A/N: Oh, good. I've always wanted to do this thing where something happens to the one the hero loves, and everything goes downhill unless he saves her. Well, it's a similar thing. With one exception of throwing in the supernatural thing…

DISCLAIMER: I don't own CSI: Miami. If I did, I'd be really rich…


1. Brush of Darkness

Miami, Florida. Whenever people think of the Sunshine State, they think of the beach, friendly people willing to help with anything, and a huge metropolitan city with work for a great many people.

Lieutenant Horatio Caine knows a lot better. He realizes that Miami is a completely different place inside the city than one will ever know by its outer appearance. He wishes he could tell others about the new terror that was unleashed some time ago. He sometimes wishes he could undo the event that was caused by a simple glass in a victim's hand.

He wishes sometimes he didn't hold the power to control water in his blood.

The chemical, the epic battle for Miami, Calleigh…

All of this started with a simple homicide investigation that turned into some sort of nightmare…

ONE WEEK AGO

"Frank?"

A young woman lay on the ground at Horatio's feet, a blood pool under her body. There appeared to be multiple knife wounds on her arms, torso, and neck. She appeared to be holding some sort of glass with a strange liquid coating the outside of it- a clear blue.

"Erin Haymaker, 27 years old. Looks to be an attempted attack turned into a killing. Haven't seen one of these in a long time, though."

Horatio bent down to examine the glass Erin was holding. "Whatever was inside of this must've been pretty important if she was holding this during her death." He pried open her fingers with gloves on and took the glass, examining it closely. "It's got a weird liquid on it."

Tripp's eyes widened. "Um, Horatio?"

"What?" He blinked. "You look like you've might've seen a ghost."

"Look at you hands."

He sighed and looked down at the glass. He gasped. It was now glowing a strange blue- as were his hands. A strange sensation began to flow through his body- warmth. Not only that, but he was beginning to feel something on his hands. It was rather slippery, like residue coming off the glass itself. Considering the fact he was wearing evidence gloves, Horatio was actually a little spooked. He glanced at Frank. "Don't touch this thing," he instructed. "Get everyone to this scene right now."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Ryan Wolfe and Calleigh Duquesne glanced around inside the house. Ryan whistled softly. "At least she died in a beautiful house."

Calleigh simply raised an eyebrow. She saw where Alexx Woods, the Chief Medical Examiner, was checking over the body and walked over to check out the victim. "She looks like she took quite a severe death blow."

"Poor baby got so many knife wounds, she practically bled to death."

Ryan examined her as well. "Could the killer have possibly slashed through an artery?"

She nodded. "Yep. Look at this." She pushed back Erin's hair and pointed to a small incision in her neck.

Calleigh began to snap pictures around the house and spotted the glass that Horatio was holding only minutes ago. She picked it up, and it began to glow a golden yellow. Not only this, but she was also beginning to feel the same sensation that Horatio felt when he held the glass. She glanced over at Ryan. "Hey, Ryan."

He got and looked over at her. He blinked. "Is my eye acting up, or is that glass glowing yellow?"

Calleigh put it down, causing Ryan to become intrigued and picking up the glass as well. Now it was glowing white. He frowned. "Magic?"

Calleigh shrugged. "Dunno. All I see is a really funky piece of evidence in a girl's murder that glows when you touch it." She groaned. "And my hands are beginning to feel really slippery."

Ryan swallowed. "Now I know I'm not hallucinating because I've got the same feeling going through my hands, too," he agreed.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Horatio walked out of the bathroom after about an hour of attempting to wash off that substance he got on his hand. Nothing had worked to try and get it off. He walked back to the evidence lab when…

"Horatio? You got a minute?"

He looked up with those calm, yet piercing, blue eyes and saw a man, around his age, staring at him expectantly. "Actually, I do."

When he walked over to his 'companion,' he raised an eyebrow. "Rick. It's been a while."

IAB Sergeant Rick Stetler nodded. It had been about a good six months since the ever-bitter enemies had seen each other. He nodded. "Only a little while."

"What brings you here to the lab?"

Rick pointed his head towards the door. "Could we go into the hallway for a minute?"

Horatio nodded.

When they were finally out in the hallway, where no one could actually see them,Rick suddenly turned around and grabbed him by the throat and thrust him into the wall. Horatio raised an eyebrow. "This is a little dark even for you, Rick."

He glared at Horatio malevolently. "You know nothing of darkness, Caine. You will know nothing of the hell that is about to come down upon this city."

The lieutenant looked down at Rick's hand. It now had various black markings all over it, and it looked just as pretty as the black markings that were now appearing on his face. He looked into his eyes. "What's gong on here, Rick?"

"A simple chemical is what. It changed me forever. Just like it's going to change you and your entire team. You'll be a freak for all eternity." He finally released him. "Be careful, Horatio. You'll be enveloped into the darkness soon, too."

"What are you talking about?"

The IAB agent only smiled and walked away, leaving Caine lost in his own thoughts.


A/N: Nothing makes a good CSI: Miami supernatural fiction like the elements. If you haven't figured it out what Rick's is... Please review!