Chapter 15

Horatio wasn't sure of who was happier at this moment – his son or himself. It probably balanced each other. But they had every reason to be happy; Horatio had fetched his son from the hospital after all, since the doctors had given their Okay. Consequently the boy didn't wear his neck brace any longer and the excoriations were almost healed. The only thing that remained from the accident was the walking plaster, which would still accompany Elijah for the next weeks. Horatio couldn't draw conclusions about the emotional effects yet, but until now his son seemed to be doing fine. And as long as his son was fine, he was fine. "I'll take you home, okay?" he asked him after he had turned down the radio. Someday he would be deaf thanks to his son, he knew that. "Mom is certainly waiting for you anxiously."

He wasn't anxious about that at all. His mom would shepherd him 24/7. So Elijah had already been working on a plan in the hospital when he had been waiting for his dad and this plan got more and more attractive. Now he just had to convince his dad about it. "Mhm, could we make a stop first?"

"Do you need ointment or something?" Horatio asked, because the doctor hadn't told him about that; but this didn't mean anything. "Or do you speculate on a second breakfast?" he grinned, without taking his eyes from the street.

"Neither, though I wouldn't object a second breakfast," he smiled. He wouldn't mourn after the hospital's food. There was silence between them for a few seconds. "You're looking good, Dad."

"Uhumm," Horatio couldn't help but smile. "What do you want?"

Elijah gave him his best smile. "Would you mind driving to the PD?"

There was some hanky-panky going on. "Why should I? I'll start working again at noon."

"Because we're on the way… and you can see Calleigh?" he listed up the advantages of his terrific idea. "And because I'd really like to see the lab from the inside."

"Hmm, I'm afraid you have to wait for that Eli, there are way too many stairs and hallways and you shouldn't overwork yourself.." Seeing Calleigh however was an argument after his taste. "But you're right about Cal."

It figured that he would meet opposition, but didn't give up that easily. "I'm fine, Dad. Really. And I'm sure that you have lifts in the lab, right?" Almost every public building had lifts.

"Of course we have lifts, but not outside..," he explained. "I just don't want you to overreach yourself..," he sighed and turned at the next crossing. "Your mom will have my head then and I like my head." Yet he drove into the right direction.

Since the logical arguments didn't work, plan B became effective. "Pleeeease?? I've wanted to go there for soooo long and I was never allowed." It wasn't a lie.

"We'll see and stop this puppy dog face, you inherited it from me, so I'm immune to it." Of course it worked with him, but he didn't want to admit it. "If you would pay attention to your surroundings, Son, you would have noticed that we're actually heading to the PD."

Silently Eli looked outside and needed a moment to find his way. "Oh…oh are we really??" he turned to his dad.

"Yep. So you can at least have a look from the outside and get some fresh air, before your mom shuts you in the house," he smirked and after a few more crossings, he turned onto the parking lot. "You'll stay in the car, I'll help you." He didn't feel like Elijah breaking his other leg too.

"Oh man," Eli murmured when his dad got out of the car and rolled his eyes. The following weeks would be very exhausting. But since he was just before his goal he let his dad as he liked.

At first Horatio got the crutches out of the trunk, leaned them against the car and helped his son out. "Maybe a broken arm would have been better, hm?" he murmured and handed him the crutches. "I'll call Cal to tell her that we're here.." With that he whipped out his cell phone and pressed the speed dial.

***

Delighted but confused, Calleigh emerged a few minutes after Horatio's call and smiled when she saw him standing next to one of the benches. What amazed her even more was the fact that Elijah was with him. Actually the plan had been, that Horatio would fetch his son from the hospital and turn him in at Samantha's. Seemingly there had been a change of plans. "Horatio..Eli..has something happened?!" she asked worried, before she reached them.

"Yes, my son had an idea once again," Horatio replied amused and planted a small kiss onto her forehead. "Hey Sweetheart…" Then he turned to his son again. "I don't know…both of them don't know about you and I'm not sure how they will react."

"Dad..what should happen? Do you think it will annoy your team when they find out about me?" he countered back and made himself comfortable on the bench.

"I don't know…what do you think, Cal? Should we...surprise the boys?"

"Hmm, good question, Handsome," she mused. It wasn't such an easy situation, since they had to do with two different kinds of characters. Eric would be cool with it, but Tim? "The word surprise or maybe even shock is fitting."

"That's what I think..hmm.." He wasn't really sure if they should do it.

"Come on, Dad. We're all gathered here… who knows when we'd get the chance again. Besides it's easier next time when I can finally visit the lab."

