Chapter 7
Calleigh rubbed her face more as she looked down at the floor. 'I know what I did was wrong, but I had no choice, surely Eric will understand if I manage to speak with him, Horatio will understand surely? But they both could have changed so much in 2 years, I mean, Horatio's married and Eric's got a pregnant girlfriend.' She thought to herself. She then looked up and saw Alexx making her way up the corridor quickly with a bag in her hand, she walked straight past Calleigh and didn't seem to even see her.
"Alexx?" Calleigh questioned and Alexx turned around as she stood in front of the door. Calleigh watched the deep frown appear across Alexx's face. Alexx blinked a few times and then swallowed as she tilted her head.
"Calleigh?" Alexx asked and Calleigh stood with a nod, she then saw the disbelief cross Alexx's face as she shook her head. 'I must be seeing things, going a bit crazy with the old age, Alexx.'Alexx thought to herself as she turned around; she genuinely believed that she was seeing things and then walked into Zoë's room with a warm smile appearing on her face again.
'They are all thinking they're seeing things, I can't believe this.' Calleigh said as she slumped back down and leant forwards on her thighs while she looked back up at the officers.
"Please, just let me see them, or at least get Eric." Calleigh begged the officers with pleading eyes.
"Ma'am, please move from here or you will be removed." They said just as the door opened and Nathan walked out and stood by the officers as the door closed. He looked down the corridor at the nurses' station.
"Zara, get Martin - Zoë's cardiologist up here now please." Nathan ordered her and she nodded as she picked up the phone. Nathan looked Calleigh up and down and then walked back in and closed the door quickly.
"Just tell me if that woman is okay?" Calleigh asked as she stood up and moved towards them again.
"We don't know ma'am." Jessop said, she could see both officers losing their temper. She stepped away as the nurse walked over to them.
"Jessop, could you please inform Nathan that Martin is held up at the moment, thank you." She said sweetly and he nodded and then turned to put his head around the door. Calleigh moved back more as Jessop stepped back and Nathan walked out, looking stressed. He quickly closed the door and then stalked over to the desk where he picked up the phone and rang as Calleigh watched with a mild frown.
"Martin, it's Nathan, we need you here urgently." Nathan said as he ran his hand through his hair as he glanced back up at Calleigh before he looked back down to the desk. He could feel Calleigh's eyes on him intensely.
"Yes, it's Zoë. Her pacemaker isn't correcting a new arrhythmia that has developed. We need the settings changed now; we need to make it more sensitive." Nathan said as he wrote a few things down on a pad by the phone before he sighed and then ran his hand through his hair again as he stood back up and looked down to the floor.
"If these settings aren't changed soon, we could lose her and the babies, this is urgent." Nathan stressed as he placed his hand on his hip.
"Okay, I'm bringing her to you now." Nathan said as he hung up and walked back over to Zoë's room. He stopped when he noticed that Calleigh hadn't taken her eyes off him.
"I'm sorry, are you lost ma'am?" He asked softly while he calmed himself down and Calleigh shook her head with a concerned expression.
"Is she okay?" Calleigh asked as she stepped towards him.
"I can't give you that information, sorry. Who are you?" Nathan asked as he crossed his arms and mildly frowned at her.
"Calleigh Duquesne." She replied and he nodded and looked down for a moment and ran the name through his memory to see if Zoë had ever mentioned her before but he didn't recognise it.
"Do you know her?" Nathan asked and she shook her head as she stepped forwards and placed a hand on Nathan's forearm with a pleading expression.
"But I was a part of the team before she started, I've been away and I need to speak with Eric." She said softly and he nodded and then stepped away from her touch.
"I'll see what I can do, but it doesn't look like Eric is going to leave just yet." Nathan said softly as he unfolded his arms and she nodded.
"Can I come in and talk to him in the corner or something then?" Calleigh asked as she tilted her head.
"Sorry, but you can't do that." Nathan said and she nodded as she sighed. Nathan then heard his name being called from inside the room. He looked back to Calleigh with a firm expression. "Please stand back from the door." Nathan said and waited for her to move back before he turned and then walked into the room. He quickly closed the door.
"Okay Zoë, we're going to take you to see Martin now, we're going to tweak your pacemaker, it's nothing to worry about, it'll take about 5 minutes, tops." He said softly and she nodded at him with a gentle smile. He'd noticed that she was becoming a lot more pale too so he wanted to get her there as soon as he could.
