Here's Chapter 10.

I hope you enjoy. Thanks for the reviews also. They mean so much to me. And again, I kinda rushed this chapter so hopefully it sounds great. ;D

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"Mommy, are you still mad at me?" Layla asked. She was in the car with Calleigh, looking out the window as they drove down the expressway.

"Layla, I was never mad at you, Calleigh said, focusing on the other cars. She turned on her right signal to get into the right lane. The highway was packed already and it was only 9:30. "I was a little disappointed however."

"Am I still going to get a costume?" Layla asked.

"Yes sure honey, as soon as we come back," Calleigh said. She asked Horatio if she could take the day off. It was a little last minute, but Horatio didn't mind. After all, Calleigh never once took a sick day or personal day and she had loads of days to use. Right now, she was driving up to Miami-Dade detention center where Josh had a pre-trial.

Calleigh thought about this morning. She woke up to the sound of a news anchor's voice, realizing she was still laying in Eric's arms and that he had never went home. She tried moving a little bit but Eric's grip tightened on her waist; not in a flirty way but in an almost protective way. She finally decided to move and Eric woke up. They moved together and as he went to the bathroom, she went to her room. Calleigh noticed a call left on cell phone and dialed the voice mail. It was the court calling her to tell her that Josh had a hearing and it was important that she make it. Calleigh didn't know what to think from that, but decided not to over react.

They finally reached the courthouse with ten minutes to spare. Calleigh got out the car and adjusted her top; Today she wore a black top, black pants and black heels even Layla matched with her. She walked in the courtroom and sat down in the lobby.

About five minutes later, she saw four cops bringing Josh down the hall. He was shackled up in an orange suit and he stared into Calleigh's eyes with so much hate it was unbelievable.

Calleigh was used to it though. Her job made her tough. She continued looking as Josh walked passed her and into the courtroom.

"Ms. Duquesne," one of the court officials said.

Calleigh jumped and then smiled. "Yes."

"We brought you here to testify against Joshua Owens that he indeed put a gun in your face. We're going to have you come in here. Your daughter will be in child services until the trial is over.

Calleigh closed her eyes in annoyance. She began wishing that she never brought Layla along. Calleigh didn't want her daughter going through that.

Another woman grabbed Layla's hand and Layla stood up. When she noticed Calleigh wasn't coming along, she called to her. "Mommy, mommy where am I going? Am I going to get my Halloween costume?"

Calleigh put her head in hands in clear frustration, enough to make her cry. Layla continued to call out to her and now Layla was crying herself.

"Ms. Duquesne, could you come with me?"

"One minute," Calleigh said, standing up, heading in the direction Layla was taken.

"We don't really have time," the woman said. "The trial is about to start."

Calleigh frustratingly walked in the courtroom. She glanced at her watch and noted the time at 10:00am. She sighed and sat down.

- - - - - -

About an hour later, the trial was over. Josh was denied bail and he had a sentencing trial in a month. For now, he would stay in the county lock up but he was granted visitations rights. Calleigh jumped up fast but was stopped as Josh called her name. She turned around and looked at him.

"Calleigh, you know I wouldn't kill you," he said. "I care about you. Very much. I care about you and Layla both. Why do you think I brought her here to Miami? This isn't my kind of thing. I'm not a criminal. I'm a nice, shy, family guy and now I won't see my daughter grow up because some petty bull. I never once stole anything as simple as a candy bar, I never got into a fight with anyone, not even my family. I'm real nice person and I'm going to jail for doing something that I thought was right? You know, Layla asked to see her mother and I thought that you would like to see her to. But I guess I made a big mistake." He noticed he was getting to Calleigh now so he kept going. "I should've kept her in Louisiana and told her that her mother was dead. That's what I should've done. If I had done that, I wouldn't be in this position right now. My daughter doesn't have her father and it's as bad as not having a parent at all because now she's stuck living with someone she doesn't even know. You don't know her Calleigh. You don't know what she like, what she don't. You don't know her personality, you don't know anything about my daughter. Just because you've known her for a week and a few days, doesn't make you her parent and doesn't make you know every little thing about her. I raised her from birth to now and I know everything about her."

Calleigh just stood there. Part of her wanted to slap him, but the other half of her remembered what Eric said. She was a good mother. Layla called out to her. "You know what Josh? Yes if it hadn't been for you, I would have never seen her. I must give you credit for bringing her to Miami. If you hadn't, I would probably wondered what my life would've been like without her. But you just made my family complete." She looked at the ring on her finger. "Eric and I are getting married and now, we have a beautiful daughter that will be part of our lives forever. So yes, you are the birth father, but Eric will be her father. You have a good life in prison." She walked away and Josh started cursing at her, but she kept walking. She walked towards the direction of Child services.

Once Calleigh was around the corner, she glanced in the window and saw her daughter sitting there with her arm up on the table and her head laying in her hand. There was a Woman next to her, trying to encourage Layla to color.

Calleigh walked in the room and the woman looked up. Layla looked up to and this time she had a smile on her face. Layla turned towards the woman and began talking. "Can I leave now?"

"Of course dear, you can."

Layla ran to Calleigh wrapping her little arms around Calleigh's waist. Calleigh kissed Layla on her head. "Let's go get your costume."

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"And then I thought you weren't coming back," Layla said. "And I didn't even eat my ice cream because I wanted my mommy."

