Title: Life Goes On

Author: innocent choir girl (ff-dot-net), shannyfish (From Out of the Lab/Miami Heat/LJ)

Summary: Third in the "American Family Series" (which consists so far of "Two Lives" and "Love's Burden"). While planning the wedding, Suzie returns and trouble ensues because of it…not only over Madison, but over the life that Horatio wants to give her and what he fully intends on following through with.

Category: Ship Ahoy! Calleigh/Horatio

Genres: Angst, Character Study, Drama, Established Relationship, Romance, Suspense

Characters: Horatio Caine, Calleigh Duquesne, Yelina Salas, Alexx Woods, Frank Tripp, Eric Delko, Original Character, Other

Warnings: Adult Themes

Rating: R

Chapter: 4 "Aftermath"

Author's Notes: A slight break from SDRR

………………………………

It took Calleigh a while to get ready that morning, mostly because she had stood under the water in the shower and hadn't wanted to move. She had cried again, it had been hard for her to get up and not think about the day before and how she had almost lost Emma. She hated being so emotional, but it also felt good just to let it out, and she figured it was better than doing it in front of everyone.

It wasn't until eleven that Calleigh finally was dressed and in the kitchen. She went to the cupboard and pulled out a mug to pour her coffee in. No one else was in the kitchen, but the coffee pot was on and there was still half a pot left. She heard Madison and Horatio, Madison was giggling in the backyard and she could hear Horatio telling her to be careful. She assumed Emma was with them as well, but headed back there with her cup of coffee just in case.

Through the screened backdoor she could see Emma running around trying to get Madison. She leaned against the doorframe and watched them for a bit as she sipped her coffee. Horatio hadn't seen her yet, and she just wanted to watch the girls for a few minutes before Horatio started to ask her if she was okay…and then if she was sure she was okay.

Madison stopped running about when she saw Calleigh finally up and dressed and with coffee. "Calleigh!" she shouted happily as she made her way for her. She opened the screen and quickly hugged her. "Can we go do wedding stuff today?" she asked bouncing on her toes for a second.

"I don't think so, Honey," Calleigh said smiling slightly and running her fingers through Madison's hair with her available hand. She sipped more of her coffee before turning her attention to Horatio who was carrying Emma towards them. "Have you called to check on Sheryl?"

"She's with her parents, and they said that she's just really sleepy," Horatio responded.

Calleigh put her hand on Madison's back and led her back towards the living room area, "Why don't you go get the invitations and we'll go over who we're sending them to and you can help me send them."

"Alright!" Madison said quickly before dashing off.

She turned to Horatio, "I'm fine," she whispered before drinking the rest of her coffee. She saw him starting to open his mouth to question her, "Really…" she told him and closed the distance between the two of them to kiss him softly and then placed a kiss on Emma's cheek. "I promise…"

"What are we going to do about Emma's birthday?" Horatio asked as he held Emma out to Calleigh thinking that maybe Calleigh needed to hold their daughter for a bit. He knew that Emma made Calleigh feel comforted.

Calleigh smiled and held Emma close kissing her again, "I was thinking we should just have a party here…with our friends… You should invite Yelina and Ray Jr. to come, too." She was still very on edge about what had happened, but she knew that dwelling on it would only hurt what she and Horatio had created… She'd just have to deal with it and find a way to cope with the thought of her daughter being in danger. Calleigh had become used to their suburban life and had become quite attached to the quiet and normal.

"What do you think about moving up the wedding date?" Horatio asked wondering if Calleigh needed that kind of assurance.

"No," Calleigh said quickly. "I already have the invitations printed…and there's still a lot to do in that amount of time," Calleigh told Horatio with a smile. "Don't try to pressure me," she teased as she leaned in for a longer kiss this time.

Horatio smiled as he pulled back from the kiss, "Give out the invitations at the birthday party?"

"Mmhmm…"

"Alright," he responded happy that they were still okay. "Is there anything I can do to help you?"

"Make life normal?" Calleigh asked with a smile before she hugged Emma and kissed the side of her head.

Nodding, Horatio told her, "I'm trying… I have an appointment with the lawyer later today about guardianship and adopting Madison into our family…see where the case is. We already have a lot on our side, evidence-wise, that he says it'll be easy…but I just want to make sure everything's going to be ready for court."

"What about Suzie?" Calleigh asked as she started to head towards the living room where she found Madison stacking the invitations, the envelopes, labels, stickers, and stamps into separate piles. She stayed quiet about it and stayed back far enough that Madison hadn't noticed they'd entered the room. "What are they charging her with?"

"Her arraignment is tomorrow…" Horatio informed. "I was going to ask you if you wanted to go." He looked at Madison and then back at Calleigh, "Abandoning a child, vandalism, kidnapping, assault and battery, plus they're bringing drug charges along with those."

"What about Madison?" Calleigh asked curiously. "Are they going to make her speak at the trial?" She knew that Madison could do it, but she didn't think it was fair to subject her to everything her mother had done. The child had already confessed that she felt guilty for her mother's actions; Calleigh didn't see any reason for Madison to be subjected further to any of it.

"Well…that depends on what the judge allows and if they want her to speak, then if Madison's comfortable with it…" Horatio explained.

"I think I'd rather stay home with the girls," Calleigh told him and let Emma down to go over to Madison. "Maybe we can do the birthday shoppin'… I can get birthday invites and write'em up."

Horatio nodded, "That sounds quite productive."

Smiling, Calleigh wrapped her arms around his neck, "It will be," she promised before leaning in so her lips met his. Though, the kiss was interrupted by a tug on her jeans. She looked down to see Emma standing there holding her arms up for her to pick her up. "I can't carry you along all the time," she said, but gave in and picked up the toddler anyways before walking over to show Horatio the invitations for the wedding.

………………………….

TBC…