The service was early in the afternoon. It had been agreed that he would be buried near Calleigh, since she was the one who had cared for him for so long. They all gathered in a small Baptist church in the center of town. Not many people came, just his immediate family, and a few of the tiny family's friends from town. Everyone's experience was different with Kenwall, but many people kept their speeches short. Horatio could only picture the man he had known back in Miami. He was just the drunk that caused Calleigh so much grief, yet she was always loyal to him. He was sitting far from Calleigh and the girls. His girls. How could he just go back to Florida and them stay here? He looked up when movement from that area caught his eye. Elle was walking to the front of the room. He looked back to Calleigh. She was trying so hard not to cry, while Kelsey was letting her tears run freely. He couldn't stop the vision of Calleigh, black dress, black veil, bright green eyes, and no tears from entering his mind. Could it really have been nearly twenty years since that had happened? It was so clear in his mind, like it was yesterday.

"Kenwall Duquesne was a man who left his impression on everyone he met, whether it be good or whether it be bad. A great lawyer in his younger years, he had a great deal of knowledge that he passed onto my sister, Kelsey, and me. Now, I'm not naïve, he hurt a lot of people, mostly people he loved. Mama's gonna kill me when she hears this, but, when I was eleven, Pop taught me how to drive our old pickup truck. We drove all over the west end of the property, and when we were both thoroughly sick of doing donuts in the mud, he confided in me. He said, 'I always want to be here for you and Kelsey. I wasn't there for my kids, and when I was, I was a horrible father. I would drink and get mean. Later, I followed your mom to Miami with every intention of doing better than I had done. But it didn't last long. I regret everything I did when I was younger. I swear to you, I will always be here for you and I will never be the man I was again.' I never met the man he spoke of. The man I knew was kind, and caring, and completely sober. He picked me up and dusted me off when I fell, which was often. He held me up when I felt like I couldn't stand on my own. He gave me strength I never knew I could possess. He taught me to ride a horse, and that horses can't talk, but they speak when you listen, so pay attention. And when I fall, I have to get back up; because falling is human nature. As a kid, I didn't realize these were life lessons. He was the greatest man I've ever known. I'm going to miss you Pop." Elle stayed calm and collected during her speech. Her voice never cracked, and tears never fell. She stepped away from the podium and walked back to her seat. Horatio watched her sitting there, still refusing to break.

He stayed away from the family, his family, during the graveside service. Kelsey had yet to stop crying, while Elle refused to cry. Even after Calleigh broke, Elle stayed strong. Calleigh sat with her brothers on the far side, Elle stood next to her with her hand on Calleigh's shoulder, and Kelsey was under her other arm crying in her shoulder. Even as the coffin was lowered into the ground and people were walking way, Elle didn't cry.

Everyone staying at Calleigh's house had ridden together to the funeral home, and after, they all loaded back up and went back to the house. Kelsey and Elle hurried into the house to set out all the food for the guests. The rest of the group came though the doors a few minutes later.

"Thank you, girls." Calleigh said when they were finished. They both nodded.

"How you doing?" Eric asked. Kelsey neared tears again, while Elle looked at him with somber eyes.

"I'm going to the box." Elle turned and walked out of the house.

Horatio looked at Calleigh, Kelsey's arms were wrapped tightly around her waist. Calleigh looked torn between her children. He assumed this had happened many times during their lives. When Horatio finally caught her eye, he motioned for her to meet him in the other room. He watched as she pulled out of Kelsey's grip and assured her that she would be right back. He followed her into the living room.

"What is it Horatio?" Calleigh asked. She looked exhausted.

"Where did Elle go?"

"There are two buildings, about one-hundred yards beyond the barn in the trees. I had them built for each of the girls for their thirteenth birthday. We call them boxes. It's so they both have a private place."

"Can I go talk to her?"

"No. Horatio, please, she's hurting. Don't make this worse."

"Calleigh, I won't tell her who I am until you tell me I can. You have your hands full here with Kelsey and everyone else. Elle shouldn't be alone, and you should be here."

Calleigh thought for a moment, before giving in. She hated his logic. "Go."

"Thank you!" He hurried out of the house and headed in the direction Calleigh had directed him.

He was glad that the girl's names were on their doors, otherwise he would have had to try them both, which wouldn't be a big deal, except they were about 70 yards apart and he was getting older. His joints were stiffer and he had less endurance. He slowly opened the door to a beautifully decorated room with a very full bookshelf, a lime-green lovesac, reading lamp, and a desk with a laptop set-up. She was playing music, but it was muffled. He ventured in to see that the other part of the building was a miniature firing range. Go figure. He looked and saw her change the song to something very upbeat before she rolled her shoulders and began firing her gun. She had her mother's skill with firearms. He didn't like the idea of her handling a gun at such a young age, but it could be worse. He could see Calleigh again in his mind. In the firearms lab. It was her happy place. He found himself so deep in thought that he hadn't noticed the music turn off, or the firing stop. She stood in the doorway between the reading area and the shooting area.

"What the hell do you want?" She asked harshly.

"I just wanted to tell you I'm so sorry for your loss. How are you doing?"

"Cut the bullshit. I may only be fourteen, but I'm not an idiot. You came and talked to me yesterday instead to going inside with my mother. You haven't taken your eyes off of Kelsey or me all day. You are from Miami." Her face remained neutral.

"So?" He didn't want to give anything away if she was leading to something different.

"So…You're the son-of-a-bitch who knocked up my mother." Her eyes met his, full of pain, hatred, and anger.

"You're a very smart young lady." He smiled at her.

"I get it solely from my mother. Looks, apparently from you, and brains from her. Why don't you just go back to Miami? We don't need you and we sure as hell don't want you here."

"I didn't know you even existed until I arrived here. But now that I do know, I think I have a right to know both of you."

"You mean, like you had the right to break my mother's heart. That kind of right? The right to hit when my mother is already hurting and Kelsey is vulnerable?"

"What about you?

"Don't worry about me. As far as I'm concerned, you're just a tick that needs to be disposed of before you take root and destroy us."

"That is not my intention…"

"I don't care about your intentions!" She yelled at him. "Don't talk to me about intentions. Don't you see how she looks at you? Her eyes hold a torment that can't be explained. It's a deep pain that she can't shake. You just being here, it hurts her inside. You may not intend to hurt her, but you do. Don't get me wrong, she is over you. But she's not over what you did. Not over the fear that you'll take us from her. And Kelsey, she's a confused girl who doesn't always think things through, and you will ruin her. You will tear our lives part without intending to do so. Just leave. If you can't leave quickly, a least stay away from my mother and my sister. They are off limits!" She closed the door to the mini-range turned the music back on, and up, and reloaded her weapon.

Horatio walked out of the building. He wasn't sure what to do. The things Elle had said made sense. He was so caught up in his own pity; he never once saw how Calleigh looked at him. For the first time since this journey began, he wished he didn't know about the girls. He wasn't quite sure what to do. So he did the only thing he could do… He headed back to the house and hoped the night would come quickly.

A/N: This will be my last update for a little while as I am traveling during spring break and won't have internet. Anyway, Read and review. I haven't written anything past this point, but I have some ideas and would love some input on where the story should go.