Title: One of God's Angels
Author: Daish
Disclaimer: I don't own anything associated with CSI Miami.
Rating: T for some strong language and some sexual content
Summary: Horatio pulled the little girl onto his lap still keeping one arm around Calleigh's shoulders and replied to her question while clinging to his rapidly diminishing control.
A/n This fic was inspired by a comment made by my fiancée after he told me that someone close to him and his family died of cancer last night. Hang in their, I love you always and forever, sweetheart. This has not been beta-ed so any and all mistakes are mine. Feedback is welcome but no flames, please.
8888888888
Horatio laughed at the five-year-old redhead little girl as she and Calleigh swung on the swings at the play ground at the park that was close to Horatio and Calleigh's house. Horatio slid his sun glasses on before walking over to two of the most important girls in his life. It had been a tradition for him and Calleigh to take Madison a couple of days a week out to play and every other Friday to give Suzie a break. "Uncle Horatio will you push me, please?" Madison asked her red hair blowing in the wind.
"Sure I will, sweetheart," Horatio replied as he went behind the swings and pushed Madison with one hand and Calleigh with the other.
"Horatio! I can push myself," Calleigh said with a giggle.
"I know that but I want to, my dear." Finally after about ten more minutes Horatio looked at his watch and announced that it was time to head back to Madison's house.
"Are me, you, and Aunt Calleigh going to play again on Wednesday?" Madison asked with a smile.
"Yes we are, Maddy," Calleigh replied. When they reached the hummer Horatio held open the back door and helped Madison climb into the backseat and get buckled. Then he opened Calleigh's door before going around to the other side and climbing in himself.
8888888888
Horatio could tell that Suzie looked drawn and pale. He was concerned. "Are you feeling ok, Suzie? We can take Maddy for the night if we need to?" Horatio asked as he placed a hand on Suzie's arm.
"I'm fine Horatio I'm just a little tired. Did you have fun with Uncle Horatio and Aunt Calleigh, Maddy?" Madison just nodded and proceeded to fill her mother in on the afternoon's events.
"We have to go we will se you on Wednesday bye Madison, I love you," Horatio replied as he then Calleigh gave the little girl a hug.
"I love you too I will see you on Wednesday," Madison replied as she bobbed her head up and down in excitement. Then on an impulse Horatio wrapped Suzie in a gentle and brotherly hug. He was concerned that something was wrong with his "sister-in-law"
"You call me if you need anything day or night, ok Suzie?" Horatio whispered into her ear.
"I will but don't worry about me Horatio I'm fine," Suzie replied with a small smile. Horatio released her and he and Calleigh headed back out to the hummer.
"Are you ok, Handsome?"
"Yeah I just have a bad feeling that something is going to happen," Horatio said softly. Little did either of them know how true that statement would turn out to be. Calleigh just placed her hand into his and gave it a gentle squeeze. He squeezed back and leaned in for a soft kiss.
8888888888
Horatio was working on the never-ending stack of paperwork in his office when his cell phone rang. "Horatio."
"Horatio its Frank we have an accident that we need cs's for."
"Why what happened, Frank?"
"I would rather not disclose too many details over the phone. One victim is in stable condition she only has a few cuts and bruises but the other one is in critical condition and from what I can tell it looks like someone ran her off the road," Frank explained.
"Ok I will get my team and meet you their where's the scene?"
"At the corner of Ninth and Elm," Frank replied. Horatio had a fleeting thought that that particular intersection was close to Madison's school, but a glance at his watch told Horatio that Madison should still be in school.
"Ok we will be right their, thanks Frank" Horatio hung up and headed for the break room to gather up his team.
"Ok guys we have an accident scene at ninth and Elm. Horatio could tell by Calleigh's sharp intake of breath that she had thought the same thing that he had when he heard the intersection. One victim is in good condition but one is in critical condition and it looks like she was run off the road lets get your kits and head to the scene." Everyone got up and headed for the Hummers. Horatio spent the entire ride trying to get rid of the gut feeling that he would not like what he saw at the scene.
8888888888
Frank walked up to him as soon as he saw the Hummer pull up. "Horatio are you sure you want to be here the scene is pretty bad."
"Thanks for your concern Frank but I will be fine," Horatio replied as he and the rest of the team headed towards the car. The knot in Horatio's stomach tightened as he saw the car. It was a blue and silver Jeta that looked remarkably like Suzie's. As soon as Horatio got close enough for the victim who was sitting on the back of the ambulance to see him she jumped off and ran to him.
