Little Horatio: Hi! As a token of my sincere gratitude for those who have been reading my stories, I have taken it upon myself to hire the entire CSI: Miami cast as my disclaimer people.

Horatio: Hmmm?

Eric: You didn't hire us. JB doesn't even know about this!

Ryan: Besides, nobody's even reading this!

Rick: (glares) Shut up and let the young lady do what she pleases.

Little Horatio: Thank you, Rick.

Eric: You're just backing her up because you have a big scene on this!

Rick: That's right so pipe down!

Horatio: (hands on hips) Calleigh, sweetie, why don't you give the readers the disclaimer while I'll handle this.

Calleigh: Sure, handsome. (clears her throat) Little Horatio does not own any of us or CSI: Miami for that matter. Have a good time readin' y'all!

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Chapter 6: Relax, Horatio, It's just a dream

After getting some dinner, Horatio went straight home. Kicking off his shoes and went to his bedroom, putting his ruined coat on a chair and removed his socks. He sat on his bed and removed his I.D. badge, gun and gun holster from his belt and placed it beside his bedside table next to his alarm clock. It was only 7:30pm. 'A lot of time to get some good, peaceful sleep,' he thought. He got up and went to the kitchen, getting himself a glass of water. He finished the whole glass and went to his living room. He collapsed on the sofa and rubbed his eyes. He listened to the silence of his house and relaxed a bit. Glad, that he went home early as Alexx had told him to. His eyes were starting to get heavy now and he was more than happy to close them.

His head shot up and he opened his eyes as his cell phone chirped and vibrated in his pocket. He cursed, digging for his cell. 'What now?' He looked and saw someone's name, blinking. His eyes furrowed as he read 'Stetler.' Instead of answering the call, he put it under the throw pillows and even sat on them, muffling the sound. Ignoring his phone, he rested his head back on the couch. He closed his eyes, thinking about nothing in particular and drifted off.

He fell asleep as time passed and vague images began attacking his mind. His body tense and began to shake as blackness slowly swallowed his thirteen year-old body. His eyes struggled against the obscurity and searched desperately for some symbol of light. He let out a heavy breath as a fracture of light made its way under the door and relaxed him. He felt a warm sensation on his forehead and something trickling down the side of his face. He couldn't move his hands and felt something cold against them.

He tried to stop himself from shaking and brought his knees up close to his chest, curling up. He rapidly jerked his head up as he heard the all-too-familiar screams filling not only his innocent ears but the entire Caine household. The wire cut through his flesh, blood began to drip down his wrists. He failed to block out the man's harsh screaming voice.

"That boy doesn't know his place in this fucking house!"

"You can't keep doing this to him!" the woman begged. "Let him out of there now! He's just a child!!"

The man slurred harshly, "Just a child? The boy's fucking thirteen, Katherine!!"

"Stop it, Marc! Just stop it! You're drunk again! Can't you see what you're doing to Horatio? Your own son? Can't you see what you're doing to me? Please, you have to stop this! We love you, Marc!" she begged.

Horatio's body shuddered, hearing glass shatter and hearing his mother's loud shrieks. Her cries echoing inside his head, over and over and over again. He sprung up and charged straight to the door, ramming the door with his shoulder. He didn't hear his mother's voice anymore and rammed the door even harder with his already bruised up shoulder. He started to yell from the inside of the small closet, bloody images in his mind.

"Dad! Dad! Let me get out of here! Dad! Let me out!!"

He kept banging the door until he saw the light underneath the crack disappear. He froze in fear as the shadow drew nearer. A voice whispered cautiously from the other side of the door. "Big brother, please, stop it before he comes after you again."

Horatio was panting and trembling when he heard his little brother's terrified voice. "Raymund? W-Where's mom?"

"She's…She's hurt, Horatio. Real bad. She's n-not moving…"

Horatio panicked and started ramming the door again. He then took a few steps back and took a deep breath. He charged at the door, ramming it with all his might. Crashing and stumbling out the door, getting past his ten year-old brother, the teenager's eyes grew wide as he saw his mother lying motionless on the floor, covered with shattered glass.

He then saw his father, breathing heavily and holding what once was a bottle of vodka. The older man looked at his unconscious wife, his face was unfathomable. He slowly turned his head and eyed his frozen thirteen year-old.

"Get away from her!!" yelled Horatio, his eyes, showing no fear only anger and utter hate.

The man's voice was deep and threatening. "How did you get out? Your little brother took care of you again? I'm going to have a nice talk with him right after I'm finished with you."

Horatio stared at him with hateful eyes. "What did you do to her? And leave Raymund alone."

He grabbed Horatio by his shirt and laughed as he back-slapped him and he went flying back down to the floor. His father yelled, "This is all your fault! I wouldn't have hurt her if it wasn't for you! You worthless piece of shit!!"

