Disclaimer: I don't own the main characters
Summary: See where Horatio's life takes him, will he find the one to walk beside him? Or will he walk this journey alone? I Guess there is only one way to find out. More details inside.
AN: I don't want to give too much away, but I do want to say that this story will have a mixture of canon moments and my own twist to things, seeing as I don't know the exact dates or how some of these events happened, but I hope overall you'll enjoy this journey with me, so buckle up.
AN#2: Is there even still an interest for Ducaine stories out there anymore? I know it's been a while since my last Ducaine story, but those who don't follow any of my GSR ones, I'll tell you my life took a very big hit in August, I lost my father unexpectedly, and to say it changed my life in a big way, is an understatement. Anyways, this story had actually been planned for a few years now, I just wasn't sure how I wanted it to go, (other than who I wanted as my endgame couple of course), which I'm still struggling a little with, but if there is enough interest it might help with the inspiration on really, and finally, finishing it.
Title: His Journey: A Horatio Story
Genre: Romance, Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Family, Tragedy
Rating: T
Time-line: Starts Very Pre-Series
Warnings: Implied/Suggestive adult behavior, A few questionable words, Mention of Violence, Character Death(s)
Main Parings: Eventually Ducaine
Minor Parings: Multiple Parings
Other Characters: Multiple
Chapter 1: Start of his journey
October 12, 1985
New York City
Two brothers, one being 25 years old with red hair, blue eyes and stood around 5'11, looking more like their mother, while the other one was 19 with darker hair and brown eyes, almost standing just as tall, looked more like their father, were standing in front of their parent's tombstones, which only 3 days ago both were living, breathing beings until an incident that was all too familiar in that household escalated to its highest peak, and ended in tragedy, more tragedy than usual that is.
The younger brother took a breath and shook his head, still in a somewhat shocked state that he has been in since he had gotten the call from his older brother on what happened to their parents, then spoke in an angry tone. "Deep down I think I always knew this was how it would end." Then he looked over at his brother with a somewhat softer tone. "I just never thought that you would have been in the middle of it."
The red head took a breath before speaking softly, like he was still shocked on the events that night, particularly the ending of it. "It was an acci..."
His brother cuts him off as he looked down at his father's tombstone. "Accident or not, the bastard deserved what he got. What he did to us was unacceptable." He gave his brother a softer look as he spoke softly again. "More so to you." Then he looked at his mother's tombstone, using the same tone. "And her."
They lived in a household were violence was a regular occurrence, their father's outburst was fueled by drinking and anger, which they both had a feeling his lack of employment was the source of it all, and his wife, their mother, was the breadwinner of the household, which seemed to have angered him even more, so she, and for reasons they didn't know or understand, the older one got the brunt of his anger more often times than not.
The red head closed his eyes, thinking of his childhood, as the younger brother spoke again. "I just don't understand why she stayed, especially after we left for college. I begged her to come to Florida with me."
When he was looking for colleges to go to, he chose one in Florida, wanting to get away, and like he said, he begged his mom to come so she could start a new, better life, but she didn't.
The red head opened his eyes again, shook his head and replied softly. "I don't know Raymond, I also asked for her to come with me."
Like his younger brother, he also went to college out of state, Florida State to be exact, and after graduating once his four years was up, he decided he wanted to be a cop, so he went back to New York, which he chose there so he could keep an eye on his mom, especially after his brother had left, and now has been an official cop for a year and a half.
Raymond looked a little surprised on what he said and asked with a hopeful look. "I was included too, right?"
He gave his brother a ghost of a smile, his first real smile in three days, as he nodded. "Of course." Then he took a breath and finished softly. "I still would have taken you with me, but..."
Raymond cuts him off with a smile. "It's ok, you were a college student trying to make it on your own, you didn't need your brother cramping your style." He took another breath before finishing as he looked at his mother's tombstone again. "Besides, I probably would have turned you down anyways, I couldn't leave her. Well, until I did, of course."
The older brother wraps his arm around his younger brother's shoulders. "She understood, she was so proud of you."
