A/N: Got a handle on my Thanksgiving cooking so I am able to publish this chapter. Enjoy!

Change of Direction

Chapter 11

"Let me drive you home H," Eric softly said to his friend and mentor.

Eric was concerned about Horatio physically because of all the activity and driving tonight that he shouldn't have done. But now, Horatio's mental state bothered him even more. He hoped the serious turn of events with Calleigh hadn't pushed Horatio over the edge that he'd been teetering on in recent years from enduring one traumatic family tragedy after another. Horatio lifted his head while holding Calleigh's cell phone, which had been found in the bathroom and sad, tear-filled blue eyes met Eric's concerned gaze.

"NO, I'm not going home. I want to go to the hospital and check on Walter, and then I'm going with you to the lab to examine the evidence gathered from the condo."

"H you're in no condition to…" Eric abruptly stopped when Horatio gave him a stern glare. "Um, ok you're sure about this?" Horatio's answer was to begin struggling to stand up from the chair.

Meanwhile, as Calleigh rode in the back of the panel van with one of her kidnappers, the young man began taking the liberty of coming on to her.

"Hey Blondie, why don't we take advantage of the open space back here to…you know," the words slithered off the scruffy looking man's tongue while one of his hands travelled up her leg. With her hands tied behind her back, she couldn't slap his face like she wanted to, but her feet were untied so she did the next best thing; she kneed him where it mattered, and he fell against the wall with both of his hands between his legs as he moaned.

"DAMN BITCH, did you see what she just did? Seems I need to teach you some manners Missy," he said before backhanding Calleigh, knocking her to the floor. He then threw his body on top of her and began working with her shirt to remove it, with Calleigh fighting him the best she could. The van came to a screeching stop and the man driving screamed,

"GET OFF HER! YOU WANT TO FACE PEREZ? HE SAID TO BRING HER TO HIM UNTOUCHED…THAT MEANS NO HITTING HER TOO!"

Reluctantly the attacker slowly pulled himself off of her, but grabbed her arm, and jerked her into an upright position snarling, "We'll pick this back up after Perez is through with you." Calleigh never flinched, keeping up a strong front while inside she was terrified of what was in store for her.

Horatio stared out of the passenger window, seemingly at nothing while they rode in silence as Eric drove them in Horatio's car to Miami-Dade General to check on their teammate Walter. At least H didn't fight me to drive. He must realize he's in no condition for it. I just wish he'd realize he's not in condition to be up on his feet all night.

"How did they find her?" Horatio whispered, low enough that Eric wondered if he was asking himself or did he expect an answer.

"You know how it is H. I figure Perez bought somebody, either at the department or a worker in The Towers or both, unfortunately money talks; especially in today's economy. I'm leaning towards both, myself."

Alexx spotted her two friends walking into the ER and stepped over to them, especially concerned about Horatio.

"Eric," taking his hand, then acknowledging Horatio asking him, "Sugar what on earth happened to you?" Lifting her hand, softly touching Horatio's bruised eye.

Horatio tilted his head away from her hand and grimaced as he answered, "Nothing. Alexx, we're not here to talk about me," he answered in a firm, but low voice. "How is Walter?"

Alexx withdrew her hand, knowing Horatio was hurting more in his soul than his body, taking in a deep breath she answered, "He's awake. He told me what happened with Calleigh." She noticed Horatio stiffen and then clarified her statement. "Walter didn't tell me details only that Calleigh was taken on his watch. He's extremely upset Horatio."

Horatio looked down at the floor, nodding his head weakly in understanding before asking, "May we see him?"

"I'll walk you back." The three walked through the double doors into the trauma area and Alexx guided them into the second room.

Walter saw Horatio and Eric enter his room with Alexx, and then she nodded her head and stepped back out into the hallway. Walter felt horrible having to face Horatio; he hung his head, closing his eyes before quickly stating,

"I'm so sorry H. I don't know how those men got in the condo. One minute no one was there in the kitchen, and then the next thing I knew one of them stuck a knife to my back."

Horatio squeezed his eyes closed and then looked up, his face showing nothing but concern asked, "How are you feeling?"

"Like a freight train hit me, but my heart is worse."

Eric spoke up, "Walter, you didn't hear anything that sounded like forced entry?"

"Nothing. That would have given me a heads up if I'd heard glass breaking or the door being broken into, but like I said, there was no noise. How could they have done that?"

Horatio raising his eyebrows while looking at the floor whispered, "With a key."

Walter scrunched his face responding, "A key? You mean someone in the department or the building custodians were in on this? Oh, man," his voice reflecting shock as he let his head drop back onto the pillow.

"That's the direction it looks like this is going right now," Horatio responded. "Try and get some rest Walter. We'll need you."

Back out in the hallway Horatio told Eric, "Let's get to the lab. We need to look at all personnel files of the lab's night shift, and then later today, request employee records from The Towers management. We need to find out who may be having financial difficulties along with new hires."

As they walked out of the hospital Eric mentioned, "At least there's not as many people that work the night shift at the lab."

