You know what they say:

Maria sighed when Horatio said about the wagon and Maddie instantly got excited. She shook her head gently at the pair of them. He was never going to be able to say no to her was he? Ever? Well unless it was something really outlandish. Then she imagined a maybe would become a firm no. She really hoped he'd learn because Maddie was adventurous and had at least one very adventurous boy cousin. Maria could already see them thinking that something was a very cool idea and Horatio agreeing to a point, which would of course get misconstrued.

The wagon was one thing, taking all Maddie's plushies to the beach was another thing entirely. They'd be full of sand in no time and then Maria would have to spend a long time washing and drying them. Not to mention hoovering them off.

Maria let Maddie take her hand and pull her to the door.

"I don't appear to have a choice." She said quietly to Horatio with a smile. When Maddie let go Maria watched her for a minute, wrapping her arm around Horatio's back and leaning in to him. "I think that might genuinely be the best thing she's ever been bought, apart from maybe toastie."

"Not too fast now or Daddy might have to pull out his badge." Maria said as they made their way to the gate to open it.

"I knoooooowwwwww Momma, and make sure I don't run over anyone's feets." Maddie said and Maria knew she was saying that because she'd accidentally run over Grandpa's feet when he'd been minding her, because she'd been going too fast. "You know daddy I think we should get Toastie a hummer so they can drive too and we can be a proper team. They've already got the sunglasses!" Maddie suggested before starting to drive off.

Of course if it was ever anything dangerous, though, he'd say no.

He waited for them to exit first before closing and locking the door behind them and when Maria wrapped her arm around him, he stood there with her, watching Maddie with a smile on his own face. Watching their little girl together. "Mm, she really does love it, doesn't she?" He chuckled, watching her load her beach bag into the passenger side. He kissed the side of Maria's head, then, and sighed happily. "And I'll, um, I'll talk to her about the wagon later." He murmured against her temple with a grin tugging at his lips. "I promise." Then he kissed her softly on the lips and gently patted her hip before he walked down the steps to help Maddie into the hummer.

"You know, I'm not sure if I'd even be able to keep up with this thing out there on the sand. It's harder to run on it than it is to drive." He admitted with a chuckle which turned into a laugh when she brought up running over feet. Thankfully Nick's feet were okay, no damage done, but it did teach Maddie a lesson about not only going too fast, but minding where she was going. He unlocked the gate and then went still when Maddie mentioned getting another Hummer for Toastie to drive. First the wagon, and now another hummer? Oh, he was sweating now.

Only for his heart to jump into his throat when Maria approached him, warning him not to even consider the idea. He wasn't this time. He really wasn't. One little hummer was more than enough, but when she mentioned making him pay for it and... fuck. "Sweetheart..." Horatio hummed low in warning, head tilting just slightly, closer to her lips. He knew exactly what punishment she was talking about it and his cock twitched just thinking about it. It was torture, the punishment she was hinting at. Pure and utter delicious torture. Both extremely painful and pleasurable. Because being unable to touch her was the worst kind of torture, it was painful for Horatio, especially when she was teasing him, tempting him. But at the same time, it was incredibly sexy. It was still very much enjoyable and he was torn between entertaining the idea just to be punished and proving that he could say no.

In this moment, though, he decided to prove himself. Because maybe, just maybe, she'd reward him.

When Maddie parked to the side of the canopy, Horatio approached her and knelt beside her in the hummer after setting down everything. "Unfortunately, sweetheart, hands are required to drive any and all vehicles, so Toastie wouldn't be able to drive and as a Lieutenant, you have to make sure the rules, and the law, are being followed. Right?"

Maddie looked a little sad, but nodded. "We also want to make sure Toaste stays safe at all times and that means you being the driver." He tickled her tummy which made her giggle, her face brightening again.

"Okay, Daddy! I will!" She beamed.

