Title: Life Goes On
Author: innocent choir girl (ff-dot-net), shannyfish (From Out of the Lab/Miami Heat/LJ)
Summary: Third in the "American Family Series" (which consists so far of "Two Lives" and "Love's Burden"). While planning the wedding, Suzie returns and trouble ensues because of it…not only over Madison, but over the life that Horatio wants to give her and what he fully intends on following through with.
Category: Ship Ahoy! Calleigh/Horatio
Genres: Angst, Character Study, Drama, Established Relationship, Romance, Suspense
Characters: Horatio Caine, Calleigh Duquesne, Madison Keaton (Other), Emma Caine (Original)
Warnings: Adult Themes
Rating: PG-13
Chapter: 10 "Special Favors"
Author's Notes: none
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"She did?" Calleigh asked, her voice soft and full of relief. Her shoulders slumped forward and she looked over at Emma who had fallen asleep on the floor on one of the blankets. "Have you told Madison, yet?"
Horatio smiled, "Not yet… I'm just glad that Suzie did the right thing…I really hate being the bad guy, but I think she knows that I will be in this case. You, Emma, and Madison come first…"
"And our poor Sheryl."
"And Sheryl, too."
Calleigh smiled and wrapped an arm around his shoulder before laying her head on his shoulder. "I can't wait until we're married…"
"That's really soon, actually," Horatio told her with a smile.
"And so is Christmas," Calleigh told him. "We have a lot to do in such a small time gap." She had done all of the wedding arrangements though. They just had to do Christmas shopping and have Christmas dinner, which Calleigh had arranged with everyone to have the dinner rehearsal…just with more holiday-like food. "Why don't you go tell her? I'll move Emma and put her to bed…" She really didn't want to move. She was quite comfortable there with Horatio on the couch, but this was important news.
Horatio kissed Calleigh before getting up and heading down the hall to Madison's bedroom. He knocked on the open door before walking in a few feet. Madison was lying in bed reading a Hannah Montana chapter book. He smiled, "It's just about bedtime, Kiddo…"
Madison smiled and marked her page. "I know, but I'm not super tired…"
Sitting on the edge of her bed, he folded his hands in his lap. "I have some news that concerns you. Your mother talked to the lawyer…and has signed away her parental rights…" He quieted for a minute in order to let it sink in.
"That means…I can be adopted?"
"That's exactly what it means," Horatio told her and found himself in a hug. He wrapped his arms around her and was happy that she would finally be happy. "I called a judge…and he's going to do us a favor… He's going to push the adoption through quickly, so that we don't have to wait…so by the New Year…everyone in this household will be a Caine."
"When?!" Madison asked excitedly.
"In a couple days…"
………………………….
The time with the judge about the name change had gone smoothly and quite quickly. Sometimes it really paid off having friends in high places, especially judges. Horatio felt like a big step had been taken to make him family happy once again…and unified. The last big step would be the wedding, which seemed to be coming up quite quickly. It seemed like all of the holidays and family gatherings had just been a blur. He watched as Madison gleamed with happiness at the papers, permanent more official papers would be mailed in a couple weeks to their house, but for now, he knew that just the little paper with the stamp would be enough for Madison now. "Let's all go out to lunch," Horatio suggested.
Calleigh smiled as she watched Madison carefully holding Emma's hand as they walked back along the sidewalk towards their vehicle. She looked at Horatio, "Not so bad, Handsome. Two beautiful, perfect little girls…"
"And all ours," he told her as he kissed her cheek. "She looks happy…"
"She does," Calleigh agreed. "I'm glad Suzie did this for her… Madison felt so bad before…like things were her fault, and a ten year old does not need all that stress on her when it's not even her fault…" She didn't want Madison to have a life where there were things she was exposed to that she shouldn't be at such a young age, of course that had already happened, but Calleigh had full plans on limiting any further exposure. As a child, she had been exposed to her father's alcoholism and her mother hadn't really been there. She'd been on her own, and had been forced to grow up quickly. Children, she knew, should enjoy their childhood. She was going to make sure that both of her children enjoyed theirs.
"Are you sure you want another one?" Horatio asked Calleigh remembering about their talk about having another baby… Calleigh had insisted that they needed a boy, and though he had told her that he was content with his family…the truth was that she was right, just like every other father on the planet, he longed for a son. His girls would grow up to be beautiful and intelligent, just like Calleigh. But a son, there was something about throwing around a baseball with a boy and going on fishing trips that just made it different. He had tried to be there like a father to Ray Jr, but that hadn't always worked out well. It still wasn't the same though.
Smiling, Calleigh unlocked the car with the remote on her keys and went over to take Emma's hand from Madison, "Thank you, Darlin'," she said before lifting Emma up into her toddler seat and strapping her in. "And yes, I'm sure…" she said as she shut the door and turned to Horatio. "I mean, we're ready, right? We've toned down the workaholic-ness quite a lot, actually…and we've got a good system in place."
Nodding, Horatio smiled, "It seems like we do."
Finally, Horatio and Calleigh settled into the front seats of the car. Calleigh in the driver's seat and Horatio in the passenger seat. "Where are we going for lunch?" Calleigh asked looking between Horatio and Madison for the answer.
"It doesn't matter to me, how about you choose, Madison?" Horatio suggested. "It is your big day today, after all."
"Can we go to McDonalds?" she asked a bit hesitant.
Calleigh laughed lightly, she knew Horatio had meant someplace where they'd sit quietly. "Emma does love chicken nuggets," Calleigh commented making the proper adjustments to her driving plan.
"Umm…do I call you Mom and Dad now?" Madison asked curiously. She knew that she was adopted, and that Horatio and Calleigh were to act as her parents, but it felt a tad odd. Not that it was a bad odd feeling; it was just something she figured she would get used to.
Horatio looked over at Calleigh before looking back at Madison. "You don't have to, Madison… You can still call us aunt and uncle….or by our names. It's all about what you're comfortable with, Sweetheart."
"Why don't you just take some time to think about it, Darlin'?" Calleigh offered looking into the rear view mirror at Madison. "You'll know then," she told her with a smile. "Plus, havin' a blended family isn't anythin' to be ashamed of… You know there are kids in your class who have two sets of parents and stepsiblings and one lives with their grandparents…"
"Okay," Madison said nodding and thinking about it. She looked over at her cousin in the toddler seat and pointed out McDonalds, "Look Emma! McDonalds! There's cute penguin toys!"
Emma giggled, "Pen-gen!" she said happily as she clapped her hands.
"Can we go inside and play in the play area?" Madison asked excited as they pulled into the parking lot.
"Of course," Calleigh said as she parked the car. "And…while we're gettin' out I need ya to think about if you want a cheeseburger or chicken nuggets, apple dippers or fries, milk or juice or soda." McDonalds had certainly expanded its offerings for meals all around since Calleigh was a child, but she really liked the idea of having healthy choices and choices in general. She got Emma out, holding her hand as she and Emma met with Horatio and Madison at the front of the car. Stepping up, Calleigh made sure that Emma was up okay before continuing in.
Horatio held the door open with a smile watching as Madison happily skipped in. Emma came along with Calleigh shortly after. "Alright ladies, what are we getting?" he asked as they approached the register to order.
"I…will take a Caesar salad and a bottle of water," Calleigh said with a smile to the order taker. "I think we're going to have a four piece chicken nugget meal for Emma with apple dippers and milk."
"I would like a Mighty Kids Meal double cheeseburger, apple dippers, and a Sprite," Madison said happily wondering which penguin she was going to get.
………………………
TBC…