Author's Note: School's hectic, but I'm managing. Don't sue me. Enjoy the story. Read and review. That should cover it.
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"Elena, baby, you've got to get up now." Eric smiled down at her as she slept. "Calleigh's going to take you to Tia Clorinda's for the day."
"No."
Calleigh smiled at Elena's refusal to wake up, laughing softly as the girl's little hand batted away Eric's attempts to rouse her.
"Elena." Eric called again, amused at her sleepy antics. She finally opened her eyes and grinned at him. "Okay. Up you go!" He lifted her into the air. "Time for your bath."
"I'll take care of that." Calleigh walked toward the bathroom. "You make breakfast and finish getting ready."
"I can't thank you enough for this, Calleigh."
"It's not big deal, Eric."
"No, you see. It IS a big deal."
"We'll talk about it later." She grabbed some clothes for Elena and followed the little girl into the bathroom.
She quickly bathed the little girl, pausing to dress the still-healing scar. It pained her to see this mark on the tiny child, even though logically, she knew it was necessary to save her life. Making a mental note to purchase more antibacterial cream and scar fade crème, she got her dressed, and fed her a quick breakfast. Eric assured her that no matter how much they fed her, his mother would make her a proper Cuban breakfast anyway, so she needn't worry. He packed the half asleep little girl into Calleigh's car with a hug and a kiss, and turned to Calleigh.
"I can't begin to thank you for this."
"I'll see you at work."
"Yeah."
"Bye, Pablo." She turned and hugged him tightly. "Good luck today at school."
"Bye, Calleigh." He bravely smiled at her, but she knew he was worried anyway.
"Don't worry, sweetie." She cupped his face between her hands. "Everything will be just fine."
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"Now, Pablo, you remember what we talked about?" Eric knelt down in front of Pablo and handed him his lunch box. "First day of school. It's English-only time in here."
"I know."
"And listen to your teacher." That paternal gene was rearing its head, and he was just letting it run. He had always envisioned himself with a family, just because this wasn't quite the way he'd figured it would happen didn't make it any less special. His little boy was heading off to his first day of American school and he was almost as nervous as Pablo. He'd stayed up half the night tossing and turning. Worrying, what if the other kids are mean? What if the children tease him because his English isn't perfect yet? What if the teacher is harsh? Finally, Calleigh had rolled off the couch to lay beside him. They'd talked for a minute before he finally fell asleep, comforted by her presence like it was the one thing missing from his world. Then again, it really had been, hadn't it?
"I will."
"Do you have the phone numbers I gave you?" He'd written down every contact he could think of so if something happened, someone could get in touch with him.
"Yes."
"Okay." Eric took a deep breath and smoothed out Pablo's shirt. "Do you have any questions for me?"
"How long is school?" He hadn't felt anxious until just now, but he really wanted to bolt right now. "Can I go with you?" His voice was small and scared.
"No, sweetie." Eric hugged the little boy tightly. "You'll be fine. Work hard. Listen to your teacher. Be nice to the other kids, and Tia Clorinda will be here after school to pick you up, okay?"
"Elena will be there?"
"Of course." He tugged on the straps to Pablo's backpack; all filled up with folders and pencils. Ready for learning. "And I will come get you both after I get off work."
"And Calleigh?" His eyes lip up with anticipation.
"And Calleigh." Pablo was quiet, but he looked happier. Less nervous. "You ready, buddy?" He smoothed out the front of Pablo's uniform shirt that Calleigh had lovingly ironed early that morning before she left.
"Okay."
"That's my boy." Eric rose and took his hand. "Let's do this. First day. You're going to be great." Together they walked into the school.
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"How is she?" Eric sought out Calleigh as soon as he got to work, miraculously only 20 minutes late.
"Elena?" She smiled. "She's fine. Got a little nap in while I got ready at home. She was super happy to see her Tía, too."
"I'll bet." He scoffed. "She's gonna be spoiled rotten by the end of the month."
"How'd Pablo handle being dropped off at school all by himself?"
"A little scared." He admitted, but then again, he had been as well. "I hope it all goes well today."
"Don't worry." She squeezed his forearm comfortingly. "They're both going to be fine. Elena will have fun with your mom, Pablo will make new friends, and you're doing a great job with them. Relax."
