Title: I'll Never Let You Go

Author: AllOverTheWorld

Summary: A killer with a grudge against Serbian immigrants is quickly increasing his body count in Miami. Can Horatio and Calleigh stay focused on the work after an event at the crime scene brings new and undiscovered feelings to the surface?

Authors Notes: Thanks to sunshinebulletgirl, dollydarwloo, ajay1960, Pinkyster and Amythest Lily for all reviewing.

The smell of smoke filled Calleigh's lungs as her eyes snapped open in panic. Coughing and heaving she tried to find some semblance of clean air but every time she inhaled her lungs burned. Her eyes watered uncontrollably as she reached blindly for her phone and at the same time tried to untangle her self from her bed covers. Finally, as her feet met the carpeted floor her hands landed on that precious device and she flipped it open and dialed, not the number she should have but the number of the one person who was always there to save her. Horatio.

Coughing and retching Calleigh made it to the closed bedroom door and it was now, as the heat washed over her that she realized she might be trapped. Her mind flashing back to the second grade when they had been given the instruction on fire safety, she put the back of her hand to the metal door knob. To her relief it was warm but not hot indicating that she could open it and not get engulfed by flames. As she put her phone to her ear her world began to spin and she tried to take one solid step out of the room without passing out.

No answer.

Why, of all the times Calleigh needed him to pick up he didn't? Her world was spinning faster and faster, every step she took. One moment her feet were on the stairs, the next the stairs were above, her or so it seemed. She redialed Horatio's number when she was half-way down the stairs, gripping the railing with one hand and her phone with the other.

"Caine." He said groggily, clearly her phone call had woken him up.

She tried to speak, tried to form words but her mouth was dry and her lungs felt like they were being cooked every time she inhaled "Hor-"she managed to gag out before a coughing fit over came her and she stumbled down the rest of the stairs and her foot landed in a pool of something, something that smelled like gasoline.

Through watering eyes Calleigh saw yellow-orange flames dancing around her every which way. Looking left she saw a wall of fire and into her kitchen she also saw a wall of flames. Her only option was right and that was where she headed. Black spots began to pop into her field of vision as she heard Horatio say "Calleigh? Calleigh are you okay?"

She couldn't answer, her body wouldn't let her. Finally she was at her back door but she felt the strength seeping out of her faster than she could manage and she knew that it would only be seconds before the flames caught up with her and burn her alive "Fire." She choked out her hand grasping desperately at the door knob, trying to open it.

Out of the corner of her eye Calleigh saw a tendril of fire catch on to the pool of, what she assumed was, gasoline and watched as it began racing ever faster towards her. A tear streaming down her face, Calleigh rammed the back door with all her strength and was relieved when it sprung open. Half running, half falling, Calleigh stumbled out the back door and collapsed onto the cool green grass of her back yard. All of her strength was gone as she lay there coughing and gasping for air with her phone still clutched in her hand.

The cool dawn air rushed into her lungs but it wasn't enough, her lungs still burned and she was till perilously close to the flames. If she didn't move soon she would still get burned. Mustering all the energy she had Calleigh began to crawl away from her house, but her legs were shaking too badly and her hands were bleeding and stinging where the smoke had wormed its way past the bandages.

Suddenly a set of hands was picking her up off her grass and the voice of a masked firefighter said "I've got you ma'am!" and he turned, carrying Calleigh out of her back yard.

Through the hazy combination of smoke and tears Calleigh saw two fire trucks and an ambulance parked in various positions outside her house and blocking most of the streets. Her lungs still burned, although not as bad, as the firefighter carried her over to the waiting ambulance and set her down on the waiting gurney. Instantaneously the medics slipped a gas mask around her mouth and she took in a breath of pure, sweet oxygen.

However it was too much for her lungs and she broke out into a fit of coughing and spluttering as she tried to gasp for air "Ma'am we need you to let go of the phone." A voice said somewhere to her left but she refused to listen.

Her lungs needed air! They burned as she tried again and again to get one solid breath of air in but to no avail. Black dots exploded across her field of vision and she sank back down against the gurney, unable to fight the darkness any longer. Then, suddenly, amidst the burning sensation in her chest she felt her lungs open slightly and she was able to take a full breath of air. The relief it provided was instant and slowly the world stopped spinning.

"Ma'am." That same damn voice said "I need you to let go of the phone."

