Chapter 14

Calleigh felt a little bit queasy, when she stood in front of Elijah's room on Thursday on her lunch break. This would possibly be the only chance to talk with the boy without any interruption about something that she had on her mind since her talk with Horatio. Since she knew that Horatio was on his way to the lawyer to get the paperwork done for the change of name, she hoped to find the boy alone. In the hope that Samantha wasn't present, she took a deep breath and knocked.

A little bit bored Elijah flipped through a car magazine. He wanted to go home, but as long as the whiplash hadn't healed, the doctors wouldn't allow him to leave. And of course his parents had agreed to that. No surprise, since they weren't the ones going stir-crazy in here and got teased by the nurses. Life wasn't fair, especially not when there was the next nurse who wanted his blood. But at least she had the patience to wait till he called her in. "Yeah?" he called and didn't look up from his magazine.

Carefully Cal stuck her head in at the door and probed the situation. Elijah was alone. "Okay, then it's all or nothing now." She made a step into the room, but didn't close the door behind her. "Hi...am I interrupting?"

Surprised Eli put his magazine down and smiled lightly. "Miss Calleigh. What are you doing here?" He hadn't bargained on her.

That meant no. So she closed the door behind her and positioned herself at the end of the bed. "I wanted to see how you're doing..," she started and rummaged around in her handbag till she pulled out a box of Oreos, "…and to give you a little consolation." She walked around the bed so she could give it to him. "I hope you're doing fine?"

"Finally something decent to eat," Eli grinned when he took the cookies with a thankful smile. "I'm bored…but they won't allow me to leave until my neck is okay…because I need to use crutches," he sighed and opened the box. "But otherwise I'm fine."

"I'm glad to hear that," she told him honestly. In her job she had a lot of contact to casualties, but this one got close to her. "Your father is crazy about them, so I thought you'd like them too."

"The apple doesn't fall far from the trees, huh?" he munched his cookies and sat up a bit. "Why don't you sit down a bit?" he offered her and pointed to one of the visitor chairs next to his bed. "Dad told you about the accident?" The answer was apparent, but he wanted to ask her anyway.

"Actually it was Alexx…your father was jazzed. We all were," she added and sat down. Smiling about the way he was darting at the cookies she looked at him. "You can address me informally, you know? Otherwise I'm feeling a little odd."

"Odd?" He looked at her puzzled. "Why?" It wasn't that he had anything against it, but he was curious and Calleigh was after all still a stranger more or less.

"Because I feel like a stranger then. I mean we know each other and so this would be nice, don't you think?"

"Okay, cool," he shrugged and smiled at her mischievously, just like his father. "Aunt Alexx had been here too," he told her out of the blue, because he didn't know what to say. He didn't know the woman all that well and even though he really wanted to ask her about his dad, he didn't want to be too obtrusive.

"I'm convinced of it. And she kissed you more than once, right?" She knew them inside out.

"Oh yes," he rolled his eyes. "She was worse than mom…and I couldn't fight back. She took advantage of that. But at least she didn't want to patch me up, dad said that this happened to him from time to time. Whatever he means by that; it seems like he's not very fond of doctors."

Grinning she shook her head. "Not really." Since she didn't have much time to have her concern to get off her chest, she approached the bed with her chair. "There's something I need to clarify with you, Elijah."

"Okay, I won't run," the boy smiled and looked at her curiously. "What's it all about?" Maybe she had good news. Now that would be great.

Calleigh wasn't as cool with it as Elijah, but she didn't want to dance around the subject any longer. "You remember our talk in the ice cream parlor? I promised you back then that I won't tell your father about it and I kept my word. But in the meantime so many things have happened..," she looked at him, "…and now I'm on the horns of a dilemma."

"I'm not sure if I can follow you, Calleigh," he said quietly. Of course he could remember the talk. "What happened? Is something wrong with dad?" he asked alarmed.

She took a moment to answer that. "In a way, yes, something has happened. He has changed…positively changed. I was at his house the evening after your accident and we talked. We decided to make a fresh start." Now she was hoping that the boy was still okay with the fact that they were a couple again.

She didn't need to worry about that, because the first thing that came into Elijah's mind was "That's fantastic" and with that a huge smile. "And he didn't tell me anything about it, typical dad," he murmured acting annoyed.

This took a load off her mind and she laughed freely. "Oh well, I'm sure that your dad had other things to worry about in the last four days," she came to her boyfriend's defense. "He told me a lot, openly and this was a big step for him. I blamed him back then that he didn't trust me and he swallowed his pride. Now it would be my time to be honest with him."

