Disclaimer: I own nothing related to CSI: Miami or it's wonderful characters. I'm just playing in their sandbox for a while.

Author's Note: During a recent rewatch of CSI: Miami on Netflix, I got to thinking. What would have happened if Marisol hadn't died at the end of Season Four? What if the writers allowed Horatio to be happy and didn't take him as dark as they did after Mari's death? What if she survived to the end of the show while still having been shot?

The possibilities got my mind to working, and, since I loved the Marisol/Horatio relationship, I decided to write this one-shot. This contains spoilers for Season Four and various moments in the show, though I can't point to any specific episode save "Rampage" and "Habeas Corpse." And, as it's AU, I haven't worried about getting all the facts right.

This is lovingly beta'd by theicemenace, for whom I am eternally grateful. She's a wonderful beta and Grammar Nazi and an even better friend.

As always, I hope you enjoy! ~lg

oOo

The late summer sun slanted through the palm trees, glinting off of the nearby ocean to brighten Miami's neighborhoods with a rich glow. Lieutenant Horatio Caine walked down the street, his black blazer over his arm as he smiled at the warmth. He loved Miami, loved summer, and loved his life.

The house came into view, and he stopped to stare. This was why he chose to walk a block every day to get to his personal vehicle. The front window faced east to capture the morning sun. In the shadow of the evening, the light in the window showcased the two people inside. Horatio's smile widened as he paused to take in the scene.

His wife, Marisol, sat at a small table across from their six-year-old son, pointing and teaching him to read.

Horatio felt his happiness dim as he considered how life could have been so different. Rather than living in a wonderful home that he'd bought just two years ago, with his beautiful wife and son, he could be alone, in an apartment with nothing but his job and coworkers. Then, the smile turned wry. His "coworkers" were his family, just as surely as Marisol and Justin had become his world. Calleigh, Eric, Wolfe, Natalia, Tripp, and Walter. . . .He was truly blessed by the people in his life.

Bringing his mind back to the present, Horatio watched Marisol's face light up as Justin obviously read the words on the page. At six, he'd had a slow start to his education, but it had taken more than a year for the child to willingly speak to Horatio. Marisol had devoted much of her time to Justin, and it had paid off. The first time Justin answered Horatio had brought tears to her eyes and put a smile on Horatio's face for a week.

Since then, life had only improved for the small boy. Horatio had first encountered young Justin just after Riaz shot Marisol. At the time, they'd been grieving over the loss of her ability to have children. Ironically, the gunshot revealed more cancer that had invaded her body, and the surgery that saved her life took her dreams of motherhood. Young Justin's struggles at two years old tugged at Horatio's heart, and he'd doggedly followed the boy's experiences in foster care. Once Marisol recovered enough to handle a young child, they'd welcomed Justin into their world, completing his formal adoption and changing his last name to Caine. They had plans to adopt another child, but Marisol wanted to wait until Justin asked for a sibling. Until then, the two of them poured every ounce of their love into the traumatized boy.

Once again, Horatio's mind traveled five years into the past, to the best and worst day of his life. Mere hours after his wedding, Marisol had been shot by a Mala Noche intent on taking revenge on Horatio. She'd been strong, nearly dying several times before she pulled through with the same grace with which she faced cancer. Her body, weakened by the chemo and cancer, had struggled for a long time. She'd been so brave, living in that hospital bed and grieving for her dreams of a family. But she and Horatio had one another, and he still woke up every morning thanking God for his wife.

Footsteps behind him pulled Horatio from his thoughts, and he turned to find Eric grinning at his phone. His brother-in-law was late to the team's planned drinks. Horatio waited while Eric placed a phone call.

Justin liked Eric, even if he didn't speak when the older Delko was around. Horatio understood. To a child's eyes, Eric was a huge man, and Justin's former family had been worse than intimidating. They'd been monstrous.

Eric finished his phone call and walked toward Horatio, his smile still firmly in place. Horatio glanced at the phone. "All is well?"

"Yeah." Eric thumbed the screen of his phone, holding it out. "Calleigh sent me a picture."

Horatio took the phone from him, smiling at the image there. Calleigh with the two North children, flowers in her hair, beamed as brightly as the morning sun. "She got them."

Eric nodded, a wistful smile on his face. Horatio didn't pursue the conversation. Eric had loved Calleigh for years, though he cared enough to let her go. They'd dated for a time, but circumstances drove them apart. Horatio knew that his brother-in-law hoped to reconcile with her one day. She couldn't ask for a better father for her newly-adopted children than Eric Delko.

