A/N: Apparently my dear muse is working overtime. I feel a bit guilty, so a confession about the last chapter, mostly not mine. Mostly the wonderful folks who write for the real show. This time it's mostly me. Hope you feel it fares as well. I have pulled some things from episode 5.15 "Man down."
Thank you to all the folks who are reading this. Huge thank you to those of you who click, type, click. Jasmine, Dolly, SBLuver, TenFour, ajay, lotsa...a thousand times thank you. You make my day.
Faster, faster, faster. The refrain ran through Annabel's mind in time to the bumps in the road. Frank turned hard into the garage. The tires squealed.
"Don't get us killed, Frank." Annabel paused briefly, but went back to releasing her seat belt. She braced her arms on the ceiling and dashboard to steady herself.
"I know how to drive, Annie," he snapped back. Frank raced the car up to the roof, stopping it just behind the Hummer. He tried to leave as much room as possible for an ambulance. "Annie, you stay here. We don't what the situation is," Frank called to Annabel. It was too late. She was sprinting past the Hummer. "Annie!"
Annabel came around the front bumper of the Hummer. "Horatio? Eric?" Relief flooded her as she saw Horatio standing tall between the cars. "Horatio!" He slowly raised his head and then looked back down. Annabel slowed down and followed his gaze. "Eric!" she shrieked coming to a dead stop. She shook her head to clear it, ran over to her friend and dropped down. "We need something to stop the bleeding. Horatio, hand me something to stop the bleeding." Annabel looked up. Horatio stared back at Annabel immobilized with shock, his gun dangling in his limp hand. "Please, help him Horatio," she pleaded. She felt someone tug on her arm. Annabel looked up into Frank's devastated face. "Frank?"
"It's okay, Annie," Frank's voice cracked. "EMT's are here. You have to give them room." He pulled her to her feet and away from Eric's body. Annabel hooked her fingers into Horatio's sleeve and drew him with them. Frank carefully peeled Horatio's gun from his hand and flicked the safety on. Annabel clutched at Horatio's hand. He wrapped his arm around her and held her tight as they watched the EMT's try to stabilize Eric.
Finally, Eric was loaded onto a gurney and rushed to the ambulance. The trio followed quickly behind. The gurney was loaded and the EMT's started to close the doors. Horatio broke away.
"I'm coming with my CSI." He glanced back at Annabel, who gave a quick nod.
"We'll meet you there," she assured him. "Go." Horatio nodded and jumped into the back of the ambulance. "Godspeed," whispered Annabel as the doors closed. As soon as the ambulance pulled away, Annabel looked over at Frank. He looked around the scene then at Annabel's cast.
"Can you drive with that thing?"
Annabel frowned, confused. "I...I haven't tried." She titled her head. "Why?"
"I'm gonna stay and help keep the scene secure." He tossed her the keys. "Don't scratch it."
"I'm not sure if that's a good..."
Frank ducked his head and shook it. "Call me when you have some news, Annie. Go on now."
"I promise. I'll call as soon as..." Annabel trailed off and got into the car. She carefully maneuvered and got turned around. She glanced back at Frank standing sentinel. He waved her off and she headed out of the garage. Annabel unclipped her badge from her waist and attached it to her collar to keep from getting stopped for too long. Squad cars headed up the ramps, passing her as she headed down. There was a blockade set up at the exit. The officer spotted her badge and waved her on.
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Horatio followed as Eric was unloaded from the ambulance and into Emergency. The EMT's called out vitals to the ER staff as they sprinted into an exam room. Horatio tried to follow, but was stopped in the doorway.
The nurse shook her head. "I'm sorry. We need you to stay out here. You'll be in the way inside. Actually, you should just stay in the waiting room..."
Horatio shook his head. "He's my responsibility. I'll stay right here." His voice was thick.
The nurse glanced inside the room and back at Horatio. The expression on his face caused further argument to die in her throat. "Just stay out here," she sighed.
