Disclaimer: I don't the main characters, just burrowing them.
Summary: A moment can change everything, and the Caine's are about to find out just how true that is. What happened? What changes? A little A/U. The Sequel to A Different Beginning.
AN: Since this is a sequel, it would be a good idea to read the first one to understand this one.
AN#2: I don't want to give anything away, but I will say that something that happened on the show will happen in the story, it's just brought up in a different way. I hope you'll still enjoy it though.
Title: A life Changing Moment
Genre: Romance, Drama, Family
Rating: T
Spoilers: Brief mentions of events from various episodes
Time-line: 5 years after A Different beginning
Warnings: Implied/suggestive adult behavior, mention of blood, mention of a minor Character death
Main Parings: DuCaine
Minor Parings: Natalia/OC, GSR (From Original CSI)
Other Characters: Eric, Ryan, Jesse (Mentioned only), Dan (From A Different Beginning)
A Life Changing moment
Chapter 1: Celebrating six years
Calleigh opened her eyes and smiled as she felt her husband's arm tighten around her waist, and as she ran her hand down his bare arm she has a flashback of last night.
Flashback
The Caine family showed up in Vegas a few days ago, and on their last night it was their 6th wedding anniversary, so after dropping the kids off at Sara and Grissom's house for the night, Horatio took Calleigh to an expensive restaurant, where they enjoyed a candle lit dinner and some delicious food. Then after they ate, he paid the bill and took them back to the hotel they had been staying at.
Once they were inside they pecked each other on the lips before she went into the bathroom to freshen up.
He smiled as he sat down at the end of the bed to take off his shoes and socks, and once they were off, he was untying his tie as he walked over to the window to see the view of the Vegas lights. He had to admit the view was pretty great, but he wouldn't trade the ocean view for anything.
A few minutes later he feels arms wrap around his waist from behind, he smiles as he turns around. When he saw his wife standing in front of him, it nearly took his breath away. It wasn't only that she was wearing a short, black, silk, night-gown that went down to her knees, it was also the fact that her eyes sparkled and she had that smile on her face that he liked to think was only reserved for him.
After a few minutes of just looking at each other, Calleigh places her hands on his tie and slides it off, letting it fall on the floor, then after she unbuttoned his shirt and slides it off his shoulders, she cups his cheek and said. "Thank you for this beautiful evening." He smiled bigger as he leans down to kiss her softly on the lips
When he pulls back, he replied. "You are so welcome, Sweetheart."
After one more kiss, he picks her up, which surprised her, but she wrapped her legs around his waist as he carried her to the bed.
Once he was there, he lays her down gently and they start kissing again, this time with a little more passion.
He pulled back a few minutes later to look into her passion filled green eyes. "I love you, Sweetheart."
She smiled, cups his cheek, and as she brings him back down to her, she whispered. "I love you too, Handsome."
Once their lips touched for the third time, the only thing they were aware of was each other.
End of flashback
When her fingers reached his, she slipped them through his as he started to stir.
A few seconds later he kissed her neck and whispered in her ear. "Good morning, Sweetheart."
She smiled bigger as she made sure the blankets stayed on her before she turned her body so she was face to face with him. She slips her hand out of his and cups his cheek. "Good morning, Handsome."
While looking into each other's eyes they just smiled at one another.
These last five years as a married couple have been the best years of their lives, but Horatio had also gone through some personal things through that time too.
When Christy was just a few months old, Horatio's brother was declared dead while working undercover, and he felt that he had to clean up the mess his brother had left behind, which included pretending that the child Ray fathered out-of-wedlock was his, just so he could protect the feelings of Yelina.
Of course that didn't last long when he found out his niece was terminally ill and needed a bone marrow transplant, which it turned out Ray Jr. was and ended up saving her life. His niece and her mother had moved away from Miami soon after that, but he gets a call from her every once in a while, so he was happy about that.
Once that crisis was done, Horatio found out awhile later that his brother was really alive, but he ended up moving and taking his family with him, which made him sad that he had to say goodbye. But if it was something they needed to do so his brother could have a new start then he was behind him, and of course Calleigh was behind her husband.
Unfortunately his brother got into trouble again and Horatio had to fly to Rio when Yelina called and said he disappeared without a trace. When he eventually found his brother, he was beaten pretty bad, in fact so bad that he had died in Horatio's arms. When Horatio came back home, he was so distraught it took him awhile to get back on his feet, but with the love of his family, he was slowly getting back to becoming the man who Calleigh had married.
Raymond Sr. has been gone a year now, and Yelina and Raymond Jr. had moved back to Miami months ago, which C.J. was happy because he got his best friend/adopted cousin back.
Horatio noticed his wife had zoned out, so he puts his hand on her cheek and asked. "Calleigh?"
