**Okay, before starting this chapter, I'll answer a couple questions that were asked in the reviews:
1. To jd burns, who asked "So you're talking about the flashback where Robin quit CSI and moved? And Richard's been stalking her ever since?"
Yeah, the whole thing about Richard stalking Robin was a consequence of her deciding to leave--he pretty much stalked her because he had fallen in love with her, and he wanted to make sure that Horatio didn't get near her again. The whole chapter wasn't so much a flashback as it was Richard just pouring his heart out to Robin. I think I might've mentioned it, but Rich was pretty much reliving the past.
Richard also hasn't been stalking Robin ever since that day, he instead ended up driving himself crazy thinking about her--leading himself to finally burst one day and kill everything that reminded him of her. He had only stalked her that one night, after being released from the institution, and then started again after learning that Robin had come back to Miami to assist Horatio. Hope that was a good enough answer and wasn't too confusing! : )
2. Next was a question from Kady Rilla Wholi, who asked, "but why on earth did Richard Peters EVER think that Robin liked him in the first place?"
Simple answer…it's because he was just a lonely, crazy man! Because Robin always dressed nicely, Richard (in his mixed up mind) thought that she was doing it for him…y'know, to kind of impress him. And she was always really nice to him, so he thought it was just Robin's way of flirting. Crazy, isn't he?? Hope that answer worked for ya! (Oh, by the way, your compliment about my story was sooo nice! It would be awesome if Mr. Bruckheimer would read my story and like it!)
Okay, and now…what you've all been waiting for…the conclusion (but not the final chapter)…of CSI Miami: Captiva!!!!
Chapter Twenty-One: True Love Leaves No Traces
At the art supply store, forty-five minutes before the ending of the last chapter…
"H?…H?…Horatio?" Speed said intently as Horatio examined the area behind the checkout desk. The body had been removed for further inspection--work better left for Alexx to take care of.
"There's something here…something about this splatter that isn't right…" Horatio said, his actions becoming less-and-less cautious, but more-and-more hurried.
Speed stepped back, thinking that maybe a larger field of view would become more helpful. Calleigh stepped over a couple broken easels, joining in Horatio and Speedle's inspection.
"That's weird…" Speed said, almost mumbling to himself.
Calleigh looked at his dazed expression, "What do you see?"
"Well, I'm not positive…but don't you think that there should be splatter on that?" he mentioned, pointing to a painting on the wall above Horatio.
"Yeah…there should," Calleigh stated, walking closer to it. "It's also the only painting that's not crooked--almost like someone straightened it out."
Horatio stood up, examining it closely. His colleague was right, that painting was the only thing that was left untouched. In searching for any kind of reasonable clue as to why it was left that way, Horatio found the answer to everything…
"Horatio, are you alright?" Calleigh said concernedly as she noticed his sudden halt.
He turned around, looking at both Speed and Calleigh with an emotion that they had rarely seen before--Horatio was terrified.
Before dashing out to his Hummer, he instructed the other CSIs to follow, "Speed! Calleigh! Get in the car! I'll explain on the way!"
Without hesitation, the two followed on his heels, quickly pulling themselves into the vehicle. After a screeching take-off, Speed was the first to ask, "What's going on? What did you see on that painting??"
"Robin--it was one of her paintings…" Horatio said, sounding as if he was just now letting the idea sink in.
Every single detail about this case was being plastered together in his mind…memories flooded back, and thoughts were flooding in…There was a picture in his mind of the little girl's eyes…the cold, parted lips of the woman laying there in the morgue…and the flushed face of the woman who had been found sprawled out on her sofa…the images pieced themselves together in his mind…
He remembered, then, looking into Robin's eyes…how blue they were, and how they shined…how her face would blush every time Horatio would try to flatter her…and how full and soft her lips were every time they kissed…
He remembered the cool, smooth feel of the dress Robin had worn…how he had bought it especially for her. The silk was Atlas…one of the finest silks that money could buy…
And finally, Horatio remembered the first day that he and Robin had met--the first day he had stepped into her office…It was filled with all of her paintings…'I use them to help keep the patients relaxed…works better than a bunch of certificates, at least!'--something Robin had told him after Horatio complimented a certain piece…the one he had also seen hanging at the crime scene.
"H? You're spacing out…what's the deal about seeing Robin's painting in that store?" Speedle asked, a hint of worry in his voice.
"Is she okay?" Calleigh chimed in.
"Remember how the files said that Richard was seeing a psychologist?" Both nodded in agreement, Horatio continued, "It was Robin…this guy is after Robin."
"What? That's crazy, H…" Speed said, feeling that Horatio was acting on his lack of sleep.
"No, it's not…he was leading me on in the interrogation room--giving me clues. He said that his brother 'went to therapy, then met a girl'…and he wouldn't give me the girl's name. Said that he would 'spoil it' if he told me…" Horatio said as he flew through a stop light, swerving away from oncoming cars.
"But how do you know it's Robin that he's after? The painting might just be a simple coincidence!" Calleigh said as she leaned into the Hummer's immediate turn, grasping onto Speed's arm like her life depended on it.
