Thank you guys for all of your wonderful reviews! You make it worth the time I put into the story. Here you guys go
with another chapter!
Horatio blinked his eyes open. He had his head on the hospital bed and his back was slightly sore from sleeping in the chair. He rubbed his eyes and sat up. There was a quiet laugh and when Horatio looked up he saw that Emily was awake. "How long have you been awake?" He asked her still trying to get the sleepiness from his eyes. "Not long." Emily replied with a smile. Horatio looked at Emily not believing her but before he could ask her again a nurse brought a tray with food on it for Emily. "I thought that you would like something to eat." The nurse said looking at Horatio. Emily noticed that the nurse was looking at him in a way that didn't feel right to her. "So do I get something to eat?" She asked trying to get the nurse to leave her dad alone. She really didn't like the way that this nurse was looking at him. "Honey I need to get an x-ray and make sure that the bullet didn't do some damage that will come and but us latter ok? So before you eat can we do that?" Alexx said as she walked in.
Alexx dismissed the nurse to Emily's relief. Emily nodded her head yes. "I will be back in a few minutes ok and don't eat anything yet." Alexx said with a small laugh. Horatio grabbed the tray and sat down with it. "Don't worry Alexx I will take it and she may get some of it back…" He teased. "Hey!" Emily exclaimed with a huge smile on her face. Alexx smiled as she walked down the hall to get the room ready for Emily. When Alexx came back she found Horatio pretending to eat Emily's apple sauce and watched as Emily threw a pillow at him. Horatio ducked just in time so the pillow went over his head and landed in the corner. Alexx picked the pillow up and raised her eyebrows to Horatio. He smiled sheepishly and put the food down. Emily gave Horatio a glare. "I will get you just you wait until I can get out of this bed. You are toast!" Emily said to him before she gave Alexx her attention. Alexx laughed.
"Well since your threat has been received will it be alright if we go take your x-rays now?" "Of course, the sooner you get my x-rays the sooner you can let me out of bed so I can carry out the threat I made to my dad." Emily said with a huge smile on her face at the word dad. Emily also tried to get out of bed but Alexx rushed over and put her hands on Emily's shoulder keeping her in the bed. Emily looked up at her curiously. "You are going to wait for another bed because I don't want you to pull out your stitches." Alexx replied. "Can I try to at least stand please? I won't go anywhere I just want to stand." Emily asked giving Alexx puppy eyes. "Alright but go really slow and if you get any pain I want you to stop and tell me ok?" Alexx said shaking her head. She couldn't believe she let Emily talk her into that but then again she could when she remembered who the girl's dad was. Emily carefully turned keeping her legs aligned with her torso. Emily paused when she got her legs to hang over the edge of the bed. Alexx stepped back giving Emily room to try and stand.
Horatio was up and standing close but when Emily sat there and just looked at him he back up getting her message. Emily took a deep breath and then gently lifted herself off the bed. She put her left foot down first and then the other. She gave a small gasp when she put weight on her right side. Horatio went to help her but she shook her head. "No I'm fine. I just put too much weight on my side that's all." Emily said trying to reassure Horatio. He stepped back again but just barely. Emily smiled at Horatio before turned her head to Alexx and gave her a huge smile. Alexx smiled back. This girl is just like her father. Alexx thought as she watched Emily turn her head back to Horatio and give him a big smile. The door suddenly opened and caused them all to whip around.
Emily gasped and fell forward with her eyes shut tight in pain. Horatio was instantly there and caught her. "Sweetheart are you ok?" He asked concerned seeing the pain she was in. Emily held her side and nodded her head. "Yeah… I'm fine… it will pass in a second." She said trying to bear the pain. "Horatio put her back on the bed and I will just have them get the portable one." Alexx ordered knowing that Emily's pain was not going to pass as long as she stayed standing. Horatio gently set Emily back on the bed and helped her lay back. Natalia nervously walked in seeing Emily in pain and wondering if she was the one who caused it. Alexx gave Natalia a smile seeing that it was her as she went to get the portable x-ray machine. Emily had closed her eyes when Horatio put her back on the bed.
She opened them and when she saw Natalia, she broke out in a smile. "How are you doing?" Natalia asked as she walked around and stood by Emily. "Better thank you." Emily said as she squeezed her eyes shut. Horatio watched her concerned. Emily took a few breaths before she opened her eyes and gave the two a reassuring smile. Horatio relaxed a bit when he saw that there was less pain in her eyes and shook his head, smiling. "She just tried to stand so she wouldn't need to be wheeled into the x-ray room but when we heard you knock we all turned that way." Horatio explained to Natalia. Natalia wrung her hands together. "I am sorry I didn't mean to cause you pain." Emily shook her head and laughed. "No you are fine. It was my fault. I turned too fast and it pulled on my side. I am fine, really." Natalia smiled. Alexx walked back in then with the machine and a few techs. "Can you two please wait outside for a second?" Alexx asked Natalia and Horatio. They both nodded ok. Natalia gave Emily's hand a pat and walked out to wait outside. Horatio gave her a kiss on the forehead and told her he would be right outside. Emily smiled at him and told him she would be fine. He nodded and then joined Natalia outside.
