"Life Goes On" - Chapter 3
Author’s Notes: This chapter is dedicated to all those battling and preparing to battle finals and getting in the final set of work for all their classes. Good luck!
New DuCaine vid posted on youtube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6SB8wNCP9Q
*~*~*
“Are you sure this is a good idea, Horatio?” Calleigh asked wondering if Madison would really be safe from her mother. She had never dreamed that Emma would be in any danger, or Sheryl for that matter. Horatio had stationed an officer outside of Sheryl’s room at the hospital…just in case. Her parents were with her and had told her that Sheryl was going to be just fine, and was merely worried about Emma. Sheryl’s parents seemed concern about the wellbeing of her little girl as well, and Calleigh had to force herself to remain calm. No where felt safe at the moment…
Horatio held onto Madison’s hand tightly, he didn’t want to lose her…not even if he doubted Suzie was even looking for her now. She was still in her plaid school uniform, and Horatio just hope that this was going to work out okay. Once the door opened, he pressed a smile forward, “Yelina…” He let his gaze fall downwards, as he hands settled on his hips, as he finally released Madison’s hand.
“Horatio,” she said quickly with a smile and then took in who else had accompanied him. “You said it was an emergency.” She was certain that the girl in front of her with Horatio was Madison Keaton. She had grown a lot, but definitely looked like a Caine.
“Can we come in?” Horatio asked gently.
“Ya know, I think I’m gonna wait in the Hummer…” Calleigh said suddenly feeling the awkwardness of the situation. Though they had worked with Yelina Salas for years, Calleigh had always known that Yelina loved Horatio…and Horatio had loved her… It just seemed weird… Plus, she figured she could use alone time to think about Emma.
Yelina grasped Calleigh’s hand before she could leave and pulled her gently inside, “No…come in.” There was something in the other woman’s eyes that she saw that made her see that there was some sort of emergency. Her eyes showed pain, anger, worry, and panic… “It’s been a while since we’ve talked…”
“A lot has changed since the last time we’ve talked…” Horatio said guiding Madison in behind Yelina and Calleigh. “Has Ray Jr. told you anything?”
“Of course not, he’s a teenager…who, by the way, is counting down the day until he’s considered an adult.” Yelina motioned to the couch for Calleigh and headed into the other room, “I’m gonna make some tea…”
Calleigh looked nervously at Horatio, but was quickly comforted by Madison. Madison had sat down next to her and laid her head on her shoulder. She let her arm wrap around the little girl and pressed her face into her scarlet hair.
“I’m sorry…” Madison whispered.
Pulling back, Calleigh looked down into Madison’s sad eyes… “Darlin’…there’s nothing for you to be sorry about… None of this is your fault.”
“But my mom…”
Calleigh kissed her cheek and pulled her close, “Not your fault, Darlin’…” She sniffled and pressed a kiss into her hair.
*~*~*
Horatio had followed Yelina into the kitchen to let her know exactly why they were there. “Yelina…I’m engaged,” he admitted as he kept his glance downward. He wasn’t sure how Yelina would take it, but he hoped that she’d be happy for him. “We have a daughter together…and she’s been kidnapped by Suzie Barnham.”
Yelina turned and stared at her brother-in-law for a few minutes before speaking, “Calleigh?” she guessed a bit surprised. They had all worked together, and she had never seen any indications of Calleigh and Horatio having sparks between them…but then at the time, she had been in love with him…
“Yes,” Horatio said with a smile looking up at her. “Emma’s going to be three in a couple weeks, Yelina… Suzie took her, and injured our nanny pretty badly… I just need you to take care of Madison until we know its safe in our own house again.”
“That’s not a problem, Horatio,” Yelina told him. She poured a cup of tea and handed it to Horatio, “I think Calleigh could really use this…”
“She went through a lot when she was missing Yelina…and I put her through a lot when Suzie first left Madison at the lab a year ago… We’re finally feeling like a family, and with Emma…” Horatio stopped when his voice started to crack, “We can’t lose Emma…”
Yelina understood that the thought of losing a child was a horrible one; she had gone through it before when she had thought that she had lost Ray Jr. in some of his sketchy situations. She pushed a smile forward and put her hand on his shoulder kindly, “Horatio, you’re going to find her… You know you are… We’ve found all kinds of children in the years we worked together… Just keep an eye on Calleigh, she doesn’t look right…”
Horatio nodded, he knew Yelina was right. They would find her, but he was still scared. “I know…it’s scaring me a bit…”
“You need to take care of yourself and your family, Horatio… You’ve told me that before, and you’re right,” Yelina told him. “You don’t only have Calleigh now, but you also have Emma and Madison. Sometimes I wondered how I ever managed being a cop while having Ray Jr. by myself.” She sighed, “There were so many perps that we put away, Horatio…and I couldn’t imagine what I would have done if one of them had gotten out and done something to Ray Jr., you have to think about that. You and Calleigh both.” After a minute of silence she spoke up again, “Come on…” Yelina prompted motioning to the kitchen door that would lead them back to the living room.