"Uncle Horatio! Mommy is hurt bad, and I'm scared." Horatio recovered from his shock enough to open his arms and catch the frightened little girl who ran into them. She was violently shaking and sobbing.
"SHH, Madison it's ok, SHH. Can you tell me what happened, sweetheart? Why aren't you in school, Maddy?" The rest of the team had gathered around as soon as they realized that one of the victims was Madison the little girl who had charmed the entire lab. All of a sudden Horatio saw an EMT standing looking at him impatiently.
"We need to get her Mother to the hospital and she needs to have a couple of stitches for a cut on her forehead is their anyway you can ask your questions on the way to the hospital, sir?" Horatio just nodded as he climbed in with Madison snuggled securely in his arms after the EMT's placed Suzie in the ambulance. He then informed his team to look for anything to figure out who did this and that he would call about Suzie's condition as soon as he knew something.
"So what happened, Madison?"
"I had a dentist appointment today and Mommy was driving me back to school. Then when we were almost at school I saw a black truck get really close to our car and then he hit us and Mommy tried to keep us on the road but she couldn't and she hit the tree," Madison explained as she began to cry. Horatio just held her and rocked her gently. Once they reached the hospital everything was a blur. A nurse stitched up the cut on Madison's forehead and gave her a coloring book to keep her occupied while Horatio filled out as much of the medical history that he could for Madison and Suzie. Finally after about an hour of waiting a doctor came into the waiting room, consulting his clipboard.
"Family of Suzie Barnam?" Horatio got up and knelt down in front of Madison who was absent mindedly coloring in the coloring book.
"I'm going to go over their and talk to the doctor stay here for me, ok?"
"Yes, Uncle Horatio." Horatio got up, wincing at the crack his back made from sitting in the hard plastic chair for so long. He walked over to the doctor and looked at him expectantly.
"Your on Miss Barnam's file as emergency contact, is that correct?"
"Yes it is doctor how is she?"
"Well Mr. Caine."
"Horatio, please."
"Well Horatio I have to be honest with you it doesn't look good. On top of the cancer diagnosis she received a few days ago and the internal injuries from the accident I don't think she will make it through the night. Horatio swayed dangerously at the word cancer. Hadn't they just got Madison through hers? "Are you ok, Horatio?"
"You said she was diagnosed with cancer, what kind was it?"
"Ovarian cancer," the doctor replied.
"I don't understand if she was only diagnosed a few days ago why would she deteriorate so quickly?"
"Because it was stage four and she chose not to do Chemo. It had spread to her uterus and was spreading more, according to the x-ray."
"I see well can I see her, please?" the doctor nodded. "Can I bring her little girl back to tell her good by?"
"Yes but I need to warn you she looks very bad and there are a lot of machines and tubes, ok?"
"I understand I will explain it to Madison."
"Very well she's in room 204. My name is Dr. Nelson if you have any questions," the doctor said as he put out his hand for Horatio to shake.
"Thank you, doctor." The doctor walked off leaving Horatio and Madison alone.
"Is Mommy going to be ok, Uncle Horatio?" Horatio contemplated what he should tell the little redhead sitting in front of him. Finally he decided on a half truth.
"I don't know, Maddy. She's very sick and is hurt bad. All we can do is pray ok, sweetie?"
"Ok Uncle Horatio can I see her?"
"Yeah sure come on," Horatio replied as Madison stood up and took Horatio's hand.
8888888888
Horatio stopped outside Suzie's room and knelt down to Madison's level. "There are going to be a lot of tubes and machines and your Mommy isn't going to look good, do you understand Madison?" Madison just nodded as she bit at her bottom lip just like Suzie did when she was nervous. Horatio stood up and took a deep breath before opening the door. He stared in shock at Suzie. She had bruises all over her and she was chalky white and looked so lifeless. Horatio stepped into the room gently pulling Madison along with him. Horatio walked over to the chair next to Suzie's bed and settled Madison on his lap.
"Go ahead and talk to her, Madison."
"Hi can you hear me, Mommy?" Suzie struggled to talk through the oxygen mask on her face. She moved it just long enough to whisper to her daughter.
"Yes I can hear you, baby girl."
"I love you, you have to get better, Mom."
"I don't know if I will get better and I love you to, Madison. Promise me something ok, baby girl?"
"What, Mommy?"
"That you will always be a good girl for Uncle Horatio and Aunt Calleigh?"
"Yes I will I will be a very good girl."
"That's my good girl. Now come here and give me a hug, sweetheart." Madison turned and looked questioningly at Horatio.
"What is it, Maddy?"
"Is it ok if I hug her I don't want to hurt her?"