"Alexx, could I be a pain in the bum please?" Zoë asked and she nodded with a smile as she stepped forwards and placed her hands on Zoë's forearm. "Could you please go and get me something with cheese in at the cafeteria?" She asked and Alexx nodded with a bright smile. Horatio stood up and reached back into his back pocket with a gentle smile.
"Here Alexx" Horatio said as he pulled his wallet out and began to pull out a couple of notes.
"Put it away Horatio, I've got it." Alexx said softly and Horatio looked up at her and tilted his head as he lowered his eyebrows at her. "Don't worry about it, I'll see you in about 15 minutes. Something with cheese in, I got it." Alexx said softly and Zoë nodded with a smile while Alexx backed off.
"Thank you, can you also grab me a can of coke please?" She asked and Alexx nodded as she picked her handbag up before she turned to Nathan.
"Nathan, will you all be back here in this room?" Alexx asked and he nodded as he pulled the machines from their stands and placed them at the end of the bed between her legs so they could keep an eye on her vitals while they transferred her. "Okay, I'll see you soon." Alexx said softly as she walked out and down the corridor, she walked past Calleigh without even looking over as she still believed that she wasn't there.
"I'll see you in a bit, Zoë." Eric said softly as Nathan took the brakes off the bed. Zoë looked up at him with a panicked expression. They all saw her heartbeat increase slightly.
"Come with us please?" She asked as she looked at him with pleading, desperate eyes. Her eyes welled as he looked at her and Horatio could see that she was about to cry again. "Please Eric, I don't want you to get hurt. He said he was going after you both no matter where you were." She said as a few tears escaped her eyes. Eric exhaled and then nodded at her with a gentle expression.
"Okay, I'll come with." He said as she glanced to Horatio who looked at Zoë with a bit of confusion, it was clear that he wasn't thrilled by the idea but he then looked to Eric and gave him an appreciative nod as he knew it was what Zoë wanted.
"Eric is waiting outside when we get there though, okay?" Horatio said to Zoë gently who nodded at him and took hold of his hand. 'She's probably just feeling very unsafe at the moment, perhaps with Eric around too it's making her feel safer? I guess she's also worried about what could happen if Eric was left on his own.' Horatio thought as he smiled reassuringly at her as he ran his thumb over the back of her hand.
"Thank you, have you got your gun?" She asked and Eric nodded and then showed her his gun on his belt and then saw her relax a little as she placed her hand over her stomach. Nathan began to move the bed as Horatio held the door and then walked out with Eric after the bed. Joe stayed put in the room, he knew that 3 would be a crowd and that it was best if Eric went along as he could understand that she needed to feel safe. They both looked at Calleigh as she stood and looked at them all with pleading eyes herself.
"Eric, Horatio, please I need to talk." She asked as she stepped forwards but she saw Horatio's expression turn dangerous, more so when she stepped close to the bed.
"Not now, please." Eric said as he looked to her and she looked at them both with what looked like her hope disappearing. But she also saw that Horatio was just about to snap the same thing before Eric spoke. Calleigh then looked down to Zoë and saw Zoë looking at her with a confused frown.
"Jessop on the door, Johnson, with us." Horatio ordered and they nodded at him. "Ma'am, do not follow us, thank you." Horatio said firmly as they began to walk down the corridor. Calleigh stopped and looked at them while she exhaled steadily and then sat back down. 'What do I do? I have to talk to them, I know it's not a good time, but I do have to speak to them. I'd just leave if it wasn't important.' She thought to herself. She watched them all walk back up 25 minutes later but didn't bother getting up. She could see that Zoë was very sleepy while Horatio held her hand while Eric had a hand on the bed. 'Horatio's holding her hand? I guess she's been through a lot, he always had that very caring nature.' She thought to herself with a mild frown while they walked back into the room. Eric quickly closed the door behind them while Zoë looked up at Horatio tiredly.
"Zoë, you should be waking up more about now, okay? The sedative should be wearing off, well done, you did extremely well with all of those nurses about." Nathan said loudly as he rubbed her shoulder. She swallowed and then looked over to Nathan with a small nod before she looked back to Horatio.
"Did I see Calleigh?" Zoë asked quietly as she looked up at Horatio and then reached up for his hand. He sat on the edge of her bed and placed their hands on his thigh as he gave her a tender smile.
"That was someone who looks like her sweetheart." Horatio said softly as he ran his thumb over the back of her hand while he placed his other hand on her belly.