"Do you want some coffee?" Natalia asked. Horatio looked over to her and gave her a small smile. "That would be great thank you." Natalia blushed and quickly left to go get coffee. Horatio's phone rang. "Caine." "Hey H, it's Frank. How is Emily doing?" "She just went to get some x-rays to make sure there is no more damage but Alexx thinks that she will be just fine." Horatio heard Frank let out a sigh of relief. "That's great H, oh and congratulations." Horatio's eyes opened in surprise. "Frank?" "Oh sorry H, Eric told us that Emily is yours. Was he not suppose to tell us?" Horatio chuckled. "No Frank he is fine and I am glad that you know other than I was planning on telling you myself." "Umm… Horatio… do you think that you could come in for a bit? Mr. Colter says that he will only talk to you and he hasn't said a word." Frank hated to have Horatio leave his daughter but they needed the man to talk.
Natalia came back just then with two cups of coffee and raised her eyebrows when she saw Horatio's expression. He took a deep breath. "Yeah Frank I will be down there in a minute." Horatio snapped his phone shut and turned to accept the cup that Natalia handed him. "Everything ok?" She asked. "Umm could you do me favor? Could you stay here with Emily while I run down and help Frank with the suspect?" Horatio asked taking a sip of his coffee. He was surprised to find that it was just the way he liked it. "Yeah sure that is no problem." She said with a smile glad that he trusted her enough to leave her with his kid. "Thank you." He said as the doors opened and the techs came out with the machine saying that they could go back in now. Horatio walked in first and saw Alexx adjusting Emily's IV line. "It will be a while before we get your x-rays back so until then I don't want you to leave this bed without help." Alexx ordered. Emily nodded her head. Alexx gave her a smile. "I will be back in a couple hours so behave." Alexx said with a laugh. "You too Horatio." Alexx said pointing a finger as him as she walked past. He held up his hands in surrender.
They all laughed. Horatio walked over and kneeled down next to Emily's bed. "Sweetheart I need to go into work for a little bit. Will you be ok if Natalia stays here with you?" He looked at Emily with such love that I brought tears to Natalia eyes but she quickly blinked them away. Emily smiled. "Go ahead. I think I will be just fine here with Natalia and I am pretty certain that she will let me eat something." Horatio chuckled. "Alright I will be back soon Sweetheart." Horatio kiss her forehead and left. Emily smiled at Natalia. "So do you think you could hand me that tray over there? I am starving." Natalia laughed as she picked up the tray. She gave it to Emily who accepted it gratefully.
"Hey Natalia… do you know if my dad is dating anyone?" Emily asked casually looking down at her food. Natalia blinked in surprise. "I don't think so but then again your dad is pretty reserved about his personal life." Natalia told her after a second. "What makes you ask?" Emily's cheeks colored slightly. "There was a nurse in here this morning that was eyeing him and I didn't like it. I know that it is crazy but I can't help it. I just got my dad and I seem to be a little over protective about him." Natalia laughed. Emily looked at her in surprise. "You take after your father. Just wait a while and you will get to see his version of being over protective." Natalia said still laughing. "That actually makes me worry a bit." Emily said as she watched Natalia laugh. "Don't worry you will be fine." Natalia reassured her. Emily smiled. "Ok thank you for the heads up." "No problem." Emily liked Natalia more and more with the more time she spent with her.
Horatio found Frank in the interrogation room with the man who kidnapped and tried to kill his daughter. Ryan was in the room too and Horatio could see the rage coming off of him. Horatio stood there watching them to see if anything happened. Frank looked up and saw Horatio looking into the room. Frank nodded his head to Ryan. Ryan said one last thing to Rex before he let Frank push him out of the room. Frank walked right over to Horatio with Ryan in tow. "Mr. Wolfe, why don't you go down into the lab and see if you can get any usable prints off the syringe from the hospital?" Horatio suggested seeing that he was going to do something rash if he went back in that room. "Aright H." Ryan said and walked straight to the lab. Frank let out a pent up breath. "Horatio are you sure you can do this?" "Yes Frank now let's go see what Mr. Colter has to say. Horatio walked in first and Frank came in last closing the door behind him.
