Chapter Twenty-Three: Starting Over
Horatio had just turned off of the concrete road, and was now following a dirt pathway. The large Hummer bounced up and down as the rocks and twigs were buried beneath it. This path was becoming second-nature to him now, a trail he had been taking frequently for the past two months.
The surroundings, as well as the sounds, told Horatio that he was close to his destination. He could hear the silent ocean again, accompanied by the gulls and the rushing sound of the breeze passing through the palm leaves. Finally, the thick foliage opened to reveal what Horatio thought of as his 'second home': a small, light blue house that was placed right on the sunny-side of Captiva Island.
The Hummer's wheels rolled to a crackling halt. Horatio pushed open the door, stretching his arms above his head once he hopped out. The temperature was comfortable…at least for that of Florida. He half-jogged up the stone-paved walkway and up the three small, wooden stairs. After opening the screen, he knocked a couple times on the door behind it.
There was no response, so Horatio pulled out his own set of keys--unlocking the deadbolt and then the doorknob. Inside, the small house was quite tidy. There was a fresh pot of coffee, as always, sitting to the left on a counter in the beautifully tiled kitchen. Straight ahead, the slate-colored living room was filled with small frames. Horatio picked one up, smiling when he saw a painting of a little girl playing in the sand. He set it back onto the bluish-purple sofa, and followed the large windows to the left past a few large plants--where the back door stood open, revealing a gorgeous array of seaside colors.
Dressed in black pants and a reddish-purple, button-up shirt (he had left the jacket in the Hummer), Horatio stood out from the toned-down, relaxed hues of the beach. A smile perked up on his face when he saw a petite, fiery-haired figure perched on a fallen log ahead of him--sketchbook in hand and a box of paints beside her.
Upon hearing the shuffling of sand behind her, Robin looked over her shoulder and jumped up with excitement. She rushed over to Horatio, her face cheerful and bright as she sprung into his welcoming arms. Their lips pressed together, the kiss lasting several seconds before Horatio set the small young woman back onto her bare, sand-covered feet.
Robin had been dressed in a yellow bikini-top, covered by overalls that were folded up to her knees. The left strap hung loose, allowing Horatio to see the heart-shaped scar that remained on Robin's shoulder. It would always stand as a constant reminder of what horrors they both had to endure. But now, those hard times were finally over…
"Horatio, I'm sorry I wasn't inside to hear you come in!" she said, sitting herself back on the log and picking up her sketchbook. "I just really wanted to finish up this painting."
Horatio set his chin on her shoulder, slipping his arms around her, "Lemme take a look…"
She held it up for him to see--it was a beautiful painting of the ocean. The color of the sky was warm, as if it were just before sunset. A fisherman was standing in the left corner, beside him stood a few birds, hoping for a meal when the man caught a fish that was too small for his liking.
"This is beautiful, Robbie…your work never ceases to amaze me," Horatio said softly to her.
Robin smiled, giggling as she felt his lips tickle her neck and shoulder. He then sat down beside her, looking out at the ocean through his dark sunglasses as the breeze flowed through his fiery-tinted hair.
Robin tapped his nose with the tip of her paintbrush, smirking innocently when Horatio looked to her.
"You've been looking so serious lately…It's still hard for you, isn't it?" she asked after moving the brush from one color to another.
Horatio took off his sunglasses, squinting as he moved his attention back to the flowing water--it was now more of an orangey color from the now-setting sun. Robin's face was understanding, she set her paints aside and scooted herself next to him. She put her arms around him, resting her head on his chest and letting out a small sigh.
"It's okay, Horatio…all that matters now is that you're here with me… that's all I ever wanted."
The two sat together, conversing lightly as the sun dipped itself into the ocean, until they were nothing but silhouettes against the nighttime setting. Hand-in-hand, they went back into the small, light-blue house…to start what would be the rest of their lives.
** : ) And that is the end of CSI Miami: Captiva. It's heartbreaking for me to have finished this story! I loved every minute of writing it, including all the research and watching and re-watching of some critical episodes that helped me through this story. I want to thank BlackRaven for helping me out with the fiber analysis chapters, and also everyone who gave reviews to my story…especially Yaba and Kady Rilla Wholi for reviewing since my first day of posting, and Marmo for re-connecting with the story and urging me for more chapters! You guys totally rock!!! Now, it's time for me to regather some scattered ideas, and put together another story for you all to read! I should be smokin once school starts, because I'm taking a load of forensics classes and I'm waiting for a response from the Sterling Heights Crime Lab to see if I could put in some volunteer/experience hours there! Wish me luck, and I really really hope to start writing soon! Take care! By the way, thank you for giving me links and info for a possible new story!**