Disclaimer: I don't own.

A/N: Here is the next installment. Thanks to Jessica237 for betaing. I hope you enjoy!

If the back of the ambulance was hectic, it was nothing like the hospital. Many nurses, doctors and specialists buzzed around Natalia trying to help her, and did a very good job of keeping Horatio in the dark. Although Horatio hated being in the back of ambulances period, he almost wished he was back there now. At least he knew what was going on there, he could protect her. Now, he was completely helpless, and he paced around the waiting room getting many annoyed looks from the desk managers.

"Horatio!" Alexx cried upon arriving. "What happened to that poor girl?"

"Her ex-husband," Horatio began, but Alexx stopped him.

"Oh, that poor baby," Alexx lamented.

"She can't end up on your table, Alexx," Horatio started, but his throat began to close up and he was unable to finish.

Alexx looked into his eyes and saw emotions in them that she had never seen before, fear and something that looked an awful lot like love. "She won't," Alexx assured him.

"They won't tell me what is going on in there," Horatio told Alexx.

Alexx smiled confidently at Horatio. "Don't worry. I'll find out for you. Just sit down and relax."

Horatio didn't know how Alexx expected him to do that, but he sat down anyway. After Alexx walked away, Eric showed up in the waiting room. Not long after him Calleigh came running in and Ryan very soon after her.

Calleigh could tell something was up with Horatio, and she didn't try to talk to him. She also knew enough to know Horatio was not going to be a comfort source for them this time. She was the second in command, so she took it upon herself to comfort Eric and Ryan in this time of crisis. Although she felt as though she should be over with Horatio, she frankly didn't think she could handle him. She could tell there was something deeper in Horatio's feelings than just concern for an employee, and she knew she couldn't handle that at this point in time. She could handle concern for a co-worker because that was what she was feeling as well. She felt guilty because Horatio had always been with her when she needed comfort, and she couldn't even be with him when he needed her.

Calleigh finally couldn't take it anymore, and she had to try something. She walked very cautiously over to him and she softly called his name. "Horatio."

He didn't even lift his face from its place in his hands. "You shouldn't be over here."

"Why not?" She whispered. She felt that talking too loud would break this man into pieces.

"Eric and Ryan need you right now," Horatio told her, stating truth.

Calleigh shook her head even though he couldn't see her. "You need me more than they do. They have each other. You have no one."

"They will just fight amongst themselves," Horatio argued, trying again to get her to leave him alone right now. Why he didn't want her here he couldn't understand.

He may not have known, but Calleigh knew. "Feeling something is okay. It makes you human. Showing your emotions is more than okay. Letting someone share those emotions with you makes it more bearable. Natalia is going to be fine. She is a strong woman, and unfortunately she has been through all this many times."

Horatio finally looked up at Calleigh with red-rimmed eyes. "It was awful. I was so sure she was dead. I was sure it was my fault because I didn't check her bedroom first. If I had just checked further down the block I would have seen his car. If I had done something, anything."

Calleigh's heart almost broke hearing this. Horatio was always so strong and composed. She knew he felt something deeper for Natalia, and although his eyes were red, she knew he was holding back all the tears, because he was not the type to cry in a hospital. Home alone maybe, but sharing all these emotions at once was a big step for him.

Calleigh felt tears come to her eyes, but she blinked them back and sat down beside him. She had to be strong. "There was nothing you could have done. You didn't know he was going to come after her tonight. You figured she would call if she need something like the rest of us do. You just forgot she was new to the team, she doesn't know you would do anything for any one of us…especially her."

"But I knew how scared she was of him the first time I saw them interacting," Horatio lamented. "I should have told her to let me know if she ever needed anything. Better yet, I should have thrown him out the nearest window when I had the chance. I could have told IAB he just happened to trip over his own two feet. That stupid—"

"Horatio!" Calleigh exclaimed, interrupting him, knowing the next word that was going to come out of his mouth was one he would regret later. "Has anyone taken pictures of Natalia, of the house? She is going to need those pictures later when IAB tries to question her. You know her ex is going to try to make it look like her fault and we can't let IAB believe him and not her just because we are worried right now."

"No," Horatio said, slumping back down. "I even forgot to act the Lieutenant CSI that I am!"

Calleigh jumped up from the seat. "Well, I'll get Ryan to take pictures of the house right now. We can't take pictures of Natalia until she is more aware of things. Make sure you tell me when that is and I will be here to take the pictures. Don't worry. Everything will be fine and more importantly, she will be fine."

Horatio wanted to believe that, he really did. He had believed it once. Once, he believed everything would be okay. Way back then, the doctor had come in and shattered his belief. Not until he heard it from a man dressed in a white coat would he believe it. Not until he got to see her for his own eyes would he really believe it. Not until he heard it from her own mouth would he really really believe it. As Horatio quickly glanced at the clock on the wall, he noticed how long it had been. It had been too long! He firmly believed that she would never be fine, and he suddenly felt like nothing would ever really be okay again.

Hmm…what is going to happen to Natalia! I know, I'm so mean. We should find out in the next chapter though. If you are still reading, thanks so much. If you are still reviewing…thanks even more! I hope you are still liking it. Review!