Title: His Last Case

Disclaimer: Violence. Slash.

POV: Hagen

Chapter Twelve: On Fire
Thursday Night- 11:42pm

I leave the small bouquet of flowers on top of Calleigh's locker. I slip a small envelope inside. She left with Horatio nearly four hours ago. I fell awful for pushing her away with my jealousy. So I find myself trying to reconcile with her.

My original plan had been to plead with her in person. But today was not my day. Yelina's accident had consumed Cal's morning. Then she spent the most of the day at Delko's place. Until Frank came and picked up him to take him home.

By now it was 6:30pm. Calleigh returned to the lab. But she left shortly after.

I climbed into my car. My head rested against the seat. Delko's freak-out this afternoon was so unsettling. So much has changed. I admit, I was never a fan of Speed. That doesn't mean I want him to die.

Something else crosses my mind. I sigh and hit my hand against the steering wheel.

"You've been thinking about it all afternoon, John. It's not possible. Speed and Delko aren't a couple. Are they?"

Headlights sweep across the parking lot; momentarily scaring me.

"Get a hold of your self, John. And stop talking to your self. They'll lock you up."

I start the car and make my way home.

I worry about Calleigh. She showed so much emotion when Horatio told her he almost died. Why would Delko try to shoot him? I began to wish that this week would just start all over. On a good note, though.

I park outside my house. Not much of a place but it's home. My phone rings as I walk up the walkway.

I check the caller ID.

My heart starts racing.

I answer it. "Speed?"

Heavy breathing.

"Speed, are you there?"

"Help." His voice is weak.

"Where are you?" I jog back to my car.

"The…."

"Come on, stay with me, Speed!"

"Docks." He starts coughing.

"I'm on my way."

I flip on the sirens as I pull out of the driveway. It'll take me twenty minutes to reach the docks.

"Talk to me, Speed."

More coughing. Followed by the phone going dead. I quickly re-dial the number. But no one answers.

"Damn it!"

I push the car up to 80mph. The streets aren't too busy and I'm able to fly to the docks. It takes me only fifteen minutes to get there.

"Where are you, Speed?" I mumble.

Smoke scents the air. I run toward the smell. A large warehouse has smoke pouring out the windows.

"Shit!"

By a stroke of luck I hear sirens in the distance. Good, help is on the way. Thinking of Speed, I dart into the building.

Inside about ten feet away I see him. He's lying on the floor, unconscious.

I run toward him

Smoke builds around me.

I feel the blood before the pain as a bullet hits me in the shoulder.

I fall to my knees.

Flames consume the back of the building. The smoke curls around me. Speed is no longer visible to me. I start coughing.

I wonder where help is as I pass out.

"Is he going to be alright?"

"Yes, Lieutenant, but we still need to get him to the hospital. He inhaled a lot of smoke."

"Alright."

"Any idea why he was here, sir?"

"Not a clue. But I'll find out."

When I wake up I know right away that I'm in the hospital. The pain in my shoulder is a low hum. My head throbs.

Speed.

Frantic, I sit up in bed. The room spins. But I don't care.

"What the hell?" A nurse enters the room.

"I can't stay here. I have to find someone."

"Sir-"

"Get back in that bed." Horatio's unexpected entrance causes the nurse to jump.

"Horatio-"

"That was an order, detective."

The nurse excuses her self. I relax in the bed. There's no point in fighting Horatio.

"Why were you at that warehouse, Hagen?"

"To get Speed."

He lifts his gaze from the floor to my eyes. "Tell me."

"He called me. I saw him there. In that building." Something dawns on me. "You didn't find him, did you?"

Horatio fiddles with his sunglasses. Why the hell does he have them at night?

"Oh, no. No. He didn't…."

"I just came from the burned out building. No bodies where found. The firefighters searched as much as they could. They found you and no one else."

I shake my head. "He was there, Horatio. I saw him."

H seems lost in thought. Maybe he things I'm lying, or just plain crazy.

"I believe you, John. I believe the person who shot you set up a trap. And they still have Speed."