"I will do that ma'am." The nurse nodded and went inside where a team worked on Eric. Horatio watched helplessly through the glass door.
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Annabel ran through the doors of the ER. She looked around for Horatio. Must be in the back. Annabel rushed to the desk. The concierge looked up with a clear and controlled expression.
"May I..."
Annabel interrupted him, not interested in a lot of pleasantries. "My friend, Eric Delko was just brought in with multiple gunshot wounds."
"The police officer." Annabel didn't bother to correct him, just nodded slightly. "He's being worked on." Annabel started to head for the doors, but was stopped. "You can't go back there."
Annabel turned and glared. She tapped the badge still attached to her collar. "I'm family."
The concierge shook his head. "I'm sorry. You just have to stay out here. The doctors and nurses need to have room to work."
Annabel paced back and forth a few steps. "My husband, Lieutenant Horatio Caine came in with Eric. Where is he?"
The man thought for a minute. "I'm not sure." He started to type.
"He wasn't injured. He rode in the ambulance with Eric," Annabel clarified. Her heart squeezed slightly at his assumption.
"Oh. Um. I guess..."
Annabel leaned on the desk. "He's back there," she stated pointedly.
"I'm sorry. I don't know why they didn't make him come out here, but I cannot let you go in back. Please, Officer Caine, it's best for your friend."
Annabel's scowl deepened. "It's Detective McGinty-Caine," she enunciated carefully.
"Detective, I will tell you what I can as soon as I can. I'm...I'm sorry." He sighed. This was going to be a long afternoon. Annabel glared one more time, pulled out her cell phone and went outside. She called Frank.
"How's Eric?"
"No news yet. Horatio managed to get into the back, but I got stymied. Anything on your end?"
"We're buttoned up here. I think Calleigh and Ryan were headed your way."
"Then the three of us can glare at the doorman."
"He's just doin' her job."
Annabel looked up blinking. "I know. Doesn't help. I'll call you later, Frank."
"Let me know soon, Annie."
"As soon as I hear." Annabel hung up. She paced a bit. Suddenly, Annabel opened her phone again and punched in a number. "Hey, Dr. Hamel. I know. Well, I got a little sidetracked. Well, I'm at Miami General. Do you think someone here might be able to...? Thanks. I will set that follow-up appointment. Promise. Thanks again, Dr. Hamel."
Annabel hung up and headed back inside. She stopped in front of the concierge The man shook his head.
"I don't have any information yet. They're still working on your friend."
Annabel smiled warmly. "Actually, I need you to page Dr. Hildebrandt. I'm finally getting this cast off." The man looked confused. Annabel tilted her head and rocked it back and forth. "I was supposed to go in and have it done with my doctor today, but things kind of got in the way. I just called her and she made arrangements with Dr. Hildebrandt."
"Oh." He picked up the phone and dialed. After a few sentences, he hung up. Dr. Hildebrandt said to go ahead and set you up in an exam room. He'll be down in a few minutes." He put some paper work on a clipboard filled out a sticker and handed it Annabel. "Put this on and follow me."
Annabel smiled again. "Thank you." She trailed behind the staffer through the maze of rooms. He led Annabel to a room, pulled back the curtain and indicated that Annabel should sit on the bed.
"Wait here, Dr. Hildebrandt said he'd be here in about five minutes. Go ahead and fill out the forms." Annabel nodded cooperatively. The concierge shut the curtain and headed away. Annabel quickly filled the forms in and signed them. She sat and carefully listened to the noises of the ER. Annabel tried to match what she was hearing to what she had seen while being brought back here. She was just about to go exploring, when the curtain was pulled back and two people wheeling a tool cart entered her space.
"Afternoon, I'm Dr. Hildebrandt. This is Lauren. She's an Orthopedic PA. So, you skipped your appointment, but decided to get your cast off anyhow?" The doctor looked at Annabel seriously. Annabel blushed slightly. He broke into a grin. "Katie, Dr. Hamel, kind of filled me in a little. Lucky for you I was free and we can get things taken care of."
