Chapter 12

"50 bucks that H overslept."

"You're nuts, Delko."

"Are you in or not?"

"I don't bet."

"You're so boring, Speedle."

"And you have a gambling addiction."

"Guys?" Calleigh entered the break room. "Have you seen Horatio?"

"No, but Mr. Delko here has a very interesting theory," Tim answered her and shook his head in amusement.

"Yeah?"

Eric grinned and sipped his coffee. "You bet! I'm sure he had a date yesterday and oh..hmm I think it lasted a bit longer and promptly he overslept."

Calleigh flinched inevitably by his words. Their talk had gone well, but she couldn't be sure if Horatio hadn't had…certain plans for the weekend. "You should listen to yourself, Calleigh. This is ridiculous!" She trusted him. Again. Still. The timeframe for considering hadn't been that long, only two days, but she already knew that she would give them a second chance. She wanted to await this week and see how and if they could build up their friendship again and then she would tell him her definite decision. "You think so?" she asked Eric in hope of appearing uninvolved.

"Why not? What could be another option?" Eric countered.

"Mhm, maybe he had killed Stetler and is on the run?" Tim pondered with a sarcastic undertone to make clear that he found Eric's theory absurd. "Everyone can be late."

"You maybe, but we're talking about H aka Mr. Workaholic," the half-cuban raised his brows.

"So you don't know anything," Calleigh sighed and didn't want to participate in her colleagues' silly conversation any longer.

"No, sorry Cal," Tim replied. "Maybe Alexx knows." If there was one person who knew anything, then their mother.

That was a good hint. "I think I should really ask her. Thanks guys." Before the boys could answer, she had already left the room.

Eric frowned after her. "Don't mention it." Then he grinned in Tim's direction. "50 bucks there there's something going on between them."

Annoyed Tim put his newspaper onto the table. "You can't stop it, huh?"

"And you're still boring."

"You know what? I'm going back to my lab." With that he stood up and left the room.

"I stay with it!" Eric laughed and put away his cup before he started to work again.

Satisfied Alexx handed Valera some samples which she had taken from the newest victim and looked at her watch. It was now 10 a.m. and there were far too many hours left before she could pack her things. Never before had a day had felt that long and she really wished that the time would run faster, but apparently the contrary was the case.

On her way to DNA she had already heard the wildest theories about Horatio and it saddened and infuriated her, that everyone had to put in his two cents. Horatio was only human and had a very good reason for not being here. She just wanted to smack everyone who had babbled about a long date, but she couldn't. She had promised Horatio to stay silent, but she wasn't sure if she could keep it; it was harder minute by minute. Sighing she stopped at the lift and looked at the display panel, in hopes that it would give her much needed answers, when she was suddenly called.

"Alexx? I'm glad to see you. Do you have time?" Calleigh approached her with a smile.

"For you always, sweetie," Alexx turned around and was relieved to see at least one rational person in this kindergarten. "What's up?"

"I was wondering if you heard from Horatio?" They had a close link after all. "The boys know nothing."

Quickly, Alexx looked around and since the lift hadn't arrived yet, she took Calleigh's arm and dragged her into some unwatched corner. "Yes I have," she nodded and wasn't surprised that Cal didn't know.

This was weird. "So?" Cal looked at her questioningly.

When she answered her, she lowered her voice. "He's in hospital. Elijah had a car accident last night."

Her heart had almost stopped. Startled she held her hand against her mouth. "Oh my god!" Her eyes went wide. "Is Elijah okay? What happened? Oh my god!"

"I don't know. Horatio was in shock when he called me. I don't even think that he still remembers calling me, let alone what he told me," Alexx shook her head. "Everything I know is, that he's in the Mercy Hospital."

"If something would have changed, he would have called you, or?" Right now she was rattled.

"I do hope so, but I don't know how Horatio is doing now…how the boy was doing at all…there are so many possible injuries in a car accident," she sighed and didn't want to imagine it. "I don't know what happens when.." She didn't want to think of that.