Calleigh looked in the rearview mirror and smiled. Layla had been talking since she left the courthouse. She was now on her way to Party City and made an arrangement with Eric to meet him there. Calleigh glanced at the clock in the car and it read 12:34p.m. Perfect timing for lunch.

"Okay, Layla, we're going to stop at Subway, okay?"

"Are we still going to get my costume?" Layla asked.

"Yes we are," Calleigh said. "We're just going to stop for lunch okay?"

"Okay mommy," Layla said. Calleigh pulled out the highway and into a Subway restaurant. She parked the the car and got out, hoping that it wouldn't be a part two of yesterday.

"Hello, can I take your order?" the man behind the counter asked.

"One minute," Calleigh said. She looked down at Layla. "What would you like?"

Layla looked up at Calleigh and shrugged her shoulders.

"Little miss," the man said. "How about we make a sandwich together? You can pick whatever you like."

"Would you like that?" Calleigh asked.

Layla nodded. After Layla finished making her sandwich, Calleigh ordered hers and Eric. They sat down at a table and began eating.

"You've been a very good girl today," Calleigh said.

Layla smiled and took a small bite out of her sandwich.

"Are you afraid if you do something bad, then we won't get your costume?"

Layla stopped chewing and looked at Calleigh.

Calleigh laughed. "I want you to tell me the truth on things." Calleigh thought back on yesterday. Maybe she did overact a little, but she had to put an end to the little arguments before they turned into something bigger and Layla got out of hand. "How about we discuss things more before we make decisions?"

Layla nodded.

They finished eating lunch and Calleigh drove over to party city to meet Eric. She didn't even get in the parking lot when she looked and saw the huge Hummer. Eric was standing on the outside, leaning against it's door, talking on his cell.

Calleigh looked at the clock in the car and it was just now approaching 1:00pm. Eric was so sweet to give up his lunch to spend with her. Calleigh parked her car and got out. She walked over to the Hummer and Eric smiled as she approached him. He reached out and hugged her and Calleigh hugged him back, handing him the sandwich she bought for him.

"Thanks Cal," Eric said.

Calleigh nodded her head.

"How are you doing today?" Eric asked, squatting down to Layla.

"Great." Layla said simply.

"Ready to get your costume?"

"Yes," Layla said.

Eric grabbed one of Layla's hands and Calleigh grabbed the other. They all walked into the store happily.

"Calleigh, look at this?" Eric walked over to Calleigh, holding a wig out to her.

Calleigh looked at him confusingly. Then is dawned on her. "Haha cute Eric." She laughed. "I guess I'll be Barbie then and you're Ken."

"And Layla is Kelly," Eric said. "It'll be the cutest thing."

Calleigh smiled. "Alright. Then, we have our costumes. Now let's get Layla's."

After about another fifteen minutes, they were finished. Layla decided she wanted to be a princess instead of Hannah Montana and she loved being Kelly.

They were now back in the parking lot and as much as Eric hated it, he parted ways with Calleigh, promising that he would come over her house as soon as he got off work. Eric kissed Calleigh on the cheek and she watched as he pulled off in his hummer. Then she went to her own car, strapping Layla in the backseat and driving off herself. It was only 2:05. She was going to treat Layla to a movie.

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Calleigh had to admit to herself that she loved dressing up for Halloween. She hadn't exactly ever in her life actually went out an bought a costume to wear, even as a kid. When she was younger, her mom invented costumes. Calleigh was from a small rural town and ever Halloween, her own mother would cut her jeans until they were thigh-high, pick out a blouse and tie it just about her belly button and make her wear heels. Her mother would then braid her hair in to pig tails and tell her that she's Daisy Duke and she's the cutest thing on the planet. Calleigh didn't want that. She wanted to be a princess. She wanted to be Barbie, she wanted to be people other girls were that were her age. Nobody else walked around as Daisy Dukes. At 9, Calleigh complained that she didn't want to be Daisy anymore and her mom bought her a red raincoat and told her to put it on and that she now was Little Red Riding Hood. Calleigh hasn't dressed up for Halloween since.

But this was different. She looked in the mirror and laughed at her appearance. Outside of Barbie's blue eyes, Calleigh looked exactly like her. Her blonde hair was bumped slightly in the front but pulled into a ponytail, She wore a white top under a tank dress that feel down to her knees and white-strap-around-the-ankle shoes. She loved it.

Layla was dressed as Kelly wearing a black top and a khaki skirt. Calleigh was careful to make sure the skirt wasn't too short. Layla also wore white tennis shoes. Her hair was down and flowing.

Eric was dressed as Ken and he wore a white long sleeve shirt under a black blouse and black pants. He had on white tennis shoes also. Eric looked mostly like Ken at the moment. He wore a 'Ken' wig with a part on the left side of his hair. It was cute.

Eric knocked on Calleigh's bedroom door.

Calleigh came to the door and looked at him. She couldn't help but smile.

"Wow Calleigh, you look awesome," Eric said.

"You don't look so bad yourself, Ken," Calleigh joked.

"So are you all ready?" Eric said, looking at Calleigh and then at Layla.

Layla nodded.

They all left out the house and began they're night of trick-or-treating.

Here's the 10th Chapter. I know Halloween is gone and the chapter is late, but in my mind, it's still going to be a few days away. Please read and enjoy!

a/n: Again, I have no idea about certain things like felony, bonds, court or anything since I have no experience in either of them. I only write what I learned from google, or what seems right.