He was doing better than they thought he would and the doctor made sure that he was giving his pain medicine every few hours. The more
sleep the better right now; it would give his body time to heal.

Horatio was not happy about being put to sleep every few hours; he
was beginning to feel better and wanted to stay awake. The doctor came walking into the room and saw Alexx and Calleigh. Horatio was still asleep.

"Well his CT scans are back, he has 2 broken ribs on the left, with
a punctured lung. On the right he has 1 broken rib and a lot of bruised ribs. He has pulmonary contusions and chest wall trauma and the pneumonia is beginning to brake up. That's one good thing! I can't wait to see his MRI results." He joked, looking up at them.

Alexx and Calleigh just looked at him in shock and he realized he
went on a bit. They were worried and he knew he had better start
explaining.

"Ladies, it's ok, really. He's doing a lot better than we thought. The bleeding stopped and his breathing is getting better. His saturation is 92 now, that's almost back to normal. His lung is healing and the pneumonia is getting better as well. This is all good news, ok?"

Alexx began asking questions, "What about his ribs, are you going to
tape them or bandage. Will that affect his breathing if you do…."
Joe cut her off.

"Whoa,… one step at time, Ok? We're gonna give him analgesics for
the inflammation and yes we are going to bandage his ribs. I want to get that MRI on his head and make sure nothing else is going on there. Probably just a concussion but I still need to make sure…." Joe shook his head, realizing they thought he was going home.

"You both know, he's not ready to be discharged yet, right? Alexx
and Calleigh remained silent now, they looked from Joe to Horatio.

Horatio was up and Joe realized why suddenly, the ladies stopped
talking and got quiet. He was listening the whole time.

"Good afternoon." He smiled to Horatio and walked over to his
bedside.

"Doctor." Horatio nodded his head to him.

"How ya feeling today, lieutenant?" As he pulled the covers down and began examining his chest and ribs. He lifted his bed a bit more so he could listen to his lungs. When Joe asked Horatio to lean forward, he winced in pain and brought his left arm up to his ribs. Calleigh and Alexx saw it, so did Joe.

Joe helped him sit back again and lowered the bed some, to make him
more comfortable. It helped to take the pressure off the chest and ribs.

"So, how's the pain lieutenant?"

"Better!" His answer was quick. "Horatio, call me Horatio." He said.

"Good. In-case you haven't noticed… I m your doctor, Dr. Joseph
Gannon. You can call me Joe." He said smiling now.

"So you're feeling better then?" Joe asked again.

"Yes." Horatio said, with a bit of a sigh now."

"Ok, on a scale of 1 to 10 what would you say your…"

Horatio cut him off and looked him right in the eyes, "Three, it's a THREE" He said firmly.

"Really? Want to let me finish the question next time."

Joe's eyebrows raised and he tilted his head, a bit stunned now by his answer. Now he knew he had to be in pain, a lot of it. He began to question him carefully, he knew he had his work cut out for him. Alexx told him so.

"Horatio, if your pain level is a three, it's because you're on high doses of morphine. Now when the meds wear off, what do you think your pain level will be? Well, at least doubled right? A six then. Then take into account the fact that you are not even moving around yet, what do ya think your pain level will be then?" Joe was making it clear, getting his point across.

"You're not getting out of this one Horatio." Alexx chuckled from her chair. "You need to listen to what he's telling you, you have a lot of healing to do."

Horatio looked at Alexx and then away, knowing everything they said
was true.

"Ok, but no more Pain medication." Horatio said firmly.

"What! Did you hear what I just explained to you?" The meds are help…..

"Yes, thank you, I heard doctor. I am not taking anymore pain
medications."

"Horatio you need the pain medication..."Alexx started but he cut her off.

"What I NEED, is to get out of here and..."

"Wait, Horatio. I m sure they can give you something less potent." Calleigh softly said, her Green eyes meeting his.

Horatio looked at her, into her eyes and instantly soften. She had a power over him, if only she knew, he thought. She also went through hell with him and now he began to remember. He remembered hearing her cry. They hurt her, because of him, it was his fault.

