***

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

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.

***

Chapter Fifteen: Out the Door

Horatio stood at the counter, taking his time with the fish cooling on his plate. A lemon and a salt shaker were on standby for when Rick told him it would be safe to dig in. The kitchen was clean, the beds were made, and everything was ready for them to leave. Except for Rick. Rick was lying on the sofa, holding a melted bag of ice to his chest and squirming uncomfortably in the constant pain that had overtaken him.

"Do you want me to grab you more ice?" Horatio called over. He had been shooed away after a few minutes of hovering over Rick, who liked his privacy when he was injured.

Stetler lifted the bag and looked down at his chest. A blotch of his flesh was bright red, almost glowing. The sharp sting returned to him as he lifted off the ice. He swore loudly as he winced in pain.

"It's still irritated," Stetler moaned as he struggled not to touch his chest.

"I'm pretty sure that now it's because you won't leave it alone. Come here, let me bandage you up".

Reluctantly, Rick pulled himself off the sofa and trudged over to Horatio, the bag of now lukewarm water in hand. The redhead leaned in and kissed Rick lightly on the cheek before he wrapped the thick gauze strips around his lover's torso.

"Hold still," Horatio ordered as Rick kept moving and making the strips fall.

Stetler obeyed, grumbling to himself over the unpleasant feeling of compression on his now tender chest.

"Will it leave a scar?" Rick asked, turning his neck in an attempt to face Horatio.

"Maybe a light one," Horatio responded as he taped off the strips of fabric, "but it should disappear within a few weeks if you treat it properly".

Rick groaned, but it turned into a pleased hum as Horatio spun him around and captured his lips. His arms wrapped around Horatio, holding him close despite the stinging sensation he felt on his chest. The redhead broke the kiss and gave Rick a soft smile of pity. Rick looked into the sky blue eyes of his lover; he looked so playful and young. And already the pain began to fade to the back of his mind.

"And what did we learn today?" Horatio grinned.

"We learned," Rick sighed, "not to work with hot oil with our shirts off".

"Very good," the redhead hummed as he pulled himself from Rick and made his way over to his lunch.

***

The two men stood at the door, fully dressed for the bitter cold outside. Stetler absently played with the fabric of his red scarf as he looked around the cabin. Horatio enfolded himself deep into Rick's coat, his arms crossed over his chest.

"I would love to get back to Miami," Rick sighed, "but part of me could never want to leave this place".

"Same here," Horatio whispered, "to think… before I… I was so horrible to you, never once thinking how wonderful this life could be. And now finally having it and having to hide my feelings from the rest of the world…"

"Think of it as our little secret".

"I know… but I don't want to have to snap at you whenever you come in the lab".

"But I would know it's just for show… and so would you".

"I know I would feel like I'm lying," Horatio gazed into Rick's dark brown eyes, "I just want to tell the world about us".

"As do I, as do I. But can you imagine what would happen if word got out that the leading CSI in Miami is bi? You know very well that anyone you put behind bars is fully capable of connecting to the outside world. If anyone found out, a hit would be put on you almost immediately. I can't put you in that kind of danger".

"Nor I you".

"Not to mention that this could cost us our jobs. Imagine if we were exposed and what that would do to the integrity of the department. It would be impossible not to see everything that transpires between us at work as not a conflict of interests," Rick turned his face away, "Oh God, I can be such a hypocrite. To think of the number of relationships I had to make public to protect the department. Given, they were only among CSIs and they were all heterosexual, but still-"

"-Rick," Horatio cut him off, "you know that we don't love each other for the other's profession. I know that we don't love each other for the other's profession. We'll still be true to what best suits the department, even if we disagree at times. As long as there are no conflicts of interest (and there won't be) we should be fine. Even if another IAB finds out and tells everyone in the department, we should be fine. I don't care if my entire lab thinks I'm gay, I don't care if they look at me cross-eyed for a few weeks. I just know it won't be easy. It's… It's… It's none of their business, just as long as we don't make it their business. We could live in the lab as if nothing has happened and live the nights as if our world has completely changed".

Rick smiled at this as he saw the romance in Horatio's eyes.

"Besides", Horatio said with a sly grin, "It could be fun".