Eric nodded toward the house, and Horatio's attention returned to his own family. Marisol had spotted them and now pointed as Justin looked eagerly from the window. Just as he smiled, Justin rushed the front door and ran out, launching himself into Horatio's arms. "Daddy!"

Tears filled Horatio's eyes at the unexpected endearment. Ever since they'd adopted Justin, the boy had called him "H" like the rest of the team. He took to Marisol as "Mommy," but "Daddy" had never been a good word. Not in his painful world. After three years, Horatio had settled into never bearing that title in the eyes of his son. Now, he hugged Justin tighter, trying to get his throat to open enough to speak. "How are you, Son?"

"Good." Justin wiggled to be let down and then slipped his hand into Horatio's. "I read one whole page!"

"One page!" Horatio knelt so he could look the boy in the eye. "That's good. Why don't you go inside and get the book? I'll listen to you read then."

"Okay!" Justin gave Eric a baleful glance before he shyly looked at Horatio. "Can we call Kyle later so I can read to him?"

Horatio's smile grew even wider. "We'll see what we can do. Okay?"

"Okay." Justin raced back to the front door, hollering to Marisol that he needed his book so Daddy could hear him read.

Horatio turned to find Eric staring with his mouth hanging open. "Eric?"

"He spoke."

"He does." Horatio felt pride rise up in him. "It took a year. But when he started talking, it just poured out of him."

"H, that's incredible."

"It is." Even more, since I'm now Dad.

"So, uh, how's he doing?"

"Well, he's good. We got the home schooling curriculum in, and Mari's planning to start him at the beginning of the school year."

The two men walked toward the front door, following in Justin's footsteps but at a much slower pace. Horatio gave Eric a sidelong glance. "So, how are you?"

"Good." Eric nodded decisively. Horatio knew he understood the question.

"I thought you were going out with the rest of the team."

"I am." Eric eyed him. "I thought I'd see if you would come. But. . . ." He nodded toward the door where Marisol waited for them.

Horatio met Eric's eyes. "Give them my best, Eric. Okay?"

Eric came in for a short time, listening to his nephew proudly read the page to Horatio. He hugged his sister and promised to see his brother-in-law the next day. As he closed the door behind him and turned to head for the bar where the rest of the team waited, Horatio caught the wistful expression on his face. Eric Delko wanted a family of his own. Perhaps, one day, he'd find it.

As Justin ran off to play in his room, Horatio slipped into the kitchen to find Marisol at the stove. He came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist as he held her from behind. "How are you?"

"Good." Mari gave the spaghetti noodles one final stir and turned in his arms. She draped her arms around his neck. "Justin asked if he could have a sister today."

The smile that seemed to be perpetually plastered to his face returned. "Well," he said as he kissed his wife, "let's talk about that later. Okay?"

Marisol smiled, her brown eyes sparkling. "Okay."

Justin returned at that moment, pushing his way between his parents to show Horatio the contraption he'd built with his Legos. While Mari finished their meal, Horatio locked up his badge and gun before settling on his son's bedroom floor. He eventually looked up to find Mari in the doorway, watching them play. She called them to the supper table, and Horatio grinned at Justin. "I'll race you."

"I'll win!" Justin was off like a shot, and Horatio followed at a slow pace. He arrived in time to see Marisol putting food on the table. The sun had completely set by this time, the light from inside spilling into the night. As they said the blessing, Horatio saw a car slow as the driver passed the house.

From outside, they made the perfect picture: father, mother, and son. No one would know the struggles they'd faced or the obstacles they'd overcome. From the street, it was impossible to understand how cancer and vengeance nearly tore their family apart before they ever came together, or how one man's anger almost killed their precious son. The neighbors only knew that the light in the window of the Caine house would always shine onto the street.

When that light went out, a solitary guardian stood at the window. Horatio Caine made certain that, when the sun rose the next morning, his family and friends would be safe from harm. Only his team and his wife understood. That light in the window was a beacon of hope that would shine brightly as long as he drew breath.

A slender hand slipped onto his shoulder as Marisol sidled to his side. Five years after their marriage, she was still as beautiful as ever—if not more so. She smiled, her dark eyes sparkling in the moonlight outside. "Come to bed, Horatio," she murmured. "I want to talk about Justin's little sister."

Horatio smiled again and gave the world outside one last glance. All was quiet, and he could rest. Letting his wife tug him away from his post, he again promised that, tomorrow evening, the light in the window would shine just as brightly and maybe even brighter. He could do no less for those he loved.

~The End~