A/N: Thank you so very much, everyone! I'm glad you guys are liking this fic. Nath
Chapter 11: Peace of mind
"Madison, sweetie, wake up now." Susie gently shook her sleeping daughter.
"Noooo," Madison whined, groggily, "I don't wanna. Let me sleep." Madison turned away, pushing her mom.
Standing in the doorway with Ray Jr., Horatio looked at his nephew, "Ray, why don't you leave her a note, at least…"
"I'll pack her a bag, Horatio," Susie told him, "and she can stay in her PJ's for the drive. I'm sure she wants to go."
Unsure of what to make of the whole situation, Horatio decided to bother Madison in order to make her choose.
"Madison," he approached and spoke quietly to her ear, "Madison, open your eyes for me, now - just for a second…" The little girl opened her eyes, blinked a few times then rubbed her eyes with her small fists.
"Hey," Horatio smiled, "would you like to go to Disney World with Ray, Darian, Calleigh and me?" Madison let her eyes close and nodded. "Alright, Maddie," Horatio said, carefully lifting her out of bed. "Take her pillow, for me, Ray."
Horatio carried her out to the Hummer and settled her in the middle of the back, between Darian's car seat and Ray's spot.
"Here we go," he buckled her in and took the pillow from Ray, placing it at her side so she could lean her head on it, "there we go."
Turned in her seat, Calleigh watched the scene. She leaned forward, trying to place Darian's pacifier back in his mouth before he awoke. Seeing her, Horatio popped the pacifier back into his sleeping son's mouth and she smiled, "thanks, honey."
"You're welcome," he gave her an answering smile.
"Okay, Ray," Horatio moved away, "climb in."
Susie ran down to the street with Madison's bag. "Here," she handed it to Horatio, "I hope I didn't forget anything. I packed some clothes, her toothbrush, hairbrush, shoes, her bathing suit, her beach towel, oh I forgot sunscreen…"
"I've got some. I'll take this," Horatio took the brown teddy bear and light-colored blanket from under Susie's arm.
"Oh, right, I almost forgot about it," she watched him place the bag in the trunk, "she never goes very far without that bear – Bob gave it to her." Horatio nodded, closed the trunk and went around to hand Ray the blanket and bear. He made his way back to Susie who was standing on the curb, looking in on her daughter. She smiled at him and Horatio reciprocated. "Thanks for doing this, Horatio. You're a really good uncle to Madison. And Ray, of course."
"Don't mention it."
"There's some money in the side pocket of the bag for meals and stuff."
Horatio shook his head, "Don't worry about it." He wrung her hand, "I'll see you in a few days, okay?"
"Yep." Susie stepped back. "Have a nice trip!" She exclaimed. Calleigh rolled her window down and smiled, "take some time for yourself, Susie."
Susie nodded and waved goodbye.
"Take care, Susie." Horatio said, before getting into the Hummer.
Ray closed his door and waved goodbye as Horatio drove off.
Horatio placed a hand on Calleigh's leg as he realized that their trip was finally under way. She held his hand in her lap, waiting for a red light to lean over the middle console and kiss his cheek.
"What's that for?" he smiled, shyly.
"For being you," Calleigh replied in a melodious voice.
He narrowed his eyes at her.
"You don't get it, do you?"
"Get what?"
She shook her head in disbelief and looked out the passenger side, "nothing, Horatio." Squeezing his hand, she knew how lucky she was to have found this man.
The light changed and the heavily built Hummer glided through the intersection. As Horatio maneuvered the Hummer to take the ramp for the highway and head north, Calleigh glanced back at the children.
Both Madison and Darian were sleeping while Ray listened to his discman. Calleigh's lips blossomed into a smile at the sight of Madison curled up with her pillow, leaning on Ray. The boy turned his gaze from the window and smiled back at his aunt.
"Ray," she whispered and he paused the music in his ears to hear her. "You let us know when you're hungry for breakfast and we'll stop someplace, okay?"
Ray nodded and pressed 'play' as Calleigh settled back in her seat. Perfectly content, she kept the map handy if needed - but Horatio looked like he knew where he was going – and she decided to get some rest. Leaning her head back against the headrest, she closed her eyes and, before long, she dozed off to the lulling movement of the vehicle.
