My apologies, again. This will be a particularly good chapter based on what I have planned for it. Love you all.

The next day Horatio called a team meeting in the conference room. This was clearly serious. The team walked slowly into the room and sat down silently. The usual chatting was notably absent and silent caution took its place. The table had polarized into genders.

"There have been some unusual incidents in the lab lately. It seems like these are just coincidences. However, the philosophy of there never being coincidences had some value. For this reason, the authorities are under the impression that the CSI Miami unit needs some bonding. This includes IAB, assistance, and officers at the building. Even janitors are included. Tonight, there will be a CSI diner at La Fogata, a popular restaurant that isn't too far from here. Try to enjoy the night, and be polite to everyone, even those people that we do not care for particularly." Horatio ordered. Nobody missed the fact that he knew something was up, he thought his team had a hand in it, and that he was alluding to Stetler in his last sentence. "Will you promise me that all of you will not cause any trouble tonight?"

"Yes sir," the majority of the crowd said. Ryan, Eric, Natalia, and Calleigh remained silent. They did not want to break his orders, so we just didn't agree to them. It wouldn't help them any if we got caught, but it just felt better.

"Any questions?" Horatio asked. Everybody remained silent. "Ok, dismissed."

People left the room in small groups and returned to their offices.

"Well… that was interesting." Eric said. He, Calleigh, Ryan, and Natalia were standing in a circle in a corner of the lab where little traffic passed by. They needed a private conversation.

"Certainly," Calleigh said.

"What should we do?" Natalia asked. Her uncertainty and caution seeped through her voice.

"I have a plan," Eric said. He had thought of it during the meeting, and couldn't wait to share his brilliant idea with the team. They discussed the tactics and quickly returned to their individual labs to not draw attention to themselves.

Eric returned to his lab and began to process a pile of prints. The majority of the prints matched the suspect, so he would have to get the news to Horatio. He quickly collected the results and rushed to the door, which promptly opened and smacked into him.

"Shit!" Eric exclaimed and quickly covered his bleeding nose with his hand.

"I'm so sorry, Eric! I wasn't paying attention and just opened the door without thinking," Calleigh said. Eric sat down and Calleigh got a wad of paper towels.

"Here, let me…" she said and gently pressed the paper towels on his nose to absorb the blood. Then she applied more pressure to prevent more bleeding.

All the while Eric's eyes tried to focus on her face. But she was standing, and so his eyes perfectly aligned with her chest.

"Calleigh, move," Eric said after a few seconds. They were at work after all.

"Not, it's fine, I'm almost done…"

"No, really, I can do it myself," Eric said, and looked down so that she would understand the problems with their position.

"Oh," Calleigh said. She was hoping that nobody had seen that, when Natalia walked in.

"That was awkward. Keep it out of work, please," Natalia teased.

"Not intentional," Calleigh answered. She didn't want the team to know, or to get a bad reputation at her work.

"What happened?" Natalia asked, quickly changing the subject to keep her friend from feeling awkward. She gestured to Eric's bloody nose.

"Calleigh opened the door when I was about to leave."

"Oh. Does that mean you have the finger print results?"

"Yes, that's why I was leaving."

"Great. I'd get them to Horatio quickly. He seems to really want the results," Natalia said.

"Will do," Eric replied. He got up and carried the results in one hand while using his other to hold the paper towels to his nose.

"That walk is going to be embarrassing," Calleigh said just after he left. Both of the ladies laughed at this.

Sure enough, snickers could be heard as Eric walked towards Horatio's office. Nobody was stupid enough to tease him to his face. Everybody knew that he could kick their ass.

"H here are the results," Eric said, and attempted to drop the papers off without being asked about his nose.

"Is your nose broken?" Horatio asked, quickly bothering Eric.

"No, there was just an accident with a door." Eric said. Horatio chuckled at this.

Eric went to Calleigh's ballistic lab because he didn't have any work to do at the moment. When he walked in he saw his girl shooting a pistil at a target, and hitting the center every time. Calleigh didn't realize that Eric was there until she finished shooting and took her eye protection off.

"Well hello there Mr. Delko. How is the nose?" Calleigh asked.

"It's ok. But I know what could make it better…"

"What would that be?"

"Taking your injured co-worker out for a late lunch."

"Ok, I will be ready in 30. Meet me at my car," Calleigh said with a devious smile crossing her lips.

