A/N: All that disclaimer stuff is at the start of the first chapter.

Please make sure the safety bar is completely locked down. The ride is about to start.

Horatio grinned as he answered his phone. "News travels fast."

"Frank just called me. I would have loved to see Berkley's face."

"You would have been very pleased," chuckled Horatio.

Annabel scanned the scene before her as she parked her car. "Sigh. To have been a fly on the wall. Think he learned anything?"

"Not likely."

"I saw Natalia on the way down to take care of Nick's things," said Annabel changing subjects. She blinked a few times. "Despite everything, part of her was still very much in love with him."

"Part of her was," agreed Horatio seriously.

"Makes it hard," sighed Annabel.

"It does."

"Well, I'm at my scene and unless I miss my guess, you should be too." Annabel grabbed her notebook and opened the door. "We're headed to Yelina's tonight, remember? I told her seven. Don't make me a liar."

"I will do my best," promised Horatio.

"Uh-huh. Seven o'clock." Annabel tapped her earpiece off and slammed the door of her car. "Hey, Acevedo, what do we have going on?"

"Extreme road rage ma'am. Witnesses say a red Escalade chased the Lexus, hit it several times. The Lexus halted, the Escalade rammed it and pushed it into the canal. Escalade took off. ME hasn't been by yet. The witnesses are over there." The officer nodded her head toward the knot of people on the side of the road.

"Thanks. Lemme know when the ME gets here." Annabel went to double check the witness statements.

"Yes, ma'am."

Annabel knocked on the door. Yelina opened it and smiled broadly. Annabel held up a bottle of wine.

"I'm afraid that it's just me and the wine," she apologized.

Yelina shrugged slightly. "This isn't the first time Horatio's stood me up. Ray decided not to join us either." There was a note of sadness in her voice.

"Everything okay?"

"Fine. He's actually over at a friend's house studying. Robert's mother called to ask if Ray could stay for dinner."

"So it's just us?"

"Annabel, you don't have to stay if you don't want to."

"And waste a good bottle of wine?" Annabel smiled briefly and then her face turned serious. "Unless you'd prefer not to."

Yelina smiled reassuringly. "And waste a good bottle of wine?" Yelina stepped aside so Annabel could enter. "Come in."

"Acevedo. Two scenes in a row. What's made you so lucky?" Annabel greeted the young officer. The woman grinned back.

"Couldn't tell you ma'am." Officer Acevedo's mouth settled into a grim line. She nodded her head toward the crime scene. "Looks like a fight over court rights escalated to a gun fight. We have three dead. Paramedics are working on a teenage girl and a twenty something male. Everyone else scattered. Good luck."

Annabel grimaced. "Thanks a lot." She scanned the crowd looking for faces that were too interested or too blank. She looked out at the houses ringing the park. "Maybe there were some nosy neighbors," she mumbled and headed off to find out.

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The suited up bomb squad technician brushed away the sand from the side of the land mine under Frank's foot. A thermal boot was wrapped around the detective's lower leg and foot. His cell phone was still clutched in his hand. Horatio hovered a short distance away. Wires were carefully placed. Frank shook slightly, nerves and the strain of standing still eating away at his composure.

"Whoa."

"Steady, Frank. Steady," Horatio advised, trying to stay calm himself. The officer paused in his work and watched the detective warily.

"Sorry," Frank apologized. He looked over at the red headed criminalist. "Horatio, you should take cover."

Horatio slowly took off his sunglasses and met his friend's eyes. "I'm staying right here." Frank flashed him a look that was a combination of 'Thanks' and 'You're crazy.' Horatio moved closer and addressed the officer in charge of the bomb squad. "It's the torch, isn't it?"

"It's the most effective. Aluminum, barium nitrate, PVC. It'll burn out the mine's TNT without triggering it," he explained.

Horatio nodded at the boot on Frank's leg. "That's why you have the detective's leg covered?"

"High temp silica. Takes up to 2700 degrees." He scowled slightly. "We don't usually defuse these things with somebody standing on them. Needed to take precautions."

"He's going to be alright isn't he?" Horatio inquired, seeking assurance. There was no answer. Just a stronger grimace. "You're gonna be alright, Frank," called Horatio.

