Title: Quiet Contemplation
Author: Kasandra
Rating: K+
Content Warning: Some language
Disclaimer: Don't own; don't sue. Thanks
Pairing/Characters: Horatio Caine, Marisol Delko – Caine.
Spoilers: Let's just say the end of season four never happened.
Classification: Romance
Summary: A newly married woman contemplates life with her husband.
Word Count: 857
Prompt: # 8 Touch for the MiamiFicTalk Community Challenge.
She couldn't believe it had actually happened.
It felt like a dream and she could only hope that if it were, she would never wake up.
Rolling over in the lush bed of her new home, Marisol Delko Caine could not believe that she had actually married the man that she had developed a crush on many years ago when her little brother Eric first began to work at the crime lab.
Marisol sighed as she looked at the empty spot next to her. Her heart ached at its sight all the while chastising herself for believing that the honeymoon would be anything more than short lived.
'Off saving the world again,' Marisol thought as she pulled the covers over her body once more. 'That's what you get for marrying Superman.' She yawned and looked over at the clock – it was way too early for her to be awake and as her eyelids once more fluttered to a close, she thought of the man who gave her another reason to keep fighting for her life.
Two hours later, his warm voice stirred her out of her slumber and she gazed at Horatio with a sleepy smile. "Hello handsome; I was wondering where you took off to." 'My husband…' The mere thought of him as her husband sent chills down her spine.
Horatio offered a smile in return and held up a plastic bag in his hands. "I was getting breakfast."
Marisol's eyes lit up at the mention of food and sat up in order to rummage the bag that he had placed next to her. "I'm starved!" As she sat up in bed, Horatio raked his eyes over her semi nude form appreciatively. Marisol felt his eyes on her and she blushed slightly.
"No need to blush; you're a beautiful woman," Horatio replied as he sat next to Marisol.
Closing her eyes, Marisol bit into an apple that she had pulled out of the bag Horatio brought only moments earlier. Some juice dribbled onto her chin and without hesitation, Horatio reached to wipe her chin with the pad of his thumb.
It was the simplest touch, but it made her heart swell with love. "Thank you," Marisol replied.
"How do you like married life so far?" Horatio questioned her. He moved so he was behind her and she in turn did the same, snuggling her back to his chest.
"It'll do, I suppose," Marisol teased all the while mock sighing.
Horatio chuckled and pressed a kiss to her shoulder. Marisol snuggled closer to him before taking a deep breath. "Actually," she began her tone much more serious than before. "I love being married to you. You make me happy." She turned to face him, her dark eyes searching his bright ones. "The question is, are you happy? Are you sure about this?"
"I've never been surer of anything in my life," Horatio replied. "You have my heart Marisol."
And Marisol knew without a shadow of a doubt that he was telling the truth. She leaned against him once more and quietly contemplated their future. Marisol knew being married wouldn't make life necessarily easier but it did make facing life not seem as scary. For the first time ever in the face of death, she had purpose.
"Brown hair and blue eyes," Horatio suddenly announced.
Marisol turned to him once more, her brows furrowed. "Come again?"
"Our children..." Horatio replied with a smile. "There's a good chance that they would have blue eyes and brown hair."
"And if he or she doesn't come out like that?" Marisol questioned. "Then what?"
"We'll keep trying," Horatio replied with a wink.
Marisol let out a giggle. "I like the sound of that."
He rubbed her arms affectionately and she once again shivered under his touch. They stayed together like that for awhile, enjoying each other's company in silence.
Moments later Marisol broke the silence. "When I am with you, I feel like nothing can harm me." She felt his arms tighten around hers in response and she sighed once more, wishing she could freeze time and savor the moment. "I could stay like this forever."
"So could I," Horatio mused. "So could I."
"Then what's stopping us?" Marisol questioned.
Horatio chose not to answer her honestly because the truth was that there was a lot going on outside of the walls of their home that would stop them or at the very least make an attempt to. Horatio didn't even want to contemplate the one thing that was raging inside his wife that he knew even he couldn't stop no matter how hard he tried.
"Honestly? Nothing," Horatio replied.
Marisol nodded against his chest and she pressed a kiss against his lips. "Thank you for lying."
Horatio returned the kiss. "Sweetheart, I'd never lie to you."
FIN.
