Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

A/N: This is the last chapter of this work! Again, I want to thank you for all of your kind comments and reviews. Happy Memorial Day to those who observe it!

Chapter 7-A Meeting of Warriors

"Yep, he's in his office" Emmie nearly whispered. Just a second, Sir." She put up one finger to the Lieutenant as she tapped on her boss's open door.

Horatio looked up from his latest case file. "Miss Stockburne. I thought you were at Homestead Air Base seeing off the flight crew. What are you doing here?"

"Actually, Sir, one of them wanted to speak with you."

He nodded. "Have them come in."

Emmie walked in, escorting Lieutenant Marshall. He strode in wearing his dark blue Navy flight suit, also ready to travel. "My boss originally should've been there Saturday."

Horatio stood up behind his desk. "Well. Widowmaker. Great to see you again. Are you on your way back?"

The burly pilot walked forward and grasped Horatio's hand in his vise-like grip. He raised one eyebrow. "Lieutenant Caine. Likewise. Emmie can't say enough about you. And hey, I wouldn't be too hard on Sergeant Stetler. He actually handled it better than some of the guys I took up."

Horatio held his fingers together thoughtfully. "So what brings you here this morning?"

Widowmaker raised one eyebrow thoughtfully. "Well, Harm and Mac told me what happened." He nodded at the computer tech. "I asked her to bring me here to say goodbye."

"He didn't ask to say goodbye to Rick."

The two Lieutenants stood on opposite sides of the desk and looked into each other's eyes. The seasoned police officer studied the seasoned fighter pilot. Both were battle-hardened warriors who cared about the ones under their charge. Neither one of them said a word. Emmie just stood back and averted her eyes. She understood what was going on between them.

Finally Widowmaker nodded in approval and reached into the chest pocket of his blue flight suit. "Hey, I hope this works. Emmie says you like sunglasses." He pulled out a pair of silver aviator sunglasses and handed them to Horatio. "Regulation. Cost five hundred dollars. All the best pilots have them. You won't find these in a Sunglass Hut."

Horatio looked at Widowmaker as he took the silver sunglasses and opened the earpieces. "Thank you, Lieutenant. It just so happens I broke a pair at the air show Saturday. I stood up with the rest of the department when Rick had his little incident with Miss Sykes."

The pilot chuckled. "Oh yeah. The reporter. Hey, I wouldn't be too hard on the sergeant. He really didn't do that badly. I never took anyone up who didn't lose it when they found out what it was really like to go Mach 1 straight up in the air. If you're cursing and screaming, at least I know you're alive back there. When I didn't hear you freaking out I got a little worried. You were having a great time, weren't you?"

He smiled at his new shades. "I did. But the cursing and screaming. Not that different from being a police officer, is it?"

"No, I suppose not. Well, I gotta go fly back to DC. Had to stop in and say goodbye. And if I make it back this way, I'll have Emmie here talk to you. If the Brass lets me, I'll take you up again. I mean that. Take care of yourself, Lieutenant Caine." Widowmaker leaned forward and shook Horatio's hand with another vise-like grip.

"I look forward to it" Horatio said with a smile. "Have a safe trip back, Lieutenant."

"Likewise."

Emmie stepped forward. "Widowmaker, I'll be right there. Could you wait outside the door while I talk to my boss?"

He raised an eyebrow at her as he strode out. "Yes Ma'am."

Emmie shrugged as she laughed. "We had some chaos in the lab a few minutes ago when I brought him around to meet everybody. All the females noticed him right away. He flirted with Calleigh, and I really thought he and Eric were gonna go head to head. Not sure who would have won that one."

Horatio smiled as he looked toward his doorway. "Miss Stockburne, you're not thinking about running back to the Navy with Widowmaker, are you?"

She sniffed. "No Sir!" Her voice sank to a whisper. "He bragged about having a girlfriend at every Navy base. I don't share."

"Understood."

Her eyes now grew a little distant. "Besides, I haven't forgotten what it's like to love a man in uniform. No Sir, I'm just giving him the fifty-cent tour of Miami, lunch, taking him back to the base, and I'm out of there. Don't worry; I'm not going anywhere. Well, I better get going before some of the female techs come looking for him. Guess I'll see you in the morning, Sir?"

"Will do. See you later, Emmie."

The noonday sun finally peeked out as Rick Stetler stood out in front of the Miami-Dade Police Department headquarters. He had resumed his high-and-mightiness by now as Horatio also stepped outside.

"Rick" he said cordially.

The sergeant smirked at him. "Horatio. You didn't hear the news, did you?"

"What news?"

"I'm an honorary member of the 5G Society. Already have the plaque up on my wall."

Horatio simply turned toward him and donned his shiny new aviator sunglasses. Rick's jaw dropped. "Where did you get those?"

Horatio's glasses nearly blinded him. "Just remember, Rick. You're not the only one who has friends in high places."