Calleigh matched the casings she shot to those that were evidence. She reported her findings to Horatio and went to the locker room to groom herself before the spur-of-the-moment lunch date. She reapplied her makeup and combed her golden hair.

Eric had just arrived at Calleigh's car when the elevator doors opened and his girl stepped out of them.

"Hello pretty lady," Eric said with a slight sparkle in his eyes.

"Why aren't you sweet, you get an A for the day." Calleigh replied. The two got into the car and Calleigh drove them to a small restaurant on the coast that they went to often.

Eric got out of the car before Calleigh did and he opened the door for her and put his arm around her shoulder. Calleigh put her arm around his hip and they walked into the restraunt like that.

"Table for two, please," Eric said to the hostess.

"You two are adorable," the Hostess said when she seated them at a table near the window. It gave them an excellent view of the blue ocean.

They drank iced tea and ordered their lunch. Calleigh got a salad with grilled chicken and Eric ordered salmon. The restaurant was almost empty because it was past one, and so their order came fairly quickly.

"Let's discuss plans for tonight," Eric said.

"Are you sure that we should do this?" Calleigh asked. "Horatio specifically said…"

"That we can't cause any trouble. I know," Eric interrupted her. "That is why I came up with this idea…" Eric said. He explained the plan to her and watched as her face changed from disapproval, to curiosity, to having a hint of approval.

"Ok, let's do it," Calleigh said cautiously. She wasn't certain that this was the best thing to do, but Eric did have a point. It wouldn't be their fault anyway.

After paying the bill Calleigh and Eric walked out of the building and into the brilliant Miami sun. Their smiles were almost as bright as the rays that radiated onto the ocean and sparked.

"Tonight is going to be fun," Calleigh said. To her surprise, she was pleased. Eric could bring out a more relaxed side of her that wasn't normally seen.

They got back in the Hummer and drove back to the lab. All the while, they laughed and joked. In the dark profession they worked sometimes it was necessary to relax and prank around.

While at the lab Eric went to Horatio's office and knocked on the door.

"Come in," Horatio announced and stacked his papers into a neat pile.

"Hey H,"

"Hello Mr. Delko. What can I do for you?"

"I know we have a team dinner tonight but I had a previous arrangement planned…."

Calleigh watched from the hall as Eric and H talked. By the slight smile on Eric's face when he left Horatio's office Calleigh knew that their plan was still a go.

They worked until the sun sunk to the ocean and then Eric gave Calleigh a ride to their destination. A small Hispanic-style house sat in front of their parked car and the couple got out to hear joyful screams. The door opened and out came a well-dressed woman.

"Hole mi hermano!" Eric's sister greeted him.

"You ready for free babysitting?"

"Of course! It was very nice of you to offer. I called my husband as soon as you called and offered during lunch. Thanks," She said just as three kids rushed to Eric and jumped at him.

"Aren't they just the cutest things," Calleigh said.

"They love their Uncle very much. He always makes time for them and for me. You must be the Calleigh that I have heard so much about," She said.

"Not that much…"Eric said and blushed.

"You shoot guns and are a really good CSI. And your from Louisiana so you have a Southern accent," the oldest nephew said.

"That's right. I'm Calleigh, what is your name?"

"I'm Alicia, and I'm 10- the oldest. That is David and he is 7. Isabel is the youngest and she is 4."

"You don't want to know how old I am," Calleigh replied and the adults laughed.

"Well we better go," Eric said. After the kids said good-bye to their mom they piled into the back seats of the Hummer.

The kids chatted during the ride and occasionally questioned Calleigh or Eric. Overall, it wasn't that crazy of a ride.

"Where is your dad?" Calleigh asked the kids.

"He is at work and will meet Mommy at the restraunt," David said before resuming his conversation with his siblings.

"He said 'Mommy'" Calleigh said.

"So?" Eric asked.

"It's really sweet. It makes a girls heart melt, don't you know?"

"I'd like to be called 'Daddy' someday too. It's not just women!" Eric defended himself and made Calleigh laugh.

"We are going to go to dinner with the people I work with. Can you please be polite, but be yourselves ok?" Uncle Eric asked his nieces and nephews. They all agreed to his request as the car pulled into the parking lot.

"Here we go," Calleigh muttered under her breath when they got out of the car and walked into the restraunt. The hostess led them to a private room where the majority of the staff was already seated. She took their orders quickly because of their late arrival.

