As the words came out of his mouth, nothing made sense. Eric wasn't gone. She had just seen him the day before. She knew he was missing, but what Horatio was saying couldn't be right. He couldn't be gone. Not forever. All of the words came at her like a speeding bullet. She couldn't shake the sensation that she was drowning. It just kept coming back. All she could do was crumple on the floor. She didn't care that she was in the middle of the lab or that everyone would see her crying. She just wanted to be close to him; even if only to be in the same room; wanted him to hold her, to tell her that everything would be okay. She would not; no, could not stop crying when she finally realized that would never be possible again.

Horatio knew that telling her would be hard. It would be hard on everyone, but he had to tell them; owed it to Eric to make sure the love of his life would be taken care of. That meant telling her that he was gone forever, for her sake and for everyone else's; to help them mend. He knew what he was telling himself would sound like backwards logic to everyone else but knowing had helped him get over Speed's death. Talking to someone seemed like the only thing that had helped him.

CDEDCDEDCDEDCDEDCD

Four days later Calleigh finally felt strong enough to get out of bed for the first time since hearing the news. Horatio had given her time off and she had accepted. Horatio, Natalia, Ryan, Alexx, and Jesse had all been by multiple times to check on her. They were all taking the news hard but held it together for her sake. Everyone had made sure that she had gotten everything she needed, even if that meant a hand to hold or a shoulder to cry on.

The fifth day without Eric, Calleigh decided she needed to go to the doctor's office. She hadn't been feeling well. Even before he was gone, she had been feeling crappy. She had major headaches and felt like she was going to puke all the time.

When she got to the hospital, she was feeling a bit uneasy so she called the one person she could trust, Natalia.

*Boa Vista.*

"Hey Nat. it's me, Calleigh."

*Hey Cal! Do you need something? Can I bring you anything?*

"Actually... I could use some moral support. I'm at the hospital. Well actually the clinic and I was wondering if you could come down and sit with me."

*Anything you need babe. Let me tell H where I'm going and I'll be right there.*

Natalia had gone to Horatio and explained the situation and that she needed the rest of the day off.

"Well Ms Boa Vista, if Ms Duquesne ever needs anything from you, just go. Make sure I know that it's for Calleigh and then go. She needs us more than she'll admit right now."

Natalia smiled at H and quickly ran to her Hummer.

CDEDCDEDCDEDCDEDCD

"Hey. Sorry it took me so long to get here. Traffic is a bitch. What's the matter?"

Calleigh looked up at her best friend with tears in her eyes.

"Oh babe... you can tell me anything. Don't cry. I'm right here."

Natalia wrapped her arms around the blond as Calleigh sobbed. "Natalia... I- I'm pregnant and I never got to tell Eric. I can't handle a baby all by myself."

Natalia took a long look at her friend. This wasn't Calleigh. Bullet Girl never cried and she never acted broken. Eric's death had changed all of that. "Honey. You are never alone. You've got me and Jesse, Ryan, Alexx and Henry and the kids, and H... and everyone at the lab. We are all here for you and we'll help you raise the baby. We'll all get through this together."

Hey everyone! So I published this story...almost 2 years ago and never took it anywhere. But I'm bringing it back, along with all my other CSI: Miami fics. Please leave me a review and pester me to update if you like it :)

-evilregal4evr