Disclaimer: Don't own the main characters

Summary: C.J.'s high school education is coming to a close and the start of a new chapter is in his sights, but before he turns to the next chapter, someone from his past wants to make one more memory to take through their journey of life. Plus, he gets a few surprises on his graduation day. Find out what's in store for him. Seventh story in the A Different Beginnings Series. A little A/U.

AN: Since this is a continued Series you might be confused so continue at your own risk.

Title: One chapter ends, another begins
Genre: Romance, Family
Rating: T
Spoilers: None
Time-line: 2 years after Leaving Miami
Warnings: Implied/suggestive adult behavior
Main Parings: Ducaine, C.J./Brenda
Minor Parings: None
Other Characters: The Caine kids
Series Order: A Different Beginning, A life changing moment, First day of school, A Change of heart?, A new baby in the family, Leaving Miami, One chapter ends, another begins

One chapter ends, another begins

Chapter 1: An unexpected visitor

After opening the front door to the empty house and walking into the darken living room, 18-year-old C.J. sighed, tonight was his prom and it ended badly. The only good thing about it was being crowned prom king, which that was even a so-so moment for him because it didn't mean everything, unlike to some of the guys he knew.

He looked down at his crown, then shook his head as he walked into the kitchen, turning the light on as he stepped through the room. After he placed the crown on the bar counter, he walked to the fridge and got a bottle of water, and as he was opening it, he walked back into the living room, turning on the light as he walked in.

He was going to head right upstairs to change out of his tux, but when he looked outside, he saw a shadowy figure from the light of the moon standing on the beach a couple of feet away from the back deck, and he didn't know why, but something made him want to check it out. So after setting his water down on the coffee table, he walked over to the sliding door and opened it, then after stepping outside and shutting the door behind him, he walked to the end of the deck before walking down the steps that led to the beach.

As he got closer to the stranger, he cleared his throat and asked. "Is everything ok? Do you need help with anything?"

He stopped dead in his tracks a second later when the stranger turned around and spoke. "Still the courteous one I see."

He gasped upon hearing that beautiful voice. "Brenda!"

She smiled. "Hi C.J."

He just looked at her as thoughts from the last time they talked came through his head.

Flashback

Just about 2 years ago

After coming to the hardest decision of his life, he sits on his bed while grabbing his phone from the nightstand, then after he hit speed dial number one, he puts it up to his ear and waited while he looked at a framed picture that was sitting on his nightstand.

A few rings later, Brenda's voice was heard. "Hello?"

He smiled a little as he heard her voice. "Hi Brenda."

"Hi C.J., how are you?"

He cleared his throat and tried to be convincing. "I'm fine." Then he shook his head and continued before she could reply. "I'm sorry Brenda, but that's a lie, I'm not really fine."

"Oh, I see. To tell you the truth this is pretty rough on me too." He closed his eyes as she continued. "When you came with Kyle and saw me two months ago, it was the happiest I felt since I moved."

Tears started to come to his eyes as he replied with emotion. "Me too, and I thought we could continue like it is, but..."

Brenda cuts him off. "But we can't."

"Brenda I am so sorry. I never wanted to do this, I never wanted it to be like this."

She tried to hold on to her tears as she sniffled. "Believe me I know. Just..." She cleared her throat as she continued. "Just tell me the truth, is there somebody else?"

"No, I'm not doing this because there is somebody else, I would never hurt you like that." He uses his free hand to wipe his cheek as he continued. "I just don't know what else to do."

"I understand."

After a lot of sniffling between the two, he cleared his throat and asked. "You going to be ok?"

"I'm not going to lie, it's going to suck, but I'll find a way to get through this."

"Me too."

It was silent for a few minutes, then she cleared her throat again before speaking. "Listen, I have a paper that I need to get done for school, so I should let you go."

He wasn't sure if that was the whole truth, but he understood. "Ok."

"Bye, C.J."

"Bye, Brenda, I still love you."

It was a long pause before she replied while sniffling. "Me too."

After he heard her side hang up, he removed the phone from his ear, and after setting it on the end table, he picked up the picture, which was of him and her smiling right before his first championship basketball game, and looked at it for a few minutes, running his thumb over her beautiful face. Then he sighed, opened the door to his nightstand and placed it in there before closing it and putting his face in his hands, while his heart was breaking into a thousand pieces.