"I thought I was seeing ghosts again." She said quietly and Horatio smiled reassuringly and warmly.
"You're not sweetheart." Horatio assured her.
"How do you know what Calleigh looks like?" Eric asked with a frown as he looked at Zoë.
"I worked her case, Eric. Don't you remember?" Zoë said and he nodded once he'd remembered.
"Of course, sorry Zo." He said softly and she nodded with a gentle smile before she looked back to Horatio with a deep frown forming. He saw the worry in her eyes as well as her fear and knew it was because of the blonde woman.
"Why is she sitting outside the room? She's not going to hurt me, is she? She's not waiting for me to be on my own, is she?" Zoë asked quietly as she gripped Horatio's hand tighter. He moved closer and sat forwards as he shook his head.
"She's not going to hurt you sweetheart, Eric and I are here to make sure you're safe." Horatio said softly and Zoë nodded as she pressed her lips together as her eyes welled.
"Please don't leave me." She begged as she began to cry.
"I'm not going to leave you, sweetheart." Horatio said softly as he gently ran his hand through her hair and then kissed her forehead and she nodded as she looked up at him with frightened and tired eyes.
"Promise me." She asked quietly as Horatio wiped the falling tears from her cheeks.
"I promise." Horatio said softly and she gave him a small smile and then looked over to Eric while Horatio continued to wipe her tears away.
"I promise you Zoë." Eric said softly and she began to relax slightly as she took a deep breath.
"Please don't break that promise." She begged him with wide eyes.
"I won't." He assured her as he placed his hand on her shin and she nodded and then looked to Joe and silently asked the same question.
"I promise too." Joe said softly and she gave him a small smile before she looked back up at Horatio with more of a confident smile.
"How are you feeling physically now Zoë?" Nathan asked softly once she had calmed herself down. She swallowed and sat up a little more and nodded at him.
"A lot better, but really hungry." She replied as she started to rub her belly and Nathan nodded with a soft smile.
"Alexx should be back soon sweet." He said softly and she nodded, she then looked to the door as it opened again and Alexx walked in with a bag as Nathan put the machines back on their stands.
Horatio helped her to sit up as Nathan pulled the head of the bed up. Zoë's eyes lit up considerably when she saw the bag Alexx held.
"Thank you Alexx, are you sure you don't want the money?" Zoë asked as Alexx placed the bag on the side of the bed beside her.
"Don't be silly, it's fine." She said softly and Zoë nodded and then pulled the cheese sandwich out. Her mouth watered a lot when she saw the cheese filling.
"Not craving flowers anymore? I heard all about that." Nathan asked and she giggled lightly and shook her head with a wide smile as she reached into the bag to see what there was.
"Oh my gosh, Babybels! Thank you Alexx!" She grinned as she pulled the packet out and began to eat them too. Alexx smiled warmly at her before she smiled warmly at Horatio two when Horatio smiled at her and gave her an appreciative nod while he lightly rubbed Zoë's belly. "Can I go soon?" Zoë asked Nathan again once she'd finished her mouthful.
"In about an hour, I want to keep an eye on your heart for a little longer to make sure we've tweaked the pacemaker enough." He said softly and Zoë nodded as she picked up the can of coke. She felt like she was in cheese heaven which satisfied another craving.
"I can drink coke, can't I?" She asked and both Alexx and Nathan nodded at her warmly.
"I wouldn't have got it if you couldn't have it." Alexx said softly to reassure Zoë and Zoë nodded with a wide smile. It was clear that she was feeling a lot better and much less tired after the sedative.
"I should have thought about that." Zoë smiled sweetly and Alexx smiled as she perched on the end of the bed. "That is so good." She said as she put the ice cold coke back down and then took another bite of another Babybel. "I feel like a right fatty eating all of this." She said as she looked up at Horatio with her bright smile shifting over to the shy smile side.
"Carry on sweetheart, we don't mind." Horatio smiled softly as he continued to lightly rub her belly and felt a baby beginning to move again.
"Do you want some babybels or anything?" She asked before she bit her lip and looked at Horatio sweetly.
"No thank you sweetheart." Horatio said softly and she then offered them around but no-one wanted any.
"It's a shame that I'll have to eat them all." She said with a smile and they all smiled back at her.
"I got you some clothes, baby, I have to get off now, but let me know when you're home and if you need anything, okay?" Alexx asked softly and she nodded with a kind smile.
