Title: His Last Case
Disclaimer: Violence. Slash. Angst.
POV: Horatio
Chapter Eleven: Stand Off
Thursday Afternoon- 12:01pm
Delko cries. I wrap an arm around his shoulders. He leans into me.
"It's okay. Let it out," I say softly.
I exit the lab. The hospital is releasing Yelina. I wish I could pick her up. But I have to wait for Frank. He has news about our missing van.
I lean against one of the metal railings. Both night shift and swing shift are backing up with work. The man in charge of the lab was actually being generous. I guess the record my team has is better than most others. Because my team had been compromised I was given full control of Yelina, Hagen, and Tripp. Something I needed.
The team was losing hope that Speed was alive. Calleigh wasn't her witty self anymore. Delko hadn't even bothered to come in today. It was as though death hung over the place.
"Hey, Horatio."
"Frank," I say. "What have you got for me?"
"Your van is a rental."
"Trace the renter?" I ask. I don't allow my hopes to get up.
"Mr. and Mrs. Ufont. They rented it to two nights ago."
"Have we located them?"
"Yes, sir. However, they reported the van stolen yesterday. Police patrolled the city and obviously didn't find it."
"If it sat in the same spot for two hours, how did they miss it?"
"They were looking for a black van with Florida plates. The van that hi Yelina had New York plates and a British flag hanging in the window."
"Send the plates and flag to Trace."
"On my way."
My phone rings at that moment. Frank says a hasty goodbye as I pull the phone from my pocket.
"Horatio," I answer.
"I'm lost, H."
"Lost? Eric, what's wrong?" I can tell by the sound of his voice that "lost" doesn't mean he needs driving directions.
"Horatio…I need help."
"Eric-"
"It' too quiet here, H."
I ear the depression in his voice. "Eric, stay put. And don't do anything stupid. I'll be right there."
Calleigh pulls up with Yelina but they'll have to wait until later. I take off for the H2 I usually drive. As soon as I pull out of the parking lot I flip on the siren. Clearly this is an emergency; a life or death situation.
It takes me just ten minutes to get to Eric's apartment. I rush up the stairs to his place. I knock on the door. Nothing. So I knock again. Still nothing.
"Eric, open up."
Still nothing. So I try the door. It's unlocked. Eric is sitting on the couch.
"Eric, are you okay?"
As I draw near I see his gun on the coffee table in front of him.
"Eric, let's talk."
He doesn't take his eyes off whatever it is that he's staring at.
"Why are you here, Delko? You should be at Frank's. That was our agreement. In fact, it was an order."
"I wanted to feel like I was close to him again."
"I understand that, Eric. But it's not safe here."
His gaze shifts to the gun. Having it there, within his reach, made me uneasy.
"That's not the answer, Eric."
"He's dead, H."
"No he's not." I move closer to the gun.
He looks at me. Anger mixed with grief clouds his eyes. "You said so your self. All that blood…"
"We don't know that all that blood belongs to Speed."
Delko jumps up. He grabs the gun. "You know it's his. You know it!" He waves the gun around.
"Eric. Take it easy."
"How much oil does it take to ruin a blood sample?"
"I don't know, Eric."
"Maybe we should find out." He cocks the gun.
"Eric. Put the gun down."
He raises his arm.
"Eric."
Fear grips my heart. I can't stand by while Delko shoots himself. Or me. So I move. I dive on him. Knocking him to the couch on his back. I land on top of him. The gun falls to the floor. The force triggers it and it goes off.
Delko yells in pain.
"Eric?"
"Damn it, H. You pulled my stitches!"
I stand, picking up the gun. I empty all the bullets from it.
"I'm sorry, Delko. But I couldn't let you shoot your self. Tim would never forgive me."
I can tell that Delko is tearing up.
"He's gone."
I sit down on the couch. "Have faith. Speed is a survivor."
He rights himself. Bits of blood soak into the side of his shirt. "You know what?"
"What Delko?"
"We were talking about moving in together."
I smile softly. "When he says yes, tell me. I'll help him move in."
Delko actually smiles. But it passes quickly. He beings crying. I wrap an arm around his shoulders. He leans into me.
"It's okay. Let it out," I say softly.