Summary: It was their turn to support him now that he needed them the most. Sequel to "So much to fight for".

Author's Note: Like "So much to fight for" this is dedicated to my sister and my brother-in-law. May they have many happy years to come. Sorry for the wait for a sequel, but I wasn't sure if I should write one at first, but here it is.

-I-

It had started with a cough and the feeling of fatigue. Then it had progressed to chest pain. When Horatio had first gone to see the doctor they had sent him to a cardiologist. In his age they were worried about heart problems. Never had Horatio expected to get the results the doctor had given him; he had heart cancer. A rare form cancer. When he had first been told the news, he had gotten only some minor information about treatment and the cancer itself. He had gone home after that. Not until Frank had showed up at his house had he snapped out of his shock.

Frank had stayed with him all night. Supporting him as he had told Kyle the bad news. The young man had reacted with frustration and fear of losing his father. Kyle had wanted to fly home as soon as possible. Horatio knew that Kyle would be there for him. The following day was a blur as Horatio went back to the doctor's office. Frank was with him as support. His friend hadn't left his side since the night before. Frank knew that Horatio couldn't stand to be alone right now. The doctor had done a biopsy of his tumor and today he would be getting the results; hear what his chances were. Horatio was starting to get nervous. He didn't know if his chances were good.

What if I die, he thought.

"You'll be okay." Frank said, as if he had read his thoughts.

The Texan had reminded Horatio since he had been told the news, that Horatio had lots to fight for. He had lots to live for. Horatio felt like life was over. Frank reminding him that life was far from over helped lift his spirit some, but not much.

"I have to tell the team." Horatio mumbled.

The two men were waiting in the hospital for the doctor; whom was running late. Frank patted his friend's shoulder. All day Frank had received texts and calls from the team asking what was wrong with their boss and friend. He had told them that Horatio would come by later and tell them everything. It only made them worry more, but Frank knew that Horatio had to tell them himself.

"We can go to the lab after your appointment." Frank said.

"Lieutenant Caine?"

Horatio looked up at his doctor and stood up from the chair; he and the doctor shook hands although they had met before.

"I'm Doctor Morgan." The man introduced himself to Frank.

"Frank Tripp."

They shook hands and then made their way to the doctor's office. While the doctor sat down behind his desk, Frank and Horatio sat down on the two guest chairs.

Frank felt like his old dad when he wondered how old the doctor really was and if was he experienced enough to help the redhead. He looked too young to be an oncologist. He knew that the man sitting before him was probably a very good doctor, but he couldn't help worrying that Horatio wasn't getting the best care. Horatio said nothing as he stared at his hands; he was expecting the worst.

"Heart cancer is rare." Doctor Morgan began, some of the information he was going to give Horatio had already heard, but he knew that Frank would want to know too.

"Not all types of heart cancer begin to develop in the heart, some develop in other places in the body and spread. You, Lieutenant Caine, have primary heart cancer, which is when the cancer has developed in the heart."

"Doesn't sound good." Horatio muttered.

"It can be bad. You have what is known as angiosarcoma. It's the most common of the heart cancers and it develops from cells in the lining of the blood vessels. They usually develop in the atrium; the upper chamber of the heart." Doctor Morgan said, "In your case the tumor is quite big and it is malignant; I don't want to remove it with surgery yet. Maybe after some chemo we can do that."

Doctor Morgan noticed how Horatio's shoulder slumped. He was prepared for the worst kind of news. He went on to tell Frank about the symptoms of heart cancer; fatigue, cough, irregular heart rhythm, weakness and shortness of breath, among some other symptoms. While he talked he noticed how the redhead seemed to lose his spirit and almost give up.

"Lieutenant, I have some good news." Doctor Morgan said.

Both Horatio and Frank seemed to relax a little. Horatio looked up at the doctor.

"Basically, you have a fifty-fifty chance." Doctor Morgan said, "We'll start you on chemotherapy starting next week. If that doesn't work we'll try radiation. If no treatments work then... then you don't have much of a chance."

"Is that good news?" Horatio asked.

"You are quite fit for your age. And I believe the chemo will work." Doctor Morgan said confidently, "Also, even though the tumor is quite big, we seem to have caught it in time."

"So he stands a good chance?" Frank asked.

"Yes." Doctor Morgan said, "I wish I could be one hundred percent sure, but that's impossible. However, I think the chemo will work."

"So how does the chemo work?" Horatio asked, "I know a bit of it since I had a wife that went through it."

Doctor Morgan nodded, but decided to tell more thoroughly anyway since he thought Frank might want to know as well.

"It's a series of drugs that gets injected into the body. We'll put a port catheter under the skin in the lieutenant's chest; the catheter connects to a vein so that when treated with chemo you can put the needles in the port and also draw blood from there." Doctor Morgan explained, "It's more comfortable than having to stick the patient's arm all the time."

"And this has to be done how often?" Frank asked.

"Every second week." Doctor Morgan began, "It can be done more often, but I don't think we need to do that."

"And side effects include?" Frank asked, "Hair loss?"

"Yes, hair loss, nausea, vomiting; especially for a few days after a treatment session." Doctor Morgan said, "Fatigue, dryness in the throat and mouth. And sometimes the patient has problems with kidneys, lungs, bladder and reproductive organs."

"Horatio, you okay?" Frank asked, he noticed Horatio seemed to have gone quite pale.

"Yes, just a lot to take in." Horatio said, "I'm finding out that I'll lose my hair, get weak and not be able to keep food down and on top of that I might even get impotent."

"Not really; the risk of that isn't so big. Becoming impotent is more common with patients that suffer from prostatic cancer." Doctor Morgan said, "However, if you plan on having children in the future I would suggest leaving a sample of your DNA. As the chemo will kill all the cells."

