A/N: I do not own CSI Miami or any of it's characters, affiliates...etc. This is just my imagination running with it! I hope you all enjoy!

Chapter Five

Because He Told You He Would Be

Her first conscious thought after waking up was the hand in hers. She opened her eyes and turned her head. Blue eyes stared back.

"Hey sweetheart."

Closing her eyes and opening them again in a long blink, she stared at him, confused for a moment. Then all at once, she remembered everything. The Xanax, the alcohol, the party, the phone call, sneaking out of the hospital, him finding her, and smelling his cologne. She remember Simone and talking to her more than once while all of this had gone on, and she remembered seeing the other cop briefly after being brought in from the woods. Tired eyes stared at the man as she started putting everything together. "Where are my parents?"

"They're in jail sweetheart. You don't have to worry about them ever hurting you again."

Turning her head, her eyes full of shame for what he must know to put them in there, he squeezed gently.

"Listen Lee, I can't imagine what you're going through or what you've been through. But I can promise you that I won't let anything happen to you from here on out. You have my word that my team and I will do whatever is necessary to keep you safe and to make sure you have every opportunity to come back from where you've been."

Swallowing hard, she didn't say anything, but her moist eyes gave away her uncertainty.

"I'm sure that most people haven't given you any reason to trust them, but I'm willing to work on changing that for you. For starters, you don't ever have to set foot back in that house again. I've found a couple of people who are looking to foster a child and they're willing to take you in, if it's something you're interested in."

This was almost too much. Was he serious? No one was willing to take her in. They would be until they figured out what she'd been through. Then they would turn away from her just like everyone else did in her life. "He's a good guy." her sister's words came back to her. "He wont say one thing and then do another." But even he couldn't stop the way people were going to look at her after they found out.

"I'll let you think about it. You rest. We can talk afterwards. But you are safe. Okay? I'm not going anywhere and I wont let anything happen to you."

Nodding, she closed her eyes and rested. Seemed like she'd done nothing but sleep the last few days. Taking a deep breath, she found herself by her sister again.

"Si?"

"Hey Lee Lee. I told you he was a good guy."

"But why is he still here?"

"I told you. He's not scared of dad. He put him in jail. For murder among other things."

"The girl they were asking dad about?"

Simone nodded. "He'd pushed her off the roof because she was going to tell someone about his 'clients' and their misgivings. And she found out he was extorting money from one of the drug mafias."

Looking at herself now in the room, asleep as the cop sat next to her still, she took a deep breath. "Why is he still here?"

"Because he told you he would be."

"But he doesn't have to be here the whole time."

"Don't you see? I told you he wasn't like the rest of them. I wasn't kidding. He told you he would be there, and he has been. He's only left a couple of times. Once to go question mom and dad after that first night, and then when they found the originating crime scene and incriminating evidence for Jessica's murder. You know, when you ran away into the woods."

"I couldn't chance mom and dad finding me. And I didn't know if you had been just a dream, or if it had been real."

"Now?"

Looking up at her sister, she shook her head. "I don't know. I can feel you here. I can see you and touch you. But I can also see my own body and know that I'm not really here. So you tell me. Are you just a figment of my imagination?"

Studying her sister for a long moment, she shrugged. "Does it matter?"

"What do you mean?"

"Does it matter if I'm real or if I'm just a figment? You needed me either way, so does it matter how it happens?"

"It does to me."

"Why?"

"Because if you're real, then I know I'm not going crazy. But if you're just a figment of my imagination, I'm never going to be alright."

Si laughed. "You and your analytical brain. Yes, I am really here, in your heart, and you can take that how you want it."

"Can I see you again? And not just when I need words of encouragement or someone to dial my phone because I was too out of it to do anything myself?"

Shrugging, she smiled once more. "I guess you can see me whenever you want, now that I know I can come to you like this."

Looking over at her, she studied her again.

"You're over analyzing. Stop doing that." then she looked at the red head. "Besides, with him on your side, you're not going to need me."

"Wait, I don't want to lose you again." she whispered, a tear loosing down her cheek.

Stepping closer, she took her little sister in a hug. "I told you before Lee Lee. I'm not going anywhere. You're not going to have to worry about it, because things are about to change for you. Let the changes happen and roll with it. Because you're about to experience the life that you should have had in the first place." then grabbing her loose hair, she pushed it back over her shoulder. "I love you Lee Lee. I will always be here for you and I will always take care of you when you're in trouble. Trust yourself, and trust this cop. He's not going to let anything happen to you."

