Chapter 7

Around noon, the following day Alexx stepped into Calleigh's hospital room, she was working with her physical therapist, when the beautiful ME opened the door.

"Oh Calleigh, I just saw Horatio; he is doing a lot better"

"That's wonderful Alexx" Calleigh answered, showing her million-dollar smile to her friend, no one knew about her nightly visits, and she wanted to keep it her secret.

"He has a very long way to go, but he is going to be fine" Alexx replied
sitting next to Calleigh as the door opened again and Ryan walked in smiling broadly.

"Hey ladies, I just saw the H, his looking so much better, is amazing" Ryan
said sitting on Calleigh's bed.

"Have any of you seen Eric?" Calleigh asked, "I'm really worried about him;
he's been acting so strangely"

"Yeah, I know" Ryan said "He's having family problems, well Marisol problems to be exact.
"Is she sick again? " Alexx asked with concern.
"Oh no, not at all, listen he better explain, ok?"

Both women nodded, Calleigh's therapist finished working with her leg,
smiled and left the room.
Ryan jumped off her hospital bed, and offered her arm to Calleigh.
"Well Miss Duquesne, come on, lets take you to see H, and I know you want to go" He added grinning.
"Ok Mr. Wolfe "she answered, standing up. "Alexx?"
"You go sugar; I have to get back to the lab, bye "the ME said walking out.

Calleigh, walked slowly, aided by Ryan. The Intermediate Unit was located on the same floor they were at, as they approached Horatio's room, they started to hear Eric's angry voice.
"I can't believe you Mari, you can't be serious." He said in a very loud
voice.
"What can't you understand Eric? I can't be there for him, I need him to be
strong like he was, and I need him to be my protector, not my charge."
"But, you said you loved him, you two are going to be married, and you can't even see him?"
"He's not getting out of here anytime soon Eric, I'm not planning on walking down the aisle next to a wheelchair" Marisol stated glaring at her younger brother, Calleigh and Ryan stood frozen a few feet away. They couldn't believe what they were hearing.
"You have to at least talk to him Mari" Eric replied lowering his voice "I
just can't believe you are acting this way."
"My life is fading Eric, I want to live every second of it, and I won't play
nurse for who knows how long."
"This is so selfish Marisol, you were not brought up like this" Eric said
getting angrier by the second "Horatio was there for you all the way, you
said you loved him, or was it a lie?"

"I'm not sure anymore" Marisol added tears shinning in her amazing eyes.

Calleigh couldn't process what she was hearing, Eric and Marisol were now
shouting at each other, without noticing Horatio's door was open, Calleigh
blanched as she pointed to the room, Ryan realized what she meant and
stepped forward.

"Eric!!" He said in a strong voice, making his friend jump backwards, the
young Cuban turned around to see the open door, he paled visibly looking
back at his sister; Marisol Delko covered her mouth with both her hands, her eyes wide, then she just turned around and without another word she run away, leaving all of them in shock.

"Oh my God, what have we done?" Eric whispered.

"I'll check on him Eric, stay calm," Calleigh replied walking towards
Horatio's room, closing the door behind her.

"Horatio?"

"I knew she didn't love me" He said in a very dry voice, looking into space.
– But still … I didn't wanted to be alone Calleigh.

"You have never been Horatio"

"I have lost everyone" He answered, turning to look at her, his expression
somber.

"You have me:" Calleigh remained him, gathering courage from who knows where
"I won't let you drown yourself in pain she thought.

"Calleigh what did you tell me at the Samsarah?" He said almost in a whisper
reaching for her hand, she let him take it getting as close as all the
machinery around him would allow.

"I love you"– Calleigh replied, her voice as soft as velvet, there was no
way back, she thought, she was not denying her heart any longer, whatever
happened, this was the truth and she was prepared to face the consequences.

"I love you too, I have been so blind Calleigh, looking for something I
already had, thank you for saving me" he answered kissing the tip of her
fingers, sending a wave of electricity through Calleigh's body.

"It's going to be a long road" he added looking down at his injured body.

"We will walk it together" Calleigh said kissing him softly, as she nestled
him in her arms, just as she had done before.

"Calleigh?"

"Yes?"

"Don't leave me"

"Never my love, never"

EL FIN (The End)

Well there it is, I hope you liked it, thank you very much to everyone that
read it, specially to those that reviewed, I may do a sequel, not sure yet.
Special thanks to Nicky Caine my just founded Beta.
Take care
Lady Aracne