Title: Storm

Author: innocent choir girl (ff-dot-net), shannyfish (From Out of the Lab/Miami Heat/LJ)

Summary: Sequel to "Sex, Drugs, & Rock n Roll", and takes place six months after that story. Calleigh is still deciding on what to do with her unborn child and is having a hard time with being away from work. How will the decisions she make change her life?

Category: Ship Ahoy! Calleigh/Horatio

Genres: Drama, Hurt/Comfort

Characters: Horatio Caine, Calleigh Duquesne

Rating: PG-13

Chapter: 14 "The Joys of Parenthood"

Author's Notes: So, this is the story that will be the November story, since I'm doing nanowrimo… Keeping with the writer's strike, I have been withholding the completed chapters of "Storm", but still updating my word count on nanowrimo. Though, a writer can never stop writing…it's something you have to get out or it haunts you…I can keep it from being published until I am ready to do so. Sorry all!!! I'm sure most understand! Just think of it this way ;) You get a bulk update!

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Horatio loved his role in Calleigh's life. He'd spent all night getting up and rocking and taking care of Parker. Being a parent was something that he felt like he was especially good at. If being a parent to Parker was a choice he had to make over his job at the crime lab, he knew he'd take it. It was a special kind of joy. Even the crying was something that was wonderful to him. Staring down at the sleeping infant, he smiled. "At least you and your mommy are getting some sleep," Horatio whispered with a smile. He looked up when he noticed the door opening and saw the nurse. He gave her a kind smile and waited to see what she was there for.

"Good morning, Lieutenant," she said quietly. "The doctor has the last of the tests planned for this morning," she explained.

"Will you have him all day?"

"No," she said with a smile. "But we also want Ms. Duquesne to rest up," the nurse reminded.

Horatio nodded and let the nurse take Parker away. He knew that it was important to make sure that the baby was alright.

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It was late afternoon and Horatio had gone for a walk. The sterile hospital atmosphere wasn't much to take in, but he had wanted Calleigh to sleep in peace. The nurse had informed him that Parker was in the nursery being well cared for and that they'd return him whenever Calleigh was ready. He was thankful that the hospital had such a wonderful staff that was being so helpful in letting Calleigh rest. He knew that once they got home that neither of them would be on a regular sleeping schedule for some time. Horatio was prepared for that, but he still worried about Calleigh.

He stopped in front of the nursery with who he could only guess where other family and friends of other mothers who had given birth and their children were also in the nursery. Horatio smiled when he spotted Parker. The nurses had informed him that he could go in and rock him, but he'd already told himself that he'd get a cup of coffee to help him get through the rest of the day.

"Which one, Anne?" an older man asked.

Horatio watched as the woman tried to guess which child was their grandchild, Horatio could only assume. He smiled before passing by the nursery and heading for the elevator. He had figured that if he got his coffee and took some time sipping it and eating a snack down in the cafeteria, he'd have enough time to return to the nursery to rock Parker before Calleigh was back up, and wondering where everyone was.

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When Horatio returned back to the floor almost forty-five minutes later, he found an uneasy sight. The grandparents that he'd seen when he'd left earlier were still there arguing with not only a pair of nurses, but security as well. As much as Horatio wanted to know what was going on, he knew that it might be best not to get involved.

"He's our grandson," the woman argued. "We just want to go in and see him."

"He doesn't even have the proper last name," the man added.

Horatio turned for a minute and looked over the babies in the nursery. Parker was only one of ten babies in the nursery and of those infants there were only three boys. He noticed immediately that Calleigh had used Duquesne rather than Berkeley or a hyphenated version of the last names. He brushed it off telling himself that it wasn't possible that they were discussing Parker. He pushed through the heavy double doors and let himself into the ward. He nodded to the nurse at the station, but stopped when he heard his name.

"Lieutenant," the nurse said a bit upset. "A man came right after you left. He was trying to deliver papers…"

"What kind of papers?" Horatio asked suddenly curious.

The nurse frowned and handed over the papers that had been left in her care, "He said it was regarding custody."

Things were clicking in his head, but then things were also making him upset just thinking about how Calleigh would take it. "Did he talk to Calleigh?"

"No, Lieutenant," she said quickly. "The security guards wouldn't let them in the ward. I haven't said anything to her. She's only been up for about ten minutes. She asked for a snack, and she's looking so happy…I just didn't know how to tell her such a horrible thing."

Horatio nodded, "I understand…and appreciate that." He nodded towards the nursery, "Are those two trying to see Parker?"

"Yes, Sir."

Horatio wasn't sure what to do. He could only think that they were indeed Jake Berkeley's parents. Jake had wanted to see his son, was this his punishment for their shielding of Calleigh and Parker? On one hand he wanted to ignore the couple and go to Calleigh and assure her that things would be alright…but on the other hand he wanted to go out there and try to negotiate with them. But he wasn't Parker's father…not really…no matter how much he felt like that person. He had no right to do something that was only a choice and decision that Calleigh could make.

"Go ahead and move Parker forward in the nursery to the window, so that they can see him," Horatio told her.

"Are you sure, Sir?" the nurse questioned.

He nodded, "Let them just see him through the window and then bring him in in about five minutes?"

"Alright," the nurse agreed before disappearing in the direction of the nursery. Now, he had to tell Calleigh. He looked down at the papers in his hands. He knocked on Calleigh's door once he arrived and then entered. "Sweetheart," he said with a smile as he entered trying to keep the mood light. "Have you called your father?"

"No," Calleigh said as she scooped up a helping of applesauce from the bowl in front of her.

He sat down in his chair and pulled out his cell phone, "It's time to…" he said offering it to her.

"What's wrong?" she asked setting the spoon still full of applesauce back into the bowl. She knew that look, even though he was trying to hide it from her. She knew that there was something wrong.

"The Berkeleys are outside of the nursery…" he explained. Holding up the papers, he completed what was going on, "They want custody of Parker."

"Wha-What?" she blurted out shocked. She'd never thought about Jake's parents being a choice to take Parker, even before she was sure she was going to keep him. "But…he's stayin' with me…with us…" she whispered.

"Calleigh, Sweetheart," Horatio said trying to assure her things would be alright. "You need to keep in mind that minors are rarely removed from their mother. Especially in a case like this. You're not negligent in any way…you're not an addict… Even if this does go to court…you're going to win. But you should still call your father…plus, we've kept this from him for too long…"

Nine months they'd kept her pregnancy from her father. It hadn't been easy. They'd just managed to make him think that their schedules could never click after she started to show. She knew it wasn't very nice, but also hoped he'd understand once he knew the whole story. How could she tell him that she was having his grandson and then tell him that she wasn't sure that she was going to keep him? Calleigh knew how his eyes would look…it would break her heart…

"I can't…" she whispered as her voice broke and tears dropped down her cheeks. "You call him," she insisted as she covered her face.

Horatio wasn't going to argue with her. He dialed Kenwall Duquesne's number and waited for Calleigh's father to pick up before he started to explain the situation.

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TBC…