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CONTEST TIME!!!

At the end of Chapter 8 Rick has the line "I'll see you in the morning, bright with the day". I did not make that line up, it comes from somewhere. The first person who can tell me where it was from originally gets a brand new shiny ficlet in their honor.

But here's the rub: part of the line is muffled when it was originally spoken, so the phrase doesn't pop up on search engines. You have to have actually heard it to identify it. So I'll give you a hint: it's in a song.

Rules: post your stab at the answer in a review. Ficlets requested cannot be more than two chapters long and must include Rick and/or Horatio (duh) (but they don't have to like each other). No crossovers, sorry. That and… erm… (this is so embarrassing)… I don't write heterosexual pairings… I don't know why, I just can't. Maybe someday I will be able to, but right now… no. But most of you are slash fans anyway, right? That is, of course, not to say that it HAS to be a romantic piece, humor is good too. :)

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Thank you for the reviews vivalavidaa, tbsavafob, Jessi84, and Daxy

I do not own or claim to own CSI: Miami characters. I do not own or claim to own CSI: NY characters. This is fanmade and I make absolutely no profit off of this. I do this for my own amusement.

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Warning: this chapter contains material intended only for mature audiences… erm… more so than the other chapters.

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Chapter Nine: Under Cover of Darkness

The storm continued to relentlessly collide with the cabin. Horatio woke up about an hour after he had fallen asleep. He came to find himself to be wide awake, his mind unable to quiet itself. Tossing and turning on his mattress, he tried desperately to fall back asleep, he didn't want to end up sleeping though a day he could be spending with Rick.

Then it dawned on him, he sat up in his bed and looked over in the general direction of his sleeping lover. He smiled slyly to himself, hoping that Rick hadn't already taken care of what must have been a throbbing erection.

He pushed the comforters off of him as he got off of his bed. The wooden floor felt unnaturally hard and cold, but Horatio knew that that won't matter, not for long anyways. He stepped cautiously over to Rick's bed, careful not to run into anything or make too much noise. The steps he took became smaller and smaller as he approached. He was becoming more and more unsure of himself, but he knew that if he turned back that he would lie awake for hours kicking himself for not doing it. Slowly, carefully, he reached down and felt for Rick's body, hoping that there would be enough room for him to lie down without disturbing the other man too much. There was.

Horatio's heart began to pound as he stood there looking down through the darkness at Rick's faint image sleeping on his side. Then he stepped out of his boxers and crawled into the bed beside Rick. It was exhilarating; he hadn't felt anything like this in decades. He shivered as his nude backside brushed against the sheets of his lover's bed. Horatio moved in close to Rick. As he reached out and touched his lover's chest he was unable to control his desire to stroke him. He moved in a little closer, close enough to clearly see the contours of Rick's face despite the dark.

Horatio reached one arm up under the pillow and the other took Rick's hand. Quietly, without disturbing him too much, he draped the other man's arm over his body. Lying there, Horatio smiled contentedly as he attempted to fall asleep again.

Stetler's eyes fluttered open and his breath caught in his throat as he felt Horatio's nude body in his arms. The redhead stirred as he heard Rick's breathing grow erratic.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to wake you," Horatio whispered, gently stroking Rick's side.

"It's okay," Rick said automatically as he tried to wrap his head around what exactly was happening, now that he was pretty sure he was no longer dreaming.

But Rick didn't have time to analyze as to why Horatio was now lying unclothed beside him. The redhead had already pulled himself on top of Stetler and had claimed his mouth with a passionate kiss. Stetler moaned as his and Horatio's arousals rubbed together.

Horatio kissed softly down Rick's jaw line and nibbled on his earlobe. He smiled to himself as he heard his partner mutter his name between gasps. Rick lay under him, unable to move he was so overcome with the sensations. The redhead dipped his tongue into Rick's ear before he whispered softly.

"What do you want, love?"

Rick shivered at Horatio's advances. He gasped and blinked for a few seconds before responding.

"Touch me," he was finally able to breathe.

Horatio smiled and lay himself on his side next to Stetler. He teasingly ran a finger down from his neck to his midsection. He listened as Rick's breathing grew heavier with each millimeter of movement. By the time Horatio reached the base of Rick's hard cock the other man was panting uncontrollably. Cautiously, Horatio ran his finger up the length of Rick's shaft. Stetler moaned and arched his hips up into Horatio's touch.

The redhead wrapped his fingers around Stetler's throbbing hardness, stroking slowly and gently. Horatio leaned in and slipped his tongue into Rick's mouth as Rick began to thrust roughly into Horatio's hand. Horatio lost himself in the sounds of the muffled moans and whimpers coming from Stetler.

"What do you really want from me?" Horatio breathed against Stetler's lips.

His hand had stopped moving, but Rick couldn't stop himself from thrusting. Rick closed the distance between their lips, catching Horatio a bit by surprise. Finally Rick pulled away and said in a voice barely audible,

"I want you in me".

