Shadow of the day

Shadow of the day
I close both locks below the window
I close both blinds and turn away

Ray spotted Madison a few meters away drinking a can of Coke. He walked over to her "Hey Madison"
"Hi" She said shyly. The two still hadn't had a chance to get to know the other, so were still cautious with each other. "Enjoying the music?" Ray asked motioning to the stage where the Dj, Sammy Daniels, was mixing it up. "Not really my style, but it's not to bad"
"What's your favourite band?" Ray asked feeling a little weird for asking his sister that question.
"Linkin Park," She replied
"For real?" Ray asked, surprised
Madison laughed "Yeah. So what's yours?"
Ray shrugged "Don't have one"
Madison nodded "Too many or not interested"
"Not interested" Ray said shrugging
Madison nodded "Pegged you as that type," She sighed and sipped her coke again
"Where'd you get them?" Ray asked
"Home" Maddy replied "safer to drink a can of drink, than anything else 'specially something like the punch over there…. I really don't need to get busted for being stoned"
"You think someone would spike the punch"
"I got taught always to be cautious" Madison replied "Or learned it anyhow"
Ray laughed "Yeah I learned that one the hard way"
Madison looked up suddenly, sniffing the air "Ray can you smell that?"
Ray sniffed too "Smells like something's burning"
Madison started to follow the smell, and after a moment Ray followed her. The smell led them to the foyer, near the cloakroom. Madison's hand touched the wooden door. "Ray something's burning in there" She said. The colour fell from Ray's face.
"What do we do?"
"Get the teachers" Madison ordered. "Oh god"
"What?"
"Someone is in there… Quick Ray"
Ray ran to the nearest teacher in the hall. When they got to the foyer door, it was hot "The fires spread… We need to get everyone out" The teacher said running in the direction of the stage.

Sometimes solutions aren't so simple
Sometimes goodbyes the only way
Oh

The pair was reunited half an hour later, after getting others out of the building. Madison was sitting watching the building burn. Ray slumped down next to her "You alright?"
She nodded "You?"
"Fine"
"She's dead"
"Who?"
"Cloakroom girl… I opened the door, and spread the fire, for nothing"
"Not for nothing Maddy… You thought she was alive, you tried to save her even thought the whole room was burning. That's really brave of you"
Maddy looked up at her brother "What if someone else died? It woulda been my fault Ray!"
"No one did Madison, were all ok" Ray looked across to the car park, and saw their uncle talking to the principal "Here comes Horatio"
Madison looked over and punched Ray's arm lightly "Be nice"
The two walked over to where Horatio was. "Your late uncle Horatio, everyone's out of the building already" Ray said grinning. "You guys ok" Horatio asked, ignoring Ray's comment. The pair nodded. "I gotta go find my date. Maddy I'll catch you later" Ray said
Madison nodded, and watched Ray leave. "You ok?" Horatio repeated, touching his niece's shoulder. She nodded again, "I'm ok"
"Ok… How are you getting home?"
"Walk I guess," Madison replied, "Momma doesn't exactly know I'm here"
"Where does she think you are?"
Madison shrugged.
"Ok, I want you to stay here, so I can take you home, ok Maddy?"
"You don't have to"
"Yes I do" Horatio replied, "Stay"
Madison gave him a look and sighed, "You're annoying you know that?"
Horatio smiled "Thank you"
As soon as he had left, Madison crept away.

And the sun will set for you
The sun will set for you

He found her later, sitting in front of her apartment building. "You said you'd stay" Horatio said, sitting next to her
"Yeah I know"
"Why you sitting out here?"
"Cause" She looked down at her feet. He knew something was up, but she wasn't going to tell him "How about I walk you up?" He asked softly. Madison looked up at him, and shook her head "I'm not going in there tonight"
"Madison what are you hiding?"
"Nothing"
"Maddy"
"Just leave it ok! I don't need any help especially not from you" Madison stormed into the building. He waited for a moment then followed. The little girl was sitting on the floor crying her heart out. It broke his heart to see her like this, to see her in so much pain. He walked over to her and sat down. His arms went around her and he pulled her close to his heart. "Shush baby girl, it's gunna be alright" Horatio whispered to her over and over "It's alright I got you now" After a few moments he managed to calm the girl down. "Maddy I want you to go wait for me in my car ok" He said quietly
"What are you going to do?" Madison asked
"Talk to your mother that's all"
"I don't know if that's a good idea" She said looking up at him. Madison felt safe in his arms, and loved, something that she wasn't used to. "Please uncle Horatio can't we just go back to yours, or to the lab?"
"Maddy I need to know"
She nodded "Ok… but I'm coming up too. I need some stuff from my room for school tomorrow… if they bother to open"
They walked upstairs slowly. Madison was still feeling the effects of the fire, and her breath was a lot shorter than usual. He looked at her worried, and she smiled "You coulda warned me that running into a burning room was a bad idea"
"Why'd you do that?"
"Someone was screaming… she died anyway though, so it was a stupid idea"
"That was very brave of you anyway"
Madison gave him the look. "Don't repeat what Ray says please"
When they reached Madison's apartment, the stench of burnt meth was overwhelming.
"You know what Maddy, We're not going to be able to talk sense to your mother while she's like this, so how about we just get out of here?"
"Now you decide this" Madison muttered turning back to the stairs.

