A/N: I blame Harry Potter. He made stay away from the computer and read instead. Sorry. But it was the last book, and i couldn't stop reading! Well, now chapter 6 finished and ready to be published. Not much to be said except: Read & Review - as usual!

Disclaimer: The verse in the beginning of this chapter is a part of the song Sommer Sequens from the musical Blood Brothers. It's Will Russel who has written the lyrics. And CSI: Miami is Jerry Bruckheimer's, not mine - as you all know.

And who'd dare tell the lambs in spring
What fate the later seasons bring
Who'd tell the girl in the middle of the pair
The price she'll have to pay for just being there.
But leave them alone, let them go and play
They care not for what's at the end of the day
For what is to come, for what might have been
Life has no ending
When you're sweet sixteen.

Autumn past and the winter came. At Christmas Stephanie came to Miami, just as planned, and stayed there for a week. Even though Madison and Stephanie had been away from each other for a long time, their friendship hadn't changed; they were still as close as ever. Stephanie had to leave after a week, because her holiday ended earlier than Madison's.
The winter left, and spring was warmly welcomed. All were happy it was spring again, and Madison, Michael and Joachim became better friends each day.

It was the third of April, and Horatio and Suzie were up early. It was Madison's birthday, and they had a giant surprise waiting for her in the kitchen.

"Suzie, do you mind if I have a slice of bread before we wake her up? I'm starving."

"Of course not, Stephanie, take whatever you want. Well, except Madison's birthday cake."

"I would never be as cruel that! Or, well, at least not before she's seen it," she added with a grin.

Both Horatio and Suzie laughed, but went quiet almost immediately, because they didn't want to wake Madison.

"Do you have any cheese?" Stephanie said, with her head almost inside the fridge.

"It should be there somewhere," Suzie said, and bent down beside her.

"No, it doesn't look that way," she said after a while.

"How can you possibly live without cheese?!"

"Madison must've eaten the last of it yesterday."

Stephanie kept looking, and soon emerged with a package of ham in her right hand.

"You mind if a take this?" She asked, showing her the package,

"No, take whatever you want," Suzie said again, without looking up from the papers in front of her.

Half an hour later, Horatio and Suzie went into Madison's bedroom. Stephanie stayed outside – so Madison wouldn't see her.

Madison sat up in her bed, and blew out the candles in the cake.

"Congratulations Madison," Horatio said, hugging her.

"Congratulations honey," Suzie said, also hugging her.

"Your present is waiting outside your room," Horatio said, and as he did, Stephanie walked into the room.

"Steph!" Madison cried, hugging her friend.

"Congrats darling," Stephanie said, smiling at her.

"Thank you! And congrats to you too," Madison said.

"Thanks! My parents planned to give me a ticket to Miami as birthday present, and Horatio and Suzie had the same thought in their head, so well… They arranged so I could come down and see you on our birthday."

Madison answered by taking a big slice of the cake.

"Mm, it is wonderful mom," she said, her mouth full of cake.

"I'm glad you liked it honey."

"Madison I know it's your birthday and all, but I have to get to the lab, we have loads to do," Horatio excused himself, as he bent over and hugged her.

"No problem, I'm glad you came anyway. I'll see you tonight then! We planned to have dinner here, but well Yelina insisted to having at your place," she said.

"Yes, see you tonight, and have a nice day now girls. Bye!"

Suzie followed him out of the room.

"So can we see Michael and Joachim today?" Stephanie asked.

Madison shook her head.

"Sorry, won't be possible. They are in London, visiting their family. They left two days ago, and won't be back until Sunday evening."

"Aww, and I'm leaving tomorrow! Then I won't be able to meet them!" Stephanie sounded more than disappointed.

"I know, and I'm sure they would've been really glad to meet you again, but well… We can't see them today."

As the morning passed, the newly turned sixteen year old girls decided to go and see Ray. Stephanie and Ray had always got along well so Stephanie insisted on going and see him, even if they were going to meet him for the dinner later on.