"That's my girl." He kissed the top of her head and stood, giving Maria a smile before laying out the picnic blanket followed by setting up her chair, first, that he'd been carrying the entire time. "Here you are, sweetheart." He said, hand held out to her to help her walk over and sit and once she did, he reached into the bag to pull out the sunscreen. "Alright, who's first?"

"DADDY!" Maddie suddenly gasping and yelling his name almost made him jump and he quickly turned to her.

"What is it? What's wrong, sweetheart?"

"LOOK!" Maddie was pointing at the back seat from where she was still sat in the driver's and when Horatio walked over to see what Maddie was pointing at, he saw it.

She nodded when he reminded her to give herself grace, and she did try to. She really did but she just couldn't help feeling like a monster sometimes. Mostly though, she'd look in the mirror or run her hand over the bump and she'd remember why. She'd remember that this was all for Nicky and she'd start smiling then thinking about her little family. Thinking about how loved her baby was going to be.

"I think he's excited because Daddy's home." Maria said as she watched him, the pure joy was so infectious. Seeing Horatio or Maddie smile, it just made her feel so whole and it made her so happy. "Oh, so you're already eyeing him up for basketball teams." Maria teased. "Who would you want him to play for?" She asked, putting a hand on his cheek. Her thumb stroking his cheek softly.

But he was patient. If Maria needed to vent, he'd let her. If she needed to voice her frustrations, he'd let her, encourage her to, even, and if it got to be too much, he'd let her know. But the frustrations were higher because of the pregnancy, because of the hormones that came with it, and so he was making sure to give her plenty of space to feel what she needed to and not make her feel like a monster for it, because she wasn't. And he'd remind her of that as many times as he needed to because he didn't want her thinking such things about herself. He wouldn't dare let that happen.

"I think he's excited because Daddy's home."

Those words made Horatio melt. Made his eyes soften instantly, a look of warmth and awe within as the word settled over him. That word never failed to make his heart flutter. Never failed to make him smile and feel warm all over, since the moment Maddie first started calling him that. Something he once thought he'd never get to hear, that he'd never get to be. It wasn't just a name to him. It was a promise. A privilege. A dream he craved for so long and it was real now. He would never tire of being called that. This feeling, this excitement, the pride he felt for getting to be the father of Maria's children, he knew would never fade. Nor would the light in his eyes.

He grinned at her comment about the basketball teams and when she asked which one, he hummed in thought. "Hm, considering we live in Miami, it'd feel wrong to say anything other than Miami Heat." He chuckled. "But if he decides he wants to play, I will support whatever team he chooses." He wasn't going to be the kind of father that restricted his options or that expected certain things of him just because it was a sport he enjoyed and played, himself. He wasn't going to be his father. He wasn't his father and he never would be. "And if I remember correctly, sweetheart, you were the one that mentioned giving me a," he paused to press a gentle kiss to her stomach, "basketball team, wasn't it?" He'd been about to stand and kiss her but that's when Maddie had come into the kitchen, instantly launching herself at him the moment she saw him.

Horatio laughed as she threw herself onto his back, causing him to fall backwards onto his rear. "There's my Little Lieutenant!" He beamed, reaching behind him to hug her as best as he could with her on his back. "I was just fixing to come see you. Momma said you were---"

His words came to an abrupt stop when an orange blur zoomed right past him. Then it stopped between Maria's legs and stared at Horatio for a moment before it puffed up, all of it's fur standing up, and started stalking towards him. Without warning, the tiny orange puff pounced onto his leg and Horatio laughed, reaching for it only for the kitten to jump off and zoom away. "Hello to you, too, Olive." He grinned with a shake of his head, watching it hide behind Maria's leg again, like it was waiting to pounce him again when he wasn't looking.

"You holding on back there?" He asked Maddie who nodded and held on tighter. Horatio grunted and moved to stand up, grabbing hold of the counter for support and Maddie giggled, holding tightly onto her Daddy. "Finish your homework, sweetheart?"

"Uh-huh! Can you check it for me, Daddy?"