"You want to tell him that we met? Oh no, no, no, Calleigh. You can't do that. Dad won't like that.." This would be a lecture. Not only had he met Calleigh, no, he had also had his fingers in things that had nothing to do with him. "He always tells me that I shouldn't go to the PD," he pulled a face and didn't like the idea at all.

Elijah was quite right about that, but it didn't help her. "So you say that we shouldn't tell him?" she wanted to know, because you never knew what was going on in a teenager's head, who had his own goals and strategies and wasn't really objective.

"I don't know what to say. Can't we pretend that we haven't met before?" he asked hopefully. "Dad is in such a good mood right now and that will definitely lower his mood." And that was never a good thing.

Calleigh hung her head in confusion. She hadn't reckoned with so much resistance coming from Elijah, even though she couldn't blame him. The boy was bright and confident, but that didn't save the situation. "It wouldn't be a problem normally, I would never break my promise..but...," she sighed, "…the situation is precarious."

"I don't know, Calleigh. I mean…he finally agreed to change my name and when he gets wind of the fact that I acted against his will…" They both were in a mess. "Oh my…what a mess."

"Then I have to come up with something else." Which meant that she wouldn't tell Horatio at all. And this wouldn't make her remorse any better. She lowered her gaze and played with the handholds of her bag.

"Hmm, yeah..," Elijah nodded and almost jumped out of the bed when he heard a knock on the door. "Oh dear!" he murmured and already knew by the sound of the knocking that it was his father. "Maybe you don't have to…" His dad had the habit to be in the wrong place in the wrong time. "Come in!"

Horatio was pleased. The appointment with the lawyer had helped him a lot and even though there was a lot of paperwork waiting to be done, it wasn't impossible and that alone made him happy. With a huge smile he opened the door and immediately started talking. "I brought along your laptop and this new…Calleigh?" Taken aback he stopped in the middle of the sentence and the room.

That was all she needed and at the first moment she looked as taken aback as Horatio. "Oh, hi, Horatio..," she smiled at him. "I thought you were still at your appointment?"

"Uhm, no? It's already finished and I just wanted to stop by shortly and deliver this," he answered her and lifted the laptop bag. What was much more interesting to him was something else though. "What are you doing here?"

Elijah pulled his punches and stayed silent, so he wouldn't confuse or annoy his father even more.

"I supplied Elijah with provisions," she replied, "and I wanted to see him plus asking him how he's doing."

"Hmm." Suspiciously he looked between his girlfriend and his son and had the undefined feeling that there was more behind it. The way they were sitting there with their 'who me' expressions…there had to be something wrong. "Just like that?" he asked and put the bag onto the small table beneath the window.

"Uh Dad, I think there's something we need to tell you," Eli murmured and watched his father reaching for the other chair.

"Oh?"

Surprised Calleigh turned her head into Elijah's direction and looked at him questioningly.

"Uhm, yeah," the boy said and looked doubtingly at Calleigh. "Namely…and please don't be angry.."

"Oh when it starts like this, I certainly am going to be angry…," Horatio sighed and didn't want to know.

Calleigh felt helpless and she didn't want Elijah to be the recipient of Horatio's anger when it should be her. "It has to do with the fact that I kept something from you because I gave Elijah my word.." She swallowed. This was worse than being interrogated. "Eli and I…we had a talk some time ago."

Horatio raised his brows and looked at Cal. "A talk?" Now that was interesting. "May I ask how and where?"

"I waited for Calleigh at the PD," Eli said meekly.

"You did what?" Horatio whispered.

"Waited for Calleigh, after quitting time…at the PD, Dad."

"And then we've been to an ice cream parlor," Calleigh threw in, because she saw that Horatio wasn't pleased about these facts. "So we could talk privately."

"Let me get this straight," Horatio lifted his hand so they wouldn't interrupt him. "You," he looked at his son, "waited at the PD for Calleigh? Just like that? Even though I told you more than once, that you shouldn't?"

"Uh..yes," Eli nodded.

"And you," now he looked at Cal, "went with him to an ice cream parlor because….?"

"…I considered, that it would be better not talking about us on the parking lot," she answered him honestly.

Horatio listened to that patiently. "And this brings me back to you," he focused on his son. "You interfere with my love life because…"

"I didn't want you to be upset any longer Dad and I hoped that I could convince Calleigh to give you a second chance."

Horatio couldn't do more than rubb his forehead at first. "Elijah, I've told you so often, that you shouldn't go the PD. What do you think would have happened if someone would have apprehended you? This could have brought us into trouble."

"I know that, Dad," the boy said quietly. "But not any more…right?"

