A/N: Thank you Mel and Donna. I needed some prodding and you ladies deliver ;) Donna, my dear, patience is in order. chuckle

Chapter 2: Unexpected happenings

Calleigh stood outside, gently pushing Darian in the baby swing Horatio had hung beneath the tree behind their condo building, when Susie arrived with Madison.

"Morning, Calleigh," Susie said, releasing Madison's hand.

"Hi," Calleigh smiled, walking over and hugging the other blonde. Madison went straight for Darian and stood before him, tickling his feet.

"You look great," Susie commented on Calleigh's attire. She looked happy in jeans and a soft flowing top.

"Thank you. That's what you want to hear after you've had a baby and are still struggling with the extra weight you gained." Calleigh smiled, "You look great, yourself."

"Thanks." Susie uttered. "And thanks for doing this… Madison has more days off than I do." She quickly glanced away, "I owe you and Horatio so much." She dropped her eyes to the ground, nervously running a hand in her windswept hair.

Calleigh shook her head, "Nonsense. You're family and besides I'm confined for another two weeks-"

Susie smiled at her friend. She knew Calleigh missed wearing her weapon, studying bullet striations, catching the bad guy and going to the firing range. It was her passion and part of who she was.

"You know what- I'll take Darian off your hands for an afternoon and you'll be able to visit your beloved gun lab."

"No, no. That's alright," Calleigh quickly dismissed the idea, shaking her head.

"I mean it, Cal." Susie, absentmindedly, looked at Madison as she thought aloud, "I'm supposed to have a day off next week." She looked back at Calleigh with determination in her eye, "You're going or I'll force you to."

"Okay." Calleigh's eyes sparkled with gratitude, "thank you."

"It's the least I can do," Susie touched Calleigh's arm then looked at her daughter, "See you tonight, sweetie."

Madison nodded and came to give her mom a quick hug and a goodbye kiss before skipping back to Darian's swing.

Calleigh laughed at Madison's ways.

"She loves that boy," Susie smiled, "and spending time with you and Horatio, for that matter…"

"Well, I've got a little outing planned that she might like…" Calleigh whispered.

Susie smiled, "I'm sure she'll love it. I'll see you later."

Calleigh waited for Susie to leave and went over to see Madison. She was so adorable with her little jeans skirt and her braids. Crouching before her, Calleigh swept her wavy blond hair out of her face and muttered, "So, I thought of something we could do today- we'll do some gardening and playing outside while Darian takes his nap, then we'll go see Horatio."

"At work?"

"Yeah."

Madison's eyes glimmered happily and it reminded Calleigh of Horatio. She couldn't believe how gorgeous the Caines were.

The backyard to Horatio's building was beautiful, but none of the residents bothered to take care of the flowers and plants except for Calleigh. She willingly devoted some of her time and skill to maintain what the hired gardener did every two weeks. He had caught her and told her that he was paid to do it and that she was doing some, if not most, of his work. She had smiled, saying, "I won't tell if you don't." She had evidently charmed him with her southern drawl because he ended up shaking her hand on it. She would continue to enjoy gardening as one of her ways to relax and he wouldn't say a word to the landlord so she wouldn't be asked not to do what she loved.

Calleigh was on her knees in the grass in the backyard, tending to the flowerbed when she heard Madison scream, "Ouch! Oww! Owwww!"

She rose quickly, letting go of her small gardening shovel, "Madison, what is it?"

"Aaah! Get it off, get it off!" Madison screamed, bursting into tears, "Make it go away!"

Calleigh ran across the yard to the little girl and discovered that a wasp was apparently stuck on Madison's finger.

"Here- hang on." Calleigh, thriving under pressure, took hold of Madison's hand.

"Is it gone?" Madison asked, looking away, through her tears. Calleigh carefully retrieved the insect then, checked Madison's small finger. There was, indeed, a small white dot. "It's gone now, but it looks like you got stung, sweetie."

"It hurts!" The little girl sobbed.

