Calleigh watched waves crash systematically onto the shore. She was resting comfortably against a mound of sand, not caring that her immaculate blonde hair was being peppered by granules of sand.

Nearly nine months pregnant, Calleigh's previous panic level had subsided into serenity. A lot of the questions that she had started off with had been answered- her and Eric's relationship, her and her parents' relationship, and most importantly, her and her future daughter's relationship.

Her mind wandered to the last time she was at this section of the beach, a portion that you would only know about if you were a longtime Miami resident. In fact, Eric had introduced her to this beach when she had found him here after Speedle's funeral, dried tear tracks on his face. He had been squeezing a handful of sand like it was the cause of all the problems in the world, and she remembered just collapsing next to him, drawing him in for a hug, and crying for hours.

The incident hadn't been forgotten- more ignored, in lieu of professionalism and to avoid rampant embarrassment for the both of them. They hadn't been able to deny the intimacy of the event, though- and it had plagued them for years until they had both taken the lunge and entered into the most rewarding and stimulating relationship they could've ever imagined.

Watching Eric Delko, a macho police officer, reduced to tears, had been the turning point for Calleigh. It was then that she had realized how vividly Eric Delko felt emotions- so much so that the people around him were infected with joy when he was happy and debilitated with sadness when he was upset.

She was distracted by the vibrations of her phone against her thigh and she shifted slightly to retrieve it.

"Hello?"

"She's alive!" Eric teased.

"Very funny, Delko. What're you up to?"

"I wanted to see when you were going to be home- I was going to take you out tonight"

"Oh really? What's the occasion?" Calleigh teased, knowing well enough that Eric didn't need an occasion to treat her.

"What a shame, Calleigh Duquesne. I wasn't aware I needed an occasion to celebrate my love for you"

"You solved that Fatherton case didn't you? That's why you sound like a giddy teenage girl" Calleigh laughed.

"You know me too well…seriously though? 20 minutes?"

"If I make it home in 15, do I get a treat?"

"Mhmm- a really yummy treat"

"I might have to break some laws to rush home to you, then" Calleigh laughed, getting off the sand and walking to her car. "I'll see you in twenty"

Meanwhile…

"Natalia! Are we leaving soon?" Ryan called, wrapping his tie around the neck of his shirt.

"I'm ready" Natalia walked into the living room.

"Wow, you look beautiful" Ryan said, wrapping his arms around her waist and nuzzling into her neck.

"Ryan…not now" Natalia laughed, pushing him away gently and pressing a quick kiss to his lips. She grabbed the tie and looped it through, kissing him again after she pulled the knot tight.

Ryan, like the good sport he was, had agreed to attend Natalia's great aunt Carmen's 80th birthday party. It was a black tie affair and Natalia looked ravishing in a slinky emerald dress that showed off every positive aspect of her physical appearance. Ryan groaned inwardly at the thought of keeping his hands off of her all night when she looked so absolutely inviting.

"I might have to act inappropriately if you keep looking so sexy" Ryan teased as he led her out the front door.

"Aunt Carmen is alive and kicking, Ry. She'd probably take your ass down if you tried anything" Natalia laughed.

"Alright, I guess I'll just have to wait till we get home" Ryan pulled her close and kissed her cheek demurely.

"Thanks for coming with me tonight, babe…you're fantastic" Natalia wrapped her arms around him and breathed in his cologne slowly, enjoying the moment they were sharing.

"As much as I would love to stand here and hold you, we're going to be late" Ryan said after 3 silent minutes.

"Darn it. Don't worry, you'll get a treat tonight for being so fantastic" Natalia tugged on his arm and led him to the car.

Back at Calleigh and Eric's

"Calleigh, you look fantastic" Eric insisted. "But I'm starving"

"Thanks babe…but I want to look nice tonight" Calleigh said. "It's the last time we'll probably go out before the baby comes"

"Okay" Eric agreed, walking out to the kitchen. He rummaged around the drawers, hunting for his keys. With a groan of frustration, he shut the drawer and moved onto the key rack, chiding himself for not looking there first when he found his keys.

"Eric!" Calleigh's voiced called, a nervous tone tinting her normally sunny southern voice.

