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, Sheryl (Original), Alexx Woods (Other), Madison Keaton (Other), Emma Caine (Original), Yelina Salas, Eric Delko

Warnings: Adult Themes

Rating: PG-13

Chapter: 8 "Holiday Family Fun"

Author's Notes: Alright, so it's completely Life Goes On's turn for an update : )

……………………………

"Ya know it's a good thing I'm a morning person," Sheryl told Calleigh as they stood around in the kitchen at four am that morning. "This turkey is going to take FOREVER," Sheryl said as she went to the other counter. It was Thanksgiving morning, and Sheryl had agreed to come over and help in the morning and have breakfast with the family because she had to get over to have Thanksgiving dinner, which happened to be around three in the afternoon with her parents and brothers.

Calleigh smiled brightly, "I really do appreciate you comin' over," Calleigh said. "I've never had to make a Thanksgiving dinner before, and cookin' for so many people is a lot to take in, too." It wasn't just the Caine family, but Alexx's family and Yelina and the rest of the team. "Alexx said she'd be here about five…and then her husband's gonna bring the kids over for breakfast at eight…"

"Eh…there better be a lot more coffee in order for us to all be up still in four hours," Sheryl told her.

Laughing, Calleigh looked over at the young woman, "Just think of it as training… You said you're not sure what field you want to go into, but any job in the justice system has to deal with lack of sleep at some point."

"Believe me, I went to regular college…like on a campus before I discovered the wonders of online university," Sheryl explained. "I know ALL about sleep deprivation…" She smiled and then went back to putting the marshmallows on the yams. "You know, I'm really upset about missing Madison's Thanksgiving play… But I promised the parentals that I'd do dinner."

Calleigh smiled, "I'm sure you've seen it like fifty times by now. She's always wanting you to watch her practice. Horatio and I, on the other hand, are not allowed to see it until today…"

Sheryl nodded, "It's to make sure you guys go. No calls pulling you away."

"Oh, is that it?" she asked a bit surprised and laughed a bit. "Doesn't she know that Horatio and I have it covered?"

Sheryl just shrugged.

………………………..

Alexx arrived at the Caine Residence at five thirty, with various bags in hand. "Sorry I'm late, Honey," Alexx apologized to Calleigh quietly as she watched her friend close the door. "I overslept and then the kids woke up and I had to make sure they were back to sleep before I left."

"It's alright… Sheryl and I have just been trying to do the best we can with the cookbook," Calleigh told her with a smile. It wasn't just the fact that she was trying to cook a meal that she hadn't done before, but also that she really wanted it to be perfect.

Walking to the kitchen, she put the bags on the table since the counter was plenty full, "Happy Thanksgiving, Sheryl," Alexx greeted turning around and hugging the young woman. When she pulled back she spied the coffee on the counter, "Oh Lord, I wanted to stop for coffee, but all the Starbucks were closed," she explained helping herself to a cup.

"I noticed that, too," Sheryl mumbled. "You'd think they'd be smarter and know people would be up at insane hours on Thanksgiving."

"Can I help, too?"

Calleigh turned around to see Madison standing in the kitchen doorway dressed in her pajamas, her hair braided into two sections while rubbing her eyes. "Aww Sweetie, we didn't mean to wake you," Calleigh told her crouching down a bit. "How about I get you a glass of milk and a cookie and I put you back in bed?"

"But I want to help," Madison said and then let out a big yawn.

"How about you help me make some fun pies after breakfast in a few hours?" Sheryl suggested.

"Promise?"

"Promise," Sheryl told her.

"Okay…"

"I'll be right back," Calleigh told Sheryl and Alexx before leading Madison off towards her room. When she came back a couple minutes later, Sheryl had already poured a glass of milk and had a cookie ready. "Thanks," she said before taking them to the bedroom to settle Madison back into bed.

……………………….

"Please tell me that you got an adorable picture of her in her costume?" Calleigh asked Horatio. She and Horatio had just finished watching Madison's Thanksgiving play. Madison had been dressed as a pilgrim, and she had thought it was one of the most adorable things she'd seen in a while. Emma, however, had slept through it on her mommy. Calleigh thought it was adorable how her daughter thought she was a pillow some of the times. She loved that precious time with Emma, though, even if she was sleeping. She supposed because it gave her that sense of security because Emma was right there. She still had issues from when she had been taken and held by Miller Lewis. She clapped lightly as the play ended and looked over at Horatio who had been video taping the play. They had to get back to the house soon and meet the others. The ovens had been left on low while they were away, as the food just finished heating up.

Horatio turned to her with a bright, pride smile, "I got enough, I'm sure," he told her. He had used the still button throughout trying to get as many shots of Madison as possible, but had taped the whole thing just to make sure they'd have it for later…after all, this was their first big school event with Madison as a big part of their family. Horatio intended on keeping those memories safe.

Carefully, Calleigh stood up, lifting Emma and her bag with her. She slung the black messenger bag over her shoulder, but kept the sleeping toddler in place as well. She looked over at Horatio with a smile, "We're supposed to meet her over at the room off the side of the stage. They're having cookies and stuff. I promised that she could stay for at least five minutes."

"Sounds like it was a good compromise…" Horatio commented. "Plus, I know she's excited to see Ray and Alexx's kids. She's been talking about it all week."

