Chapter 7

Horatio woke first the next morning and looked over to Zoë who was still asleep. She had thrown the duvet off and over to Horatio. She was sleeping on her back with her left arm over her eyes, probably to stop the sun from waking her up as it lit the room through the light drapes. He could tell that she had had a restless night and fidgeted a lot as her top had ridden right up to her ribs. He was surprised that she didn't wake him though. He lifted his head and looked at the clock - 8.36am. He lightly placed his hand over the middle of her lower ribs and ran his hand over them and then lightly over to the other side. She didn't even stir. Horatio relaxed back as his fingers lightly traced her delicate ribs. A part of him wanted to wake her gently so she'd snuggle up to him but he also didn't want to disturb her as she looked like she was sleeping peacefully. Zoë lifted her left arm from her eyes and turned onto her side, facing Horatio. He continued to delicately sweep his fingers across her skin as he lovingly watched her sleep. He watched for another few minutes and she exhaled deeply.

"Are you watching me sleep?" She asked tiredly, not even opening her eyes. Horatio began to smile as he stopped stroking her skin. She opened her eyes and looked at him, then a wide smile appeared across her face.

"I didn't say stop, did I?" She said with a grin as he then continued to caress her sleek skin.

She looked him in the eye with a very sweet smile, still looking tired.

"How did you know I was watching you sleep?" He asked with a boyish grin.

"I don't know, I guess I just got a feeling, that and you were stroking my side." She said with a smile. Horatio nodded with a shy boyish smile, slightly embarrassed that he was caught watching her.

"Nothing gets past me handsome, not even when I'm asleep." She said with a smile as she closed her eyes again.

"Evidently not" he said softly as he looked at her. She opened her eyes with a smile and looked into his eyes.

"Have I told you just how beautiful your eyes are?" Zoë asked.

"I think you've mentioned it before." Horatio said softly with a smile. She smiled at him.

"Have I told you how beautiful you are?" Horatio asked with a boyish smile.

"I think you've mentioned it before." Zoë replied with a smile. She then quickly turned back onto her back and picked up the thermometer from the side.

"37.8, that's better." She said with a smile as she rolled back over and dropped it on the side before turning back to Horatio.

"Anyway, were you trying to undress me or something while I slept?" Zoë asked, looking down at her top which was pulled up to her ribs.

"No, I woke up and it was like that. You must have been fidgeting a lot last night." Horatio said softly with a boyish smile.

"Ahh" Zoë said as she nodded. Horatio planted his hand around her back and pulled her in closer to him.

"Hey, not too close. You're still infectious." She said raising an eyebrow, with a smile. Horatio kept his distance from her, but wanted her closer.

"I know beautiful." Horatio said softly as he exhaled, he wanted to kiss her and snuggle up close but didn't want to give the infection to her. He continued to stroke her back with his fingertips.

"I could just lay in bed with you for the whole day." Zoë said as she closed her eyes again, exhaling.

"So could I, so could I." Horatio said huskily. A smile appeared across Zoë's face, she loved his husky voice. She opened her eyes and looked up at him with a sweet smile.

"What do you want for breakfast then?" She asked quietly.

"You" Horatio simply said with a boyish grin. Zoë giggled a little and ran her warm hand over his chest.

"So… toast?" She asked with a grin.

"Hmm… I'd much rather lie here with you than eat." Horatio said quietly.

"Well, I'm afraid you're going to have to eat to keep your energy up, you've barely eaten all week." She said softly. Horatio exhaled steadily.

"I'll be right back up." She said as she rolled over on to her back.

"You don't have to go just yet." Horatio said softly. She looked over at him.

"I do, because I really need a cup of coffee right now." She said with a smile and then got out of bed and stood up, pulling her top down. He gave her a smile and a nod, knowing that she always needed a tea or coffee in the morning to wake her up. She walked out and made Horatio some toast and two cups of coffee. She returned back up just as Horatio walked out of the bathroom.

"No toast for you?" Horatio questioned as he sat back down on the bed while she walked around over to him.

"I'm happy with my coffee." She said with a smile and Horatio flicked the TV on.

"Thank you" Horatio said with a shy smile as she handed him the plate and then put the coffee on the side.

