Tim's eyes were still focused on Calleigh, hoping to God she was alright. She moved and he sighed in relief.
"Cal, I—," Tim was cut off by a pained yell and he was surprised to hear it was his voice. Painfully, he turned his head and saw Kerner's grin and he squirmed out from under his arm, waving a gun in his face. Calleigh had rushed over now, her own gun raised. Kerner had gone off into the woods though and Calleigh slid down next to Tim.
"I'm gonna ask if you're okay." she joked weakly. "Oh god Tim don't do this."
He sunk back into her arms and she pressed against his side with her jacket, trying to stem the flow of his blood.
"I'm sorry. For everything."
"Shh... Tim, don't say that."
"I... I want you to know. We... we never... vacation." he mumbled incoherently, his head dropping onto Calleigh's shoulder.
"I don't care about that vacation. You're gonna be getting a lot of sick leave for this so we'll take it then."
Tim tried to laugh but it hurt too much.
"Honey, don't try to talk or anything." Calleigh ordered gently. Eric had finally found them and immediately called for Rescue to come. He knelt down next to Calleigh and she looked at him. "Is Jenny okay?"
"Yeah. Speed, what the hell got into you huh?"
"It hurts."
"No shit it hurts." Eric smirked, but there was a worried look on his face.
"Eric..."
"I'm here man."
"Take... take care of Calleigh."
"No man, you can do that yourself."
Tim shook his head.
"Why you always gotta be so pessimistic huh?" Eric asked. "You're gonna be fine. Help is almost here. You gotta hang on. Those three bratty kids of yours, they need you and Calleigh needs you."
Tim felt his eyelids drooping and Calleigh's hand run through his hair.
"Hey, Tim you gotta stay awake."
"I'm tired." he slurred.
"I know honey but just stay awake for a few more minutes."
"Cal..."
"I'm here Tim. I'm right here." tears were slowly pouring down her cheeks. "Come on, don't do this."
"I... I love you." he mumbled.
"I love you too but don't start talking like this. Tim? Tim!"
S/C-----------
Calleigh jumped out of her seat when she saw Eric walk in.
"Did you talk to someone?" she asked. He shook his head.
"They won't tell me anything." he replied. Calleigh let out a sob and Eric hugged her tightly. "Calleigh, he's fine."
"What if he's not? It took forever for rescue to get there and he lost so much blood!"
"Stop. Okay? Just stop. He's going to be fine."
"Where's Jen?" Calleigh asked, wiping her eyes.
"With Horatio." Eric replied. "Abbie is with Ryan and Nick is with Valera."
"I don't want them split up."
"It's safer that way. If Kerner goes after one of them again, he won't know where to look."
"Do they know? Abbie and Nicky?"
"Abbie does. I told Valera not to tell Nicky."
Calleigh shook her head and walked up to the nurses' station. One of the nurses looked up and smiled sympathetically.
"We'll tell you when we know something Mrs. Speedle."
"I know. You've said that about ten times but I need to know something. Anything..."
"I'll see what I can do."
"Thank you." Calleigh mumbled and sat back down.
S/C-------
"Abbie, I don't think we should be out and about." Ryan said.
"I can't stay in the house. He's not coming after me." she snapped. They stopped to get ice cream and they started walking again. Ryan took a lick of his chocolate ice cream and stared at the young woman before him.
"Look, I know you're upset..."
"My life is shit Ryan!"
"Don't say that."
"Don't say that?" Abbie laughed incredulously. "Don't say that? Ryan, I was kidnapped. I finally found my real parents and my mother goes into protection, making all of us believe that she died. Now she's back and Jenny gets kidnapped but then my parents go after her and my father winds up getting shot and is dying!"
"He's not dying Abbie. People get shot all the time."
"Mhmm. How many of them survive?"
"Quite a few. You'd be surprised what they do when people get shot nowadays." Ryan said. "Besides, he got shot twice before and he survived."
"What are you talking about?" Abbie stopped walking.
"Well I've only heard." Ryan mumbled. "From Delko."
