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Post by Dr. Anna McBreadle on Sept 15, 2009 9:36:26 GMT -10
wow! that was tense! i really felt for Horatio as it must have been hard to explain! i'm sure no-one will think ill of him because he was trying to protect his family! great chap! luv sam x
ps just for the record, i'm slow reader and i do prefer short chaps but i can deal with longer chaps as long as they can keep my attention! that last chap kept my attention and wanted more! LOL!
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Post by deborah on Sept 15, 2009 10:45:23 GMT -10
Gonsy I,m just speculating. I think she feels that no one liked her stuff. You were all off on vacation. But yet there were comments being made about all the other stories. I got the impression that she was also that way on some of the other sites. She has gone back to CBS, fanfiction. That is where she was before she came here. She was also on the CBS old site that got messed up and a lot of the stories were erased by someone. So that could be some of the reason she feels the way she does.
Deborah
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Post by jessica on Sept 17, 2009 11:20:13 GMT -10
So...the team forced him to show his scars, huh? Poor Horatio, no way that this had been comfortable for him. I'm a little bit disappointed by the team I have to say.. forcing him to show the scars, in the lab nonetheless, was really impious in my eyes. They could have done it somewhere else... like at his house or something.. but in the lab? Hmm I don't know.
I'm really happy though that out doctor seems to have nothing to with the whole incident. That's definitely good for everyone, especially Stevie.
So.. now everyone knows about Horatio's past.. his whole past... I seriously doubt that they will act differently now, like Horatio probably fears. I actually believe that it's easier for them now to act around Horatio when certain cases involving children come up. This will help the team to get even closer than they already are.
This was a very intense chapter, thank you for that Oracle. Horatio's past, especially when it comes to his mother and father, is my favorite aspect of the character Horatio Caine and I really liked how you created the incident when he shot his father. Very interesting.
Can't wait to see what happens next.
Jess
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Post by NV Oracle on Sept 30, 2009 15:11:00 GMT -10
Jess, you almost make it sound like I had Eric or Ryan walk up to Horatio and rip his shirt open down the front?
If you'll remember correctly, earlier in the story, Horatio and Alexx had been discussing having Horatio tell the team about his dad? Well, perhaps I should have worded it a little differently, but, in the time, shortly before my story started, (at least in my universe, LOL), Alexx had been trying to talk Horatio into telling the team.
What will the team think about this?
Please enjoy. Here we go.
******************
Chapter 97
When they left for the Crime Scene, the red head’s revelation shoved, by necessity, to the backs of their minds.
As they were making their ways to their individual homes, though, they each had time to mull over what Horatio had told them.
Alexx pulled into the driveway, and turned off the car. She made a short detour, to check the mailbox, then walked into the house.
“Mom! Look what I got on that report!” Her son, Bryan, got to her first.
She briefly looked down at the paper. It was a History paper with a nice fat ‘A’ in red on it. “Isn’t this the report that Horatio was helping you with?” She asked the boy.
Bryan nodded. “I wanted to show him the grade I got.”
Alexx smiled at her son. “Ok. Give me just a minute, and I’ll let you call him.”
Bryan stepped aside. “Ok.”
“Hi, Mommy. Look at the grade I got in Math.” Janie ran into the room with a piece of paper in her hand.
Alexx looked down at the paper. “Good job, sweetie. Did Horatio help with your homework?”
The little girl nodded. “A little bit, Mommy. He gave me a trick to help remember my times tables.”
Alexx smiled at her daughter as well. “That’s good, Sweetie. I’ll let you talk to him, too.”
The kids followed her into the den and stood by semi-patiently as Alexx dialed his cell phone.
He answered on the first ring. “Horatio.”
“Hi, Honey. Are you in the middle of anything?” She asked.
“I’m just pulling up to the lab, to pick up Calleigh, so, no, you haven’t caught me in the middle of anything. Why? What’s up?”
She chuckled. “I have two little people here who absolutely must speak with you.”
He also chuckled softly. “Uh, oh. Ok. I’ll talk to them, but I need to ask you something as well.“ He told her.
“Ok. Here’s Bryan.” Alexx passed the phone to her son.
“Hey, H. Guess what?” Bryan asked.
The red head smiled. “I give up. What?”
“I got an ‘A’ on that report you were helping me with.” Bryan told the older man.
“Congratulations, Bryan. Good job, Buddy. I’m very proud of you. I knew you could do it.”
“Thanks a lot for all your help, H. That was a great History website you showed me. I found a lot of really great stuff there.”