She walked round the bed and sat, pulling the duvet up over her legs.

Zoë's phone began to ring and she picked it up off the side.

"Sorry handsome, it's Ryan." Zoë said and then she answered after Horatio gave her a nod and smile.

"Hey Ryan" she said as she sipped the coffee.

"Hi Zoë, I'm really sorry to call you this time of the morning on a Saturday morning…" He began to say.

"Not a problem, is everything alright?" Zoë asked as Horatio placed his hand on her thigh and stroked the side of her leg with his thumb. She gave him a small smile.

"Well erm… I tried phoning Alexx first but I didn't get an answer… I've had a small incident." Ryan said a little nervously with a small exhaled laugh on the end of the phone.

"Okay, where are you? What have you done?" Zoë questioned as she put her coffee down and pushed the duvet from under her. She turned to Horatio and mouthed "sorry" to him as she got up and pulled out a pair of joggers and a tank top from the draw.

"I somehow tripped in my kitchen, I don't know what on, but I've hurt my ankle and I think I've cut my eyebrow open…" Ryan said again, nervously laughing.

"Okay honey, do not move. I'll be right over okay?" Zoë asked as she got out some clean underwear.

"I need to change before–"

"Ryan, I'm telling you not to move, I don't care what you're wearing, or what you're not wearing. Just do not move, okay?" Zoë said a little sternly.

"Okay, I'm not moving." Ryan said hearing the seriousness in her voice.

"Good thank you, I'll see you in a minute." Zoë said as she began to hang up.

"Wait…" Ryan said before she hung up.

"Yes?" Zoë asked as she listened intensely.

"Erm… is H coming? Because it could be a little awkward?" Ryan questioned.

"I may need some help getting you out the house if we need to go to A&E Ryan." Zoë said as she looked over at Horatio who was getting out of the bed.

"Er okay?"

"I'll see you in a minute." Zoë said already pulling her shorts down.

"Thank you." Ryan said as they hung up.

"Do you mind if you come with me? He's hurt his ankle and if I need to take him to the hospital I may need some help." Zoë questioned softly.

"Not at all" Horatio said getting some trousers and a shirt out with clean boxers. Zoë quickly changed in the bathroom and did her teeth then walked out tying up her hair.

"I knew we should have gotten up sooner, I could have had a shower." Zoë said as she and Horatio walked out of the bedroom, picking their phones up and going downstairs. They walked out and got into Zoë's car and drove over to Ryan's. Once they got out Zoë pulled her first aid kit from the back and she let herself in using the spare key, Horatio followed closely.

"Ryan?" Zoë called as Horatio closed the door.

"Yeah I'm in here." Ryan said and she walked through to the kitchen and saw Ryan leaning against a cupboard.

"Ah, Horatio, you may want to wait out here." She said turning back to him. Horatio gave her a nod and leant against the wall.

"What have you done?" Zoë questioned as she walked over to Ryan and crouched down beside him.

"Well, I was coming down to get a drink and I slipped or something and well… I ended up on the floor and my ankle is really hurting." Ryan said looking up at her.

"Nice boxers" Zoë said with a cheeky smile as she placed the bag down beside him and pulled some gloves on. Ryan looked down shyly, completely embarrassed. She felt the back of his neck, working in to the middle.

"Any neck or back pain at all?" She questioned, looking down at him.

"No, none, it's just the ankle and the eyebrow…" Ryan said softly and she nodded at him, happy that she couldn't feel anything out of the ordinary.

"Don't worry about it honey, I'm messing with you." Zoë said as she kneeled beside him and placed her left hand on his head and right on the side of his head.

"Nice joggers…" Ryan replied with a small smile and Zoë smiled at him, knowing he was getting her back.

"Headache?" She questioned.

"Nope"

"Nausea?"

"No"

"Blurred vision?" She asked as she gently felt closer to the wound.

"No" Ryan said as he hissed with pain.

"Sorry sweetie, just checking if there's anything in there and if you've fractured anything." Zoë said softly as she moved in closer to him.

"Are you sure you slipped and didn't pass out?" Zoë questioned.

"I was conscious the whole time." Ryan said softly and Zoë nodded.

