Title: Safety
Author: LiLAqUaMaRiE
Fandom: CSI: Miami
Pairings/Characters: Natalia Boa Vista/Horatio Caine
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama, angst.
Warnings: Violence, physical abuse, blood
Word Count: 1,578
Summary: Afraid and hurt, Natalia Boa Vista call's the one person she can think of.
Disclaimer: I don't own "CSI: Miami" or anything related to it. So don't sue me please!!!! I'm already poor as it is. Don't need a lawsuit to put me out on the street.
Note: After watching (5x06) "Curse of the Coffin" I couldn't help but squee over the H/N moments; so I apologize for anyone who finds this pairing unacceptable in any fashion. Don't like the pairing, don't read it.

Find me here and speak to me
I want to feel you, I need to hear you
You are the light that's leading me
To the place where I find peace again
- 'Everything' by Lifehouse

Safety

"Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person; having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but to pour them all out, just as they are, chaff and grain together, knowing that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and then, with a breath of kindness, blow the rest away." – George Elio

Natalia wrapped her bloody arms around herself; her body trembled with uncontrollable fear. Her face was covered in tear marks and blood stains. She wanted to die, she wanted to scream, she wanted to be safe – slowly she crawled to her feet, holding onto anything she could grab onto for support. She felt weak, her body ached with pain. She wanted to leave; she wanted to get far away from where she was.

Natalia stumbled out of the bedroom, her legs having a hard time trying to sustain her. She entered the darkened living room; she saw the abandoned cell phone on the floor below. Natalia slowly went towards it, wanting to reach it as soon as possible. Her legs gave way; she fell to the ground below. She winced at the impact of the fall; her bruised ribs were aching. She bit her lip trying to calm down her nerves – but it was useless.

Slowly she started to crawl towards the abandoned cell phone on the floor – she was so close. Her lips trembled as a sob wanted to escape; her fingers finally reached the cell phone and she grabbed it, pulling it towards herself as quickly as she could.

Opening the cell phone, Natalia didn't know who to call – she just wanted to get out from where she was. She closed her eyes as tears slipped out, her jaw trembled again. She unconsciously started to press a familiar number she knew – the only person her mind subconsciously wanted to be with her, to make her safe.

A soft voice answered from the other end of the call, "Caine here."

The quiet but confident voice almost made her break into a sob. She started to rock herself from where she laid on the floor with a cell phone in hand that was now starting to get covered in blood.

"Hello?"

Her voice sounded as a mere whisper, "H-H-Hora-tio..." She tried to call out to him but she couldn't hold it back any longer and started to sob.

The voice on the other end had a concerned tone to it, "Natalia? What's wrong?"

Her sobs became harsher and she was unable to respond.

"Natalia, where are you? Are you alright? Answer me please."

She bit down hard on her lip. "Home, Nick…" Her breathing became rapid, "Please come, Horatio."

"Natalia, listen to me. I'll be there as soon as possible. Stay where you are, I'll be right there. Understood?" Horatio's voice sounded hard but firm as he spoke to her.

"Ok." Natalia couldn't stop from trembling. She wanted to leave, leave so badly. The line went dead and Natalia was alone once more. She fell to her side as she crawled into a small ball, as if trying to hide.

Silence reigned within the room.

Lieutenant Horatio Caine was driving as fast as he could towards Natalia Boa Vista's home. He was already outside of the Miami-Dade CSI building when he received her urgent call. He had already speed dialed Calleigh Duquesne informing her of what was going on, trusting that she would immediately pass it on to the others and meet him at the same location.

He was driving as fast as possible; one of his was in some sort of danger and needed him and to hell for anyone who got in his way.

He always cared deeply for every member of his team – they were his family to him. But with Natalia, he always had a soft spot for her– he had to make sure she was fine with his own eyes.

He drove even faster.

"Delko, speed it up."

"I'm going as fast as I can, Wolfe!"

Calleigh Duquesne rolled her eyes from where she sat in the backseat of the car before turning her attention to the two men in the driver and passenger seat. "Will you two shut up and drive, Natalia is in trouble."

The two men quieted down, they were both worried about their friend and had let their panic and anger get the best of them.

The ride towards Natalia's place was a fast and morose one.

