A/N: OK,didn't want to leave Frankie bleeding on the ground fortoo long, so thought I'd better update quickly. Will get a littledark here, but don't worry, I won't make Horatio suffer too much.
Horatio had been inside, collecting some messages from the front desk when the sound of gunfire ripped through the air. Drawing his own gun, he ran outside, followed by most of the MDPD. The scene before him was out of a nightmare. Frankie lay on the ground, blood everywhere. Calleigh was kneeling next to her, trying to stem the bleeding, while Ryan was screaming into his cell for rescue. Horatio sprinted to Frankie, praying to whichever god was listening not to take her from him.
Falling to his knees beside her, he exchanged terrified looks with Calleigh. "They just came out of nowhere, Horatio, I swear, I didn't see them!"
Frankie was just about conscious, although she thought she saw an angel that had come to take her away. The sun was directly behind Horatio, and turned his hair into a fiery halo. She smiled faintly. "Horatio?" Her voice was trembling badly.
He stroked her hair gently. "It's okay, sweetheart, I'm here. Everything's going to be okay."
Her hand reached up to grip his shirt tightly. "Don't leave me."
"I'm not going anywhere, sweetheart. I'm right here." He chanced a look down at her abdomen, cursing silently when he saw the damage. She gasped raggedly in agony. "Stay with me, Chessie, stay with me." He was pleading, praying for a way out of this hell, and didn't notice Calleigh's head jerk up in shock.
Frankie smiled, a twisted imitation of her usual grin. "I like it when you call me that." He almost wept then and there.
"Everything's going to be okay, Chessie sweetheart. I just need you to stay with me a little longer. The ambulance is on its way, darling, just hang in there." The ambulance pulled up then, shoving him and Calleigh roughly out of the way as they set to work. They loaded Frankie quickly on to a stretcher and into the ambulance. "Go with her, Cal. She needs someone there."
Calleigh opened her mouth to object, to point out that it was probably Horatio that Frankie needed, but shut it again when she saw the expression on his face. She leapt into the ambulance as it took off, sirens wailing, leaving the car park suddenly empty.
Alexx and Eric rushed out, and found Ryan shaking badly. Horatio had his sunglasses on, and was studying the ground intently. Eric turned to an ashen Ryan. "What happened?"
"These two guys on a motorbike came out of nowhere and shot Frankie. Cal's gone with her to the hospital. It all happened so fast," Ryan stammered. Frankie had been closer to the others on the team, but she was one of the few people who always had a kind word and time for the young CSI.
"Eric." Horatio's calm voice caught their attention. "We have a crime scene to process. There's some tread left here, and casings over there. I want everything bagged and tagged. There is no other crime scene in Miami today." His voice was as calm as ever, but Alexx thought she saw his hands shaking slightly. He caught her look, and placed his hands on his hips, quelling any trembling. His eyes were hidden behind his sunglasses, but there was no doubting the determination in his voice.
"We are going to find those responsible and make them pay for this. There will be no escape." He turned to her with a softer expression. "Alexx, I know you'll want to go to the hospital. Go, I'll make sure that your shift gets covered. And Alexx, could you call me with an update on her condition?"
"You're not coming to the hospital?" Alexx asked incredulously.
"Not while these people are out there."