He gave her a lopsided smile as thanks, but spotted Horatio rounding the corner.
"H!" He pulled his arm away from Calleigh, looking for all the world like a guilty school boy.
"Good to have you back, Eric." Horatio shook his younger employee's hand. "How are the children?"
"Elena's been asking for you." Horatio chuckled at this. "You made quite an impression on her."
"Well, she's and adorable little girl. I enjoyed her company as well."
"I'm sorry I was late, H." Eric tried to explain. "It won't happen again. It was Pablo's first day of school, and…"
"Eric, we're all here for you. Don't worry about it."
"H, I…thank you."
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"We have a new student today, class." Mrs. Mgabe's lyrical voice addressed her pupils. "Class, meet Pablo Palacio. He comes to us all the way from Cuba!" The third graders greeted Pablo limply, but the ever-cheerful Mrs. Mgabe was not to be deterred. "To celebrate our new student, we're going to do a project."
This announcement was met with resounding groans from the children and a worried, panicked look from Pablo. He did not want to be the cause of more work for the other kids.
"You are all going to research the country where your family is from, and we are going to have a cultural night with food and music and all your parents are going to be invited."
The prospect of food enlivened the children a bit, eyes lit up and a few smiles were thrown her way. "Okay. Your homework for tonight is to go home and talk to your parents. Ask them about your ancestors, where they came from. Come in tomorrow with your country on a piece of paper."
"Okay!" She looked around approvingly as her children scribbled their assignment in their agendas. "Pablo, your desk will be right over here. You can put your jacket and lunch box in this locker. We'll get you a name tag for it by the end of the day, okay?"
"Thank you." He smiled shyly at her, terrified of making a mistake in his English and making a fool of himself.
"Hi." A whispered voice introduced himself. "I'm Willy."
"Hi." Pablo whispered back, frantically looking at the teacher to see if he was going to get into trouble for talking in class.
"Okay, class. It's time for reading."
Pablo could have sworn his stomach jumped straight into his throat.
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"I officially hate this day." Eric groaned to Calleigh as they sifted through evidence. "I hate people. I hate this job."
"No, you don't." Calleigh calmed him. "This case just sucks, that's all."
"Do you believe this?" He gestured to the mess in the room. "Do you believe people can be like this?"
She'd seen far worse, but it was understandable why it was hitting Eric so hard now. Someone's precious little girl had been abducted from her home, and tragically, they hadn't found her in time. He felt like crying. How can someone just steal a child from their house? Aren't you supposed to be safe in your own home?
"I know." She reassured him. "I know." She was just as shaken as he was, but she had years of experience at masking her emotions.
"I just..." He paused, sucked in a sharp breath, and closed his eyes briefly.
"You want to go home and hug your kids and never let go of 'em." She put it into words for him, knowing how this was slicing close to the bone for him now. He had always been sensitive to cases involving children, but it was so much more real now. Now that he had two children at home.
"I don't think I'm ever letting them out of my sight again." She could tell he was close to tears now. "I mean, she only turned around for a second. A second, Calleigh!"
"I know." This wasn't working. Her detached professionalism was going to have to fly out the window, so she snapped off her gloves and wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her face in his chest and breathing him in. "Eric, you can't let it get to you like this."
"She's Pablo's age." He murmured, fingers stroking tenderly through her hair. "And…"
"We'll get him." She promised, even though she was much less than certain herself. "We'll get him, and we'll put him away, and he'll never be able to do this to another child again."
"Somehow, I think that will be little consolation to the Carlson's down there."
"Probably not." She admitted. "But maybe you'll sleep a little better at night."
"We should get back to work." His voice was strangled and he willed himself to not cry.
"In a minute." She tightened her arms around him, not ready or willing to release him yet. She needed this, too. Pictures of Pablo and Elena were playing on repeat through her mind while she processed this scene as well.
"You okay?" He hadn't yet taken the time to think that she might be just as affected by this kidnapping as he is. She was as close to the children as he was, and he felt selfish for not stopping to think of her needs as well.
"I will be." She admitted. After another minute she pushed away from him, looking around guiltily, grateful no one else was around to witness their exchange. "Let's get this done!"
"Yeah."
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"Hi, Dad." He haltingly greeted the man who raised him, surprised when Pavel insisted on a hug instead. "Oh. Hi." He returned the hug a little awkwardly, but appreciated it anyway.