"Sorry we are late, I had to baby sit my sister's kids and was late picking them up," Eric said and led their group towards the end of the table where Horatio and Rick Stetler sat. To no surprise the seats weren't taken. After all, nobody wanted to sit near the boss or the IAB agent.

"What is your excuse Ms. Duquesne?" Rick demanded.

"I begged her to help me get the kids. I knew I wasn't able to take care of all three of them on my own," Eric said and gestured to the kids next to him. They were poking eachother and laughing, but nobody near them seemed to be too bothered by it. Rick grunted in disapproval but didn't raise the argument any further.

"Understood," Horatio said. He would help watch the kids as Eric had requested him earlier in his office.

The kids played and Isabel reached across the table to get Eric's attention. But she accidentally touched a pitcher of tea sitting on the table. It fell over and poured its contents in Horatio and Rick's direction. Horatio jumped back but Stetler was too busy to notice the tea rapidly approaching him, so it pooled in his lap and rose his volatile temperament.

"What the hell!" He screamed and scooted his chair back.

"Sorry sir it was an accident!" Little Isabel apologized sincerely.

"He said a bad word!" David said before Alicia shushed him.

"He did but let's ignore it," Calleigh said. Rick stomped to the restroom and chuckles followed his path.

"Be extra-nice to him when he comes back," Eric said. They waited in silence for their victim to return. Once he did the children flocked around him with apologies.

"I'm so sorry sir, here is a sticker!" Isabel said and put the sticker on his cheek. It was with good intentions but Stetler's face displayed his utter annoyance.

"Please don't be mad," David said.

"I'm sorry," Alicia added.

"It's fine. Please just sit," Stetler asked. His voice barely masked the anger boiling underneath.

The kids sat quietly and slowly returned to joyful chatter.

"Delko, you better watch them," Rick quietly demanded.

"I'm doing the best I can sir."

The waitresses came with food. People were served and their waitress began to serve them. She gave the kids their mac-and-cheeses and reached over the table to serve Horatio. She then served Eric and Calleigh and took a step towards Rick. The waitress fell to the ground. Luckily Stetler raised his hand to block the plate but the food went flying into Stetler's chest and face

"Shit!" He exclaimed.

"He said another bad word!" David announced.

"I DON'T CARE!" Rick screamed back. The room fell silent and people stared at him. He immediately realized his mistake.

"I'm sorry I lost my temper," he apologized insincerely to the children.

"It's ok," They all said.

He once again left for the restroom as the restaurant's staff trailed behind him with apologies. Calleigh quickly tucked her purse back under the table before anybody noticed what had caused the waitress to trip.

Stetler returned to find a hot plate with his order sitting in front of his seat with a note to say that it is free of charge. He ate it hurriedly before dessert was served.

A free piece of cake was delivered to Stetler and other desserts were served as well. The kids enjoyed theirs and so did the adults. This part of the meal went by without any other catastrophes occurring and the meal concluded.

"I hope this improved out 'teamwork'" Stetler announced with sarcasm and anger icing his voice.

People began to leave until Calleigh, Eric, Ryan, Natalia, Horatio, Stetler, and the kids were the only people left in the room.

"I don't know how, but you guys are responsible for everything I just know it," Rick accused.

"My team has done no such thing. You saw the video's, nothing happened," Horatio falsely defended his team.

Rick clearly realized his mistake and humph-ed in displeasure. He led the way to the parking lot and walked out into the road. A car with a couple that had had dinner at a restaurant across the street stopped suddenly before running over Rick Stetler.

"I'm so sorry!" The lady apologized, but the water her car had sprayed on him because of the sudden stop wouldn't magically disappear. The earlier rain had caused puddles to form on the road.

Without giving the lady a second glance Stetler proceeded to his car. Eric winked at his sister and her husband when they got back in their car and drove home. Things had gone perfectly, he would have to remember to thank his sister later.

Calleigh and Eric dropped the nieces and nephew off thirty minutes later to their very happy parents.

"Thank you Eric,"

"Thank you! The look on his face was priceless," Eric said.

They drove to Calleigh's place and got ready for bed.

"So you want kids?" Eric asked while rubbing her stomach.

"I do," Calleigh said.

"So do I," Eric said and rubbed Calleigh some more.

"Practice makes perfect," Calleigh said, and so they did.

I started this a month ago… and accidentally deleted it so I re-typed it.

Let me know what you think!

~Kat~