Calleigh's heart got even heavier than it already was, when she continued the sentence in her mind. "We should think positive," she replied monotone.

"Yes we should. I think I'll stop by at the hospital this afternoon and look after him. I know Horatio…he won't cope well with that." Since she didn't know any news about the relationship between Horatio and Calleigh, she didn't dare to ask if Calleigh wanted to see him too. It might be awkward.

"Yeah, I think I will stop by too," she murmured and needed to control herself in not dashing off now. It wasn't easy, but she couldn't be absent too, but had to try to manage work without Horatio. "He will be a nervous wreck."

"Yes, he will," Alexx agreed. "Are you sure that's a good idea?" They had avoided each other for some time now and the least thing that Horatio needed was more stress.

Blinking she looked at her friend. "What do you mean?"

"I don't want him to have more stress and your…relationship or whatever you call it…is anything but stress-free at the moment."

"Oh." Apparently Horatio had kept silence. "We talked..on Saturday..and I asked for some time to think it over and he gave it to me," she informed her.

"Oh?" Alexx asked surprised. He hadn't told her. Typical Horatio. "Well then…if you want to you can go alone to the hospital…maybe I disrupt something," she suggested. She would call him later either way.

"No, you can visit him. I don't think I will stay for long. He has other things in mind. I just want to see him briefly," she qualified the conjuncture. She didn't want to force herself on him.

"If you think so." She would come up with something so Calleigh would go alone to the hospital. "Do you know his name? Otherwise you won't find him."

She hadn't thought of that. "No, I just know his first name."

Alexx smiled. "Fisher. Elijah Fischer," she told her. "We should go back to work now and after shifts end we drive to the hospital, okay?"

"Sounds good to me," Cal nodded and was glad that she could distract herself with work, or she would get crazy. She said goodbye with a hug. "See you and thanks for telling me. You give me a shout when you have any news?"

"Of course sweetie. Promise." Though she hoped there wouldn't be any, at least no bad ones.

***

It hurt Horatio's soul deeply to see his son lying in a hospital bed, especially when he didn't look like his son. Elijah wore a neck brace, had excoriations in his face and the blanket covered his broken leg and the bruises the seatbelt had caused by the collision. According to the paramedics he had been unconscious when they arrived and had found out his name and address due to his identity card. Unconscious…he still was, which was down to the pain killers, the doctors had given him. All that didn't make it easier for Horatio and Samantha to stay calm. Everything they wanted was Elijah to open his eyes again.

"Sam it's almost Five. You should get home. You haven't eaten anything in the whole day..," Paul positioned himself behind her and laid a hand on her shoulder. Neither she nor Horatio had left the room since their arrival and he knew that this wouldn't go well.

"Just five more minutes, Paul," she replied absentmindedly and stroked Eli's hand.

"He's right, Samantha..I'll stay with him..," Horatio offered her and couldn't avert his gaze from his son.

"You both should head home, you included, Horatio," Paul said.

"I'll stay."

"No. You've been on your feet the whole day too and it's not good for the boy when he wakes up and sees his parents look like.. well you know. I'm gonna give you a lift." He was pretty serious about that. According to the doctors it could some time till the boy woke up.

"You want to tell me what I'm allowed to do??" Nothing doing.

"Horatio please. Go home, eat and get some sleep. You want to be there for Elijah when he wakes up, right?"

Horatio hung his head in defeat. He had already failed the boy, nothing could change that.

"Should I give you a lift?"

"No, I can drive myself."

Paul wasn't so sure about that, but he didn't want to strain his luck. "Okay..," he nodded and squeezed Samantha's shoulder. "If something changes, the doctor will call you. He's in good hands." Even though it was hard for him, he had to be the voice of reason.

"Yes," Sam said quietly and stood up. She didn't want to leave him alone, not now, not ever.

