Disclaimer: I don't own the main characters

Summary: Horatio gets a surprise earlier and a different way than what actually happened on the show. While Calleigh's life changes with one phone call and end up in Miami in a different way. Will Ducaine still fall in love? Original CSI Characters appear later. A little A/U.

AN: Wow, it has been awhile, hasn't it? Sorry about that Ducaine Fans, but I'm back for a bit, a little longer if things go good here. This story could spark sequels, so keep that in mind. I hope overall you'll enjoy the story, and the wait was worth it.

Title: One moment changed everything
Genre: Romance, Hurt/Comfort, Drama, Friendship, Tragedy
Rating: T
Spoilers: Possible Mentions (Including Original CSI)
Time-line: Starts Pre-Series
Warnings: Minor Character deaths, Implied/suggestive adult behavior, possibly a few questionable words, mentions of violence
Main Parings: Eventually Ducaine
Minor Parings: Horatio/Julia (Past, Mention Only), Calleigh/OC, OC/OC, eventually Cath/Warrick, GSR (Short appearance)
Other Characters: Jesse Cardoza (Temporary), Tim Speedle (Implied Only), OC's, Alexx Woods, and Eric. Natalia, Ryan & Original CSI characters in Later chapters


Chapter 1: When things shifted

September 19, 1997

24 year old Valarie Owings, who has shoulder length brown hair, brown eyes, medium sized build, stood around 5'7, was woken up by the sound of her alarm clock, so she stretched and yawned, then turned it off before turning her body around, and moving closer to her husband of almost five years, wrapped her arm around his waist and kissed his temple before whispering. "Babe, time to get up."

She kissed his temple a few more times before she hears her husband, 24 year old Steven Owings, sigh with his eyes closed as he placed his hand on top of his wife's. "Do I have to?"

She chuckled before whispering. "I know how you feel, but unfortunately we have responsibilities, which in about 5 seconds from now, two will be calling our names."

Right as they counted down to one, right on time, they hear their two five year old twins, Nicole and Nick, outside of their room. "Mommy, daddy, breakfast, please."

They chuckled before Valarie spoke. "Ok, sweeties we'll be out in a few minutes."

The kids shouted ok before they walked away from the door, arguing on who got the red cup this morning, making their parents do a little sigh as Steven, who had short black hair, green eyes, stood at 5'9 with an athletic build, turned around in his wife's arms, and as their eyes met, he smiled up at her. "I love you, and even though the family we wanted together started out sooner than we had planned, I wouldn't trade these last fives years for anything."

After meeting in their sophomore year at High School in New Orleans, they've been together ever since, both getting accepted at the University of Miami, her for academics, and him for athletics with a very big promising chance of going pro in football. But when they found out she was pregnant, he dropped out and got a full-time job while she continued with her studies until she graduated with a degree in chemistry last year before finally getting her dream job at the Miami-Dade CSI lab three months ago.

Now he was in his second year, studying/training to be a teacher/coach, and as a couple they'll be celebrating their fifth year of marriage tomorrow.

Valarie had tears in her eyes as she shook her head. "Me neither, and if I never said it before, thank you for everything you had to sacrifi..."

He cuts her off while shaking his head. "It wasn't a sacrifice, it was just a dream change, but as long as you were still the main point in it, it was worth it."

She leaned down and kissed him, and after a few deep times, she pulls back and whispers. "Save it for later, we really don't have time."

He nodded, and after one more peck on the lips, and as they moved to get out of bed, he asks. "You called Calleigh, right? To make sure she is coming?"

24 year old Calleigh Duquesne, who works at the CSI lab in New Orleans, was their best friend from High school and aunt/godmother to their kids.

Valarie smiled with a nod as they wrapped their robes over their sleeping clothes. "Of course, she wouldn't miss our celebration for anything."

He chuckled and nodded in agreement. "I guess you're right."

She chuckled in return as she slipped her fingers through his while they walked down the hall so they could head to the kitchen and start breakfast.


1 Hour later

After having breakfast, and once she was ready for work, Valarie kissed her family goodbye and headed off to the crime lab.

When she arrived in the parking lot and parked in her normal spot, she got out and started walking towards the entrance, which she was following a tall, dark, short haired, handsome, mid-30's man in a suit and tie, carrying a briefcase with a little boy, who could have been the same age as her kids, with short blond hair, walking next to him.

