Title: In the End

Author: Aeon Cole

Rating: FRT

Fandom: CSI Miami

Word Count: 200

Spoilers: Rampage and Rio

Prompt: #3 Ends Justify The Means

Disclaimer: I don't own them and I am not making any money from this.

Summary: Do his actions make him a murderer? Horatio's POV post Rio.

Author's Note: This is not part of my H/Speed universe. This show canon. For the philosophy20 challenge on LiveJournal.

I killed a man. That's not to say I've never done it before but this was different. Antonio Riaz was different. He killed my wife and our government saw fit to send him back to his own country rather than prosecute him here, then his government saw fit to let him go free. This was also different because it was not sanctioned, not part of the job. This was revenge, pure and simple.

I suppose I could claim that I was defending my brother-in-law. After all Riaz was about to kill him, but that would be self serving. I would have killed him even if Eric's life hadn't been in danger.

So, does that make me a murderer? I suppose in the eyes of the U. S. justice system it would. But I also think that, despite what the officials say, the Brazilian government is just as glad to have Riaz out of their hair. In the end I can't even make myself feel guilty about it. I took a life but to me it feels justifiable and I know Eric feels the same. And, at least, I can let myself believe that Marisol can rest in peace now that her killer is dead.