"Did you hit your head anywhere else?" Zoë questioned as she looked down at her bag and pulled out a tube of saline solution.

"No, just my eyebrow" Ryan said as she looked down at what she was pulling out of the bag.

"Okay, I'm just going to ask you to shuffle forward so you can put your head back while I clean the wound." Zoë said as she moved away to give him some space. Ryan shuffled forward and Zoë leant his head back and carefully cleaned the wound, she then dried it as Ryan hissed a little and then put some steri-strips on it.

"You've not done anything major, but you need to try and keep it dry for a few days and don't damage it further, it's just superficial. I've put some steri-strips on it and it'll heal nicely." She said as she got up and threw the bloody wipes away.

"Now for that ankle" she said as she leant back down by his feet.

"Which one?" She questioned.

"Right" Ryan replied as she took a hold of his leg and then felt his ankle.

"Can you tell me what sort of pain you're getting and can you wiggle your toes for me please?" Zoë questioned as she looked down at his ankle.

"Erm, sharp" Ryan said as he then wiggled his toes.

"I'm not a doctor, but I'd say it's just a sprain." Zoë said softly, noticing that it hadn't swollen much at all.

"It hurts." Ryan said looking up at her.

"Now stop being a girl." She said with a grin and then pulled out an ankle support grip. Ryan chuckled a little, hearing the way she said the sentence. "Even I'm not that bad…" Zoë said as she carefully placed it on his ankle.

"Yeah well you're like matcho..." Ryan said giving her a small cheeky smile.

"Matcho? You're calling me a man now? Is this your way of saying I'm sorry for getting you out of bed on a Saturday morning?" Zoë said with a smile. Ryan smiled at her and looked down with a small laugh as he exhaled.

"No… well you went running across the Everglades with a bullet wound… if you don't call that tough, I don't know what is." Ryan said softly with a smile and saw a small smile appear across Zoë's face as she looked over the rest of his body.

"Anywhere else you hurt?" She questioned.

"I think I hurt my left wrist, but it's not that bad at all." Ryan said softly.

"Can you move your fingers?" Ryan moved his fingers.

"Good, any pain when you do that?"

"No" Ryan said as he looked up at her.

"There, that's better, that's more 'matcho'." She said looking at him with a smile.

"Thank you Zoë, I really do appreciate it."

"Not a problem honey." She said as she zipped her kit up.

"Can you stand up?" She asked.

"Yeah" Ryan replied as he tried to get up, Zoë gave him a hand and hauled him.

"Christ you need to lose some weight…" She said with a grin as she let go of him. He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Everything okay?" Horatio called, hearing her comment on his weight.

"Yeah" they both called back through.

"You get dressed and you rest that ankle, keep it moving and if it swells anymore, put ice on it, okay? Don't lose that ankle grip. I'll brain you if you do…" She said with a grin.

"I definitely won't lose it in that case…" Ryan said with a grin.

"Excellent, rest up and I'll see you at work on Monday. Give me a call if you need anything." Zoë said as she pulled her first aid kit onto her back.

"Thank you Zoë" Ryan said sincerely.

"Not a problem." She said with a smile as she began to walk out.

"Thanks H, hope you're feeling better soon!" Ryan called through into the hall.

"Not a problem, take care." Horatio said as he walked over to the front door. Zoë gave him a smile.

"See you later pretty boy." She called as Horatio opened the door.

"Bye" Ryan called from the kitchen and waited for the door to close before he went upstairs to change into some proper clothes. Both Zoë and Horatio got into the car.

"Sorry about that handsome, I needed you there in case I had to get him to A&E." Zoë said softly.

"Don't worry about it… he wasn't naked, was he?" Horatio asked shyly but curious as to why Zoë said don't come in.

"No, he had boxers on." Zoë said as she pulled off.

"Just boxers?" Horatio asked, a little uncomfortable that Zoë just treated Ryan while he was virtually naked.

"Yes, don't worry he was perfectly covered." Zoë said, getting the feeling that Horatio was slightly uncomfortable about it all.

"If he wasn't I would have made you dress him before stepping foot in there." She said with a cheeky grin glancing over to him. A smile appeared across Horatio's face as he looked down at his sunglasses in his hands.

