DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of the CSI: Miami team, but I do happen to own a few characters in here. The ones you don't recognize? Yeah, mine. I have a computer, CSIM DVDs, and ADD: oh the thrills I will have ruining the lives of our favorite characters.


The drive to work was an unusually short one, and Natalia found herself a good parking spot due to the early hour. It was barely 0630. She was greeted inside the lobby by the only other soul crazy enough to be at work before he really needed to be. "Good morning, Sir."

Horatio smiled politely. "And good morning to you to as well, Ma'am." He joined Natalia as she walked down the glass-encased corridor to her lab. "You know, I haven't heard from Calleigh lately, and when I called yesterday, no one answered."

He looked at Natalia as she entered the lab, and she looked up from the papers left on her desk by the night shift. She knew what her boss was getting at. "What are you asking, H?"

"Why she was disguised when she came in yesterday. She knows she's welcome here anytime. We've all told her that."

Natalia sighed. This wasn't for her to tell. Calleigh's actions were her own business, and if she wanted to explain them, she would. And following her promise to her friend, she did the only thing she could. "I don't know what you're talking about, Horatio. That wasn't Calleigh in here yesterday." She looked at him sympathetically. "I know you miss her, but your mind is playing tricks on you."

"Well," Horatio smiled softly. "That may be so. Have you spoken with her?"

"I have. She called me last...no, two nights ago. She and her family are doing just fine."

"Good, good. But if you don't mind me asking, who was your guest yesterday?" He raised his eyebrows in interest.

'Oh gosh,' Natalia thought. She hadn't been ready for that. "She's an old friend from high school. I haven't seen her for a few years, so she thought it'd be nice if she brought the kids with her for a visit. They're from Mississippi."

"Oh. Alright then." Horatio looked down at his watch, and decided he wouldn't press his lab tech any further. "Well. I'm going to...let you get started on your work. I'll check with you later for any results on the Cullen case?"

"Of course!" Natalia nodded. She'd escaped easily, she knew, but she knew that he wasn't convinced it wasn't Calleigh. Sooner or later he'd figure out that it was Calleigh, and that she'd boldly lied to him. But there was also the chance that he wouldn't find out, because Calleigh was only scheduled to be here for a few days. She shook her head and let out a deep breath, pushing the lie out of her head and starting on her work.


"Momma?"

Calleigh picked up her head to find her son looking up at her. She was still sitting up, with an arm around each of her children, but her head had fallen back against he pillows. She smiled. "Good mornin', buddy." She kissed each of their heads, waking Jordanna. "You guys sleep good?"

Each nodded. "Momma, I'm hungry."

"Me too," Jordan added.

"Okay. Why don't you guys go ahead out to the kitchen, and let Momma get ready real quick, hmm?"

"Okay. But Momma?"

"What, Harvey?"

"Your phone kept going off."

Calleigh's eyes widened, but she quickly regained her composure. "You didn't answer it, did you?" Her son shook his head. "Good. Alright. Skedaddle. I'll be out to make breakfast in a minute."

The children left hand in hand, and as soon as the door closed behind them, Calleigh scrambled for the phone in her purse. She had five new voicemails.

"Hey, Calleigh, Just wondering where you were. It's Joni, by the way. Hurry up and get to the lab, Marshall's going on a rampage."

"Calleigh, I don't know where you are, but I want you home now."

"Calleigh, it's Joni again. Marshall says if you're not here within the hour, you're fired. I'm a little worried about you, so I'm calling Kenny. Call me when you get this and let me know you're okay?"

"Hey little sis, it's Kenny. Joni called, she's worried about you. So am I. I don't know what you're up to, Cal, but call me and let me know you're still alive. Love you."

"God dammit, I don't know where in the hell you are or what in the hell you're up to, but I want you and my kids back here right damn now or I'm callin' the cops, bitch."

Five messages. Two from her sister-in-law, one from her oldest brother, and two from Ben. She had expected more from him. A sigh escaped her lips, and she looked towards the door. Freedom from him seemed so close, but she still felt like she couldn't have it. Like sugar on the asphalt. You could see it, but couldn't eat it. Still, even if there was no way out for her, there was no way she would let him ruin the lives of her children any longer. She slipped off the bed and out into the hallway, where she was greeted by her giggling children and a knock at the door. Her heart sunk, and she dared herself to look out the peephole. A man and a child selling candy bars. She didn't answer it. "Kids," she said. "Be a little quieter, please."

