Disclaimer: They're not mine -don't sue- just a college student.

A/N 1: Hello my readers, I'm back with a new fic! :) College has been crazy and once again is taking up most of my free time . . . however, the new season seems to have prompted my muse out of hiding. This is the follow up to my other fic, "What She Already Knew." And takes place during/post 8.01 "Out of Time."

Enjoy . . .

The sun had slipped from the sky almost three hours before, blanketing Miami with an inky black sky and heavy clouds. Which meant the search party for Eric Delko, had been put on hold –at least until morning. The last thing the MDPD needed was to loose a cadet to a waiting gator. A fact that didn't sit well with Delko's co-workers, particularly his boss, Horatio Caine and the day-shift's second in command, Calleigh Duquesne.

Sighing quietly, the blonde pinned a slice of hair behind her ear, her knees pulled to her chest and her back propped against one arm of Horatio's couch. She blinked, her thoughts going a thousand miles a minute, weighing every option and possible outcome concerning Eric. Knowing his likely gunshot wound -by her hand no less- coupled with a night spent in the glades, didn't equal out to a positive result.

"You'll be up all night with that train of thought," Horatio stated quietly.

Calleigh shook her head, her green eyes tagging his as he approached, two steaming mugs in either hand; one he carefully handed her over the back of the couch. She gave him a soft smile of thanks, only then realizing he'd switched the hot tea for coffee. The redhead nodded, grabbing a lightweight throw from a nearby chair, then draped it over her legs and took up his previous seat beside her.

"Thanks," she whispered. Her fingers wrapping around her mug as she added, "Far as me bein' up . . . somehow I doubt I'll be the only one." She sighed softly, taking a sip of coffee before stating, "It still doesn't seem real . . . like this all just some bad dream."

Horatio swallowed, his own thoughts circling close behind Calleigh's, though he didn't feel the need to voice it and simply reached over to cover her hand with his. "We'll get through this, and we're gonna find him."

"In time?" she questioned.

Again he swallowed, his knowing gaze meeting hers then squeezed her hand. "Let's stay positive, alright? We both know Eric; he's not one to give up without a fight." The blonde nodded, easily placing her mug on the coffee table with her free hand, the other turning and cupping Horatio's –giving it a hard squeeze. The slight tremor in his voice, alerting her to just how worried he truly was, his first priority having been her up to that point . . . and therefore, he'd been able to hide it from her.

MIAMIMIAMIMIAMIMIAMIMIAMI

The ring of a cell phone pierced the silence, quickly awakening Calleigh from her slumber. She moaned quietly, blinking as her vision adjusted to the semi-darkness; quickly realizing she was no longer in Horatio's living room. She was however, in a room she knew just as well –though it had been awhile since she'd been there.

"Horatio?" she called out. Her bare feet touching the wood floor as she sat up, easily padding her way over to the door and followed his whispered voice to the kitchen. The blonde paused at the kitchen doorway, simply watching him for a moment, then slid onto a stool at the island counter and waited as he wrapped up his call.

"We'll be there soon Frank; make sure the cadets are ready to go."

Snapping the phone shut, Horatio finally noticed Calleigh sitting at the island. He sighed, having tried to keep quiet and not wake her, "Morning, coffee?" He asked, to which she nodded, taking the mug he offered and granting him a warm smile.

"You didn't have to do that," she stated, motioning with her eyes at his couch. A pillow and blanket signaling he'd spent the night there, while he'd willingly placed her in his bed. "No matter how soft that couch is, it still had to be a tight fit for you."

He chuckled softly, waving off her concern for him. "I know. Let's just get out to the glades, hm? The cadets are set to go at daybreak . . . which means we've got about an hour and half."

MIAMIMIAMIMIAMIMIAMIMIAMI

The sun crested over the everglades, casting the marshy wetlands in warm amber glow, several vehicles and a dozen more cops already on scene. From the passenger seat of a CSI issue Hummer, Calleigh sat watching the fray of activity. Tapping her feet –now encased in knee-high boots– against the bottom of the open cab anxiously.

"You ready?" Horatio questioned, taking a protective stance beside her.

The blonde sighed, running both hands through her hair and pushed the silky mass back off her face. From there, her emerald eyes flicked to him, taking the hand he held out to her and hopped from the seat. Her voice soft, but surprisingly firm, "As I'll ever be."

Carefully, Calleigh made her way to Horatio's right side, the murky water already at her calf and scanned the area in front of them. Horatio calling out his orders over the background noise –a chaotic mix of people, dogs and the everglades themselves. "Ok, listen up! We're gonna fan out in both directions and cover the entire area! Right now! And be thorough –be thorough!" For several minutes the two CSIs and their fellow searchers barely spoke, only calling out for Eric at different intervals. It was Calleigh who broke the pattern, turning to her partner a few yards in, her voice soft and tinged with worry.

"What if he collapsed in the water?"

H turned his head, meeting her eyes for a moment then replied confidently. "He's out here Calleigh; we're gonna find him."

The group had been walking for awhile, talk once again forgotten as they searched, when a few feet ahead, one of the bloodhounds alerted and Horatio was called over. His voice dropped to a low timbre as Calleigh approached, as if he only meant for her to hear him and confirmed her unasked question.

"It's his."

For a half second the red head remained still; then quickly joined the ballistics expert in calling out Eric's name. He could feel his anxiety beginning to rise, as tangible as he could Calleigh's and barked to a uniform. "Get on the radio, and call me a helicopter right now!"

For several long minutes they continued on, Cal at one point getting caught in the thick mud, but was quickly saved from a nose dive by Horatio. The lieutenant having rarely let her out of his line of sight –his grip protective as he slid an arm around her waist. Almost instantly, her emerald eyes sought his blue over his shades, a silent thanks exchanged, before a radio call caught their attention.

" . . . . I've got eyes, about a hundred yards ahead –south bound."

In mad scramble, Horatio made it to bank, beckoning the others over and shifted Eric onto his back. His eyes scanned over the fallen CSI, looking for any major signs injury. The only one appearing to be a gunshot/possible graze to the head, from which some blood still flowed and covered the Cuban's face. Slightly dazed, Horatio distantly heard Calleigh's voice, despite knowing she had to be right behind him, then did as she asked and checked to see if Eric was breathing. He was, though the movement was weak.

"Get me a paramedic right now!" H barked, faintly aware as Calleigh sunk to her knees beside him.

TBC . . .

A/N 2: Love/Hate? I'll try and have Ch-2 up sometime tomorrow. :)

*I'm hoping to do one for every ep until Eric leaves (since we know Adam is in fact leaving) and eventually have H and Cal get together. But I don't know if I'll get them all up this fast -have to wait and see.