Eric power walked to the bathroom and choked back near hysteria when he saw her standing there, looking like she had just jumped in the shower with her clothes on.

"I think my water broke"

"Yeah, that's suffice to say" Eric said, walking over and rubbing her back soothingly. "Are you in any pain?"

"Yeah, I can feel the contractions coming on" Calleigh said, her voice tight.

"Okay, sweetheart. You wait here while I get your bag into the car, and then I'll come and get you, okay?" He silently thanked his police background for training him to stay calm during crisis situations because right now, his mind was whirling a 1000 miles per hour.

He rushed to retrieve her bag, her favorite blanket, and a bag of baby clothes. He threw them in the car and ran back to the bathroom, escorting Calleigh slowly and gently to the car.

"Do you want me to put my police siren on?" Eric asked as he started the car.

"Eric…that's breaking protocol" Calleigh said, her voice coming out broken between gasps of pain.

"Cal, you look like you're in a lot of pain. If it gets really bad, yell and I'll turn them on, okay?"

"Okay…"

Eric sped out of the neighborhood and down the roads of Miami to Miami General Hospital, wincing every time he heard Calleigh let out a breath of pain.

"Are you hanging in there, Cal?" he asked, his arm gently caressing her shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm fine Eric, dont worry" she reassured him.

She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the red illuminated sign that read EMERGENCY ROOM. Eric helped her out of the car and walked her into the hospital, ushering a nurse over who helped Calleigh into a wheelchair and led them to her room.

"Ms. Duquesne, I'm Dr. Baines. Your regular OB/GYN had an unfortunate accident with a cabinet door and needed some rest, so I'm filling in for her" a middle aged woman walked in, smiling reassuringly at Calleigh and Eric. "I reviewed your vital stats and you and the baby are doing well, it looks like its going to be a smooth delivery. Not too long, either. Why don't you get comfortable and I'll get the epidural sent in…you should be ready to hold your baby in your arms in a couple of hours"

Eric thanked the doctor and pulled up a chair next to Calleigh, who looked like she was going to burst into tears.

"Hey you okay? Are you in pain?" kicking himself immediately for his stupid question. Of course she's in pain, dumbass. She's getting ready to have a baby.

She shook her head no, a tear slipping down her cheek.

"Calleigh…please tell me if something's wrong so I can fix it" Eric pleaded worriedly, taking her hand into his.

"I'm scared, Eric" she whispered quietly, her voice barely audible. "I'm not ready to be a mother"

"Baby…don't be worried about that. You're going to be a fantastic mother, you have it in you" Eric reassured. "Its part of the southern belle package, remember?"

"Right" Calleigh smiled weakly at him. "You'll help, right?"

"Calleigh Duquesne, dont be silly. You'll get the most rest you've gotten over the last 9 months after our baby girl comes. I will do everything, I promise"

"You can't breastfeed her" Calleigh joked.

"I can do anything, Calleigh. I have magical powers, remember?" Eric teased, trying to help her keep her mind off the contractions that were very obviously racking her body.

"Okay. You can convince Marisol of that" Calleigh said. "Hey, did you ever decide on a middle name?"

"Yeah…how do you feel about Amber?"

"Marisol Amber Delko" Calleigh tested the words on her lips. "Sounds fantastic"

"Calleigh…are you ready to push? You're 10 centimeters" the nurse asked, coming over from the edge of the room.

Meanwhile…

"What a nice young man" Aunt Carmen drawled to Natalia, who was sitting by her great aunt, patting her arm gently. "A true gentleman. Your mother raised you well, son"

"Thank you, ma'am" Ryan replied, slightly amused at how quickly Aunt Carmen had taken to him.

"Anya! Are you planning on ever finding a nice boy?" Aunt Carmen demanded of her great-niece.

"I haven't really found anyone yet, Aunt Carmen. I'm working on it"

"But Natalia has, whats the issue with you?" Aunt Carmen speculated. "Ryan, do you have any brothers?"

"No ma'am, just sisters" Ryan answered.

"That's a shame" Aunt Carmen sighed, casting a slightly disapproving look at Natalia when her phone emitted a shrill sound from the depths of her purse.