"Sam, let's go…everything is going to be fine."

Horatio stood up as well and hugged his ex-wife. "I'll see you tomorrow morning, okay?"

The answer was a nod and a sob. "Y-yes."

"Take care of her, Paul."

"I will and take care of yourself," the man answered and led his girlfriend out of the room.

Horatio was barely alone in the room when he ran a hand over his face and leaned down to his son. "You'll make it, Partner. Just sleep…I will keep an eye on you, okay?" he told him in a weak voice and stroked the blond hair. "I love you, Eli.." Nothing hurt so much than leaving him now.

Even though she had asked the nurse at the registration desk two times for the correct way to Elijah's room, Calleigh wandered around. Everything looked the same and since she hadn't been there with her thoughts, she had to look around more than once if she was in the correct floor. In doing so, her look fell on a figure with its head bowed which was leaning against the wall just a few meters away. Immediately she felt a sting and she accelerated. A few moments later she slowed down. "Horatio?" she asked him quietly so he wouldn't get startled.

Surprised Horatio looked up when he heard his name and his eyes fell on Calleigh. Slowly he straightened himself and forced himself to smile. "Cal..hi, everything all right?" He was extremely distracted.

Before she answered him, she stepped in front of him. He looked harassed and she couldn't help but lay a hand on his upper arm. "Yes, don't worry about me, Horatio," she told him. "I'm worried about you and Elijah. How is he? Is he okay?" Horatio would have reacted differently if something very bad had happened to the boy, so she dared to ask him directly.

"I...I don't know…I think so yes…but somehow not.." It was hard to clothe his thoughts in words. "I have to get home…the doctors will call…when he wakes up…yes."

In all those years she had known him, she had never seen him in this state of agitation, never seen him so helpless. This shocked and alarmed her likewise. "He's not awake yet?" No wonder that Horatio was so confused, because she knew that uncertainty was the worst of all things.

"No, he's still unconscious…due to the accident and the pain killers," he shook his head and pushed himself away from the wall. "I'm going home."

This in turn made her worry. "Should I give you a lift?" she asked carefully, because he didn't look like he was in any state to drive.

"I can drive by myself," he countered and walked into the direction to the elevator when suddenly his knees went weak and he felt a firm grip on his elbow.

"Whoa....let me give you a lift. I'll feel better when I know that you made it home safely," she talked insistently to him, while standing right next to him with an arm wrapped around his waist.

"Okay…" He was too tired to start an argument. "But to my house, I need to have the phone close by," he told her and let himself be led by Cal. On the one hand he wanted to stay, but on the other he needed to get home.

"Of course." She wouldn't have thought of something else.

***

Still a bit uncoordinated Calleigh busied herself in Horatio's kitchen, while the man of the house was still in the bathroom. The drive home had been in silence, but she didn't reproach her silent co-driver. Too much was going on in his mind and she was happy that he hadn't passed out. Therefore she had cooked a vegetable soup so he would have something warm in his stomach and his circulatory wouldn't give in.

After some rummaging she had found the dishes, the silverware and a tray. Being that equipped she made her way into the living room where she put down the tray onto the couch table and waited for Horatio to come back.

Horatio was standing in front of his bathroom mirror and wiped away the mist, which had been condensing during his shower. Normally warm water refreshed him, but he wasn't feeling any better. He felt anemic…and tired. He didn't feel like shaving and just because of the fact that Calleigh was waiting downstairs for him he got dressed. Otherwise he would have slipped into bed to blanket himself from the world. Despite everything he walked downstairs and immediately smelled the food. So the last thing he wanted right now.

"You found the kitchen?" he asked humorless and shuffled to the couch where he sat down.

"Yes, I've taken the liberty. I hope you have no objections?" Though this question was unnecessary, since the result of her search was waiting on the table to get eaten. "Do you want to try?"