“You’re more than welcome, Bryan, but you did the work. I just showed you the website.”
“I know, but thanks again for all your help.”
“You’re welcome Bryan.”
“I’m going to let you talk to Janie, now.” Bryan passed the phone to his sister.
“Ok.” Horatio waited for the little girl.
She took the phone from her brother. “H! Thank you for showing me that trick. It really worked! I got an ‘A’ on my math homework!”
Horatio laughed. “I’m glad it worked for you, Janie. I rather thought it would. That little trick will work for most of the problems that you’ll have to do.”
“Ok. Mama says she wants to talk to you now. Love you. Be good.” The little girl told him, then passed the phone back to her mother.
“Ok, sweetheart. Love you too.” Horatio replied with an unseen duck of his head.
Alexx took the phone, then turned to the kids. “Go on and get started on your homework. Dinner will be ready in a couple of hours.” When the kids left the room, she turned back to the phone. “Ok, to use your words, ‘what’s up’?”
He sighed in confusion. “Alexx, did I make a mistake, telling them?”
She also sighed, but this time, in exasperation, then reminded him. “Horatio, you admitted just the other day that you knew you needed to tell them.“
“I know.“ He replied uncertainly. ‘It’s just that, what if they‘re ashamed of me? What if they hate me?“
“Horatio. Stop. First off, if they do, we don‘t know them nearly as well as we thought, and second, we might as well know now.“
He chuckled. “That’s easy for you to say. You’re not the one they’re threatening to mutiny against.”
She chuckled as well. “That’s true enough, I suppose. Try not to worry, Horatio. We‘ll find out what their response is in the morning.“
“I know.“ He admitted. “We’ll see you tomorrow.“
“Yes, you will. Be good.“
“Only if you insist.“ Once he hung up with Alexx, Horatio went inside the building. He made his way upstairs and through the corridors to the Ballistics Lab. He opened the door, and stood there for just a moment, watching Calleigh as she worked her magic. Please, don’t let me loose her, now that she knows the truth. Please let our love be stronger. He wished with all that he had.
When Calleigh hadn’t looked up, after a moment, he called out, softly. “Hey.”
Now she looked up. “Hey, yourself, Handsome. What’s up?”
“How close are you to being done?” His voice trembled slightly.
Calleigh heard the tremor in his voice, and walked over to him, with a concerned look on her face. “I’m still working on the ballistics from that theatre drive by from this morning. Why, what’s wrong, Horatio?” She wrapped her arms around him.
He grinned. He knew that she had heard the tremor in his voice. “I’m fine, Calleigh.”
She knew that he was lying, but decided not to call him on it. “Ok. I actually can leave at any time, Sweetheart. This isn’t going to be done in one shift.”
“Ok. Do you mind if we bail out early tonight? Before we make it to the Hospital, I need to stop and talk to Chief Burton for a few minutes first.”
Calleigh looked confused for a moment, then told him. “Ok. Give me 10 minutes, and I‘ll be ready.”
“Ok. I’ll wait right here.” He replied. He waited, as Calleigh put all of the evidence away, and logged it in.
Finally, she removed her lab coat, and put it on a hook of the coat rack next to the door. “Ok, Handsome, let’s go.” She smiled up at him.
He returned her smile. “Yes, ma’am, let‘s go.”
They walked out to the Hummer, and drove to MDPD. They walked in, and rode the elevator upstairs to where some of the administrative offices were, and around to Chief Burton’s office.
Horatio opened the door, and allowed Calleigh to walk in ahead of him. As the door closed behind him, the Chief’s secretary looked up.
“Good afternoon, Lt. What brings you by this afternoon?”
“Good afternoon, Beth. Is he in, by any chance?” Horatio asked the young woman.
“Let me check.” She picked up her phone, and pressed a button. “Chief, Lt Caine is here to see you.” She listened for a moment. “Yes, sir.” She put the phone down, then turned to Horatio. “He’s in, Lt Caine. Go on in.”
Horatio turned to Calleigh. “Did you want to go in with me?”
Calleigh grinned back. “The question, Handsome, is, do you want me to come in with you?”
Horatio nodded. “Come on. The Chief and I aren’t going to talk about anything you don’t already know.”
The two of them walked over to the door leading to Chief Burton’s inner office, and Horatio knocked on the door.
“Come in.” They heard from inside the office.
Horatio opened the door, and waved Calleigh in first. He followed her into the office, and closed the door behind themselves.
Burton looked up from the papers he was reading, and stood up, as he set the papers on his desk. “Good afternoon, Horatio. How are things?”