"Eric!"
"Pablo!" Eric hugged his little boy tightly, lifting him off his feet and pressing kisses to his cheek. "How was your first day of school?"
"Okay."
Nonplussed by his response, he set him on his feet and moved to the sofa. "Tell me about your day."
"I have to do a project." Pablo's eyes lit up a little at that. "On Cuba."
"Cuba? Really?"
"Everyone does."
"The whole class is learning about Cuba?" Eric was pleasantly surprised at this. He had certainly never studied his own heritage in school.
"No. We do a project on our country."
It took Eric a second to process the words and decipher what he really meant. "Oh, all the students have to research the country of their own ancestors?" Pablo just nodded. "Okay, that shouldn't be too hard." His mother was a wealth of information, and would no doubt be excited to help. "What do you need to do?"
"I don't know." Pablo shrugged. "Teacher says we have food and music. Parents can come." He hung his head as he whispered the last part, and Eric finally realized why he was so upset.
"Pablo, honey." He hugged him with one arm. "This must be so hard for you, and I'm so sorry about that." His poor little boy was hurting, and he hated it. "Pablo, I know I'm not your parent, but would it be okay if I come?"
"You will come?" He sounded a little excited at this, much to Eric's glee.
"I wouldn't miss it for anything. Just tell me when, and I'll talk to my boss. I'll take the time off early to make sure I don't miss it."
"Eric?"
"Yes, honey?"
"Do you think Calleigh would come, too?" He remembered what he'd seen a few nights before as Eric bade Calleigh goodnight.
"Why don't you ask her tonight?" He had an inkling that Calleigh would be touched to be included in this, and he knew without a doubt that she would agree.
"Okay!"
"Now," He patted Pablo's knee. "Where is Elena?"
"Outside with Tía Clorinda." He pointed to the backyard.
"I'm going to go say "hello," okay?"
"Okay."
He was still worried and tense from the case, and taking his children home and spending the evening with them was no doubt the antidote for that.
"Elena!" Clorinda called out to her niece as she played in the sandbox. "Look who's here!"
"Hi!" She dropped her shovel and bucket and ran to greet her cousin.
"Oh, hi!" He lifted her straight into the air and twirled her around. "How are you, my baby girl?"
She gave him a puzzled look, and he frowned, switched to Spanish, and continued talking to her. Elena, it seems, had a wonderful day. She had the undivided attention of her Tíos, and she loved every minute of it.
"Mami?" He asked after brushing the sand and grass off of Elena and sending her inside to wash her hands. "Can I ask you a favor?"
"Sí." She hugged her baby boy now, tightening her arms around her son. She was so thankful for the changes in her son, his newfound happiness. His new family. "Whatever you need."
"Will you speak English only to Elena when she's here during the day?"
"Eric!" She released him and held him at arm's length. "Spanish has always been spoken in this home."
"Ma, she needs to learn English before she starts school in the fall. I need her to start learning it."
"I can't teach her English, Eric. You know that."
He did, and he distinctly remembered starting school with only Spanish and Russian under his belt. The first few weeks had really been sink or swim, but his parent's had meant well. "She won't have an accent, Ma. I promise." Clorinda and Pavel had always been concerned that if their children learned English from them they would speak it with an accent forever. "And what is the worst thing that would happen even if she does have an accent?" He thought of Calleigh's voice and smiled softly. He was certainly not averse to a woman with an accent. He thought it was sexy, but that was an adjective that he didn't' want associated with his little girl for at least forty or fifty years.
"Eric,"
"Mami, please. Speak English with her."
"Of course." She'd do anything for her children, and if he needed this, she would be more than willing to help.
"Thanks, Mom."
"You're welcome." She took her son's hand and led him inside. "So, how is Calleigh?"
"Calleigh's fine, Ma." He rolled his eyes, knowing from experience what was to come.
"And when is she going to see the children next?" She suspected she new the answer, but wanted to hear it aloud nonetheless.
"Calleigh's coming over tonight. We're having dinner with the kids. She's going to help watch Elena while I help Pablo with his homework."
"Good. Good." She left it at that, but Eric knew that sneaky smile. "Ma, don't get any ideas."
"I'm not doing anything!" She rebuffed. "I'm just glad you have a friend like her."
