A/N : Sorry for disappearing for quite long. I know I've kept you waiting for so long. Exams are finally over! LIBERATION YAY! So now I can start again on my fanfics. Hooray for everyone!

For those who's asking if I know where the story is heading, I think I know where I'm going with it. I know you guys must be questioning if Horatio is let off the hook..Please be patient. We'll settle that later okay? Let's give this family a break. Pity those children; Horatius and Alayna. It's time they have a proper family time. Let them have some time together. Family bonding yeah? hehe.

And lastly, I'd like to thank those who keep reading and giving me feedbacks on the story. Especially Guest who now goes by the name 'The Critic', you've helped improve my writing. And FYI, I got a DISTINCTION for my Creative Writing unit. I will post the story on Wattpad under the same username NashMarquez soon when I've got the time.

Cheerios! ;)

Previously...

"Calleigh, thank you. I really don't know how to thank you but I'm grateful you're here with me. I don't know how I was like before the accident, but I'll try my best to love you. I already felt a connection when I met you for the first time. I hope you'll be patient with me. I really want to start all over again Calleigh. I want to love you like how I did before the accident." Horatio pleaded sincerely and that made Calleigh tear up. She knew he was trying his best and she was going to assure him that she would always be there for him.

"Horatio, trust me, I'll be here as long as you're coming back to me." She took him into her arms and held him there just to assure him that she would be there.

Two weeks passed by and Horatio was healing slowly. His physical wounds were near full recovery. His memory however, has not come back to him fully. Calleigh was still feeding him with information that he couldn't remember. She stood by him day and night, never trusting him to be alone because she knew that if she were to leave him alone, he would force himself to try to remember things that he could not. Once was enough for her. She left Horatio once just to go find his doctor to talk about his condition. It was just that once and she promised him and herself that she would never leave him alone anymore. Watching Horatio writhe and struggle trying to remember was a dread to her. It pained her to watch him in pain then having to call the nurses to sedate him so that he could calm down.

Horatio had been a very cooperative patient so far and Calleigh was glad for that since it would help speed up his recovery process. The doctor suggested therapy for him, which he willingly agreed to, and slowly, he was making progress. He did his best during therapy and managed to recover some of his past. However, the past he remembered was not the happy past Calleigh expected him to remember. The only thing he remembered was his nightmare in New York and nothing in Miami. He still couldn't remember what happened to him. He was still struggling to recall events that happened in Miami; including his wedding and the birth of his children. He couldn't even remember the incident a year ago where he tried to end his own life. Neither did he remember the incident where Calleigh got kidnapped. Calleigh didn't want to push him too much since the psychologist said it might take time for him to remember everything. It could be that his brain was trying to block out and the painful memory to protect him. Calleigh understood.

Calleigh sat on the chair next to his bed, watching his chest rise and fall with his steady breathings. She has always enjoyed watching him sleep. He looked like a small boy. He looked calm like there was nothing that could ever bother or harm him. The wrinkles on his forehead gone. He looked very young and very handsome. Calleigh smiled to herself. She just wished for time to turn itself back to before the accident; to the moment where they were still living happily as a family. As she watched Horatio sleep, she had been subconsciously tracing circles on the back of his hand.

"Hey Calleigh. You're still here."

"Hi handsome. You trying to get rid of me already now?" Calleigh teased as she leaned over to give him a kiss on his cheek.

"No. Don't get me wrong. I wasn't trying to-" Calleigh shushed him before he could complete what he had to say.

"I know what you mean Horatio. I was just teasing you. Anyway, the doctor said you can be discharged this afternoon. Are you ready?"

"I'll get to meet the children then?" Calleigh nodded. She knew that Horatio had been wanting to meet his children but she didn't want to bring them to the hospital yet. She wanted Horatio to stabilize emotionally and be emotionally prepared. She didn't want him to stress himself when he meets them. Just as Calleigh was packing his belongings, there was a knock on the door.

"Hey Cal. Hey H." Eric walked towards Horatio and Calleigh as he greeted them. Both Horatio and Calleigh greeted back in unison. Eric had a worried look on his face and this had Calleigh worried as well. Calleigh knew there was something bothering Eric because he was not supposed to be at the hospital just yet. It was way too early for Horatio to be discharged. She needed to know what was going on. She looked at Eric intently in an attempt to get his attention. She wanted to signal Eric but he seemed oblivious and continued talking to Horatio. She just wished that telepathy were existent at that moment. She needed Eric to look at her so that she could signal to him that she needed to talk to him. Calleigh waited for a moment and gave the two men time to talk and bond with each other while she continued packing Horatio's clothes.

"So Cal, you gonna settle the admin stuff? I can accompany you if that's okay with H." Calleigh sighed in relief. She was glad Eric spoke up.

"Why thank you Eric. I'll be out in a minute. Just need to fold this last one and we can go." Eric nodded and looked back at Horatio as they continued talking for a while more. She nodded and folded the last of Horatio's shirt then headed out to the receptionist desk with Eric, leaving Horatio behind. Hands in his pocket, Eric led Calleigh to a quiet corner of the hospital instead of heading straight to the receptionist desk. He looked at Calleigh intently then stared down at his shoes. He still had the worried look on his face. He went quiet, worrying Calleigh further.

"What's up Eric? Talk to me." Eric fidgeted. "Eric."

"IAB is looking for Horatio." Calleigh's eyes widened.

"Wait. What? But it's been almost a month. Why are they looking for him now?"

"Cal…they've been looking for him since the accident happened. Except Horatio wasn't in the right state yet. So now they're pressing for information. They want to know what happened."

