Disclaimer: I don't own CSI: Miami. What else is new?
A/N: Some comic relief… and then chaos… -.-
Chapter 24
They were fighting over the bill. At first it had been the women against the men, but then it quickly escalated to a fight just between the women.
"I'm sure that there's some way that this can all be solved," said the salt-and-pepper haired man. He didn't want an unnecessary scene to take place. Why won't she…they…just let me pay? He pulled out his plastic card.
Valera snatched it and stuffed it down her shirt, simultaneously crossing her eyes and sticking out her tongue. "You can get it back later… I'll pay!"
Calleigh, who was uncontrollably giggling at the FBI agent's horrified expression, said, "Y'all just relax… I'll pay the bill."
"I just stuffed your boyfriend's card down my shirt…I think, I'll pay." Peter just laughed nervously. Oh great…how am I gonna get it back? He and the blonde woman besides him were flushed from him being called her boyfriend.
Ryan was getting slightly annoyed at everyone's late morning bickering. He slightly stood up and called for the waitress. When she came over, he handed her his card. "Here…this is for the bill."
The waitress graciously accepted it since the squabbling was shining the restaurant under a bad light. By the time the two women realized what he had done, it was too late.
"Hmph," said the wild DNA technician. She had been having so much fun. "I guess I won't need this anymore."
The older man accepted it with a face red with embarrassment as she returned to him his card from out of her top. Ryan was about to make a comment, when he felt a buzz.
"Wolfe." I can't believe this… I'm here to help the people…and I couldn't make to work at the right time because I had a slight hangover…I feel like such a hypocrite…
"Ryan? Where the heck are you guys?"
"Uh…" He swallowed nervously. How do I answer that without getting us all in trouble…
"You know what? That's not important right now-"
"-Frank, is something wrong?" The trio stopped their conversations to listen to what was going on, on the other side of the phone.
"Yeah, something's wrong. Natalia and Eric were supposed to get the day off and yet somehow they're at the crime scene and you two aren't…Is Calleigh with you?"
"Yeah, where are you?" He didn't know if it was from the after-affects of the previous night's drinking, but he was getting slightly ticked at the detective. Why can't he just be straightforward?
"At Cocoa Bean Apartment Complex… you and Calleigh have to come and process the scene, we need-"
"Where's Horatio?" There was a silence on the other end, making the CSI momentarily believe that the line had disconnected.
"The paramedics are checking on him and Alexx… and Eric got rushed to the ER."
"WHAT?" The three other occupants of Big Pink's booth jumped a bit at his sudden outburst. "Frank, you kind of failed to mention that! What hospital is he-" At the mention of a hospital, everyone became even more silent and alert.
"Mr. Wolfe?"
"Horatio?" The detective had apparently handed over the phone to the head crime scene investigator. "What happened?"
"Mr. Wolfe, I need you to come to the Cocoa Bean Apartment Complex to process a crime scene in Room 706. Take Calleigh with you."
"What happened? Is everyone okay?"
"The sooner you come the better… a CSI's life may depend on it…"
"Wait, Eric? …wait… where's Natalia?" The gears in his head were beginning to ease back into session. Maybe the Motrin's finally kicking in…
"She's M.I.A., Mr. Wolfe. M.I.A. It's urgent that you two arrive here promptly."
"You can't be serious! How can she be missing from the crime scene!" The ballistics expert snatched the phone from out of her obsessive compulsive colleague's hands.
"I'll be waiting for you two."
"Horatio," she shouted into the electronic device, but was answered only by a monotonous dial tone. "Ryan! What's going on?"
"We have to go, now. Crap…I have to sign this first." The waitress returned with his credit card. He slightly regretted widening the already huge hole in his wallet as he promptly flourished his signature onto the receipt.
"Fill me in, now!"
"Yeah, we have to get to Cocoa Bean Apartment Complex right away." He started walking towards the exit, with Calleigh close on his tail.
"Why were you talking about hospitals…Ryan, who's missing?"
"Horatio and Alexx are with the paramedics; Eric's getting treated at the ER; Natalia's nowhere to be found."
Calleigh was left speechless. What happened "Who'd you speak with?"
"Frank and H."
The quartet stood by their cars. They needed to split up. The two investigators needed to make an urgent stop to the Miami-Dade Police Department Crime Lab and grab their processing kits.
"Peter," asked the distressed blonde, "can Ryan and I borrow your car and Valera can you drive him to the lab?" The two people being addressed nodded and she retrieved the agent's keys. "Thank you."
