A House Divided Chapter 3: Family Ties Anew, a csi: miami fanfic

Disclaimer: It's been a year; hopefully by now everybody knows CSI: Miami does not belong to me.

Author's Note: Inspiration comes from odd places. The company named in this story is real as are all facts related to it save my OC's relation to it; that is fabrication. That said, I came across the name of that company in the captioning of the picture on page 585 of Modern Physics, fourth edition, used for course 750:313:01 in Spring 2004 and taught by Professor Gustafsson. Also, many thanks to Professor Figueira. As always, Mr. Hathaway; thank you for coming into my life. Sun Mee and b8kworm, you feed the obsession so nicely. Marianne and kdeb, you guys rock my world.

Summary: "Words are only metaphors for other words, Calleigh. You are a heart divided because that's the home of happiness and love."

Rating: PG-13

Archive(s): EoTU, Lonely Road, mine. Anybody else, email me.

Pairing(s): Horatio/Calleigh

Spoiler(s): Small for "Complications". There is also a reference to that article posted on the H/C list regarding the Miami/NY crossover. When you get to that part, I'm sure you'll recognize the one I'm referencing.

..... ..... .....

Title: A House Divided

Author: Laeta
Email: ladylaetayahoo.com

"A house divided against itself cannot stand."
--- Abraham Lincoln,1858
"Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation;
and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand."
--- Matthew 12:25

Chapter 2: Family Ties Anew

She went to college at Tulane University and, though she was fluent in Spanish, she took French film and culture classes. At first, it was to sate her need to know more about the country Henri Duquesne had left; later, it was because of Nadine.

Nadine fascinated her; her knowledge of the royal family was astounding. It was during a congenial office hour session that Calleigh discovered Nadine's vast knowledge about a number of families associated closely with the royal lineage - one of them was the Duquesnes.

She remembered that afternoon vividly. There they were - she and a few other students - discussing the French Revolution when they were sidetracked by the Marquis de Lafayette and his exploits to free the British colonies. Then, Nadine told them that he had returned to fight in France and had left a contingent of officers behind to aid General Washington; she rattled off a list of names and looked directly at Calleigh when she mentioned Henri Duquesne.

Calleigh learned Nadine's full name: Nadine Marie Stevenson, née Duquesne, a graduate student in French history. She had spent the summer in France, researching the Duquesne family when she came across the book written by Pierre, her grandfather however many times removed. It did not take long to find the village.

Once there, she reiterated Pierre's written comments on how readily they accepted her into their hearts. It was not difficult to see why: Nadine had all the Duquesne physical markings - blond hair, green-blue eyes, and perfect symmetry.

Nadine took Calleigh with her to France the following spring break. She experienced firsthand the whole-hearted warmth that comes from complete acceptance and love. Comparing it with the facsimile she had at home, she vowed to never settle for anything less than her experiences in France.

When the call came from Miami-Dade, she accepted and never looked back.

.....

The soft whisper of a woman's dress alerted Calleigh to another person's presence. Immediately chaste and embarrassed, she hurried to rise and face whoever it was. Just as quickly, her apprehension warmed into welcome - it was Nadine. Without hesitation, Nadine gave her an enormous welcoming hug though surprise highlighted the affection the woman had for Calleigh.

She introduced the older man with her though Calleigh recognized him as the second portrait she saw upon entering the gallery earlier. Calleigh quickly put the name to the face: David Duquesne, current patriarch of the Duquesne in Pittsburgh. He was the classic amiable grandfather figure, one she never had known as her own grandfather had died before her birth.

As such, David, ever the gentleman, waited for Calleigh to become more comfortable before he gave her the gift of family. He invited her to join him and Nadine for drinks, requesting service in the gallery to put Calleigh at ease.

He laughed when she asked him if she had intruded, knowing as she did that the gallery was not part of the public tour.

Then, he responded, "I would recognize a Duquesne anywhere and God strike me down if I don't offer hospitality."

Those were the same words spoken by her French relations, albeit via Nadine who acted as translator throughout the entire trip.

They spoke of Nadine's work in continuing Pierre's chronology of the Duquesne family tree. Calleigh agreed to assist as far as she could with the Louisiana branch for surely there had to be someone who knew the family history. Besides, she had a vague memory of a Bible with a family tree written in its pages; she promised to call her mother soon.

She learned about David and his work in the Duquesne Light Company, with its controversy concerning nuclear power. Fascination did not quite begin to cover the extremely rich history aligned with her name.

Hesitant at first to disclose more then the required superficial information, she soon found herself telling them everything as more members of the family drifted into the room to join them. She barely registered the afternoon turning into evening until dinner was announced. Courteous, the family gave her a few moments to compose herself as she was thrust back decades to evenings in Louisiana. It was nice to know some family traditions remained since the days of the Roman Empire.

More family members arrived during dinner as word spread that a new Duquesne had been found - especially one from the Louisiana branch. They were captivated by the story of her life like she was awestruck by the love they openly showered her and each other. Once again, she discovered the truest sense of acceptance; never again would she have to wonder if reaching out to another human being would bring pain. She always would have a safety net in the people surrounding her and those in France.

Inevitably, talk turned to Calleigh's personal life. Thus far, she had kept to her career and they vindicated her choice, approving of the continued battle against the oppression that the Duquesnes had fought for millennia.

No warning bells rang in her mind, as evening turned late, as she confided the horrors of her past. The cycles of alcoholism and abuse instilling fear into her as she sought desperately to break the chains. Relationships - all past tense - she shared. Her male cousins made her smile as they promised to thoroughly interrogate her next beau for purity of thought and motives. Her female cousins enveloped her in sympathetic arms.

Then, finally, the question she had been dreading since Nadine and Grandfather David had found her: What was she doing in Pittsburgh, a long way from Miami?

Drained by the emotions of the day, Calleigh had no answer - rather, none that she was willing to share. She felt exposed under Grandfather David's scrutiny but acquiesced to his no-brooking-any-arguments-must-spend-the-night offer. Maybe, deep inside, she no longer wanted to be alone; maybe, deep inside, she wanted someone to make all her decisions for her - if only for one night.

She sank gratefully into the feather down bed as echoes from the other occupants of the house reached her senses. She could hear them; she could also smell their mingled scents and could feel their collective presence.