He looked at his brother with a hopeful look again. "You really think so?"
"Yes, I know so, she told me."
Raymond started to have tears in his eyes as he nodded with a smile. "Cool."
The red head smiled with a nod. "You ok?"
Raymond nodded again as he finished wipe tears from his eyes. "Yeah." After another nod, he cleared his throat and continued. "Now, what do we do?"
He removed his arm from his brother and spoke after he cleared his throat. "We have a decision to make, the house."
Raymond doesn't even hesitate. "I say we sell it and split the money 50/50, even if I lived in New York again I wouldn't want to live there."
His brother nodded in agreement. "I agree."
"Ok, anything else?"
This time the red head cleared his throat and asked in a hopeful tone. "You could always decide to come back here."
Raymond chuckled and shook his head. "Nah man, I'm building a life in Miami, it's the place I need to be."
"What? Is there a girl there you haven't told me yet."
He chuckled again. "Oh you know me, there is a couple of prospects, but nothing serious right now."
The red head knew very well about his brother's romantic life, ever since he was in the dating age he became a girl, now women, magnet, so to say he was never short on dates was an understatement, not that his own dating past wasn't that shabby, it just wasn't to the extent of his brother's list.
"Yeah, why am I not surprised little bro."
Raymond's eyes lit up a little at the comment, then they dimmed a little as he asked. "You could always come back to Florida, continue your career in Miami."
There was a pause before he shook his head and replied. "Right now I'm where I'm suppose to be."
Raymond, respecting his older brother's decision, nodded. "Ok, but if you ever want to change cities to protect, I hope you'll consider Miami."
He nodded towards his younger brother with another smile. "If that day ever comes, I will." Raymond nodded while the red head looked at his watch that was around his wrist, then he sighed. "I have to go, so I'll see you at the house later?"
Raymond nodded, and after one last look at the tombstones, he watched his older brother walk away, but before he got too far, he spoke. "Horatio?" Horatio turned around before Raymond spoke again. "Just know that whatever happens next for you, I don't blame you. As far as I'm concerned it was self-defense, I know you well enough that you wouldn't hurt, let alone, kill, someone, unless it was out of your hands."
Horatio nodded at his brother with small smile. "Thank you, Ray."
After one more nod from his younger brother, Horatio turned back around and started to walk away.
Raymond stood in front of his parent's tombstones for a few more minutes before he softly said goodbye to his mother, then after a cold look at his father's, he turned and walked away with a sigh and a shake of his head, wishing he could have saved his mom from the ending she endured.
When Horatio made it to the police station and had walked in the building, he half expected to see everybody stop what they were doing and stare at him with different looks on their faces, knowing they probably knew what he had done, so he was pleasantly surprised when he saw none of that, everybody was working, minding their own business, and when he saw his partner, Derrick Miller, look up from whatever he was reading, all he did was give him a smile and wave, indicating he also didn't know why he hadn't been in work the last three days.
Horatio have him a small smile in return before continuing his walk to the captain's office.
Captain Tom Jennings, 45 with blond hair and hazel eyes, stood at 6'1, was at his desk signing a report that needed his signature, then right as he saw Horatio step in the doorway to his opened office, he smiled as he opened the bottom desk drawer, pulled out Horatio's badge and gun and placed them on top of his desk. "Ah Mr. Caine, I believe you need these back."
Even though what he told his brother about New York being the place he needed to stay was the truth, a part of him wasn't even sure if he still had a job, so he admits he was a little shocked at his captain's actions. In fact, too shock to move at first, causing Captain Jennings to ask with a raised eyebrow. "You still want to continue your job here, right?"
Horatio cleared his throat with a nod as he finally walked into the office and headed towards the desk. "Yes sir, but I got admit that I wasn't..."
He trailed off, and Tom nodded in understanding before speaking softly since the door was still opened. "Your case was properly investigated, so taking in account from your statement, reports from neighbors and a few doctors, claiming the same thing, the conclusion is that your actions were justified, and whatever happened or didn't happen isn't getting past me and the few CSI's that I trust to not spread what they know around."
