A/N 1- And I welcome you back! A long absence it has been! Er...well...maybe not. *grins* Anyway, welcome to the sequel of AFHBE! And for those of you looking at this first chapter, make sure you have read A Fragile Heart Breaks Easier first! Okay? Lets roll! Currently. unbeataed and proud!
Summary: Its been three years since Calleigh was saved. Now known as Calleigh Caine, an old enemy threatens the safety they have created. Horatio worries that this time, Calleigh wont be the target, but their two year old daughter will be. Sequel to AFHBE.
Chapter 1- The Caine's
Calico(n or adj.)- means multicolored, a cotton fabric, or a person who is unique and possesses great impact or influence.
Horatio grabbed his badge and his gun from the dresser, silently leaving the bedroom as to not wake his sleeping wife. He walked across the hall into his daughter's room. He found her with two different colored socks on, her shoes on the wrong feet, and her dress backwards.
"Do you need help, Sweetheart?" Horatio asked, kneeling down to her eye level.
"No. I do it." She protested.
"How about I make you a deal? Lets get redressed, and you can make breakfast for Mommy. How does that sound?"
His daughter just stared at him, before grinning, her green eyes lighting up like she just saw Santa Claus.
"Okay! We make 'roni!"
"You mean macaroni, Calico."
"Yes, Daddy, 'roni!"
Horatio laughed as he helped Calico redress herself. When they were done, Calico sprinted out to the kitchen, while Horatio went back into the bedroom.
"Calleigh," he whispered, sitting on the edge of the bed.
She grumbled, rolling away from him.
"It's time to get up. I'll steal the blanket."
"I'll shoot you," she muttered.
Horatio laughed. "I don't doubt that."
"Where's Calico?"
"In the kitchen."
Calleigh merely grunted to show she understood.
"It is time to get up though."
"Nah."
"Mommy! Yummy food!" Calico called from the kitchen.
"Coming, Honey!" Calleigh sat up in the bed before standing up and walking to the doorway.
"So, you get up for her, but not for me?" Horatio questioned.
Calleigh grinned. "Precisely."
Kissing Horatio on the cheek, she made her way to the kitchen. Peeking her head in, she noted that Calico was sitting down at the table, grinning happily.
"Food fairy! Bring pangycakes!" Calico clapped her hands.
Calleigh smiled and laughed, knowing full well that Horatio had made them ahead of time.
"Did you help?" Calleigh asked, sitting next to Calico.
"No, fairy done."
Calico pouted considerably, and Calleigh pressed a kiss in her ginger hair.
"No worries. Maybe the fairy will let you help next time."
Horatio walked into the kitchen and sat across from Calleigh.
"So, what's the schedule for today?" Calleigh asked.
"Your father called. He wants Calico to come in for the day, give you some time off." Horatio answered.
"He wants to take Calico? Great! That means I can work at the lab today."
"Grandpa?" Calico asked.
Calleigh nodded and smiled at her. "That's right."
Calico clapped her hands together happily.
"Are you sure you don't just want to relax today?" Horatio asked.
Calleigh looked at him skeptically.
"I mean it, Calleigh. Stay here. Ryan is letting Natalia come in so she could work in the lab one last time. We have enough help." Horatio pointed out.
"How is Mrs. Wolfe?" Calleigh asked, grinning.
Calico slipped out of her chair, heading down to her bedroom.
"Very well actually. Ryan says pregnancy suits her." Horatio commented.
"I suppose it does. I'll have to see her later." Calleigh mused.
"Calico?" Horatio asked, getting up from his chair and heading down to her bedroom.
She grinned up at him from her bed, trying to tie her shoelaces.
"Let me help you, Calico," Horatio said sitting beside her.
"No. I do it."
Horatio held his hands up in mock surrender and watched her struggle. Her face was screwed up in concentration, and Horatio could tell she definitely had her mother's nose. It was always cute when she scrunched it up like that.
"Mommy!" Calico called.
Calleigh entered the bedroom, and Calico stuck out her foot. Chuckling to herself, Calleigh tied Calico's laces. Horatio just stared in disbelief.
"I'm sitting right here, Calico. Why didn't you ask me?" Horatio asked.
Calleigh picked up Calico and hugged her.
"Mommy's her favorite," Calleigh answered, winking at Horatio.
Calico extended her arms to Horatio, who stood up, hugging Calleigh and Calico.
"I love you both so much," he whispered.
"Love you too, Handsome."
"Loves Daddy!"
Horatio entered the lab only a few minutes early. Receiving his messages, he headed to his office, leafing through them.
"Hey, H!"
Horatio paused, mid-step, turning around to look at the person who called his name. He was met with a beaming Ryan.
"Yes, Mr. Wolfe?"
"Boy and a girl. Natalia's having twins!" Ryan exclaimed.
"Congratulations to you both. I prefer one at a time. I wish you luck." Horatio said chuckling.
"I think I'll need it. How did you deal with Calleigh when she had her cravings and mood swings?" Ryan asked.
"I kept her gun away from her at all times," Horatio answered quickly.