“Relatively ok, Chief. Besides the Chop Shop and the robbery at the Events Center, we’ve had two more cases come up today. We‘ve got a drive by shooting in Hialeah, and we’ve also got a dead body that washed up on shore in North Beach.”
Burton nodded. “That wouldn‘t have brought you here. What‘s wrong, Horatio?” He heard the uncertainty in the red head‘s voice.
“I think I may have made a mistake, Jim.” Horatio told the man.
Burton traded concerned looks with Calleigh, then turned to the red head. “Have a seat here, Horatio, and start at the beginning. What mistake are you talking about?” He gestured toward the two chairs in front of his desk, then leaned against the front of it.
Horatio held the one chair for Calleigh, then, once she was seated, he moved toward the window. “Ok, well, you know that Alexx has been trying to get me to tell the team about my father?”
Jim nodded. “I take it you told them?”
“I did.” Horatio admitted. He went on to explain how Stevie and the team, minus Tripp, had seen part of his back, and how he had very carefully explained things, so that he wouldn’t scare the youngster. He also explained how, later, the team had asked him about it and that, since Frank was there, that he had showed the team what his father had done and that he had told the team that if they felt they didn’t have the confidence or the trust in him to be the leader anymore, that they would need to figure out what to tell Jim.
The silence hung in the office for a few minutes. While Horatio stood over by the window, Jim looked over at Calleigh. She smiled, sadly, and nodded.
“I see.“ Jim replied slowly. “You’re not sure what they‘re going to say, are you, Horatio?”
Horatio shook his head. “No, I’m not, Jim.“ He admitted. “I don’t know if they’re going to be ashamed of me, if they’re going to pity me, or quite what their reaction is going to be.”
Calleigh opened her mouth to say something, but Jim motioned her to be quiet by putting his finger to his lips, so she nodded.
“Well, I don’t really think you have that much to worry about, Horatio, but we’ll see what happens in the morning, won’t we?”
“I suppose.” Horatio replied.
Jim looked at Calleigh, and they both nodded. “Ok, here’s what we‘re going to do, Horatio. I want you to go home, and try not to worry about this. At this point, you’ve told them, so now, all you can do, is wait for the fall out. If by chance, they decide that they can’t work with you anymore, then, I’ll reassign people. I don’t think that’s going to be the case. Lt Caine’s Inner Circle is known just as much for backing you, as for you backing them. Just to be on the safe side, I will go ahead and attend this meeting in the morning, though, just in case.”
“That’s probably a good idea, Jim.” Horatio agreed, as he turned away from the window. “We’ll see you in the morning.”
He and Calleigh left the MDPD building and got into the Hummer.
******************
Please let me know what you think.
Your friend Oracle
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Post by pinkyster on Oct 1, 2009 3:59:41 GMT -10
Nice chapter. I think Horatio isn't giving his team enough credit. He has been their for them and now they need him. I am sure his team will be just fine with it all.
Jen
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Post by jessica on Oct 1, 2009 5:04:49 GMT -10
Yeah.. you could say that Oracle.. I don't know.. I just didn't like the fact that they had all these questions in the lab.. and that he "had" to tell them in the lab, where everything has ears and eyes. They probably didn't force him, but they didn't leave him another option either. But that's just my opinion. Sometimes I get too caught up in a story, so this is actually a very good sign So.. this new chapter.. I am.. shocked.. amazed.. whatever you want to call it, that the Chief knows about Horatio's past. This was a real surprise. It's a nice twist that he gets along so well with him... never thought of that actually. And I do agree with Jen here, he doesn't give the team enough credit, but then again, Horatio Caine himself is a very insecure man, so it fits, that he doubts his worth a lot. But I'm sure the team will prove him otherwise. The little scene between H and Alexx' kids was really cute, he will make one hell of a good father some day.. that's for sure. Jess
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Post by Dr. Anna McBreadle on Oct 1, 2009 5:32:52 GMT -10
i had to laughb when Janie told Horatio to be good and then Alexx does the same. they both obviously know that he's prone to trouble! LOL!
i would be very surprized if the team turned on Horatio. he has been there for the team through some really tough times. so, now it is the teams turn to be there for Horatio. great chap NV luv sam x
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Post by margaret1234 on Oct 1, 2009 7:23:18 GMT -10
Loved this chapter......the scene with Alexx, the kids and Horatio was terrific. But, H and kids will always be a winner for me. Mmm, I was also really surprised that the Chief knew about Horatio's back, but I am also a lttle surprised at Horatio's lack of confidence as well....yes he is emotionally scarred and has some insecurities, but he really is for some reason really struggling with how the team might have taken this. I am sure the team are going to be absolutely fine with this and if they are not, then as Alexx says....they are not the people they think they are. But, to accept the chiefs offer to be at the meeting in the morning is telling me he really does have some strong doubts. Is he right to have them......can't wait to find out.
