CONTEST CONTINUED…

(First, see the prelude to Chapter 9: Under Cover Of Darkness. There the contest and rules are explained. I'm… just not posting them twice)

There were no winners… yet…

And considering I didn't really give you much of a hint before, I'll drop one now. And I'll keep dropping them until one of you wins. (grr)

HINT #1: The song was first released on an album that came out the same year as the artist's death.

Feel free to use search engines, you wouldn't be cheating.

Oh and another thing

Fanfiction request clarification: I do not count Mac as a crossover character. Even though he technically is.

***

Thank you Wolfsong98, vivalavidaa, Jessi84, tbsavafob, daxy and lovebug21 for the reviews.

Sorry this chapter's really short. :( I'll make it up to you on Saturday.

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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Chapter Ten: Freedom

Rick's eyes drifted open as the soft morning sunlight drifted into the bedroom. Confusedly, he looked at the ceiling, realizing that it wasn't the one at home he was used to staring at. Then he remembered where he was and what happened the night before. But did it happen? Could anything so perfect ever happen outside of a dream?

His head lazily rolled to the side as he continued to find his bearings. That's when he saw Horatio. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and looked again. Horatio lay there next to him, asleep, the morning sun playing beautifully with his radiant hair.

Rick was caught in a strange place between laughter and tears. He still could hardly believe that this was truly happening to him. He beamed down at his new lover and felt a tear form in his eye and slide down onto the pillow, followed by a second and a third. He had never witnessed anything so perfect.

***

Horatio blinked himself into consciousness. He realized that his arm was being stroked and his hair was pretty mussed up from being played with.

"Hi," Horatio murmured as he tried to wake up a little faster.

"You are covered with freckles," Rick responded absentmindedly as he continued to stroke the redhead.

"Yes… Yes I am".

"You are what?"

"Covered with freckles".

"What?"

"What?"

"What?"

"Good Morning, Rick".

"Hi".

Horatio chuckled to himself as he realized that Rick hadn't been awake for much longer than he had. He leaned in and brushed his lips over Stetler's. He pulled his lover in close to him as they cuddled their way through the morning mental haze.

"I didn't hurt you at all last night, did I?" Horatio finally said to break the silence.

"I'll tell you when I try to sit up," Rick quipped as he nuzzled up against Horatio.

"I'm serious, Rick".

"No. You didn't hurt me at all. In fact, nothing has ever felt so wonderful".

Horatio kissed Rick lightly as he wondered what it would be like to feel the other man make love to him. He would request it… but maybe later. He wasn't sure of really how to request such a thing; maybe later when they get back to Miami and have enough time to really discuss the relationship. He just needs a little time to sort out the relationship in his head before they rush into anything. He may have been a little too bold the night before. He knew how much sex can ruin a relationship, and he felt that he and Rick could really have something profound between them. He didn't want to ruin that in any way. Later definitely sounds better, then they can-

"-Do you want to take a shower with me?"

"Sure," Horatio blurted out, not really caring about how much he could contradict himself. After all, he just got up. Who thinks clearly in the morning anyways? Nobody, that's who.

Stetler smiled down at Horatio who seemed to still be a little lost in his own mind. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and sat up, only to wince in pain and collapse back down again.

"I did hurt you, didn't I?" Horatio sighed as he sat up, Rick's head resting on his lap.

"It's not that bad, I just forgot what it felt like"

"Poor thing," Horatio hummed as he played with Rick's dark brown hair.

Rick sighed as he relaxed and enjoyed the gentle massage Horatio was giving him. The redhead tangled his fingers in Rick's hair, admiring how sexy he looked with the slight stubble he was now sporting. Rick looked up and thought the exact same thing. He sighed happily as he once again found how easy it was to get lost in Horatio's soft blue eyes.

"What do you want to do today?" Horatio asked making light conversation.

"Well," Rick moaned, "breakfast, breakfast sounds nice. Some more reading, reading's good. Find more wood for the fireplace, we need fire. That and sex, sex sounds pretty nice right now too".

Horatio chuckled lightly in agreement.

"That it does," the redhead replied, "But I want pancakes for breakfast, so let's have sex first".

"We can have both at the same time," Rick suggested.

"That just sounds really really sticky".

"Well then we take a shower".

"With more sex?"

"Of course, I would have it no other way".

"What do we do after that?"

"We do each other in here again".

"I see".

Stetler and Horatio stared at each other for a few seconds. They were able to play the banter pretty deadpan, now they just wanted to see who would crack first. Rick indicated the kitchen with his eyes and then raised his eyebrows seductively a few times.

Horatio couldn't stand it anymore, a smile slowly spread across his lips and soon he lost it completely. Rick waited patiently on the lap of his partner who had fallen back onto the mattress in a fit of hysterics. He hadn't in a long time felt so lighthearted and free from his past and the cruel ways of reality he had to deal with every day. It had been a long time since Horatio really knew how wonderful it felt to just be alive and lie on his back laughing his ass off. Fully enjoying the moment of a sort of spiritual release, he decided to extend it for as long as he could. He lay there and began laughing at the way he was laughing. This, as many people know, can very easily snowball out of all control, logic, and reason.

Rick looked over at the redhead, who was rolling around slightly and laughing uncontrollably.

"Are you okay?" Rick asked, unable to suppress a chuckle himself.

"I'm fine," Horatio gasped between giggles as he fell once again into a full and hardy laugh.

Stetler rolled his eyes as he sat up to get a full view of Horatio. Horatio, lying nude in a double bed in a cabin in the snow in the middle of nowhere, laughing himself silly. He shook his head and smirked,

"You're insane".

"I'm sorry"

Horatio had not stopped laughing, he wished he could because his face was beginning to hurt from smiling so much and his sides hurt from laughing too hard.

"Horatio? Horatio, I don't think it's healthy to be laughing this hard".

Rick sighed heavily as he realized that this made Horatio laugh even harder. In desperation Rick started to try whatever came to mind to calm the redhead down.

"Shut the hell up, Horatio!"

It didn't work. He was still just a giggling mass of flesh and red hair that was writing on the bed next to Rick. Rolling his eyes again he pulled himself on top of Horatio and kissed his neck. He was able to tolerate the immense laugher for a few moments before it turned into a soft and contented hum. He stayed like this for a while until he felt Horatio settle.

"Are you okay?" Rick asked again, this time as a whisper into Horatio's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, I was away," Horatio said softly and whimsically.

"But you're back now?"

Horatio nodded and Rick pulled himself off of the redhead. He got out of bed and pulled on a robe.

"Where are you going?" Horatio inquired as he sat up.

"Shower," Stetler smirked as he indicated the door, "feel free to join me".

Horatio didn't need to be told twice as he quickly rolled out of bed and pulled on his robe. He caught Stetler at the door where he was led inside.