The Pain of Those Left Behind:

Chapter Two:

He Saw It Coming

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A/N: I apologize for my spelling errors in the chapter, I'm still new to posting stories at this site, and I will correct the past errors in time.

Last night I tried to upload this new chapter, but I was half asleep and I screwed up. I ended up freaking out thinking I would have to scrap the whole thing. So I just removed the first chapter, re-uploaded it, and now I'm attempting to try it again.

Now I'll cross my fingers and hope I do it correctly...

Now, to my awesome reviewers: Rock On.

Pairing: E/C of course and I will attemp to add H/Y--
no H/S today folks ;-)

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Eric and Horatio entered the waiting room after the 15 minute drive to Dade Memorial Hospital, where Calleigh went into immediate surgery.

Upon arrival, they were greeted by Alexx, Yelina, Ryan and Anna Maria.

"Eric, honey.." Alexx rushed over to give Eric a hug."Are you Ok?" She asked him gently.

"I don't know Alexx... I don't know."

"Daddy!" Anna Maria ran over to him and hugged his leg."Why are we here? Auntie Alexx wouldn't tell me." She pouted.

Eric looked at Alexx pleadingly. She turned away, trying to hide her tears.

He pulled her off his leg, into his arms. "I'll tell you later. OK?

"Okay..." She pouted.

"Hey, I'm going to go up to the waiting room, anyone want to go with?" Ryan asked.

"I'll go." Eric said, still holding onto Anna Maria.

"Yeah, wait for me,too." Alexx replied.

"What about you H?" Eric said holding the door open with the button.

Yelina nodded toward Horatio, indicating she wanted a word with him.

"I'll be up in a minute." Horatio responded,

"Ok." Eric answered, then he let the door close.

"Come on, let's take a little walk." Yelina said.

"Any word on Calleigh since they took her up?"

"None so far, Horatio. They only said she needed immediate operation, and took her away." She sighed heavily, "I'm sorry that this had to happen again. If there is anything I can do to help.."

Horatio nodded, took his sunglasses off, looked her straight in the eyes, and said, "You all ready have helped me."

She smiled shyly and blushed."You know Horatio... I kicked Stetler out last night."

He raised his brows. "Oh really."

"Yeah, he was pissing me off. I overheard him trash talking you and Ray. And I decided not to take it anymore." She shrugged like it was nothing.

"Are you OK about that?"

"Sure, I really don't care for him anymore...He was nice to me at first."

"Yelina.. I swear if he ever laid a hand on you..."

"Settle down, Horatio. He never hit me."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Can I ask you a question?" He stopped.

"Anything."

"Why are you sharing this with me?"

"Because, I want you to know my door is always opened."

Horatio smiled slightly."Thank you." Horatio had always thought he had to tell people that.

She smiled in return. "What do you say we go up to the waiting room and give our friends some support."

"Good idea."

And they went back to the elevators.

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The group had been at the hospital now for about 3 hours, having not received any news since they arrived

Eric was the one who finally broke the silence that fell upon the waiting room.

"H... How do I tell her that her mother's been shot?" Eric asked quietly, looking at Anna Maria, she was sitting silently on the navy blue couch in the waiting room, trying to make sense of what was happening.

She has no idea what was going on- she just knew something was wrong.

Horatio took off his sunglasses. "Eric, If you like, I can tell her."

He thought about this for a second. "No." He answered," I better do it. It's my responsibility as her father."

"I understand." Horatio nodded toward her."You shouldn't keep her waiting any longer."

"Yeah. I'll do it now."

He made his way to the couch and sat down.

"Anna..." He said quietly," There is something I need to tell you." He told her.

She looked up at him curiously. "Uhuh?" He clearly had her attention.

"Something happened to Mommy today at work."

"What Daddy? Is that why we're here?"

"Yeah.. See, A bad man hurt Mommy, and she might not get better." He sighed.

The little girl looked at Eric, fully understanding what he had said. He and Calleigh didn't waste any time telling her that there was bad people in the world that could hurt her, and at her young age, they taught her enough that she knew what could happen.

Eric watched tears cloud her green eyes. "Okay." She nodded.

She closed her eyes and looked down.

After a minute of silence, he finally asked, "Are you OK baby?"

She nodded her head again, "I was asking Jesus to take care of Mommy." She answered, clutching the Rosary Eric's mother had given her the week before.

That simple sentence nearly broke Eric's heart more than it was already broken. He remembered what it was like, having that child-like faith.

