END OF AN ERA

--------------------------------Ryan POV--------------------------

I felt a sudden urge to go the lab. I can't explain it. I just needed to go. Maybe I felt bad for the argument Horatio and I had last night

------------------------------Calleigh's POV---------------------

He seemed so sad. So unlike him. He had been distant with us all, especially Ryan. It was as though he knew something bad was going to happen., Horatio said only one word, " Goodbye," and walk away

----------------------------Delko's POV------------------------------

Something was wrong. I could feel it. Horatio did pull me aside yesterday, talk to me about Marisol and Speed, about how proud they would be of me. Cal and Wolfe told me what they had felt this morning We stopped when we saw Stetler and other IAB officers rummaging around drawers and files and in the locker room with evidence boxes

-----------------------------Stetler's POV--------------------------------

" A neighbour went to see Horatio this morning, called it in. There was blood in the kitchen a match to him. We questioned the neighbour, his story checks out. Music was blaring from his house. Checked it out. Horatio's missing, presumed dead. There was no other evidence and everyone who has a grudge checks out. this is a cold case until something more comes up, which it probably won't. We found this for you on his study desk. I think he knew something was going to happen. You can open it whenever you're ready. He also left this. It says he wants Wolfe in charge. if you'll follow me please." Delko had his arm around Calleigh and Natalia, while Tripp comforted Alexx, and Elle just stood there, frozen.

Their friend, mentor, was gone and things were about to change dramatically.

Continuation of "The end of an era"

6 Months later...

Ryan stood and leaned over the railing. He looked out at the city of Miami and had the letter Horatio had left for him in his hands. "6 months later and you still can't bring yourself to open it. You're pathetic. You're a moron. You're a pathetic moron!" he said to himself. He was still staring at the city when he realised someone was standing there. He turned as Calleigh and Eric mimicked his position on either side of him.

" Hey babe!" Calleigh said with a big smile on her face. He returned it with a smaller smile of his own. She looked over at Eric. They all missed Horatio and it was hard on them. Ryan was different. He wasn't fun Ryan anymore. He was scared, sad and stressed. " What you doin?" she asked

He held up the letter. " Fighting with myself about whether or not I should open it!"

"Wolfe, you still haven't opened it yet? There might be something important in there!" Delko stated, raising his voice.

" I know that Eric... I just..." He didn't even know why he hadn't opened it himself. " What are you guys doing out here.?"

" Worrying about you!" Calleigh answered. " Ryan, you stay here late every night, come in early every morning. The only time we get to hang out anymore is at the crime scene. We miss you..." Calleigh's voice was raised and tears began rolling down her face. " We just want our friend back. We want things back the way they were!"

Ryan put his arms around her and hugged her. " I know, I know. So do I."

" Then take it easy, Wolfe," Delko said.

" We don't want to lose you like we lost Horatio!" Calleigh said, pulling away from his hug and looking at him.

Ryan looked at two of his friends he had abandoned in the past six months. He missed them too and he hated Horatio. He never thought anyone could but he did. " You won't, I promise. I'll take it easy from now on." He smiled at them. His pager went off. Ryan looked at it. "911 from Stetler," he announced. He turned and left with out saying goodbye. He put the letter back into his pocket and headed for his office.

He passed the breakroom adn saw Elle talking to Natalia and Alexx, wanting to do nothing else but walk in there, grab her and kiss so deeply, it made her go weak at the knees. That thought fly away, when she looked up and turned away when he smiled at her. She hadn't spoken to him in five and a half months. Not that he could blame her. Horatio was like a big brother to her or maybe an uncle. He kept going. Stetler was waiting for him in his office. He turned around when he heard the door open.

" Did you open it yet?" he said without a greeting.

" Hey, Rick! How are you? Good? Good! Oh, me, thanks for asking? Yeah, yeah, no, I'm the same, yeah. What can I do for you?" he rattled off going behind his desk.

" This is serious... have you opened the letter yet?

Ryan took it out and threw it on the table. " No!"

" Now!"

" Look Stet-"

"Now, Ryan!"

" Fine!" Ryan grabbed it and opened it and pulled out a sheet of paper. He hesitated before opening it and, as he was about to, Stetler grabbed it off him. "Hey!"

Stetler read through it quickly. It's just what I thought." He handed it back to Ryan, who began reading.

" ' Ryan, if you're reading this, then I'm gone and you're in charge...' " His voice trailed off. He suddenly looked up at Stetler who nodded. " I'm terribly sorry but are you telling me that Horatio choose me because according to " 'DNA results included' " He stopped and looked at the other sheet. " - I'm his son.

"Horatio and I, we weren't always enemies. I knew him when he was engaged to your mother, Jennifer Anders. She died in childbirth with your sister, when you were only one. Horatio couldn't handle it. First he moved you both up to New York but he realised he couldn't take care of you... reminded him of the pain. He had to put you up for adoption. It killed him, I promise you. It was his love for you that kept telling him you were the child he abandoned. When he met that day at the crime scene, he felt the exact same thing he felt when you were just born... and you wrapped your tiny little hand around his finger. He has pictures of you as a baby."

" No... can't be his son. I just can't be!" Ryan got up and grabbed his coat.

" Ryan, Horatio choose you to take his place because you are unselfish. If you want to know the truth, they're buried at Evercrest Cemetery, plot 217; Jennifer and Regina Caine. See for yourself. But there's something in that letter that affects everyone." He began reading again.

