AN: Thank you for the support, here is the next chapter. Warning: Implied/suggestive adult behavior

Chapter 12: Reassurance

Two days later

April 6, 2011

After the guests had left the Caine household, leaving the usual two people behind, Calleigh stood up from the couch with a sigh. "I guess it's time to clean up."

Nicole gives her mother a smile as she stood up. "It's ok, we'll take care of it, you and dad spent all morning setting up, so go relax out on the deck."

"You sure?"

Nicole nodded as Kyle spoke with a smile too. "Yeah."

The parents smiled with appreciation, and as Horatio, who was holding Jenny, stood up, Nick cleared his throat as he stood up next. "But, I'm excused from duty, right?"

Nicole looked over at her brother with a smile. "Yeah, get out of here."

He smiled at his sister, walked up to her, and kissed her on the cheek. "Thank you."

She just nodded while he walked towards his parents, which Calleigh was now holding Anthony, so Nick looked at his youngest brother. "So Anthony, how old are you today?"

The little boy looked at his hand, then remembered what he was taught today and put two fingers down, so he was showing three before he smiled and held up his hand. "This many!"

They all chuckled before Nick asked. "Yeah, and how much is that many?" There was a pause before Nick whispered. "One."

Anthony took it the rest of the way. "Two, 'tre." Then he smiled again as he shouted. "'tre!" again, making everybody cheer/chuckle before Nick kissed his forehead and replied. "Good job, little man. I'll see you tomorrow morning."

"Ok, love you."

"love you too."

After giving his youngest sister a kiss, then saying goodbye to his parents, he said goodbye to rest of the group before leaving the house in a hurry, making Bryan smirk. "Well, somebody is in a good mood."

Nicole couldn't help but smirk a little too. "Yeah, he must have a real good date planned."

Before Horatio, Calleigh, or even Lindsey could speak, Kyle does it for them. "Easy guys, we all know that Nick's having a tough time when it comes to dating."

Horatio and Calleigh gave Kyle an appetitive smile before they headed outside, knowing that situation was going to be handled the right way.

Bryan and Nicole looked remorseful for their smirking as Nicole nodded with a sigh. "Which I don't understand, he is an amazing guy."

Bryan smiled as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "Not that I'm disagreeing with you babe, but aren't you a little biased, you are his sister after all."

She chuckled as she shook her head. "Ok, fine, I may be a little biased, but I still stand by with what I said. Besides, Lindsey agrees with me, right?"

Lindsey was picking up the paper plates, and she stopped what she was doing and gave her best friend a smile with a nod. "Of course."

Nicole looked at her boyfriend with a smirk. "See, and not a sister's biased point of view."

He smiled again. "True, but she grew up with us, maybe not as long as the four of us has, but I think it still counts as a biased opinion."

She groaned and lightly hits him on the shoulder before speaking while shaking her had with a smile. "You just have to always be right, don't you?"

He brings her closer to him and whispered. "I have to impress you somehow, don't I?"

As they started kissing and smiling, Lindsey shook head from the scene, grabbed the rest of the plates before giving Kyle a small smile and walking in the kitchen, and Kyle, who had some red plastic cups in his lap, rolled into the kitchen and asked. "Linds, you ok?"

She turned around from standing in front of the garbage. "Of course, why wouldn't I?"

He sighed as he placed the cups on the counter before he rolled over to her. "I think we need to talk about something."

As she took his hand, she looked into his eyes before asking. "You knew, didn't you?"

"That Nick had feelings for..."

Lindsey cuts him off as she bent down so they were eye level. "Kyle, I swear that I didn't do..."

He cuts her off this time with a smile as he cupped her cheek. "I know that, he told me and I trust you."

She nodded as she sighed. "I felt so bad, he was hurting and I wished there was something I could have done for him."

He ran his thumb up and down her cheek with a nod. "I know, me too."

"And I meant what I said out in the living room, he is an amazing man. He just needs someone, outside of us, to see that."

He gave her a hopeful smile. "Maybe this one will."

She smiled in return before replying. "If she doesn't, then I will suspect something is very wrong with her, and I won't mind giving her a talk."

He chuckled before replying softly. "There's my protective girl."

"I just want him to be as happy as we are."

He nodded in understanding, then he cleared his throat before continuing. "Before we go back out there, there is something else I want to talk to you about."

Already knowing what that was, Lindsey smiled again. "Tell your mom you'll take the job."

He knew he would need a little more education than what he has, but he was willing to do whatever it took.

He looked a little surprised as he said. "How did you..."

She cuts him off. "I saw it in your eyes when you were telling me about it, you finally felt like you had a purpose again, and I knew you wouldn't turn your back on it."

He smiled with a nod. "You're right, I can't. Thank you."

