Title: Road To Nowhere
Author: Bobbie
skipperofotters12989@yahoo.com
Fandoms: CSI: Vegas/ CSI: Miami/ Without a Trace x-over
Pairings: Brass/Caine, Jack/Danny
Ratings: NC-17
Archive: Yes please.
Disclaimer: I don't own 'em and the song belongs to Talking Heads.
Warnings: Swearing, mild violence, M/M slash, POV, Possible angst, AU,Character Deaths, mentions of Suicide.
Summary: Horatio suffers a tragic loss and Brass decides he needs a road trip.
Author's Note: This is assuming that Jack Malone never married and Brass is the long term lover of Horatio so please bear with me.



The stress had been building steadily over the last two weeks or so and the last case hadn't helped matters any when I saw the red haired, slim framed man come home early one day from the Lab looking exhausted. That caused me some major concern especially when he sank by me on the couch and curled up near my chest, tears in his eyes.

"Whats wrong Babe?" I asked him while running a hand through his soft hair as he glanced up into my eyes.

"Yelina and Ray Jr. were killed today." Horatio rasped out, shaking his head as I tightened my hold on the slightly younger man and he buried his face against my shoulder. " I'm all alone now Jim. "

"Shh, no you're not Horatio." I said gently, feeling the slender back shake with sobs and kissing the top of his head as the tears fall. " I'm here for you. I always will be and you know that."

He cried for most of that day and hardly ate anything that night as Speedle and Delko came over to check up on us. I was making arrangements for the services because he was simply too shocked and stunned over the tragic circumstances when the door bell rang.

" Who is it?" I asked as Speed answered my inquiry and I opened the door to let the younger men in. " What are you boys doing here?"

" We came to see how H was." Speed replied honestly as I shut the door and led them into the living room where they saw their boss curled up on the couch sleeping.

" He's had a rough day." I said softly, motioning for them to follow me into the den where they saw the papers all over the place and sat down on the couch. " I'm handling everything for the funeral services because Horatio can't. "

" What a fuckin' way to begin a shift." Delko replied quietly, anger in his words as Speedle patted his friend's back. " We got the call out for an accident and it turned out to be his only surviving family."

I looked over at them and listened for any noises coming from the living room before rubbing my eyes tiredly. I hated having to watch him go through this Hell again and sighed loudly, wondering about the next step.

" Maybe you guys could do us a favor."

" What?" Delko asked.

" Name it Jim." Speedle added as I smiled.

" Could you take care of this place for a while?"

They exchanged confused looks but I clarified it for them and watched in satisfaction as they nodded in agreement.

" Jim?" Came a sleepy voice from the other room as I rose and went out into the living room where he was sitting up.

" I'm right here baby." I said gently, sitting by him as he leaned against my chest and I held onto him. " Do you feel up for a bite to eat? I saved you some pizza."

" All right Jim." He muttered, spotting our visitors standing there and perking up slightly though not much as they joined us. " Hey guys, join us?"

"Thanks H."

The next few days were nothing but a blur as we laid Horatio's Sister-in-law and nephew to rest then rode home with our two New York FBI friends with Jack driving and Horatio snuggled next to me, sleeping uneasily.

I knew what I was getting into when my eyes first landed on a young red haired police officer at a cop convention in Miami- Dade some fifteen years earlier. Horatio had just made the Bomb Squad and was celebrating with a group of friends , laughing when our eyes locked with the other's from down the bar.

"Hey."

I looked up from my beer in surprise and watched the younger man sit across from me as he grinned, stealing my heart from that moment on.

"I'm Horatio Caine, Miami-Dade PD." He said as I shook his hand and returned the smile. " I saw you watching me from across the bar. What's your name?"

"It's Jim Brass from Vegas." I replied, swallowing the amber liquid as he studied me. " What is it Caine?"

Horatio smiled like an arch angel and answered," Nothing, Jim, and please call me Horatio. Well, its just that my fellow team mates said that you were checking me out and I had to know the truth."

I chuckled and, lowering my voice, said softly, " They're right Horatio. I was checking you out."

A blush rose to his fair skin and from then on I knew that Horatio and I were meant to be as he got up, hands on his hips and head cocked slightly to one side.

"Have you seen any of the sights, Jim?" He asked as I tossed my beer money and rose to my feet.

We left the club together to drive me around the city until the moon rose over the ocean while we got to know more about each other.

Thats also where we became friends with Jack and the three of us have been close ever since.

"Thanks for coming down on such short notice Jack."

