Being back at work wasn't easy for Horatio after he had been home for two weeks with Jessica and Sophia. The same morning that he was going to have to return to the lab he spent several minutes watching his little girl sleep in the crib. Jessica had been asleep in their bed. Now Horatio was sitting in his office, drinking coffee and just staring the paperwork before him. Calleigh had been in charge of the lab while he had been gone and she had done most of his paperwork for him, but every day there was a new file that needed to be read and signed. Always something new.

"It's hard isn't it?" Alexx smiled from the doorway.

She could relate to how Horatio was feeling. She felt it became easier to leave for work as the children got older and more independent, but it was especially hard when you had a little baby in the house.

"It's harder than I thought it would be." Horatio sighed.

"Sugar, it's going to be alright." Alexx smiled.

"I know. But this is the first time that I haven't wanted to come in for work in my entire life." Horatio said.

Alexx had felt the same way when she had become a mother. Now it was different. Her children were teenagers and more independent. They went to school and mommy went to work.

When Alexx left, Horatio grabbed the top file from his stack and started reading it. It was difficult to concentrate on reading and often his mind decided that instead of thinking about the context of the file, he was going to think of Sophia.

Horatio had to struggle to keep focused on his job. It did get easier though when the team had to split up between two crime scenes. Horatio pushed his thoughts about Sophia aside while he interviewed witnesses and helped process the crime scene. It wasn't until lunch that he was able to push work aside and call home. Jessica picked up after a while and she sounded like she had ran to the phone.

"Busy?" Horatio asked with amusement clear in his voice.

"Our daughter decided that the couch was the perfect place to throw up on." Jessica said, "And while I was cleaning she was lying in the sitter and then I felt this awful smell. So I had just changed her diaper and I still have the couch left to clean."

"Seems like she's keeping you on your feet." Horatio chuckled.

"You have no idea." Jessica grinned, "So how has your day been so far?"

"Busy. I have two crime scenes to go between and it's hard being away from you and Sophia."

"It's hard not having you here too. I think Sophia misses you." Jessica smiled, "I miss you too of course."

"I miss both of as well. It's going to be a long day, that's for sure."

"Without a doubt." Jessica agreed.

Horatio and Jessica talked some more before Frank and Walter entered the break room and started making noise as they put plates for the team on the table. After Horatio and Jessica had hung up, he glared playfully at the two men.

"What?" Frank asked, "We got pizza on the way for everyone."

Horatio smiled and the rest of the team arrived together with the pizza. Everyone sat down to eat. Sometimes the team missed lunch because of cases, but the Chief had made it clear that they needed to eat something for lunch so they didn't get too tired the rest of the shift. It was their new Chief and unlike the old one he understood the importance of eating food.

"So how are Jessica and Sophia doing at home?" Calleigh asked.

Horatio told her what his daughter had done to keep mommy busy all morning.

"Just wait until I teach her some mischief." Frank smirked, "She won't give you a calm day ever again."

"Why do you want to teach her that?" Horatio asked.

"Easy! So I can see you flustered." Frank smirked evilly.

Horatio chuckled and shook his head. He had no doubt that Kyle would also teach his little sister some mischief.

-I-

When Horatio got home Sophia was awake and smiled at the sight of her father. Horatio picked her up from her sitter and kissed her cheek.

"Hey baby girl, daddy missed you so much today." Horatio smiled and caressed Sophia's head gently.

"Where is mommy huh?" He asked and peeked inside the bedroom, kitchen, bathroom and living room. When he couldn't find her downstairs he checked the upstairs where there was another bathroom, Kyle's room and Horatio's home office. Then it hit him! He had forgotten to check the nursery.

It was there he found Jessica kneeling on the floor and looking under the armchair. Horatio admired the view for a moment until Sophia made a noise to let mommy know they were watching her.

"Hi, Horatio! I didn't hear you come home." Jessica smiled and stood up to give him a kiss.

"No worries. What are you doing?"

"Trying to find and smash an ugly looking spider." Jessica shuddered.

Jessica wasn't afraid of spiders but she didn't like them either and she had no problem smashing them. Horatio chuckled.

"It went under the chair and I'm going to find it sooner or later." Jessica said and waved with the newspaper in her hands.

"You probably scared it to death when you chased after it with the newspaper."

"Those little ones are quick." Jessica said, "But sooner or later I'm going to get it."

Horatio laughed and pulled Jessica in for a kiss. Sophia let them know she didn't like mommy and daddy paying attention to each other instead of her. She started whimpering and her parents looked down at her.

"This little girl apparently woke up. She was asleep when I started chasing the spider." Jessica smiled.

The front door opened and there was no way anyone could miss that Kyle was coming home.

"Where is my little sister? Where is she?" He called and found his family in the nursery.

He grinned widely and reached his arms out for Sophia, completely forgetting to say hi to his father and Jessica.

"Hi Kyle." Horatio smiled amused.

"Hi dad, Hi Jessica. Hello my adorable little baby sister." Kyle smiled widely, "Yes hello to you!"

While Kyle snuggled with Sophia, Horatio and Jessica made dinner. When it was ready it was almost impossible to get Kyle to focus on the food instead of Sophia.

"If you go outside with Sophia you will have so many girls around you." Jessica chuckled.

"I know. And they will be so happy to hear that I'm single." Kyle smirked, "Maybe I can take Sophia to school one day."

Horatio choked on his water and shot Kyle a playful glare.

"Never." He said.

Kyle chuckled and gave Sophia a kiss on the forehead. He caressed her cheek and then grimaced as he lifted his hand up to his eyes. It was covered in drool.

"That's a lot of drool." He said, "And what is that smell?"

"You've never smelled a dirty diaper before?" Jessica asked amused.

Kyle shook his head. Then he was given the task of changing Sophia's diaper. When he came back he smiled.

"She only did number one so I was lucky this time."

"Next time she does number two I'm handing her over to you." Jessica smirked.

Horatio chuckled at Kyle's horrified look. Kyle was of course only joking. He had seen dead people in the morgue so a little dirty diaper and drool didn't bother him.

After dinner Kyle was the one to put Sophia to sleep as her eyes got heavy. Horatio and Jessica took the opportunity to take a shower together and laughed as they heard Kyle desperately sing to make Sophia stop crying.

"It'll be so fun to see how he handles it when Sophia gets tantrums." Horatio chuckled.

Jessica laughed and nodded in agreement.

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