End of Flashback

He mentally shook his head from that rough day, then she speaks before he could, still shocked that she was standing in front of him. "When I noticed nobody was home I thought I would wait here."

He cleared his throat before replying. "With Christy and Josh being a little older now, they are enjoying a sleepover at their friend's house tonight, Sarah-Elizabeth is staying with Natalia and Dan, and Mom and dad are enjoying the night out of the house."

Christy is now 8, Josh is 6 and Sarah-Elizabeth is 2.

"I see, and I take it with you dressed up and the time of the year, you were at prom?" He sighed with a nod, so she asked. "You act like it didn't go very well."

He shook his head, then replied with a smirk. "I think if the person you take skips out on you and makes out with her ex counts as probably one of the worst prom's ever."

She looks at him with sympathy, even though he couldn't really see it, then replied. "I'm sorry."

He waved it off while responding. "It's ok. I just realized that this whole month with her turned out it was just to get her ex jealous."

She walked up to him, cups his cheek, which they both felt the spark even though they tried to ignore it, then she replied while looking into his eyes. "Still, you don't deserve that, you deserve to have the best."

He couldn't believe that after he had broken up with her, she was standing in front of him saying these nice things when he wouldn't have blamed her if she never wanted to see him again.

He cleared his throat and whispered. "You don't have to say something like that to me after what I..."

She cuts him off as she removed her hand. "You did what you had to do, I don't blame you." She cleared her throat before continuing. "Besides, I didn't come here to talk about that."

"Why did you come? Not that I'm not happy you're here."

She smiled. "I came to see you, I just wanted to be around something familiar."

He smiled in return, and was about to say something when her stomach starts to growl.

She chuckled, embarrassed, as she looked down.

He chuckled a little and asked. "Would you like something to eat?"

She looked at him and replied. "If you don't mind?"

"Come on in, and I'll make your all time favorite sandwich."

As they started walking up to the house, she looked over at him and asked. "You remember my all time favorite sandwich?"

He looked over at her, then spoke in a soft voice. "I remember a lot of things about you."

Instead of replying to that, they just smiled at each other, then continued to walk up to the house as C.J. felt a lot better than when he came home.

(While C.J. was at prom)

After work, Christy and Josh asked Calleigh and Horatio if they could go over to their friend's house for a sleepover, and since they felt their kids were old enough, they said it was ok, then thought that if they could find a babysitter for Sarah-Elizabeth, they could have a few hours to themselves, which Natalia and Dan was happy to help.

So after sending C.J. off to his prom they went to a movie, but once it was over they decided to get a hotel room and extend their night out since they were both off the next morning.

When Horatio opened the door to their hotel room, he stepped to the side to let Calleigh walk in first, which they were only here to drop off their bags and a bathroom break before going back out to eat.

As Horatio walked into the restroom, Calleigh was setting their bags in front of the dresser before walking to the window, then she looked down at her watch to check the time, noticing C.J. still had a few more hours at prom.

Calleigh couldn't, even after all this time and watching her kids age, still believe how time really did fly. One minute she was helping him dress for school and the next he is at his prom and will graduate in 3 weeks, it suddenly seemed all too real that he was growing up.

Before her mind wanted to go back to thinking about his prom, Horatio walked up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders, making her jump a little, he kissed the back of head and said. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

She shook her head as she turned around. "It's ok, I was just thinking."

He smiled as he removed his left hand from her shoulder to cup her cheek. "About C.J.?" She smiled as she looked down, then he chuckled and continued as his thumb went up and down her cheek. "He's going to be fine, sweetheart."

She sighed and nodded. "I know, but..." She shook her head and wrapped her arms around his neck. "You know what, You're right. Besides, we promised each other that tonight is about us, the kids are where they are supposed to be and we are..."

He cuts her off as he leaned toward her. "Going to have a good night."

After pecking her on the lips, she continued. "Yeah, so let's continue our night by going out to eat."

He nodded with a smile. "As you wish, sweetheart."

After one more kiss, they release each other, then he took her hand and they walked out of the hotel room to enjoy their dinner.

AN: Interested in where their night leads? Please review.