"We find the defendant... guilty of attempted murder."
Eric froze. His moter was guilty. She was going to jail. And it was his fault! He had brought this upon his mother!
She would hate him forever now. And so would his sisters!
Eveyrthing just froze for him. He sat behind Nevins and could hear people talking. They were happy. How could they be happy?
It was probably people he didn't know, that were happy. Yet, it made him feel sick. Strangers were cheering that his mother would be going to jail! They thought she was a mean person! Eric couldn't believe it. He had sent his mother to jail, he had let Nevins convince the jury that she was guilty. He hadn't stopped her. He sent his own mother to jail.
"Raquel Delko, I usually sentence people to very high crimes. But somehow I think that the number of years that you'll be behind bars doesn't matter to you. I think that being locked up and being a prisoner is the hardest punishement for you." Holden said, "I sentence you to 12 years in prison."
Raquel didn't say anything. She showed no emotion in her face. She just nodded, she accepted her punishment. And Judge Holne was probably right. The worse punishemnt for Raquel would be to spend 12 years with criminals. 12 years behind bars. She was no longer a free woman. She was a criminal. A prisoner.
Eric felt like throwing up. He rushed out of the court room with Horatio closely behind.
Once inside the mens room, he threw up in one of the toilets.
"Eric. I'm sorry." Horatio said and gently rubbed Eric's back.
He knew that Eric was very sad because of all that had happened with his mother.
Horatio wondered if he himself had done something to make it worse?
Had he really been so understanding? And maybe Eric blamed him. Horatio had told Eric to meet his mother and record what she was saying. He had been hoping so much for a confession. Maybe too much. It can't have been easy seeing your boyfriend hope for a confession to put your mother away.
"I'm sorry." Horatio said.
Eric was crying. Horatio hated to see him cry.
"You haven't done anything wrong H." Eric sobbed, "I sent my mother to jail."
"No, you didn't Eric."
"Yes, I did!"
"No, she sent herself to jail." Horatio said.
"Because of a confession that I happened to trigger." Eric said, "A confession that I forced out of her."
"You believe that it would have been like this if she hadn't confessed? That it would have been better if she would have walked out of here as a free woman?" Horatio asked, "She put herself in jail when she decided to give that money to Jason Ash. When she decided to commit a crime. That's when she got herself to jail, because sooner or later she would have been punished."
"But I'm her son. I should be supporting her. Not fight against her." Eric sobbed, "She really is all by herself. We have all abonded her."
"Eric, it's not your fault. Sometimes people make choices that makes them lose everyone."
"And they have themselves to blame?"
"Yes, you didn't make the choice to pay Jason Ash, she did. And you didn't make the choice to shoot me and Joseph, Jason Ash did that." Horatio said and gave Eric a kiss, "And they both did all that by themselves. Nobody forced them to do it. They made that choice, and I know that Rauqel was aware of all the things she could lose if she ever got caught."
"It's still so hard. I've always been mommy's little boy, and now I'm the son who.."
"Who did the right thing." Horatio said, "Who did what a CSI, a cop and good citizen should do."
"Do you really believe that?"
"Yes I do. And I'm sorry if I seemed too enthustiastic when your mother confessed. If I pushed you too much."
"You didn't H." Eric said, "You did what a CSI, a cop and a good citizen should do."
Horatio gave Eric a small smile.
"Are you ready to meet the rest of the worried family?" Horatio asked.
"Can't we just sneak out and go home?"
"Sure we can."
-I-
25th July
Early morning. Rain and thunder.
Yet Horatio was sleeping like a baby. Unaware of the bad weather and his boyfriend looking at him.
Eric had been looking at him for the last twenty minutes.
He wondered what he done to deserve such a man like Horatio. To deserve the love that Horatio gave him everyday.
Eric was slowly recovering from his mother's trial. A part of him would always blame himself. And the other part wouldn't.
Eric the son, had done the wrong thing. But Eric the CSI had done the right thing.
For the last five days, Horatio had taken care of him. Giving him hot baths, massage and held him when he cried.
Eric needed to repay him. Though he had to figure out how later, because right now, his and Horatio's Grand Danois puppies Waldo and Rascall had decided to rip apart Horatio's suit jacket. And it was one of his favourites.
It had ended on the floor last night, when Eric had asked Horatio to make love to him. So that for a while he could forget the last couple of days.
Eric got out of the bed and picked the jacket up.
"H, will not be happy when he sees holes in his jacket." Eric chuckled, "You mischevious little dogs."
Eric started scrathing the puppie's bellys.
"Ouch, no Waldo, not biting." Eric said as Waldo started biting his hand.
It didn't get easier when Rascall decided to bite Eric's sleeping pants.
"Bad Rascall." Eric said.
He heard someone laughing and looked over to the bed.
"You wanted puppies." Horatio chuckled, "Remeber that I told that they bite."
"Yeah, I remembet that. I also remember a certain read head that got very happy and excited when he saw a picture of two puppies." Eric grinned.
"Really? Do I know that read head?"
"No, but he's very hot and sexy." Eric smirked.
"Eric Delko, have you met someone else?" Horatio asked grinning.
Eric chukled and went back into bed.
"Oh yeah, I'm having this affair with a real stud." He grinned and caressed Horatio's chest.
Horatio chuckled and ran his hand down Eric's butt.
"My favorite ass." He smiled.
"I'm thinking about getting a tatoo on the ass." Eric said.
"What kind of a tatoo?"
"One that says: Property of Horatio Caine."
Horatio laughed.
"Then I'll do the same but with our name." He said.
"Sounds great." Eric smiled.
"I know, now let's make love like rabbits." Horatio chuckled and pulled the covers over him and Eric.
Waldo and Rascall ran around in the house looking for adventure. They found some shoes they could eat and of course each other's ears.
Life had been filled with worries and happiness.
But like Horatio liked to say sometimes to Eric, life isn't meant to be easy. It never has been and never will be.
And it was true. For a few weeks their lives had been hard.
But now it seemed as if it was time for them to be hapy, with their friends and family, and Waldo and Rascall.
THE END!
AN: My first story in my H/E universe ends here. But I'm working on the 2nd one!
I'd like to thank everyone who has reviewed and read this story!
I got far more hits on the story that I had imagined, over 7000!
And over 70 reviews!
I'm so happy, and I give you all a very big THANK YOU!
Here's the summery for the next story:
A murderous robber spreads fear in Miami. Both Horatio and Joseph have a suprise for Eric. The big family will have to face sorrow, happiness and love again.
I hope ya'll like the sequel!