Sighing Horatio ducked his head. There was truth in it. "Can you call them?" he turned questioningly to Calleigh. "Officially I'm not here until noon."

"And what should I tell them?" she asked surprised.

"I have no idea, tell them that we have a surprise for them. Use your charm Sweetheart…"

Eli grinned broadly. "I can call them."

"You'd better not do that…"

"All right you two smart alecs," Cal smiled and reached for her cell. "It's enough when I call Eric. I'm sure he will collar Tim." Since she didn't hear any complaints from Horatio she dialed the corresponding number and waited.

***

"Do you get that? Why should we come outside?" Tim asked frowning, while he was walking next to Eric.

"I have no idea, Dude. Cal just said that she wants to show us something and that's outside," Eric shrugged and took it easy. He, in difference to Tim, didn't have the need to scrutinize anything. "We'll see it in a bit."

"It's weird nevertheless," Tim grumbled and stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"Do you think that Eric is already making bets on what the surprise could be?" Horatio asked amused and still standing in front of the bench, where Calleigh was now sitting next to Eli.

"Are you betting a lot here?" Eli stepped in.

"When Eric is around? Oh yes..," H said amused and ran his hand through his son's hair.

"Oh Dad stop that. You ruin my hairstyle."

"It would be a hairstyle if your hair sees a hairstylist. But it just knows your caps," Horatio countered easily.

"Of course it's a hairstyle…Amber likes it and that's enough."

Horatio just rolled his eyes and bit back a comment when he looked to the entry where their victims appeared. "Let's get the game started."

Tim was the first one who stopped. "Hey, isn't that H?"

"Suit, sunglasses, red hair..yep it's H," was Eric's answer.

"What is he doing here? His shift starts at noon."

"If you continue standing around, you will never know." Boy, sometimes Tim could be really unruly. "Therefore chop-chop..," Eric clapped his hands and continued walking.

Head shaking Tim followed him, though this was still odd to him.

In the meantime Eric had arrived at Horatio and Calleigh who was sitting next to a blond boy with a leg in plaster. "Hi H," he nodded at his boss and smiled at the boy. "Hello." Then he looked at Calleigh. "So what's up?"

"Oh I'm not part of this game," she smiled and leaned back, but prepared to intervene.

"I wanted to introduce you to someone..," Horatio started and waited till Speed arrived. "Mainly the reason why I haven't been in the lab for the last days.."

Interested the boy glanced at the two men. So these were Tim and Eric. He knew the names, but not who was who.

"Yeah?" Tim asked. "And this would be? I thought you were sick?"

"If somebody is sick.. then it's me," Eli murmured to himself and made Calleigh giggle.

Horatio chose to ignore this typical teenage comment and concentrated on the important things. "Oh well, sick as in a cold, no. Sick as in sick of worry because my son had a car accident, yes. May I introduce you to Elijah…Caine?" It wasn't official yet, but the authorities concerned were working on it.

With narrowed eyes, Tim looked at Eric, who seemed to be as surprised as he was. Then his glance wandered between Horatio and the boy. "Say that again, please," he said in disbelief, but the same time didn't wait for an answer. Instead he poked Eric's side. "Did you hear that? The boy is also called Caine?" They wanted to trick him obviously, but they picked the wrong one.

Eric was quicker in combining and grinned at Cal. "Is there something you want to confide us in?" Even though this was unlikely…but the blond hair lead to this conclusion. "Any..you know what I mean… sins of your youth?" he laughed.

"You must be crazy," was all she could say to this. How did it happen that he had such stupid ideas? "Be glad that Alexx didn't hear that, she would pull your ears."

"And wash your mouth with soap," Eli joined in and found this hilarious.

"Yes, that too," Cal nodded. "Handsome, would please clear that up before they pin more on me?"

Surprised about such appalling assumptions, Horatio wasn't sure of what to say. This was typical Eric. "No, Calleigh doesn't have sins of her youth.." He claimed that at least. "And the same goes for me. Elijah is my son..not Calleigh's. His mom's name is Samantha and she's my ex-wife." Now it was out.

"Ah and that," Tim lifted his hand and waved with it, "came into your mind just like that?" Slowly but surely he felt stultified. "I don't know what's going on here, but I have work to do. Just like the two of you." This topic was finished for him and he turned around. On what kind of trip were they?

A little bit helpless Horatio glanced between Speed and the others.

"Are you serious, H? I mean…"

"That Elijah is my son? As true as I'm standing here…," he nodded.

