Thank you everyone for the reviews. You will never know how much they meant to me. I hope this story lives up to your expectations, but I'm not writing it merely to please the readers. I'm writing it to address some real issues I have with the official Horatio/Kyle storyline, and to incorporate some of my numerous imagined ideas for scenes and stories. Unlike the show (apparently) I have an ultimate goal in mind for this story, and a plan to get me there, although it may take me some time. Thanks for being patient.

I have tried to include the whole team as much as possible, and I apologize if I got the characterizations off. Also, I am very much Not into the whole romantic pairing of characters thing (not the immature "lets fall into bed" stuff, anyway) therefore most of my scenes will resemble a close knit family of friends and colleagues only. Even though I know exactly how I want the story to proceed, this chapter has been difficult to write, because of the serious nature of the subject (I feel the need to do the victims justice), and my difficulty in developing the case. It may seem irrelevant at first, but hopefully by the end you will understand why I felt this particular arc needed to be included. Thanks everyone for reading and leaving reviews.

Disclaimer: I don't own the show, CBS if you ever wish to use any of my ideas to improve the show, feel free.

Reflections part I

by OkieBeth05

The next day was like any other for Horatio and his team, another day engrossed in studying the worst humanity had to offer and trying to find some peace for those left behind. They were called out to a scene of a drowning. While it seemed straightforward enough, for Horatio, this case would leave a mark.

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Horatio and Calleigh were the first to arrive on scene. It was a zoo. News reporters were everywhere taking pictures and getting in every ones face. When they saw the lieutenant they flocked to him. "Can you tell us what happened?" "Do you have any suspects?" "Who is the victim?"

"The answer to all your questions is no, no and no. Please we're only just getting here; give us some time to work." Horatio shoved the camera out of his face, and he and Calleigh waved their badges to the guard officer and passed under the crime scene tape.

"How in the world did they get here so fast?" Calleigh asked.

"The winner of this morning's Miami speed boat race, Karl Galloway, was showing off his new toy to the media, when they ran across this boy by accident." Frank Trip answered her question with a little sarcasm.

Calleigh prepared her camera and began taking pictures of the crime scene, While Frank and Horatio neared the body. Horatio stood over Alex who was busy combing the body looking for any identification. It was the body of a teenage boy, wearing tight blue jeans and a loose black sweater although not much else about the boys physical appearance could be determined as he was covered in algae. "He can't be much older than 15 or 16 I'd say." Alex remarked. "Are you baby? You should be in school."

"Definitely shouldn't be dead" Horatio took his sunglasses off and fiddled with them before hooking them to his shirt pocket. "What do you think Alex?"

"Well…" she found a folded damp piece of paper in his right pocket and handed it to Horatio. What was left of the message on it read simply: Janet Houser, 4023 Wickemore street. "…There's not much I can tell you right now, Horatio, with all this algae. Come visit me later in the morgue and I should be able to give you a full rundown."

"Will do Alex, thanks," Horatio and Frank stood aside as the ME assistants prepared the body to be taken back to the morgue.

As the M.E. party left, Ryan and Natalia strolled up. Horatio first explained the facts they knew of the case so far, and then began assigning jobs. "Calleigh is taking pictures of the scene, so I'd like you, Natalia, to help Frank interview witnesses. And Ryan, you get to talk to these reporters and get them to give up any video they may have of the events that took place. In the mean time, I'm going to find out who this Janet Houser is. Oh, and when Eric shows up, tell him I want him to scour the water, see if he can find anything.

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"Do you have any idea who the boy might have been, or what he was doing near the marina this morning." Horatio asked the neatly dressed, professional looking Janet Houser.

"No Lieutenant. I don't know who you're talking about. I don't know any boys that age." She had her jet black hair up in a clip and kept running her fingers through it making sure every strand was in its place.

"So you have no idea, why he had your name in his pocket?" Horatio studied the woman.

"No! I already told you that." She spat out, her silvery gray eyes shifting to avert his gaze. "Are we done? I have out of town clients coming in this afternoon."