Natalia tried to wipe the blood from her face; she closed her mind – hoping to forget what had transcended earlier in her home. She wanted to be with her friends, wanted to be happy – safe. She wanted so many things, but she wasn't getting a single thing yet.

"You bitch!"

Her eyes widened in horror as she quickly turned her face to the new sound within the room. She shook her head at what she saw. "You….I thought…..No…"

Her ex-husband, Nick Townsend, stood in the doorway of her bedroom with blood dripping from the back of his head as he touched it. "You fucking bitch…." His gaze on her never wavered, "You hit me, fucking bitch, you hit me."

He started to storm his way towards her as she tried backing away from where she was on the floor. Her head was shaking rapidly, unable to believe what she was seeing. "No…no….You're not supposed to be alive…..no!" She screamed out in fear, in anguish.

Nick reached his victim as she was backed against a wall; he grabbed a fist full of hair as he yanked her face towards him. "Babe, you can't get rid of me that easily." He lifted his other free hand to backhand her across the face making her bleed once more in the mouth from the impact.

Natalia was scared, she was angry, she wanted to escape. She started to struggle within his grasp, but she yelped in pain as he still held her by her hair – it was useless. She was going to die and no one was there to protect her.

The door slammed opened as it was kicked in and Horatio Caine walked in with a gun in hand. What he saw made him see red. He walked towards the two in the room, his gun never wavering from behind Nick as he approached them. "I'll advise you, Mr. Townsend, to remove your hands off of Ms. Boa Vista."

Nick froze; he didn't think anyone would come to Natalia's rescue. He felt a gun touching the back of his head. "I repeat Mr. Townsend; remove your hands from Natalia." He loosened his grip on Natalia, letting her go. "Now move away from her slowly." Nick did as he told.

Nick turned around to face Horatio, "You."

Horatio glared at him, "Likewise."

"Why are you here?" He questioned him in anger.

Horatio stared at him with a blank look upon his face, "The question should be why you are here, Mr. Townsend?"

Nick sneered at him, cocking his head toward the fallen, bleeding Natalia on the floor. "Visiting my ex-wife; is that such a crime now."

Horatio's eyes became hard with anger. "Now it is."

Nick never liked having anyone interfering with anything that had to do with him and Natalia and he so did not like having anyone try to be her knight in shining armor. It ticked him off completely.

He decided on lunging at Caine, trying to grab the gun from his hand.

A shot rang out as a scream filled the room.

Horatio peered down at the floor below at the crying man in pain. "Mr. Townsend, I do believe that was not a good decision to make." He tilted his head as he stared at him, tempted with beating the living day lights out of him, "Now please be good and stay put."

At that time more people arrived at the scene with the police behind them.

Eric Delko's eyes widen in recognition as he saw the man on the floor, his eyes hardened. Calleigh ran towards Natalia's trembling form on the floor. Ryan Wolfe stared at Nick as well, his eyes showing disgust before turning towards Caine. "We got him now, Horatio." He glared at Nick as Eric started to yank him from the ground to handcuff him. "Go with Cal and see if Natalia's okay."

Horatio stared at Nick once more, "You're lucky I didn't kill you." With that he turned to head towards Natalia.

Call stared at the poor girl in front of her as she pulled her gently close. "Oh sweetie, it's okay." She stroked Natalia's hair gently, trying to calm her. "You're safe now, hon."

Horatio reached them, kneeling down in front of Natalia who had a lost look in her gaze. "Natalia…" His voice was but a mere whisper as he gently pulled her away from Calleigh's grasp. She nodded in understanding, releasing Natalia to him. Calleigh stood. "I'll go check if the others need help." Horatio nodded before his attention reverted back to the young woman before him.

"Natalia…" He once again called out to her; he lifted a free hand to cup her face gently within his hand making her look at him. "You're safe now, do not fear." Natalia continued to be in her own world as her body trembled. Horatio just continued to hold her in his arms. "You're not alone Natalia, I'm here."

His voice seemed to have broken through as she blinked slowly, trying to focus her gaze on him. "H-H-Horatio?" her voice held a questioning tone.

He nodded at her, "I'm here."

Realizing she was finally safe, Natalia broke down into sobs within Horatio's arms; his grip on her tightened as he repeated his words softly to her ear, "I'm here."

"You're not alone."

Fin.