Great chapter NV.
Margaret
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Post by sanne on Oct 1, 2009 9:05:09 GMT -10
Don't think you have to worry H........they back you, no matter what. Your past made you the man you are now: a great lieutenant and leader of the dayshift. They all respect you for that and why would that change? Also surprised Chief Burton knew about it....thought he never told anyone except Alexx and Calleigh partially........ Sandra
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Post by deborah on Oct 1, 2009 13:38:15 GMT -10
Hey oracle this is a good chapter. did I miss some thing or did chapter 97 not get posted. On my computer it goes from 96 to 98 and no 97. I think that was nice of Horatio to help Alexx's children with their assignments and how to do them on their own.
Deborah
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Post by gonsy on Oct 2, 2009 6:02:07 GMT -10
Nice chapter Oracle. Love the scene with the kids. Poor Horatio he is so insecure. I don't think he has to worry about his team. Let's see what happens next morning.
Gonsy
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Post by deborah on Oct 12, 2009 12:56:06 GMT -10
Update please. Am anxiously waiting for an update. Can't wait to see what happens next.
Deborah
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Post by NV Oracle on Oct 12, 2009 13:43:46 GMT -10
Deborah, no, you didn't miss a chapter, I goofed, and misnumbered them. I've corrected 97, and here is the actual 98. I didn't realize that this story was getting that long. I told you folks I tend to be long winded. LOL. I may stop numbering the chapters, at least here (I have to keep them seperate in my main file in my word processor).
Anyway, what does the team think about what Horatio told them? Here's some of what Ryan thinks about it.
Please enjoy. Here we go.
********************
Chapter 98
Ryan left the lab, thinking about what Horatio had told them. It certainly explained away some of the red head’s mannerisms, like him always being in a long sleeved shirt and suit coat, even on the hottest Miami summer days, as well as him always being able to move so silently. There had been numerous times, when Horatio had been able to sneak in, under the radar. Look up once and he’d be there, then blink another time, and he’d be gone again. More than once he’d nearly given Ryan a heart attack, doing that to the younger man.
It also explained why the red head was so fond of taking the heat for them if they got into trouble, or why, when they got praised for doing a good job, that Horatio would be the first person to shy away from the attention, and give the team the credit.
Ryan blinked once and found that, somehow, he had managed to drive to his Uncle’s place on ‘auto pilot’. He turned off the engine and walked into the apartment building, then took the elevator up to his Uncle’s floor.
He stepped off the elevator and walked down the hall to his Uncle’s apartment and knocked on the door, all still on autopilot.
The door opened. “Ryan. Glad you could come by.” The older brunette man held the door wider to let his nephew in.
Ryan stepped into the apartment. “Hey, Uncle Ron. I hope I’m not too late?” he took off his coat and hung it in the closet. He started to roll up his sleeves, but a picture of Horatio flashed in his mind and he subconsciously clenched both of his fists.
“Is something wrong, Ryan?” Ron looked concerned.
Ryan blinked back to the here and now and looked back over at his Uncle with what he hoped was a smile. “Nothing’s wrong, Uncle Ron. I‘m just thinking about something, that’s all.”
“Oh, ok.” Ron grinned “If you need to talk about it, I’m here.”
“I know, Uncle Ron. Let me see if I can work through it myself.” Ryan looked into the kitchen. “Can I do anything to help?”
The older man shook his head. “Nope, I’m just about done and the game’s just about to get started.”
Ryan walked into the kitchen, following his Uncle and stopped at the fridge. “Did you want a beer or just a soda?” He looked over at his Uncle.
“I’ll take a beer.” Ron told him.
Ryan got the beer for his Uncle and a soda for himself and took them into the living room and turned the tv to the correct channel for the football game.
Ron brought the food from the kitchen and the men sat on the couch to eat and enjoy the game. Several times, though, he caught his nephew staring off into space. He finally pressed the mute button, and turned to the younger man. “Ok, Ryan, what’s going on? Normally you’re really into the games. You haven’t said more than a couple of words all night. What’s on your mind?”
Ryan turned toward his Uncle. “I’m sorry, Uncle Ron. It’s just that I’ve got this friend at work that has just sprung this piece of news on us about himself, and I’m not all that sure what to make of it.”
