Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Except Doctor Greenwith.
A/N: This is a re-write of part of 'Lost Son'. If you are against character death and re-writes, don't read on.
Main Characters: Horatio, Speed.
Minor Characters: Alexx, Eric, Calleigh and Doctor Greenwith.
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Their Lost Son
Horatio was dimly aware of Speed's disappearance, ducking as the bullets whizzed by.
More shots were exchanged, Horatio firing at the unseen enemy, yet he did not hear Speed's gun.
Then the men were gone, running from the scene, Horatio didn't care.
Where was Speed? He holstered his gun, and turned, seeing Speedle on floor.
"Speed?"
He ran to the man, and knelt by his side. Tim was choking, gagging on his own blood, and it leaked slowly from the corner of his mouth. Horatio pushed aside his blood soaked shirt to see a shot wound in his chest.
"Speed, hang on," H cried to the wounded officer.
He radioed in an injury, a serious one, and requested back up and an ambulance.
He looked back at Speed, and cleaned away the blood from his mouth, but it was in vain, the blood just trickled back. Horatio cradled Speed's head in his arms. "Speed… Speed… Stay with me…" He then noticed the spreading blood pool.
"I-can't- feel… anything-" choked the wounded man falteringly.
"I know, I know, they'll be here soon," Murmured H.
He applied pressure to Speed's chest, causing him to writhe in pain.
His blue eyes were clouded, and for the first time, Horatio looked close to tears.
Paramedics burst into the Jewellers, with police officers, and the rest of the CSI team.
Calleigh gasped as she saw Tim, Horatio still by his side.
Both looked far away, Speed looked barely alive.
He was white, and his writhing had subsided.
Alexx stepped forwards and took Horatio's hand.
A medic knelt and said, "He needs to come with me now, He's lost a lot of blood."
H took a mournful look at Speedle and stood up from the pool of blood, gently laying Speed's head on the ground.
Alexx hugged him, holding him tight.
"It's okay baby," she told him quietly.
Horatio broke away and turned speechlessly to Calleigh and Eric, Calleigh's tear stained cheeks were a contrast to Eric's stony, stricken face.
"There's nothing more we can do here, - let's go." Alexx was surprisingly calm, but out of the corner of his eye he saw a big, fat tear roll down her cheek.
All the CSI's walked out, and as soon as they reached the door, Horatio had a hundred microphones thrust into his face.
The media had taken one good look at his blood spattered trousers and anguished face, and dove into the story.
Various reporters were about, talking into cameras, Horatio caught various common phrases, such as; "…Officer down in the line of duty,' and "…Life snatched away so suddenly…" So they believed he was already dead… He felt on the verge of tears again, and Alexx came to his rescue, putting her palm over the nearest microphone, and saying, "Detective Caine has no comment at the present time."
Horatio was dimly aware of Eric and Calleigh being flooded with questions, but was too deadened to take much notice.
The next events were a blur… he obscurely remembered being lead to the Hummer, and being driven to the hospital by Alexx, where they met the others, and an eerily long, excruciating wait for news.
Hours later, the four sat in a waiting room at the end of a bleak corridor, kept company by the cloying smell of antiseptic.
Delko stood over the water cooler in a corner, gripping a plastic cup as if he wanted to strangle it.
Calleigh had her eyes closed, head on a chair; although Horatio knew she was far from sleep.
Alexx sat in a chair next to her.
Horatio himself had been pacing, the red head was a broken man.
None of the team had said much, the silence of the Hospital was almost overwhelming.
All had tried to console Horatio repeatedly, and many times he had been asked if he wanted to get cleaned up, but he had refused to leave Speed, as did they all.
Alexx rose to him again, and spoke, her voice echoing in the quiet.
"It wasn't your fault Horatio; there was nothing you could do..."
"It all happened so fast…" he said.
He knew it was the oldest line in the book, but it was true, it had its place here.
This time, wordlessly, Calleigh stood and embraced him.
"We don't know anything yet, he may still make it…" she said quietly.
Trust Bullet Girl to see the bright side of such a situation, thought H, although all of them could see the doubt in each others' eyes at her statement, and at that point, they hated themselves for it.
Speed's parents had been called and were on their way.
At that moment, a doctor walked from a room, closing the door behind him.
"Err… Mr. Caine?"
The CSI's gathered behind Horatio, Alexx putting her arm around Eric's shoulders and Calleigh took Horatio's hand.
"I'm Doctor Greenwith." Numbly, Horatio shook hands. "We've done all we can for Timothy Speedle, and the operation… well, he's not expected to last the night."
The effect of these words on the team was immediate and visible.
Calleigh buried her head in Horatio's shoulder, and Eric looked at the ground, attempting to hide his shattered face, and silent tears.
Horatio stood almost unbelieving.
"You can see him now." The Doctor finished.
Wordlessly, they followed the doctor to a small room.
He opened the door, and let them in.
The first thing that Horatio took in was the white, desolate walls.
So unlike Speed, he thought, but as he looked to the form lying in the bed, chest bandaged, it seemed he belonged.
"I'll leave you alone now." The doctor said, walking from the room.
The CSI's gathered around his bed, Eric and Alexx stood at the foot, and Calleigh and Horatio took the seats either side.
Calleigh kissed his cheek, and spoke quietly to him.
The others felt this was a private moment, and looked away.
Eric went next, and through his tears, chuckled at something he said. He put his hand to Speed's shoulder, and stepped back.
Alexx did the same, and let Horatio go.
Horatio looked at him, the still white figure in the bed.
Just hours ago, he remembered telling Speed he should buy a car… he smiled a sad smile at the memory, but that all seemed so far away now… he spoke in lowered tones, taking Speed's hand in his.
"Speed, we're all here for you, and we all love you. I'll… always remember you." He choked, lost for words.
He left it at that, as the first real tear rolled down his cheek.
He had half expected Speed to just sit up and say, "Fooled you!" And laugh as Eric noogied him.
Now it had sunk in that that wasn't going to happen. He put his forehead to Speed's, then sat down.
In the silence that followed, Speed's eyes flickered open, and his lips gave the slightest twitch of a smile.
He closed his eyes again, and his heart monitor flat-lined.
They all knew he was gone, and together they whispered, "Goodbye, Speed."
It felt so final. And together, but in their own way, they broke down into tears, grieving for their lost son, grieving for Tim Speedle.