"Ray? Are you here?" called out Madison from the hall.

A sudden movement to their right made them turn; Yelina was walking out of the kitchen.

"Hey! And happy birthday, to both of you!"

"Thank you," said both girls at the same time.

"I'm glad you could make it Stephanie, it's been a while." They hugged each other, and Yelina said;

"Ray's up in his room with Olivia."

"Oh, okay, thanks Yelina."
Madison and Stephanie hurried up to the second floor and knocked on Ray's door.

"Hey, can we come in? You're not doing something we shouldn't watch are ya?"

They heard giggles on the other side of the door.

"No, it is ok, we're just talking." Ray's voice said.

Madison opened the door, and they walked into the room.

"Whotcher," Olivia welcomed them. "Wait a minute… You must be Stephanie! Cool to meet you! I'm Olivia, Ray's girlfriend."

"Hey, and yep, I'm Stephanie. Nice to meet you too. We didn't interrupt anything you guys were in the middle of, did we?" She asked, a smile on her lips.

"Nah, you didn't, we were just talking."

"Alright. So what's going on here? Anything fun coming up?" Madison asked.

"Nothing, just talking 'bout school," Olivia answered.

"Boring!"

"Hey, I was thinking about something," Stephanie interrupted, "– can't we go visit Horatio? It's been a long time since I saw the team!" Stephanie said.

"I guess we can. They've been busy with a new case, been travelling a lot to New York. Horatio has been working with Mac Taylor up there. But they came home last night and Mac and his team are probably here," Ray replied.

"Cool! I haven't met Mac for like ages!" said Madison happily.

"I know, me neither. And you're coming too Olivia?"

"Well if your uncle doesn't mind…"

"Oh, stop it Olivia, you know he doesn't. I want you to come!" Madison said.

She smiled; it was funny how good friends she and Madison had become. After all she was two years younger, even if she didn't look it.

"Okay then, let's go!"
They went down to first floor and into the hall.

"Where are you going?" Yelina asked from the kitchen.

"PD, to visit Horatio," Ray told her.

"But it's Saturday, he should be home soon."

"I know, but Mac and the others from New York are here, and we haven't seen them since last year."

"Alright then. Say 'Hello' to them all from me. And tell your uncle that dinner will be served at eight, so I would be pleased if he's home by then."

"He already knows that, mom! And he wouldn't miss Madison's and Stephanie's birthday party! But okay, I'll tell him that. Bye!"

"Bye, and Ray?"

"What?"

"Drive carefully."

"You know I do."

A quarter of an hour later they arrived at Miami Police Department. Ray parked the car on one of the guest parking spaces and the teenagers walked into the building. They took the elevator up to next floor and as the doors opened they met Stella and Lindsay.

"Ray, Madison and Stephanie! What a great surprise!" Stella said, hugging Madison as Lindsay hugged Ray. When they all had hugged each other at least twice, Ray introduced Olivia.

"This is Olivia, my girlfriend," Ray told them.

"Nice to meet you, Olivia," said Lindsay and shook her hand. "I'm Lindsay. Lindsay Monroe."

"Nice to meet you to, Lindsay."

"And, I'm Stella Bonasera," Stella introduced herself, shaking Olivia's hand.

"Nice to meet you."

"Oh, Lindsay we gotta' hurry, Mac told us we had to meet Alexx and Ryan in a few minutes."

"Gosh, I forgot completely. I'm sorry, but we have to go. Work ya' know," Lindsay said.

"But we'll probably see you later! We're going to stay here for a few more days hopefully."

"Okay, see you later then," Ray said, and the two CSIs left in a hurry.

"So those two are from the New York team?" asked Olivia.

"Yep, but there are a couple of others."

They started walking again and soon they stopped outside Horatio office.

Madison knocked at the door.

"Come in."

