Before I get to this chapter I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who has taken the time to respond with feedback on this story. There have been too many comments for me to respond to each and every one of them individually but I am reading them, and I do appreciate them. So thank you everyone.

Club Descent started as a short story. My first AU, inspired by so many other great AU's I've read, I thought I'd try my hand. The original plan was about 10,000 words. Well it mutated. I now have a notebook full of notes for it's future. headdesk What have I done?

I will be on vacation next week and I don't know if I will have the next chapter fully edited and ready to go before I leave. If I do I will get it up this weekend, otherwise next weekend. I am bringing my MacBook with me so I can work on the plane, because I'm just that obsessed, so there will definitely be more when I get back from Florida.

Peace, and on to the next Chapter,

Linda

Title: Club Descent: Max

Author: Aeon Cole

Rating: FRM

Genre: AU, angst, hurt/comfort, romance

Warning: Slash, past abuse, non-con, rape

Fandom: CSI Miami

Pairing: Horatio/Speed

Challenge: Lover100

Table: table-c

Prompt: #73 Dream

Word Count: 1930

Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me and I am making no money from this.

Author's Note: This is NOT part of my H/Speed universe. This is my first AU.

Previous Chapters: The Meeting, Regrets, Choices, Let's Talk, Good News, Problems, Saturday, Help, Secrets, Home, Confessions, Courage, Whispers, Slave Play, Stay, More

( Have you ever had something in the world outside interfere with a dream? Maybe you fell asleep with the TV or radio on, or someone says something of does something to you while you're sleeping that filters through into your dream and mutates. )

888

Tuesday Morning

Darkness. His eyes were open, he was fairly certain of that. He could make out some vague, blurry shapes in the distance but nothing concrete. His right arm ached. He wasn't able to move. He couldn't feel the restraints but he knew they must be there because he was immobilized. Why did only one arm ache, he thought? Or did he say it out loud.

ooo

He tried to remember how long he'd been trussed up this time but his brain seemed cloudy and he had no clear memory of ending up in his current situation. It didn't feel right somehow. Not that it ever felt right but it felt less right this time for some reason. He wished he could make his mind focus. There was a vague memory, somewhere in the background. A man, but he could focus. He knew Simon would be back, probably soon. He wasn't looking forward to it but, at least, maybe, Simon would let him down and his arm would stop aching.

ooo

Horatio stretched and rolled over in bed. He smiled and gently ran a hand over Tim's back. He was lying on his right side with his right arm up under the pillow. Horatio wondered how long he'd been in that position, thinking that he would probably be pretty stiff when he woke up. He whispered into Tim's ear as he slept that he loved him and he brushed his fingers down his arm and over his back. He smiled as he heard Tim murmur in his sleep.

ooo

There was a voice in the darkness. He couldn't tell if it was Simon or the Dominant. He couldn't make out what the voice was saying. He just heard his name being spoken into his ear. Whoever was speaking was close behind him. His breath was hot on his ear. He felt something on his back. It started out soft but quickly grew into a burning sensation. He knew better than to cry out so he gritted his teeth and only squirmed slightly. Then it stopped and he let out a breath. It started again on his arm, like a red, hot poker being drawn along his skin.

ooo

Horatio lay back down and spooned up against Tim. He kissed the back of his neck and rested his hand on Tim's hip. As he was drifting off to sleep again he absently stroked Tim's leg. He didn't notice the single tear that ran down Tim's cheek.

888

Eric walked into the lab and found Calliegh with Horatio and Tim's clothing. She was going over each piece with a magnifier and tape lifts.

"Hey, Cal," he said as he walked into the room. "Have you found anything yet?"

Calliegh looked up from what she was doing. "Nothing, so far," she said, clearly frustrated.

She pulled Tim's t-shirt and shorts out of the second evidence bag and started working on them. She spread the shirt out on the table and the first thing she noticed was a shoe print. She flattened the shirt out so she could see the whole print, then photographed it. Eric winced when he saw it.

"That had to hurt," he said.

Calliegh nodded. "I really want to catch this guy, Eric."

"Maybe we should go back to his apartment. You know, a fresh set of eyes might turn up something," Eric suggested.

"Couldn't hurt, I suppose," she agreed.

"Great. Then we can both go back to my scene, see what we can put together," he added.

888

Horatio's eyes fluttered open at a sound in the room that he couldn't quite place. He heard Tim sniffle and was suddenly fully awake. He pulled Tim closer and gently ran a hand over his cheek. Feeling that it was damp he asked, "What's wrong?"

"Sorry," Tim muttered and quickly wiped his face. "Bad dream."

He rolled over and snuggled into Horatio's arms, grateful for once to actually have someone to comfort him. Horatio held him, completely understanding how he felt. He'd certainly been haunted enough by nightmares himself.

"Feel like talking about it?" Horatio asked.

Tim shrugged. "Same old thing," was all he said.

Horatio let it go figuring he would talk when he was ready. But he felt the need to say one thing. "You know you're safe here, right? I'm not going to hurt you or make you do anything you're not comfortable with."

He nodded and nuzzled into Horatio's neck. "I wish we could just stay here like this," he said. He did realize how ridiculous and lovesick he sounded, but he didn't care.

Horatio chuckled. "Well, we are both off for the next few days," he said.

Tim pulled back just enough to look at Horatio face to face. "So does that mean we can spend the next few days in bed?" he asked waggling his eyebrows.

Horatio smirked and leaned in for a kiss. "I suppose we could try," he whispered against Tim's lips.

