Sorry, but I forgot to add my disclaimer in Chapter One and I misspelled Horatio's last name. Horatio and others do not belong to me, but only borrowing them for the moment. Ginny Pierce is my creation alone, so please ask before using her. Horatio and team will be put back in one piece, but I'm not sure they will be themselves when I'm done.

Chapter Two

Horatio Caine looked around the hotel room. He took in the doublewide beds, coffee maker, TV with remote, and fresh clean towels & linen. He turned around in his usual manner and looked at his niece. "Well, what do you think about our home for the next week?" He asked her.

"Well, Uncle Horatio, it's cozy. Feels almost like home." Ginny replied giving into tears once more. Before her uncle could process the information in his brilliant mind, she continued to bare her thoughts. "Whoever killed them is going to come for me, right?" She lifted her tearstained face up to his watchful gaze.

Horatio marched to where she was standing. He kneeled before her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Ginny, I'm not going to lie to you. Whoever killed your parents most likely is out for revenge against me. You're a smart kid. I'll let you figure it out for yourself, but you better know that you can talk to me like you would your mom and dad. I will also give you two facts: One, I did not list your mom as next of kin to notify in case of emergency because I did not know her details when I joined the force. Two, birth certificates are open, public records. I promise you that whoever that person is, they will have to go through me to get to you." He then gathered her into his arms to seal his promise. He hugged her tighter to comfort her and make her feel secure.

They stayed that way for a few moments before Horatio whispered into Ginny's ear, "Are you okay, now? I need to make a call to Detective Woods, and a few more calls after that." He waited until she told him in some way that she was ready to let go of him before he pulled away from her. He walked over to the room phone and dialed Woods' number. When the detective answered, he kept his conversation brief and to the point and then hanged up the phone. He then pulled out another piece of paper from his pocket and then dialed that number. He also talked briefly to that person to set up a date and time within six days for the reading of the Pierces' will. When he was done there, he depressed the button in the cradle for another call. This time it was the airline. He finally managed to delay their outgoing flight for two more days, and then disconnect the line by replacing the receiver. This time, he pulled his cell phone out of his pocket, and dialed his boss and told him of the unexpected delay. He then used the phone to call a member of his CSI team. The lucky recipient was Calleigh Duquesne, and he told her the run down and asked her to pass it on to the other members. He also asked what was going on in his absence. After she told him the run down, he told her that he was on his cell if she or anyone else on the team should run into a dead-end. After all this was finished, he turned back to his niece and asked "Well, now that is out of the way, what do you say that we go get a bite to eat? I think I saw a Denny's next door." Ginny nodded her answer, anticipated a dinner for Denny's.

The two of them grabbed what they needed and headed out the door for a short walk to the building next door. They walked inside and up to the hostess, and Horatio gave his request and how many. He told he would like a seat within view of the front door. She complied with his request and seated them down at a table to look over the menu. Horatio was facing the door, so he can watch the incoming and outgoing traffic. He was trying to decide what he wanted, doing so made him fail to see three men wearing black pants and shirts as well as black ski masks enter the building armed when it was too late. He looked up as the tallest of the three demanded that everyone get down on the floor.

Horatio's immediate reaction was to grab Ginny and pull her down with him under the table. In the same motion, he reached for his service pistol to use if necessary to protect his niece or anyone else. She saw her uncle do this and immediately thought her was going to play hero. She grabbed his arm closest to her and looked at him with soulful eyes to plead him not to do anything foolish. "Please, Uncle Horatio. Not where I can see it, and worry over you. You're all I have left to take care of me. It's just better that they get what they want, and hopefully they'll leave." She reasoned with him. She also silently prayed that is what would happen and no one will get hurt in the process of it.

Horatio looked at her and her pleading eyes. He had no intention of playing hero, but he also didn't tell her what he was doing either. He gathered Ginny into another hug, but she did not release his weapon from his hand. "Ginny, this is not a homicide crime scene. I have no idea what should be done. I'm used to standing over others at a crime scene and supervising them on their jobs. I don't plan on going anywhere, Short-Stuff." He told her to calm down. They barely heard the robbers order the manger to empty the cash drawer and safe. They then told everyone to drop their cash and valuables in the bag.

When the man collecting their bounty reached their table, he received the surprise of his life. He found a small child being sheltered by a tall red haired man holding a semi-automatic pistol at him. He immediately grabbed his fully automatic and pointed back at him and the girl. "Put it down or I will shoot." He watched the red headed man place his pistol on the ground by he feet. As he did so, the robber could clearly see his gold shield attached to his belt. He hollered to his buddies, "Hey Tech and Aqua, we have a copper over here." He told the two of the to come out from under the table by motioning with his weapon.

Horatio was in a corner when the robber put a more powerful weapon on him and his niece. He decided there was no way he could match that firepower with his pistol. He did as suggested by keeping himself between the end of the barrel and Ginny, and moving out from under the table. He could feel her tremble at the present situation, and squeezed her hand in reassurance. "I'm a cop, and I do have the authority to make an arrest. Lucky for you, I'm out of jurisdiction. Way out of jurisdiction."

Ginny had an idea and leaned into her uncle's ear. "You maybe out of jurisdiction, but you can make a citizen's arrest and not get it thrown out of court. Here you can't do that if you are not trained to make an arrest." Horatio looked at her and nodded his head in understanding.

"Enough!" The appointed leader of the trio ordered the two. He walked up to Ginny and ran his fingers through her long red hair. "You might come in handy, Darlin'. If you're good, I just might give you something for your behavior and it is not monetary." He had slowly lowered his hand to her face and stroked her check, making his way to her lips. He finished his statement and lingered his fingertips way too long on her lips.