Calleigh mentally shook her head from the past and replied. "Sorry, I was just thinking about all that we've been through these last few years." She ran her thumb up and down his cheek as she continued. "Especially you."
He took a breath, then smiled a little as he replied. "But I got through it because of you and the children, so thank you."
She shook her head with a smile. "No need to thank me, it's a marriage, and we promised for better or worse, right?"
"Yes, but I don't think you signed up for everything we went through these last few years." He removed his hand from her cheek, then took her hand off his cheek before laying his back on the mattress so he was looking up at the ceiling of the hotel.
She made sure the blankets were still on her, scoots closer to him, cups his cheek again, turns his head so his blue eyes were looking at her, then she gave him a small smile. "I don't think anybody knows what they signed up for when they get married, and yeah some of the issues we had to deal with was because of your brother, but I don't regret saying I do, I never will. I love you and that hasn't changed one bit since I've met you."
He sees the truth in her green eyes and he smiled, then he took her hand off his cheek again, kissed the top of it before replying. "I love you too, Calleigh, and despite what we've had to deal with, this has been the best six years of my life. Which once again I owe it all to you and our children." Calleigh gives her husband that smile he loves, then she leaned down and kisses him on the lips.
While still in the kiss, they moved so now she was on her back and he was above her.
He pulls back so they could catch their breath's, then he smiled and asked. "How much time do we have before we meet Sara and Grissom with our kids?"
She looked at the clock before looking back up at him, and replied with a smile. "Close to two hours, why?"
As he leans back down to claim her lips with his, he whispered. "I was thinking we could have a little more time to do this." He kisses her softly before pulling back.
She chuckled and replied. "I will never turn those down, Handsome."
They looked into each other's eyes before they started kissing again, making the most of their alone time.
Two Hours later
When they finally got out of bed they each took a shower, packed everything and checked out of the hotel since they were going back to Miami today, then once they get into their rented vehicle, Horatio drove them to the diner where they were instructed to meet at.
Once they got there, they got out of the vehicle and stood with their backsides against the passenger side while they waited.
Fifteen minutes later they see Sara and Grissom's mini van pull into the parking lot, and after Grissom parked right next to their vehicle, the sliding door opened and 14-year-old C.J. got out of the vehicle, then came 4-year-old Christy, which she'll be five in two months, then Grissom walked in view, holding the last addition to the Caine family, 3-year-old Josh.
C.J. was looking more like his biological mother everyday, which only made Calleigh love him even more. Christy was growing up to look like her mother too, she inherited Calleigh's green eyes and blond hair, but her smile was all Horatio's, and Josh took Horatio's red hair and blue eyes, but his smile was all Calleigh's.
Calleigh and Horatio smiled at their kids as they got closer to them.
As much as they loved spending time alone, seeing their babies made them more complete than they had ever been in their lives.
After they hugged C.J., Calleigh kneeled down to hug and kiss her daughter, then Christy went to Horatio, and he picked her up and held her while Grissom handed Josh to Calleigh when she had stood up.
After she greeted her son, she looked over Grissom's shoulder and smiled at her best friend Sara, which she happened to be five months pregnant. She was walking up to them with the 5-year-old Grissom twins, Brad and Bethany.
Bethany had Grissom's light brown hair and blue eyes, while Brad had Sara's brown hair and brown eyes.
Once Sara was close to them, Calleigh comments. "Thank you guys for watching the kids."
Grissom puts his arm around Sara's shoulder as Sara replied. "It was no problem, they were good."
The Caine's smiled, then Grissom asked. "You want to stay, have breakfast with us and the graveyard team?"
Calleigh shook her head and replied. "Sorry can't, we have a flight to catch, maybe the next time we are here?"
They nodded in understanding and agreement.
After the kids said goodbye and thank you, they got into in the vehicle with their bags.
Calleigh turns to Sara after making sure the kids were ok, then she gives her the best hug she could before pulling back and saying. "I'll call when I land, take care of yourself and this little one."
Sara smiled as she puts her hands on her stomach. "I will, you take care too."
After one more hug to Sara then to Grissom, she kneeled down to say goodbye to the twins before getting in the passenger seat while Horatio said goodbye to the Grissom's.
As she was shutting the passenger door, Horatio got into the driver's seat and shut his door.
After he started the vehicle, he looked over at his wife and asked. "Ready for the real world again?"
Calleigh smiled as she slips her hand through his and said. "As long as I have you and the kids with me, I'm ready."
Horatio smiled, then started driving as Calleigh asked the kids how their night was with Sara and Grissom, which they wasted no time in telling them, and all Horatio and Calleigh could do was continue to have smiles on their faces, this was their family and they loved it.
AN: So did you all miss me? Anyway, I hope you liked the first chapter to the new story. Please Review.