"Me, too." He said quietly, dozens of thoughts filling his brain. "Me, too."
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"Just sound it out." Eric encouraged a frustrated Pablo. "You can do it."
Pablo signed and grimaced, but buckled down and tried again. "Ca-ta-strofe." He wrinkled his nose and looked at Eric. "I don't know it."
"Close, very close." Poor kid. What an assignment on his first day of school. "You actually have to pronounce this "e" on the end. This word is a little different. Try it again."
"Ca-ta-strophe."
"Catastrophe. That's right! Good job!" He praised his frustrated little boy. "Catastrophe."
"What means this?"
"Let's look it up." He grabbed the dictionary that Calleigh had magically produced when she arrived that evening.
"Dinner's ready." Calleigh appeared in the living room with Elena in tow.
"Go wash up." He urged. "We'll finish this after."
"Elena helped." Calleigh looked down at the little girl with a smile Eric could only categorize as innately maternal.
"You helped?" Eric tickled her belly a little. "I can't wait to try it, then."
"Calleigh, this is amazing." He couldn't believe how good the food was.
"It's nothing." She brushed off his compliments. Macaroni and cheese is just easy. And vegetables, well, that's just season and steam. Some broiled chicken made it a complete meal, and she saved the fruit for desert. Her mom gave her the recipe, and it never failed to please.
"The bowl, though, that was genius." Calleigh had served Elena's pasta in a bowl, making it much easier for her to eat it.
"Ahh. Experience."
"How is it that you know so much about kids?" He asked her later after the children were in bed. "I mean, the pasta in a bowl, the dictionary. You always know what to do with them."
"I'm from a small town in Louisiana. What do you think I did for cash as a kid?"
He just shrugged and kissed her.
"You are talking to Calleigh Duquesne, babysitter extraordinaire. I think I babysat for every kid in Darnell by the time I went off to college."
"Really?" He'd never really considered her to be the babysitting type.
"It's a small town. Not much else to do for cash."
"You're amazing with them, you know that?"
"They're great kids." She deflected.
"Oh, no." He jumped up and dashed down the hall, returning a moment later with Pablo. "We forgot to ask you something."
"Go ahead." He urged.
"Calleigh." Pablo began. "My class is doing a project."
"Oh, yeah?"
"We have music, food, and parents can come."
"Oh. That sounds nice." She glanced at Eric, but he wasn't looking at her.
"My mom can not come, but Eric said he will."
"That's nice, honey." She knew what was coming, and waited patiently for him to work up the nerve.
"Will you come, too?"
"Oh, really?" She gushed, hugging him tightly. "Pablo, of course I'll come. I'd be honored. Thank you, sweetie."
"You will?" He wasn't sure if he'd really expected her to agree or not.
"Just tell me when, and I'll be there."
"Thank you!" He kissed her cheek sloppily and hugged her back.
"You're welcome, darlin'. Now get some sleep. You have school tomorrow."
"Okay." He scampered off back to bed as Eric pulled her to her feet and danced her around the living room. "Thank you. He was so worried about asking you."
"I'd do anything for them, you know that."
"I know." He stopped them and kissed her soundly. "Calleigh, I just…I'm so thankful to you for everything you've been doing for me."
"Eric, please stop thanking me all the time." She rested her cheek against his chest, finding this position to be more than adequate at relaxing away all her tension. "You guys are important to me. All of you."
"Do you wanna stay tonight?" He prayed she'd agree. There was no way he could bear to let go of her yet. He'd held onto Elena for a good twenty minutes before he'd put her down for bed, the memory of the little girl from his case that day haunting him still.
"Yeah. I do."
"Do you need something to sleep in again?" He'd loaned her a pair of boxers and a tee shirt the night before, and he swallowed hard whenever he remembered the way his shirt hung down close to her knees, how cute she looked in his clothes.
"I actually brought stuff with me." She admitted shyly, a little embarrassed.
"It's late. Do you want me to go get it?" He lived in a safe neighborhood, but he after the day he'd have, after everything he's seen, he just wasn't willing to take any risks. The patrol car was still parked across the street, but he couldn't be too careful.
"Eric, I…"
"Please, Cal. Just tell me where it is."
"Work clothes are hanging in the back, bag's in the trunk." She fished her keys out of her purse and handed them to him. "Thank you."
