Title: A Lesson in Learning
By: alucardskitten
Pairing: Horatio Caine/Rick Stetler (implied)
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Notes: Rick's P.O.V.
Notes II: I don't like Stetler... but I feel bad for him sometimes. Especially when it rains.
Summary: Everyday I get people who look at me and say... oh, he's IAB, don't trust him and never like him. It's a job I didn't choose and it haunts me every day. (Implied slash)

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He hates me... and so does she. I know she doesn't love me. I'm a defense... an act of rebellion. It makes me feel cold inside. She pretends... he doesn't. I wish she was more like him. That way I wouldn't be replying to false I love you's and thinking on this while she showers and I play Fatal Frame with Ray Jr. He hates me too. But he won't play the game himself and like his mother... he knows how to pretend. It's like this all the time. Everyday I get people who look at me and say... oh, he's IAB... don't trust him and never like him. It's a job I didn't choose and it haunts me everyday.

Luckily for me... I can pretend as well. I pretend to care about her while I really lover her brother in law... and I pretend that I don't care whose life I'm destroying as long as I get ahead. And she's blind and I hate her a little more every time I see how ungrateful she is. How she turns away when he tries to help. I hate how she acts. Raymond screams as a ghost pops out. I'm pulled from my thoughts but I dispatch it easily. We've played together hundreds of times. I sometimes wish Ray actually liked me. But we'll continue to pretend.

Yelina is out of the shower... moving around in the kitchen. I find a blue lit camera and save it... letting Ray know he can continue if he wants... he turns it off and goes into the kitchen. I contemplate following... but instead, I look at her pictures. She has taken down the pictures of Horatio... only Raymond, Ray Jr., and herself remain. I am nowhere to be seen... because it's all pretend. It's all a game... but there is no option to reset and start over... I am stuck here... stuck in this not-reality.

They come out with coffee and cookies... fake smiles on their faces that I felt were forced and I smiled back, my eyes hiding my true feelings. A knock on the door caused her to start—but Horatio walked in with no hesitation. Just a knock that said "here I am..."Ray grabbed his things and they left... so did I. But I grabbed Horatio's arm.

"Don't judge people. Assume nothing. That's a lesson worth learning."

~~Fin~~

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