave," the little girl said, tightening her arms around her legs.
"Why can't you leave?" Horatio asked, trying to understand her logic.
"I promised my mommy I'd take care of my sister," she said pointing over to the corner where the three bodies lay, "I can't leave without her." Her eyes filled with tears and she began to sob.
Horatio's heart ached for this little girl. He opened his arms, pulling the child into a tight embrace. She latched onto him, holding him as tightly as she could and sobbed into his shoulder. He just held onto her and let her cry for several moments. He eventually stood up with her still in his arms and walked out to the waiting Hummer. He took off his suit coat and wrapped it around her shoulders as he set her in the Hummer.
"Sit here for just a moment, I'll be right back," he said, touching her arm.
He walked over to where Calleigh was standing by an ambulance, watching Max who was being checked out by the paramedics. "How's the little girl?" she asked after a moment.
"Physically she's fine, but emotionally..." he trailed off, looking in front of him, but not really seeing anything, "She saw her sister being murdered. I"m not sure she's ever going to get over that."
"What kind of a world do we live in, Horatio, when these things happen everyday and there's nothing we can do to stop them?" she asked, rubbing her arms.
"I don't know Calleigh," he said softly, "I don't know."
After the little girl was checked out by on-scene doctors and given a clean bill of health, Horatio was able to release her to her parents. Their reunion was bittersweet however as it lacked a second daughter.
As he pulled into his driveway later that night, the face of Hailey's mother continued to haunt him. She had lost so much, how was that family going to recover from this?
The lights in the living room were on, something fairly routine now that he and Marisol had been married for nearly two months. Sometimes when he came home he could hear music playing in the house somewhere, and if it had a rhumba rhythm, he could pretty much guarantee that Marisol was inside dancing her heart out. All he wanted tonight was to be able to relax and let Marisol help him unwind from the stressful day. He hardly believed he had gone so many years without her. He stepped into the house and immediately he felt a little of the strain melt away, as if the mere idea of her presence could heal him. He took off his gun and badge at the door, as was his custom, and was just hanging his suit coat in the closet when Marisol entered the room.
"Hey sweetheart," she said, coming over to give him a light kiss, "Dinner's almost ready." It was then she noticed the look of absolute exhaustion on his face. "Horatio," she questioned, still holding onto him, "What happened?"
He sighed, "It's nothing, just a long day at work; tough case. We can talk about it after dinner."
"No," she said firmly, knowing he would just lock it further inside, not wanting to trouble her, "Dinner can wait." She took him by the hand and led him over to the couch where they both sat.
He told her everything about the case, the original call, the video, the successive notes, and finally the rescue of the two remaining children. "Everyone's calling this a miracle," he said, holding her tightly, letting her healing work on him, "but I don't see how it can be. I mean, three of those five children died and there was nothing I could do about it. Three families are burying their children. How is that miraculous?"
"Oh, Horatio," she said softly, after hearing his sad story, "It is a miracle because you were able to save two of those children. Tonight, a family isn't mourning the loss of two children. It's a miracle you found them on time, before it was too late."
"I don't know if I believe in miracles anymore Mari," he said, taking her hand in his, "In my line of work it isn't often that you see the good in life, only the bad. How can a world that is so full of evil continue to have hope in things like miracles?"
She thought about this for a moment before trying to console her troubled husband. "I believe in miracles, Horatio," she said turning to look him in the eye, "I have to. I believe that it's a miracle that I'm still alive today even though I have cancer. I believe that it's a miracle that I was able to find the love of my life and that he loved me back, despite all my hardships."
"It's easy to love you, Marisol," he kissing her on the forehead, "But you are right, it's a miracle that you love me."
She laughed and playfully slapped him on the shoulder, "Don't you be too hard on yourself. You are my hero and nothing is going to change that."
He simply nodded, taking in this moment that reminded him how precious life really is. "I guess I see your point, Mari," he said, intertwining his fingers with hers, "You have to look at the world and expect the good will triumph. Even though bad things happen, I guess there is evidence of miracles all around us everyday."
Marisol smiled a secret smile, but let the thought drift for a moment, allowing the mood to settle before sharing her news. "Horatio," she said softly, "I have more proof that miracles do exist."
"Oh really?" he asked, smiling down at her, "And what kind of proof is that?"
She smiled up at him, hardly believing what she was about to say. "You know how we talked about having a family someday?" she asked.
"Yes, I remember," he said.
"Well, that someday is a lot closer than we ever imagined." she took his hand in hers and gently led it to her stomach, and then said with a glisten of tears in her eyes, "Horatio, we're going to have a baby."
He looked at her for a long moment, his ears hardly believing what he had just heard. A slow smile crept up his face and his eyes shone with excitement. "Mari, are you sure?"
"Absolutely," she said with a grin.
"Mari this is wonderful!" he said, laughing and crying all at once. He picked her up and twirled her in a quick circle before kissing her.
He sat her back down on the couch and held her close. "Are you happy about this?" she asked him, knowing she would get an honest answer.
"Happy," he said, "Marisol this is the best news in the world! When did you find out?"
"I had a doctors appointment this morning to confirm it. He thinks the baby will be born in early April," she said, unable to wipe the grin off her face.
"April," he mused, thinking about all that the future held, "But I thought the doctors said you couldn't have any children."
"That's what makes this baby a miracle," she said tears shining in her eyes.
"Our miracle," he whispered.
