Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

A/N: I know it's been a while since I posted another Computer Calls chapter. I've had to update and retweak many of them, and I ended up leaving out a few of the originals. I'll be looking for some more ideas. If anyone else has any scenarios, please pm me, and if I can work it into another chapter, you'll definitely get the credit. Thanks for your patience.

Adventures in Babysitting

As Cybertechnician Emmie Stockburne stepped into the Miami-Dade Crime Lab, she couldn't help but notice that Dave Benton was smiling expectantly from his work station. She leered at him suspiciously. "Morning, Dave. What's going on?"

He never took his eyes off the monitor. He wasn't a good liar, and both of them knew it.

Emmie stopped and stiffened up when she saw five rubber spiders on her work station. Someone had left brown and black rubber spiders on her keyboard. A fake tarantula stuck to her monitor screen. But the one that really got her attention was the shiny red spider that looked like it was moving. She smirked and picked it up, watching it wave its furry legs in the air.

"Okay, Dave. Who left their pets in here?" she wanted to know, leveling her eyes at him.

The ponytailed tech grinned. "That new guy in DNA. He did that to all the female CSI's and techs. I think Valera's still in the ladies' room. He even put some of those in Ballistics. I don't think he's ever gonna do that to Calleigh again!"

Unimpressed, she then studied the little hatch on its underbelly. "Batteries, huh? Cute."

"Spiders don't bother you?" Dave asked, sounding a little disappointed.

"Scorpions? Camel spiders? Pine roaches? Snakes? These are nothing!" She stuffed them into the pocket of her blue lab coat as she settled into her work station. "I'm sure I could have fun with these, though. Guess I'll have to thank that new guy."

At that moment a very tired Horatio walked into the computer lab, Madison in tow. The little redhead craned her neck at all the new, colorful toys.

"Miss Stockburne" he sighed. "I need to ask you a favor, and I wouldn't ask you if I didn't need your help."

"Of course, Sir. What can I do for you?"

He nodded his head at the curious little girl. "You know my niece, Madison."

Emmie smiled and looked down. "I've heard about you. Hi, Sweetie!"

"Would it be too much trouble for you to watch her for about fifteen minutes while I go interrogate a suspect? Madison's mother has a doctor appointment, and I've been keeping an eye on her."

"Oh, sure, Sir. No problem at all. Come on in and sit down, Madison." Obediently the girl sat down in the extra chair. "Maybe she can help me do some searches."

"Thanks, Emmie. I promise I'll make it up to you."

"You don't owe me a thing, Sir. These things happen."

The computer tech now sat next to Madison as she reached into her lab coat pocket. "Here, Sweetheart. You want some toy spiders?" She produced the brown rubber spider and waved it so its legs flailed.

The little girl's blue eyes lit up as she took the squirmer in her hand. "Thank you." Emmie let her fondle and wave the rubber spider while she turned around to finish Jake Berkeley's bank search.

Emmie then picked up a new black ergonomic keyboard and stuck her hand out to Madison. "Come on, Madison. Sergeant Stetler's getting a brand new keyboard. Want to come and help me put it in?"

"He doesn't like me" she pouted. "Can I bring the bugs?"

"Sure. Don't worry; that mean man won't be there. Just you and me." She scooped out the rubber spiders and handed them to Madison before peeling off her lab coat.

Emmie smiled to herself while Madison held spiders in each hand, making them dance as she sat cross-legged on the floor. It made her job easier that Rick wasn't there. After plugging, adjusting, and clicking, she finally stood back and brushed the dust off her hands. "Okay, Madison. Looks like we're done. Now we can leave the mean sergeant's office."

As she walked down the hall, Emmie noticed that Madison wasn't behind her. She began to backtrack warily in time to see the little redhead smile as she came down the hall. "There you are. Come on. Let's see if Uncle Horatio's back."

As Emmie donned her lab coat and settled back into her chair, Horatio stepped into the lab. Madison ran to her uncle and hugged him. "Thanks for watching her, Emmie."

Emmie smiled. "Oh, hey Sir. No problem." She looked down at the little girl now. "In fact she even helped me fix Sergeant Stetler's keyboard, didn't you?" She then stuck her hand into her lab coat pocket. "In fact, I let her play with those rubber spiders the new DNA tech left on my keyboard. Uh, wait." She glanced urgently now. "Sweetheart? What did you do with the buggies?"

"I wanted Sergeant Stetler to like me, so I gave them to him as a present."

Horatio raised his eyebrows cautiously. "Well, thanks for your help, Emmie. Hopefully you'll find those spiders before Rick does. See you later." With that he took his niece's hand and led her out.

At that precise moment the phone chirped. Without looking she hit the ANSWER button. "Computer lab, Emmie Stock— Sir? Calm down. You did what? That was a brand new keyboard. I believe you. No, I didn't put any—Oh, God. I'll be right up, Sir." She clicked off the ANSWER button.

All Dave could do was smile. "Let me guess. Sounds like Stetler found the buggies."

"Want my job for a day, Tyler?"

The computer tech stood at the door of the IAB office and stared.

"Well, come in, Emmie! I need you to fix my keyboard!"

An angry Rick Stetler leaned, panting as though he had just finished a marathon. Hanging off the desk by its cord was a now-mangled keyboard. Keys and parts she couldn't identify now littered his desk like confetti. The office itself looked like an explosion in a paper factory.

"Not sure I want to know what happened, Sir."

"Emmie, this keyboard doesn't work" he snarled. "I need a new one."

"I just took that thing out of the box this morning" she protested.

He stepped forward and thrust the black mess at her. "Well, this one's defective! Bring me another one!"

"Keeping the city safe from bugs, Rick?"

Both Emmie and Rick looked up in surprise. Horatio stepped in the doorway, Madison in tow, and surveyed the damage. "I just brought Madison back to get those toy spiders she left in here. Maybe it's a good thing you weren't armed, Rick."

The tired, disheveled IAB agent smirked at him. "I guess you thought that was funny!"

"I gave them to you for a present" Madison said to the floor, nearly in tears. "I want you to like me."

The Lieutenant glanced down at Madison's little trophies. "Madison, Sergeant Stetler likes you. He's just mean. Why don't you let him keep just one bug?" The lieutenant leveled his eyes at Rick. "And I know he'll say thank you."

Madison picked a brown spider and placed it gingerly in his hand. Rick rolled his eyes as he gently took her gift. "Yeah, all right. Thank you, Madison" he said deliberately, knowing full well Horatio wouldn't tolerate any less.

Emmie had been gathering pieces off the floor and the desk. She then glanced at the carnage in her hand. "Don' worry, Sir. I'll be back with a new, less defective keyboard."

Horatio led his little niece out as he and Emmie stepped out of the IAB paper explosion.

"Sorry about all this, Miss Stockburne" Horatio said tiredly.

She chuckled. "Oh, hey, no problem. Didn't know Madison would leave spiders on Rick's computer."

They stood at the elevator now. "She just wanted to leave Rick a little present" Horatio said as he donned his sunglasses. "But where Rick's involved, we'll never work the bugs out."