Disclaimer: Again I do not own anything, except maybe my computer but that is it! LOL!



Chapter 2: Dead or Alive

On the road Ryan is keeping one eye on the road and one on the beautiful blonde to his right who at some point in time had fallen asleep on the ride to the location where the car that Eric had been seen driving was spotted. 'She looks absolutely adorable when she sleeps.' Ryan mused to himself as he comes to a stop in front of a long line of bright yellow crime scene tape extending from one tree to another about one hundred yards long. "Hey, Cal wake up we're here." Ryan whispered to Calleigh shaking her gently.

"Mmmhm… Five more minutes…" She replied with a slight stir, getting comfortable again. "I'm too tired baby…"

"Alrighty then." Ryan nods in shock to what she had just said, turning off the ignition and quietly opening the driver's side door and stepping out grabbing his kit and closing it just as quiet. 'You need your sleep Cal.' Ducking under the tape with one last glance at Calleigh in the hummer then turns to Horatio who is now standing one foot in front of the young CSI. "Wow, you startled me." Ryan stated as he wipes his forehead with the back of his hand.

"Where's Calleigh, Mr. Wolfe?" Horatio asks just above a whisper, he glances at Ryan with slight panic in his caring eyes.

Ryan notices his boss' uncomfortable state and becomes concerned himself, "Sleeping in the hummer, why?" he asked with a crackle in his voice.

"Eric's missing…" Horatio answers with anger and sadness in his tone, taking his shades off and holding them in front of him like he normally does.

Ryan's eyes widen, "What!?" He snaps with horror. "What do you mean he's missing!?" He asks with a chill going up his spine. By this time he is running his hands through his hair and pacing in a circle.

Horatio watches Ryan with interest as he speaks, "Mr. Wolfe, he was not in the car we had only found his father but he's gone." He states as he watches Ryan regain his composure enough to stop pacing. Horatio puts a reassuring hand on Ryan's shoulder to let him know that everything will be okay, but could it really what if Eric is laying in the ditch somewhere bleeding to death and they haven't a clue as to his whereabouts.

"Well H… What do we do now?" Ryan asks for only the third time that day, looking straight in his boss' eyes he can see a hint of worry but knowing Horatio he has this kind of cool demeanor that takes over when he is in a state of alarm or worry. 'How can he be so calm, especially in a time like this?' Ryan thought as he turns to face Horatio once more.

"Well Mr. Wolfe, we have to find what's lost before we lose it forever." Horatio states calmly, putting his shades back on he turns to Tripp who is walking towards the two. "But for now Mr. Wolfe I need you to remain calm and go tend to Calleigh and make sure she is okay, I will call you if we find anything but I suggest you two get some rest." Horatio nodded to Ryan as he walks away with Detective Tripp. Ryan now confused turns to the hummer to see that the hummer has not moved and neither has the blonde who is occupying it, starting toward the company vehicle he notices that Horatio is right once again. Upon entering the hummer he notices that Calleigh is still sound asleep, grinning he puts the key into the ignition and turns it the noise only causes the sleeping blonde to stir slightly and mumble something about pools. 'Eric I swear whether you're dead or alive we will find you.' Ryan thought to himself as he puts the vehicle in reverse and backs out heading towards his first destination Calleigh's apartment.

Driving along the practically empty causeway, Ryan was listening to one of his most favorite songs quietly Click Click Boom by Saliva looking over at the still sleeping form of Calleigh he sings along almost as quietly as the song plays.

It's all inside of me, it's all Inside of me, it's all inside of my head.

Click Click Boom! Click Click Boom!

It's all inside of me, it's all inside of me, it's all inside of my head,

Yeah! Click Click Boom!

The song reminds him so much of when he was shot in the eye with a nail gun, grimacing at the memory he jumps slightly startled out of his thoughts by the one and only Calleigh Duquesne who had just awoken from her slumber. 'Jesus Cal, don't scare me like that!' He thought to himself as he gazes into the sleep strained green eyes of his friend and woman of his dreams, "Well good morning sleepy head, or Evening rather." greeting with a lopsided grin. "How you feeling?" asking with a squeeze of her hand.

Despite their situation she gives him a real smile as she watches the road they are taking wondering if this is the correct direction of the vehicle that had been invading her dreams as she slept. "Where are we going, Ryan?" Calleigh asks folding her arms over her chest as if to protect herself from something, watching her friend intently while he is driving and seemingly struggling to hold back his own tears. "Okay Ryan, you better stop stalling and give me some answers." She added with a serious tone, looking at him expectantly tapping her fingers on her arm.

