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Chapter 2: On the way
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"The lungs contain millions of small, elastic air sacs called alveoli. With each breath, these air sacs take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide, a waste product of the metabolism. Normally, the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide takes place without problems. But, sometimes, increased pressure in the blood vessels in the lungs forces fluid into the air sacs, filling your lungs with fluid and preventing them from absorbing oxygen — a condition called pulmonary edema. This is what your teammate suffered from, Mr. Speedle," the doctor explained.
Speed's face was blank. He looked over at Calleigh who was extremely pale and was having blood drawn from her wrist. Her eyes were closed and oxygen was being administered through a face mask. Speed glanced at the machine assisting Calleigh's breathing and turned away.
She received Roxanol; morphine to relieve her shortness of breath and associated anxiety, some Aspirin and blood pressure medications to raise it.
The doctor continued, "In most cases, heart problems are the cause of pulmonary edema, but fluid can accumulate in your lungs for other reasons, including lung problems such as pneumonia, exposure to certain toxins and medications, and climbing or living at high altitudes. We're just taking some blood to check arterial blood gas concentrations."
"Yeah." Speed was at a loss for words. He left the room to inform the rest of the group on how their beloved ballistics expert was doing.
"What's going on in there?" Eric asked, getting up to greet his colleague and friend.
"They're, ah, they're taking some blood to check the amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide she has..."
"H's on his way. I called him to explain our absence-"
"I keep thinking that if I had known about this, I could have taken her immediately... I could have gotten help faster
or - "
"You did everything you could," Eric interrupted. "Don't worry, man, I'm sure she's going to be fine... prompt treatment is bound to heighten her chances."
"I hope she's okay." Speed slumped in a nearby chair.
"I hope so too." Eric said honestly, joining him in worry.
It was very late in the evening when Horatio walked down the hallway, intending to check up on his team hard at work. He appreciated how his team would give their 150 , fighting sleep with caffeine and, for Speed, music. It was a hard and exhausting case yet the troops were strong and Horatio wouldn't hold back from complimenting them on their relentlessness to finish the demanding job. He happily chose to visit Calleigh first, not paying attention to the reproach Speed had given him a while back about favouritism.
He prowled deliberately, enjoying the anticipation of going to see her. He couldn't hide it... she was his favorite.
When she had sat across him in the break room, a while back, and had unconsciously brushed her foot against his thigh, he had been barely able to contain the masculine reaction.
flashback
Horatio shifted in his seat, clearing his throat to start a conversation with Alexx, leaning against the counter, sipping her coffee.
Trying to focus on Alexx talking about her kids, Horatio classified Calleigh's touch as accidental. Until, she did it again. This time, he didn't resist the urge of looking at her from the corner of his eye, but all he saw was her seemingly deep in conversation with Speed.
A second later, his eyes were back on Alexx, who hadn't even notice the moment of inattention.
Lunch went on, Calleigh dragging behind. She did eat slowly, but this was ridiculous. Horatio, usually late to start lunch and early to finish to get back to work as quickly as possible, purposely stayed behind.
When the room cleared and he and Calleigh were left alone, he asked, deliberately low, "Playing footsie with me, Calleigh?"
He gazed at her and Calleigh couldn't help but blush at his solid look, lips curving into a smile.
Scrambling through the various replies of 'you wish' that passed through her mind, she said, "If I remember correctly, I think I said I was gonna get back at you for what you did to me last week. Payback's a bitch, Handsome." She smiled with a seductive glint in her eye.
end of flashback
Horatio smiled at the memory while walking down the lab's corridor, slowly coming back to the present.
When he saw the discarded piece of clothing stuck between a lab door and doorframe, he accelerated his pace.
He crouched, freed the garment and rose, eyes in search of the cheerful blonde. He stepped inside the lab, recognizing a faint odor of HCL - he hadn't graduated with a degree in chemistry for nothing - and walked over to the fume hood. Knowing that it was safely on, hearing only the humming of the machine, he called: "Calleigh-"
His voice echoed in the lab. She should have been standing here, he thought. He looked around and found her safety glasses. He wondered what had happened- where she had run off to so quickly that she forgot to turn the fume hood off...
His heart was racing. If something had happened to her, he'd regret having been so coward as to go any further than flirting. He loved her, but no one else knew. At that instant, his cell phone rang.
TBC...