Eric brought a stool into the layout room for Horatio so he could get off of his feet while perusing the folders. He also brought both of them a couple of cups of strong coffee from the pot in the break room. It was going to be a long night.

About four in the morning, Eric had started keeping a closer eye on Horatio. The man looked like death warmed over and Eric marveled at how H had the fortitude to keep going.

"Um, H how about I walk down to the diner and bring us back some breakfast?"

"Suit yourself, I'm not hungry," Horatio replied never looking up from the papers spread out in front of him.

Eric shook his head in disbelief as he slid off his stool saying, "I'll be back in a few of minutes," getting no response from Horatio.

Horatio heard the door shut behind him and for the first time put his head down on the table as he broke down in tears. Eric turned around at the elevators and headed back to the room realizing he forgot his jacket. Pushing the door open he saw and heard Horatio as his body racked with deep sobs. Eric hung his head and backed out of the room, leaving his jacket on the chair.

Eric returned with some food for himself and Horatio. When he walked in he asked, "Found anything?"

"I've got about a handful that would fit the criteria of being in financial difficulties. Two are new hires."

"Sounds like we have some leads, I'll round them up before they get off shift. Listen I know you said you weren't hungry, but you need something to be able to keep going. I brought you some scrambled eggs and toast. Will you eat it?"

Horatio with his elbow on the table rested his head in his hand, "Guess I might need it. I've got one hell of a headache."

He sat and forced himself to eat the food, knowing it would help give him the stamina to find Calleigh. Calleigh, will you ever be able to forgive me for not protecting you? I'm so sorry you've gotten caught in the middle because of me. Lost in thought, Horatio didn't hear Eric at first and the young man had to shout to get his attention.

"H, you need to lie down." Horatio responded by looking at Eric as if he didn't know who was standing before him. He shook his head to get rid of the cobwebs and perhaps his eyes would focus better as well.

Horatio stood, but quickly collapsed with Eric slowing his progress toward the floor. Lying Horatio down easy Eric shook his head and mumbled, "H, you're in no condition to be doing this."

"Eric," Horatio managed to croak, "I'm sorry. Give me a minute, my head will quit swimming."

"I'm giving you longer than that H, I'm taking you home. You need a bed."

"I…need to…to interview the staff. I can't…leave."

"H, Ryan and Natalia will be here in a couple of hours. I'll get them to go to The Towers and secure the files, and I'll interview the ones from the night shift. In the meantime, you're going home, you're not my boss anymore, so you don't have leverage over me. You're my friend and I'm concerned about you. If you keep going like this, you won't be any help to Calleigh when we find her and we will find her."

Eric got Horatio home and to bed. Before Eric walked out of the room, Horatio said, "Perez wants me. It's me he's after. I've been expecting him to call."

"I've got Davy standing by in the A/V lab to trace the call when it comes in to your cell so, you don't worry about that. Right now you need to rest. Officers will be outside and I called Frank to come stay. I'm going home to get a couple hours sleep myself after I'm through with the interviews."

"Thanks Eric. Sorry I'm so difficult."

"You have every right to be. Everybody's on edge. We'll find her H." Horatio nodded his head before drifting off to sleep. Eric stayed until Frank arrived, filling the big man in on what they had been doing all night at the lab.

Horatio slept fitfully. In his dreams he saw Calleigh tied in a dark, dungeon type room screaming for him, but something was stopping him from reaching her. He kept trying and trying without success. Something was holding him back, or someone. Then he heard one terrifying scream and a gunshot. Jerking up in bed, sweating, heart pounding, his lungs desperately sucking in gulps of air, he moaned, "Calleigh."

"H," he heard called from outside the bedroom door. "H, you ok man?" Frank rushed into the bedroom after hearing Horatio scream out Calleigh's name.

"Frank, what are you doing here?"

"Baby sitting you my friend. You ok, you don't look too good."

"Just a bad dream. What time is it?"

"Three in the afternoon." Horatio was shocked.

"Three? I can't believe I've been out that long."

The last thing Calleigh remembered before she was stuck with a needle containing some type of drug was the short little pompous thug standing in front of her while she was tied to a seat. He was angry with the men who brought her to him and pistol whipped the one who attacked her in the van. Good she thought he deserved it.

In her drug induced state, her dreams consisted of watching as two men beat Horatio while she was unable to stop them. Perez was shouting for them to keep going until Horatio was dead. She pulled on her restraints trying to break free to stop them from killing him. She screamed for help, which never came.

Waking up with a start, for a moment she was unsure if she had been dreaming or if it was real. She prayed it was only a dream. Her head hurt so much it felt as if it might split open any minute. Her hands were cuffed to the bed, not allowing her to sit up. Looking around, trying to get her bearings she realized it felt as if she were floating. She was on a boat of some size, but where? Then a door to the room opened and Perez stepped in with one of his men.

"Ah, Ms. Duquesne, you are awake finally. It is time for you to invite your lover to come join us, Senor Caine will be the guest of honor at our party."

Perez began entering Horatio's cell number into his phone and then pushed the call button. Calleigh closed her eyes and hoped the team had set up Horatio's phone to trace incoming calls.

TBC…