"No problem."

She moved up a little so they could kiss, but before they could, Nicole walked in with a smirk. "There you guys are, I see kissing on the job."

They chuckled before Lindsey stood up and Kyle turned his chair around before he smirked. "Look who is talking? We'll be out there to help finish in a minute." Nicole nodded with a smile before walking back out in the living room, and after a short peck on the lips between Kyle and Lindsey, they walked back out in the living room to help clean up.

A few hours later, Kyle rolled his wheelchair to the backdoor, opened it and wheeled out on the deck before speaking towards Calleigh, who was sitting on the first step of the deck stairs while holding Jenny in her arms as she was watching two of her men playing in the sand.

"Mom?"

Calleigh turned to the side so she could look at Kyle with a smile. "Yes, sweetheart."

He took a breath before speaking. "In regards of what we talked about a few days ago, I accept, if it's still on the table."

Calleigh's smile got a little wider with a nod. "Of course it's still on the table, and you're sure? Because you know it won't be easy."

"Whatever I have to do to become successful, I am up for the challenge, and thank you for suggesting it."

"You're welcome."

After one more smile between one another, Kyle turned around before wheeling back inside the house with the smile still on his face, then a few seconds later, she hears the the group cheering for Kyle, making her smile as Horatio, who was now standing at the bottom step of the deck, asked. "What's that all about?"

Calleigh turned to look at her husband, who was holding Anthony in his arms, with the smile still on her face. "Kyle's new lease in life."

Horatio smiled, knowing what that meant. "So, he's decided to take it?"

"Yep, I hope that's still ok?"

"That's more than ok, as long as he can handle everything he needs to do."

Calleigh nodded with a smile before looking at her youngest son. "Alright, little man, bathtime then bedtime."

He pouted a little as he asked. "Story too?"

Calleigh stood up with a nod. "Sure, story time too after bathtime."

He started to cheer, making the parents smile as they made their way to the backdoor, and once they walked inside, the group took turns saying goodnight to the two youngest before Calleigh and Horatio took them upstairs.

Once both kids had their bath and dressed for bed, and after Calleigh said goodnight to her baby girl and Anthony said goodnight to his baby sister, she took her son out of the room.

When they walked into Anthony's room, which use to be Nicole's room, she headed to the bookshelf, grabbed his favorite book and sat down in the rocking chair before she started reading while rocking back and forth slowly.

She barely had gotten passed the tenth page when she felt her son's breathing had changed to indicate he had fallen asleep. Today had been a very exciting day for her little man, so she wasn't surprised how quickly he was asleep, but she continued to rock him gently as she held him, kissing the top of his head and whispering how much she loved him.

About another five minutes had passed when Horatio walked in the room and smiled at the sight, his heart skipping a few extra beats. But that was nothing new, especially when he gets to see the sight of his wife with any of their children.

She smiled in return, and after another minute had gone by, she stopped rocking as he walked over to her to help her stand, and once they placed Anthony in his crib, they tucked him in, said goodnight before they walked out of the room, cracking the door behind them and heading to their room.

When they walked inside, and as Horatio was closing the door, Calleigh sighed before saying. "We are going to have to get him a bed soon." He nodded while she continued, tears coming to her eyes as each milestone was mentioned. "Then before we knew it, he'll be off to school, then middle school, then high..."

Horatio cuts her off as he walked up to her and brings her in his arms. "Easy there Cal, it's ok."

She sniffled in his chest and shook her head. "I'm sorry."

He kissed the top of her head with a smile. "No need to apologize, sweetheart, we just both agreed to take these milestones as they come, and not get too far ahead of ourselves."

She nodded. "I just wish I can stop them from aging too quickly."

He kissed her head again with his own sigh. "Yeah, I know what you mean."

He slowly pulled back, and she looked up at him and asked. "You aren't only talking about the kids, are you?" All it took was one look, and she knew she was right. "Is this about tomorrow?"

Tomorrow was Horatio's 51st birthday, and lately he's been sensitive about his age, feeling a little worried about a few things as he was becoming older.

He walked over to the bed and sat at the end of it with another sigh. "You know, we never talked about it before."

She walked up to him while asking. "What, our 13 year age difference?" When he looked down with a short nod, she smiled before lifting his chin up, then she moved him back a little so she could get on his lap, wrapping her legs around his waist while he wrapped his arms around her waist. "Do you want to know why? Because it isn't an issue with me." She cupped his cheek and spoke softly. "I fell in love with the man, not the age, and I'm still so crazy about him. I always will be, no matter what, ok?"

He nodded with a slow smile, seeing the love and honesty in her eyes before he closed his eyes and placed his forehead to her lips, whispering. "I'm sorry."