"I'm not hungry…," he shook his head and closed his eyes. He didn't care if Cal had pottered around in the kitchen. He didn't care about anything today.

She had expected this answer, but she didn't give up. Just because she was anxious about his well-being. "When you taste it, I'm sure you'll realize how hungry you are," she talked to him gently. She knew about his stubbornness so she had to treat him warily.

"You sound like Alexx. Did you take lessons?" he asked and opened his eyes. "You don't have to do that for me Cal…it's after your quitting time and I'm sure you have other…things to do and it's not fair from me, that you feel oblige to stay here. I should be with Eli and not…being here..," he rattled on and wiped his face.

"Alexx will give me hell, when she finds out, that I left you alone," she pulled his chain tenderly and sat down next to him. "I know that I don't have to do that, but I want to and hope you let me." While talking she rubbed his shoulder and his upper back. "And at the moment you have to take care of yourself. It's no use if you wear yourself out, neither for you nor for Elijah. When he wakes up, you should be there for him in your best shape."

"If he wakes up..," he slouched his shoulders and lowered his head. "Okay…a few bites, but not more," he surrendered and carefully started to eat the hot soup.

Inside she sighed with relief, because she made progress and Horatio saw reason. At the beginning she had doubted that Horatio would be cooperative with her, because Alexx had gotten out of the affair with a pretense. Presumably she had wanted them to be alone and as nice as this thought had been, Calleigh hadn't liked it at first. Alexx was an institution and you didn't say no to her. But the way it looked momentarily everything seemed to be under control. Satisfied she smiled at him. "That's all I'm asking for."

In silence Horatio spooned his soup and couldn't help but praising it. "It's really good. I'm surprised that you were able to make it from my low stocks." The kitchen wasn't in such a bad way, but anyway.

"I can be quite creative sometimes," she smirked about the fact that he had eaten the whole bowl without grumbling and realizing it. That delighted her in addition to the praise. She hadn't left his side for the whole time and was now taking the soup bowl from him. "There's more if you want to."

"What do you mean..oh..I see…no." Sheepishly he looked at his bowl and hadn't realized that he had eaten up. "Thank you all the same." With a full stomach he felt a little bit better, but the bad feeling still outweighed, just like the tiredness.

"You're welcome," she replied gently. Of course she had noticed the subdued mood of her counterpart. "Why don't you lie down? Get some rest?"

"I think that's a great idea." Though sleep wasn't on the cards even though he was tired. But he could understand that Calleigh wanted to head home. "Well then.. I'm going to bed."

"I can stay here if you want to." She doubted that Horatio was in shape to get to the hospital in one piece if the doctor would call. "And drive you to the hospital..when Elijah is awake."

He liked the idea of not being alone very much, but he didn't want Calleigh to stay here when she had something better to do. "I don't want to force you Cal..I can stay alone, that's no problem."

"You're not forcing me, Horatio. I'm very keen on staying here. We're both rattled and to be honest I don't want to be alone either," she told him and tucked a strand behind her ear. "A problem shared is a problem halved."

Horatio could understand that only too well, though he was surprised. "Okay then…I'd be happy if you stay," he said quietly. "I have a guestroom…it's small, but when you need a bed uhm..," he murmured awkwardly.

"Oh the couch is enough for me. I'm far too psyched up to sleep."

"As you wish...feel at home," he nodded and stood up. "When you need me or something else, it's the second room on the right," he explained her.

"Okay, thanks," she nodded and gently kissed his unshaved cheek. "Try to get some sleep, okay?"

"I'll do my best," he promised and gave her a half smile. "I'm upstairs then."

***

After an hour Calleigh still wasn't able to find any peace of mind and stood up from the couch. She had cleaned the kitchen and had stood for some time in front of the bookshelf. Not to find a book for her to read, but looking at the two pictures. Elijah had changed a lot obviously, but he was still a rascal like on the photos.