"Hello? Horatio? Is everything alright?"

Ryan's brows furrowed as he watched the expressions on Natalia's face change.

"Sorry to eat and leave, Aunt Carmen. I'll come see you tomorrow. Come on, Ry!" she yelled, running out the door.

"Talia…where are we going?!"

"Calleigh's in labor! H called and he's on his way to the hospital with Alexx"

"Oh my god, Eric must be freaking out" Ryan mused, following her hurried footsteps out the door of Aunt Carmen's lavish accommodations and into his car.

Back at Miami General…

"Come on, Calleigh! One last push!" the doctor encouraged, and after a triumphant noise, held up the new baby like a scene from the Lion King.

"It's a girl!" she announced happily, handing the baby off to the nurse.

Waves of relief coursed through Eric's body as he saw his daughter, now shrieking and crying, being cleaned and weighed by the nurse.

"Is she okay?" Calleigh asked.

"Yes…and you did wonderfully" Eric said, kissing her forehead.

"Here you go, Mr. Delko" the nurse said, handing him the baby.

"Hey baby girl" Eric whispered, touching her cheek softly. "Marisol Amber Delko". He led the baby over to Calleigh, who nearly burst into tears again at the sight of her new daughter.

"She's beautiful"

"She is" Eric said. "Just like her mother"

Twenty minutes later, Natalia burst into the room with Ryan following suit and Horatio and Alexx on their heels. "Oh my god, did we make it in time?!"

"Yeah, here she is" Eric laughed, warmth spreading through his entire body when he realized how many people were showing up one by one.

"Oh my god, she's BEAUTIFUL, Eric and Calleigh" Natalia said, playing with the now-sleeping baby's fingers. "What's her name?"

"Marisol Amber Delko" Calleigh answered, keeping a watchful eye on the baby that was now being passed around.

While the women cooed over the baby, Ryan, Eric, and Horatio congregated in the corner of the room.

"How does it feel to be a father?" Ryan asked, clapping Eric on the back.

"Amazing. Scary, mostly" Eric laughed, rubbing his tired eyes. "We were just going out to dinner and all of a sudden I was holding Marisol. It was surreal"

"She looks exactly like Calleigh" Ryan commented. "She's got those big green eyes. There's no way you're ever going to be able to say no to those. Even I cant say no to Calleigh when she flashes those. It's like the Duquesne curse."

"I know. She's been on earth for about half an hour and she's already got me hooked" Eric laughed.

"Okay, everyone needs to clear out and let the mother and baby rest. Visiting hours are over" the nurse announced, ushering the multitude of people out the door. Eric bid everyone goodbye and thanked them for coming, sighing relief when it was just him, Calleigh, and Marisol again.

"How're you feeling?" Eric asked, sitting on the bed with her and caressing her hair tenderly.

"Great" Calleigh smiled, tracing circles over his arms. "I wanna go home but I know we can't for another couple of days"

"Yeah, for you and Mari's safety" Eric said. "Do you want me to run home and get you anything? Food you'd like?"

"I do want some chocolate" Calleigh laughed. "And can you grab some more clothes for Mari?"

"Sure" Eric kissed her quickly. "I love you"

"Love you too babe"

Meanwhile…

"I can't believe Calleigh finally had the baby" Natalia said as her and Ryan walked into her house. "We've all been waiting for so long"

"I know" Ryan said, tossing the keys on the counter and gently grabbing Natalia's arm. "I think you promised me something" he reminded, his hands now gripping her hips.

"I totally forgot" Natalia laughed, leaning over to kiss him. "But you didn't sit out the entire party like promised…we had to depart in the middle, remember?" she teased him; kissing him but not letting him deepen the kiss. She let it continue for a few minutes before breaking away and nuzzling her nose with his.

"Natalia" Ryan groaned, frustrated. He pinned her against the wall, punishing her for being such a tease and not letting him have his way with her.

"What?" she asked innocently, her hands dancing across his abdomen.

"Stop it"

"I'm not doing anything" she laughed.

"That's precisely the problem" Ryan said, his hands working on the zipper on the back of her dress.

"Hold up Casanova…lets move this to the bedroom" Natalia said, pushing him away gently.