*~*~*
Calleigh and Madison hadn’t moved, and had just remained in their embrace. Calleigh needed it, but felt stripped of energy… She squeezed her eyes shut thinking about Emma… Her perfect little miracle…that’s how she thought about her sometimes… Emma had survived through a lot…both in the womb and out… Calleigh knew they were blessed to have her, and have her healthy…but she also knew she wasn’t ready to lose her yet…
Horatio and Yelina had entered the room, and going apparently unnoticed, Horatio had gone over to Calleigh and Madison and had knelt down in front of them. “Calleigh, Sweetheart, why don’t you drink some tea?” he said offering up the cup to her.
Madison looked over at her uncle with tears running down her face. She knew Calleigh had said that it wasn’t her fault, but she still felt bad…and she was worried about her cousin… “You’re going to find Emma, right, Uncle H?”
“That’s right,” Horatio told her reaching out and wiping her tears away with his spare hand. When Calleigh finally looked over at him, he wasn’t surprised to see tears streaming down her cheeks as well… “Madison, why don’t you go with Yelina and she’s going to show you were you’re going to stay?” He waited for his niece to move before he moved into her spot and wrapped an arm around Calleigh before offering the tea again.
“I don’t want it…” she whispered.
Her head was on his shoulder and she sounded tired… He knew that crying never helped that, but he was still concerned. “Please drink it,” he pressed holding it out towards her. “It’ll make you feel better…”
“We should be looking for Emma.”
“Frank and the others are all looking for her now, Calleigh… The minute they have anything they’re going to call us,” he reasoned. “But you need to take care of yourself, too… If you’re sick or too tired, then you’re not going to be able to take care of Emma when we find her.”
Calleigh sat up straight and took the cup, wrapping her hands around it. “Did you tell Yelina?”
“Yes,” he responded. “About it all,” Horatio clarified. “She said it’s not going to be a problem with Madison… Apparently Ray Jr. hasn’t told her anything about anything I’ve e-mailed him about, so she’s not too happy about that…but he’s a boy who’s trying to grow independence I think.”
Sipping the tea, she still leaned against him. “Are we going to be able to keep our wedding date?”
The question seemed random to him, and he looked over to her, “Why wouldn’t we?” He was wondering if she was so tired that she wasn’t making sense or if she was merely worried that they’d have problems and postpone it. He felt her shrug against him, and just watched as she finished the tea. Horatio almost wanted her to stay there and to sleep… He knew, however, that Calleigh would never go for that idea.
*~*~*
Officers surrounded an old boarded up apartment building in a low income part of the county. The car Suzie had been driving had been located outside, and they believed that she was inside with Emma, but they were waiting for orders before entering. Frank waited with Eric and Natalia. He had even called in Alexx, she had been on scene nearby and it wasn’t a rush, and he wanted her there just as a precaution…
“Are they both coming?” Alexx asked Frank. She was worried about her friends, and she knew she wasn’t the only one. She wasn’t sure how Calleigh was handling it. She had been there when Calleigh had been pulled from Miller Lewis’ house, and she knew that her friend had endured so much trauma there, that this…this was simply something that she didn’t need.
Frank nodded, “Yeah… Horatio said that they put Madison with someone where she’d be safe. He didn’t say who…or where…” He sighed, “We’re not even positive that she’s in there…” Frank wanted to at least get a better look, but he knew that they couldn’t risk it, plus he knew that Horatio and Calleigh wanted to be there…
Eric nodded in the direction off to the side of them; he had seen Horatio pull up in the Hummer and knew that they were finally here…which meant that they could actually start moving in. “They’re here…”
Horatio didn’t waste anytime making his way to Frank, and had Calleigh right behind him. “What do we know, Frank?”
“Nothing new…we couldn’t risk it,” he said truthfully. “Everyone’s ready to go in.”