Once they got to the door, the brown eyed man, opened the door for her, and she politely said thanks with a smile as she walked in the building, only taking a few steps in when he had cleared his throat and asked. "Excuse me Ms., but do you work here?"

"Yes, how can I help you?"

"Do you know where I can find Horatio Caine?"

Noticing the receptionist wasn't at her desk at the moment, Valarie decided to take him to her boss herself, so she nodded. "Yes, right this way." The man nodded as he started following Valarie to her boss's office.

37 year old Horatio Caine was standing at his office window looking outside with his hands on his hips when he heard a knock at his door, so he turns his head towards it and said softly. "Yes, come in." The door opened a second later and he shares a polite smile with Valarie. "How can I help you Mrs. Owings?"

"There is a man with a little boy who needs to talk to you, sir."

With a now curious look on his face, he nodded. "Alright, thank you, Mrs. Owings."

She nodded with a smile before looking towards the other man and walking away to head to her shared office.

A few seconds after Valarie had left doorway, the other man came through the door with a little boy with blond hair and blue eyes.

Horatio eyed the boy for a second before looking at the man who came into the room. "How can I help you Mr..."

He trails off as the other man held out his hand. "Hill, I'm a lawyer and I need to talk to you about something."

Horatio nodded, and after closing the door and gently telling the little boy that he could sit down on the couch, which he did with just a head nod, Horatio walked back to the lawyer so they could talk quietly, and by the end of the conversation, Horatio Caine's life just changed in a way he never expected.


While waiting in the break room for shift to start, which five minutes had gone past time, the blond haired receptionist came into the room, carrying a dozen red roses with a smile. "Valarie, a delivery for you."

Valarie stood up from her seat, and took the flowers from the other woman with a smile. "Thank you, Debra."

The other woman nodded with the smile still on her face. "Well, aren't you lucky to have a man who loves you so much." Before walking out of the room, and as Valarie was reading the card that came with it, one of her co-workers, 29 year old Jesse Cardoza walked in the room with a smirk. "Let me guess, from the husband?"

Valarie smiled wide as she looked up from her card. "As a matter of fact, yes." When she saw him shake his head and smirk again, she continued with a smirk of her own. "Smirk and shake your head all you want, one day this could be you too, you could be all grown-up just like my husband."

Jesse didn't have many relationships that lasted long, and maybe Valarie had a point, but he just hadn't found the one yet.

While the other CSI's were chuckling at her comment, and before he could respond, Horatio walked into the room with the little boy at his side, and he spoke after clearing his throat. "Can I have everybody's attention?"

Normally Horatio would have kept his personal life private, but knowing this lab like he did, it wouldn't take very long for the rumors to start circulating about the little boy, so he just decided to tell them now.

When the group was quieted down a few seconds later, he continued. "This is Kyle Harmon, my son."

Once the shock wore off, the group introduced themselves to the little boy, which all he did was nod and shake hands, then after Jesse congratulated Horatio, Horatio looked over at Valarie. "Mrs. Owings, can I speak to you for a few minutes?"

Valarie nodded with a smile as they stepped away from the group, then with his hands on his hips and his head titled a little, he started to speak in a soft tone. "I know it is your desire to start training for the field, and I had said you could start today, but..."

Valarie cuts him off with a nod. "You want me to stay in the lab and look after Kyle."

He wouldn't have asked, but he had to go to court today, and it was too short of notice to get other arrangements.

"I know it isn't your responsibility, but..."

Valarie cuts him off again. "I understand Mr. Caine. I know what it's like to be blindsided by unexpected events."

After a nod, he noticed the flowers in her arms. "You have an anniversary coming up, don't you?"

Valarie nodded with a smile. "Yes, Sir, tomorrow."

He smiled a little. "Then how about as a thank you, I'll let you off early today and take tomorrow off."

"Wow, I appreciate that, but you don't have..."

He cuts her off this time. "Please, I insist."

Valarie just nodded with a bigger smile. "Ok, thank you."

Horatio nodded back, and after a quick word with Kyle, Valarie walked with the boy out of the break room while Horatio gave the assignments to his other CSI's.


Two hours before shift was over, Horatio got his son, and Kyle said 'thank you', which were the first words he said since he arrived here. Then about an hour before shift was done, Valarie was free to leave, so once she cleaned up her lab and desk, she made sure she had her purse, flowers and jacket and walked out the building.

Once she got to her vehicle, she unlocked it and slipped in the driver's seat before placing her flowers on the passenger seat and pulling her phone out of her purse and hitting speed dial number 2 and waited.