"That's an answer that both you and Speed figured out…you said that Richard was highlighting his favorite traits on those victims, but that was just the first step. Each 'highlighted' part of the victims' faces, when put together, would make one face…"
The two CSIs paused, pasting together the final picture in their minds. Calleigh gasped, "Oh my God, Horatio…you're right…"
Horatio pulled out his cell phone, talking to himself as he dialed, "I need to warn her…she's gotta get out of there…"
Speed and Calleigh were dead-silent as they heard the constant ringing through the phone's earpiece. Horatio pressed the 'END' button just as he swerved into the hotel parking lot. He got out of the monstrous vehicle, slamming the door behind him as he ran towards the building.
"H, aren't you gunna call for backup??" Speed said, running just behind Calleigh.
"There's not enough time…plus, it would draw even more attention. If this guy is aiming to kill her, he wouldn't wait around for a S.W.A.T. team to ambush him," he replied, bursting through the front doors and running towards the stairs.
They traveled up several floors, drawing their guns about halfway up. Horatio was giving instructions in-between every heaving breath, "Listen, this guy has walked around free for long enough. I'm not taking any chances. I'm gunna kick the door open, and I want you two to keep back, but give me cover-fire if I need it…I brought Robin into this mess, now she's gunna get out of it alive…"
With that said, they pushed through the entrance that had been separating the staircase from the hallway. The rows of doors seemed to go on forever, until Horatio nodded to the left, indicating to them to be ready for anything.
The door burst open as if it were Styrofoam. Horatio, followed by Calleigh and Speed, rushed inside and spotted Richard Peters kneeling over a small, quivering body.
"Horatio Caine, Miami-Dade P.D.!! Put the weapon down!!!!" Horatio yelled, seeing the sheer terror in Robin's eyes.
Richard gave Horatio a smile that would remain in his mind forever--the kind of smile that says…'I won!'. And a fraction of a second later, the man turned his back to Horatio, holding the gun down towards Robin.
Horatio pulled the trigger a few times, sending bullets straight into Richard--one passing directly through his body. However, after seeing the man's corpse slump over and fall beside the bed, another site seemed to make Horatio's face go pale…
"Robin…Robin?…" His voice trembled as he dropped his gun and rushed to the bedside.
She laid there--motionless. Blood from Richard's exit wound covered her face…but even more was creating a circular stain around a fringed hole in her robe--Richard had gotten to the trigger merely milliseconds before Horatio.
"Robbie…please don't do this…" Horatio said, feeling himself choke-up.
In the background, Speed was on his cell calling for medical aid and pacing through the room. Calleigh was standing frozen in front of the door, her hand set over her mouth, feeling tears rush to her widened eyes.
Horatio set his hand lightly on top of the small entrance wound, noticing that Robin had slightly flinched. His heart raced--there was a glimpse of hope in Robin's lingering eyes.
"H…Horatio…" her voice was hushed, but sweet.
"Oh my God, Robbie…you're alive," Horatio said, letting out a relieved sigh.
"Of course…I'm alive…" a small smile perked up on her face, but her breathing remained strained and irregular. "Wh-what happened?…How did you…how'd you know to come?"
"Robin, you were right…there was more to Steven than I had thought. I'm so sorry…you're in this position because of me," Horatio said, shaking his head and holding back his forceful tears.
"No, this is my fault…all those people--they're…they're dead because of me…" Her face was emotionless, but tears were slipping down her blood-stained face.
"What? That's not true, Sweetie," Horatio said, brushing the tears from her eyes.
"It…it is true…I was so selfish." Robin looked up at Horatio, "I…I hurt you…and I hurt Richard…He…he killed all those people because I left!"
Horatio pulled her up, leaning her against his chest. His voice was comforting, "Shhh, it's alright…you'll be okay. This will be over soon…"
Calleigh and Speed were absolutely silent. In some way, this was a happy ending…but the picture they were seeing was strange and confusing: In a bed soaked with blood and cluttered with bullet shells sat Horatio--in his arms, the love of his life was wasting away. Beside them on the floor lay the dead body of a psychotic murderer…could this really be classified as a happy ending? Maybe to those in this business it was as happy as an ending could get.
As the medical crew came storming through the doors, Horatio watched while they scrambled with their equipment in an attempt to revive Richard and save Robin. It had felt like a thousand years passed since he went to Robin for assistance on this case. She had said something that rang in his mind over and over again:
"…You need to see things that people should never see, and you need to get used to things that people should never get used to…"
Seeing her there--weak and helpless--he thought to himself, "Robbie, you were wrong about one thing--you never get used to it."
**So, there ya go! That's the full-blown conclusion of my story! It took longer than I thought to get to this point, but I really enjoyed doing all the research and being able to learn more about forensics as it progressed. It was definitely a treat to write for all you guys, so I'll treat you with one final chapter! Speed/Calleigh fans might like it…but I'm not gunna spoil anything! If anyone has any story ideas that you'd like me to write about or if any of you guys ever need any help writing or researching things for CSI, then I'd be honored to help ya out! Thanks for all the reviews, and hopefully you'll tell other CSI:Miami fans about this story so I can get even more feedback. Love ya lots, and see you next chapter!**
By the way, if anyone wants to email me or even just chat it up while you're online, my email is: nmckean1@aol.com and my AIM screen name is: SolFood22