He stared into her eyes and began remembering everything. Images
flashing in front of him now. He saw Claudia grab her by her hair?
Stun her? Calleigh kicked…

Joe pulled him from his thoughts…

"Hold on, is that the problem, it's too strong?" Joe asked.

Horatio did not answer yet, still in a Haze of memories. Calleigh started, not realizing it she spoke out and said,

"Yes, he wants to stay awake! The medicine keeps knocking him out!
It makes him feel terrible and….."

She looked at Horatio now and stopped talking. Her eyes went wide and she realized she was speaking for him and not letting him talk. She began to blush and she put her hand to her mouth, shaking her head….

"I'm so sorry, Horatio. I didn't realize… I mean,… I just thought…. I thought you…." She was all flustered.

He was smiling at her the whole time, even more when she began to
stumble with her words.

Alexx laughed out loud and Joes head, was going from Calleigh to
Horatio to Alexx. She looked at him and asked him, "What? I'm sorry.." She saw his smile.

"It's ok Calleigh, your doing great! Go ahead, finish up for me. I'm enjoying this." Horatio teased her now.

"Great! I'm worried sick about you and your... cracking jokes…. Just Great!" Calleigh was annoyed now, shaking her head looking away.

Horatio's eyes went wide in shock, blinking a few times looking at her, confused.

Alexx was quickly at her side, "Calleigh you ok?"

This was not the Calleigh they knew. Horatio was still trying to figure out what happened.

"Calleigh, I'm.. sorry... I didn't mean to upset you...I just..." She cut him off.

"Oh God Horatio, I'm sorry, I can't believe I just got that mad over …." She tensed up and sat down in the chair. She put her head in her hands and took a deep breath.

Alex rubbed her back and said, "Why don't we go get some coffee
Calleigh." She could see she was barely holding it together.

She looked up and saw Horatio looking at her with concerned in his
eyes. He had a questioned look on his face and Calleigh saw it. He just wanted to know if she was ok.

He raised his eyebrows to her now, asking the question silently. They could always read each other. He loved how sometimes no words were needed between them; they always knew each others thoughts. He would start a sentence and she would finish it for him. Things always felt so right when they worked together, he thought.

"Would you like some coffee? She asked him, avoiding his silent question. He raised his eyebrows again to her, surprised now.

"Ok, I'll get it, well be right back, ok?" She asked him and answered for him too. He never said a word; he just stared at her, baffled.

Horatio shook his head and looked to Alexx for some help. He was
beginning to get worried about Calleigh now. She must be exhausted, he thought. She had been through the same hell he had and thinking about it began to anger him inside.

"Ok, c'mon Calleigh, lets go get some coffee." Alexx put her arm around her and they began to walk out of the room.

"See you in a bit honey." Alexx said to Horatio, winking, trying to reassure him. And she nodded to Joe.

"Oh, Joe…sorry, can we get you a cup?" Calleigh asked. "You gonna
be here when we get back, right?"

"Sure am." Joe answered her and nodded his head smiling. She patted his arm and smiled back.

"Ok, coffees all around then!" Calleigh announced, giving Horatio a
quick glance and leaving.

"Calleigh?" Horatio called out, she stopped and turned around. Alexx put her hand on her hip now, waiting, giving Horatio a glare.

"Yes, Horatio?" She asked softly.

"Hurry back." In a deep voice. He smiled mischievously to her, with the tilt of his head.

Well it paid off; she gave him the biggest, brightest smile he'd ever seen. She also began to blush.

Now that's my Calleigh, he thought to himself now. He smiled back and Alexx had to pulled Calleigh from the room, they were laughing.

Now, Joe was staring at him….. "I think we got off track there for a moment huh. Can I ask you a personal question?"

"Hmm" Horatio was still smiling, thinking about Calleigh now.

"What are you two waiting for?..."

Horatio looked at Joe his mouth opened, and just then Eric and Frank
walked in the room.

"Hey H, how you feeling? Eric asked and Frank nodded hello.

Horatio looked back to Joe and gave a small smile, he said turning
toward Eric and Frank.

"Tell me you've got something for me and I'll feel a whole lot
better."