Ryan sighs, "Cal, we're working on it..." he asnwered, his voice had a crack to it. Hoping that Calleigh hadn't noticed it but unfortunately for him she did, glancing at her realising that this is not going away anytime soon shaking his head slightly mumbling something under his breath.

"Ryan don't lie to me, not now especially with this." She said glaring slightly at her seemingly stressed colleague, "Just tell me... please." Calleigh whispered, she silently hoped that he wouldn't hide it if he found something out that involved their friend. She knew Ryan more than most people had cared to, and she knew that even though he had told her he wouldn't gamble anymore and he did she knew that he wouldn't lie to her about something like this. 'would he?' she added as a thought, hoping he would tell her the truth.

"Cal..."

"Ryan, don't dodge the question." She demanded, as Ryan parked the hummer outside her apartment and turning off the ignition. "Did you find him?" she asked with hopeful expression. Starting to think that Ryan wouldn't tell her what she wanted to know, she couldn't believe that he would hide something like this from her, he'd have had a couple of rough patches in the last 5 years that she had known him. Calleigh had no doubt in her mind that one day that she'd see him as more than a friend and a colleague, but now she was getting scared of what he had become. 'Is he trying to avoid the question or is he trying to protect me from something that can hurt me?' she hoped it was the latter, because she didn't want to lose her respect for Ryan or is it love that she has for him?

Sighing, "Ericismissing" Ryan replied quickly, looking out the drivers side window at nothing important.

"In english please."

"Eric is missing, Cal... he wasn't at the crash site." Ryan replied, looking in her eyes watching for any change in her mood.

"W-what?" She stutters as, tears start underline her eyes. "Eric's missing, and you're just telling me this now?" She muttered as she rubbed her eyes. "Is he alive?" she dreaded the answer that she mght recieve but she needed to know, 'Eric...' she thought as her eyes began to water once again.

Noticing this Ryan unbuckles his seatbelt and moves beside his friend and wraps his strong arms around her hoping to comfort her in some way. "H will call us if he finds anything Cal." He replied holding back his own tears, 'H please hurry... I don't know what to do.' as if answering his prayers the unmistakable beeping tone tells him that his cell phone is ringing, glancing at the caller id he flipped it open and pushed 'send', "Wolfe." he greeted, "H, what did you find?" he asked glancing at Calleigh as he talked to their boss, his eyes widen as he listens to Horatio speak. "Really? Where!?" Ryan asked with an edge to his tone, glancing back at Calleigh. "Thanks H." Nodding he closed his phone and put it in the breast pocket of his lime green dress shirt.

"What is it Rye?" Calleigh asked wiping away the silent tears that had fallen as she listened to the call. "Is it Eric? He's gone isn't he? Oh my!" she stated panic taking charge of her, "I killed him when I shot at him didn't I!" she screamed as she punched the dashboard of the hummer fresh tears streaming down her cheeks. "It's all my fault..." she finished grabbing his arm and burying her head in his chest.

"Cal..." Ryan started but got cut off,

"No! It's all my fault!" She screamed at him unintentionally, muttering something that had sounded like an apology as she lifted her head intending to look into the eyes of Ryan, but he was already turning the ignition and shifting into gear with the sirens on he drifted through the parking lot and sped out onto the causeway which was only five or six blocks away from her apartment. "Ryan! What the fuck are you doing!!" Calleigh screamed as she struggled to stay upright in the hummer.

"They found Eric!" Ryan answered her with an edge in his tone, he was damage bound no one and he means NO ONE messes with their team.

"He's dead or alive?" Calleigh asked really hoping it was the latter, as she continued to struggle to stay in her seat.

"He's alive, critical but alive Cal!" Ryan replied as he made a sharp left turn going down the trail driving right through the bright yellow crime scene tape, turning a dial on the dash he began to 4X4 through the mud and grass seeing Calleigh's expression change from worried to grateful he grabs his phone preparing to dial one number. Horatio's.


Author's Note: Ladies and Gentlemen, haven't recieved any reviews on whether or not you guys like it or not but if you guys give me a couple of reviews with your opinions on how the story is or maybe a couple of ideas I'll get back to you! As well as begin on chapter 3, thanks!