She grabbed the blankets and pillows from the night before, and made a nest on the floor. There would be an argument, but she'd take the floor tonight.
"I'll just hang this in the closet." He breezed back inside, features softening the moment he spotted Calleigh lounging comfortable on his sofa. She looked so right, so in place in his home. In his life. He realized that he'd been waiting his entire life for this. This feeling, the vision. This picture. This life.
"I was thinking." Calleigh started as he settled behind her and wrapped his arms around her. "It's going to be warm tomorrow. If you don't have plans, I have an idea."
"I don't have plans, Cal. What do you have in mind?"
"Let's take them out tomorrow. Let them have some fun."
"You have some place in mind?"
"Yeah."
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Eric lounged in the Adirondack chair by the fountain and reached out for Calleigh's hand. The two of them sat back and watched as Pablo and Elena ran and played in the fountain, laughing like children without a care in the world. The weights had been lifted from Pablo's shoulders, and he was just a kid again. The burdens of before seemingly evaporated as he relaxed and realized that Eric and Calleigh would care for both of them,; Elena was no longer solely his responsibility. Just like a carefree and mischievous big brother, he positioned his little sister in just the right place to get blasted by a stream of water, then laughed as she screeched when it hit her.
"Did you see that?" Calleigh laughed as Elena came running toward her. Grabbing the towel, she held it up and wrapped the girl in it with a big hug. "Are you having fun, honey?"
"Yes." She bubbled before dashing back into the fountain to play.
They continued to watch as the children befriended other kids and played games, chasing each other and laughing.
"This was a great idea, Calleigh. Thank you." He loved the happy looks on their faces. "It's so good to see them like this."
"Let's get ice cream." He decided suddenly.
"That sounds nice."
"Pablo, Elena!" Eric rose and called the children. "Come on, guys. Time to go."
With resounding groans, they came, wrapped in their towels.
"Let's get you changed, honey." Calleigh helped Elena slip on her sandals and led her toward the public restrooms to change into dry clothes. She dried her off, and changed her into the sundress she'd packed, then dressed the wound. "And here we go!" She grabbed a sticker from her purse and placed it over the fresh gauze. She combed out her hair, clipped it into a barrette, and sat her back down on the floor.
"Ready?"
"Uh, huh."
"Good girl."
They got their ice cream in bowls to make it neater to eat, and walked around the harbor. Eric relished the evening, the cool sea breeze blowing in from the sea cooling the night as it rustled around them. Caribbean music floated on the wind as the party-goers started tricking out, giving the evening a sort of carnival atmosphere that lifted his spirits.
"Her birthday's in a few weeks." Eric squeezed Elena's calves as she sat on his shoulders, tired of walking. She still wasn't quite back to full strength since the surgery, and tired quickly, but she was getting better. Her hands were still a little sticky from the ice cream, and he knew he'd need to wash his hair tonight, but it was worth it. She was worth it.
"I suppose you're throwing her a proper birthday party." Calleigh grinned at him.
"Wouldn't dream of anything else."
"Need help?"
"I thought I'd ask my mom if we could have it at her house. She has the space, people know where it is."
"Just let me know." She offered, excited at the prospect of throwing a party for little Elena. She and Eric had spoken about it the previous evening, and they both hated that they'd missed so much of the children's lives. They understood why, of course. They hadn't been orphans before. They'd had a family, a loving mother, doting grandfather. Still, it stung to think of the time they'd lost, the years they'd missed. Eric seemed to have resolved to make up for missing all those years, planning a summer vacation for them, dreaming of their futures. Their lives together.
"My mom will probably want to make the cake." He told her, having first hand knowledge of how amazing his mother's birthday cakes are.
"Whatever you need, just let me know."
"Thanks, Calleigh." He felt Elena slumping down as she got tired. "I think I should get this little one home and get her to bed."
"Here, bend down. I'll get her." He bent at the knees, and Calleigh drew her baby into her arms and held her close. "You're so tired, sweetie." She murmured between kisses to her temple. "You've had a big day."
"Is she too heavy for you?" Eric offered to take her.
"I've got her." She squeezed the little girl affectionately. "Maybe in a minute." Right now, she just wanted to hold the her little girl...forever.
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A/N: That's all for now. R/R!!!!!!