"Now how would you know that H?" Eric asked.

"Well Eric you have that, I found something look on your face, and you Frank, also seem pleased. So.. who's going to tell me about it?"

Eric began. "We found the van and processed it, they left their garbage in it and…" Horatio cut him off

"And let me guess, their garbage is our evidence, right? One mans garbage is another mans treasure. So they will be caught and convicted because of their own garbage." Horatio's lips curled up into a small smile.

"We found a receipt from the Rickenbacker Marina in Key Biscayne. We talked to the owner and he definitely saw them. He said they were in a hurry to get going but he didn't know where." Eric said.

"We have the coast guard looking for them now and we have cars set up at the marina just in case they are stupid enough to come back." Frank said.

"They ALWAYS,… come back!" Horatio said, with vigor now. He
suddenly grimaced and his arm moved close to his body now. He was
getting tired and Joe could see he was in pain. He let him continue and just observed him, while he was talking to his friends.

"Did Calleigh tell you about the syringe we found at your place? Ryan's still trying to figure out what's in it." Eric asked.

"No, she didn't. We really haven't spoken much about... what happened." I'm a bit.. worried about her, she… she's not herself."

"Yeah she was pretty shaken up when we found the both of you, H. She thought… you were dead." Frank said.

"Yeah, you were in pretty bad shape H, we all thought the worst." Eric explained.

"Alexx had us call for the Medivac and they got you to the hospital in minutes. Calleigh wouldn't let go of your hand, we had to pry it away just to get you in the chopper. She hasn't left your side since."

Frank elbowed Eric now and Eric looked down at the floor realizing
what he said.

"What?.." Horatio grimaced in pain again shifting and said, "You mean she never …."

"Yep, that what he means H." Frank said. Annoyed now at Eric for
slipping.

Horatio looked at Joe and he shook his head to him, "She even stood with you in the ICU." Joe said smiling.

"I thought I remembered hearing her voice…"

"So you do remember then?" Joe asked.

Horatio looked down and nodded silently, concentrating on his memories now. It was all coming back, she was there holding his hand and sitting with him. He remembered. His thoughts were vague but something about him going into the firearms lab and her not being able to take it? He was trying to comprehend things now. His thoughts left as quickly as they arrived.

Calleigh and Alexx were back with two trays full of coffee and snacks.

"So, anyone feel like a snack?" Calleigh asked.

"Yeah, ok Calleigh." Eric walked over to the tray and took a coffee cake, Frank said no thanks.

"Hey guys how's it going with the van?" Calleigh asked, fixing one of the coffees and walking with it over to Horatio now.

"This is for you handsome." She smiled and put it on his table in front of him.

"Thank You." He answered in a low smooth voice. His eyes locked onto hers and he tilted his head, staring deeply into her beautiful green eyes now.

"Snack?" Alex asked but Horatio was lost in Calleigh's eyes still.

"Horatio, would you like a snack? Alex tried again, smiling now.

"Hmm, what Alex?" He answered, slowly moving his eyes from Calleigh's, over onto Alex now.

Alex smirked and said, "Would you like a snack, Horatio? You have to eat something, even just a few crackers?"

Frank's phone rang and he opened it and began speaking.

Horatio tired to sit up more and lifted too quickly, he groaned and put his head back in pain now.

"You ok? Your way past your next dose of pain meds and you need to get some rest now. Joe said.

"Let me give you something less potent for the pain, if it don't agree with you, we can change it again later?" You need to relax and rest now! Joe stated firmly.

"What medicine are you going to try?" Horatio asked with his head back and his eyes still closed.

"What! Are you sure it's him? What do you mean she's not with him?" Frank barked at the voice on the other end of the phone.

"Ok, I'm on my way now and make sure the coast guard knows its a crime scene. It needs to be processed still, so keep them off that boat. I'll be right over."

Horatio's eyes popped opened and he picked up his head very interested now.

"Frank, what's going on, you get something?"

Frank looked over to Calleigh and Alexx and back to Horatio. Should
he tell him, he thought.

"Your not going to like this H." He shook his head and put his hand on his hip.

TBC...