"From Delko. Delko doesn't lie so what did he say?"
"Well... um... there was this thing, Dispo Day. Your dad was riding shotgun and he got shot by these people." Ryan explained. "He had a Kevlar on. From what Delko said, you were about two at the time. The next time, hell he wasn't as lucky. He barely made it."
"What?"
"Horatio and your father went to a jewelry store, trying to figure out a kidnapping."
"Was there some magical mystery there?"
"Fake jewels, or so your father said. There were 'guards' and one took a shot and your father got hit, sadly enough." Ryan said. "He almost died that time. Rescue barely got there and saved him just in time. But that was to the area around his heart. It's only his side."
"It's only his side!" Abbie yelled. "You make it sound like he's out and about right now. I swear Ryan if he's dead..."
He shoved her out of the way and people screamed as a shot rang through the air.
S/C-----------
"Mrs. Speedle?"
Calleigh nodded as a doctor walked over.
"I'm Dr. Cahill. Your husband..."
"Is he okay?" Calleigh asked. Before Dr Cahill could reply, Calleigh's cell phone went off. "Excuse me... Calleigh Speedle."
"M-M-Mom!"
"Abbie? Honey what's wrong? Where are you?"
"A-At th-the l-lab."
"Why are you there? Is Ryan with you?"
"N-N-No!"
"Honey, calm down for a second. What's going on?"
Calleigh waited as Abbie took a deep breath and started her story.
"I... we... I asked Ryan if we could go downtown. I was sick of being cooped up in the house. We were walking down the street and... and we started fighting over Daddy."
"What do you mean fighting over Daddy?"
"Ryan was talking about how Daddy got shot the other two times and he was okay but then he said something and I yelled at him. While I was yelling he shoved me out of the way... Mom, oh God!"
"Abbie, sweetie you have to tell me what's going on."
"It was Kerner!" she sobbed.
"Oh God. What happened? Let me talk to Ryan."
"I can't!"
"Why? Abbie, where is he?"
"He's dead! He took a bullet for me!"
Calleigh sunk back into her chair and rubbed a hand over her forehead.
"Did they catch Kerner?" she asked.
"Yeah... he's in interrogation right now. How's Daddy?"
"I don't know. The doctor just came out right now. Have you talked to Horatio or Valera?"
"Yeah. Nicky and Jen are fine."
"Okay good. Who's with you?"
"Tyler."
"Okay. Stay with him. When I find out what's going on I'm coming to the lab okay?"
"Okay."
"Alright. Abbie, just try and relax okay?"
"I'm trying."
"Okay. I'll talk to you soon." Calleigh snapped her phone shut and prepared herself for the worst. Dr. Cahill cleared his throat and started over again.
"Your husband lost a lot of blood."
"Yeah I know that. Is he okay?"
"Yes. He's going to be out for a while because of the anesthesia and the amount of blood he lost." Dr. Cahill said. Calleigh nodded, a look of relief on her face.
"Thank you very much."
S/C----------
Abbie looked up as the door to the break room swung open. She jumped off the couch and ran straight into Calleigh's arms, sobbing quietly.
"Hey, shh..." Calleigh maneuvered over to the couch and sat down, Abbie leaning on her. "Sweetie, calm down. Everything's fine."
"Daddy?"
"He's fine. He's just going to be knocked out for quite a while." Calleigh assured. "How are you holding up?"
"Mom I could've died."
Calleigh sighed. What was she supposed to say to that? She knew that if Ryan hadn't seen Kerner, then it would've been Abbie lying down in the morgue instead of Ryan.
"Don't lie to me. I know Mom."
"Oh honey Ryan wouldn't have let it happened."
"It's my fault he's dead." Abbie mumbled.
"No it's not." Calleigh pulled her away from her slightly. "Listen to me Abbie. It's not your fault at all. Ryan did what he had to do okay? He knows how important you are to Daddy and me. He would've done it for anyone. Okay? So don't blame yourself for a second."
"I was so scared Mom."
"I know honey. But everything's fine now. Kerner's been caught and we won't have to worry about him anymore."
