A week had passed since her return to Miami and now a nervous Natalia found herself in the crime lab, heading for a discreet meeting with the senior detectives on the lower floor of the Miami-Dade precinct and forensics lab. Grasped tightly in her right hand was Marcus's carrier where the young boy slept soundly, unaware of his mother's anxiety and fear. Ideally she would not have brought Marcus, out of the fear that one of her former colleagues spotting her, but with no family other than Anya, and with both Eric and Calleigh on call, she had no other option.

Coming through the front doors of the building felt like coming home for Natalia as a wave of emotion hit her. Despite her love for New York, she had very much missed the lab and the urge to go into the actual lab was difficult to resist but with Marcus with her, she knew it was a dangerous idea, and so she avoided it completely.

Despite the fact the senior detectives had been warm and accommodating on the phone, Natalia was still apprehensive about the scheduled meeting, particularly in regards that there would be no repercussions on Horatio if by some miracle the detectives figured out the paternity of Marcus. All she wanted from this meeting was to get a job at the lab; it did not even have to be out in the field. As long as she was working in the lab, in the job she loved, she would be happy with the outcome. After signing in at reception, she was escorted to the meeting room, and looking at her son for reassurance, she entered the room where her fate was to be decided.

Because of her concentrating on keeping her son safe and a secret, Natalia had failed to notice the silver sedan which had been parked outside of her house, or outside the shops, or currently outside the lab, watching her every movement. The driver watched her with almost a sadistic smugness that despite her precautions, he had still been able to find her. He would teach her a good lesson-firstly for divorcing him and having him thrown into prison and secondly for having another man's child.

Nick smiled cruelly. He was going to make Natalia suffer by hurting her child. He owed a lot to his friend Pete for telling him where she was. For many nights he had been dreaming of his revenge and now finally he had his chance. 'I'm coming for you babes, just you wait.' He grinned menacingly. And he continued to watch, waiting patiently for the right moment to pounce.

Forty minutes was all it took for a unanimous and satisfactory agreement to be reached. Natalia would be reinstated as a part time CSI once her maternity leave was over. The lab bosses had pledged discretion over Marcus and were indeed very taken with the handsome boy. If there had been any inclination of the father's identity, then nothing was said much to Natalia's relief. After leaving the meeting, she went into the toilets, picking up and then setting down a now stirring Marcus on the changing table and carefully undressing him. The stench from the nappy made her eyes water and she quickly discarded it, before she wiped Marcus clean.

'Is that better darling?' She asked him, looking down into his bright eyes which stared back at hers, so trusting. 'Yes that's right.' She smiled as he kicked slightly.

Once he was wrapped back up in his new nappy and clothes and back in his carrier, Natalia went to the sink, cleaning her hands of the cream.

It was then that she heard approaching footsteps and with just enough time to check the carrier was concealed behind a pillar, the door opened and Natalia froze with fear as she recognised her voice. 'Natalia?'

'Alexx...' Natalia stated nervously, shifting slightly towards the pillar in order to further shield Marcus.

Alexx was lovely and meant well but she was unwaveringly loyal to Horatio and would instantly run to him: a situation she wanted to avoid at all costs.

It was obvious that the Medical Examiner was shocked by her presence but this was quickly replaced by fire on her face. Natalia couldn't help but gulp as she realised she was about to be interrogated.

'Well, Miss Boa Vista this is a surprise. I hope you have a good explanation for your absence for the last eight months!' She demanded angrily, staring at the Hispanic, desperate to discover whether or not her hunch about Natalia being pregnant was true, and if so, whether or not she had had the baby. Alexx was filled with questions and she needed them to be answered!

'Look Alexx, I don't really have time for this.' Natalia spoke nervously; her eyes darting to the hiding place of her son who she prayed would remain silent so that her secret would remain intact. She needed Alexx to leave or better yet a way to smuggle Marcus out from under her very nose. Alexx however was not letting her get anywhere and had made sure to block all possible escape routes.

'You are not leaving till I get answers!' The ME spoke fiercely; very much the mother bear protecting her cubs-in this case the CSIs whom had been devastated by Natalia's resignation. 'Have you any idea what your resignation did? You left us short staffed. Ryan missed you, he thinks of you as a sister, and Eric and Cal-how do you think they felt?'

True: Alexx knew that the senior CSIs were missing Natalia, it was obvious, but in the recent months, her intelligent and observant eyes had noticed that they were acting strange; disappearing for mysterious trips at the most awkward times being a prime example. But Alexx had also noticed the pair had seemed less worried about Natalia's whereabouts even in the face of Horatio's almost adolescent moody behaviour and the increasing risks he was taking. All these points-for so long a jumbled up mess of a jigsaw in her head were beginning to form a picture: a picture Alexx did not like the look of.