Horatio stood in front of Rex while Frank walked around and stood behind him. Rex turned and looked behind him at Frank but quickly turned back and looked at Horatio. Rex gave Horatio and evil smile. "Was there something that you would like to tell me Mr. Colter?" Horatio asked his patience thin. Rex continued to smile at Horatio. "Lt. Caine… how is the little pain? Did she die quickly or was it slow. Oh please say that it was slow because that would just make my day." Horatio clenched his jaw. "She isn't dead you pin head." Frank said as he smacked Rex behind his head. "What do you mean?" Rex asked not believing. "He means that you failed and that she is going to be just fine. Now why don't you tell me why you did all this?" Horatio said trying to keep his anger in check.
Rex sat there thinking for a moment before he smiled again and laughed. "I was told that you would ask that and I think that I will give you a hint. It begins with a 'mon' and ends in an 'ey'. I think you can figure that one out." Rex smiled even more when he saw the fire in Horatio's eyes. "So who paid you Rex? I am sure that you won't get paid once they find out that you failed." Rex just laughed at Horatio. "What is to say that I failed lieutenant? And don't worry your single way mind Lieutenant, I will get paid. No one said that she had to die for the money to change hands." Horatio took a few deep breaths trying to keep himself from slugging the man in front of him. "Who hired you?" Horatio asked one more time and his tone this time was deathly serious.
"Now why would I tell you Lieutenant? You would just make it so I don't get paid and you would ruin my fun. Watching you try and figure out who if they even exist." Rex said with a laugh. He was enjoying this and he planned on making this last as long as he could. It was fun. Frank was worried that Horatio was going to slug the man right there. Horatio began walking slowly around the room, closing the blinds. Frank knew that when the blinds were closed things usually got physical. Over the years, Horatio had been getting more physical with the suspects and it worried Frank because he never liked it when this happened. Horatio walked back and stood in front of Rex again. "I would suggest that you tell me who hired you now or I will make you tell me." Horatio said.
There was no fooling around when Horatio go this way and Frank immediately wanted to leave the room when he saw the look in Rex's eyes. He was going to poke and prod Horatio and Horatio was going to follow through on his threat. "You don't scare me Lieutenant. You couldn't hurt me even if you really want to." Rex smarted at Horatio. Before Horatio could react his phone buzzed. He was going to ignore it but it continued to buzz and kept buzzing. Someone was trying to get a hold of him and they were determined to get him to answer the phone no matter how many times they had to call him. Horatio ground his teeth and glared at the suspect in front of him. He looked up at Frank who gave him a nod. Horatio walked out of the room so he could answer the phone. "What is it Lieutenant? Did you program your phone so you would have an excuse to leave before you would have to follow through with your empty threat?"
Rex said trying to make the Lieutenant lose his temper. Horatio thought about turning around and going back in there but he didn't when he saw that it was Natalia who was trying to get a hold of him. "Yes Natalia what is it? Is everything ok?" He tone said that he was nervous that the phone call was about Emily and that something was wrong. There was laughter on the other side of the phone. Horatio was confused. "Yeah everything is fine silly I was just wondering what you were up to. It's not every day you find your dad." The voice at the other end of the phone commented. Horatio chuckled. If only she knew about what he was going to do. "Hello? You still there?" Emily asked when Horatio went silent. He smiled. "Yes Sweetheart I am still here." "So…?" She prompted.
"I am talking to a suspect right now Sweetheart and I would like to get back to that if that is ok with you?" Horatio said teasing her. Emily laughed again. "Yes you can just as long as I get to ask a few questions too. I mean I think that I should get to ask a few questions to the man that kidnapped me." Horatio blinked in surprise. "How… how did you know that I was talking to that man Sweetheart?" Emily chuckled. "Well I figured that the only reason that you would leave was if it had something to do with me. So do I get to ask a few questions?" She asked hopefully. Horatio shook his head. "I don't think so Sweetheart. I don't feel comfortable with you being anywhere near this man." Horatio heard her sigh into the phone. "Ok… when do you think you will be done?" Horatio smiled. "Soon." "Ok see you soon!" Emily said excitedly. Horatio hung up his phone and stayed out in the hallway enjoying the feeling that Emily stirred in him. Kyle was still overseas and he had missed having someone at his house.
Emily was filling the gap that had followed and Horatio was finally feeling at peace again. The feeling did not last long when he remembered why he was at the office. He frowned and walked back in the room. Frank looked at him with a question in his eyes. Horatio nodded his head and Frank understood. Horatio stood in front of Rex again and watched him carefully. Rex smiled at Horatio. He had one more card that he wanted to show before he let the cat out of the bag. Rex smiled even more as he said "So Lieutenant did you like the GAME that has been played so far?"
~Thoughts?~