Just as the kiss was becoming heated, they heard a knocking at the front door. Horatio pulled back and rested his forehead against Tim's. "This is becoming habit," he muttered. Tim chuckled as Horatio rolled out of bed and donned his robe. He looked back at Tim, noting the slight leer. "Hold that thought," he said as he headed down the stairs.

He checked the window by the front door and saw Max standing on the stoop. He opened the door and stepped aside to let him in. Max paused when he saw Horatio in his robe.

"Am I interrupting something?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

Horatio ducked his head to hide the slight blush. "No," he said. Then he added, almost under his breath, "Another five minutes and…" He let that thought trail off.

"Sorry. I shoulda called first," Max said with a smirk. "I just thought I'd stop by and see how Tim was doin'.

Hearing Max's voice, Tim stuck his head over the banister and said, "I'll be right down."

"Bring me some clothes, please," Horatio called up to him.

Tim threw on a pair of jeans and grabbed a pair of pants and a shirt for Horatio. He headed down the stairs and tossed the clothes to the redhead before walking over to Max. Max looked him up and down with a critical eye, taking notice of every bruise. He placed a hand on Tim's shoulder.

"How ya doin'?" he asked.

"I'm okay," Tim answered.

"Did ya get yerself checked out yet?" he asked.

Tim nodded. "Horatio's got a friend who's a doctor. She said I'm fine, just bruised."

He walked over to the sofa and gestured for Max to have a seat. Max glanced into the kitchen where he saw Horatio putting up a pot of coffee.

"So how's it going with you two?" Max asked quietly. He saw Tim smile and his cheeks color just slightly through the stubble. "That good, huh?"

Tim replied, just as quietly, "He's not like anyone I've ever met before."

Max raised an eyebrow. "Well, given the company you've been keepin' lately, I'd have to say that's a good thing." Tim pursed his lips. "You've got that totally lovesick, 'all I wanna do is lay in bed and fuck' look right now." Tim was about to reply when Max glance over at the kitchen and added, "S'okay. So does he."

"Max! Quit it, will you," Tim said.

Max chuckled. "Okay, okay. I'll stop teasin' ya," he said. "Sorry I dropped by without callin' first." He smirked, unable to resist just a little more. "I hope I didn't interrupt anything."

Tim glared at him for a moment before muttering, "A few more minutes and you'd still be standing out on the porch."

Max laughed out loud. "I am sorry, kid," he said.

From the kitchen, Horatio asked, "Max, how do you take your coffee?"

Still chuckling, Max answered, "Black is fine, thanks."

A moment later Horatio walked into the living room with three mugs of coffee. He placed one down on the table in front of Max and said, "Black." Then he handed one to Tim and said, "Light and sweet," as he leaned in and gave him a quick kiss.

Tim smiled up at him as he fitted himself in behind him and settled into the corner of the sofa. Tim leaned back against his chest and sipped at his coffee. Max smiled thinking that despite everything, Tim actually looked happy and content.

"So," he said, addressing Horatio. "I gotta call from yer friend. That little, blonde lady from Sunday."

"Calliegh," Horatio said.

"Yeah, Calliegh. She said she wants to talk to me about a case related to what happened to Tim," he said.

Tim's expression turned somber. He knew that eventually he would have to tell Max what happened. He glanced back at Horatio for a moment, looking for support. Horatio gave him a sad smile and nodded.

Tim took a breath. "Max, something happened to one of the kids at the club."

Max paused with his coffee cup half way to his mouth. He looked over at Tim. "What happen?" he asked. "Who?"

Tim knew that Max was much more than just the bartender and bouncer at Club Descent. He was also the unofficial club dad. He knew each of the regulars and watched over them protectively. All of the kids knew that they could come to Max with a problem and he would help them solve it. He knew all their names, all their stories. They were like his family.

Tim sighed. "One of the kids was killed Sunday morning." He glanced back at Horatio again for a moment. "They think it was Simon."

Max placed his coffee mug down on the table. "Tim, who?" he asked again.

"I don't know his name. The little blonde guy with the rose tattoo on his left arm."

Max's head fell. "Jimmy," he muttered. Then he looked up with fire in his eyes. "What happened?" he asked. Tim averted his eyes, not wanting to go into the whole story again so soon. "Tim," Max insisted. But he could see his friend retreat so he said, "Horatio, tell me what's goin' on."

Horatio wrapped his arms around Tim protectively. "He was found Sunday morning. It was the scene I originally got called to. He was tied up, beaten, stabbed. We, um, we think that he was probably picked up at the club Thursday night after you two left. There is some evidence to suggest that he was raped, repeatedly and that there may have been a second person involved."

"One of the dominants," Tim added quietly. "He had been restrained and played with."

Max was stunned into silence for a moment. "How can you know all this?" he finally managed to ask.

Tim spoke without meeting Max's eyes. "Because they showed me pictures of Jimmy's body. Everything that had been done to him," he paused for a moment, "Simon had done to me."

Max was a big guy who cultivated a very tough appearance. He was tall, muscular, a former Marine. He shaved his head to add to the image. But the moment he heard those word come from Tim's mouth, he sunk back into the sofa and looked very much the lost little boy on the verge of tears. He suddenly felt like he was sitting in someone else's nightmare. Without leaving Horatio's embrace, Tim reached out for Max and took his hand while Max tried to gain control of himself.

"That mother-fucker's a dead man," he muttered.

TBC