'Look it's nice to see you but I really must go.' Natalia tried to persuade the older woman to leave; worried that at anytime Marcus would stir. She prayed that this would not be the case. However her prayers went unanswered as she heard a little sneeze coming from behind the pillar. Natalia felt her heart stop in dread as Alexx's eyes narrowed.

'What was that?' Alexx strode towards the pillar.

'It's nothing really...Alexx please no!' Natalia begged, jumping in front of the other woman. But it was too late. Alexx's eyes widened with recognition and then shock as she stared down at the carrier.

Finally after an age of silence she spoke. 'So I was right, you were pregnant.'

Natalia stared at her in shock. 'How did you know?' Her voice sounded defeated; almost broken.

'Oh honey...I'm a doctor and a mother. I saw the signs...the fatigue, the sickness. Pregnancy was the only plausible answer.' She shot a sympathetic look to the younger woman before glancing back down to a now still Marcus. 'What's his name?'

'Marcus.'

'The name suits him. Now let me see this precious darling.' Alexx demanded and Natalia obliged, surrendering her son to the doctor's loving attentions.

'Well aren't you handsome?' She cooed but then her face turned serious as she turned to his mother. 'I want an explanation-where have you been?'

Knowing there would be no escape now from the interrogations, Natalia answered, 'New York.'

'On your own?' She raised her eyebrows at the unconvincing nod she received in response. 'Really, so nobody knows that you're back, not even Eric or Cal.'

At Natalia's guilty expression, Alexx sighed sternly. 'They know.'

'Yes. They found out I was in New York when I was five months pregnant. They are Marcus's godparents.'

Alexx was silent for a moment, bouncing an awake and content Marcus in her arms. Natalia bit her lip. Finally Alexx burst out, 'Honey does Horatio know?'

Instantly Natalia paled a deathly white and she stuttered, 'I...don't know...what you're t..t..talking about.'

Alexx fixed her a pointed look. 'It is obvious who this one's father is and by the way you were acting before you left...well it all pointed to one thing. So I ask again, does Horatio know?'

'No...He can't...You can't tell him!' Natalia cried desperately.

Alexx was stunned by her reaction. 'Why not? He has a right to know about this. Have you any idea, honey, what your resignation did to Horatio?' She asked fiercely. 'He hasn't been the same since.'

'No!' Natalia shouted firmly. Sensing his mother's distress, Marcus began to whimper and Natalia quickly relinquished him from Alexx, rocking him gently before placing him back into his carrier and strapping him in, all the while muttering to herself. 'I knew it was a mistake to come back.'

Quickly she headed to the door but was again blocked by a determined Alexx. 'Oh no you don't young lady.'

But before she could do anything else, Calleigh walked in. 'Natalia are you...oh no.' She breathed as she saw the situation and in seconds she was dragging her out of there with Alexx in close pursuit.

'Calleigh Duquesne please don't tell me you approve of this situation?!' She reprimanded.

'Alexx leave it please.' Calleigh begged, helping her upset friend to escape the scene they had all wanted to avoid at all costs.

Marcus was now crying and the sound of his cries drew the attention of both police officers and CSIs coming and going in the lower floors, and there were audible gasps as she was recognised. Calleigh knew that at any second now, Natalia was going to collapse.

'Natalia?' A stunned Ryan tried to block them from leaving. 'You're not leaving! What the hell?'

'Not now Ryan.' Calleigh said sternly, knowing that both she and Eric were going to have to do a lot of explaining and that it would need a lot of persuasion for Natalia to stay in Miami now that her secret was discovered. Marcus's cries were now deafening as they reached the exit where Eric stood, car keys in hand.

He spoke softly to her, 'Let's get you out of here.'

They ignored the crowd that had gathered, amongst them an angry Alexx, a stunned Ryan and a confused Tripp who had come on hearing the furore. As Natalia got into the hummer and before it sped off, she saw another face in the crowd. On seeing him she felt her heart momentarily stop.

Returning from another high speed chase that was not technically his jurisdiction, Horatio had been intrigued to hear a furore amongst the officers and his CSIs, and even more intrigued at the unmistakable sound of a baby's cries, and so he had investigated. What he had seen had shocked him to the very core: Natalia was back and furthermore she had a baby. It had taken him only seconds to piece together what was going on and the conclusion filled him with deep rage as he watched her leave.

In the hummer, Natalia felt herself breaking down as she kept on seeing Horatio's rage-filled face and she knew that she had to leave Miami immediately and never return. She had failed in keeping her secret: Horatio knew.