Disclaimer: I'm too tired for something witty; check the previous chapters. Nothing's changed.

A/N: This should answer the question – or maybe not.

The journey to Checkers was less controlled than their walk to the park. Instead of going by foot, the teams rode in the radio cars with flashing lights. Suzie chewed on her lip the entire way, not entirely comfortable to be in a police car at all. Horatio rode up front, sunglasses hiding his eyes, wishing he had CSI1 and was driving himself.

The countergirl backed away from the window in shock to see three police cars come screaming into the small parking lot along side the hamburger stand. The cook came up from the grill to lean out and utter, "What the hell?" as the cars zoomed past. The other customers craned their neck to watch the three cars discharge their passengers, including a blonde woman who ran across the parking lot, followed by a red hair man walking at a very clipped pace.

Suzie bolted across the parking lot to the tables along side the hamburger stand. She covered her mouth to stifle a cry; Madison sat at the center table, swinging her legs and coloring. Madison looked up with a grin and waved to see her mother and her uncle.

Suzie reached Madison and dropped to her knees, grabbing her daughter and bursting into tears. Horatio was immediately behind them, lifting Suzie back up, taking Madison in his arms, holding both of them.

Eric put his arm around Calleigh's waist and smiled at her. Calleigh rested her head on his shoulder.

Ryan glanced at Katie, standing awkwardly out of reach. "Hey," he said, walking to her, with a lopsided smile. "See? I told you she was fine."

Katie gave a small smile and took his hand, squeezing once. "Yeah, you did."

Horatio set Madison on her feet on top of the table so they were at eyelevel. He gave her a cursory exam, checking for injuries. His relief left him, for once, speechless.

"Madison, what got into you?" Suzie demanded, wiping her eyes with the backs of her hands. "You scared me to death!"

Madison's grin faded and she looked serious. "The judge can't take me away now," she told Suzie. "We weren't in court so she can't make me live with granmom."

"That's what this is about?" Horatio said at last, taking off his sunglasses.

Madison nodded.

"Madison, that is not how it works," Horatio told her.

"It isn't?" she asked, frowning. "But if we're not there, the judge lady can't do anything."

"Yes, she can, Maddie," Suzie corrected. "We'll be lucky if she didn't give a decision while we were looking for you. And because you ran away, she might think granmom can keep better track of you than we can."

Madison's mouth opened in a little "o." She stared at her hands. "I got you in trouble," she muttered.

"We'll see about that," Horatio told her.

"I'm grounded, aren't I?" she asked him.

Horatio let out a deep sigh. "Yes, sweetheart, you are," he told her. "But we'll discuss that later."

He picked her up and set her back on the ground. Suzie took Madison's hand. Madison looked up at her uncle. "But the police officer said you'd understand."

They all paused. Horatio's frown deepened. Eric walked over to them. Katie also took a seat at the table, looking clearly worried.

"What officer, Madison?" Horatio asked.

"The police man who found me," Madison told him. "He brought me here and we had cheeseburgers. And he wanted to know how you were doing and he said Mr. Eric took a long time to ask Miss Calleigh out. He said Miss Calleigh was too cheerful sometimes. And he called you 'H' just like Mr. Eric and Mr. Ryan do."

There was a great silence. Calleigh sat next to Katie, her eyes wide.

"Madison," Eric said at last. "What did this – this police man look like?"

Madison frowned in imitation of Horatio. "He was tall like you," she said. "And he had black hair and his shirt was untucked. And when he talked, he sounded like Miss Katie."

"Maddie, I have a Western New York accent," Katie said. "Someone from Florida doesn't talk the way I do."

Madison's head bobbed. "That's because he grew up in Syracuse," Madison said, turning to Katie. "He told me that when I said he sounded like you."

"Maddie – Madison, this is important," Horatio said slowly. "Where is he now?"

Horatio's face lost all color and his expression was as if someone had punched in him the gut. Eric looked equally pale; Calleigh was shaking her head angrily.

"He – he said he had to go," Madison said. "Just before you got here. He went away and told me to wait for you here."

"Which way did you go?" Horatio asked, his voice dropping softly.

Madison pointed toward the back of the hamburger stand.

"Eric," Horatio said, his mouth dry.

"I'm on it, H," Eric said and jogged in the direction Madison had pointed.

Horatio led Suzie and Madison back to the radio car, closing them in the backseat. He leaned against the back of the car. Katie quickly went after him, wrapping her arms around his still form.

"I don't get it," Ryan said at last. "Who is this guy?"

Calleigh stood up and regarded Ryan. Her friendship with him suddenly felt like a betrayal.

"Madison just described Tim Speedle," she told him.