She started the car while her anal partner hopped into the passenger seat. "Put on your seatbelt," she warned, "I'm not going to be driving very safely."
"Perfect," the CSI stated dryly.
"Lieutenant, sir? Are you alright?" The paramedics were pampering him and his coroner, thoroughly examining the two of them to make sure they didn't have any concussions from the blows they had received to the head.
"I'll be fine once I can get out of here." Here, being the ambulance parked outside the crime scene. "How is she?"
"Mrs. Woods?" The young paramedic had taken her information as well and was making sure that she was stable.
The medical examiner moaned. "Horatio… what happened?"
"I'm still trying to determine that."
"Were-were we ambushed?" Oh my God. Thank You, I'm still alive…my kids… She choked back a sob.
"I believe that may be the case. As soon as this is over, I'll have a patrol car pick you up and bring you home." Despite the situation, he smiled warmly and reassuringly.
"Thank you, Horatio." It took her a moment, but then she thought of something. "Weren't Eric and Natalia supposed to arrive? Oh no. Did-"
"Alexx, I don't want you to worry about it."
"Horatio, are they hurt?"
"Eric's in the ER. Frank shot the perpetrator. I became conscious at that time and shot him as well. He's dead." His expression was very grim.
"And Natalia?" She didn't like the sound of things and her worried tone made that clear.
"She's nowhere to be found." This last fact bothered him. If that was Luke who attacked us…then did he take her? But then we destroyed a good chance of finding her in one piece…
"Oh…oh… the poor baby…"
"Ryan and Calleigh are on their way."
"Horatio… she's pregnant… if something happens, then she may go-"
"Nothing will happen, ma'am. We're going to find her." We will.
"Okay, sir, ma'am," the paramedic returned, "you two are stable and can leave. CSI Delko was taken to Dade Memorial's ER. We hope for the very best!" The ambulance began to pull out.
"HORATIO!" The ginger-haired man turned to the sound of his name; he recognized the voice immediately.
"Marisol. Sweetheart, what are you doing here?"
"Mr. Tripp just called me! Are you hurt?" She scanned his face and body for any remnants of something bad. "Your head! You're hurt."
"It's just a graze, my dear. Don't worry." He smiled encouragingly to her.
"What happened? You're not telling me something." She was unsure whether or not she actually wanted to hear the news.
"Ma'am, Eric's in the ER at Dade Memorial right now." His wife let out a loud gasp. "I'll take you there myself, once my CSIs arrive."
"What-what happened to him?" She pressed her lips and clenched her fists together in an attempt not to cry. The attempt failed.
Her husband held her close to him. "Marisol, Eric's going to be fine. I'm sure of it." He was assuring her as much as himself.
Between shaky sobs, she forced out, "I have to call my Mamí, she's taking care of those two kids…and Papí…"
"Ma'am, Frank's already on it."
"I just, I just, I don't understand… how can something like this happen?"
"I'm sorry, honey. I wish I could explain." He stopped speaking and just held his wife until her tears stopped flowing and her racking sobs quelled down; the whole time, awaiting the arrival of the two crime scene investigators.
Can't fall asleep… this is like hypothermia…can't… just can't. She had given up a while ago trying to scream and kick her way out. How could I let this happen? HOW!
The tears that rolled down her cheeks and ran down her neck left behind a somewhat warm trail. It's so cold… this can't be good for the baby…
She strained again to get the top open, but it was completely fruitless. The door wouldn't budge.
The whiteness surrounding her was making her edge-y and her close proximities were making her claustrophobic. She was finding it difficult to breath and squeezed her eyes shut. Think Lamaze…think Lamaze! Breathe, Natalia…
She screamed and tried once again to open the top and banged the sides in frustration. She took in one shaky breath after another. Why is this happening? Why? She gulped for air and miserably began to accept her surroundings.
It's so cold… She was shaking really tremendously. I'm not dressed appropriately…the baby…oh… She went from worrying about the baby, to worrying about the baby's father. Where is he? Is he okay? Did something happen? Where am I? Will people be able to find me?
Her eyes and exposed skin began to burn from the frigid temperatures. How long do I have?, she thought pessimistically.
In one last effort, she tried once more to escape, but failed. She breathed out a sob of aggravation and struggled desperately to keep her eyes open. Please, someone…please…
A/N: -holds a mini celebration- Wow! Yes! I've actually updated! LOl… I can't believe it's taken me this long, but finally the next chapter is up! XD