Title: Storm

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

Summary: Sequel to "Sex, Drugs, & Rock n Roll", and takes place six months after that story. Calleigh is still deciding on what to do with her unborn child and is having a hard time with being away from work. How will the decisions she make change her life?

Category: Ship Ahoy! Calleigh/Horatio

Genres: Drama, Hurt/Comfrort

Characters: Horatio Caine, Calleigh Duquesne

Rating: PG-13

Chapter: 4 "Remembrance"

Author's Notes: So, this is the story that will be the November story, since I'm doing nanowrimo… Keeping with the writer's strike, I have been withholding the completed chapters of "Storm", but still updating my word count on nanowrimo. Though, a writer can never stop writing…it's something you have to get out or it haunts you…I can keep it from being published until I am ready to do so. Sorry all!!! I'm sure most understand! Just think of it this way ;) You get a bulk update!

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Frank walked into the break room at the crime lab and wasn't surprised to see the small group still there. Everyone else had gone home and the lab was on a lock down. "Horatio, can I talk to you for a minute?" Frank spoke up looking in at his friend and then motioning with his head that he wanted to take it into the hallway. He moved out into the vacant hallway and impatiently waited. It wasn't Horatio that was making him impatient, but rather the situation he was currently in.

"I thought you'd gone to check on your family, Frank," Horatio said as he entered the hallway and then briefly after came to a stop only a few feet from Frank.

"I did, Horatio. They're all safe," Frank reported quickly.

Horatio tilted his head a bit, "So, what's the problem?"

"I just got word that prisoners that were trying to appeal their cases were seen at the Biscayne Courthouse…they had them locked up there, but they descided to make it back to the prison before the storm got too bad—"

"And now it's coming down too hard?"

"Yep, there's no way they'd make it all the way back down to the 'Glades safely…which I wouldn't mind so much because some of them are scum, but they'd also be the chance of escapees if the bus turned over."

"Who's on the bus, Frank?" Horatio finally questioned.

Frank let out a sigh, "The person I'm most concerned about steppin' into this building is Jake Berkeley."

"Berkeley? He had an appeal today?" Horatio asked surprised. "I was supposed to be informed about all of his hearings."

"From what I've been told that most of them were last minute…" Frank told him. "But I know that Berkeley's got a damn good lawyer, Horatio."

"I know, Frank," Horatio said frustrated at the thought of Jake Berkeley anywhere near Calleigh. "But he didn't keep him out of jail… I'll be damned if I let him get out now."

Frank frowned, he understood Horatio's position. None of them wanted Calleigh to go through what she'd already gone through in the court room. It'd been heart breaking to see her cry on the stand because Berkeley's attorney kept asking her what'd happened and it was a lot of the spots where she couldn't remember. It made his heart break for her just thinking about it. "They want to keep the prisoners here until after the storm…"

"How many are there?" Horatio asked wondering if there was a way to keep the information from Calleigh. He knew with Eric and Natalia's help that it could be done, but he hated keeping things from Calleigh.

"Six," Frank said as he placed his hands on his hips. "I don't like the idea of havin'em here… Calleigh's apt to be upset the whole time just knowin' he's in the building…"

"We don't have to tell her," Horatio said. "It may be better this time to keep the information from her. I don't know how badly she'd react to the news. With her so far along, he didn't want to risk anything happening to her or the baby even with Alexx in the building.

"I don't know if keepin' it from Calleigh is goin' to be the smart thing… She's goin' be pissed when she finds out." Frank let out a sigh after a minute, "But I don't blame you…"

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Horatio summoned Eric out into the hall after pacing about for almost twenty minutes. He still wasn't sure what to do. How could he lie to Calleigh about something so important? Would she hate him? He felt like the storm outside, so tormented…

"Hey H, what's up?" Eric asked noticing his boss and brother-in-law's behavior.

"Is Calleigh still asleep?" Horatio asked turning to Eric and settling into place. He was worried…and he was sure Eric could see it.

Eric shook his head, "No, not yet… Why? What's wrong?" He knew something was wrong. He'd known Horatio long enough to know that much. He just wasn't sure what it was.

"We have a problem," Horatio told him a bit vaguely at first before elaborating. "Jake Berkeley was at the courthouse trying to appeal his case—"

"Is he serious?!" Eric interrupted upset.

"They tried to get the convicts back to the prison before the storm got too bad, but they're not going to make it. They want to lock them up here…" Horatio finished.

"So, Berkeley would be here…near Calleigh."

Horatio nodded, "They're on their way here now. Frank's outside getting ready to lead them in…but I don't know what to do with Calleigh…"

"You mean you don't know whether or not to tell her?"

"Exactly."

Eric frowned, "If we don't tell her…you know she'll find out…"

"I know," Horatio spoke up. "But she's also quite pregnant…and stress isn't good for her or the baby…"

"You know that explanation won't work on her until the hormones tone themselves down," Eric told him.

"What would you do?" Horatio asked still so torn at what to do… How could he make things, so that they were right for everyone?

"I wouldn't tell her," Eric admitted. "It's enough that there's a hurricane coming and that she's not entirely comfortable. She's seemed odd, too…"

"I noticed," Horatio responded. "I think she's getting really nervous with the baby coming so soon… I'm worried about her."

"I think we all are," Eric explained. "Let's just get her through today."

"Agreed."

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TBC…