"I guess that got us out of bed then…" Zoë said softly as she exhaled and pulled on to the motorway.

"It certainly did." Horatio said looking over at her.

"What shall we do today?" She questioned, trying to think of something they could do.

Horatio smiled, and thought about something.

"What are you thinking?" She questioned, seeing the smile that developed across his face.

"Nothing" Horatio replied with a grin.

"Hmm… sure" she said as she focussed back on the road.

"Gosh I really need to tidy my car…" Zoë said, as she glanced back seeing the crisp packets that she always threw in the foot well in the passenger seat in the back. Horatio chuckled a little.

"I think I've grown immune to seeing crisp packets lying around." Horatio commented and Zoë chuckled a little.

"I'm not surprised. I'm awful at it!" She said with a grin as she concentrated on the road.

"You're getting better though." Horatio said with a grin and she glanced over at him. She gave him a brilliant smile before looking back to the road.

He heard her exhale heavily and he looked over to her, seeing her think. She blinked a few times as she swallowed.

"Are you okay beautiful?" Horatio questioned, seeing an element of distress as she tensed a little.

"Yeah" she said softly as she looked round to him quickly, he saw her eyes drop to his wrists before she looked back round to the road as she took a deep breath.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" He questioned, growing worried very quickly.

"Nothing, I'm fine." She said giving him a false smile as she concentrated on the road, still thinking.

He saw her jaw tense as she blinked a few more times, she was trying to push the disturbing images she was seeing away to focus on driving.

"Sweetheart–" Horatio began.

"I'm okay Horatio." She said glancing over to him, telling him to drop it as it was only stressing her out more. "Sorry handsome" she said as she looked back around to the road, feeling bad for snapping at him.

"It's okay sweetheart." Horatio said softly and then looked back out of the front window.

Horatio felt the car suddenly accelerate and drift and he looked back over to Zoë, seeing her head drop a little.

"Zoë? Zoë!" Horatio called loudly as the car began to drift. He saw the vacant expression on her face and immediately took a hold of the wheel and gradually lifted her leg that was on the accelerator, slowing them down. He quickly put the hazard lights on and pulled them over to the side, parking up on the side of the road. He put the hand brake on and jumped out, rushing round to her side.

He pulled her door open and placed his hands on her face as he pulled her head up, seeing the blank stare.

"Sweetheart, come on. You're okay beautiful." Horatio said softly as he threaded both hands through her hair and gently rubbed her temples. He saw her blink and she was suddenly back with him. She looked over at him confused.

"Sweetheart, are you alright?" He questioned looking into both of her eyes.

"Yeah" she said quietly as she exhaled and blinked a few times as Horatio dropped his hands from her face.

"I'm driving back." Horatio said, raising his eyebrows as he reached over and took her seatbelt off.

"Did I just…?" She questioned looking at him.

"Yes sweetheart." Horatio replied quickly.

"Good Lord, I'm so sorry Horatio." She said looking at him shocked with herself.

"Come on sweetheart." He said softly as he took her hands and she hopped out. He walked her round to the passenger side and got her in before closing the door and getting into the driver's seat.

He put his seatbelt on and took the hazard lights off. She plugged her seatbelt in.

"I'm really very sorry Horatio." She said completely shocked.

"Don't worry about it sweetheart, we're safe." Horatio said softly, dreading to think what could have happened if she had been on her own.

"Horatio, I could have killed us!" She said getting stressed again.

"Sweetheart, I need you to take a breath for me." Horatio said softly, looking over to her.

"Take that deep breath." He said softly, placing his hand over hers. She looked over at him and took the deep breath.

"Well done." Horatio said as he pulled his hand from hers and pulled away and began to drive back to Zoë's.

"Keep taking those deep breaths for me beautiful." Horatio said looking over at her often. They heard a roar of an engine behind them and Horatio looked back, seeing a bright yellow sports car.

Zoë looked back at the car and then forwards, not thinking anything of it as she continued to take deep breaths to keep herself calm.

They heard the roar get louder as the car accelerated and began to drive a long side them, Horatio instantly felt a horrible feeling.