Warning: Mention of Rape and strong scenes.
Chapter 12
The next day's Calleigh was lying in a hospital bed falling in and out of consciousness. During that time period Natalia never left her side, Horatio spend the nights with them and Ryan and Valera came by during lunch and after work.
Calleigh didn't even notice them being there as to her the next days was a mixture of bad dreams from what she had been through and happy ones with her friends and family. Natalia held her when she was going through the worst which usually happened at late night meaning Horatio was holding them under his watchful eyes.
One late night Natalia was half asleep, resting her head against the bed while Horatio was leaning against the doorframe watching his two leading ladies, when Calleigh started to flutter her eyes more than usual. The blonde then without warning opened her eyes fully and started to look around like she was trying to get to know her surroundings.
In the half dark room Calleigh could see Natalia resting close to her and Horatio by the door, she wanted to sit up but sadly her body wasn't strong enough. She let out a grunt, and her hand slowly moved towards Natalia's dark strands, ruffling through them.
Natalia startled and looked at Calleigh with amazement. She smiled warmly at her, glad that she was finally awake.
Calleigh on the other hand tried to speak, but her words wouldn't come out, her throat was simply too dry. She tried again when the redhead came over with a glass of water, holding it to her dry lips so she could drink it. It was gone in less than a second.
She again tried to clear her throat before asking, "How long have I been here."
"A little over four days as it's now midnight," said the redhead with a little nod.
"And Eric…?" she wanted to know, hoping he was safe as well.
Natalia and Horatio exchanged looks, then Horatio nodded and Natalia said, "I'm sorry princess, but he didn't make it."
"He's…he's dead?" she asked, swallowing hard.
Natalia nodded, seeing silent tears starting to run down Calleigh's face. She squeezed Natalia's hand tightly as she asked, "How?"
Again Natalia and Horatio exchanged looks before Natalia answered, "He was chained to a wall like an animal, listening to all you were saying, your panic. He tried to break free to get to you, but his chains were to thigh. They were gnawing on his writs and feet, making deep wounds. His need to get to you was however so big that he tore of a wrist, but he didn't get further than that."
"Oh Eric," Calleigh whispered sadly as more tears ran down her cheeks faster and faster. Natalia moved closer so that she could hold her.
"If I hadn't made us go back this never would have happened, he still would be alive," she whispered her words hardly auditable, yet both Horatio and Natalia heard them. She was crying harder now, thinking that if she hadn't insisted on going back this would never have happened. Eric, her sweet Eric was gone forever and there was nothing that would ever be able to change that.
"Sweetheart, listen, this is not your fault and you shouldn't think that. None of you knew he was going to ambush you," said Horatio in a very soft tone.
Natalia quirked brows at him over Calleigh's head, making him roll his eyes at her. Calleigh tried to say something, but didn't manage to due to another round of sobs and sniffles. Natalia could feel that her peach colored top were getting drenched, but she didn't really care, she found it better to let the blonde get it out.
Horatio just stood there helpless knowing there was nothing he could do to ease the pain for his second in command. He however came a little closer sitting down on the other side of her, feeling she might need him close by.
When she finally managed to pull herself together she said, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to lose it like that. It's just I can't picture life without him, he was one of the ones I was closest to and he didn't deserve to die like that. There is one other thing I need to ask which is rather hard for me as I think I passed out at some point."
Horatio nodded saying, "Go on."
"Well when I was put in the box I experienced some pain so I was wondering did he at any point rape me?" she said, looking from one to the other.
Natalia sighed deeply, looking away as Horatio said, "He…he sent a mail to Natalia, she watched you go through the maze, then pass out on the floor. He raped you in a rather cruel way before he put you in the box."
"He…he sent a mail to you, so you could see me…" she whispered, looking into Natalia's pained eyes.
"See you and hear you almost the whole time, Horatio were following Eric's feed and I yours, it got cut about thirty minutes before we found you, during that time we were trying to find where we were hid. We hoped to find you both, but…" Natalia stopped, again she looked away.
The way she said it and the way she seemed to tense up made Calleigh realize that she wasn't the only one that had been under torture, her friends had as well. She looked over at Horatio, he seemed troubled as well, and you needed a lot to tip him over.
She swallowed hard as she asked, "When is his funeral, I would like to go."
"The day after tomorrow, and sure you are up for that?" Natalia asked.
"If they will release me I have no problem with going," she said with a heavy sigh.
"I will talk to the doctor," said Horatio, leaving the two ladies to themselves as he went to find the doctor.
Calleigh looked deeply into Natalia's mocha colored eyes as she whispered, "I didn't think I would ever see you again."
"That was my fear as well," said the older woman, gently stroking her hair, before kissing her forehead.
"I was so scared," Calleigh whispered, shaking lightly.
"I could tell that you were, I wanted to get you out of there sooner, but we didn't know where you were. I almost killed him," said Natalia with a sigh.