"Thanks for that information. That'll help a lot. How does it feel, being a father? Seeing as Calico is two...you've had some experience."
"Scares me some of the time. She's really so vulnerable. But it's so exhilarating seeing your own child being born, holding your child for the first time, and then being able to come up with wonderful names. Calico derives from both mine and Calleigh's names mind you."
"Seems like you've taken quite a liking to this parenthood thing. I mean with Kyle being older and grown up, you never really got to participate in the whole thing." Ryan said.
Horatio nodded, grinning faintly.
"And I love every minute of it. Where is Mrs. Wolfe by the way?"
"In the lab, why?"
"Tell her you'll be coming with me. Alexx called me earlier to tell me about a DB down by the ocean."
"You got it, H," Ryan said, jogging back in the direction he had come from.
Entering his office, he sat down on his chair and looked at the photo frame he had placed on his desk. It was him, Calleigh, and Calico. Calico had made a funny face, making Calleigh laugh, and making Horatio smile.
"Horatio?"
"Yes, Frank?"
"Alexx is already down by the ocean, she called you, right?"
"Yes, Ryan is coming with me."
"There's a different case I have to handle, so I'll have Delko come with me then," Frank said.
"Alright. Be careful."
Frank nodded, leaving his office.
"Hey, Dad. Horatio said you would be coming." Calleigh said opening the door and letting her father in.
"Good man, that lieutenant," her father appraised.
"Grandpa!" Calico called.
Duke picked up his running granddaughter.
"You've gotten bigger, Calico. You have your mother's eyes."
"And Daddy's hair!"
"If that aint the truth," Calleigh muttered.
"Where do you want to go eat, Calico?"
"Donald's."
"Donald's?" Duke asked, confused.
"McDonald's, Calico," Calleigh answered.
"Well, lambchop, I'm gonna take her to eat and then to the playground. We'll be back in a few hours."
"I'll be cleaning house until then. Just have her back by at least four."
"You got it. I thought you would be working at the lab though."
"Horatio told me I should relax," Calleigh said shrugging.
Calleigh's father laughed. "Hasn't stopped you before."
Grinning, Calleigh shook her head. "You're right, but I need to keep this house in working order."
Calleigh kissed Calico goodbye and watched as her father drove away. Heading back into the kitchen, her phone rang.
"Caine."
Male or female?
Calleigh laughed. "Very funny, Eric."
It's not the same here at the lab. We have Ms. Stone...er....I mean Mrs. Cooper working the ballistics and-
"Wait a minute. Dan and Candice?"
Thats right.
"When?"
Just a few days ago actually.
"This is what happens when I'm gone. I miss all the fun!"
Come to the lab then. You can help Natalia. It's her last day here anyway. Im heading out to the field with Frank, while Alexx, Ryan, and H go off to the beach for a DB.
"Well, I'm coming in."
Where's Calico?
"My dad has her for the day. Until four at least though. I'll have to be back by then."
Alright. I'll see you at the lab later then?
"You got it."
Calleigh hung up, threw on some clothes, and grabbed her bag. Locking her front door behind her, she got in her car and drove to the lab.
"What have we got Alexx?" Horatio asked.
"Male. Roughly thirty to forty years old. His clothes have been taken." Alexx explained. "Shot to the head is the COD."
"Wait, did you say his clothes have been taken?" Ryan asked
"That's right. This poor man just has boxers to his name." Alexx said, looking at Horatio. "What are you thinking?"
"I'm thinking, that we may just have an escaped convict on our hands."
Horatio pulled out his phone and dialed a number.
Tripp.
"Yes, Frank. Check with our friend the warden will you? We need to know who may have escaped from prison."
You got it, H.
Closing his phone, Horatio turned back to the ME. "Thank you, Alexx. Ryan, I'll send someone back over to help you process the scene."
Horatio climbed in the Hummer and drove back towards the lab. When the elevator dinged, signaling he had reached his floor, he was pleasantly surprised to see Calleigh and Natalia, conversing easily.
"I didn't expect to see you here, Calleigh," Horatio said.
"I had to see Natalia of course, and the new Mrs. Cooper," Calleigh explained.
Horatio turned toward Candice. "That's right. Congratulations."
"Thank you, lieutenant," Candice said, beaming.
"So I take it Calico is with your father?"
"Yes. I have to be home by four, but I also have to clean." Calleigh said.
"You do too much," Natalia commented.
Calleigh laughed. "It's my nature. I'll just head home then. I'll see you later."
Calleigh waved to them all, as she entered the elevator. Horatio walked back into his office and sat down. A few minutes later, the elevator opened revealing a very disheveled looking Frank.
"You're not going to like this, Horatio," Frank murmured, unhappily, entering Horatio's office.
"What do you mean, Frank?"
"He's free."
"He?" Horatio asked.
"David Rolink escaped last night."
A/N 2- And hows that for a first chapter? :] I enjoyed typing that..*grins* You all know the drill. Reviews are love!
*Thanks to my mom and friends who helped me with titles. Even though I didn't use them. Aha. Another thanks to my mom who helped me choose the right summary.
Peace!
HC'sBGirl