"I know," Calleigh took Madison in her arms for a squeeze. Calleigh rubbed her back while Madison tried to explain what happened.

"I picked up my juice box and…" Madison whimpered, "and… it felt like a needle… when I looked, I saw the mean bee on my finger…"

Madison took sharp intakes of air through her abundant cries affecting her breathing.

"Shh… It's okay now, it's all over." Calleigh, still at Madison's level, loosened the embrace and used the sleeve of her shirt to gently dab the streams of tears on Madison's face. "C'mon, we'll go inside and put some ice on it and I'll call your mom to make sure you're not allergic."

"Why does it sting so much?" Madison looked at her finger, facing the throbbing pain with anger. She wished she could will it to stop if she stared hard enough. "My finger is getting bigger!" She started to panic. "Is it supposed to?"

"It's completely normal." Calleigh knew enough about bug bites and, took a look at the girl's finger again, assessing the swelling. "Let's get you inside."

Calleigh stood on the sidewalk, holding Madison's small hand, eyes surveying for a bus from behind her classy sunglasses. Horatio had, of course, taken the Hummer to work and her Jeep, having recently given her problems, was in the shop. She didn't mind public transportation as long as it didn't start pouring like it often did these days as she waited on the corner.

She noticed the other people waiting with her; a couple looking obviously like tourists affectionately mingling on the dark green bench, a young girl in a jean skirt probably heading downtown to go shopping, a tall man with dark eyes twitching nervously and a brunette searching for something in her purse.

Calleigh, holding Darian securely against her in a sling, smiled at him, thinking of the team seeing her son again. Alexx had been asking to see him, unable to find time between work and her kids to come visit.

Her smile disappeared when the man lit up a cigarette, the smoke wafting directly at Calleigh and the children. Madison, cute as can be, coughed in her hand, but wasn't acknowledged by the rude smoker.

Calleigh pulled Madison with her, deciding to move away to avoid the disgusting smell. She couldn't stand smoke; it gave her headaches.

Moving away didn't help, the smoke still made its way to them, Calleigh looked over at the young girl she had glanced at before and noticed she subtly held her breath as well. Calleigh would confront him and ask him to politely smoke at a distance if he didn't look so strange and menacing. Her concern went to the children being with her. Just when things couldn't get any worse, the brunette pulled out a pack and lit up as well.

Madison, hearing Calleigh's exasperated sigh, tugged on her sleeve trying to reach her ear and whispered, "Daddy used to smoke too. He tried not to around me, though."

Calleigh smiled at her, stroking her bright ginger hair, wishing she could do something for her. She knew Madison missed having a dad. It was probably why she loved spending time with Horatio.

"Hey look!" Madison called to get Calleigh's attention, "A Hummer just like uncle Horatio's!"

"Mmhmm," Calleigh secured the diaper bag slash purse on her shoulder, "except Horatio's isn't black." Calleigh searched for any bus coming their way again, starting to feel impatient.

That's when she spotted one.

Squeezing Madison's hand to get the little girl's attention, Calleigh warned her of the approaching bus.

When the long vehicle came to a stop, the first ones in were the inconsiderate brunette and "tweaker" guy who finally let go of his cigarette which rolled off the sidewalk. Calleigh let the couple not from around here in and motioned for the young girl to go ahead as well.

"No that's okay," the girl replied, staying put. "Go ahead."

The girl smiled at Madison, waiting for the others to climb into the motor vehicle trying to find a spot in the crowded bus, "She's adorable." She pointed to the baby carrier, completely hiding Darian, "He must be too."

"He is. Thank you." Calleigh replied taking the comment before accepting to go in first. Madison wasn't hers, of course, but she hoped one day to have a little girl just like her. More beautiful Caines to brighten the world, she thought.

Everyone on board, Calleigh had to stand because the bus was jam-packed. She held onto Madison's shoulder, who'd gotten in before her, and glanced around.

A tall handsome colored man stood and offered his seat to Calleigh. "Ma'am-" he motioned.

"Oh, thank you." She smiled at him. He was smartly dressed… Calleigh frowned in thought: a businessman, maybe.