Still feeling a little shocked with a new feeling of appreciation, he nodded with a smile. "Uh, thank you, sir."
"No need to thank me, it was just proven what you had said all along, so there shouldn't be any reason to lose a great cop, especially when he was doing his job correctly." Horatio just nodded, and with his badge and gun back in place, he was about to turn around and walk away when his captain spoke again. "Mr. Caine." When his attention was on Tom again, he continued after clearing his throat, showing a vulnerable side Horatio had not seen in the year and a half of working for him. "I am sorry about your mom and what you and your brother had to endure growing up. But, despite him being your father, I have to admit having one less abuser gone won't make me lose sleep at night."
Knowing where he was coming from, and in full agreement, Horatio nodded. "Me neither Captain."
After one more nod from his captain, Horatio finally turned around and headed out of the office before moving to the far left of the room, where his desk was while his partner's was right in front of his.
Derek Miller, who is African-American, the same age as him, 6'0, athletic build, green eyes, clean-shaven and a shaved head, looked up from the newspaper he was reading and smiled at Horatio. "Hey man, I didn't think you knew how to take time off."
Which was the truth because since they became partners about eight months ago, Horatio had never missed a day of work.
Horatio sat down with a nod and spoke after clearing his throat. "Yeah, it was kind of unexpected." He didn't think a visit with his parents that night could have changed his life so fast.
Concern washed over his partner's face. "You are ok, right?"
He gave him another nod and small smile. "I'm good, thanks for asking."
Not seeing that Horatio was lying, he just waved it off and replied. "No problem." He then took a breath and finished. "Just know that if you do ever need to talk, I'm here."
"I know, and I appreciate it."
Since he started working here, he's had a total of three partners, and Derek, Horatio would say had been his best, not only because he's worked with him the longest, but they get along really well, they understand one another and really they just click, like all good partners should.
Before any more words could be said, Captain Jennings walked out of his office and started to speak. "Alright, it's time to get to work." He paused before he handed out the three assignments, then once they were handed out, but before they walked out of the building, the Captain spoke again. "Before you all leave, I just want you to know that if you ever need help with anything or want to talk about anything, just let me know, alright?" He looked at his team, his eyes lingering on Horatio just a little bit longer, which Horatio seemed to understand, before he walked back into his office.
The team stood there a little shocked about their captain's speech, not that he wouldn't help his team when they needed it before, it just seemed he was a little more open to the idea now.
A few seconds later, Sheldon Davis, the Captain's secondhand man, started to speak. "How about we get to work now."
The six member team nodded before they started their tasks, and as Horatio and Derek were walking out of the building, Derek said with a smile. "I almost forgot to tell you, I met somebody the other day."
As they get to the vehicle, Horatio spoke with a small chuckle. "Oh no, I've heard you say that before."
Derrick chuckled in return before shaking his head. "But this time it is different."
They get into the vehicle, Horatio in the driver's seat. "I've heard that one too."
Derrick now took a breath and spoke in a more serious tone, showing Horatio that he wasn't playing around. "Honestly, it is."
Horatio looked at him and could see it in his eyes, so he nodded. "I guess so, then I'm happy for you."
He smiled with a nod. "Thank you, and hey, I could ask if she has a sister, or best friend, a cousin even?"
Horatio shook his head with a smile as he replied. "Nah, that's ok. I'm kind of out of the dating game right now."
His life just took a major turn, so he wanted to concentrate on work for the time being while he deals with the aftermath on what happened.
Not asking questions, Derrick nodded, respecting his partner's decision. "Alright, but I'll still ask just in case."
Horatio now smirked a little. "I don't doubt that you would." Derrick chuckled, then after taking a breath, Horatio started the vehicle, now focused on work.
AN: So, anybody interested in more? Thanks for reading and please review. (Updates won't happen as quickly as they have done in the past, but I'll try and not make you guys wait too long.)