“Do they know that there’s a child involved?” Calleigh asked quickly.
Frank nodded, “Everyone knows… Don’t worry, Calleigh…we’re going to get her out safely.”
“We’re both going in,” Calleigh added. She knew she was, but she also knew that Horatio would want to as well. She had to be there to get Emma. She didn’t want anyone else touching her baby girl for a while.
“Figured.” He motioned for his officers to go around the back and wait for his order. “We’re going in the front?” he asked and got a quick nod from Horatio.
The group made their way to the front of the abandoned building, and Eric slid the wood piece covering where a door once was away, so that they could make their way in as quietly as possible. The sound of crying made him reach out for Calleigh, he wasn’t the closest to her and he knew her well enough to know that she was going to try and dash off to see what her baby girl was crying about. He looked over at her and quietly let her know things were going to be fine with his eyes. Once he felt she was going to be okay, he released her arm.
“Down here,” Frank whispered motioning towards the end of the hall on the bottom floor. That was where the crying was coming from, but it appeared that it was the farthest door… He motioned quickly once they reached it. He knew everyone knew the drill, but he figured it would help since he didn’t think Horatio or Calleigh were really in their right minds. They quickly swooped around and took up formation in the doorway, “Miami Dade PD!” he shouted and scanned the room with his weapon out. Suzie Barnham was in a corner on the filthy floor with Emma Caine in her arms trying to soothe her.
“You’re upsetting my baby,” Suzie said.
Frank moved in, and he watched as the others did the same. He saw drug paraphernalia off to the side and figured that Suzie was on a high, he just hoped she hadn’t introduced any to the child. Slowly, Frank holstered his weapon. “Why don’t you let me hold her for a minute?” he offered figuring that if Emma had been crying then maybe she was sick of it.
“No. She doesn’t like strange people.”
“Suzie…you need to give Emma to Frank now,” Horatio said trying to remain calm and holstering his gun as well and looked over to see that Calleigh had already done the same thing.
“She doesn’t like you, Horatio… I’m a good mother, don’t you see?”
Frank knelt down and tried to ease the child from Suzie’s arms, but she seemed to only tighten her grip. For his troubles, he found himself rewarded with being spit on.
Calleigh stepped forward and stopped a few feet from Horatio, “She’s not your child, Suzie,” she said aloud. “That’s why she’s crying…she knows you’re not her mother…” Calleigh hated to hear Emma crying, and felt the tears threatening to fall. She had listened to Emma cry herself to sleep some nights when she had been locked in the closet… It felt like she was reliving that… “You need to give her back…” Calleigh slowly stepped forward and leaned down and saw that Emma had stopped crying and was reaching out for her, “You’re gonna let her come with me now…”
“No.”
“You can show that you can be a good mother by letting her go, Suzie,” Calleigh tried and was able to finally pull Emma from Suzie’s grip. It didn’t take her long to make her way out of the room with Emma and out of the apartment building. She had Emma held against her, her head on her shoulder. She was rubbing her back and kissing her cheek telling her that everything was okay. Calleigh had finally allowed the tears to start to fall. Her baby girl was safe…
Alexx walked towards Calleigh the minute she saw her coming out. When she got closer to her friend she started to ask, “Is she okay, Honey? Any bruising or cuts?”
“I dunno,” Calleigh mumbled as she made her way through the half circle of police vehicles.
“Calleigh, you need to stop and let us look at her.”
Ignoring Alexx, she headed for the Hummer and opened the bag passenger door and pulled out a diaper bag that she had in there and then closed it. She went to the very back and opened the back tail gate. Sitting Emma down, she opened the bag and pulled out a blanket and laid it across the tail gate before she started to strip Emma down. She pulled a paper evidence bag from the Hummer’s back section and put the clothes in it including her shoes and socks. “It’s alright, Baby,” she cooed and she laid Emma down, so that Alexx could look, too.
“She looks okay…” Alexx said.
Calleigh went about changing her diaper and checking her lower region and then rolled her onto her stomach to check her back. “She does look untouched…” She sniffled and wiped her tears away.
Alexx reached out and rubbed her friend’s back, “She’s going to be okay, Honey…”
Pulling a clean set of clothes from the diaper bag, she started to re-dress Emma. She heard Horatio and Eric heading their way, and she just wanted to get Emma and leave. Pushing the blanket into the diaper bag, she slung it over her shoulder before picking up Emma and holding her tightly to her chest again.