She kissed his forehead and whispered against his skin. "I understand, we need that reassurance every now and then." She kissed his forehead again before whispering. "And I'll reassure you every time."

She pulled back a little so he could lift his head, which while they looked at one another with passion, she placed her fingers to his shirt and started to unbutton it, and when she got it undone, she moved forward and kissed his shoulder before moving up to his neck then ear, and after a couple of kisses to it, she whispered. "So, what do you want to do tomorrow for your birthday?"

He opened his eyes as he pulled back before cupping her cheek and speaking with love in his eyes. "Just being near you and my kids is all I need."

She smiled with a nod. "You got it." Then her eyes got passionate again as she finished. "But, in the meantime I think I have a little reassurance mission to take care of." Before she leaned towards his lips and started kissing him, the passion building up each second until it couldn't be contained anymore.

The Next morning

When Horatio, who was laying on his stomach, woke up, he saw that his wife wasn't in bed with him, but did see a piece of paper on her pillow, so he picked up and read what it said.

'Please come downstairs when you wake up, love Cal'

He smiled and turned around in bed so he could get out of it, and once he did, he went to the dresser to get and put on a pair of sweatpants to wear over his boxers and a t-shirt, then after using the restroom, he headed for the stairs so he could go down them, and when he noticed she and the kids weren't in the living room, he spoke loud enough so they could hear him if they were in the house. "Sweetheart?"

A second later, he hears her speak from the kitchen. "In here, handsome."

He smiled as he headed in that direction, then smiled bigger when he walked into the room and saw his wife, who was holding a birthday cake with one candle on it, the younger kids, and the older ones, including Lindsey, all shouted. "Happy Birthday...Handsome (From Calleigh)...Daddy (From Anthony)...Dad (From the older ones)!"

He cleared his throat from the emotions he was feeling before whispering. "Thank you, guys."

Calleigh smiled. "You're welcome, now come and blow out your candle."

As he walked up to the cake, Anthony, who was sitting on Kyle's lap, spoke. "Wish daddy!"

He stopped in front of the cake, looked at all the faces that was in the room with him, and spoke softly as he looked into the eyes of his amazing, beautiful wife. "I don't need a wish, I have everything I need in this room."

As he started to blow out the candle, Nicole smirked. "I'll be sure to tell Bryan that."

He couldn't make it this morning because of an early class.

They all chuckled, and after the candle was out, Horatio looked at his oldest daughter with a smile. "You make sure you tell him he was very missed."

Nicole nodded with a smile. "You got it." Then she took a step and kissed his cheek. "Happy birthday, dad."

He nodded in return. "Thank you."

After he received the same individual sentiments from Lindsey, Kyle, and Anthony, Calleigh asked. "What's for breakfast this morning?"

Before anybody could answer, Anthony spoke up. "Cake!"

Calleigh and Horatio looked at one another, and he spoke. "It's up to you sweetheart."

There was a pause before she nodded with a smile. "Ok, just this once I'll allow it, and a small piece for you mister."

They cheered as Calleigh headed for the kitchen counter so she could cut it up, and as the rest of the family was getting situated at the table, Horatio cleared his throat and said. "Nick?"

Nick walked over to his dad. "Yeah dad?"

He cupped his son's cheek and asked. "Good date last night?"

At their age, he normally wouldn't have asked/talked about their dating life unless they wanted to come and talk to him about it, but he was really curious on how things went, hoping they were ok with him.

Nick nodded with a smile, not the whole sparkle in the eye smile, but good enough to make him feel good, as he replied. "Yeah, I can see potential there."

Horatio nodded with a smile. "Good, I hope things continue to go well."

"Me too." They get into a hug before Nick whispers. "Happy Birthday, dad."

"Thank you, son."

Once they pulled back, they headed for the table to join the rest of the family before Nick took his usual spot between Kyle and Calleigh, while Horatio took the head of the table that had Calleigh on one side and Nicole on the other.

Calleigh then smiled as she took a hold of her glass of milk and held it up. "I couldn't have asked for a better partner, both in my professional and personal life. He is the best man I'll ever know and love, to Horatio Caine, happy birthday and wishing him many more."

After the rest of the family repeated that, they each took a sip of their drinks before they go on to eating their treat as Horatio looked around the table, feeling like he just won the jackpot, he never thought he would have this life, but now that he does, he'll do what ever it takes to protect it, and he couldn't wait to see what more moments he could share with them.

AN: Hope overall you enjoyed it. Like I sad there will be one more full story in the series, and after that maybe one-shots, I don't know, I haven't decided yet. The next one will be posted soon, so be on the lookout, until then I hope you enjoy your week, thanks for reading, and please review.

Ducaine4ever!