Title: Love Heals

Author: innocent choir girl (ff-dot-net), shannyfish (From Out of the Lab/Miami Heat/LJ)

Summary: Story Four to the "American Family Series" Sheryl and the team help care for Emma and Madison while Calleigh and Horatio are on their Honeymoon. A serial killer that targets children of people in power is on the loose…

Category: CSI: Miami

Genres:

Characters: Calleigh Duquesne, Horatio Caine

Rating: PG-13

Chapter: 1 "Unconditional Love"

Author's Notes: here's the next "Emma" story in the American Family Series! This story takes place immediately after "Life Goes On". Just think post-wedding.

……………………..

"Stop worrying," Horatio chided as he stared down at his wife. They'd been gone only two days and Calleigh just worried about the girls.

"I just don't understand how you can't worry about them…" Calleigh told him with a sigh. "I mean, what if they get hurt? If Eric gets stuck at a scene and can't pick up Madison?"

"Then, the school will call Sheryl or Alexx…" He smiled down at her as she fiddled with her necklace. "This is the first time you've been so far from Emma, isn't it?"

"I was sorta hopin' not to have to cut the umbilical cord so soon," Calleigh told him with a smile.

Horatio's grin widened. "She's in good care, Sweetheart."

"I know…"

"But you still are worrying, aren't you?" he asked as he bent down and placed a kiss on her forehead. He remembered when Calleigh and Emma first came back to Florida with him; Calleigh had worried about everything when it came to Emma. She had a special connection to their daughter, and Horatio was quite aware of it.

Calleigh smiled up at him and kissed his lips sweetly. "Are we still goin' have another baby?" she asked changing the subject. She didn't think that worrying about their children was a bad thing. She just thought it was her being a mom.

"Mmm…I think we should certainly try," Horatio told her remembering that Calleigh had wanted to wait to start trying until after the wedding. What time was better than on their honeymoon? They'd left the state and gone up the east coast to Connecticut to try to separate themselves from the crime in Miami. Horatio had picked the hotel, Avon Old Farms Hotel. It was elegant and beautiful and completely serene. It was perfect for them. It wasn't like a normal hotel room; it was more like being in a castle. The room was beautiful and elegantly decorated. The bedding was all white and soft, a white canopy draped over the top of the bed. Her giggle kept the smile on his face as he leaned down to place a kiss on her lips and then slowly deepened it. He felt her arm curl up around his neck pulling him closer. "You're beautiful," he whispered as he took a moment to catch his breath.

"You're beautiful," Calleigh told him with a small giggle.

Horatio cupped her face with his hands, "I love you…" His blue eyes met her green eyes. He felt like he could see into her as if she was transparent. He could see love in her eyes and the sparkle dancing through them. He loved it when Calleigh was like that. She seemed so free.

"I love you," Calleigh told him as she brought her lips to his.

"Always and forever."

Her lips curled against his, "Always and forever."

………………….

"Uncle Eric!" Madison exclaimed happily as she hurried down the steps of her school towards the awaiting Hummer in which her uncle was standing in front of. She flung her arms around him when she got to him and held tight. She was expecting Sheryl, so Eric was a neat surprise to find.

"Hey Madison," he said with a laugh. "I take it that you're surprised." He lifted her up and stepped back so that he could open the door before putting her inside. "How about we stop for ice cream before I take you home?"

"Yes! I love ice cream!" Madison said excitedly before her uncle shut the door for her.

Eric just smiled as he rounded the Hummer. They were all still figuring out the scheduling system even though they'd assured Calleigh and Horatio that there was a firm schedule in place. Crime didn't exactly schedule itself, so Eric never knew which of them would be available to pick up Madison. "Look, you're gonna have dinner with Sheryl and then Natalia and I are gonna come over and spend the night with you guys, okay?"

"Are you and Natalia going to get married?" Madison asked with wide awaiting eyes.

Air choked him and he coughed to get air into his lungs, "Uh…well… I don't know, Madison… Marriage is a big leap."

"Uncle Horatio and Aunt Calleigh got married," Madison pointed out. "They're always smiling and you always smile with Natalia."

He looked over to Madison as he started the Hummer, "What are you watching me now?"

Madison shrugged, "Sheryl says that being a good CSI means that you have to notice everything, even the little tiny small invisible type of things."

"Are you going to be a CSI now?"

She shrugged again, "I don't know."

Eric smirked, "You sure you don't want to be a princess?"

"I am one," Madison told him. "Remember? I have my own crown!"

"That's right," he said with a laugh. As they drove the typical route to the Caine Residence, and Eric kept Madison talking the whole time. She always seemed excited with him and he didn't mind having another niece. "Hey," Eric spoke up as they neared the house, "What do you think about us going with Natalia to Disney World?"

"DISNEY WORLD?!" Madison squeaked happily and bounced a bit.

"I'll take that as a you like the idea…"

"Are we going to take Emma and Sheryl, too?"

"We could," Eric told her. "I have a couple days off this week, so I was thinking that we'd coordinate schedules when I come after dinner and we could all talk about it."

"Are you giving Natalia a ring?"

"What?" Eric blurted confused.

"Uncle Horatio gave Calleigh two rings when we went to Disneyland. One for asking her to marry him and one he said was for Emma."

"Right," he said with a smile. "I told you, though, marriage is a very serious thing."

"So serious," Madison mumbled as they pulled up to the house.

Eric just laughed a bit as he got out of the Hummer after turning it off and walking around to help Madison out. "Be good for Sheryl, okay?"

"I'm ALWAYS good," Madison told him. "Silly Uncle Eric…" she told him as she pulled on her backpack and headed up the walkway.

"Uh huh, we'll see what Sheryl says when I come back later," Eric said as they got to the door.

………………….

TBC…