The tech finished laying the wire. He stepped behind the sandbag wall. Frank looked around, sweat dribbling down his face. His brow was etched with concern. Horatio glanced briefly at the street. He swore he saw Annabel for a moment. The impression vanished and he turned back toward Frank. The Bomb Squad tech flipped a switch on a yellow box. Everyone watched Frank or the mine.

Frank struggled to stand still. "It's gittin' hot. I think it's gonna blow," he growled. "Why don't you get outta here?" he advised Horatio.

The head of the Bomb Squad held up his hand. "No the heat means its working. Don't move," he warned.

"Frank, don't move. We're almost there," repeated Horatio.

After several tense moments, the tech gave the thumbs up.

"It's alright. You can step off now," instructed the head of the Bomb Squad. Frank shot him a doubtful look. His hand convulsively clutched his cell phone.

"Frank you're ok," Horatio tried to calm his friend.

"Are you absolutely sure?" Frank didn't move.

"Go ahead," said Horatio.

Frank gritted his teeth and quickly snatched his foot away. The mine's trip plate clicked, but there was no explosion. The entire group relaxed. Frank took a gasping breath. Horatio slowly broke into a relieved grin.

Frank's heart was still racing. "Well, that's a hell of a way to start the day," he huffed.

Horatio's grin widened. "It's only eight o'clock," he pointed out. Both men chuckled. Horatio put his sunglasses back on. "Wow," he breathed as the adrenaline burned off.

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Horatio headed back to the Hummer to grab his kit. He has just pulled it out, when he heard Frank calling his name. Horatio looked around the door. The detective's face was ashen. Horatio smiled slightly.

"Still feeling a little numb, Frank?"

Frank shook his head. He looked at the ground and up at the sky. Horatio could swear that his eyes looked watery. He figured the shock over what might have happened was catching up with his friend.

"Where's your phone? Or your radio?" barked Frank.

"I left the radio in here and turned the phone off." He grinned a little more. "For some reason, I didn't want any distractions."

Frank scowled at Horatio. Then his face went worried again. He took a deep breath. "There was an explosion."

Horatio frowned a little, and then he chuckled. "No, I think we avoided that. Otherwise, you wouldn't be standing here."

"Annie." Frank's voice broke.

At that single word, Horatio's face crumpled. He gripped the door of the Hummer, his heart constricting. "Annabel?" He felt his knees buckle slightly. He fought to remain upright, the blood roaring as it rushed from his head. Frank reached out a steadying hand.

"I've got an officer ready to take you to the hospital. We can take care of things here."

Horatio couldn't focus. His head and heart were pounding too loudly. "How…"

"Eric didn't have any details. He tried to get you, but you weren't answering. He caught me instead." Frank guided Horatio to a waiting squad car. Horatio let himself be loaded into the front seat. He stared numbly forward. "Don't worry about things here. We've got it covered. Call when you know anything." Frank shut the door and banged on the roof of the squad car. He watched as it turned around and headed off. Horatio hadn't moved.

It was several blocks before Horatio and pulled himself together enough to dig out his phone. He held down a speed dial button.

"Finally, H. I've been…"

"Eric…Eric…what happened?" interrupted Horatio.

Eric took a deep breath and tried to slowly run through the situation. "We were at a shooting. Basketball courts at Eureka Park. Annie headed over to some of the houses to see if anyone had been looking out their windows. She hit the third house and...and… My God. I am so sorry, Horatio. The house….there's nothing left. I'm not sure how Annie is. They got her into an ambulance and were gone almost immediately. I just don't know." Eric's voice rose in pitch and speed.

Horatio fought to tamp down the nausea he felt. The cruiser started to pull into the Emergency Room bay. "I…I'm just at the hospital. I'll call. When…when…"

"She's strong, H. She won't go down without a fight. Talk to you later."

Horatio hung up and was out of the patrol car before it stopped fully. He flew into the Emergency Room lobby. He stopped, clutching the edge of the reception desk, breathing heavy.

"Detective McGinty-Caine…"

"Are you…"

"Her husband," he finished.

"She's been moved up to Critical Care, Room 413, right through…." As soon as he had the number, Horatio was off. "Sir, you need to…" Horatio ignored the intake nurse, glancing at the signs to make sure he was heading the right way. He breezed past the floor nurses' station.