"No problem. It's only polite."

Calleigh tentatively made her way to the seat. It was close, but with the kids, the bag flung over her shoulder and the movement of the bus, Calleigh pretty much had her hands full. She got tipsy on her heels, and the man reached out to her, grabbing hold of her hand to steady her. She blushed, totally embarrassed, retrieved her hand from his, and sat down making Madison sit on her knees.

The man held on to the metal pole by her seat and looked down at her.

She felt his gaze and looked up.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to stare… it's just…you seem so young to have two kids-" It took him some time to come up with something to say and Calleigh knew he wasn't saying what he had intended.

Polite and charming, Calleigh thought, at least he was trying to be. Calleigh studied the man for a moment before answering. She thought she detected remnants of a southern accent in the pitch of his voice. "Actually, she's my niece. This one's mine." Calleigh looked at Darian who was silently sucking in his pacifier.

"She speaks as beautifully as she looks. Southern, right?"

Calleigh nodded, blushing again. She felt awkward and wasn't as communicative as she would have liked to be. She wondered about his accent.

"The red hair runs in the family… that's nice. It's quite rare."

"Her mother was a blonde like me." Calleigh replied and noticed that Madison was paying close attention to the conversation.

The man narrowed his eyes at Calleigh, "I feel like I know you…"

"Really?"

"Yes. Have we ever met?"

"Um, no, I don't think so."

"That's strange… you look familiar." He frowned than pulled out his hand, "I'm Kyson, by the way."

"Did you say Kyson?" she looked at him perplexedly.

"Yeah, Kyson and that's normally when you're required to give me your name…"

"Calleigh." She smiled. "Calleigh Duquesne."

The man's jaw dropped, eyes going wide in disbelief. "Prom queen, Calleigh Duquesne?"

"Yes, Kyson Mackenzie." Calleigh grinned.

Kyson laughed. "I don't believe it!"

"Neither do I." She knew there was something about that man, about his accent, but she couldn't put her finger on what. "What are you doing here in Miami?"

"I live here."

"Since when?"

"It's been a few years. I followed my wife… her family lives here and she wanted to be close to them. Her mother was dying of cancer."

"I'm sorry to hear that. I'd love to meet your wife and catch up. Where do you reside?"

"Not far from here. I'd love to catch up, too. I'll give you my number…" he fumbled in his pockets and retrieved his receipt from lunch to use as means of a piece of paper. "Got a pen?"

"Actually, yes." Calleigh unzipped a side pocket of her bag and pulled out a pen. Handing it to him, she said sweetly, "You and your wife could join my husband and I for dinner Friday night. We'd love to have you over."

"I, uh, I'd love that but I'm afraid my wife won't be able to make it."

"Oh, well, if there's a more suitable day… whenever would be fine. I'm still on my pregnancy leave."

"No, Calleigh, my wife passed away six months ago."

"Oh my God." Calleigh covered her mouth with her hand. "I'm so sorry." She touched his hand.

"Aunt Calleigh, this is our stop," Madison tugged on her sleeve.

Calleigh stood with Madison, "I have to go…" Calleigh felt terrible, "I'll get in touch with you, okay"

Kyson nodded, helping Calleigh reach the door as the bus was pulled to a stop alongside the road. She glanced back at him, one last time, before getting off the bus with Madison.

As she stepped on the curb and turned to watch the bus leave, she shook her head, tears in her eyes from not only encountering an old friend but learning painful news from someone as sweet as Kyson. She was resolute to call him and have him over for dinner.

"Who was that man" Madison asked.

Calleigh brushed a gentle hand on Madison's head, "He was a good friend of mine, a long time ago…" Calleigh trailed off into her musings, looking down at baby Darian comfortably nestled in the sling. What would her life had been if she'd stayed in Darnell What would have happened if she had acted on those feelings she had for Kyson instead of running away It was Madison's turn to squeeze Calleigh's hand. Calleigh snapped back to reality and gingerly started walking in the crime lab's direction.

TBC…