"Wow, this really is a surprise," Eric scratched his head and looked between father and son. "Your eyes H, definitely your eyes and oh man..he's also tilting his head just like you do," he laughed. "He's a Mini-Me."

"Yeah, only that Mini-Me is soon taller," Elijah grinned.

"Speed, come back again," Horatio said a bit louder.

"H…Speed," Eli snickered. "You all have funny names here."

Sullen, Tim stopped, but didn't turn around. If this was true…then Horatio had just blowing smoke and that came hard. Sighing he turned, stuffed his hands into his pockets and watched them from afar.

"Oh well, the Speed is derived from Tim's surname, he's called Speedle and H is.."

"Because we're too lazy to say his full name plus H…is not the boss but a friend," Eric finished Horatio's explanation. "Oh yes, I'm Eric Delko by the way."

"Hi, nice to meet you, Mr. Delko."

"Eric is just fine," he shook his head and couldn't believe it. H was a father. That was just about the limit.

Horatio was happy that Eric had no problems in accepting the boy, but Speed made him worry. Questioningly he looked at him and let him decide if he wanted to consort with them or not.

Tim made an effort, since the others were still standing there and seemingly wanted to see a decision from him. Slowly he walked back to the group. "I don't understand," he admitted when he arrived.

"That's fine, I'll explain it to you when Elijah is back at home.."

"Oh Dad, can't we stay a little bit longer? Come on…you can't leave me alone with mom."

"Of course I can. Why don't you call Amber she can keep you company," he suggested.

This was actually a good idea and Horatio could tell that he was thinking about it. "Hmm, I like that."

"See?" He had just to make sure that Eli wouldn't spend too much with Eric the playboy.

"You know what? I'll help Eli into the car and you men can do…what men do..," Cal stepped in, kissed her boyfriend, stole his keys out of his pocket and accompanied Eli to the car.

Thankful Horatio sighed. "I know this was unexpected…and you have every reason to be mad at me…" As long as they wouldn't react like Cal, he was okay with it.

"More than unexpected," Tim grumbled. "But I'm curious about the explanation."

"If it calms you in any way…you weren't the only ones who had no idea. No one except Alexx and the Chief knew of him. To sum it up, I hid him…yeah you can call it like that, sadly, so my enemies wouldn't become his. When he had been a baby he had been an easy goal and when he grew older..it was deep inside me that I wouldn't tell anyone about him. His mom and I have been divorced for about 14 years now and Calleigh already gave me hell when I told her…so if you could skip her reaction, which would include slapping me, I'd be grateful. And before you think about it, please keep in mind that my son is sitting in the car dead ahead and is watching us."

Eric stepped up to him and spread his arms. "Congratulations, H…even though it's approximately 15 years too late," he hugged his friend and slapped on his back. "And you never told us.." Though he didn't mean it reproachful.

When it was his turn, Tim hold out his hand and nodded at Horatio. "Congratulations," he said calm and impersonal. He still needed some time to stomach that.

"Thank you, it's almost 16 years," Horatio nodded. "If it hadn't been for the accident…he already would have his driving license…," he sighed and shook his head. "How about we all go out tomorrow after shift for a beer or two? My treat and I'll answer any other questions you might have...," he suggested.

"Beer is always good," Eric reacted to this idea and said goodbye. "Agree upon a time and let me know." It looked like the others needed minute alone.

"Sounds good," Tim agreed and glanced at the car. "I'm sorry, you wrong-foot me."

"You're not the only alone. Elijah wanted to see the lab and meet you.. I was also surprised by that," he grinned and followed Speed's gaze to the car, where he saw Calleigh talking to Elijah. "He's full of surprises... So is that okay for you? We could meet at my house or at Stans."

"I think I need a beer," Tim winked. "But first you should give your son a lift home. He needs to rest. We can phone.."

"Yep I wanted to do that anyway and we can talk about that later, when I'm back again," H nodded and said goodbye temporarily. "We'll sort this out later, Speed."

Tim nodded. "Okay, see ya. And don't forget to leave Calleigh here. I'm still the boss here."

"Still, but not for long," Horatio laughed and walked to the car. "We're heading back home now, without further stops," he grinned and gave his girlfriend a squeeze. "We'll see us later. Your boss wants you to work again," he winked at her and hopped into the GMC.

Once again a burden had been lifted from his shoulders and the rest would disappear when he had an honest talk with the boys. That sounded like fun in the true sense of the word.

tbc