"Come here." He picked her up and set her on his lap. "Are you sure you're OK?" He kissed her forehead.

"N..no..." She stuttered, then burst out into tears.

"It's going to be OK sweetheart..."

"But how can I be OK when Mommy's not OK?" She sobbed.

Eric could no longer hold back his tears, it was too much for him to handle.

Too much at one time.

After a few minutes of the father and daughter crying, Anna Maria finally fell asleep in Eric's arms. He guessed
all the crying had taken all the energy out of her little body.

He decided to lay her back on the couch, while he got some fresh air.

Eric walked outside to square balcony that sat outside the waiting room. He needed the time alone, to think about the pain that had fallen upon his little family.

He tried to think of what Calleigh might have been through, what pain she experienced. But the strange thing, (or what was strange to him) is that when ever he thought about Calleigh lying on an operating table, he thought about Speed, and if he had cleaned his gun, he might have been in the exact same place, exactly three years ago.

That scared him for some odd reason.

Three years...ago today... He thought.

It haunted him. The dreams haunted him, which also brought him back to the nightmare he had of Calleigh getting shot. He had actually forgotten about that until now.

It must have had some kind of premonition, there was no other explanation.

His train of thought was interrupted by the sounds of a door opening. He looked over to see Ryan Wolfe standing behind him.

"Hey Eric... " He came to stand by him, looking over at the Miami skyline.

"Hey Wolfe." He responded glumly.

"I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry what happened to Calleigh.." He rubbed his temples. "I heard the gunshot... I..I.. tried to get her out of the way in time, but I couldn't." He stuttered. "I'm really really sorry." His voice finally broke. "I guess it wasn't enough."

Eric patted his friend on the back, "Don't blame yourself. You did what you could...And I'm thankful for that."

Ryan looked at him, "You really mean that?"

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I?"

He shrugged. "I don't know, I guess I thought you might blame me."

"Nah...man." He held out a hand."Are we cool?"

"Yeah, thanks."

Suddenly Alexx's frantic voice came from behind them, "Eric! You better get in here! The doctor wants to speak with you!" Worry and hope collided in her voice.

Eric shot a quick look at Ryan, and ran after Alexx. Ryan followed as quickly as possible.

Eric got in the waiting room, and asked Alexx, "Where is he?"

"Over there.." She pointed towards the left of the room.

He walked over to a tall man of about 40 years old, dressed from head to toe in scrubs, his gentle, blue, eyes peering over the green surgical mask.

"Ah, Mr.Delko." He said, offering a hand to shake.

"Sir.." He readily shook his hand, "How is she?"

"We extracted the bullet, it was dangerously close to the aorta, but we got it."

"Ok... "

A sigh of relief swept the room.

"But she's not out of the clear, yet. She might be at risk of infection."

The worry re-entered, dominating any optimism that had come.

"Luckily, the baby was unharmed. She's been assigned a room, we're just waiting for her to regain consciousness."

"What!" Eric exclaimed, in complete state of shock."S..s.she was pregnant?"

"Yes, about one month. She didn't tell you?"

He suddenly felt sick. Hot, cold, and nausea all set in at the same time. He slumped to the floor, and gulped.

"Eric!" Horatio knelt down next to him."Give him space! Give him space people." He ordered, pushing back his friends. "I know you care... He just needs space.." He turned Eric's head to face him. "Eric.. Stay with my buddy, stay with me."

"H... I feel terrible. I.. I could have lost Calleigh and a baby..." He looked white as a sheet.

"It's OK Eric... It's going to be OK." He assured.

Eric nodded. "Yeah. I just need some air..."

"Ok... We'll get you some air."

Horatio and the doctor helped Eric up and took him outside on the balcony.
After leaving him to lean on the railing, Horatio summoned the doctor to speak with him.

"No offense Doctor, but, " Horatio slid his ever-ready sunglasses on, "If there is something you are not telling him..."

Horatio never got to finish his sentence. Because, the doctor inerjected, "This is really none of your business, Detective Caine, she isn't your wife, or your daughter." He defended himself.

"You know something... You're right. She isn't. But she is my friend, and my friends are my family. So, I must say again, if there is something you aren't telling him, I might suggest you do so, before I arrest you for withholding information on an on-going case." He said cooly, "Because, my friend, that is illegal"

"Ok... Ok..." The doctor finally broke."I found something else..."

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I know... I know... I am evil by ending it right there ... hehehe...

What do ya think? Let me know, Ok?