Horatio slowly lifted his head up and blinked off the haziness as he felt himself being tugged up-wards from behind. His father grabbed him by the shirt, turned him and shook his whole body, screaming at his face now.

"You good for nothing piece of shit!! This is all your fault!"

He back-slapped him hard again and Horatio crashed down to the floor. He groaned and turned his head to see his mother's bruised face. He then heard his father take off his belt and that was never good to hear. He gasped and tried to crawl away, going for the stairs, his tied hands were a problem.

The father laughed loudly. "Get the fuck over here!!"

He walked towards Horatio and tugged him up, shoving him right back into the stairs, hard. He picked him up by his shirt and shoved him back again as the edge of the stairs dug into his back; the young boy gritted his teeth in pain. Horatio laid there breathless and groaning as his father laughed at him. The drunkard flipped Horatio using his foot and with one hand tore his shirt right off his back. Horatio tried to scramble again and the father grabbed a handful of hair now, holding him in place.

"Boy, you will never do anything that stupid again!! You hear me?! Or your mother WILL get hurt again."

Horatio grunted and pulled away, struggling as the father turned him again, holding his gaze now, trying to intimidate him even more. He clenched his teeth as his eyes gave the older man a grave stare. His eyes never wavered and he wouldn't ever give in to him.

The father grew furious. "Oh, so you are testing me! Aren't you, boy?!" he snarled, holding onto his son's hair still, as he slammed Horatio's head back into the steps. "You are going to learn why people suffer because of your actions!!"

He flipped the groaning teenager back over onto his stomach as his laugh echoed throughout the house. His arm rose up high and the metal buckle struck the young boy hard. It's cold and unforgiving end, striking the boy's back. The sound echoing as it made a sickening crack.

Horatio's head reared up in pain and he cried out, gasping. "Dad! Stop!!" His hands trying to get loose from the wires, blood gashing out as he gripped the steps. His breath left him quickly each time the belt connected again and again, harder every time it did. The thick square metal along with the leather strap left large red/blue welts on his back each time it connected. Breathless and exhausted now, he struggled with one word, "Dad…"

The father emphasized his words as he connected each time with the belt now. "Say you're sorry!! Look at your mother!! You're the reason why she got fucking hurt! Say you're SORRY!!"

Horatio's eyesight began to get obscure as the pain spread throughout his entire body. He gasped and squeezed his eyes shut as he felt the coldness of the metal and the stings of the leather strap connect over and over again. Soon enough everything went pitch black.

A tremor shot through his body as he bolted upright gasping for air. He looked around and swallowed hard trying to catch his breath. He exhaled deeply leaning forward and running his hands through his hair, thinking, 'What the hell was that all about.' He looked around and realized that he had fallen asleep on the couch. He raised his hand and looked at his watch. "2:30."

He shook his head. 'So much for good, peaceful sleep.' His mind was still uneasy and he wondered now on how he would sleep at all. He raised both his hands and stared at his wrists, checking them to see if they were damaged. He was still breathing unevenly and he couldn't get his mind of the dream. 'It felt so real,' he thought as he ran both his hands through his hair.

"Relax, Horatio," he said to himself, breathing heavily, "It's just a dream. It was only a dream. Calm down…Just…a dream."

He sighed heavily as he finally got his breath under control. He went off to his bed room and removed his shirt. He turned around quickly as he heard a branch snap. 'Easy, Horatio,' he thought, 'it was probably just a squirrel.' He nodded his head and fell on his bed. He laid there for a long while with his eyes open, staring at the ceiling and thinking about the dream. Finally, he couldn't fight it anymore as his eyes got heavy once again and slowly closed.

Slowly now, his eyes opened and he felt his back stinging, warm tears sliding down his cheeks and onto his pillow. He gasped and squeezed his eyes shut as he felt a burning numbness all over his back.

"Shh, its okay, angel, its okay," his mother's soothing voice said, as her gentle hands eased his pain.

He moaned in pain, trembling. "M-mom, you… ok?"

She chuckled and ruffled his son's hair. "Yes, angel, I'm fine."

"Where's…Raymund?"

"He's ok, Horatio. Just lie still and try to relax, okay, angel?"

He gave his mother a nod and closed his eyes. His breathing accelerated every time as his mother touched the large angry burning welts. He hugged his pillow tighter and pressed his face into it trying to bare the pain.

Raymund kneeled on the side of the bed and put his head next to his big brother's pillow now. He said in a hushed tone, "Big brother, you okay? You look like you need something to drink."

Horatio turned his head to see his little brother's wide eyes and worried face staring at him. He gave him a smile and nodded. "Yes, that would be great. Thank you, Raymund." His breath still coming in gasps as his mother cleaned his wounds. He realized that the metal bonds were now gone. He saw his wrists, looking bloody and battered and its skin dangling. He turned to his mother.