“How is she?” Horatio asked as he got closer. He noticed that Calleigh had changed her clothes and that Emma looked quite a deal cleaner.
“She’s fine…” Calleigh mumbled. “Eric, I put Emma’s clothes in that bag…”
“Okay,” Eric said quietly before stepping forward and retrieving the bag. “I’m glad she’s okay, Cal,” he said before he turned and headed towards the Hummer he and Natalia had arrived in.
“Well, I better get back… You call me if you guys need anything,” Alexx told them.
“Thanks, Alexx,” Horatio replied sincerely. He watched as Alexx left before turning back to Calleigh, “Sweetheart…you’re sure she’s okay?”
Calleigh nodded and reached out and closed up the back of the Hummer with one hand. “I didn’t bring her car seat…” she realized aloud quietly.
“I think we’ll be okay,” Horatio told her.
“Dada!” Emma shouted and squirmed in her mother’s arms trying to get to him.
She wasn’t ready to let her daughter go yet, and walked forward and opened the back driver’s side door and set Emma in before getting in herself. “C’mon Emma…you get to ride with me for this trip…”
Horatio closed the door and then let out a sigh. He wanted to hold Emma, too…just to feel her in his arms… Getting into the driver’s seat, he looked back at Calleigh and Emma through the rear view mirror before starting up the Hummer.
*~*~*
Horatio led the way to Yelina’s house from the car. Madison hadn’t even been there long, but he knew as soon as they got life back to the way it was, that it would be best for everyone. He was still rather upset with the fact that he hadn’t been able to hold his daughter yet…but he knew he’d be able to in time… Calleigh just needed time, and he was willing to give it to her. He knocked once he got to the door and waited.
“Back so soon, Horatio?” Yelina asked once the door was opened.
He smiled and looked back at Calleigh, who was only halfway to the door with Emma. “We found Suzie…luckily she was still in the same vicinity as the vehicle she had been using.”
“Come in,” Yelina urged and moved out of the way for him. “Why don’t you go and discuss with Ray Jr. what’s appropriate to share with his mother?” Yelina suggested thinking about the e-mails and how she was the last one to know about Horatio and Calleigh and their daughter… It was a lot to take in, but she knew that a child was something that Horatio had very much wanted, and he was wonderful with children…and he loved Calleigh… She had taken a lot of time since they left, but she realized it. Especially remembering how upset Horatio had been when Calleigh had disappeared. She watched as Horatio disappeared down the hall towards the bedrooms. Waiting by the door, she wanted to make Calleigh more comfortable… The woman had looked absolutely odd earlier, but now all Yelina could see in her face were exhaustion, relief, and love.
“You didn’t have to stand there and wait for us,” Calleigh told Yelina with a small smile.
Yelina closed the door once Calleigh was safely inside, “No, I suppose not, but I wanted to. I wanted to congratulate you,” she told Calleigh and hugged the woman with the toddler between them, “I know you will both take care of each other.” She pulled back and smiled and turned her attention back to the toddler, “And is this my niece, then? Emma?”
Nodding slowly, Calleigh turned Emma around in her arms, so that Yelina could see her more. “Emma Grace,” Calleigh said with a tired smile.
“Hi!” Emma greeted and then looked back at her mother, “Where Dada?”
“He’ll be right back, Darlin’. Say hi to your Aunt Yelina,” Calleigh instructed.
“She’s beautiful, Calleigh,” Yelina beamed looking the child over. She could see Horatio in the small girl, and knew that she must have brought him all kinds of joy already. “She has Horatio’s eyes.”
Calleigh smiled and sat down on the couch, “I think that’s the first thing I realized…” She didn’t add realize when she found out that Emma was Horatio’s… She hadn’t analyzed Emma that way when she had been held by Miller Lewis…she had just taken Emma as her baby, and that was it.
Yelina sat down next to them, “Do you mind if I hold her for a second?”
“Sure, why not…” Calleigh said reluctantly, but knew it wouldn’t be often that Yelina would see Emma. They just all didn’t work together anymore and it made socializing a bit more difficult. She handed Emma to her and watched her daughter.
“Hi! Hi!” Emma said and giggled.
“Hi there,” Yelina replied with a bright smile, “Oh and look how big you already are…” she said standing Emma up on her thighs. She was practically already grown.
Horatio saw his daughter and frowned a bit, his sister-in-law was holding his daughter before he was… But Ray Jr.’s bumping into him brought him from his thoughts. “Hey, watch where you’re going.”