And the Shadow of the day
Will embrace the world in gray
And the sun will set for you

Horatio decided to take Madison back to the lab, due to the workload that the fire had caused. He wasn't going to be going home for at least 24 hours, and he didn't like the idea of Madison being alone. Perhaps it was just him being overly cautious, but it was better than being sorry later. After settling her into his office with a blanket borrowed from Calliegh, Horatio checked in with the rest of the team. Eric was running a liquid that was thought to be the accelerant, and he didn't have any hits as of yet. He did however have a complaint about being called in when he was at a party full of VERY beautiful women. Horatio laughed "I'm sure you wouldn't of had as much fun as your having right now would you Eric"
"Yeah right" Eric said sarcastically
Horatio laughed and went to his next stop, Ryan. He was processing fibres found on the girl from the cloakroom. After talking to Ryan, He went onto Alexx, who had paged him "Hey Alexx Have we got an Id on as of yet?"
"Might have… according to the list, only one girl is missing. Kelly Mitchell"
"She was nice" a voice said from upstairs. Horatio looked up and saw Madison sitting on the bench "Maddy"
"I couldn't sleep" Madison said aggressively "Then I went looking for a bathroom and got lost. Somehow I ended up in here"
"likely story" Horatio muttered to Alexx who laughed. "Ok Maddy, come down here"
"Ok" She disappeared out of the room then reappeared into the morgue a moment later. She ducked under Horatio's arm and he hugged her. "You're not freaked out are you?" He asked softly
"Once when I was with daddy, I had to sleep with this guy who'd been dead for a few weeks. He was melting"
Horatio and Alexx exchanged a look "It's called decomposing sweetheart" Horatio told her
"It still smelt bad so this isn't anything" Madison said shrugging. Eric came in at that point calling "H"
"Eric you got something"
"Yeah" He said.
Madison stared at the girl who she had tried to save. "I'm sorry," she whispered under her breath.
"Would you mind taking Madison back to my office before you go Eric?"
"No problem" Eric said, "Come on kiddo"
"And Madison" Horatio said seriously
"Yeah?"
"Stay put" Horatio said it very seriously
"Yes sir" Madison muttered following Eric out of the room. "That girl is hiding something," Alexx said as the doors
"What do you think it is Alexx?" Horatio asked
"Honey that's your job not mine" Alexx laughed.

Maddy met Ray out the front of the lab late the next day. "You been here all day?" Ray asked as they walked away from the headquarters of Miami Dade police. "Yeah… I had to stay in uncle Horatio's office all day"
"Never had to do that, I stayed at my grandmother's," Ray told Madison who nodded. They'd stopped and were now facing each other. "I don't know about this Ray"
"If your mom is using again then it's not safe for you to be there, you know that"
"But I don't wanna screw everything up… I mean when Yelina first found out about me she didn't speak to uncle Horatio for ages"
"That was because she thought you were his" Ray said shrugging "Maddy it's alright things will work out"
"But Ray"
"Trust me sis. This will work out"
Maddy nodded, and Ray put his hands around her. Together they walked back inside.

In cards and flowers on your window
Your friends all plea for you to stay

"I've lied to you the same way that I always do. This is the last smile that I'll fake for the sake of being with you" Madison sung under her breath. Horatio had given her a bag of her things a few hours earlier, and though she didn't ask, she knew he now knew for sure that Suzie was using again. She wasn't upset by this thought, but was uneasy about leaving her mother alone while on the meth. "Everything falls apart even the people who never frown eventually break down." She was writing a list of reasons why she should stay with Horatio and why she should go back to her mother. At the moment, staying had at least 5 more points than the list to go. "Hey" Eric said coming to the door. Madison pulled one of the earphones from her walkman out of her ear "Hi, what are you doing?"
"Checking up on you"
"I'm alright" Madison said, giving Eric a small smile.
"Good to hear" Eric began to leave, then turned back to her "You sure?"
"Yeah"
"Ok" Eric left and Madison put the earphone back in her ear "damn missed the rest of pushes me away" She muttered, pressing the play button so the cd would start again.