"She's just turned into the social butterfly, hasn't she?" Calleigh asked as they headed out of the theatre area. "And she is magnificent with Emma…and absolutely fabulous for Sheryl. I actually caught them all dancin' the other day when I got home."

Horatio's smile turned into a grin, "Really?"

"Yeah," Calleigh said with a slight laugh. "It was the most random…adorable thing…"

They made their way around the small theatre, and Horatio draped his jacket over Emma and watched as Calleigh made sure it didn't fall off their daughter. "She's getting so big," he told his fiancée. "She looks more and more like you every day you know…"

Calleigh smiled, "She has your eyes, though…and I think your spirit…"

"I don't know, she's a lot like you…"

Her smile widened, "We best just hope for her to not take so much after me that she gets my stubborn streak…"

"I don't know… You're pretty cute when you're being stubborn," he told her as he closed the distance between them and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

Calleigh giggled as they came upon the obvious let-out point for all of the kids. At least it was supervised. She noticed that right away that teachers were there to make sure the correct kid was being released to the correct adult.

"Uncle Horatio!" Madison called through the crowd, jumping up and down from by the door with the teachers.

"I think she's found us," Horatio whispered to Calleigh before making a path through the crowd of talking parents towards his niece with Calleigh right behind him. When he came to his niece finally, he found that she wasn't alone. There were two other girls there; both seemed about the same age as Madison. "You did wonderful."

"This is my Uncle Horatio," Madison announced proudly. "And my Aunt Calleigh with my cousin, Emma, who's sleeping…"

"Where are your parents?" one of the girls asked. "You're supposed to bring your parents…it's for families…"

"Sometimes children don't live with their parents," Horatio tried to gently explain to the girl.

"You're weird," the other girl said before looking to the other girl and both walking off.

Horatio could see the tears welling up in her eyes before she even started to cry. He gently picked her up and held her close as the tears started to fall. "Honey, it's okay…" he tried to soothe. "They just don't understand. It's nothing bad…" He turned around to see Calleigh's worried face and a woken Emma looking quite concerned for a three year old. "Let's go home," he said quietly.

……………………………

"Hey, what's going on with Madison?" Alexx asked Calleigh as she helped set the table, everyone else in the living room. "The kids all are concerned about her, and she took that dress off in quite a hurry…"

"Some of the girls at school got introduced to our family, and told her she was weird for not havin' a mother and father," Calleigh explained. "I think she'll be fine… She just needs time."

"Everything's been really hard on her, Calleigh… She's still just a little girl," Alexx told her friend concerned. She knew that Calleigh was still new at being a mom, especially to a girl who was almost ten. "Maybe she needs some time with you and Horatio and Emma… Family time…"

Calleigh shrugged, "We can try, but I've already asked for so much time off with the weddin' and the holidays and everything…" She sighed, "At least Horatio could get away and spend time with her…"

"I think she'd love that," Alexx told Calleigh with a smile.

Emma's screaming caught Calleigh's attention, and she turned her head to see her three year old running into the dining area. She looked down when her daughter immediately clung to her leg. She smiled; Emma was so cute in her fluffy pink dress that Horatio had picked out complete with bow. She had known that it had been bought after she had talked about the baby doll. Calleigh loved it though. "What's wrong, Darlin'?"

"Saur!" Emma tried to explain and then screeched when she heard roaring behind her and looked over to see her uncle coming after her. "Moma! Saur!" she shouted again pulling on her mother's leg.

Eric Delko came stomping after Emma with his arms up with T-Rex arms, "Roooooaaaawwwrrr."

Calleigh tried to hold back a laugh, "Awww is Uncle Eric the dinosaur after my Emma?"

"Rooooooaaaarrrwwrrrr!!!"

Emma giggled at the way he wiggled his arms around and hopped a bit holding her arms up wanting Calleigh to pick her up. "Moma!!!"

"Alright," Calleigh gave in, "No dinosaur is gonna get my Emma," she said picking up Emma and kissing her cheek.

"Someone does love her mom," Alexx observed. "You're going to be carrying around that child until she's ten…"

Rolling her eyes a bit, Calleigh looked over at Alexx, "How could you possibly pass up this face?" she asked putting her finger under Emma's chin. "Her eyes…just like plead the case for ya…"

Alexx laughed, "Oh…just wait until she's older…"

"So, the guys are wondering if you all went out to kill the turkey first," Yelina interrupted.

Calleigh looked over at her soon to be sister-in-law, "Sorry…Eric the dinosaur wasn't quite watchin' Emma as much as chasin' her…"

Eric laughed, "Not my fault that she doesn't know how to be a dinosaur…" He walked over to Calleigh and held out his arms to Emma, "C'mon, come with Uncle Eric…"

Emma tucked her head against Calleigh's chest. "No! Moma!"

He laughed harder, "C'mon… What does Sheryl call you? The little turtle?" he asked trying to get a look at her face.

"Tur-uh!" Emma said quickly pulling away from her mother and putting her arms up in the air. She giggled when her uncle pulled her from her mother's arms and started to swing her around.

"Too much Finding Nemo," Calleigh mumbled shaking her head going back to setting the table.

……………………………….

TBC…