"Yes, ma'am. You may go." Horatio watched as the lady got into her car and drove off. "For now," he added as an afterthought after she'd left. Something about Ms. Houser didn't sit right with him.

To a passerby, Horatio may have looked a bit out of place, standing in Janet Houser's driveway, while his mind tried to fit the pieces of the puzzle together, but then his phone started ringing, and he looked at the caller ID. "Yes Alex."

"Hey H, you wanted to know when I had the victim's body ready. I'm ready, anytime you want to stop by."

"Okay Alex, I'll be right there."

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Eric poked his head out of the blue green water and looked around for someone nearby. Seeing no-one, he called out "A little help, please."

"I'm over here silly." Natalia tried to sound sweet and caring, but seeing Eric disoriented out in the middle of the marina, amused her. Eric began spinning around in the water trying to figure out where the voice was coming from. "Keep turning, keep turning." Natalia encouraged him. Finally, after Eric had almost made a full circle in the water, he saw Natalia waving at him and sporting a full grin.

"That's not funny Nat." He tried to sound hurt.

"Yeah it is." She replied, holding back a laugh. Eric began swimming to the dock she was standing on. "So what all did you find?" Natalia asked him.

"Well, tons of pop bottles, a broken fishing rod, some rotting fish," at that he made a face, "and this." He plopped the soggy tattered remnants of something up on the dock.

"What is it?" She bent down to get a closer look."

"I'd say it looks like a kids book bag, so it definitely could belong to our victim." Eric replied. He began shedding his gear and setting the equipment up on the dock next to the evidence. Natalia began putting on her gloves to examine the back pack closer. "Umm Nat, I know you're just dying to find out what's inside of that, but could you please help me get out of here and put my stuff away first." Eric got her attention.

"Oh, sure, sorry Eric, I guess I got a little carried away." She helped him out of the water and the two began stowing his gear in the hummer.

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"Alex, you said you'd found something."

Alex took the cover sheet off the victim and began describing to Horatio all the intricate details of the wounds she had found. Horatio tried to listen to her, but his eyes were transfixed on the boy. Now that he'd been cleaned of the algae, the boys' physical characteristics were clearly visible. He had jet black hair which looked like it hadn't been cut in months, and a pale gaunt face which seemed set in a permanent frown. But that is not what caught Horatio's attention. The boy's silvery gray yet slightly bluish eyes carried an almost eerie sense of melancholy, betrayal, and longing. And it was that feeling that called out to Horatio. It seemed vaguely familiar, but he couldn't quite place it.

Alex was trying to explain the victims wounds to Horatio when she noticed he had that far off look again. "What is it Horatio?" .

"Yes, Alex." Horatio pulled himself out of his trance.

Alex sighed, and gave her full attention to Horatio. "Have you given any thought to what we talked about last night?"

For a split second, Horatio was tempted to tell Alex to leave him alone, but he knew she was right. "I have, and I am going to try, but I'm not sure where to start. I just need time to get my thoughts in order and get organized."

"I understand. This is a big step, Horatio, but Kyle has been waiting his whole life. He isn't going to be a boy forever. It will never get any easier."

"I know Alex. You're a good friend. Thank you for always..." Horatio was interrupted by Eric walking in.

"Hey H, I found a back pack in the water near where the boy was found. It had this school ID in it." Eric held up a photo ID card, and compared the picture on the card to the victim. "Yep that's the same boy alright. Natalia is going over the rest of the contents of the bag as we speak, and Frank and Ryan are headed out to the high school to see what they can find out about the kid."

Let me see that." Horatio said, and Eric handed the card to him. "Timothy McFadden, 16 years old." Horatio contemplated the name and who it belonged to. He tried to imagine who this child was when he was alive. "Timothy McFadden." He repeated the name once more.

Author's note: I decide to post this before I tweak it to death. It's been sitting on here for weeks and I still haven't gotten the other part(s) written and ironed out, even though I've already written the next chapter.