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Ryan grimaced and squeezed his eyes shut as he was attacked by a big wet tongue and a bad breath. Cassie nipped on his ear and wagged her tail. Ryan groaned and when his face was licked clean he opened his eyes and looked at his dog.

"Do you have any idea what time it is?" Ryan asked, "It's six in the morning and I don't have to get up for another hour.

Cassie barked softly and sat down, staring at her master. Ryan sighed and sat up in bed. He rubbed his eyes tiredly and looked over at his sleeping lover, before looking bag at his four legged friend.

"Why don't you bother him instead?" He asked Cassie.

Cassie just tilted her head to the side and wagged her tail. Ryan groaned and got out of the bed. He put on a t-shirt and some sweatpants before walking to the backyard. Once he got out on the beach he felt much better and he smiled as Cassie chased some birds. Today would have been a marvelous day if it wasn't for the fact that it was the last day of trial for Patrick Yates. Horatio and Ryan were going to the courthouse at noon to wait while the jury deliberated. Once Patrick had been convicted and gotten his sentence he would be charged in a federal court as well, for the crimes he had committed that were handled by the FBI. It was safe to say that Patrick would never get out, yet Ryan couldn't help but to worry slightly.

It hadn't been so difficult for Ryan and Kyle to testify; the young man had especially handled it well. However, Horatio had found it harder than expected to meet Patrick in court and Patrick's lawyer had been extra hard on the redhead. Nightmares had been common during the last weeks and perhaps now Horatio could finally get some rest.

"Cassie!" Ryan called and the golden retriever came running towards him.

He petted her and then walked back to the house. The moment he stepped inside he smelled some coffee and he hurried to the kitchen. He found his lover making breakfast and grinned.

"Just what I need after a walk on the beach." He said.

"A walk? You barely moved; you just let Cassie run around." Horatio said amused.

"Well, that's enough for six in the morning." Ryan shrugged and gave the redhead a kiss.

"Ready for today?" Horatio asked.

"Can't wait. I want it to be over with."

"Me too." Horatio sighed.

Ryan kissed the older man's head and then they sat down by the table to enjoy their breakfast.

-I-

"What do I do if he throws up?" Walter asked.

"He's not going to."

"He could. Babies do that sometimes and he has done it to me before."

Eric rolled his eyes. His son William was six weeks old and he had had take him to work since Calleigh had a dentist appointment that would take a few hours and it would be hard to look after William during that time. Eric, whom had to process a car in the garage, had hoped that Walter would look after William. Though it seemed as if the big man was as squeamish as Ryan when it came to dirty diapers and baby puke.

"I'll take him." A voice said from the door.

Eric and Walter looked at Horatio, their savior, and Eric handed the baby boy over to his godfather. William squirmed and smiled at Horatio.

"Thanks H. I can't take care of him down in the garage, I'll be too dirty and the'll be so much noise he won't be able to sleep." Eric said, "And Walter is just being a sissy."

"Hey!"

"It's okay. I always like taking care of William." Horatio smiled, "But only until noon, then Ryan and I are going to the courthouse."

"I'll be done by then." Eric said.

"And if you're not Natalia can take him." Walter said, "Last time I held William he puked on me... three times."

Horatio and Eric just chuckled and shook their heads. Horatio went to his office with William, while Eric went to the garage where Natalia was already waiting for him. While Horatio was doing paperwork he held the boy against his chest with one arm as he slept. It was a quiet day in the lab and after three hours no one had yet to knock on Horatio's office door.

When the baby cooed Horatio looked down into his brown eyes and smiled. He put his finger in William's hand and he squeezed it.

"I guess nobody needs to see me today, huh?" Horatio said, "Very rare."

Just then there was a knock on the door.

"Speak of the devil." Horatio muttered as the door opened to reveal Calleigh.

She blonde smiled and Horatio stood up. She first hugged her boss and friend before Horatio handed William over to her. Being a mother suited Calleigh perfectly and she was adorable with a baby in her arms. Eric had been nervous about being a father at first, but he was probably the most fun father a child could have.

"So how was it at the dentist?" Horatio asked.

"Horrible." Calleigh sighed, "I am never going back."

Horatio chuckled. William looked sadly at him, as if he didn't want to be with his mother at the moment. Horatio caressed his head and bent down to give him a kiss on the cheek.

"It's a shame you didn't get to experience this with Kyle. You would have been such a good father." Calleigh said.