They walked into the room. Horatio was sitting in his chair behind the desk, with a lot of papers in front of him.

"Hey Horatio!" said Stephanie happily, before he even could say hello.

"Are we disturbing you, sir?" Olivia asked.

"No, it's okay. And please call me Horatio, I've told you not call me sir!" When Olivia nodded, he continued talking.

"So I guess you're here to see the team, Stephanie?"

"Yep, I haven't met them for I don't know how long! It's been a while."

"It certainly has…"

"Are you getting somewhere with the case?" Ray asked.

"What case?" Stephanie interrupted.

"A case we've been working on for almost two months. A serial killer who murdered a whole family here in Miami two months ago, and then fled to New York. There murdered two other families there."

"Sounds like a big case."

"It is, or maybe I should say it was."

"You've solved it?" Ray asked with interest.

"Actually – yes we have. We solved the case for just half an hour ago, the teams are at the killers home to arrest him. He's back in Miami."

"Well done! And I guess you were the one who solved it?" Stephanie asked, already knowing what he would answer.

"No, we solved it. The teams together."

Ray, Stephanie and Madison laughed. Neither Horatio nor Olivia understood what was funny.

"What's so funny?" asked Olivia.

"When you've known Horatio as long as we have you'll understand." Ray said and exchanged knowing glances with Madison and Stephanie.

"He never admits he's the one who solves a case. It's always 'the team' who solves it together."

"But that's the truth. When you two are a part of it you'll know what I mean."
Ray and Madison smiled to each other – after all these years people took for granted that they would be a part of the team when they got older. That was what they had told people since they were children and now people had learned that that was how it was going to be. Of course Rick Stetler, the IAB-sergeant, had heard about it and immediately he had come to Horatio. He had told him that he couldn't just let his family members become a part of the team whenever it suited Horatio or his family. Rick Stetler in a nutshell.

"I'm sorry, but I really must get-on with this paperwork."

"Okay, we won't keep you from it any longer now, uncle H. Bye," Madison said with a smile on her lips.

"Yes, bye Horatio," Stephanie said.

"Bye."

"And Uncle Horatio?"

He looked up at Ray again.

"Mom told me to remember you that dinner-"

"-will be served at eight o'clock. I know."

"I know you do, but mom keeps thinking you'll forget."

He smiled at his nephew.

"Bye Horatio, it was nice to meet you again," said Olivia.

"Bye, nice to meet you too."

They left and closed the door, but just when they was about to leave, Eric Delko past them.

"Hey, Ray, Madison! And Stephanie, it's been a long time!" He said. "And?" He looked questioning at Olivia.

"This is Olivia, my girlfriend," Ray explained. Delko smiled at her.

"Hi, I'm Eric Delko."

"I've heard about you." He laughed.

"I bet you have. I'm sure these two don't talk about anything else but us CSIs."

"Almost," she said and laughed.

"I'm sorry, but I'm kind of in a hurry."

"New girlfriend," Ray said, and it wasn't a question, because he knew Eric well enough to know he was right.

"Oh, shut up Ray."

The teenagers laughed.

"But he's right, huh?" Stephanie asked.

"Not girlfriend really…But yes, we're going to Starbucks for a cup of coffee."

"I knew it!" Madison said.

"I'm sure you did. But I gotta' go. It was nice to meet you again, Stephanie. And a pleasure to meet you, Olivia." And then he left.

"He was hot," Olivia whispered in Madison's ear.

"I know, but leave it right there, he's old enough to be your father."

"A damn good looking father," Olivia whispered back. Stephanie and Madison laughed.

"Hey, what are you whispering 'bout?" Ray said as he noticed the girls weren't walking behind him.

"Nothing," They said simultaneously, as they started walk alongside him again. To Ray they didn't look as innocent as they said. The amount of giggling that came from them made it suspiciously sound like something else then nothing. Ray gave his girlfriend a suspicious look, but she just giggled a little and kissed him on the cheek.

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