"Thank you Alexx." She said as she finished her mouthful and then hugged her. She left as Zoë finished what she was eating.
"That's filled the stomach for another 30 minutes." She smiled and Horatio chuckled with Joe and Eric. They all felt so much better to hear and see that Zoë felt a lot better.
"I need to go and make a few phone calls okay, Bunny?" He said softly and Zoë nodded as she looked up at Joe with a gentle expression.
"Okay, I'll see you in a moment." She said softly and he nodded as he gave her hand a quick squeeze and then walked out.
Calleigh looked to Joe as he walked down the corridor a little and pulled his phone out, but she couldn't hear what he was saying, she just got the occasional word. She looked down to her hands as she leant forwards on her thighs again, she lost herself in her thoughts so much that she hadn't even noticed Joe walk back into the room.
'That poor woman; heart problems and being attacked all while pregnant. She must be one strong woman, I can see why Eric would like her.' She thought just as Frank walked up the corridor and stared at Calleigh, he didn't say a word. He just opened the door and asked for Horatio, Horatio then excused himself from Zoë and walked out with Frank. Calleigh got a look in and saw Eric sitting on the side of the bed with his hand on Zoë's stomach while she smiled up at Eric. 'Eric's finally got a family, I am happy for him.' She thought to herself but she could feel a little part of her die as she swallowed.
"Frank, what have you got?" Horatio questioned as they moved down the corridor a little, away from the blonde woman. Horatio stood strong and placed his hands on his hips while he looked down at the floor.
"Mala Noche are to do with this, Memmo Feirro is still on the loose and we're doing our best to track him but we're not having much luck right now. We think it's linked to that large drug smuggling that we interfered and stopped, I've had officers check out your house and there's a patrol car outside keeping an eye on everything." Frank said and Horatio nodded as he pressed his lips together before he looked up at Frank.
"I'll put Skyler on high alert, thank you Frank. Have you had Eric's place checked out too? Memmo questioned Zoë about us, I think the attack was to get information. Little did he know that Zoë doesn't take that sort of thing lightly, I think he'll think twice before messing with her again. Keep an eye out in the emergency departments for anyone with a broken nose, Zoë said that he was bleeding badly so he might have gone to a hospital to get patched up." Horatio said firmly and Frank nodded at him as he studied Horatio's worried facial expression before he glanced back to Calleigh as she looked at the both of them continuously. Frank pressed his lips together as he looked back to Horatio when Horatio looked back down to the floor again. "I doubt I'll be returning to work anytime soon, but keep me in the loop. Skyler will keep an eye out and alert me if anything suspicious is going on around the house though." Horatio said softly and Frank nodded as he placed his hands on his hips. 'His wife is called Skyler? I wonder what she looks like, I bet she's lovely.' Calleigh thought to herself.
"How's Zoë?" Frank asked and Horatio looked back up at him and nodded.
"She's good, she should be allowed home in an hour or so." Horatio replied.
"The twins?" Frank questioned, it was clear that even he was worried.
"They're both good, both have steady strong heartbeats and are doing well." Horatio said softly and Frank nodded with a small smile when he saw the smile tugging at Horatio's lips.
"Is Delko in there too?" Frank asked and Horatio nodded as he glanced back and saw Calleigh looking at them before he looked back to Frank.
"Zoë doesn't want us to leave, she's terrified, the more people around her that she knows the more comfortable she's feeling I think." Horatio said softly and Frank nodded.
"If there's anything I can do, then you know where I am." Frank said and Horatio nodded.
"Thank you Frank." Horatio said softly before Frank turned away and walked down the corridor. Horatio looked down at his sunglasses while he pressed his lips together. He then turned and walked into the room without even exchanging a look with the blonde woman. Before he entered he stopped by Jessop and had a few quiet words.
"Ma'am, Lieutenant Caine has asked us to remove you from the hospital." Jessop said as he looked at Calleigh. She stood and a deep frown developed.
"He's asked you to remove me?" She asked in disbelief. "All I want to do is talk." She added as she furrowed her brow.
"We will have to remove you if you do not leave of your own accord." He said and she placed her hands on her hips and looked down. 'Eric has his life now, he doesn't need me waltzing in and turning everything upside down, perhaps it's best if I do go? They all seem to be fine without me, they've moved on with their lives. It's clear that they don't want to accept me back, it's clear that they don't want to hear from me.' Calleigh thought to herself and then nodded at the officers when she looked back up at them. She then walked away, feeling a little low.
