CSI Miami Fan Fiction "Raymond's Christmas Carol" (Fanfic format)
Chapter 10—"Christmas Future" (Part 2)"
Bob and Raymond arrived at St. Margaret's, a church near Raymond's house. Bob parked the bike in a nearby lot and took Raymond inside the sanctuary. The late-morning sunshine filled the sanctuary through the stained-glass windows, and the air was filled with the scent of candles and incense. Raymond's attention was drawn to what was at the front—a flower-covered casket. A picture was mounted on a nearby easel—Raymond was shocked to see that the picture was of him! He slowly walked up to the casket, not wanting to believe what he was seeing. Bob stood at the steps as Raymond walked alone, looking at the displays and cards.
The young man was shocked to read the cards—"In loving memory of Raymond," "Dear Yelina, our deepest sym-pathy." He looked at Bob in stunned disbelief. Bob nodded, "Yeah, Raymond—your funeral is about to happen here." He took Raymond over to one side as the family, relatives, and friends began to arrive.
Horatio, Marisol, Eric, Calleigh, and Yelina arrived early. Most stopped off to light a candle and pray. Horatio's colleagues all came. Ryan arrived with Tyler; Frank brought Natalia and Maxine. Alexx arrived with her family. Kyle brought Susie and Madison. Even Raymond's teachers and friends came.
Among the arriving mourners were Rick Stetler and Jake Berekley. Raymond remembered that Rick had been with his mother years ago, just before his uncle had found out that his father was still alive. Raymond hadn't liked Rick much; all the young man could remember of Jake was that he used to be with Calleigh.
Rick was hesitant, unsure if either Horatio or Yelina would want to see him. Rick, because of his Internal Affairs duties, normally didn't get on well with Horatio. But he had dated Yelina at one time and had tried to get on with Raymond then. He carefully extracted two lilies from his bouquet, then set the bouquet down near the casket. Rick then stepped back and bowed his head, reflecting for a few moments on what might have been. Then he quietly walked to Horatio and his family, still uncertain of what his reception would be.
"Horatio? Yelina?" Rick asked quietly. Both turned to face Rick, as did Eric and Marisol. Rick gave Yelina one solitary lily and gave the other to Marisol. Then he asked with sadness in his voice, "I'm very sorry about Raymond, Yelina. Is there anything you need?" Rick, looking into Yelina's dark eyes, seemed to be at a loss for words beyond that.
Yelina quietly replied, "No, there isn't at the moment, but thank you for coming, Rick." Horatio and Eric quietly thanked Rick for coming.
Jake was next; he brought flowers and a card that was placed near all the other bouquets. He looked at Raymond's picture and closed his eyes, unable to make sense of the loss. Jake then walked up to the family and bowed his head. Eric and Calleigh, seeing the pained look in Jake's eyes, understood what Jake wanted to say—if only he just could find the words. Instead, Jake shook his head, reached out his hand to Yelina and said sadly, "I'm sorry." Then he gave Yelina a hug—Yelina thought she saw tears in Jake's eyes. Jake then turned to Horatio and the rest of the family, offering his condolences to each member.
The service soon started. Each of Raymond's family spoke of the loving relative they would miss. Susie, with Madison at her side, spoke of how Raymond had given of himself to save his half-sister. Some of Raymond's school friends spoke of the good and bad things they had done with him, of how his death had affected them.
Through it all, Yelina and Marisol wept quietly. Yelina seemed so very lost. Horatio felt as if someone had torn a huge gash in his soul—Raymond had been his only nephew. Kyle and Madison were his only blood relatives now, un-less he and Marisol had children. Eric sat with Calleigh; he held her hand and she rested her head on his shoulder. Kyle sat with Susie and Madison, Kyle holding Madison when she began to cry.
The priest was praying for the soul of the deceased and his family. Bob could see that Raymond was having a rough time of it—but there was one more thing that had to be done for the young man to fully understand. "One more place, Raymond," Bob said softly as they slipped out through a side door,…..
Fast-forward again, but not far this time-to nearby St. Margaret's Cemetery. The family was near another gravesite—that of Ray Sr. Raymond saw the headstone, next to his father's, with his own name and dates on it. "THIS is what's going to happen to me?" he asked Bob in shock and disbelief.
"Only," Bob said, "if you keep making the bad choices you're making, Raymond. None of this—your death, the funeral, or this scene in the cemetery—has happened yet. And it doesn't have to."
"NO! I don't want it to happen!" Raymond kept shouting at Bob. All of a sudden, a dazed Raymond awoke…in his own room.…in his own bed. He sat up, rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, and hoped his mother hadn't heard him shouting at four in the morning. But Raymond couldn't go back to sleep—Bob's words and what he had seen kept rumbling around Raymond's mind, a loop of sound and vision that just would not go away.