Jessica felt like such a bad mother. She couldn't pick up her own child when she was having a nightmare because of her injury. It had been a week since the shooting and Jessica had been home for three days. Three days filled with nightmares, frustration and crying. Sophia woke up every night and asked for mommy to hold her. She couldn't say what she was dreaming about, but she didn't have too. It was obvious that the shooting at the mall had caused the little girl to have nightmares. Horatio had taken her to a child therapist and she had told him to be patient and keep on telling Sophia that mommy was alright after she had a bad dream. Jessica was frustrated and sad about not being able to hug her daughter. It was heart-breaking to see Sophia reach out for her and calling her name and all Jessica could do was to get daddy instead. Sophia calmed down as soon as she was in her father's arms, but Jessica wanted to be able to hold her baby girl too.

The doctors had assured her that she could use her shoulder again after about a month. Jessica had been lucky even if it didn't seem as if. The bullet had been a trough and trough. She would be sore and would have to avoid using it. But that was it. Physically that was all it was. But mentally it was straining on her relationship with everyone around her, especially her husband. Poor Horatio had to put up with her bad mood. He never complained though. He just reassured her that the shoulder would heal and that those four weeks during which she couldn't use it would pass quicker than she thought.

"Jessica, you're not a bad mother." Horatio sighed.

Jessica glared at him. She had been sitting on the back porch for a while and Horatio was especially tired after a day at work. It was almost midnight and everyone else in the house was asleep.

"I can't pick up my own child!" Jessica snapped.

"We've talked about this Jessica. It doesn't make you a bad mother. It's not your fault."

Jessica huffed. Tears were starting to roll down her cheeks and she wiped them away quickly.

"Jessica, you didn't get yourself shot so why do you blame yourself?" Horatio asked.

Jessica shrugged.

"It's not your fault that you can't use your shoulder. You're not a bad mother because you're injured." Horatio said and sat down next to his wife.

Jessica looked towards the ocean and sighed heavily.

"When I had the flu; I couldn't hold Sophia either. I had no strength in my body to do it." Horatio said, "Did you think I was a bad father because of it?"

"No." Jessica said quietly.

"This is a situation just like it. You're injured and the doctor ordered you not to use your shoulder. Does it really make you a bad mother?"

Jessica shook her head. Horatio was right. He had told her every day that she was not a bad mother. She had just refused to believe it.

"Sophia knows that mommy is hurt. She doesn't think you're evil because you can't hold her." Horatio said.

"I shouldn't have brought her with me to the mall." Jessica sobbed.

Horatio knew that it was what she was really upset about. She not only thought she was a bad mother because of her injury, she also thought she was a bad mother because she had put her child in harm's way.

"You couldn't have known. Remember that you told me that yesterday?" Horatio asked, "You told me that I shouldn't worry too much because I can never protect you from everything. No one can know that things like this is going happen."

"I guess I have to believe my own words, huh?" Jessica chuckled and wiped her tears away.

"Yes, you do. We could all die as soon as we step out of the front door. We can even die in our own homes. But that doesn't mean we should protect each other from every danger that exists." Horatio smiled and gave Jessica a kiss.

"God, I'm so silly."

"You've had a rough week. It's okay to be silly." Horatio grinned.

"I worry about Sophia."

"She will be fine."

"What if she never gets passed the shooting?"

"She will. She's already started." Horatio smiled, "Do you know what time it is?"

"Midnight?"

"Almost. Sophia has woken up every night just before midnight… except tonight."

"She could wake up in ten minutes." Jessica snorted.

"Jessica, she's starting to get over it. She sees you every day and she knows that mommy is alive and well, she might not understand why you can't pick her up. But when she has had a nightmare about what happen and she wakes up and sees your face, then she knows that her dream wasn't true." Horatio said, "Even at her age I think she realizes that her dreams are not true."

Jessica nodded and rested her head against Horatio's shoulder. Horatio rested his hand on her waist.

"We should take a vacation." Horatio suggested after a while.

"Where?"

"Key West."

"Why?"

"Just so that we can get some time for ourselves. We can relax and just enjoy the time we have together day after day." Horatio smiled.

Jessica lifted her head from his shoulder.

"Should we leave Sophia alone with Kyle so soon after the shooting? It's not that I don't trust Kyle to take care of her, but I mean her emotional well-being might not be on top right now."

"We can ask her if it's okay. If it's not then we can wait." Horatio said.

Jessica nodded and smiled.

"What should we live in?"

"A cabin close to a beach… with the neighbors far apart." Horatio grinned widely.

"Will we see anything of the surrounding area of just the bedroom?" Jessica chuckled.

"We'll see the kitchen and bathroom I guess. We can't stay in bed all day long." Horatio shrugged.

Jessica laughed and gave Horatio a deep kiss.

"I'm already looking forward to it." She smiled.

"Me too."

"Thanks for making opening my eyes Horatio. And for marrying a silly like me." Jessica said.

"No, thank you for marrying an old fool like me."

"You're not old." Jessica chuckled.

"I'm glad you say that because yesterday at work an officer thought I was visiting and wanted to get my attention by calling me Old Chap."

Jessica burst out laughing and soon Horatio joined in.

"What did you tell him?" Jessica asked when she had stopped laughing.

"I told him I wasn't even passed my 50th birthday yet and then I just glared at him." Horatio smirked.

"Oh the famous Lt. Caine-glare." Jessica teased.

"The what?"

"You know the glare and the voice you do when you're angry." Jessica smiled.

Horatio looked confused and Jessica gaped at him.

"You have no idea? Honestly?" She asked in disbelief.

"Of course I do." Horatio smirked, "It's only famous because it works."

Jessica just chuckled.

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