"I thought Speedle was dead," Ryan said incredulously.

Calleigh choked back the urge to cry and furiously headed after Eric. "He is," she quipped.

--LMM--

Upon returning to St. Anne's, Madison was quickly bundled away by Alexx to the nurse's office for a physical. Suzie stayed with her while Horatio conferred with Kenwall. Assured all was in order, Ryan returned to CSI with one of the patrol officers. Left to herself, Katie sat on the steps of the school and waited for Eric and Calleigh to return.

Twenty minutes later there was a deep sigh and Horatio sat in the steps next to her, unmindful of what the concert was doing to his suit.

"No call from Eric?" he asked wearily.

Katie leaned against his shoulder. "Nope," she said. "I thought they'd be back by now."

Horatio nodded, glad for her company. "They won't stop until they're satisfied. I've had patrol officers all through the area; no one has seen anyone matching his description and no one radioed in having found a lost child."

"Honey, you can't really think this guy was your friend," Katie said softly. "You told me he died in front of you."

Shading his eyes as he looked upward, Horatio said, "I've found sometimes, sometimes people don't necessarily stay dead."

Katie sighed in turn and closed her eyes, remembered grief filling her. "I wish I'd found the same thing," she told him.

They sat quietly for another minute before Horatio said, "The judge was willing to move our appointment to tomorrow morning. All Madison managed to do was get a day's reprieve."

"I guess that's good," Katie said.

They turned around when the door behind them opened again. Alexx stepped out, smiling.

"Madison is fine for her little adventure," she told them. "I thought I'd check on you before I get back to the office."

"Everything seems to be well out here," Horatio told her, standing up again. Katie followed.

Alexx took her sunglasses from her purse but paused in action. Her smile fell away and she looked directly into Horatio's eyes. "Was he really Timmy?"

"He – uh – he – I don't know, Alexx," Horatio stammered. "We both saw him – I don't know how it could possibly be." He looked at the ground, unable to meet his bestfriend's gaze any longer. "He died that day, Alexx."

Alexx put on her sunglasses, hiding her eyes again. "I know," she said.

"I – uhm, hah –" Horatio stammered again, playing with his sunglasses.

Alexx held up her hand. "I don't want to hear it," she said. "It was not your fault and it wasn't Timmy's. It just wasn't." She took a deep breath and reached out. "Go see your niece."

With that, Alexx walked down the steps and to her waiting car. Horatio and Katie watched her leave.

--LMM--

Katie busied herself in Horatio's kitchen, making dinner for the four of them. Suzie and Madison were staying the night – Katie was convinced it was so Horatio could keep an eye on them – and, uncharacteristically, so was she. She had taken a brief run to the store for something to cook and a bottle or three of wine.

In the livingroom, Suzie and Horatio were sitting down with Madison. The little girl was staring at her hands, listening to her mother.

"Sweetie, do you understand why Uncle Horatio and I are upset with you?" Suzie asked.

"Yeah," Madison mumbled.

"And, why is that?" Horatio asked.

Madison shrugged but said nothing.

"You could have been hurt, Madison," Suzie said. "Someone could have stolen you or you could have gotten so lost we wouldn't find you."

"Uncle Horatio would find me," Madison corrected. "He's a CSI. He said so."

Horatio frowned and waited until Madison looked up at him. "Do you remember what I told you about a CSI doing what she is supposed to do?"

Madison nodded.

"You remember also the chain of command?" he asked.

"Yes," Madison said softly.

"Tell me," he said slowly, "did you do what you were supposed to do today and did you follow the chain of command?"

Madison shook her head and squeezed her eyes shut.

"Madison," Horatio repeated.

"No," she said.

Suzie glanced over at Horatio, who gently laid his hand on her arm.

"So, right now, should I hire you as a CSI?" he asked Madison.

Her lower lip trembled. "No."

"You're right," he said. "So, if you were a CSI, I'd have to suspend you. What your mother and I will do is ground you for the week. No TV, no going to your friends' houses, no going to the lab. And, you will apologize to Sister Fran for not going to school. Is that understood?"

Madison nodded and a couple of tears slipped out.

"Maddie, look at me," Suzie said gently. Madison looked up at her mother. "Now, you be a good girl this week and do what you're supposed to do and Uncle Horatio said he will start teaching you how to be a CSI."

"Really?" Madison was surprised.

"Yes, really," Horatio said. "You knew to leave evidence for us and you have a real interest. But I will only teach you if you act like a CSI and follow the chain of command."

"Okay," Madison agreed and her smile quickly came back.

Suzie pulled Madison over between her and Horatio. "I love you, little girl," she said. "Don't ever scare me like that again."