The dark haired man shrugged and looked over at his younger partner who was quiet before speaking.

"Don't worry about it, Jim, okay?" He said, pulling the H2 in and parking as I woke him up. " We're home Horatio, lets get you cleaned up and fed."

"I'm not a kid Jack." He answered softly, getting out as I followed and all four of us went inside the house where he sat on the couch. " I want a cold beer and some sports."

I chuckled but didn't give in, remembering the trouble I had with him after Ray Senior's death and shook my head.

"No alcohol Horatio. " I replied as he glanced up at me quietly and Danny started lunch. " I don't want you trying to kill yourself again like you did after we buried Ray."

Jack had wisely locked up all of the firearms in the gun locker and hid the key so he looked out of the window to see Speedle's bike pull in with Delko on the back of it.

"Visitors guys."

"Who is it?" Horatio asked as the door opened and they came in with a tray of food although how it was still intact was beyond me.

"Brought you good Russian- Cuban food ,Horatio." Delko said as he indicated the dining room table with his hand and Speedle crouched before him, brown eyes locking with Horatio's blue ones.

"I've been here myself H and I'm sorry for your loss."

"Thanks Tim."

After everybody left and the food was put away, I saw Horatio tossing a duffle bag near the front door and looking at me expectantly as I glanced back, a slow smile on my face.

"Where are you going H?" I asked as he shrugged and toyed with the rip in his faded denim jeans sheepishly." Hmm?"

"I want to leave Miami for a while Jim." He responded softly, hope in his voice as I drew him into a hug. "Maybe visit the town we did after Ray died."

"Only if you want to."

He nodded and I went to pack as Jack loaded his and Danny's stuff in the back followed by our own and the four of us left. The radio was set to a classical rock station and it started playing an old Talking Heads tune that got his attention.

" Well we know where we're goin'
But we don't know where we've been
And we know what we're knowin'
But we can't say what we've seen
And we're not little children
And we know what we want
And the future is ceratin
Give us time to work it out
We're on a road to nowhere
Come on inside
Takin' that ride to nowhere
We'll take that ride..."

" Turn it up Jack, please."

The music got louder as he closed his eyes and hummed along.

" Feelin' okay this mornin'
And you know,
We're on the road to paradise
Here we go, here we go
We're on a ride to nowhere
Come on inside
Takin' that ride to nowhere
We'll take that ride..."

I felt his breathing even out and nodded at Jack, who pulled into a gas station to refuel and buy supplies but kept the radio on.

" Maybe you wonder where you are
I don't care
Here is where time is on our side
Take you there... take you there
We're on a road to nowhere
We're on a road to nowhere
We're on a road to nowhere
There's a city in my mind
Come along and take that ride
And it's all right,baby, it's all right
And it's very far away
But it's growing day by day
And it's all right, baby, it's all right
Would you like to come along,
And you could help me sing this song?
And it's all right, baby, it's all right
They can tell what to do
But they'll make a fool of you
And it's all right, baby, it's all right
We're on a road to nowhere..."

The man sleeping in my arms didn't stir awake again until two days later when we arrived at our destination in Montana where we drove into Wolf Point. Horatio got out of the H2, stretched, and vanished inside the rest room as we bought supplies for our cabin.

"Thanks for bringing me back here Jim." Horatio said later that night at the cabin as we watched the full moon crest the tree tops and heard the wolves howl in the distance. " I love you and I'm sorry about the last few days."

"Don't be baby, I understand." I reassured him gently, kissing his mouth lovingly as he returned it fully. "We've got our whole lives ahead of us."

"Get in here." Danny called out as we laughed and I stole a kiss. " Supper's getting cold!"

That week spent in rural Montana worked wonders for Horatio who was alot happier and more relaxed when we came home. The wounds would heal just not completely but at least the good Lieutenant Caine knew that he still had a family who loved and cared about him so he wasn't alone.

I love him and always will. No matter what.



Epilogue
(Horatio's POV)

I was completely numbed and shocked by the accident that took their lives but Jim and the others pulled me through it like they always did. I listened to my brown haired boyfriend snoring next to me and leaned over to kiss his chest, grinning when he groaned in protest.

"Horatio, baby, I love you." He said sleepily, tightening his hold on me as I nestled closer to the stocky frame and rested my head against his shoulder. " And I would do anything for you but waking me up at two in the morning is not one of them."

"All right, I get the message."

"Glad you do. " He yawned, nuzzling my neck. " Now go back to sleep."

"I love you Jim."

"I love you to H. Never think I don't."

How lucky am I?


The End