“Sorry, Uncle Horatio,” Ray Jr. apologized. He stopped and sat on the armrest of the couch and looked at his tiny cousin, “She’s not that big.”
Calleigh laughed, “She’s not even three yet, don’t worry she’ll grow…”
“Calleigh!” Madison exclaimed and wrapped her arms around her, she had been right behind Ray Jr., she just had been nice enough not to bump her uncle as they came into the living room area of the house.
“Hey Darlin’,” Calleigh greeted and kissed Madison’s cheek.
Horatio stood back quietly for a few minutes letting Yelina and Ray Jr. visit with Emma before speaking up, “I think it’s time I get these girls home and put in bed.”
“Madison’s had dinner already,” Yelina told them and was ready to hand Emma back to Calleigh, when Horatio scooped her out of her arms.
He couldn’t stand not being able to hold her for himself anymore and found that Emma had missed him, too. She had her arms snuggly wrapped around his neck and her face snuggled into the crook of his neck. Horatio rubbed her back and joined Calleigh and Madison at the door. “Look for a wedding invitation in the mail,” he told Yelina.
“Have you picked the date, yet?”
“December 31st,” Calleigh filled in.
“New Year’s Eve…I’ll mark it on the calendar,” Yelina responded and followed them in order to get them door once they were out. “Drive safely.”
Horatio carried Emma just to the car, before handing her back to Calleigh, and when she started to cry he felt awful. It was Calleigh’s turn, though, to have Emma back. “It’s alright, Sweetheart, no one’s going to ever take you away from Mommy or Daddy again.” He made sure that Calleigh got into the Hummer okay with Emma before walking around to the other side to get Madison in and then get in himself.
*~*~*
Calleigh hadn’t wanted Emma to sleep in the nursery, and Horatio had worried more about her, but had allowed it. He had just told Madison that she might as well sleep in the room with them, too. It would be nice to be able to have the whole family within reach. Madison and Emma were already fast asleep in bed, but with Calleigh in the shower Horatio didn’t want to sleep just yet. His worries about her had intensified when he had heard her crying when he had passed the bathroom door. He didn’t go in, he felt helpless because of it, but he didn’t want to disrespect Calleigh’s wishes. She wasn’t ready to involve him yet so intimately, but Horatio wanted to hug Calleigh and tell her that he was going to protect his family… He wasn’t sure how exactly he could protect them without him being there, but he was considering having a security system installed in their house.
Horatio sat in the nursery and sat in Calleigh’s rocker and just stared at the crib. The possible loss of his child had been very real that day… He had been surprised that they had been able to get Emma away from Suzie so easily… He listened as the water stopped, and Calleigh’s sobs had quieted. He listened to her footsteps against the tile and waited. He needed to give her time to towel off and to change into her pajamas, and didn’t want to jump her the minute she stepped out the door. He heard the door creak open and leaned back in the rocker, “Calleigh,” he said in a normal tone, not wanting to wake the girls.
Calleigh peeked into the nursery and saw that Horatio was sitting there in the dark. “What’re you doing in there?” she asked quietly as she took a step forward and leaned against the door frame.
“Waiting for you,” he said.
She made her way further into the nursery, “Horatio…” she whispered and held out her hand to him and smiled when he grasped it. “I’m sorry I was being clingy with Emma earlier,” she told him and felt herself being pulled to his lap. She made herself comfortable though and rested her head on his shoulder with her arms around his neck. “I just…I…we could have lost her, Horatio…”
“I know,” he whispered. “I just…I needed to hold her, too,” Horatio admitted. “Our family’s the most important thing in my life, Calleigh… And I’ll do anything to keep this family safe…even if that means giving up the crime lab.”
Shaking her head, Calleigh kissed his cheek, “Don’t give up the lab… Miami needs you.”
“You and Emma and Madison need me… Sheryl even needs me,” Horatio pressed. He wrapped his arms protectively around her and kissed the top of her head. “We could get a home security system…” he suggested aloud.
“But that doesn’t mean it would keep us safe,” Calleigh told him.
“What do you want to do?”
“I dunno…”
“I want you to be happy…”
Calleigh snuggled, “I’d be more comfortable and happy in our bed…” she whispered. “Tomorrow, can we both have the day off?”
“I think I can arrange that,” he whispered as his lips met hers.
*~*~*
TBC…