She shook her head still not able to get enough air to speak and too weak to pull of the oxygen mask if she could have. Still trying to breathe regularly Calleigh felt a set of hands close around her still tender and bruised wrist and start to pry her hand open. Pain shot through her arm as her wrist exploded in pain as the young paramedic held to hard on it, trying to wrench the phone out of her hand.

Squirming in agony Calleigh tried to tell him to stop but she only succeeded in knocking the oxygen mask off her face leaving her gasping for air. Somewhere, it seemed as if everything was happening very far away from her the hands on her wrist let go and the phone tumbled from her grasp, shattering into pieces on the concrete floor "Damn it Jonny, get in the front and be ready to drive. You are not helping her, if she had wanted to hold onto the phone you should have let her do it." A voice said angrily

The oxygen mask was replaced over her mouth and she found it easier to breath, although things were still fuzzy and distant "Sorry about my partner the ma'am." the same, once angry, voice said except now it was calm and she heard the slightest Irish accent "We're going to have to take you to the hospital to get checked out." said the kind Irish EMT.

Calleigh tried to groan but broke out into a spasm of coughing after which she heard the familiar voice of Horatio over the cacophony of sirens and shouting firemen "Sir!" The EMT said and stuck out an arm blocking Horatio from grabbing Calleigh's hand "We need to get her to a hospital."

"I'm coming with you." Horatio said and his voice sound so dangerous and his eyes flashed a warning the EMT didn't argue with him but instead moved aside, allowing Horatio to step inside the ambulance and then slamming the doors behind the red haired Lieutenant.

Calleigh was somewhere between consciousness and unconsciousness as the ambulance's sirens wailed and its horn honked ignorant drivers out of the way. Her breathing had regulated somewhat but her chest still felt like it was on fire and her wrist ached painfully where the other EMT had grabbed it as he tried to pry her phone out of her hands. She felt the gentle pressure of Horatio's hands taking one of her own and he said "Stay with me sweetheart."

Her eyes flitted to his and he smiled a gentle smile that was doing a better job of hiding his relief that she was alive than Horatio had hoped "You're going to be fine." He reassured her as she broke out into a fit of coughing and he rubbed her back when she sat upright easing the coughs out of her but this time they would not let up and she fell backwards into the waiting darkness.

Minutes later they arrived at the hospital and the back doors to the ambulance were flung open and a sort of organized chaos ensued. Nurses and doctors rapidly exchanged information about Calleigh as she was rolled into the ER, Horatio by her side the entire time. He knew what the numbers meant and he knew that she needed oxygen as soon as possible. He wanted, needed, to stay with her the entire time but a tall, black haired doctor blocked his path "I'm sorry sir, you're going to need to wait out here."

Horatio nodded, frozen to the spot.

An hour later Horatio still waited but now he had been joined by Natalia, Ryan, Eric and Frank, all of whom he had called as soon as he felt he could function again. No one knew much of anything except that the fire had been declared arson. The head firefighter, whom Horatio knew well, had called him about forty five minutes ago and told him that the fire had started in the living room. Whoever had set it had spread gasoline around most of the first floor and part of the second floor before using a cheap lighter to start it.

After Horatio had shared this news with the others Eric said "Someone tried to deliberately kill Calleigh."

Horatio nodded "I don't think it's a coincidence that it started in the living room." The others just looked at him blankly, not understanding so he explained "All of Calleigh's information about the Zavasta guns was in her living room. Our only lead on that case was in her living room."

Eric suddenly felt very guilty, he had been the one to get Calleigh started on the guns so it was his fault that someone had almost killed her. He needed to get out of the sterile white washed walls of the hospital and its suffocating silence. Fortunately an escape option presented itself almost at once. Horatio's firefighter friend had called and told him that he scene was ready for the CSI's to process. Frank volunteered to go back and get started on the basis that Horatio would update him as soon as possible. Ryan and Eric also volunteered to go while Natalia and Horatio decided to stay and wait.

About ten minutes after the departure of Ryan, Eric and Frank a nurse dressed in a black shirt and Elmo scrub pants walked into the waiting room. Everyone's heads snapped up, each person hoping it was news about their friend or loved one. Luckily for Horatio and Natalia it was their turn to get relief as the nurse said "Friends and Family for Calleigh Duquesne."

Together Horatio and Natalia stood up and walked out to the nurse "Ms. Duquesne is in room 320. Her lungs suffered minor damage to them from the smoke but other than that she looks to be okay. We are going to keep her here until the end of the day and if the doctors think it is alright them we will release her."