"The body will produce new ones though?" Frank asked.

"Yes, but while he's being treated the drugs he'll be given during chemo will kill all cells, it's why he'll lose his hair." Doctor Morgan said, "The sperms cells are included, as well as bone marrow cells and cells in the digestive tract."

"Is there any chance I could get this information on paper? It's a lot to take in." Horatio said, feeling like the weight of the world was on his shoulder.

He wasn't planning on having any more kids. It wasn't that the chemo would kill all his cells in the body that bothered him. Rather that it would make him so weak and fragile; something he really disliked feeling. Also, if it didn't work... he'd die.

The Doctor printed out information about heart cancer and chemotherapy for Horatio. Frank asked some questions about what his friends could help with. Doctor Morgan explained that Horatio would need help with a lot of things. Some days he might feel fine, but some days he might even find it hard to get out of bed or get dressed. The worst time would be just after the chemo sessions. Doctor Morgan told Frank that although he would be struggling physically with the cancer, it was usually harder to deal with it mentally. He would need his friends and family for support.

Frank looked over at his friend. He had never seen him so down. Almost defeated. He realized that Horatio would need all the help he could get even if he didn't ask for it. Horatio was an active and strong man, for him it was horrible to be pushed down so low physically and mentally. But somewhere deep inside himself the redhead would find the strength to fight; it was in his nature.

-I-

Telling the team went just like expected. Their reactions were strong. Some of them cried, others reacted with frustration. They felt that it was unfair. Horatio had gone through so many difficult and heartbreaking moments in his life. He didn't deserve this. Of course, nobody deserves to get cancer. But the team couldn't help but to think that maybe this one time, it could have happened to someone else.

Even Alexx had come to the lab to hear what Horatio had to say. While Eric muttered something in russian and spanish about how life was unfair. Alexx embraced her redheaded friend in a long hug. Calleigh and Natalia cried silently. Ryan was quiet as he tried to over come the shock and Walter just stared at Horatio. Tom seemed to keep himself in control the most as he told everyone to calm down.

"I think Horatio wants to explain what will happen from now on." He said.

Horatio took a deep breath. As he told them about the type of cancer he had and about his coming treatment, they all seemed to slump in their chairs. They could see that Horatio was struggling to keep himself together. He apologized for not telling them sooner.

"You don't have to apologize." Alexx said.

"We're here for you H." Ryan said, "And we'll be here when you get treated."

"Thank you Mister... Ryan." Horatio gave him a small smile.

He had to stop calling him Mister Wolfe; he knew that. There was a moment of silence. Everyone contemplating the information. Calleigh grabbed Horatio's hand and squeezed it; silently offering him help and strength.

"I'll be on sick leave. I'm going to talk to the Chief about it now." Horatio sighed and stood up.

"Wait." Eric said, "After you talked to the Chief we'll all go out and eat. It has been a long time since we all went out together."

"Is this really the right time?" Natalia asked.

"What better time is there?" Eric asked, "We need each other today and Horatio needs us."

Horatio looked with grateful eyes at his brother-in-law. He nodded and then went out as the others waited for him. He was still feeling as is everything was in a blur. He wasn't sure that it was real. Maybe it was all a bad dream that he would wake up from. He felt as if he was at the bottom of an ocean; he could see the surface but he knew he wouldn't be able to reach it.

Tears threatened to fall as he rode the elevator to the top floor. He wasn't sure how much more he could talk about his condition. He wanted to go home and hide under the covers in his bed. Never go out again. He knew his team wouldn't let him do that. He needed them and they still needed him. The elevator doors opened and Horatio sighed. Time to say it all again. It never got any easier.

-I-

The weekend went by slowly. Kyle had not been granted permission to go home yet. There had been some attacks against airplanes in Afghanistan. Kyle's superiors were worried that their men would get killed if they flew home. So for now, Kyle had to stay. It saddened Horatio that his son wasn't with him in Miami. But at least if he stayed at the base, he wouldn't get killed flying back home.

It was Monday and time for Horatio's first treatment. Next week they would put the port catheter in him. As he lay in his room waiting for the nurse, Horatio felt lonely. He knew that he couldn't ask his team to be there when they had two double homicides to work on. He knew they would help him later anyway, but they still had a job to do.

He closed his eyes. He felt tired. He couldn't imagine how tired he would feel after the treatment. Kyle had tried to lighten the mood a bit the night before when they had talked on the phone. He had joked about how his father would look without any hair; Horatio dreaded that day. Kyle had told him to shave it off when it started falling out.

"Might as well take it all off right away than to see if fall day by day." He had said.

Horatio opened his eyes as the door opened. He was a bit surprised to see Frank enter. The big Texan sat down on the guest chair next to the bed.

"I figured you would like some company." He said.

Even though Frank, like Horatio, wasn't one for expressing how he felt. Horatio knew that his friend cared deeply for him. Frank was already a mother hen towards him. Horatio looked at his friend as the nurse entered.

"Thanks for being here." He said.

"Anytime." Frank said.

The nurse inserted a needle into Horatio's arm. Horatio felt a small amount of panic and dread rise within him. It all felt too real suddenly. He dreaded the months to come. Fear was evident in his eyes and Frank patted his hand.

"It'll be okay." He said.

Horatio nodded and watched as the first drug started going into his arm.

So it begins.

Please review!

I hope the research I did was as correct as possible. If something is very wrong, please let me know.

A big thank you to my editor, Alisa! Not only for editing but also for inspiring me to write this story.

Editor's Note: After re-reading the first story, I honestly felt it needed a sequal...There was still ALOT of story left to tell...So, please REVIEW...but, be NICE...and my friend; your more then welcome.

Alisa123