A/N: Well, this is a complete change from what I had planned. I promised myself when I started this fic that I was going to remain completely within canon. I was not going to veer from it at all. For those of you who watched the most recent CSI: Miami episode, "Divorce Party", you know that the whole Horatio/Kyle/Julia storyline has completely changed. After a lot of thought, I decided to honor my initial decision to remain canon. However, to do this I needed to rework this fic a lot. That's when I came to the revelation that what I really needed was not to rework this fic but to finish it and create a sequel, which is in canon, but still revolves around Horatio and Kyle.

I know this is rather quick and out of the blue, but I feel this is best. This will be the last chapter of "The Kid." It basically recounts what happened in "Divorce Party", so if you haven't seen it and don't want to be spoiled then don't read it. I also use this chapter to explain some of the things that they don't tell us on the show, mostly regarding Kyle.

Thank you to all who read and reviewed and I hope that you will continue this story with me in the sequel, which will be titled, "The Son."

Disclaimer: I don't own CSI: Miami, and several lines in here come straight from the episode "Divorce Party."

Please enjoy.

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Horatio watched his son running through the apartment, looking everything over with a look of awe on his face. This moment that Horatio found himself in was bittersweet, and more than a little surprising.

The past few months had been a whirlwind of change. Despite his aversion to his private school, Kyle had worked hard and graduated a semester early. He had then gotten a boring and low paying job at a local restaurant. Horatio had hoped that the job would bring about some stability to the boy's life, but apparently it did not. Only three months after Kyle's graduation, Horatio received a call that started a chain reaction of events that changed everything.

It had started with a call from one Officer Palaski, saying that he had pulled over Kyle for reckless driving. Horatio had been shocked, of course. He had always thought that his son was mature enough to be a safe driver, especially after his accident. But then Officer Palaski continued, saying that the boy's mother was in the passenger seat, and seemed to be under some kind of medication.

Then Horatio had been furious. He questioned Julia. Julia claimed she told Kyle to be careful. Horatio doubted that was true. She went on to say that Kyle was supposed to get her to her job interview. Horatio had heard enough. This boy needed better role models.

Horatio joined Kyle in the hall outside the room where his mother was sitting. "Kyle," he said, tipping his head to one side and raising his eyebrows.

Kyle looked appropriately ashamed. "I'm sorry, Dad," he said with sincerity.

Horatio looked to the ground. It was hard to be stern with his son when the boy was acting so docile. "Kyle, I realize that your mother asked you to get her to her interview, but that is no reason to break the law. You could have killed someone."

Kyle looked around the room before bringing his eyes back to his fathers. "Look, Mom's a mess. I know that she doesn't have her priorities in exactly the right order, but she's my mother. She's sick and she's broke. She needs someone to take care of her."

Horatio's heart was overcome with a sense of pride and sadness. "Son, it is not your responsibility to take care of your mother. It's her responsibility to take care of you."

Kyle seemed to understand. Horatio hoped he did, because he then brought him Dr. Tara Price of the ME's office. The ME's office generally worked well with Horatio, so it was not difficult for him to secure a job for Kyle there.

Kyle had been shocked when Horatio told him about his new job. However, he seemed rather happy about it. Horatio hoped, for the boy's sake, that the job stuck.

The same day that Kyle started working, a bottle of pills went missing from the autopsy room. Upon questioning Dr. Price, Horatio learned that Julia had visited Kyle in the autopsy room that day.

Horatio knew it had to be her. Kyle wouldn't take them, and Horatio trusted Dr. Price and her assistants. He scheduled to meet with within the day.

Julia drove up in her black Porsche. Horatio's anger with her only grew. According to Kyle, there were unpaid bills lying in his mother's home, yet she was driving around her gas guzzling expensive car.

Julia's attitude about Kyle was horrifying. She didn't even seem to pretend to care about him anymore. Horatio knew what he had to do. "It's time to let him go," he told her.

Julia had smirked, gotten into her car, and left. Horatio sighed. He wanted better for his son.

After he had finished work, he called Kyle and told him to meet him at the beachside apartments. Kyle showed up, surprised at the strange location. "I thought we were meeting at home?" Kyle said in confusion.

The next words left Horatio's mouth somewhat reluctantly. "You are home. You live here now, Kyle."

Kyle looked at him in disbelief. "A new job with my own apartment? Sweet!" He stared at the building he would now call home.

"With it comes responsibility, right?" Horatio questioned, studying the reaction on Kyle's face.

"Ya, I know," Kyle said, not even looking in Horatio's direction. That wasn't good enough. Horatio needed to know that his son was going to make good decisions.

"Right?" Horatio repeated, making his meaning clear.

Kyle looked at Horatio. Their eyes locked and an understanding passed between them. "Ya, I know." The boy said again, this time with complete sincerity. "Can I check it out?"

Horatio nodded. "Sure." Kyle bounded up the steps. "Oh, and Kyle?" The boy turned. Horatio took a key out of his pocket and tossed it up to him. Kyle caught it and smiled. Horatio returned the smile.

Kyle walked to his door and unlocked it. He placed his hand on the doorknob and opened it slightly. Then he turned back and looked at his father. The boy's eyes thanked his father from across the way.

Horatio smiled, assuring his son that all was well. And all was well. Kyle, his son, had grown so much in the year and a half that Horatio knew him. It was hard to except that the boy that had been standing in front of him was the same passionate teenager that he had met in the interrogation room that long year ago. But the truth was undeniable. Through trials and tribulations, Kyle had grown up to be the kind of person Horatio hoped that he would be.

As he watched his son explore his new home, he let the realization sink into his heart. The kid had become a man.

Fin

A/N: Thank you for all your reviews. I would still appreciate reviews for this chapter, even though it is the last.

Coming Up: Check for the sequel, "The Son."