Calleigh was woken up by Darian's crying. She slowly remembered where she was, hearing the radio on and the engine running. She stretched in her seat and looked over at Horatio.
"How long have I been asleep?"
Horatio smiled, "Just about an hour and a half. I'm gonna pull over."
"Yes, your son is hungry."
"Mmhmm. Are you guys, hungry?" Horatio asked the kids.
"Yeah," Madison replied and Ray simply nodded.
Horatio stopped at a resting place along the highway and parked in front of Cracker Barrel.
When the car came to a full stop, Calleigh quickly jumped out and freed Darian from his seat, "It's all right, Darian." She took a bottle from the bag on the Hummer's floor as Horatio held the other back door open for the kids.
"Hang on, Maddie." He told her, when it was her turn to jump out. He left to grab some clothes and shoes from her bag and returned to pick her up in his arms. "You can change in the bathroom."
They went into the old general-store-looking part of the restaurant and, while Ray looked around at the games with Calleigh, Horatio put Madison down at the bathroom door. Calleigh looked over, "Do you want me to go with you, Madison?" The little girl nodded so Calleigh and Horatio switched and he took his son while Calleigh took the clothes.
Horatio waited until the girls were out of the bathroom to get a table. He soothed Darian by rubbing his back.
A few minutes later, they were reunited and the waitress smiled at the lovely family as they sat around the assigned table.
"So, how are you this morning?" she inquired.
"We're good," Horatio replied, "thanks."
"Can I get you anything to drink before I leave you with the menus?"
Calleigh took the bottle from Horatio, "Would it be possible to warm this up?"
"Of course. I'll be right back."
"Thank you." She offered to take the baby from Horatio, but he shook his head so she picked up her menu instead. Darian was fussing, but it didn't seem to bother Horatio.
"Pick whatever you'd like, okay, kids?" He said.
"I know what I want," Ray closed his menu and put it down on the table.
"Madison?" Horatio reached across the table at her menu, smiling at her being hid behind it. She lowered the menu and looked up, a cute smile adorning her lips. "Do you know what you'd like to eat?" He asked. She shook her head. "You haven't gone shy on me, have you?" So far, she hadn't said a word to him.
"No," she giggled.
"Okay, good. Now, what would you like?"
"Mmm…" she thought aloud, a finger at her lips. "I don't know."
"Okay, take you time. Ray, what are you having?"
"Cereal, please."
"Okay."
The waitress came back with Darian's bottle and Horatio tested it on the inside of his wrist.
"Let me know if it's not warm enough," the woman told him.
"It's perfect, thanks." He held Darian with one arm, feeding him by holding the bottle with his free hand. He smiled down, "One down, two more to go," he commented, thinking of the children.
"Have you made your choices?" The waitress prepared her notepad.
"Calleigh?" Horatio asked her to start.
She glanced at him and at his untouched menu, "what about you?"
"Go ahead," he proposed.
The woman interrupted, "will this be on one receipt?"
"Yes," Horatio replied.
"Um, well," Calleigh started, "Ray here, would like cereal. Right, Ray?"
"Yep," he answered, fingering a sugar packet.
"What kind of cereal would you like?"
"Froot Loops, please."
"Okay," the woman jotted down the order and looked back up at Calleigh who handed the waitress her menu along with Ray's.
Calleigh took a peek at Madison and decided to give her some more time to choose. "I'll have oatmeal and a fruit salad, please. Horatio, what are you having?"
"Bacon and eggs," he whispered, tilted towards Calleigh so only she could hear. Laughing at her shocked expression, because he had no intention of eating that fat delicious meal in front of her, he replied, "I'm kidding, sweetheart." He turned to the waitress, "I'll have what my wife's having."
"Very well, and the little girl?"
"Madison - "
"I can pick whatever I want?" she peered at her uncle.
"Whatever your heart desires."
"I want pancakes, then. Please."
"Pancakes, it is." Horatio acquiesced and the waitress wrote it down.
"Anything to drink?"
"Ah, two coffees, please. Ray?"
"Orange juice, please."
"Me too," Madison responded.
"Thanks very much," Calleigh smiled as the waitress took Madison's and Horatio's menu and left. Calleigh took Darian from Horatio to burp him, "thanks, Handsome."