"No…I like this wall" he said, his mouth now lavishing attention on her neck.

"Ryan" Natalia pleaded, her mind spinning with his actions and all thoughts of the bedroom forgotten. "I hate you"

"You know they say hate sex is the hottest" he laughed, moving back up and kissing her sweetly. "If you're not in the mood, I can wait"

"What are you talking about? I'm totally in the mood" Natalia laughed, her hands now undoing the buttons on his shirt.

"You have no idea what you do to me" Ryan whispered, dragging her gently to the couch and laying her down.

"You should've said that in front of Aunt Carmen" Natalia laughed, helping him with her dress, which promptly slid off her body and pooled on the floor.

"What, so I could have two black eyes and a broken leg? No way…" Ryan murmured.

Back at the hospital…

"Ms. Duquesne, you have a visitor" the nurse said, with a disapproving look. "He flashed his badge at me so I had to let him in"

"Okay" Calleigh said, confused- she assumed it was Tripp or Horatio, but nearly had a conniption when she saw Jake Berkeley himself walk in.

"Congratulations, mama" he smirked, the same smirk that still managed to send shivers down Calleigh's body. He was holding a pink tulip, which he of course knew was her favourite, and brought it over to her.

"Thanks. Jake, it's nearly 1 am. Why are you here? Shouldn't you be sleeping like every other human being?" she laughed.

"As soon as I heard I came. I had to fight with the nurse a little, but eventually my good looks won her over" Jake said.

"Really? Because the story I got was that you flashed your badge at her"

"Okay so I may have violated protocol a little bit, but I had to see this beautiful little girl. Where is she?"

"She's in her bassinet right there" Calleigh pointed to the sleeping baby.

Jake leaned over the bassinet, tenderly touching the baby's hands. "She's beautiful, Cal. She looks just like you."

"Thanks. She's got my green eyes" she smiled, patting the side of her bed. "Come talk to me. You've been so busy in homicide"

"I know. I've missed you, Cal. You're a great friend. Where's Eric?"

"He went back home to get some stuff for me and the baby. Mostly chocolate, for me" Calleigh laughed, sending tingles to every inch of Jake's body.

"Well you look great, Calleigh. Amazing, actually" Jake said, getting up. "You must be exhausted, so I'll come by tomorrow and say hi for a little longer, okay?"

"Okay. Thanks for coming by Jake" Calleigh said, waving him off.

Seconds later, Eric walked into the room, holding a box of chocolates and a bag of clothes for Marisol.

"Did I just see Jake walk down the hallway?" he asked.

"Yeah he came by to say hi" Calleigh said, her voice waning as his expression changed from confused to wounded. "Eric. It's nothing."

"I know that, Calleigh. I'm sorry, he's just not my favorite person" Eric said, coming over to kiss Marisol before giving Calleigh a kiss, too.

"I understand. He's like your Gloria" Calleigh laughed.

"Exactly" Eric laughed. "How's our angel doing?"

"Sleeping like a rock" Calleigh said. "She's beautiful isn't she?"

"She is. I'm so happy right now, Cal, you have no idea" Eric said. "I'm so honored that I could share something this important with you. It means the world to me that you're not- and won't ever be- some random girl"

"I love you" Calleigh whispered.

"I love you too, but I want you to get your sleep, okay?" Eric said. "I'm going to camp out on the couch"

"Eric Delko. Go home, we'll be fine. They're taking Mari back to the nursery anyway. You need a good night's sleep"

"Calleigh I'm not just going to leave you" Eric said. "I'm not that tired anyway"

"Seriously, just go home and sleep because I'm going to need a lot of help after I get home and you need to be well rested. I love you" Calleigh ordered, and Eric resigned with a sigh and kissed her and Marisol, making a pouty face on the way out of the hospital room.

Truth was that Eric wouldn't be able to sleep that night. The idea of having a daughter, a child, was so mind boggling and amazing that he wouldn't be able to think about anything but Marisol and Calleigh all night. As he turned into the garage and entered his house, their house, he realized that the giant gaping hole Marisol Delko Caine had made in his life when she had left was slowly but surely being filled by Marisol Amber Delko.