He skidded to a halt in front of Annabel's bed. She was lying there, eyes closed, very still. Horatio did a quick scan. She had an oxygen mask firmly fixed around her mouth and nose. But she wasn't intubated. That was a good sign. There were scratches all over Annabel's face. She was hooked up to an IV and various monitors beeped behind her. One of the floor nurses came up behind Horatio.

"Mr. McGinty-Caine, she won't respond. She's sedated. I'll get her doctor to come and talk to you." Horatio didn't bother to correct her as walked to the chair beside Annabel's bed and dropped into it. The nurse stood watching Horatio briefly to make sure he was okay before disappearing. Horatio started to pick up Annabel's hand, but noticed the cast on her arm.

Had to be her left arm. She's going to have no choice about being off work. Horatio shook his head. She's going to drive us all crazy. Horatio shook off the temptation to peel back the sheets and take catalog of her other injuries. He reached over and gave her hand a quick squeeze. He sat with his fingers wrapped around hers waiting for an answering squeeze. Getting no response Horatio dropped Annabel's hand. He leaned forward, propping his elbows on his knees, hands folded and head bowed.

"Lieutenant Caine?" Horatio's head snapped up. He blinked twice, recognizing the doctor standing before him. Dr. Ramirez held out his hand. Horatio shook it and stood up. They both glanced toward Annabel and then back at each other. "You two got married," the doctor stated simply. Horatio just nodded. "Your wife was very lucky." Horatio slowly let out his held breath. "Not to say things aren't bad. They could be much worse though."

"I saw the cast…"

"She has a distal fracture of the radius. We had to pin the bone together. Judging from her injuries it looks like she landed hard on her left shoulder with her arm pinned behind her."

"An explosion. I…I…don't know the details. I was on another scene. Land mines on a beach…one of our other detectives…stepped…" Horatio trailed off.

Dr. Ramirez frowned. Police work was dangerous, but really? He flipped through Annabel's chart. He huffed slightly and continued. "Broken clavicle, scapula and ribs; strains to her costal cartilages, pulmonary contusions, but no punctures. Concussion, but no skull or spine fractures. No fractures to her hips, pelvis, legs or feet." Dr. Ramirez looked up at Horatio who was watching Annabel. "We're keeping her sedated at the moment and monitoring for brain swelling or pulmonary edema."

"How long will she be unconscious?" asked Horatio quietly.

"If she seems to be doing well, we'll start to bring her out of sedation in the next few hours. She's going to be in a lot of pain. We have a pain management plan in place for when we bring her 'round again."

Horatio nodded looking the floor and linking his hands behind his back. He looked back up at Dr. Ramirez. "Thank you, Doctor."

"A nurse will drop by Mrs. McGinty-Caine's personal belongings." Dr. Ramirez started to leave, but paused in the doorway. "I suppose telling you we have official visiting hours is useless?"

A ghost of a smile played over Horatio's lips. "You could tell me." He looked at Annabel. "But it would be useless."

"Figured as much," confirmed Dr. Ramirez. "I will talk to you later, Lieutenant. Please remember no cell phone use in here." The doctor nodded toward a phone next to the bed. He exited leaving Horatio and Annabel alone.

Horatio sat back down next to Annabel's bed. He reached out and brushed Annabel's bangs off her forehead. He leaned down tenderly kissed her cheek. He gently ran his fingers over her face.

"I need you, Bella. Don't leave me a lonely old man." Horatio searched Annabel's face for movement. He sighed deeply. "I have to let everyone know how you're doing." Horatio paused again. He cupped her face. Horatio stared at the slow rise and fall of her chest. After several minutes, he sat back and picked up the phone. He dialed the number for the lab. "Eric? Okay is a relative term," Horatio answered thickly. He nodded at the nurse that brought the bag of Annabel's belongings in. She set it on the rolling table. Horatio mouthed a thank you and turned his attention back to his phone call.

After he had finished his phone calls, Horatio opened the bag. Annabel's clothes had been sent to the lab, but the contents of her pockets were there. Fushia colored silk shell, pale charcoal slacks and blazer. Horatio recalled what Annabel had been wearing when she'd left the condo this morning. Seemed like a lifetime ago. She's going to be mad. That was her favorite outfit. Horatio turned over the bag in his hands. He spotted Annabel's rosary, pulled it out and looked at it. He ran the beads through his fingers, closing his eyes. Horatio lay one hand over Annabel's as he gripped a glass bead. He bowed his head and his lips began to move in prayer.

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