"No problem, Love." He stretched his arm out, over the back of Calleigh's chair, watching the kids. "You guys excited about going to Disney World?"
"Yeah!" They exclaimed in unison.
Horatio smiled gently at Calleigh. She nudged him, "Stop teasing. We still have a long while to go before we get there."
"Mmm," he snuggled into her neck, "Fine, I'll stop teasing them and tease you, instead."
Madison giggled, covering her mouth with her hand.
"You're not making fun of your old uncle, are you?" He asked, playfully.
"Nooo," she shook her head then rolled her eyes, comically.
"You're cute as a button," he reached over and touched her nose with a finger. "Did you know what?"
She blushed and shook her head.
Their breakfast arrived and Horatio went back to the Hummer for Darian's portable bassinet. When he got back to the table, Calleigh hadn't touched her plate. "Calleigh, I told you not to wait for me."
She gestured for him to think nothing of it and got up to settle Darian in the bassinet.
He waited for Calleigh to be seated to push her chair forward. Once they were both seated, they enjoyed their meal.
Stomachs full or, at least, hunger quelled, they were back on the road. Sunglasses covering his eyes, Horatio drove and Calleigh was comfortably seated, using the armrest, humming to the radio. Darian was quiet and Ray was playing thumb war with Madison to pass the time.
"One, two, three… go!" The kids counted together.
"Gotcha," Ray smiled.
"Not again!" Madison exclaimed, dramatically. "It's no fair – your fingers are bigger than mine," she whined. "Stronger too."
Calleigh smiled, listening to them while holding the map.
"It's not about strength or size… you just need practice. You gotta sneak up on me with your little thumb and then you'll get me for sure," Ray told her.
Horatio and Calleigh glanced at one another and exchanged a smile.
"You don't need a navigator, do you?" Calleigh arched an eyebrow at Horatio seeing the GPS activated.
"Calleigh, if you want to give me directions, I'll shut the GPS off."
"Nah, it's alright, I'll look at the various sights and attractions instead," she reached for the pamphlet in the Hummer's side door. "I've already picked a few things we should go see."
"Yeah…" Horatio said, asking her to go on.
"Well, I think we should go to the Magic Kingdom first to see all the Disney mascots. Ray will like the Haunted Mansion there."
"Haunted Mansion?" Ray repeated and Madison took the opportunity to pin his thumb.
"Yay! I win!" she exclaimed, happily.
Ray shook his head, "That doesn't count. I wasn't playing…"
"Aww." Madison pouted.
"Okay," he complied, "it counts."
Madison grinned. She knew how to get her way.
"Where's the Haunted Mansion?" Ray asked.
"At Magic Kingdom," Calleigh answered, "where all the Disney characters are."
"Can I see the brochure?" Ray inquired.
"Sure," Calleigh passed it over her shoulder to the boy.
Horatio started a conversation while keeping his eyes on the road, "Who do you want to see, Madison?"
"Umm… Cinderella, and Belle, and Ariel… and, and, Jasmine…"
"What about you, Ray?" Horatio questioned.
"Ooo, Pirates of the Caribbean!" Ray said, looking over the attractions.
"Ray?"
"Huh?" he looked up at his uncle through the rearview mirror, "Uh, I wanna see Indiana Jones."
"Indie, who?" Madison asked.
Horatio chuckled and Ray explained who Indiana Jones is.
"Calleigh?" Horatio asked.
"Oh," Madison said aloud, interrupting, "I want to see Pocahontas, too." She smiled. "Who do you want to see, uncle Horatio?"
Ray supplied, "Yeah. Any particular princess?" He laughed.
"I want to see you guys having fun," Horatio smiled. "Besides, I've already got my Sleeping Beauty, right here." He took Calleigh's hand and kissed it.
"Yeah," Ray rolled his eyes, "okay." He went back to the brochure.
"Sweet talker," Calleigh smiled, looking at him sideways.
"Any one in particular, you'd like to see?" Horatio ignored her comment.
"Goofy." Calleigh grinned.
Horatio raised his brow.
"What? I used to love him as a kid, watching cartoons. Thought he was side-splitting."
"Uncle Horatio?" Madison called.
"Yes, Madison."
"I'm really happy I'm going to Disney World with you. Thank you for inviting me."
"You're very welcome."
TBC…