Sometimes beginnings aren't so simple
Sometimes goodbyes the only way

Horatio knew Madison was thinking about going home. She was scared for her mother's welfare, and he couldn't exactly blame her for that. He knew if she did choose to leave, then he'd miss her, but he wouldn't try and influence her decision, but would help if he could. "Hey Maddy"
"Hi Uncle Horatio" Madison said with a small smile. He sat down next to her on the sofa in his office. "This your list?"
"Yeah…Uncle Horatio, I wanna stay, but I'm worried about momma"
"I know Maddy, but you have to do what's right for you"
"Yeah…" She looked at her feet, then back at him "Can I stay with you?"
"Of course you can little girl, for as long as you need"

"Hey Momma" Madison said, as Suzie answered the door.
"Maddy where have you been baby girl?" Suzie asked
"Around" She walked in, and saw Daniel was here. Her expression changed into a snarl "What's he doing here?"
"Maddy!" Suzie exclaimed "Don't be rude"
"Your mother's asked me to move in" Daniel said, a sadistic smile on his face. "Isn't it great?"
"Yeah, especially since I'm moving out" Madison said, going into her room, and pulling out her bag. She opened a draw, and carefully began packing things, as Suzie came into the room "Your not old enough to live on your own"
"Who said anything about being on my own? I'm going to stay with Uncle Horatio"
"Who?" David asked, leaning against the door
"Madison's uncle Horatio… Tinman's brother"
"That dumb-ass Narco who Bob killed? He's Madison's father?"
Madison ignored their conversation. She packed all her things up into 3 medium sized bags, and walked out the door as quickly as possible

And the sun will set for you
The sun will set for you

"I got the rest of my stuff" Madison said to Horatio when she got back downstairs, and into his car "You ok?" Horatio asked
"Yeah" Madison gave him a small smile. They both knew she wasn't ok, but neither would talk about it, not tonight anyway. "Lets go home then" Horatio said quietly.
"Home…" she whispered "Home sounds good right now"
"Uncle Horatio?" Madison said looking across at him. He looked at her briefly and she smiled for real "Thank you"
"Your welcome Madison"
"Is it ok if I call Ray when we get back to your house?
Horatio nodded, and they both fell into their own thoughts.

And the Shadow of the day
Will embrace the world in gray
And the sun will set for you

"So your staying with uncle Horatio?" Ray asked Madison on the phone
"For the moment" Madison replied, sitting on the couch in the lounge room. She picked up a photo on the coffee table. It was of Horatio's wedding to Marisol, and it made Madison smile. "Are you sure about leaving your mother?" Ray asked, causing Madison to sigh. "You know, Momma's the one thing I'm not sure of…. I'll be worried about her, but this is the right thing for me. Going back is not an option"
"I get it Maddy" Ray said quietly "So listen" He said bighting up slightly "Why don't you and me go skating tomorrow?"
"Hang on" Madison put her hand over the speaker, and called out to Horatio. After a moment she said to Ray "Yeah sure… meet you in front of the lab at 12?"
"Sounds good"
"I gotta go… I'll see you later"
"Bye" Madison hung up and looked at the photo. She touched her aunt's face, and then joined her uncle in the kitchen.

And the Shadow of the day
Will embrace the world in gray
And the sun will set for you

She sat on the beach, her skates on the ground next to her. One of her hands rolled the wheels of the skates, the other she was leaning on. She brushed a tear away from her face. Pulling the backpack off her back, she opened it and after a moment of looking in it, she found a small photo album. The first page was a photo of her, her mother, and of Bob. "You proud of me? She asked the photo
"Very" A voice said from behind her. She looked around and smiled when she saw Horatio "I already knew you were, but it's nice to hear it" She laughed. "I was talking to the photo"
"Well, Madison, I think all your parents would be proud of you. You've done really well sweetheart"
"Thanks Uncle Horatio" Madison said.
"Your welcome Miss Madison" Horatio smiled down at the little girl "Are you sure you are ok"
"Yeah" she said quietly "I'm good"
"Nice to know… how about you and me go back to my place?"
"Can we eat first? No offence uncle Horatio, but your cooking skills need a lot of work"
Horatio laughed at her "I guess we can organise that little one"
"Uncle Horatio?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you"
"I haven't done anything"
"Yeah you have" Madison said. Maddy leant up on the tips of her toes, and kissed him "You saved me" She told him. "You saved me from the tweekers, then when I had leukaemia… I owe you a lot"
"Maddy you don't owe me anything. Having you in my life is enough" Horatio said hugging her. Madison smiled, and she picked up her skates. "Come on uncle Horatio, lets go"

And the Shadow of the day
Will embrace the world in gray
And the sun will set for you