"But Eric, he can't remember anything. You know that." Calleigh was worried about what might happen to Horatio. He could be relieved off duty or IAB could mess with him and charge him with whatever they want to charge him with; especially with Rick Stetler who had been very determined to bring the lab down.

"Cal I know that. But right now, it's really out of our hands if IAB wants to talk to him."

"They're not going to talk to him! They're going to question him! They're going to interrogate him like a criminal Eric! I can't let them do that to him!" Calleigh started to raise her voice.

"Calleigh you need to calm down. They're only doing their job." Realizing that she had lost her temper, Eric tried to calm her down. They were afterall in the hospital.

"Calm down? Eric! Listen to yourself! Which side are you on right now?" Eric felt guilty. He knew that IAB have been messing around with their lab. He knew that Rick Stetler would do anything he could just to destroy the team. Of course, he would be on Horatio's side but it was out of his control when IAB starts to interfere. The most he could do was try to prove that Horatio was innocent and he did what he did to protect his family. Horatio was caught in between a bad circumstance.

"Cal…I didn't mean it that way. But you know how they are when it comes to such situations. Of course I'm not picking their side. It's just that…"

"Stuff it Eric." Calleigh interjected his sentence then stormed away from him. Eric couldn't say anything else to Calleigh knowing that she was very angry at him. He knew he was at fault. Right now, the only fear that Eric has is Rick trying to pin the fact that Horatio prioritized his personal life and jeopardizing the life of others. Eric feared that Horatio's integrity would be held in question.

It had been a few minutes that Calleigh left Eric standing alone in the corner of the hospital. He decided to approach her at the receptionist desk where she was filling out the discharge forms for Horatio then left for Horatio's room without even saying a single word to him. He felt so bad but decided to let it go. Eric followed her into Horatio's room and helped her with carrying the bag. Calleigh on the other hand, helped Horatio up to make his way to the wheelchair provided. Horatio protested on being pushed in a wheelchair. He tried to convince Calleigh that he could walk on his own and that he doesn't need a wheelchair but Calleigh gave him a death glare that could make him piss in his pants. He was confused. He hadn't done anything to make her angry. He tried raking his brain but still couldn't see the reason as to why she was mad at him. He relented and took a seat on the wheelchair, allowing Calleigh to push him. He didn't want to anger her further.

"I'm sorry if I made you angry." Horatio whispered apologetically with his eyes full of guilt. Instantly Calleigh then realized that she had vented her anger on her husband and she immediately regretted it. She knelt down in front of him and took his hand in her left while her right gently caressed his cheek. The look on her face softened as she saw Horatio's guilt in his eyes.

"I'm so sorry handsome. I didn't mean to vent my anger on you. You didn't make me angry. It was something else that made me angry alright." Calleigh said in a soft and gentle manner as she gently rubbed the back of his hands, trying to relieve him of his guilt. Horatio looked at her, not convinced by what she said.

"Horatio, trust me?" Her eyes looked straight into his as her hand continued caressing his cheek. "You didn't make me angry. It's just about work." Horatio nodded silently and Calleigh gave him a kiss on his cheek before standing up to push him out to head to the car.

Eric had already gone out to fetch the car. The nurses said their goodbyes to them as Calleigh wheeled Horatio to the entrance of the hospital where Eric was already waiting for them in the car. Horatio had resisted any help to get into the car and this time, Calleigh allowed him to; not wanting him to feel incompetent. The ride was a silent one since Calleigh was still angry at Eric and Horatio, sensing the tension in the car, just kept quiet. Horatio still had no idea what was going on but decided not to ask since Calleigh has already told him that it was just about work. He didn't want to interfere with their job because he has no idea about anything. He recalled that Calleigh mentioned that he worked as a police officer, as a lieutenant and supervisor of the lab. However, he couldn't remember a single thing about it and right now, he doesn't even know what he was going to do with his life. He thought about staying home for the time being while he figures out what to do with his life. He could take care of the children but he doubted himself if he could handle them. He shrugged that thought off.

As he was entertaining his thoughts, Calleigh's voice interrupted him announcing that they have already reached home. Horatio was nervous. He was nervous to see his children. It was the first ever since the accident happened. Calleigh had told him about them but that didn't ease his nervousness. He was worried if the children doesn't remember him like he doesn't remember them. He got out of the car and Calleigh immediately went to his side to guide him. Calleigh thanked Eric and told him that she could manage on her own. She was obviously still angry at him. Eric took the hint and left. Calleigh intertwined her fingers in Horatio's and guided him into the house. She could feel his cold hand. As they were about to enter the house, Horatio pulled back and Calleigh immediately turned to him. She could see the fear and the uncertainty in his eyes.

"Handsome, it's going to be alright. Trust me." Calleigh tugged him gently.

"What if they don't recognize me? What if they're scared of me? What should I do if they start crying? I don't know how to feed them. I don't know how to entertain them. What if I cannot handle them?" Calleigh smiled.

"Horatio, you will be fine. I'm sure your fatherly instincts will still be in you. It will come back to you slowly." He looked at her questioningly. "Trust me Horatio. You'll be fine." Horatio gave in and allowed her to pull him in. He stepped in and there they were. He could already hear the children. His heart beat so fast he felt like it would jump out of his ribcage but he kept himself composed. He didn't want to look nervous but he knew Calleigh had sensed the nervousness in him. There was no turning back. This was his home and his family. He couldn't run away from it no matter how nervous he was.

To be continued...

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I hope this was worth the wait? hehehe

Hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter. If you have, drop me a review. If you haven't, feel free to hit me up with a critic or anything you want b/c I hope to entertain you with my stories and you might just be able to help me do that :)