He suddenly ran out the door. He took the stairs rather than the elevator, a habit he had taken up six months ago. He jumped into car and drove in the direction of Evercrest cemetery. He got there just as the sun disappeared. He grabbed a flashlight and began his search for plot 217. when he found it he was shocked to find that the names were Jennifer and Regina Caine. Stetler was telling the truth and so was Horatio. The rest of the letter was true. He got back to the car and drove back to the lab. He saw that everyone was in the breakroom, getting ready to leave and walked in. Natalia, Alexx and Tripp greeted him, Elle didn't even acknowledge his presence and Calleigh and Delko gasped in mock horror and looked at each other. " Shock horror!" they exclaimed. Ryan couldn't help but smile. and leaned against the door, intrigued and amused in spite of what happened. They stood right in front of Ryan, still looking at each other.

" Could it be ? Calleigh said.

" Is he actually coming out to drinks with us?" Eric asked.

" Or going home early, at the very least?" They both swung their heads around to look at Ryan, mouths wide open. Natalia, Alexx and Tripp were laughing and Elle looked up smirking. Ryan smiled.

" Cute! You done?" he asked

" Seriously, man, what's brought you out of your cave this time of night?" Delko asked.

Ryan's smile faded slightly and took out the letter he had opened and held it out so they could see it. " Shock horror!" He said quietly.

" You opened it!" Calleigh said in disbelief. " What does it say?"

" What possibly possessed him to put you in charge?" Elle asked sarcastically.

Ryan nodded. He threw his keys on the table." But that's not important now. There's something else in here. Em, Tim Speedle, was there anyone who hated him, someone he put away... maybe wanted to see him dead?"

The team shook their heads in confusion but Elle looked Ryan in the face, not with anger, not with sadness but with a confusion different to the others. " The night we got engaged, he put away a big gang boss, Valduchi. When he cuffed him, he threatened Tim's life. Said he would pay a massive price for this. Tim was terrified he'd go after him, he even thought about running few times but Horatio talked him out of it. His trial was scheduled for the week Tim died, I think." She laughed dryly. " Horatio never thought Tim's death was an accident." She stopped. " He was right wasn't he? Valduchi put a hit out on Tim, didn't he."

" No! But Horatio and Tim weren't the only ones scared. The feds too." He looked at Elle. "Tim's not dead!"

Everyone was shocked. Elle punched him in the eye, causing him to stumble backwards. " You know what Wolfe? I really hope you rot in hell!" So that's what it feels like to be stabbed in the heart, he thought.

" ELLE!!" They shouted.

" Owww, crazy bitch!" he exclaimed.

" RYAN!"

" Sorry! My God. Look, first off, he's far from dead, actually he's alive and in Witness Protection. it says so here." He indicated the letter. " Secondly, That really hurt!" Physically and emotionally!

She smiled. " Couldn't care less!" Delko got him an ice pack.

" But, but... we saw the blood, the gun wound, I preformed the autopsy myself!" Alexx said in amazement.

" I don't know how they pulled it off, but they did!" Everyone went quite.

" What about why he put you in charge?" Tripp asked. Everyone, including Ryan, sighed in relief that the silence was broken. But Ryan really didn't want to go there now. He wanted a few drinks: one against his eye, a few down his throat.

"Some other time," he said, getting up, " I think you guys have had all you can take from one night!"

"No... Now!" Elle said, not taking her eyes from the floor. She felt hurt, angry and betrayed. She loved Tim and Horatio lied to her. She just felt cold. She wanted to stop hating Horatio and start hating Ryan again.

"I'm his son!" he said so quietly, they barely heard him.

" What?" they all said together.

" He's my dad, alright!?" he said loud and frustrated. Again the room was in shock. He explained what Stetler told him. " I checked alright and the plot's there." He threw the letter on the table. Elle picked it up. " 'DNA results for Ryan Wolfe... match to Horatio Caine'!"

" Maybe we should all just go home! Get some sleep. there's been a lot of information to take in tonight!" Calleigh said. She looked at Ryan. " Especially YOU! And you promised to go easy. So get some rest! We can all talk in the morning!"

" I don't feel like sleeping!" Ryan said.

" Well, either we talk now, or we talk tomorrow. Your choice... You don't have to go home!"

Ryan hesitated, then quickly got up and grabbed his keys. He drove to a hotel bar he liked. It had really good singers. He was finishing his second scotch, when a waitress came up to him with another. He smiled at her and she bent down and whispered in his ear. " In your dreams, babe!" She tilted her head in the direction of what Ryan could only make out as a man sitting in the shadows. Ryan's curiosity got the better of him and he got up and walked over.

" I knew that would get your attention!"

" Look, thanks but I'm not interested! Sorry!" he turned to walk away.

" That's funny. Horatio Caine's son... I expected you to be straight."

Ryan turned back. " Well you thought right!" he said confused. " How'd you know who I am? Who are you?"

The man leaned forward, out of the shadows and Ryan recognised him. " I'm Tim Speedle! Have a seat Ryan Wolfe." Ryan sat.

" I thought Valduchi was after you!"

" Valduchi's dead! Found in Coney Island this afternoon. Wasn't too friendly up there! So how's your day been?"

" Well let's see... Calleigh breaks down in my arms, Elle's barely taking to me yet it's ok to hit me. Found out Horatio's my father, my mother and baby sister are dead and you're alive. It's been GREAT." He finished his drink and Tim asked the waitress for another. " Why?"

" Because I'm about to make it even better..." He leaned in closer. " Horatio's alive!!!"

Dum dum dum.

A/N : He's alive. Please review!