Horatio knew what he was aiming at. "No, not any more. But at that day…" Sighing he ran his hand through his hair. "I'll have to watch out for you two conspirators, am I right?"

Calleigh stood up and wrapped her arms around his neck. "We promise to behave, right Eli?"

"Oh of course, Calleigh," the boy grinned and you could see that he was relieved.

"What I'm getting into now?" Horatio sighed playfully and planted a kiss on Cal's hair. "So my plan about you two meeting each other has been settled already…" Which wasn't all that bad anyway, since he hadn't had a plan.

"We beat you to it, Darling," she nodded. But there was something else on her mind. "I'm sorry that you had to be told like this; I had a bad conscience for the whole time, because I promised Elijah to stay quiet. That's why I'm here, to ask him about permission to tell you."

He wasn't overly happy about it, because he had really racked his brains, but it was too late now. Plus he didn't want to risk another argument for this reason. "It's okay. A promise is a promise...but next time you let me in your secrets, okay? Because then I know what's going on behind my back."

"But of course, Dad.."

"But that's what it's all about…you having no idea what's going on," Calleigh teased him and kissed his cheek. It didn't bother her that Elijah saw it from the first row.

"Yes, yes and then I get surprised like that…"

"I thought you like surprises, Dad? Mum said that you almost passed out on her when she told you I was on the way," the boy grinned cheekily and made his father blush. So he changed the subject quickly. "Would you give me the laptop, please?"

"Rascal," Horatio snorted amused and handed him the laptop.

Satisfied about the ending of the talk, even though she had never imagined it like that, Calleigh looked at her watch and stood up. "I really have to go now or Tim will get nuts," she smiled and patted Elijah's shoulder. "Get well soon, okay?" she said good bye. Her relationship with Eli was still a bit strange, but she was positive that it would change in the near future. Then she walked to her boyfriend, who was already waiting by the door. "I'll see you tonight?"

"Positive. Just call me when you call it a day and we arrange something," he answered her and stole a small kiss from her. "Take care, okay?"

Elijah watched them with a grin. He should open a singles dating agency, he seemed to have a sure feeling for that. "Hello, there are kids in the room," he complained laughingly and got an evil glance in response. "Well I'm right.."

"Maybe I should come with you," Horatio murmured and was poked in his side.

"No, no. You'll stay and act the solo entertainer for your son. Take as much time as you need." With one last glance she waved at the boys and left the room.

"Now I'm curious what you have in stock, Dad," Elijah snickered and was really curious about his dad's skills as an entertainer.

"Oh well…there are some things I have in stock after all I've heard today..," Horatio shook his head.

"Are you mad at me?" the boy asked shyly, because he didn't like his father's inflection.

"No. You acted with caution and initiative, but I'm not mad at you. And when it was you who made Calleigh rethink everything, I'm thankful. I just can't become friends with your way. That's all," he clarified and put himself off. "Let's stop thinking about it, Junior."

Eli knew better than to overdo things and so he leaned back. He hated this stupid cast and neck brace. There was no way to lie or sit comfortably. "When can I go home, Dad?" he whined.

"When the doctors give their okay; not a day earlier." Horatio knew what the boy was driving at, but that was out of question. "We will talk to the doctor at the round and ask him about his opinion. But I have a nice pastime for you."

Curiously Eli sat up again. "Yeah?"

"Yep. You can gather yourself a piece of paper, a pencil and practice your new name," he told him while keeping a straight face, though he wanted to smile.

It took a moment for the information to sink in. Moved he looked at his father and was hardly able to say something. "S-so it's official? For real?"

"Not yet official, because we have to sign a lot of paperwork, but the lawyer will bother about that. I can't tell you when…but you can't start exercising too early," he said and was glad to see his son so happy.

Even though he had thought about this subject over the last days, he was still shocked about what his father had confirmed him. With tearful eyes he blinked at his dad. "Thanks, Dad. Thank you so much," he sniffled. "I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything, Son," H replied and laid his hand on his son's. "It was about time and I'm very proud that you will be called Caine. This makes me incredibly happy."

"That's so awesome," Elijah sighed happily and already was up to mischief. "Now I just need a cool car and I'm satisfied all around."

"You my boy, will heal and then get your driving license someday…and then we'll find you a nice, secure car. Maybe an old Dodge or a station wagon," he listed and laughed when the boy's face got longer.

"Don't you feel sympathy with me? I'm injured and you should build me up and not scaring me with such a horror scenario." A short break followed. "I'm really happy that you and Calleigh are back together again."

"Believe me Eli, me too..me too."

Tbc

Sorry for the small delay, but I've been on holidays for the last days. Thank you all for your reviews, they mean a lot to me.