"Poor Nattie," Calleigh said, stroking her cheek.
Natalia leaned her forehead against Calleigh's and for the first time since it had started she let her tears fall. Calleigh just let her knowing how scared she must have been. It had been a close call for them both.
The day of Eric's funeral it was raining heavily. Calleigh and Natalia was arriving together, both dressed in black dresses, Calleigh's reached her thighs, long arms, round neck. Around her neck there was a necklace bearing a silver cross.
Natalia's dress had short sleeves and was the same length as Calleigh's; she however had a V-neck on hers. Also she was wearing a silver cross and both had matching black heels as well, Natalia's had thicker heel.
As they entered the church they saw Horatio, Valera, Ryan, Walter and Alexx on the inside. Ryan looked at them gasping saying, "Calleigh, you're wearing a dress."
"And…?" she said with a frown.
"I was expecting a suit that's all," he said, while Valera rolled her eyes at her boyfriend.
"I do occasionally wear dresses," she said in a dry tone.
Alexx that was sensing that this could be the start of a fight simply said, "Will you two please keep in mind where we are and settle this later."
They both nodded and looked down like misbehaved children as Horatio gave Alexx and dignified nod. He without saying anything else motioned for them all go inside, and they quickly did, not wanting to make more trouble for 'their parents'. Horatio walked next to Alexx and her family shaking his head of his younger CSI's.
Calleigh looked at Eric's family that sat up front wondering if it would be appropriate that she sat with them or not. Eric's mother motioned for her to do so, so she signaled to the others that she would and that she would see them after than sat down with Eric's family.
Natalia cast some anxious looks at Calleigh during the funeral to see if her girl was okay. All things considered she seemed to be. She could tell she was crying and exchanging some words with one of Eric's sisters. Other than that nothing seemed to be out of order.
She looked over at Horatio only to see he was crying as well, making she put her hand in his for comfort, he smiled gratefully at her, but only for a short moment, then his eyes went to the minister again. Hers went to Ryan and Valera, she was leaning on him, both crying and by the looks of it Walter was crying as well.
She looked over at Alexx and her family that was sitting on opposite side of Horatio. Alexx was sitting with lowered head, leaning against her husband, she and her children were crying.
Natalia sighed as her eyes went towards the minister, she seemed to be the only one with dry eyes, and she never seemed to be able to cry in public for some odd reason. It was not because she was emotionless as on the inside her heart was truly breaking.
The brunette shivered lightly making Horatio remove his jacked and drape it around her shoulders, she nodded as a thank you as the minister finished up and asked for the coffin bearers to stop forward.
Horatio, Walter, Ryan and Eric's father stepped forward, getting in position, before carrying the heavy coffin out of the church. Eric's family quickly followed the coffin along with Calleigh. As Natalia saw her teary wet face walk past her, she could feel her heart aching for the young blonde. She just wished she could jump in and pull her into her arms and tell her that everything would be okay. Only for a change that wasn't a fact as one of their best friend were dead.
She slowly walked out of the church with the rest, keeping her head down, wanting it all to be over with so she could drive home as this day had been exhausting in every way.
"Talia," Calleigh's voice broke through the darkness inside her bedroom. The blonde had woken up by her friend crying sadly in her bedroom. She on the other hand was sleeping in the guest bedroom next door.
"What?" Natalia said aggressively.
"What's wrong?" Calleigh asked as she slowly neared her double bed.
"He's…he's really gone, and all I can think is that I'm glad it's not you, I know I shouldn't think like that, but I just can't help it," Natalia whispered.
"Awwww," Calleigh said, sat down beside her and pulled her into her arms.
"It was just…so scary, I mean all of us have at one point or another been close to dying, but we always made it through, only this time…When we found him…I'll never be able to get that out of my mind," she whispered, tears still streaming down her cheek.
Calleigh didn't know what to say, she just held her close and gently stroked her backside in a soothing way. She leaned her head on top of Natalia's, trying to hold her tears back, wondering if she ever would feel safe again. Even if Gene would spend the rest of his days in jail, there would still be others, and the memories of what had just been done to her was hunting her.
"Calleigh…" Natalia whispered.
"Yes, Talia," Calleigh whispered back, still holding her very close, it was almost like she was afraid to let her go.
"Please stay here tonight, I don't think I can stay alone after today, after all this," said Natalia with a heavy sigh.
Calleigh didn't answer much to this, she just lay down in bed and pulled Natalia on top, continuing to stroke her until she knew by her breaths that she had gone back to sleep. Still the blonde stayed awake for many hours, watching over her, wondering how she had happened to end up in her bed, it felt both wrong and right at the same time.
As she settled a bit better she finally felt safer than she had after the imprisonment of Gene, knowing that in time with Natalia's help she would no longer feel unsafe.
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