As if in a whisper, her sister was gone. She stayed there beside herself for a long time before finally closing her eyes.

"There she is." the mans voice sounded softly beside her.

Opening her eyes a little more, she inhaled deep, trying to stretch a little bit.

Reaching up to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear, he smiled gently. "So who is Simone?"

Closing her eyes in a long blink, she shifted slightly and looked at him with a tired expression. Her sister had told her to trust him. "She was my sister. She died five years ago."

"I'm sorry."

Blinking again, she looked into his eyes and realized that he meant it. That he wasn't just saying it to make conversation. "He doesn't just talk." She shrugged.

"What happened?"

"Drug overdose. Only this one, wasn't her. She was murdered."

Closing his eyes, he shook his head. Poor kid. What else had been thrown at her in her short life? "Do they know who?"

"I do." she whispered. Then blinking a long blink again, she took a deep breath. "My father. She was turning eighteen and was able to make her own choices, her own decisions. She was going to tell someone about what he was doing to her and wanted to do to me." She felt him squeeze her hand to offer support and she almost broke into a sob then and there. "He shot her up with Heroine then called the police and told them she overdosed. There was never any evidence to support the thought that he did it, and of course he was so distraught when it happened that he was looked at as simply a grieving father and I was too young to know what happened."

Once again, H was ready to kill someone for what this child had gone through. No more. She wouldn't go through anything else like that as long as he had a say so. "Your father is going away for a long time. He is never going to be able to touch you again. Neither is your mother."

"Really?"

"Really, sweetheart. Your father for murder, among other things, and your mother for conspiracy to commit and false imprisonment. They're never going to hurt you again."

A tear ran down her cheek as her lip quivered. She was so worried about what her future held, but not as bad as she thought she'd be. Maybe it was because of what her sister had said. Maybe it was because her parents were in jail. Maybe it was because of this cop. "Thank you." she whispered.

Glancing at the clock, she slapped her hand down on the snooze button. "Lee! Come on sweetie! Time for school!" the woman's voice tinkled up the stairs.

She had changed schools and had been able to keep all of her classes with everything transferring over and was still graduating early. She had made friends fairly easy even though she'd been quiet, and she'd enrolled herself in swimming classes after school, that she found she excelled at. Horatio still checked on her pretty regularly and it helped that this family had been a friend of his.

Slowly rising, a kid popped his head around the corner. He was the same age as her, his birthday only a month earlier, and they had actually taken to each other as brother and sister pretty quickly. He had even started picking on her for being so quiet and never having an opinion about anything, but she knew he never meant anything by it.

"Bathroom's mine! Hah!" and he disappeared.

Looking through the closet that was now hers, she smiled at the simple clothes that she had. She like having simple but nice things. She didn't like the prestige of looking a certain way, or acting a certain way. And dare she admit it, she felt like she belonged. Tucking her shirt into her Levi jeans, she looked herself over real good in the mirror, pulled her hair back in a simple pony tail and actually smiled at what she saw. She looked like Simone. Closing her eyes, a tear rolled down her cheek.

"Bathroom's open!" Seth said loudly, making her jump. Then his expression clouded. "Hey. Are you okay?"

The kid really seemed to care. Something she was not used to by anyone, much less a houseful of people. She nodded.

"I didn't mean to scare you."

She shook her head. "It's okay."

"I like the shirt you're wearing." he said innocently. Poor kid had no idea what to say to a crying girl.

She smiled. "Thanks. I was just thinking about how much I look like my sister in this outfit."

He nodded. That, he understood. "I miss my brother too. He would have been twenty-one next month, and people used to call me a miniature Shane. It's alright though." then he thought a change of subject was in order since the conversation wasn't helping her at the moment. "So...you gonna let me cheat off of you in History today or what?"

Locking eyes with the kid, she smiled. "Or what!"

"Man, I knew you were gonna say that. Well hurry up! I'm driving this morning."

"God save me now."

"Shut up! I drive good!"

She laughed and they walked down stairs. She still wasn't used to the attention she got from both the foster mom or the foster dad, and they knew that it made her uncomfortable so they tried to respect it as much as possible. A familiar voice made its way to her ear and she smiled a little, then Seth bounded forward. "Horatio!"

"Hey son! How are you holding up?"

"Eh. Good I guess. Better now that I have someone to pester!" and he looked back at Lee.