They looked up at her and followed her into the kitchen. "Yes, Momma."

Calleigh realized that she had no idea what time it was. She looked at he digital clock on the stove. Nearly noon. That surprised her, and she just about jumped out of her skin when the house phone rang. Relief washed over her when she looked at the caller ID and read 'Boa Vista, Natalia.' Grabbing the phone, she clicked it on. "Boa Vista residence."

"You're so formal," Natalia chuckled.

"It's a learned precaution," Calleigh replied.

Natalia didn't know what to say to that, because she didn't know what Calleigh meant by it. "Okay, um...How's your first day of vacation going? You three sleep alright?"

Calleigh shrugged, although her friend couldn't see it. "It's going good. We slept fine. Just woke up, actually."

"You really slept this time though, right?"

"Yes, I really slept. I fell asleep not long after you left, and Harvey woke me up about ten minutes ago," she replied. "How's work?"

"Well. I told you that your disguise wouldn't stop Horatio from asking me about you. And he did know it was you. So, we were both right," Natalia explained. "He came in saying that he hadn't heard from you in a while, and he called yesterday but no one answered. I asked him what he was trying to ask, and he wanted to know why you disguised yourself yesterday when you're welcome back anytime."

"He doesn't get it. It's not that easy. Not that simple."

"I'm not finished. I told him that it wasn't you, that it was my friend from high school who moved to Mississippi, and that you brought your kids down for a visit."

"You lied to Horatio?" Calleigh questioned.

"I didn't want to, but you asked me not to say anything," Natalia answered. "I respected that."

"Natalia." She knew she couldn't be mad at her friend for being loyal to a fault, but she never meant for Horatio to be lied to. He didn't deserve that by a long shot. She sighed, and turned on the stove. Jordanna had been tugging at her pant leg, wanting breakfast. "I guess I have to blame myself for that one. Thank you for your loyalty, though I'll be in later to tell him the truth. Maybe tomorrow." She really wasn't looking forward to it, and it showed through in her wavering tone.

"He'll never know if you don't," Natalia said, sensing Calleigh's unwillingness. "After all, you're only gonna be in Miami for a few days, right?"

She said it like it was no big deal. "Well..." Calleigh hesitated a bit more. "I don't know that, actually."

"What do you mean, you don't know that? I thought you said you could only take a few days off at a time from the lab."

"They called last night, left me a message. My boss fired me."

Natalia was quiet for a moment. "...Calleigh, what's going on?" she demanded. "You've skirted questions about Ben since you got here, and you wouldn't take those sunglasses off until you got into bed last night. I saw why, Cal. I'm a little worried about you and the kids."

"I don't wanna talk about it," Calleigh informed her, solemn and quiet. She hated keeping secrets from her best friend. Not that it was a secret anymore, as Calleigh was sure that Natalia was concocting theories as they spoke. After all, that's what the women had been trained, mostly by Horatio himself, to do. "Maybe later, okay? I have to go." She hung up the phone.


"Calleigh, wait." It was too late. She had already hung up. "Damn," Natalia sighed, and started mumbling. She set her cell down on the counter.

"Did I hear correctly?" A male voice asked.

Natalia turned around, startled, to see her fellow labrat, Eric Delko. "Depends on what you think you heard," she shrugged.

"I think I just heard you get hung up on by Calleigh." Eric's eyebrows were raised. "That's rather uncharacteristic of her. Is she alright?"

"Well. I think you're entirely too nosy," she replied as she eyed him. "Calleigh, to the best of my knowledge, is fine. She'd tell me if something were wrong."

"She didn't before," Eric pointed out.

"Oh yeah? Name once," Natalia challenged.

"Jake Berkley."

"You suck."

"No, But I like--"

Natalia held a hand up. "Spare me." Eric nodded, and chuckled a bit. Natalia didn't find much as much humor in the statement.

"But seriously, she's okay?"

"She hasn't told me that she's not."

"Okay," Eric nodded again. "Good."

Both adults looked down at the counter, eyes scanning over various papers. "Eric, did you need something?"

"No, I was being...what did you say? 'Entirely too nosy,' I believe it was." He smiled sheepishly.

"Mhmm."

Horatio stepped into the lab. "Am I interrupting?"

Both looked up at him, and Natalia immediately started wondering how much her boss had heard them say about their blond friend. "No," she smiled. "Not at all. What's up?"

Did Horatio actually have a reason for interrupting his employees' discussion? But of course. "Anything on the Cullen case yet?"