Kyle's baby

Horatio happened to see a young woman walking into the lab. The first thought on his mind was evidence or some sort of bomb. "Can I help you, miss?"

"I'm looking for Horatio Caine."

"I'm Horatio." He looked her over, recognizing some of the signs he'd seen in Susie before. "Can I help you?"

"Take it." She pushed a bundle towards him. "Your son is the father. I don't want it."

Horatio looked at the tiny bundle in her arms. "What?" He was surprised to feel how light it was in his arms and looked down to see a beautiful baby girl.

"Bye." The woman didn't even glance back as she left.

"Natalia..." He called down the lab, heading to the morgue.

"Yeah, H? What's in your arms?" Natalia wondered.

He motioned for her to follow him, afraid to stop until he reached the morgue.

Lina saw the bundle in his arms. "Whoa, did you and Natalia forget to tell me something?" She made room for the little girl on one of the tables and then made it as soft as possible.

"Ha ha. It's your brother's."

"Kyle's?" She looked up and then back at the baby, counting down months. "Yeah, I guess it's possible. He was home for Christmas; it'll be Labor Day this weekend."

"He's overseas. I wonder if he even knows."

"Oh, he's gonna know. Where's the mommy?"

"She left. Said she doesn't want the baby."

"Witch." She changed the word she wanted to use in front of the baby. "How could anyone not want you, sweetheart?" She asked, smiling at the little girl, checking her to make sure she was healthy.

"Can you tell how old she is?"

She nodded. "I'd say she's premature. She's maybe two months? I'll be able to tell more. She looks healthy though, considering. A little thin. And she's a happy little girl, aren't you?" She was rewarded with a smile.

"We can look after her, unless you want to?"

It was obvious on Lina's face that she really wanted to. "Don't you need to ask Natalia first? She's got Kaya." She mentioned her ten year old active sister.

"Kaya would love to play with a baby."

Lina nodded. "Then that's probably best, right?"

"Right. Do you want to tell Kyle?"

"You can do it." Horatio nodded. He couldn't stop looking at the baby in front of him. "I've got cases I need to do."

"I'll look after the baby for now then," said Natalia. Lina went into the other room of the morgue, the discussion over. Natalia lifted the little girl, making gaga sounds.

Horatio had a bad feeling that something was wrong with his daughter, but as he'd done too many times to count, he addressed himself to more pressing matters. "Take her home. Get whatever you need. I'll call Kyle and then come home."

"Okay. Check on Lina."

"She's fine. Just busy."

"H."

"Okay, sweetheart. I'll talk to her before I get home. Please don't let Kaya think this is another stray she gets to keep. I don't know what gets into my girls..." She smiled. "What?"

"Nothing."

He kissed her forehead and then smiled at the baby. "Bye bye, sweetheart. I'll see you later."

Lina finished the cases as far as she could go at the moment and went to the locker room, keeping the lights off, sitting on the bench in the middle.

"Lina?"

She wiped her eyes when he turned the lights on. "Keep them off. Please."

"What's wrong?"

"It's ridiculous. Nothing's wrong. It's like it's supposed to be."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'd probably make a shitty mom and you haven't even said you ever want kids, much less right now."

"Where did this come from?"

Even in the dark, she could see his face, or thought she could. "Relax, Wolfe. I'm not pregnant." She paused. "Kyle's a daddy."

"That's great. You want a baby?"

"I never thought about it before. But she was so cute. I know Cal always talks about falling in love with Mari the first time she saw her, Nat with Kaya, but I didn't think it was possible..."

"Do you want to try for one?"

She realized he was truly confused. "The mom gave the baby up. Didn't want it. Just like that. She wasn't sick. She didn't cry. Just didn't want it."

"Do you want to keep it?"

"It's too late. Dad and Natalia are."

"Tell them you want to. They won't say no since they have Kay."

"I kinda already told them they could."

"Tell them you changed your mind."

"Natalia's already been a mom. Is a mom. And she's a great one."

"Don't doubt yourself. You made a wonderful mom to Kaya when she needs you."

"What about us?"

"Sorry?"

"How bad will it screw us up?"

"It won't. I'd love a child."

*****

Kyle saw his dad's face come over the computer. "Dad. Hey. How are you? How are the girls?"

"Everyone's good. Why didn't you tell me you have a child?"

"A what?"

"A little girl."

"I'm sorry. A what?"

"You have a daughter."

"That's impossible. Jen and I only..." He could hear his sister's voice in his head telling him that if her biology class was correct, it only took one time.

"Yeah."

"Well, is she okay? Where is she?"

"Nat has her. She's healthy."

"Where's Jen?"

"Left. She doesn't want the baby."

He muttered under his breath. "So you and Nat have to clean up another one of my messes."

"Mess? You don't want her either?"

"I didn't mean it like that. Yeah, if I thought I could do it myself, I would. But I'm doing good here, Dad. I've straightened up. Even you said so when I came home at Christmas. And I've spent my entire life taking care of Mom. I'm not ready to take care of a baby."

"Try telling Lina that. She wasnt the baby. She wants to look after it."

"Lina wants her?"

"Yes."

Kyle was silent for a long time. "If she's sure, let her. I just don't want a kid to be bounced around like I was."