"Yes but do it gently, ok?" Madison nodded and climbed off of Horatio's lap and leaned over and gave Suzie a tender hug which Suzie responded to with all her strength. All of a sudden she began to cough and panic. Horatio realizing the problem handed her the oxygen mask, securing it back onto her face. She just gave him a small smile of thanks. Just then Horatio heard a quiet knock on the door. He looked up to see Alexx standing in the doorway with Calleigh, Eric, and Speed right behind her.
"Hey guys," Horatio said as he picked up Madison and resettled her back on his lap. "You got anything?"
"No not yet but we are working on it," Speed replied.
"I will take Madison so you can stay with Suzie," Alexx offered.
"Thanks Alexx."
"Don't worry about it I like having Madison and Janie likes having a girl about her age to play with. What do you say, Madison?"
"Will you stay with Mommy, Uncle Horatio?"
"Yes I will."
"Ok then yeah."
"The rest of you guys go home and get some sleep. I will be by the lab in the morning and we can talk about what you found," Horatio instructed. Everyone just nodded and began to file out of the room. Finally it was just Calleigh and Alexx.
"Alexx, you and Calleigh take Madison to our house to get some clothes and stuff did someone get her backpack?"
"Yes we did ok, you ready to go, baby?" Alexx asked.
"Yes can I tell Mommy bye one more time?"
"Of course you can, Maddy," Calleigh said as she looked at Horatio and realized by the sorrowful look in his eyes that it may very well be the last time that Madison saw her mother. After she had hugged and kissed her and told her she loved her one more time she walked over and gave Horatio a kiss on the cheek then took one of each of the women's hands and they headed out of the room after Calleigh had given Horatio a quick kiss.
8888888888
Finally at 1:05 in the morning on February 7th Suzan Marie Barnam lost the fight and passed on in her sleep. She had spent the last few hours telling Horatio all of her wishes and that Kenwall Duquesne was her lawyer and he would have a copy of her will. She also asked if he would adopt Madison and take care of her. He agreed immediately and about ten minutes after he agreed to that the heart monitor switched from a beeping rhythm to a single long beep. Doctors and nurses rushed in and tried to save her but it was no use. She was pronounced dead at 1:05 AM on February 7th. "Good bye, Suzie. I love you and I will take care of your little girl, I promise," Horatio whispered as he leaned down and gave her a kiss on the forehead.
"Horatio is their anyone I can call for you?" Dr. Nelson asked.
"I have to make the phone calls is their some where I can go?"
"Sure their's a quiet room just down the hall on your left side." Horatio just nodded and let go of Suzie's hand and headed towards the room to make a phone call that he never wanted to make. He took out his cell phone and called Alexx's cell phone. Alexx was startled awake by her cell phone ringing.
"Hello Dr. Woods."
"Hey Alexx its Horatio."
"Hey Horatio what's happened?"
"Suzie died at 1:05."
"Oh my goodness do you want to talk to Madison?"
"No I don't want her to know until the morning. I'm gonna head home and tell Calleigh. I will start making funeral arrangements tomorrow."
"Ok let me know if there is something I can do."
"I will thanks, Alexx."
"Don't mention it, sugar." Horatio hung up and headed out of the hospital after telling Suzie good bye one last time then he headed home.
8888888888
Three days later found Most of the members of the lab and Madison standing at the cemetery to pay their respects to Suzie. The day after the accident Eric had matched a fingerprint to an associate of Chas who was going to jail for first degree murder because their was evidence that he had planned it. Calleigh had readily agreed to adopting Madison and the paperwork was being processed. Madison had taken the news of her mother's death fairly well but being at the funeral was too much and the tough act she had been putting on broke and she started to sob and yell, "I want my Mommy, I want my Mommy!" All of a sudden she pulled herself from Horatio's grip and ran towards the grave.
"Madison, No!" Horatio cried. However, Madison didn't seem to hear him.
"No don't leave me, Mommy." Madison dropped to the ground and reached her little arms out towards the coffin. Horatio jumped up and walked quickly over to her and picked her up. She was still struggling.
"No I don't want to go Uncle Horatio. I want my Mommy, please?" she whispered as her body began to shake.
"SHH, I know baby, I know." Horatio walked back to his seat next to Calleigh and sat down. Madison calmed down and turned to ask Horatio a question.
"Uncle Horatio, why did Mommy die?" Horatio pulled the little girl onto his lap, still keeping an arm around Calleigh's shoulders and replied to her question while clinging to his rapidly diminishing control.
"Well, because God needed another angel."
Finished