She smiled lightly at the man who was trying to stay standing from the force of the hug that Seth had put on him. She leaned against the door jamb into the living room.

He looked up. "Hey Lee." he said softly.

She shifted when he took a step closer and leaned in for a hug.

"How are you hanging in there sweetheart?"

"I'm okay." and she pulled back.

Gene Anders smiled and threw the towel she was holding over her shoulder. "Horatio."

He smiled. "Hey Gene."

"Come on in. You just missed Edmond. You might as well stay for breakfast. The kids have to leave for school in a few minutes."

"Yeah!" Seth piped in. "I'm driving!"

"Wear your seatbelt!" he said to both kids, to which they both nodded in response. After about half an hour, eating and saying good-bye to the kids, assuring them both that he was sticking around for the whole day and would be there when they got home, he looked over at Gene. "How is she doing?"

She shrugged. "It's nice to have her here, and Seth has really taken to her. She's struggling. But she's getting there. There are times that she expects Edmond or I to get mad at her for making a mistake, to the point of panicking for a little at first, then others that she doesn't understand why something upsets us, when it doesn't her. The other day Seth came home and told us about one of the girls trying to bully her in class. She couldn't understand why we were worried about it. I guess she turned it back around on the girl who was picking on her and told her she didn't care what she said about her, it wasn't anything anyone else hadn't said before and walked away. No one has bothered her since."

Sad truth was, there probably really wasn't anything that anyone could say that she hadn't already heard. From her parents of all places.

"She's got one person she really talks to all the time, but she still doesn't talk much."

"I noticed."

"It's from years of mental and verbal abuse. Truth is, I don't know if she'll ever talk much."

"Does she open up in her sessions?" he asked, knowing Gene was a therapist and held regular sessions for her.

"Not really. Every once in a while she'll let loose about a day when her parents had been especially cruel, or repeat something she'd been told several times, including the ever famous 'You'll never amount to anything, which is why I'm conditioning you for this, so that you can make some kind of money and build yourself some kind of future.' That one from what I can tell, really did a number on her. You could see from the way she talked about it. He had to have said it to her more than once and for a long time. She still doesn't think she is going to make it. Edmond and I are trying to give her space, and she's slowly warming up, but it's kind of tough not running to her and hugging her every time she says something. Even if she doesn't talk much, what she says is enough to make a sane man crazy. I don't see how she's done it for as long as she has. Of course, I grew up different too so..."

Horatio nodded. "I understand. How is she doing in school?"

"She's doing great! Graduating early, helping Seth out tremendously with his work, and even helping out the girl that she's become close with." then she shrugged. "She's getting better. It's just a very slow process."

"How is she sleeping?"

"She's doing really well there. She talks a lot to someone named Simone in her sleep."

"Simone was her sister. She was murdered a few years ago."

"That makes sense then. But it's a good thing. She gets things out with her sister." then she shook her head ruefully. "Now who sounds like they need therapy?"

He laughed at that. "Not you. Believe it or not, it makes a lot of sense what you're saying, and nothing I would worry about in the least."

She nodded.

"Is she still cutting?"

Her expression clouded slightly. "Some, but it doesn't seem to be as often as it was. You can tell from the scars and the stage of healing on how often and when she did cut. She is actually talking about why she does it, and has mentioned that she's not doing it any more. She's numb, Horatio. This is the only way she knows how to feel. And because of the fact that we're working on it, she is actually finding ways to feel, and express what she's feeling, in a healthy manner. We're getting there. It's just a process."

That made a lot of sense. He had definitely chosen well when he talked to this family about fostering Lee. And he'd been more and more happy with that decision, as time progressed.

Studying him while he pondered, she grinned. "So are you really staying the whole day?"

He smiled. "Would I lie to Seth like that?"

Shaking her head she softened her gaze. "So how have you been Horatio?"

"I've been good. Things are well at work."

"And home?"

He shrugged, thinking about everything. "Home is good too actually. Even when it's quiet."

"Good." then studying him some more, she eyed him closely. "I'm glad you're here. I never see you, or Eric hardly any more."

"I know. We need to make a better effort to come around."

"Yes. You do. You two saved Edmond's life, and you still haven't let him pay you back."

He shook his head. "There's nothing to pay back. All we did, was our job. And you did pay us back. You helped me put a good kid, in a good situation where she seems to be doing much better than she was. What more could a guy ask for?"

She smiled. "All we're doing, is our job." and she winked at him.