Horatio let out a sigh of relief and both CSI's followed the nurse to the elevator, down the hall and into Calleigh's room. Not to anyone's surprise she was awake and although she looked tired and in pain she seemed to be doing fine. Natalia excused her self by saying that she would call the others so as to give the two a moment alone.

Taking a seat by her bed Horatio asked "How do you feel?"

Calleigh shrugged and reached up to pull the oxygen mask off her face so she could talk "My throat burns like hell and my chest still feels like it's one fire but-" she broke off and replaced the mask over her mouth. Her voice was dry and wheezy, like she had been deprived of water of days on end.

"Take your time." Horatio said and placed a hand over one of Calleigh's own pale hands.

Once she felt ready Calleigh continued "How'd the fire start?" she asked

"Someone broke into your house, spread gasoline around it and used a lighter to set it on fire."

"I think it's a sign." She said with a grim smile.

"What, that I should never let you out of my sight?" Horatio replied

She glared at him but her eyes shone and he knew she was playing around "No, that someone wants me dead."

"I won't let that happen." Horatio said darkly and a somber silence fell between the two as Calleigh's breathing filled the room.

Then Horatio's phone went off and he pulled it out "What is it Eric?" he asked

"We've got a suspect here, a sixteen year old kid who is saying some guy with a weird accent came up to him last night and told him to set Calleigh's house on fire."

"Can he give a description?" Horatio asked

"No but H, this kid's got pictures. At least a dozen, of Calleigh all from yesterday afternoon."

"What?" Horatio asked his voice tainted with anger

"Yea, says the man who paid him to burn down the house told him to make sure he got the living room, or at least the papers in the living room. He says the man gave him the pictures so he could find which house to burn."

"Alright, take him in and book him but keep him there. Get him a sketch artist as soon as possible to see if he can give us anything. In the meantime process the pictures and see if we can get anything from them."

"Sure thing H, how's Calleigh?"

Horatio looked at Calleigh who was looking at him intently, trying to figure out what was being said "She's okay." He said.

"That's good. Talk to you later H."

Horatio hung up the phone and looked up at Calleigh who asked "What happened?"

"They got a suspected except he's saying that he was paid by someone with a foreign accent to burn down your house. The man gave him specific instructions to get everything in the living room first and Calleigh" he said and she looked at him "he was watching you all of yesterday afternoon."

"What?" she asked confused

Horatio nodded "The suspect had pictures of you in your house reading the files, us eating together, everything."

"The house across from me is empty." She said "Tell them to check there for trace."

Horatio nodded "We will."

At this moment Natalia re-entered the room "Horatio, Frank called me and said that he needs you back at Calleigh's house."

Sighing Horatio nodded "Alright." He turned to Calleigh "I'll be back tonight before they release you."

Calleigh nodded watched as he walked out of the room leaving her and Natalia to figure out how to spend the rest of the morning.

The sun was well over the palm trees when the man jimmied open the lock to Dejan's apartment. The gun in his hand was a small weapon, much smaller than he would normally use but he had a limited supply of weapons. Pushing the door open ever so slightly he saw the T.V was on and the occupant of the apartment was so absorbed in the mindless poison he didn't noticed the intruder step across the threshold.

He walked as quiet as a ninja and was right behind the man before Dejan realized he was no longer alone. He whirled around but was to late, a single gunshot echoed around the apartment, matched perfectly with the T.V. so it seemed that nothing had happened.

Looking down at the lifeless corpse in front of him the intruder smiled as he saw that yet another of his marks was done. The next problem was the blood spatter on the front of his body suit. Sighing he made sure the gun was print and other debris free before walking out of the apartment and into the blazing sunshine.

He didn't know why he left his gun behind, it's not like that stupid gun expert could trace it back to him anymore, although she had come very close with all that paperwork on Yugoslavian guns. It had cost him a pretty penny but he had taken care of that problem.

Wow! Look at you, you lucky devils. You guys got two updates in one day. Anyway, this killer's a little bit of a creeper isn't he? Stalking Calleigh and all, then he tries to killer her? Messed up I tell you. So, what do you think? Also I promise Calleigh wont be in the hospital long!

Coming Up:

Horatio and Calleigh sit down and have a chat. Does he tell her how he feels? Does she tell him how he makes her feel? Does she tell him why she called him instead of 9-1-1?

AllOverTheWorld