A few seconds later she hears the southern voicemail greeting from her best friend. "Hey, I can't come to the phone right now, but I'll get back to you as soon as possible."

Valarie smiled as she left her message. "Hi Cal, I know you're probably busy, I just wanted to say hi and tell you how excited I am to see you tomorrow. It's been forever, right? Anyways, call me back when you can. Bye."

After she finished that phone call, she hit speed dial number 1 and placed her phone back up to her ear, and a second later she hears her husband's voice. "Hi honey, what's going on? Are you ok?"

She smiled. "I'm fine, so what are you up to?"

"I'm getting ready to get me something to eat before my next class, I had to skip lunch today."

"Oh, so how would you like some company?"

He smiled on his end of the phone. "Why, you free?"

"Yep, my boss let me leave early."

"Alright, I can meet..."

She cuts him off. "It's ok, I can pick you up."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, besides you can see the kids before we drop you back off at school this way."

"Sounds like a plan."

"Ok, I'll be there in a few, and Babe?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you for the flowers, they were a big hit in the lab."

He chuckled before replying with sincerity. "I'm glad, just showing you how much I love you."

She looked over at the flowers and whispered. "I know. I love you too, so much."

After saying bye, they hung up before she started her vehicle and started to drive towards the college so she could pick up her husband.


While Valarie had gotten off early, Jesse was still working a case, and he had followed a lead that he was hoping would close it, so that's why him and a cop was at a potential suspect's rented house. Then when he knocked on the door and told him who he was, he and the cop heard a commutation in the house, so he had opened the door fast before him and the cop rushed inside, and they were heading towards the bedrooms when they heard a car starting, so they rushed back outside and got into their own vehicles before a car chase started, and at one point they ended up on the main street, bobbing and weaving through the traffic, passing one intersection, which surprisingly no one crashed into anybody.

But the second one they weren't so lucky, the suspect's vehicle rammed right into one of the vehicles going through the intersection after their light turned green, which caused a chain reaction for multiple crashes, there had been no time to react, everything just happened so fast, and Jesse, who had been a few cars behind the suspect's, cursed when he saw the damage, then stopped his vehicle and got out, telling his cop buddy to check on the suspect while he ran to the vehicle that got hit the hardest.

When he was close enough to see the driver, who wasn't moving and had a passenger in the other seat, looking just as bad, his heart raced, tears welled up in his eyes, and he shouted. "Dammit!" Before pulling out his phone and dialing a number then putting the phone up to his ear, and after he heard his boss's signature greeting.

"Caine."

Jesse cleared, trying to speak through the emotion he was feeling. "Horatio, we have problem, something bad just happened."


New Orleans Crime Lab

45 minutes later

"Hi Cal, I know you're probably busy, I just wanted to say hi and tell you how excited I am to see you tomorrow. It's been forever, right? Anyways, call me back when you can. Bye."

Calleigh smiled at the sound of her best friend's voice from her voicemail as she stopped in front of her office door, and after pulling her phone from her ear, she opened it and stepped in the room, then as she started closing the door, her office chair turned around and she saw her cop friend who she had been seeing casually the last six months, both agreeing that they didn't want to get too serious at first.

But now, while Calleigh wasn't madly in love with him, she did care enough to see if things could take a more serious turn for them, and she had told him that last night, which like she sort of suspected, he responded that he needed more time to think about it, so she was a little shocked to see him sitting at her desk.

"Billy, what are you doing here?"

Billy Fuller, who had short blond hair, hazel eyes, stood at 5'8 with an athletic build, smiled his charming smile before speaking as he stood up. "I thought about what you said last night, and you're right on taking this relationship to a more committed turn." She was about to open her mouth but he continued before she could, stopping in front of her with the smile still on his face. "I know you said you wanted me to take as much time as I needed. But really, who am I kidding? Letting you go would more than likely be the stupidest mistake of my life, so if a commitment is what you want, then why don't we do it the right way, all the way, so Calleigh Duquesne." Once again she was going to speak, but he cuts her off with his words as he kneeled down on one knee and presented her with a single diamond ring. "Will you marry me?"

Now Calleigh became shocked, yeah she wanted a more committed relationship, but marriage honestly hadn't even crossed her mind, at least at this point in her life. But before she could voice all that she was feeling, she was cut off again, this time from her phone, not knowing once she answered it, her life will be shifted in a way she never expected.


AN: Interested in more? Thanks for reading and Please Review.