"Yeah, I wish I could have been there." Horatio said, "But I can make up for it when he gets kids."

"True." Calleigh smiled, "Well, I need to get going. We have a party to plan after all."

"Shouldn't we wait to party after we know the verdict?"

"Well, it's not really a party, just dinner with friends. And we all know what the verdict will be. No jury in the world would set Patrick Yates free."

"Alright, I guess that's true." Horatio said.

Calleigh could see how tired he was and she patted his shoulder.

"After this you and Ryan take a vacation and get some rest. You need it." She smiled.

"Yes, ma'am." Horatio grinned.

Horatio walked out with Calleigh and William. He then went back to his office for some lunch before he had to get Ryan and go to the courthouse. He was already beginning to get nervous. There was always an element of doubt in a court case. What if they jury set Patrick free? What if... Although, the evidence was airtight one could never be sure.

-I-

Horatio sat on a bench outside the courtroom, while Ryan was pacing in front of him. The Chief had come by for a moment to say hi and see how the two men were doing. Some FBI agents had chatted with them for a while as well. Now there was a silence in the hallways that Horatio had never experienced before. Barely anyone was around and those who were there were so silent.

"This is crazy; they've been deliberating for three hours!" Ryan growled, "How long can it take to find a murderer guilty?"

"Ryan, calm down."

"I can't calm down! Not until I know the verdict. Dammit, H, he is as guilty as the sky is blue."

"I know and I trust that the jury will make the right decision." Horatio said.

"People are never reliable. We should know that after working so many years as cops." Ryan said, "What if they find him not guilty?"

"Then he will be judged in a federal court."

"Yeah, but not for murder or attempted murder."

"But with the federal crimes he has committed he won't get out anyway." Horatio said.

"You're right, I just... I guess it's easy for us to see him as guilty. Someone in the jury probably has doubts and that it why it's taking so long." Ryan sighed and sat down next to his lover.

Horatio grabbed the younger man's hand and Ryan smiled. He leaned his head against the redhead's shoulder and closed his eyes. After what seemed like forever, but was really just ten minutes, everyone was called back into the courtroom.

It seemed like a blur for Ryan as the jury came back, the judge and Patrick. The foreman handed the bailiff the note with their verdict on it and the bailiff handed it to the judge. Judge Janice Eckhart read the note. Ryan wasn't sure if he was breathing any longer. He couldn't hear what anybody was saying; he could only stare at the foreman. He said something and then people were talking. He looked over at his lover and saw relief.

"He was found guilty?" Ryan asked.

"Yes." Horatio said.

Ryan smiled and leaned over to kiss the redhead. People were talking louder now and Judge Eckhart ordered everyone to become silent. She often sentenced people right away and this was no exception. She also seemed relieved to hear that after three hours and ten minutes of deliberation Patrick Yates had been found guilty on all accounts; two murders, one attempted murder and two attempted murders on police officers.

"Mister Yates, what you have done is pure evil and I have no doubt in my mind that you would do it again if you could." Judge Eckhart said, "After this you will be directly transported to a federal prison where you will wait for your federal trial to begin."

Patrick glared at the Judge.

"With the power invested in my I will hereby sentence you." Judge Eckhart said and paused for a moment, "I sentence you to life in prison without the possibility of parole."

Ryan's smiled faltered and he frowned. He wasn't usually a supporter of the death penalty, but he had thought for sure that Patrick would be sentenced to it. Horatio smiled though and Ryan looked confused at him.

"Judge Eckhart knows that he will suffer more by spending the rest of his life in jail, and in no doubt in solitary confinement, rather than to have him die and thereby not have to suffer for what he did." Horatio explained.

"Through death he would be set free." Ryan said.

"Exactly."

There was some commotion heard as the guards struggled to pull Yates out of the room. Patrick looked at Horatio and glared. Horatio smirked back.

-I-

Everyone raised their glasses and toasted. The team was having dinner at Calleigh and Eric's house. Kyle, Penny, Roger, Charles and Melinda were also there. They were not only celebrating that Patrick had been found guilty but also that the case was finally over with and they could all forget about him.

Ryan looked over at Charles and Melinda. The two of them were slowly finding their way back to the each other and hadn't gone through with the divorce. Charles was accepting Ryan and Horatio more and more every day and although he probably would never be comfortable with them kissing each other in front of him, he had no problem to spend time with them. Charles and Horatio were even getting along great.

