During Going Ballistic: Season Final of Season 6;

Chapter: 3

We can't lose one of us:

Without a second thought they left the restaurant, leaving Calleigh's car in the parking lot. Calleigh was usually a strong woman, but when someone she cared about was hurt it made all those emotions well up inside. Eric being shot last year was the perfect example. It brought back a lot of those feelings for her. Maybe not to the same extent, because she didn't love Horatio in the way she loved Eric, but she cared about H. He was like the father figure to the group; at least she saw it that way. Once they arrived at the hospital Eric and Calleigh rushed through the sliding glass doors seeing Natalia and Ryan standing there. "What happened?" Delko asked. Calleigh looked around as though she was looking for help.

But what could she do? She knew nothing about what happened. "We don't know yet. He's still in surgery." Natalia said with her arms hugging herself. Everyone wore the same look of worry on their face, except Ryan. He pulled his cell phone out and handed it to Eric. Eric looked up at him confused, "What's that supposed to mean?" Eric asked nodding to the phone to hand it back to Ryan. Ryan sighed and leaned back against the wall, "I don't know? I was walking out of the lab and my phone beeped. Not minutes later I got the call that H had been shot." Ryan said calmly. Calleigh furrowed her brow and looked at him reaching out to take his phone to look at the message.

"Did you see who it was from?" she asked softly. Ryan just shook his head. Calleigh handed him his phone back and looked up at Eric. "You might want to try and trace that Ryan, it could –" Calleigh was cut off by one of the nurses. "Are you all here with Mr. Caine?" she asked as they all nodded. Calleigh placed one of her hands on Eric's upper arm squeezing it lightly; he looked down at her and smiled faintly. "Is he alright? Can we see him?" Natalia asked. "There is some internal bleeding. Thankfully we retrieved the bullet. He's stabilized now, but the next few hours… days are critical." She said to them.

"I need the bullet." Calleigh blurted out as the nurse nodded to her that she understood. "Can we see him?" Eric asked. "Yes, he's in ICU, room – room 227." She said to them. They all rushed down the hall to room 227. They all quietly entered the room seeing a once tough vibrant Horatio on a hospital bed fighting for his life. Calleigh closed her eyes letting a few of her tears cut off as she walked up to his bed and squeezed his hand. The only sound that could be made was the sound of the monitors going off in the background, it was annoying, but at least it was a good sign he was still breathing and ok.

They all surrounded the bed, it was like someone died. The room was so quite, too quite for Calleigh. This all brought her back to the day Eric was shot… Speed's death. "Excuse me." She said quietly walking past Ryan and Eric. She walked out into the hall trying to calm herself. She kept telling herself to not cry, not show emotion. But she was only human and it was hard not to express those feelings. Eric looked back at Horatio and then saw that Natalia was on her way after Calleigh, Eric put his hand out, "I got it." He said to her as she nodded to him watching him disappear through the door. Eric walked out into the hall looking around for the petite blond. "Cal?" he said seeing her stand a few feet from the door her back against the wall.

He approached her and saw that she was crying. He put his hand on her shoulder and leaned his body down some to meet her eyes because she was looking down. Without hesitation Calleigh wrapped her arms around Eric's waist and rested her head against his chest. It caught Eric off guard a little, but he was pleased anyhow. Eric let one hand rake softly through her hair as the other held her close by his hand pressing into her lower back. She was a silent crier, thank goodness. After what seemed like forever, which was only about ten minutes she pulled away seeing Frank and Alexx walk down the hall. Alexx had left the lab a few weeks ago, even though she lived in the area, it still felt like they lost a family member. Because that's what the gang was a family. Alexx embraced Calleigh tightly as Eric made small talk with Tripp.

Alexx smiled at Calleigh and then hugged Eric tightly as well. "How you doing, baby?" Alexx asked looking at both of them. Eric and Calleigh looked at one another and just smiled. Alexx smiled back and winked at Calleigh. Alexx was always good at spotting things, especially if it had something to do with the two of them. Only there wasn't anything going on… not officially anyhow. Although the beach moment between them could have made it all look different. Eric and Calleigh stood in the hall for a little longer after Tripp and Alexx made their way into the room. They both knew that too many people in the room at once would only cause commotion with the nurses and doctors.

Natalia and Ryan came out of the room a few minutes later and they all just stood there not saying anything for a few moments. "What do we do from here?" Natalia asked breaking the long silents. They all looked at Calleigh as she let her eyes waver between all of them. After all she was Horatio's second in command. "I –I don't know? The first thing in the morning I'll get the bullet in my lab and see what I come up with. Ryan you should probably find out where that text came from on your phone. Someone should go out to –where was he found?" Calleigh asked. "Outside the Miami Shores air strip." Ryan said. "Well someone needs to go there, look for anything that could help us find out who did this. Talk to people who were there – you know the drill." Calleigh's thick southern accent sounded. Eric looked down at her and smiled letting his hand freely run along her back as a sign of not only affection but comfort.

Tripp and Alexx came out not moment after Calleigh's instructions. "I'll go take a look around the runway in the morning. See if there is anything there; give us a clue as to who did this." Tripp said. Natalia nodded to him to let him know that she was on board for that in the morning.

After awhile they all said their goodnights and visited with Horatio once more before they all headed out. Calleigh was exhausted, it was almost eleven and she had to be up in a few hours to start work the next morning. So did Eric. As they walked out to his SUV Calleigh tried to stiffen her yawn, but failed. Eric smiled at her in awe; she looked adorable to him when she was tired and not as weary about everything around her. "You want me to just drive you home Cal? I mean it's a bit late for you to drive home." He said to her pulling out of the hospital parking lot. "I'm o – o –ok to drive." She said stiffening another yawn. Eric chuckled and rolled his eyes as he drove in the direction of his place.