Horatio noticed this and raged swelled up inside of him. He remembered the pedophile that killed the little girl in the Zanytown bathroom, and shoved the robber off his niece. "You touch her again, and you will pay dearly. That was the cop talking, now I would like to introduce you to the uncle. I will kill you if you touch her again." He looked at Ginny and thought about her suggestion. "Also I'm placing the three of you under citizen's arrest."

The three robbers just laughed in his face, but stopped as a canister sailed through the window and landed a few feet from them. Horatio took one glance at it and knew immediately what it was and who threw it. He grabbed Ginny and dived under the table again. He told her, "Ginny, close your eyes and hold your breath until I tell you otherwise. The SWAT team just threw in a tear gas rubber grenade." He pulled her face into his chest for added protection. He, himself, held his breath and closed his eyes, and waited for the gas to dissipate.

Next thing Horatio knew, he was flipped over and found assault rifles shoved in his face. He looked into the helmeted faces of the local SWAT, "It's okay. I'm with the Miami-Dade Police Department." He started to reach for Ginny, but stopped when the rifles got closer to him. "My niece, I want to know if she is all right." He explained his actions to the group.

One of the suited men, who must be the sergeant, ordered, "Slowly reach for your badge and shield." He watched as Horatio did as ordered and found himself looking into a gold shield from Miami-Dade Police Department. He motioned the other men to lower their weapons and apologized, "Sorry Lieutenant, I can't afford to be too careful. Your niece had all ready been taken outside to the paramedics to be checked over. I'll escort you myself, Lieutenant. My name is Sergeant Tom Billings." He held out his hand to shake Horatio's hand, and to let him know that he was just doing his job.

"I'm Horatio Caine. My sister and brother-in-law were killed last night, and I'm here to pick up my niece." He answered the older man, who seemed to wonder why he was in town, and gave him an explanation to the puzzled look on his face. Billings nodded his acceptance and possible understanding before escorting him to the paramedics and his niece, then he returned to his job.

Horatio saw Ginny sitting on the back of the ambulance near an oxygen tank. She was still suffering the side effects of the gas, and he wanted to make sure she was all right. "How are you doing, Ginny?" He walked over, after giving an officer his statement, and placed his hands on his hips with his head cocked to one side while he waited on her answer.

"Remind me not to go to any career field that uses tear gas very often." She managed to say as the gas started to leave her system. Ginny watched as her uncle smiled at her remark. "I'm fine Uncle Horatio. I just wanted to see you smile." She saw him place his hands down at his sides, and sat down next to her. Horatio appeared he was about to have a heart to heart talk with his niece.

"You know I wasn't too much older than you when my mother died. I was the oldest of three, and your mother was the baby. My father had ran off about a year earlier and I had no idea where he went. Your mother was about four, and didn't remember much, and your Uncle Raymond was about eight. I on the other hand remembered what happened in great detail, and I still have nightmares about it. What happened was that my mother had stood up to a known drug dealer and street gang leader for our safety. He paid her back by burning her alive in our home. As they rolled out her charred remains, I made sure Eve and Raymond didn't see her like that. Later, I went back on my own to find out what had happened. By snooping around, I helped solved her murder in less than a week." Horatio watched as she processed his story, before adding two things. "I just want you to know, Ginny, that remember you mom and dad, do not forget them. If you want to learn forensics and crime scene investigation, I'll let you shadow me at work on two conditions."

Ginny looked up at him in a surprised shock, and nodded her head with so much eagerness that looked like her head would roll off her shoulders. "What two conditions are those, Uncle Horatio?" She asked with a big grin from ear to ear.

He held up one finger, "One, I will not take you and a school day," he held up another finger, "And two, you must be passing all your classes and homework must be done. Is that understood?" He looked her dead in the eye as he listed his conditions. He waited for her nod, before gathering her into another hug. "Good. When we get back to Miami, I'll introduce you to a couple of people. I think you will like Alexx and Eric."

Now that Horatio had gotten her curiosity peaked, she just had to ask, "Who is Alexx and Eric?" She was so excited at his news, that she was acting like she was on a sugar high. He expected her at any moment to jump up from her seat and do a horrible, comical dance she is known to do at the hearing of good news.

"I work with Alexx and Eric. Alexx Woods is the Chief Medical Examiner for Miami-Dade County. Eric Delko is one of my CSI's specializing in underwater recovery. Now that is out of the way for now, we still haven't eaten. What do you say about some fast food? I thank we have had enough excitement for one day, don't you?" He asked Ginny. He thought that they could avoid any more incidents, if they just got their food and ate the hotel.

Ginny nodded her head in answer to both questions. It had gotten dark some time ago and she was tired and hungry. "The cops already took my statement. They said that I was free to go." She told him. Horatio had already talked to them and gave his statement before he came to check on her.

Ginny jumped down from her perch and took her uncle's hand, and walked back to the hotel together. They got back into the Land Rover, and Horatio started it up and headed for the McDonald's he spotted down the street. They ordered their meals through the drive thru, and went back to their room.

After they had eaten and Ginny had gone to sleep, Horatio pulled out his cell phone and called Eric Delko. When the younger man answered, he stated his reason for the call. "Eric, I want you to get the status and whereabouts for John Werner. Call me as soon as you find out something." As soon as the heard the younger man's agreement, he hung up and joined his niece in sleep.

(A/N: I'm still writing on chapter three, but it is almost done. So after that happens, I still have to find time to type it up and post it on the site. I can assure you that I will get it done as soon as possible.)