The redhead reached down to the door handle with his white gloved hand, but he was stopped by Rick.

"Horatio," he started, "seeing this as the last moment before we really have to worry about anyone intruding on our privacy, I think-"

Horatio cut him off, he knew what Rick wanted. He pulled the brunette in close to him, brushing their lips together. They lingered there for a few moments before Rick ran his tongue over Horatio's lip, begging entrance. The redhead opened his mouth and let Rick deepen the kiss, their tongues gently and slowly massaging each other. Rick sighed happily into Horatio's mouth, wrapping his arms around the redhead's waist.

The kiss seemed to last forever, coupled with soft moans and whimpers from both men. Rick slipped his hands under the coat that cloaked Horatio's body, fumbling with his lover's belt. The redhead broke the kiss, leaving Rick gasping for breath.

"No," he said simply, batting Rick's hands away.

"No?"

"Not now," Horatio smiled, "Come up to my room at 11 o'clock tonight. Room 943".

"Eleven. 943," Rick echoed with a nod.

Horatio ran his fingers though Rick's short brown hair and kissed him one final time in the cabin where they fell in love. Stetler reached down and turned the door knob, letting in a chilling gust of wind. The two men looked out into the sparkling sea of untouched snow. Stetler reached down and gave Horatio's hand a quick squeeze.

"Don't forget how much you're supposed to hate me now," Rick whispered to Horatio.

"What do I say when people ask how we passed the time?"

"Tell them that we read and barely made eye contact".

"What about my jacket?"

"Say we got into an argument over the lab and I burned it to spite you".

"And the limp?"

"We got into a fight, that's why I have one too. That also explains the bruises on your wrists".

"Are you sure you want to come across as so hostile?"

"It's the only way".

***

Horatio and Rick trudged through the snow, handing off the coat once every 20 minutes. They were silent, knowing the problems that would arise if they were caught taking a slightly friendly tone with each other. Rick was used to a stony silence between him and Horatio, but the redhead wasn't. After a while, the lieutenant finally spoke.

"I'm not sure how to explain away the scratch marks on my chest".

His voice took Rick by surprise, making him jump slightly. He looked around, hoping that nobody was close enough to hear them.

"Who would see your chest?"

Horatio shrugged, he wasn't sure why he was asking, himself. He just wanted to hear Rick's voice again; the silence was starting to get to him. Rick finally stopped and looked into Horatio's crystal blue eyes, saddened by the loss of freedom the couple was experiencing. He sighed and took Horatio's gloved hands in his.

"I know you aren't used to this, Horatio," Rick whispered to him, "but if anyone finds out about us… well… I know how much hell IAB could give you. And… the more I think about it the more I believe that I could be fired for what I'm doing. But you know that that is not enough to ever make me want to stop. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, Horatio. Even in moments like this where we need to hide, you should know that I still love you more than anything".

Rick quickly leaned in and gave Horatio a quick peck on the cheek.

"Can I have my coat back now?" Rick asked with a gentle smile, "I'm getting cold".

Horatio pulled the coat off of his person, stopping first to remove the map from the coat pocket. Stetler wrapped the coat around him, the redhead's warmth still lingering on it. Horatio shivered as the cold air brushed over his newly exposed flesh.

"How much farther do we have to go?"

Horatio opened the map and felt his heart sink as he realized that the lodge was only beyond the next patch of trees. He quickly looked around, checking to see if he and Rick were indeed alone. They were. Suddenly, the redhead grabbed Rick and dragged him between two large fir trees a few steps away. He wrestled his lover to the ground, pinning him down and kissing him deeply.

Rick struggled under him, just in case someone was watching. Finally he was able to overpower Horatio and push him off. Horatio fell back into the snow, rocking on his heels. Rick scrambled out of the trees, brushing off snow and looking around for prying eyes. He spun around when he heard Horatio's chuckle.

"Now, would I have done that if someone was watching?" Horatio asked with a grin.

Rick sighed and rolled his eyes as he helped his lover out of the snow. Horatio grabbed Rick's collar and pulled him in for another one, but Rick ducked and pulled himself away.

"I believe," Rick started, "that the rest can wait until eleven".

The two smiled at each other before stepping apart and falling back into their roles, making the short walk back to the lodge.