A/N: Thanks for all the responses to my query! The rest of the story has been decided, although you won't get a chance to find out what happened for another chapter or two. Thanks again for all the reviews! Keep them coming! I still have several chapters to go, so keep an eye out! I plan on updating more this weekend if not before. For now, enjoy the next chapter of Vacation!
Horatio pulled up in front of Belle's apartment complex and knocked on her door. Belle answered a few moments later.
"Dad?" she asked, confused at his presence in the middle of a workday, "What are you doing here?"
"It's Ryan and Calleigh," Horatio said, nearly breathless with excitement, "They're alive!"
"What?" Belle exclaimed, her eyes wide.
"There's not much time to explain," he said hurriedly, "I'm headed down to Cuba to go get them. I need you to watch the kids for me while I'm gone. Can you do that for me?"
Belle, who was still in a state of shock, said, "Cuba? What are they doing in Cuba?"
"I don't know, I'll have to ask them when I get there," Horatio answered, "When I talked to the nurse over the phone, she said that they were still unconscious."
"Wow, this is going to be one heck of a story, isn't it?" Belle asked, a grin creeping across her face.
"Knowing Calleigh and Ryan..." Horatio said with a smile, "Can I take you over to the house right now? My plane leaves in an hour."
"Oh, of course!" Belle said, taking her keys off the table and following her father out the door.
Once in the car, Belle asked, "Have you told the kids yet?"
"Nope, not yet. If for some reason I'm wrong, I don't want to get their hopes up. Just tell them I'm going on a last minute business trip."
He pulled into the driveway and let Belle out. He gave her the information about where to pick the kids up after school while quickly packing a small duffle bag; he had no idea how long he was going to be in Cuba, so he thought he'd better be prepared.
"How are you getting there on such short notice?" Belle asked.
"Remember my old friend Ron Hardy?" Horatio asked, midway through zipping up the bag.
"The pilot?" Belle asked, remembering her father's black-haired friend.
"That's the one." Horatio said, heading back down the stairs, Belle close at his heels, "He owes me a favor, so he's fueling up Journey as we speak." Journey was Ron's private plane. Although it wasn't the most up-to-date aircraft, Journey would be the perfect way to get to Ryan and Calleigh quickly.
Horatio climbed back into the front seat of the Hummer and leaned out the window. "Bye Belle," he said, giving her a quick kiss on the forehead, "Thanks for taking care of the kids."
"No problem," Belle answered, smiling up at him, "Bring them home, alright?"
"I will," he promised before backing out of the driveway and speeding off down the street.
Horatio made it to the airport in record time. He walked out to the private hanger, after explaining to security who he was, and saw Ron standing beside the small aircraft. Ron waved and Horatio hurried over.
"So what's the big hurry all of a sudden?" Ron asked Horatio as the two climbed into the plane.
"I found Calleigh and Ryan." Horatio explained, as he buckled his seat belt, "I'm headed to go get them."
"Well, in that case, I'm glad to be of service," Ron said, taxiing the plane down the runway.
As they flew over the ocean, Horatio thought about what had just transpired over the last few hours. They were alive! After all these weeks of worry and pain, they were finally coming home. He remembered calling the phone number listed at the bottom of the posting. A woman had answered the phone and after a little Spanish translation, he discovered that Ryan and Calleigh had been at this hospital for almost two weeks. Apparently a fisherman had found them washed up on the shore, both badly injured and unconscious. They were also badly dehydrated and had not had food to eat for quite a while. The nurse had been unable to release more information about their condition over the phone, but had promised that if he came to the hospital, with proof of who he was and who they were, he could see them.
"Landing time is just under an hour H." Ron called back over his shoulder from the cockpit.
"Thanks Ron," he said, taking out his cell phone to order a car to be waiting for him at the airport when he got there.
About an hour later, the plane landed on the runway, and after checking passports and cargo, Horatio head out towards the street, where a car was waiting for him. He signed the rental agreement for the car, took the keys from the man, hopped into the driver's seat, and set off down the road in search of his friends.
After stopping and asking for directions only once, he found the small hospital, pulled into a parking space and hurried into the building.
"I'm Lt. Horatio Caine," he said to the woman at the front desk, "I called earlier about my two American friends?"
"Oh, yes," the woman said in English, "Let me page their doctor and he'll be with you in a moment. Have a seat," she said, motioning towards the small waiting area. Although the thought of sitting with Ryan and Calleigh this close made him want to scream, he politely took a seat.
A few minutes later a tall, black haired man in a white lab coat came into the room. "Lt. Caine?" he asked, walking over to Horatio.
"Yes," Horatio said, standing and shaking the man's hand.
"I'm Dr. Elian Valdes," the man said, "I am the primary doctor for your two friends. Do you have the information you were asked for?"
"Right here," Horatio said, handing Dr. Valdes Ryan and Calleigh's work I.D.s as well as a copy of the will, proving that he was "next of kin".
Dr. Valdes looked over the paper work for a moment before handing it back to Horatio. "Well, at least we finally have names for these two, and a family to go along with it. Before I let you see them, I need to talk to you about their condition, to prepare you for what you are about to see. My office is this way," he said pointing down the hall, "We would be uninterrupted there."
Horatio followed the man down the hall. As soon as they sat down, Horatio asked, "How are they? What happened to them?"
"Well, as for what happened, I can't tell you that. They've been unconscious since they were brought in, so you are going to have to wait for that part of it. As for their condition, they've been through a lot the past few weeks. They aren't out of the woods yet, but their vitals signs have improved, so we hope for the best. As you were told over the phone, Mr. And Mrs. Wolfe were found washed up on a beach about five miles north of here two weeks ago. When they got here, they were severely dehydrated and they were very weak from their injuries. It took us a long time to stabilize them enough to take care of their wounds. Mr. Wolfe suffered a concussion as well as a severely broken leg. He was covered in cuts and bruises, and his broken leg was very infected. He lost quite a bit of blood, and had he come in even ten hours later, we would have not been able to save him. Mrs. Wolfe also has a concussion, and her left wrist is broken in several places. We had to put pins in it last week to stabilize it. She also has a large gash on her forehead that required several stitches. She too lost some blood, but she wasn't as far gone as he was." Dr. Valdes reported, watching Horatio's face.
"How are they now?" Horatio asked, hoping they had improved in the two weeks that they had been here.
"They are both stable as of right now," Dr. Valdes said, "We were able to replenish their blood and through I.V.s we were able to get their dehydration under control. Mr. Wolfe's leg is still infected, but he is on antibiotics, and as soon as the infection goes away, we will be able to operate on his leg to set the bone. Mr. Wolfe is still unconscious, we are keeping him some what sedated to help ease the pain, but Mrs. Wolfe regained consciousness late this afternoon and was asking about her children."
"Can I go see them?" Horatio asked, wanting nothing more than proof that this nightmare was finally over.
"Yes, but I can't guarantee how responsive they will be." Dr. Valdes said.
"I'd like to see them anyway," Horatio said, standing.
"Third floor, second door on your right," the doctor said.
"Thank you," Horatio said, walking out the door and heading for the stair well.
He climbed the stairs three at a time. Pausing on the third floor, just outside the second door, he took a deep breath, and entered the room.