Horatio smiled down at Rick after being given the answer he had sought in the first place. He climbed out of the bed and started his way to the bathroom.

"I'll be right back," Horatio hissed seductively over his shoulder to Rick.

Rick lay in the darkness with a raging hard on. He could hardly believe that this was happening, it felt all too perfect. He shivered as perverse images of what Horatio could do to him filled his mind. Rick was absently wondering if Horatio happened to have his handcuffs with him as the redhead slipped back out of the bathroom with some lotion.

A sliver of light poured forth from the slightly ajar bathroom door, it wasn't much, but it was enough for Rick to finally see his lover's face. Horatio smiled timidly down at the other as he sat between his legs. He leaned down and began suckling gently at the tip of Rick's leaking cock. Rick bit his lip and mildly suppressed a moan that came with the sensation and realization that Horatio will be taking his sweet time.

Horatio lubed up one finger and brushed it against Rick's opening as he continued to lick and kiss his member. Rick shivered with the coldness of the lotion; Horatio sensed this and made a quick mental note to warm it up first. Slowly Horatio pushed in and Rick clamped down on him.

"It's okay," Horatio whispered soothingly into Rick's skin.

Rick had recovered from his momentary loss of breath that came with the slight burn. He relaxed himself and Horatio was able to slip his finger deep into him. Stetler moaned and pushed against the other, who responded by slowly pumping him.

"How long has it been?" Horatio asked, noting how tight Rick was.

"Years," Rick admitted. He was in a bit of a fog, the sensations far outweighing whatever embarrassment that statement could bring.

Stetler arched his back as he felt a second finger join the first. Horatio gently pumped and scissored his fingers into Stetler, the last thing he wanted to do was hurt his new lover. Rick threw back his head, not sure how long he was able to last. He didn't want to end the night before things had really begun, but he already felt pretty close. He smiled to himself as he felt a third finger; Horatio must be getting a little impatient too.

The redhead kissed the head of Rick's cock one final time before he sat back up. Rick whimpered as he felt Horatio slip out of him. Horatio warmed the lotion between his hands before he slicked up his cock and positioned himself.

"Are you sure you want this?" Horatio whispered.

Rick was at such a loss for breath that he was only able to nod in response. Horatio smiled down at him before slowly and carefully inserting himself into Rick Stetler.

Stetler arched his spine and threw his head back as his breath caught. All thought stopped for him as he felt Horatio gently thrust into him. Neither man could really believe what was happening. Horatio couldn't imagine what must have happened to turn Rick from an enemy into a lover in just a few short hours, but he was glad it did. He absently pondered this as he drove himself deep into Rick's tight core, pulling soft gasps from his lover.

Stetler moaned happily as Horatio leaned forward and captured his lips. The redhead propped himself up over Rick as he continued to thrust into his warm body. Rick reached up, playing with Horatio's hair for a few seconds before grasping onto his freckled shoulders as he pushed himself against Horatio's hardness. Understanding, Horatio began thrusting faster and a little rougher.

"Oh God, Horatio. Yes!" Rick gasped as the redhead began hitting his prostate with each stroke.

Horatio sat back up, not sure how much longer he had before he would cum. He watched Stetler writhe and growl under him; he never was able to make anyone desire him so badly. The redhead loved how he was able to make Rick feel such things, it felt so beautiful and intense.

"Touch me," Rick whimpered, interrupting Horatio's train of thought.

Horatio felt his thrusts grow erratic as his own desire played out. He wrapped his long, pale fingers around Rick's straining cock and began pumping him. It wasn't long before Stetler erupted in a flash of white hot ecstasy as he screamed Horatio's name. The contractions that Horatio then felt were enough to send him flying over the edge; he threw back his head and came hard into his lover.

"Rick… Rick…" Horatio gasped between pants as he hovered over the other.

Stetler wanted desperately to hold Horatio, but he was too weak to move. He sighed happily as the redhead leaned in to kiss him one last time. Horatio rested himself on top of Stetler until he had enough strength to sit back up.

"This may hurt," Horatio warned.

Rick nodded and bit his lip to stifle a groan as Horatio pulled himself from him. The redhead lay down beside Rick, gently stroking the other man's chest as he tried to find words. Stetler rolled back onto his side and rested his head on Horatio's shoulder. Their legs tangled beneath them as they relaxed into the bed. Exhaustion was quickly catching up with them as they lay there in silence feeling their racing hearts settle.

"Oh Horatio," Rick finally whispered against Horatio's neck.

Horatio smiled sweetly as he felt Rick gently nuzzle up against him. He cuddled back as he pulled Rick up in the bed so they could have eye contact. At the same time they leaned in and kissed each other, neither man taking a truly dominant position. Breaking the kiss and breathing heavily, they rested their foreheads together.

"I love you, Rick Stetler," Horatio whispered.

"And I love you, Horatio Caine".

The two men smiled contentedly as they closed their eyes and sank into the mattress. The constant howling outside the cabin had ceased and the pale moon was able to beam down upon the lovers.