Ron thought on that for a minute, then turned to his nephew. “Ok. Who are we talking about?”
Ryan shook his head quickly. “I can’t, Uncle Ron. This person really values their privacy and they told us in the strictest confidence. I don’t want to break this person’s trust.”
“You haven’t, Ryan.” His Uncle argued. “It’s just you and me, here. The walls don’t have ears. No one else is going to hear what you and I are talking about. Now, I know how much you respect and admire the others on the team. Does what this person said change how you feel about them or your opinion of them?”
Ryan instantly shook his head. “Oh, no, Uncle Ron. If anything, it explains away some of this person’s ways of doing things.”
“Ok?”
“A member of the team told us that his father abused him when he was a kid.”
“I see.” Ron replied slowly. “And the reason you’re so rattled is that he showed you the evidence?”
Ryan nodded. “It was fairly graphic Uncle Ron. It wasn’t easy to look at, but it completely explains why this person does some of the things he does, and why he reacts the way he sometimes does.”
Uncle Ron nodded. “I understand. Now that he’s told you, does it cause you to see him any differently than you did before?”
“I don’t think so, Uncle Ron.” Ryan told him truthfully.
“What do you mean, you don’t think so?” Ron asked, sharply.
“Uncle Ron, stop. It’s not what you’re thinking. When I first came to work with the team, they all made me feel more than welcome. They all gave me the chance to become part of the team, to be part of something big. Even with the OCD, they accepted it, and me at face value, and not like the OCD made me an alien from outer space. I owe all of them, everything.”
“Well, it doesn’t sound as if your opinion of him, or the team as a whole, has changed, so, what’s the problem?”
Ryan shook his head. “No ‘problem’ specifically. It’s just that he said that if we didn’t trust him or if we couldn’t do the job with him as part of the team, then he would step aside, but that we would need to come up with a satisfactory reason to give those in command. He thinks we‘re going to hang him out to dry.”
“Ok?” Ron asked. “I’m not sure I understand.”
“How do I tell him that I’m not going to betray him. Just because I have no idea what it was like growing up in his house, and I have no idea what I would have done had I been in his shoes, doesn’t mean that it changes what I think about him, or, there again, the fact that I owe him, and the team, everything for taking a chance on me when no one else would.”
Ron chuckled. “What you just said actually sounded pretty good. Don’t say the part about betraying him, because I doubt he’s seeing things that way. Just rephrase what you said and I think he’ll be satisfied with that.”
Ryan suddenly grinned. “I sure hope so. Thanks a lot for letting me bounce this off you, Uncle Ron.”
“You’re more than welcome, Ryan. Good Luck with this.” Ron told his nephew. “One of these days, I hope to be able to meet the team.”
Ryan quirked a grin at his Uncle. “I was wondering if I could invite them to one of our ‘Game Night’s.”
“Sure, just let me know. They’d be welcome anytime. You know that.”
Both men turned back to the game the were watching.
As he drove back to his own apartment, later, Ryan’s mind flashed back to Horatio. Underneath his father’s abuse, Ryan could not believe how athletically trim and fit Horatio appeared to be. Ryan would not have believed it, if he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes. He knew that Horatio was significantly older than he was, but the older man had the body of someone Ryan’s own age. He felt fat in comparison.
Ryan himself had a small gym set up in his own apartment, and worked out regularly. He wondered when Horatio had the time to work out as often as it appeared he did, if he was that lean and trim. He knew Horatio was roped to both the lab, and his cell phone. The man could be called anytime of the day or night. Of course, now that he was dating Calleigh, maybe that would change, although Ryan doubted it. They both were workaholics. Maybe, though, they could help each other recover from that ‘affliction’.
*********************
Please let me know what you think. I hope to have Alexx's thoughts and feelings on the issue up in the next couple of days. This part of the story had actually been written quite some time ago, so, now, I just have to edit.
Your friend Oracle
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Post by margaret1234 on Oct 12, 2009 14:24:36 GMT -10
Great chapter NV. Nice going to show us the individual team members thoughts before the meeting with Horatio. So Ryan assessed his thoughts in a nice mature way.......and he will definitely not let Horatio down.....good for him. He has a lot of respect for Horatio.
Look forward to hearing about Alexx's thoughts and feelings.....well surely she of all people will not let him down. No way.
Margaret
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Post by sanne on Oct 13, 2009 0:12:03 GMT -10
I love those "casual" chaps. The members just being themselves instead of the "CSI's". Sandra
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