Title: The Past Leads to the Present
Author: Bj Jones
Rating: FRM
Disclaimer: I don't own them. They are owned by people who have mean nasty lawyers that can and will eat me for lunch. Not making any money - just borrowing them for a moment or two... or three....I'll return them when I return them.
Summary: Past history plays a part in the present situation.
Genre: Slash
Series: A Second Can Change the World, Revelations, Playing It Forward, Vacation's Over, Decisions, Consequences, The Past Returns, Investigation, It's Personal
Beta: Christina (Dino)
Challenge: 12 Stories - Horatio Caine/Timothy Speedle/Rick Stetler
Prompt: #10 - Past
Word Count: 1421

~*~

Speed's eyes narrowed at his lover. "You want to do what?"

"Meet with him." Horatio stood over by the window looking out over the city.

"Why the fuck do you want to meet with him?" he growled. "The man wants to kill you."

"I'm curious. I want to know what made him into a killer." The redhead turned from the window.

"You want to see if you see yourself in him?" Rick asked, adding to the conversation standing by the door making sure they weren't disturbed.

Horatio sat back down, he pointed to his head. "I know here, what I do is technically wrong. I'm taking someone's life, deciding their fate." He pointed to his heart. "Here, I know what I do is right. The people I hunt have done everything in their power to destroy lives." He sighed closing his eyes. "Reconciling the two is not easy and is seldom accomplished."

"It doesn't change who you are," Speed shifted slightly in the hospital bed. "You are the most caring, compassionate man I know. A man who risked all to save someone everyone had given up on. You're not a killer."

"But I am." Horatio smiled at his lover.

"You're not a murderer." Rick said moving from the door slightly. "You don't take joy in killing those people. Even though everyone one of your hits has been just and fair in your standards a part of you still feels the pain. Not for the life of the criminal you are taking, but for the life he could have had if someone had offered him a hand."

"My first kill, was my father."

Rick blinked slightly then looked over at Speed, who struggled to sit up. "H... you don't need to go relive this."

Horatio quickly stood up and helped Speed sit up. "Rick needs to know..."

"I don't." Stetler shook his head as he sat down at the end of the bed. "I know who you are. I don't need to know why..."

"He was an abusive son of a bitch, as I you already know. Since it was in the files you read." He gave Rick a pointed look. "We have similar friends back in New York."

"For what it's worth, he deserved a hell of a lot more." Rick growled lightly. "And besides you didn't kill him, you were saving your mother...."

"That's the official report." Caine looked down at his hand. "The truth is when I got home, she was dead. The bastard stood there laughing, I pulled my gun and shot him."

~ Flashback ~

He had been having a bad feeling most of the day. Something was wrong, but he couldn't figure out what it was. Horatio had called his mother from the office, but she didn't answer, which just heightened his anxiety.

He told his partner that he had to run home and check on her. James had just smiled and called him a momma's boy, as he ran out the door. Everyone at the station knew how close Horatio was with his mother. The precinct had met her a few times; she had instantly won over their hearts by bring them cookies.

Caine ran down the block toward his house, and took the steps two at a time. The door was opened a crack, he paused before pulling his gun and entering the house. The sight before him would haunt him in his dreams and change the course of his life.

Martha Caine laid dead in pool of her own blood, beaten to death. He held his gun up as he approached the scene. Eyes narrowed at the man standing above her, his hands covered in blood and bruises.

"Fucking bastard!" Horatio hissed.

"Bitch belonged with me," he turned toward his son. "This is your fault, boy. You're the one that convinced her to leave."

"I tried to save her from you," he glanced down at his mother, his heart breaking at the sight.

"Well I guess you failed." The elder Caine smirked at him. "Whacha ya' going to do?"

Horatio's blue eyes turned back on his father. "Kill you."

"You're a cop..." He fell back against the wall mouth agape as he stared at his son. He slid down the wall, leaving a blood trail on the wall. Horatio held his eyes as his father slowly died.

He leaned over his mother, smoothing back her matted hair. "I'm sorry, momma."

He put his gun back into his holster and grabbed the phone. "I would like to report a murder... my mother."

~ Present ~

Rick looked over at his lover. "It changes nothing, H. I knew what you did, and what you will continue doing when I asked to join in." He reached over and took his lover's hand. "I'm here and not leaving."

Horatio nodded and squeezed his hand.

"Still not seeing why you are going to see this guy," Speed muttered. "You may be honorable, but he isn't... A meeting with him could be a trap. And I'm not there to back you up, like the last time."

"Last time?" Rick suddenly became very concerned.

"Yes, the reason why we left New York." Tim turned to his lover. "Since we're taking trips down memory lane. Similar situation, rival hitman wanted H's territory. They set up a meeting to discuss the situation. He told me to stay home, that it was no big deal."

Horatio rolled his eyes, "It was under control."

"Under control?" Speed glared at him. "You were on your knees, a gun to back of your head, with three gunmen standing nearby."

"How the fuck is that under control!?" Rick demanded.

"See that's what I always wondered," Tim agreed then turned back to his lover.

"One of those men was working for me, the one pointing a gun to my head I might add." Horatio glared at the two of them. "I don't go anywhere without back up plans."

"Yes, and if I recall, he was shot first..." The brunette sagged back onto the pillows. "Then suddenly all hell broke loose, bullets flying and all I could see was you laying there bleeding."

"It turned out okay, and I did learn a valuable lesson."

"Obviously not, because you want to go do the same thing all over again!" Speed yelled. "I had to patch you up and get us the hell out of New York."

"I learned to trust only you." He cupped the scruffy cheek gently. "Make sure you do what you do best. I won't go see this guy unless you provide me the Intel."

"You're taking Rick as back up." Speed sighed and leaned into the touch. "I can't back you up."

"I never wanted you near that end of my job, Tim. I never wanted you to get blood on your hands." The older man kissed the top of his lover's head gently before turning to Rick. "I trust Rick to watch my back."

Stetler nodded slightly. "For this to work, you need to tell us who the other guy is."

Horatio stood back up and looked back out toward his city. He had found a home in Miami, a place he could protect and serve. He had grown to love it here, the atmosphere, the people, the city itself was a character to love and enjoy. And now someone had invaded his territory. Someone had snuck under his radar. Someone was in his inner sanctuary.

"The reason I want to meet with him, is because he's one of our own." He turned back toward his lovers.

They both stared at him.

"A cop?" Rick asked a bit shocked.

"Who?" Speed demanded his brain wracking clues for anything that might have stood out.

"Mr. Wolfe."