Now her own nervousness started to set in. Earlier she had talked with Alexx and told her that there was nothing to tell, except of the fact that she had went home with Horatio and that the man was lying in bed right now. Both women had comforted each other in the hope that no call from the hospital also meant no aggravation. However it also meant no improvement of Elijah's condition. And this uncertainty was the worst part. How must Horatio feel with this? The longer she thought about it, the more uneasy she felt. She had to make sure that he was doing fine to some degree.

Slowly she climbed the stairs and carefully opened the bedroom door, because she didn't want to wake him in case if he had succeeded in falling asleep. Outside the twilight had set in, but it wasn't entirely dark in the room, due to the hallway light which illuminated it. What she saw didn't surprise her, but damped her mood. Horatio wasn't asleep and it looked like his mind didn't come to rest, because she heard him sighing a few times.

Horatio hadn't heard the door, but he saw the light. Slowly he turned from his back onto his right side to look at Calleigh. He should have known that she would look after him. "Hey," he said and stayed under his blanket. When he had entered his bedroom, he had just gotten undressed except for his underwear, because it was much too warm in summer and slipped under his blanket. Sleep hadn't come as excepted, but therefore thousands thoughts that hadn't let him sleep.

Still in the same place, she stood between hallway and bedroom and smiled at him. "Hey, I just wanted to see you."

"Okay," he nodded lightly. "Do you need something?" The well-being of the ones around him was always important to him.

"I wanted to ask you the same," she responded.

"No, thanks," he sighed. Everything he needed was the certainness that Elijah was okay and conscious again. "Except for a time machine maybe, but I don't think that this is realistic."

"I'm afraid no." His low spirits were clearly audible, which prompted her to enter the room and walk to him. "Do you want a herbal tea?" she offered, when she had sat down onto the edge of the bed. The only important fact right now was supporting him and leave out the things that had occurred between them.

He didn't feel like tea. There weren't many things that had a calming effect on him, especially on such days. "Thank you but no." For a while he stayed silent and just relinquished in her proximity, even though they didn't touch. "Cal?"

Her eyes met his sad ones. "Yes?"

"Am I a bad father? Because this wouldn't have happened, if I had been with him. And I'm asking myself that again and again. What would have happened if I had picked him up and not believing that nothing would happen? I've always had a six sense…why not when it comes to my son?"

A light shiver ran over her back, when she heard his words. "Oh Horatio," she breathed out deeply and reached for his hand instinctively. "You shouldn't think like this. You're a wonderful father and you do anything for your son. But even you can't change fate, no one can," she talked insistently but gently to him. She thought about her discussion with Elijah and knew that the boy adored his father, even though he hadn't admitted that. "You've done everything in your power to protect him. It's impossible to do more. You can't protect him from…anything."

"But we already had so many cases concerning teenagers having an accident after a concert…" However there had mostly been alcohol involved, which fortunately for the driver hadn't been the case. Inexperience and bad driving conditions had been the reasons. "I should have known better," he declared and this made the situation even worse.

"And then? What would you have done? Forbid him to go with his friend? You would have stalled fate, but you wouldn't have changed it. I know that you blame yourself for this," she said and stroked his forearm, "but instead you should be grateful, that the accident didn't end differently."

"I don't even want to imagine that..," H murmured and let alone the thought about losing his son and therefore the most important person in his life let his eyes sting. "I could have picked him up, like every other father…" Okay, this wasn't that easy with a teenager, especially in their situation, but nevertheless. "Or I shouldn't have allowed him to go to the concert." Which was even more improbable.

"Then he would have been mad at you," she tried to build him up which was difficult as expected. "And probably would have gone without your permission. Or he would've wrapped his mom around his finger. Either way you couldn't have prevented it, Horatio."

"I know that…but that doesn't mean I have to accept it..," he sighed and wiped his eyes. "Or like it…"

"But as long as you won't accept it…you'll torture yourself needlessly," she said quietly. "And this won't help anyone."

