Chapter 3

Calleigh was working on a revolver from a double shooting case when Ryan walked into ballistics. He decided to wait until she had finished. When she put the gun down on the side and took off the protective goggles and earphones and placed next to it. She turned around and almost had a heart attack. "God Ryan you scared me! Is there something I can help you with?"

"Yea, you forgot to sign the release form for the Colt Python 4!" Ryan was shaking as he handed her the file. He had over heard Eric talking to Horatio that Calleigh was upset and he didn't want to be the one that makes her worse and gets his head blown off. He had seen how many firearms she kept behind the door.

"Oh, sorry, I've had something on my mind today but it doesn't matter." Calleigh took the file out of his hand and quickly signed it and gave it back. "Was there anything else?"

"No!" Ryan quickly turned on his heels and left.

As he went to give Horatio the file back he bumped into Eric who was going to check on Calleigh.

"Hey Wolfe. Have you just been to see Cal?" Eric asked.

"Yea. Why?" Ryan seemed puzzled.

"Just asking. How is she?" Eric was moving ever so slowly towards ballistics as he was talking.

"She seems okay but you know how Calleigh is, she never lets anyone know what she is thinking about!"

"Okay, thanks Wolfe!" Eric turned and continued the rest of the way to the lab where she worked.

When he got there she had pulled a chair up to the desk and was resting her head in her hands. Eric walked up slowly behind her and rested his hands on her shoulders and his chin on top of her head. He could smell her shampoo, vanilla extract. He stroked his hands up and down her arms as he kissed the top of her head. "You should go home and rest!" He said gently.

"I can't." She sat back in her chair and held on to Eric's hands.

"I know but it is started to affect your work! You're just sitting here thinking about it." Eric turned his palms upwards and held on to her hands.

She knew he was right, she just didn't want to admit it. "If I go home I'll be on my own and I'll get even worse!"

"Well fine then I'll stay with you!" Calleigh was shocked by this and quickly turned her head to face him. "I'm sure H wont mind!"

"But…" Calleigh was cut of by Eric.

"No buts. You've got to go home but you wont go alone so I'm gonna go with you." Eric insisted.

"Okay!" Calleigh whispered ever so quietly Eric just about heard her.

"I'm gonna go tell H that I'm taking you home." Eric left ballistics and went to speak to Horatio.

"I'll go and wait in the car!" She called after him. She gathered her things, except her cell, that was still in the hummer. She picked up the hummer keys, she was gonna return them tomorrow, and went to the elevator to go to the car park. As the doors opened she got a big surprise.

"Why don't you go and talk to her?" Tony wrapped his arm around Rachel's shoulder.

"It's not that simple honey. I haven't seen my mom in ten years, how am I suppose to start a conversation?" Rachel snuggled into his arms.

"How about saying hi! That's always a good start. And maybe you could tell her how much you've missed her!" Tony had a point, she couldn't run away from this, she missed her mom so much. When she was little she used to sit by the front door waiting for her mom to come and pick her up. But she never did.

"I suppose you're right!" Rachel stood up kissed Tony and went back to the lab. She called for the elevator and waited and waited. Even when she was in the elevator it felt like a life time to get to the floor. When the doors opened she came face to face with Calleigh. "Hey."

"Hey!" A small smile came over Calleigh's face. She decided to get in the elevator with Rachel.

"Why did you stop looking for me?" Rachel just had to ask.

"I never wanted to, your father insisted you were dead and there would be no point. I thought about you everyday." Calleigh's smile soon disappeared and was replaced by sadness.

Rachel looked down and tears began to form in her eyes. Calleigh didn't know what to do. She wanted to hold her daughter so badly but she thought she'd be moving to fast. Rachel looked up and Calleigh couldn't hold back anymore she held out her arms and Rachel ran into them. They held on so tightly to each other, never wanting to let go ever again. The doors to the elevator had opened again and there stood Eric. Calleigh looked up and smiled at him. "Hey Eric, this is Rachel, she's my daughter!"

"She's your daughter! That explains why I thought it was you earlier!"

Rachel laughed as she wiped away a few tears. "Hey how's it going?"

"Not too bad. I was just about to take Calleigh back to hers!" Eric quickly stopped the doors from closing.

"Do you want to come with us? I'll make you some coco. With little marshmallows!" Calleigh was stroking Rachel's hair and looking at her with big sad eyes.

"Why not!" Rachel wrapped her arm around her mom. "I love you mom!"

"I love you too honey!" Calleigh hugged Rachel again and kissed her gently on the top of the head.

They got back to Calleigh's condo and sat around the lounge talking about past times. Rachel was leaning against Calleigh who was leaning against the arm of her sofa. She had one arm around Rachel and one holding her cup. Eric was sitting in one of the armchairs facing them, not saying anything, just listening to them talk. He smiled, he always thought Calleigh would make a great mom, and he was right. Even though it had been ten years they acted as if they were never apart.