"Mom?"

She held him gently in place. "No, stay still, angel," she said, getting up and moved closer to her son.

Horatio couldn't help but feel guilty when he saw his mother's beaten face. "Mom…he hurt you—"

She affectionately caressed his hair. "Shh, its okay, angel, just relax."

"Mom, he… he said… it was my fault you--"

"No, angel. It's not. Now, listen to mommy and close your eyes, okay, angel?"

"Mm-hmm," he said, too tired to argue.

Horatio laid there and listened as his mother softly hummed a familiar tune to him. He always loved it when his mother did that; it took all his pain and troubles away. Ray enjoyed it too as he returned with a glass of cold water.

He whispered, chuckling, "He went to dream world again." He held the glass up to his mother now. "Mommy, you want some?"

Horatio's eyes suddenly shot opened as he heard glass shatter, followed by deep laughter. "Hey, boy, get your ass up!!"

Horatio gasped in fear and froze, afraid to move at all now. He heard the sound of his father's belt being pulled off quickly and he squeezed his eyes shut waiting now, trembling. Hoping this was just another dream, suddenly his eyes opened as he heard little Ray's voice.

"Daddy, please don't hit him again…please daddy." Ray asked pleading softly.

Horatio held his breath and prayed but was worried now for little brother.

His father suddenly roared, "Get your little ass out of here now! Before I beat the crap out of you!" Ray didn't need to be told twice. He ran away from the room as fast as his little legs could take him.

Horatio felt the bed decline and heard the mattress creak now as he squeezed his eyes shut again, praying for this to be a dream. Now a cold chill of panic and dread ran right through him as he felt his father's warm breath on his back. His heart was racing now and began pounding hard against his chest.

Suddenly, he felt his father's breath was near his ear, "Horatio, I'm waiting…"

"You had enough yet?" He yanked on his hair and but nothing escaped the young boy's lips. He yelled right at his ear now. "Still testing me, I see…"

Horatio clenched his teeth down and fisted the blankets as he glared at him with hateful eyes. His father laughed frantically and smiled at Horatio with satisfaction on his face. He grabbed his son by the waist of his jeans and yanked him off the bed. Horatio bellowed, trying to grab of the sheets as his father dragged him out of his bed room and in front of closet. Its doors wide opened as if welcoming its latest victim.

"Let GO OF ME!"

The father laughed and looked at his thirteen year-old son, again slurring his words. "You just don't know how to quit! Do you want your mother to get hurt again? DO YOU?!"

"Don't you dare come near her!!" the boy yelled as he was being thrown inside the closet.

"Sweet dreams, boy…" he said as he shot the door with a loud bang.

His eyes shot wide open and he bolted, sitting up straight, sweat covering his body. Breathing heavily, he covered his eyes with one hand, trying to get the pictures of long not-so-forgotten memories out of his mind. He slowly opened his eyes and turned his head, realizing that his alarm clock had been beeping. He saw numbers blinking, "6:30" Sitting at the side of the bed, he tapped the alarm clock and silence slowly filled the room. He shook his head, hoping to shake off the cobwebs. "That's the last time I sleep early," he said to himself. He not only had one dream last night but two and he did not like it one bit. A dream like that was hell enough but another one? On the same night? No, uh-uh. No way. Not going to happen again.

After getting a nice hot shower and some breakfast, he got out of his beach house and locked the door. Turning around, he heard something brush past some hedges then he had a feeling that somebody was watching him. Vigilant and alert now, he walked off his front porch and stood on the sidewalk, the sun's rays spilling on his face, black suit and blue shirt. He looked over his surroundings and absorb everything his eyes came in contact with. 'Maybe I'm just tired,' he thought, 'I've been a little jumpy lately. Yup, just tired.' Sounding convinced with himself, he shrugged the feeling off and walked towards his Hummer. He put his sunglasses on. Starting Hummer H2, he drove off to the MDPD Crime Lab.

Little Horatio: Phew! Now, that I have gotten rid of Ryan, Calleigh and Eric for a moment, don't hesitate to leave a review.

Rick: This is stupid! Who cares about Horatio having a harsh childhood? There are more important things to worry about.

Little Horatio: Like what?

Rick: ME!

Horatio: (trembling and teary-eyed) Shut up, Rick! You have no idea what I've been through!

Little Horatio: (rubbing Horatio's back) Shh…its okay, Horatio. Let it out.

Horatio: (sobbing) Dad always did blame me for everything!

Rick:...? Get a grip, Horatio!

Little Horatio: (still rubbing Horatio's back) Rick, I think you should stand at the corner and think about what you've done.

Rick: WHAT?! But--

Little Horatio: No, buts, Rick, now go!

Rick: (going to the corner, mumbling) this is sooo unfair...

Little Horatio: Nor is me giving you a big role in this story!