He didn't have an answer to that, so he stayed silent. There was perhaps no one who could accept that it wasn't their fault when their own child gut hurt. Or at least he couldn't, who wanted to protect his son as good as possible.

Calleigh noticed his closed manner, felt his self-doubts, so she skidded closer to his upper body and laid her other hand on his shoulder. "It is not your fault, Horatio. Do you hear me? You did nothing wrong. Elijah will get better and then he will annoy you with questions about his own car, which you're supposed to buy."

"Preferably…I don't want him to drive ever again, but he would never forgive me for that," he sighed, even though it was an appealing idea. As well as he could he ran his thumb over her hand and took a deep breath.

"Right, he would never forgive you and you don't want that, do you?"

"No," he quickly shook his head. "He's everything I have at the moment." He wanted to make his son happy, that was his greatest goal.

"You have Samantha and us..your friends.." Who, when she thought about it, had no idea about the situation, but she didn't want to mention it. "We're always there for you."

This answer was all he needed. "Friends, hm? Okay..," he nodded sadly and hid more or less under his blanket. "I know that you're there and I'm grateful for that."

"And you got…me," she completed her remark, because she could read between the lines. "If you still want me that is." It wasn't exactly the most romantic moment to tell him, but she knew that this issue bothered him too.

"Of that there has never been a doubt," he assured her and looked up to her. Elijah's accident had showed him that life can be really short and that you had to take every chance.

Smiling she leaned down to kiss him. Then she clutched his big hand with hers and gently placed a kiss on the back. "Everything is going to be fine. We will make it. Together."

Smiling lightly he looked at her and nodded. He needed her by his side. He had lived too long without having someone and Cal was the right one. "Will you stay?" he asked her and even though he had never been a man of pleading, he did. "Please?"

There was only one answer to that. "Yes."

Happily he let go of her, though it was actually her holding him, to show her that she could join him anytime. "Thank you."

She accepted the unspoken invitation and slipped out of her shoes, though she wasn't really dressed for bed.

For the first time this day, Horatio couldn't help but grin. "You know, I can lend you a T-shirt. It's surely comfier than Jeans and blouse, hm?"

In a pinch she would also wear his boxershorts, because she saw that he was doing a bit better. "I think that's a good idea."

"Sometimes I surprise myself," he winked at her and stood up. "It's probably long enough…for a nightdress," he smirked and reached for one of his good College T-Shirts. "The bath is behind this door and while you get ready, I will turn off the lights downstairs and lock the door, okay?" He wanted to give her some privacy, which wasn't easy when you just wore your underwear.

"Okay. Then we both have something do to," she smiled and walked with a t-shirt in her hand to the bathroom. The day had started with a shock, but with a little bit of luck it would turn to good account. "See you in a bit."

"In a bit," he nodded and left the room. He hadn't forgotten about Elijah, but the certainness that Cal would be there for him lifted a bit the burden from his shoulders. Downstairs he turned off all the lights, grabbed the telephone and locked the door. You never knew. Upstairs he turned off the light too and so it was dark when he padded back into the bedroom, where Calleigh had already made herself comfortable.

"I've talked to Alexx earlier," she informed him when she noticed the phone in his hands. "She's thinking of Elijah, Samantha and you."

"Yeah, this sounds like Alexx," he replied and put down the phone onto his nightstand, before he crawled into the bed. "Thanks for coming to the hospital," he said quietly and tentatively wrapped his arm around her waist.

"This was the least I could do," she answered him without hesitation and drew close to him.

"And I love you for that," he whispered and hummed happily when she huddled up to him. It didn't matter that it was about 86°F outside. Nothing was better than being close to Cal.

While resting her head on his shoulder she started to draw small patterns on his chest and noticed that he relaxed more and more and this was important. Therefore she didn't stop with it when she noticed that fatigue conquered him. "I love you too, Handsome."