Penny and Kyle were living together and had something to tell Horatio. Something everybody else had already guessed. Ryan looked around at his friends and his family. Everybody was happy. He looked at Charles and the old man smiled at his son. For Ryan Charles would always be his father, but so would Roger. The two of them were fine with "sharing" Ryan.

"I want to make a toast to Judge Eckhart; she truly is one of the best." Frank said.

Everyone toasted for that. And smirked, knowing that Frank had a little crush on Eckhart.

"Why don't you ask her out, Frank?" Horatio asked.

"Yeah, she's single." Natalia smirked.

"Nah, I don't stand a chance."

"You do. She likes bald men from Texas." Alexx said, "Her last two husbands were both from there and both bald."

"See! You got a chance." Horatio said and nudged his friend playfully.

"Not a great past though; two ex-husbands." Roger said.

"I looked her up though; the first husband was a high school sweetheart that she was only married to for two years." Natalia said, "And the second one was a Las Vegas marriage that lasted one year."

"Sounds like an impulse woman." Ryan said, "Adventurous."

"One wouldn't think so though because she's so stern-looking and tough." Alexx said.

"Kind of like H then." Eric teased.

"What?" Horatio asked.

"Yeah, you look stern and tough and can stare any criminal into a confession, but then you melt like an ice cream in the sun when Ryan is around." Calleigh said.

"Not to mention you're not so tough when Alexx gets mad at you." Walter said.

"Alexx is dangerous." Horatio said.

"I agree." Frank said.

The team laughed. They ate their BBQ dinner and talked. Then it was time for dessert and Kyle stood up and cleared his throat.

"Okay, so um... Penny and I got some news." Kyle said and then turned to look at his father, "Dad... you're going to be a grandfather."

The team cheered and Kyle got lots of pats on the back as the news hit Horatio. He was stunned for a moment and then smirked and pulled his son in for a hug.

"Congratulations." He said and then hugged Penny too, "How far along are you?"

"Three months." Penny smiled, "A complete surprise and probably a bit of an accident."

"I was an accident too and see how nice I turned out to be." Calleigh grinned and the team chuckled.

Horatio beamed like a lighthouse. Kyle told them that Ryan would become the godfather and that it was time that he got used to babies, because even though he wasn't going to be a grandfather, he would be almost like one. Ryan offered to babysit William anytime as a preparation for when the baby arrived.

Later that evening most people had left. Horatio hugged his son and Penny goodbye. Charles pulled Ryan in for a hug, which was something he had never done when Ryan had been growing up and still rarely did.

"Are you and mom going to her place?" Ryan asked.

Charles and Melinda still lived in different homes, but it was only a matter of time before they moved back in with each other.

"Yes." Charles smiled, "I want to thank you for giving me another chance Ryan. And you too Horatio."

"Everybody deserves a second chance." Ryan said, "And you also gave us a second chance."

"We're family, Charles." Horatio said.

"Well, if you need any baby tips you just ask me and Melinda." Charles grinned, "And tell Kyle and Penny to give us a call if they need it too."

"Something tells me that they will be reading every book available on the subject." Horatio smiled and shook the older man's hand, "But we might call for some help."

Charles shook Horatio's hand and then left with Melinda and Roger. Horatio and Ryan were the only ones left and went to the back porch to help Eric and Calleigh clean up. The day marked a new beginning as a family. The nightmare was over and a new life was starting for everyone in the big family.

"I love you." Ryan said.

"I love you too." Horatio smiled and gave the younger man a kiss.

After that day things worked fast. Charles and Melinda eventually moved back with each other. Frank asked Judge Eckhart out on a date and things were going great for them. Six months after the party and four days after her due date, Penny gave birth to a baby girl named Kelly Harmon. Penny and Kyle eventually got married and had three more daughters and a baby boy that they named after grandpa Horatio.

A year after Patrick's conviction, Horatio and Ryan got married in New York, with a ceremony in Miami. Best men were Eric and Kyle. They lived happily in their beach house with their dog Cassie.

The End! Please review

After having a hard time coming up with ideas for the story I decided to end it. This is also the end of this series. I will take a break before posting my new story called The Stalker; the summary goes:

A new detective is in town. And a new criminal. Both are interested in the same man; single-father Horatio Caine.

A big thanks to all of you that read and reviewed!