Chapter 4.
One month later
"Nat catch," Ryan yelled and threw the basketball to her. She caught it and headed for the garbage can that was the goal, but Eric snapped it and threw it to Valera that scored.
"Ha, beat you again," said Eric.
Ryan looked and saw Calleigh walking towards them and said, "Shit, mum is on her way, hide the ball, chips and sodas or else we'll be grounded or suspended."
"I don't have anywhere to hide the sodas," said Eric.
"Hold them on your back," said Ryan.
"Four bottles, are you crazy?" Eric asked.
"On the bench, Nat and you will cover them," said Valera.
And they did just as Calleigh entered and said, "Good morning my children, how are ya'll today."
"Fine" said Valera.
Calleigh looked at them, they looked like they were hiding something so she said, "Ok I know you're hiding something so spit it out."
"No we're not," said Natalia defensive.
"I can see it on the guilty looks on you faces, don't try to lie, that won't work," said Calleigh in a strict tone.
"We're not hiding anything," said Eric, but by accident he managed to push over one soda can so it spilled over the desk.
Calleigh looked behind his back and with the hands on her hips she said, "How many times have I told ya'll that I don't want food and drinks in the lab, and four bottles of soda. Natalia honey didn't I tell ya no sugar, you're suspended for three days, and the rest of ya one hours work cleaning the whole lab from floor to ceiling."
"Come on that's not fair," said Ryan.
"Yeah what will I do if I don't work," said Natalia.
"You should have thought of that before you decided to drink soda," said Calleigh.
"This is not fear, dad would never do this to us," said Eric.
"Well, I'm not dad, deal with it," said Calleigh a bit annoyed.
"You know when he'll be back?" Ryan asked.
"No I don't, now wash the lab and Nat go home, I'll be in my office I got plenty of work to do," said Calleigh and left.
"She really misses him doesn't she?" said Ryan.
"Yes she does, why else would she live here, bet she hates to go home to an empty bed," said Eric.
"I better go, see you later enjoy washing, are we still on for Dave's tonight," said Natalia.
"Yup, see you later," said Eric and Natalia left.
"We better start washing," said Valera and went to find buckets and water.
Half an hour later Alexx walked up to find Calleigh to tell her something about her body when she saw Valera wash the break room and Eric and Ryan wash the DNA lab, she walked over to them and asked, "What is going on?"
"Calleigh is punishing us," said Ryan.
"For not being the good children we should be," said Eric with a sigh.
"What do you mean and where is Natalia?" Alexx asked.
"Mum suspended her for three days and had us clean when she found out we were drinking soda in the lab, stupid Eric had to knock over a bottle, not only we have to wash, we got twice as much do with Natalia gone," said Ryan a tad frustrated.
"I wish Horatio was here, then none of this would have happened," said Eric.
"Oh would you suck it up, one it's only washing and two she must miss him more than all of us," said Valera, that was done washing and walked towards the toilet to empty the bucket before she put it back in the closet.
"Sorry, you're right Valera," said Eric.
"Yeah, does it look good enough?" Ryan asked.
"Yes, let's put this back and get back to work, see you Alexx," said Valera and all three headed for the toilet.
Alexx shook her head wondering how Calleigh not only had managed punish them like they were children, but also consider her mum in so short time, even if it didn't surprise her that much. She shook her head once more and went to find Calleigh.
A moment later she knocked on Calleigh's door and entered.
Alexx looked at Calleigh, she looked so tired and sad, so she asked, "Calleigh are you ok?"
"I manage, news about the body?" She asked.
"Yes," she said and hand Calleigh her findings, Calleigh looked and nodded.
"So I heard you suspended Natalia," said Alexx.
"Who ratted me out?" said Calleigh tired.
"The boys, apparently their mum is a bit too hard, and they miss Horatio or would it be dad since you're mum," Alexx said.
"Do you think I was too hard?" Calleigh asked.
"No, not really, and besides they are your children, you can punish them anyway you want," said Alexx with a smile.
"Mhm, I sure would think so," said Calleigh.
"So when is he coming back?" Alexx asked.
"Two months or more," Calleigh said with a sigh and looked away, she really missed him.
"Sure you are ok?" Alexx asked.
"I just don't understand why he did that, what if I had lost him. He sees things like this all the time, he should have known better, and I should have seen it before it got outta hand. What kind of a CSI am I if I can't even see the love of my life is taking x?" she said. Her voice was shaking.
"Calleigh, you can't blame yourself for that, it was not your fault, and you did know that something was wrong. Everyone knows you are a great CSI, sometimes even greater than Horatio, or the lab would be a mess right now. I mean your children adore you, and they do everything you tell them to without complaint since they know you're right," said Alexx and smiled.
"Thanks Alexx," said Calleigh and smiled again.
"You're welcome honey, and you got one more that looks up to you even more that the four out there," said Alexx.
"Who?" Calleigh asked curiously.
"Kyle, why else would he hang around so much with Horatio gone," said Alexx since it was true.
"You're right, I'm not all that bad," said Calleigh.
"No you're not, but I have to go back," said Alexx.
"Ok, see ya," said Calleigh and got back to work.
At the rehab center Kyle ran into Natalia as then both was there to see Horatio, they shook hands and went into his room.
Horatio was surprised to see them both and asked, "Natalia, Kyle what a pleasant surprise, you both got the day of?"
"Nah, lunch break," said Kyle.
"Suspension," said Natalia and looked down.
Both Kyle and Horatio looked surprised at her and Horatio asked, "How did that happen?"
"We all disobeyed mum and got punished," said Natalia.
"You disobeyed mum, are you crazy, what did you do?" Kyle asked.
"Soda in the lab among other things," said Natalia.
"You didn't, no wonder you're suspended," said Kyle.
"I did or rather we did and it was not like we planned to get caught," said Natalia.
"It was still stupid, you know how strict mum is about breaking the rules," said Kyle.
"I know it was stupid ok, and she might be straight, but also fair, can we please change the subject?" she said.
Horatio looked surprised at them and asked, "Since when did you both start to call Calleigh mum?"
"Since she started to call us her children, and that would be a month," said Natalia.
Horatio smiled and said, "Then may I suggest that you don't give her a hard time, since she got enough to do thanks to me."
"We will, but will you please hurry up and get back, she really misses you," Kyle said.
"Yeah, she almost never leave her office," Natalia said.
"I will, can you keep a secret?" he asked.
"Sure what?" Kyle asked.
Horatio told them and Natalia said, "That's great."
"It really is dad, but now I have to go," said Kyle.
"So do I," said Natalia and they left him.
Thank you for reading, feedback is always appreciated :o)