The following days after Horatio's accident was the most difficult for the kids. Especially Ray. He had to take on his Uncles role at home. With Susie gone, Ray made sure that Madison went to school, did her homework and stayed out of trouble. But this was a big task for a sixteen year old boy. But everything continued as normal. Ray attended his evening Lacrosse practices and games. Madison didn't miss any of her soccer games and was named MVP at the end of the season. Ray was there to cheer her on. Both were still honor students at school. Nothing really changed except at the end of their busy days, they'd collapse on the couch and just sit in silence or spent the entire weekend at Horatio's bedside.
Two weeks past without any change in Horatio's condition. He was still in a coma, fighting for his life. But things started to change at the Caine household. The pressures of everyday life was wearing on the two children. They were emotionally exhausted and nearing mental breakdowns from stress. Conversation was rare. Human contact was even rarer. Ray lost his girlfriend of two years because he couldn't fit her in his busy schedule. Madison had to drop her honors French class because she didn't have time to complete all the required assignments. Things were tense to say the least.
The paperwork for Madison's adoption by Horatio had came through just a mere three days ago. This occasion should have been a time to celebrate but instead both children cried. Both now, not only losing an uncle was also going to lose a father.
Ray arrived home before Madison who was studying at a friends house. He set to work making dinner which consisted of spaghetti and garlic bread. A personal favorite of his and Madison's introduced to them by Gretchen. He was getting tired of the tension and stress and wanted just one quiet dinner with his sister. Ray eyed the grandfather clock hanging in the hallway. Madison would be home in two hours. Her friends mother was going to drop her off. He trusted the woman since the Gonzales family was close friends with the Caine family. Ray is in the same grade as and best friends with Antonio Gonzales and Madison is friends with Maria Gonzales.
When the doorbell rang, Ray placed the spoon he was stirring the sauce with onto the counter and wiped his hands on his apron which affectionately read 'All Caine Men Can Cook.' It was a gag gift given to him by Gretchen the Christmas before she died. He knew it couldn't be Madison since she had a key and would let herself in so he cautiously made his way to the door, grabbing his uncles personal firearm out of a hallway drawer along the way. He wasn't taking any chances. Swallowing he approached the door and took a calming breath and taking the safety off the gun. "Who is it?" He called out and waited for a response. Hearing nothing he stepped to the other side of the door and turned the door handle, pulling it open about an inch. The sight that greeted him on the other side of the door almost made him drop the gun. He pushed the door shut, undid the security chain and pulled it open wide. His arms were limply at his side and the gun was pointed to the floor. He stood gaping, open mouthed, at the woman standing in front of him. "Wha...What are you doing here?" He was surprised to say the least. More like shocked into numbness.
Yelina Salas raised a perfectly thin eyebrow as the door was opened. She had stood there for what seemed forever before gathering enough courage to ring the finely decorated doorbell. What greeted her was a sight for sore eyes. There was no doubt that the young man that greeted her was her son. A boy she hadn't seen in over six years. "Raymond?" She questioned. He was almost a spitting image of his father. She gathered her thoughts. "I received your message. I'm sorry it took so long for me to get here but I had to call in some favors to get this address." A warm breeze was blowing which caused her cream colored pants to gently blow about. Her curly hair was also blowing.
Ray swallowed and stepped out of the doorway. "Please, come in." He cleared his throat and lead her into the living room. "I didn't expect you to come all this way. A phone call would have been more than enough." He couldn't help the bitterness that was seeping into his voice. "It wouldn't have been proper for me to leave what I have to say on a answering machine." She could fly out now but couldn't make it six years ago when Horatio filed for protective custody of him. He had wanted to stay with his uncle but he also wanted to face his mother and ask her why she left Rick treat them the way he did. Shaking those thoughts from his head, he motioned toward a rich green couch. "Please, have a seat. I must check on dinner and then I shall answer any questions you have for me." He returned to the kitchen where he placed the gun on top of the refrigerator and began to check on the food, making sure none of it burned.
She followed her son down the hallway, taking in the different decorations. The place was beautiful, she had to admit to herself. After sitting, she noted the gun that her son was, white knuckled, clutching. After he left her alone she took note of the room. It was richly decorated in exotic and expensive items but many pictures lined the mantle above the fireplace. And several more hung from various places on the wall. Her curiosity got the best of her as she moved from the couch to the mantle, looking at each and every picture. She stopped in front of one picture that was of a sports team. Her son sat in the middle with a smile on his face while holding a trophy. There was another picture with a sports team but this one was all girls. She reconized the girl in the middle as Madison, Horatio's daughter. She was also holding a trophy. Horatio was doing a fine job raising the two children, she noted to herself. Other pictures contained Horatio standing in front of a big building with a group of four standing around him. His new team. And then the last picture on the mantle really caught her attention. "Horatio is married?" She asked out loud to herself, shocked.
"He was married." Came the reply from behind her. Ray had returned and had watched his mother for five minutes while she looked at the pictures. Then he heard her speak to herself. "Aunt Gretchen was a detective with the Los Angeles police department. She was very good at what she did. I think that is one of the reasons uncle Horatio loved her so much." Ray moved around the living room until he was beside his estranged mother. "She was killed last year on her way home after testifying against one of the men she helped catch. It hit us all hard. They had been married for three years and completely happy. They were even starting a family. Gretchen loved me and Maddy so much that she wanted to share her love with a child of her own. We just found out that she was pregnant a month before her death." He looked down at his hands. This was difficult to talk about. "She was one hell of a woman, I can tell you that much." He sunk into a nearby chair and sighed. "Two weeks ago Uncle Horatio was helping his CSI work a case. A warehouse murder. From what I've been told, Uncle Horatio knew something was wrong. He ordered everyone out before the place went up like a Chinese firework. He saved everyone there but the explosion sent things flying. Metal beams were tossed around like twigs." He sniffled as he began to get chocked up. "Uncle Horatio was caught in the side of the head by a piece of metal. He's in a coma and the doctors don't know if he's going to live. That is what I didn't want to tell you on the answering machine. He has a fifty-fifty chance to live but the doctors really don't think he's going to get better."