Annabel ducked her head. "Um. Thank you."
"Well, don't make it a habit and it'll be fine," he teased. "Lauren's going to cut the cast off and then I'll check mobility and then you're out of here." Annabel nodded. "Why don't you have a seat in the chair and rest your arm on the bed. That will steady it a little better."
While Lauren started up a small saw, Annabel arranged herself as suggested. Lauren approached her and started cutting along the one side. Within five minutes the cast was off. Dr. Hildebrandt picked up Annabel's arm and manipulated the wrist.
"Any pain?" She shook her head. Dr. Hildebrandt did a little more twisting to check other movement. "Well, everything looks good. You need to get back with Dr. Hamel for a follow-up, but I think you're free for now. How about I show you how to get out?"
"Oh, I think I can find my way back," replied Annabel. Dr. Hildebrandt smiled.
"Things are a little tricky back here. You can just follow me."
Annabel blinked slowly, trying to think up a new plan. In the end she nodded and stood up. Dr. Hildebrandt let her through the maze. She was trying to run through her mind how to get back there again, when Dr. Hildebrandt rounded a corner and she spotted Horatio staring into a room. Annabel looked up at the doctor, startled.
"Just remember to make that follow-up visit, Detective," he reminded her and disappeared.
Annabel walked slowly toward her husband, who was focused on the frantic activity happening on the other side of the glass doors. Horatio didn't even glance in her direction as she stopped beside him. The heart monitor devolved into a blaring alarm. Annabel watched the team inside hitting Eric with defibrillator, trying to revive him. Her lips started to move in silent protest as the monitor droned on. Horatio slid his fingers against Annabel's, neither turning their gaze from the fight to save their friend's life.
The doctor in charge looked through windows. She was a bit surprised to see a second person had joined the red-haired policeman in the hall. She looked back at the man on her table and asked for the power to be upped on the defibrillator. One of the interns gave a time check. The doctor glanced over and punched the paddles again. Still flat lined.
"Doctor, it's been ten minutes. Shouldn't we call it? Doctor?"
She glanced at the two figures in the hall again. They stood together silently watching her. She looked away and took a deep breath. She took her hands off Eric's chest and looked up at the clock. " OK. Time is 1:03." Horatio looked at the floor. Annabel stared blindly forward, tears spilling down her face.
The doctor looked through the glass doors. Horatio stared at the ground, shoulders slumped. Annabel stared at Eric, face wet, lips moving soundlessly. The doctor sighed. This was why people weren't supposed to be back here. They couldn't accept the end. The doctor looked at the man on her table, then back at the couple. She shook her head. OK, one more thing.
"Gimme an amp of inter-cardial epi." Someone passed her a syringe. The doctor felt for the right space between the ribs and rammed it home. Eric sat bolt upright, eyes bulging, mouth open gasping. He bounced a couple of times, then collapsed against the gurney. A measurable heartbeat appeared on the monitor.
"He's back."
"OK, let's stabilize him. Get a CT scan and prep him for the OR."
Annabel let out an audible breath. Horatio squeezed her hand tight. She blinked her eyes rapidly and dug at her eyes with a fist.
"I...I...I should go and see if anyone's here. Let them know. Call Frank." Annabel's voice crackled.
The doctor stepped out into the hall. She looked from Horatio to Annabel.
"Your friend is stable for now. We're gonna do a CT scan and send him into surgery. He's not out of the woods yet. But there's nothing else you two can do here."
Horatio nodded. "People are waiting for news."
"We'll let you know as soon as we have any," she went back into the room.
"Thank you," said Annabel softly. She looked through the door one more time at Eric. Horatio wrapped his arm around her shoulders and kissed Annabel's hair. They walked to the waiting room to spread the news.
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