"Well,... they found the boat H."

"And?"

"Well, it…looks like Jay is dead,… burnt to a crisp and Claudia is nowhere to be found. I'm going over there now. I can tell you more once I get to the scene."

"Eric go with him…Process the scene… and Eric, ….Find me his phone." Horatio said with warning in his voice.

"Ok, H. Well see you later." Eric said.

"Frank, Eric,… I want an update, ok.., call me." His Agitation showing, he was in pain, tired and now angry.

"That's about enough now; you really need to rest, ok?" Joe demanded now.

"Alright H, well be in touch." Eric reassured Horatio and they left, Alexx walked out with them.

"Hey… you ok?" Calleigh asked him now, sitting down in the chair next to his bed.

"Hmmm." He gave a small smile and was looking down, thinking.

"We have to find Claudia before they do Calleigh. If they kill her before we can get to her, we won't have much of a case. We also need to find Jay's phone and figure out WHO he was talking too.. This is not beginning… to look very good. I need…."

"You NEED' to rest!" Joe snapped, now at him. Alexx came back in the room.

"I'm giving you Dilaudid for the pain; it should not have any bad effects on you. From there we can see how you're doing and keep lowering it till it's tolerable for you. Then we can send you home when…."

"Oh no you don't!" Horatio said cutting him off, with his head tilted at Joe now. "How long do you think I m going to stay here?"

Horatio and Joe now locked eyes. Joe knew it was just a matter of time, Alexx told him so. He knew he had to be stern with him and held his ground.

"Till you're able to move maybe,… how's that sound?" Joe said sarcastically, his eyes never wavered.

"I can move now." Horatio said quickly back.

"Really? I had a feeling you'd say that!" Joe said, annoyed at Horatio now.

"Go Ahead." He nodded his head at him.

They were like two pitbulls, neither one willing to let go.

Calleigh jumped up and started for the bed but Joe stopped her, he held up his hand to her and shook his head no.

"Horatio Wait you can't…"

Alexx shook her head at Calleigh and gave her a don't interfere look,' Making Calleigh realize that Joe was just trying to help him. At the moment it seemed, the only way he could help knock some sense into, Horatio thick skull.

Horatio began to lift himself up more into a sitting position and closed his eyes for a moment, concentrating. Then he turned and dropped his legs one at a time, off the side of the bed. He winced in pain, groaned now and quickly took in a sharp breath. His bodies weight leaning on his right arm and his left cradling his broken ribs. He was wheezing and his breathing was forced, leaning all his weight on his right arm now.

His feet touched the floor and the moment he leaned forward to lift up he was in agony. He groaned in pain and cradled his ribs on the right side now, the room began to spin. He felt himself falling back-wards , everything going black. Joe quickly grabbed him and slowly helped him back into the bed. He cradled Horatio's head in his hand and gently lowered it down onto the pillow. Alex was straightening his legs, also trying to help; she knew how stubborn Horatio could be. Calleigh gave Joe a dirty look.

"He's not looking good, he looks pale." Calleigh said glaring at Joe.

"That's because he tried to get up to soon, he not ready yet. He'll be fine."

"I am fine, just…a…little…" He began to lift his head again, straining and closed his eyes.

"Dizzy? Just keep your head down and stop trying to sit up, it will pass." Joe said.

"Horatio, listen to what he telling you. He's trying to help you, stop being so stubborn, stay down!" Alex scolded now.

Calleigh was standing next to the bed now and Joe asked her to press the button for the nurse. He called Maria into the room and asked her for some of the new pain meds.

"I want to change him over to Dilaudid, Give me a 4 mg dose. I want him to have an injection every 4 to 6 hours depending on his pain, ok?"

"Ok, Dr. Gannon. Is he allowed to move around yet or get up…." Maria was asking.

"NO!" Joe quickly answered her and Horatio's eyes opened and found his.

"I'm alright, just.. feel.. a little weak,.. I don't need ……" He gasped in pain and his eyes shut tightly now. He held his left arm tighter now to his ribs and tried to take a deep breath.

"Ok, listen to me Horatio." He put a hand on his shoulder. "Breathe easy, small breaths. Don't try to take a deep breath in, ok? It will only hurt you more, your lung is collapsed and your ribs… are broken, ok?"

Horatio opened his eyes and groaned in pain, he tensed. Joe saw the pain he was in and tried to relax him now.

"Listen to me, I'm only trying to help you, ok? Your body needs to heal and rest. I just want to make sure of that before we take you off the meds. Don't be stubborn, let me help you. As soon as we can lower the dosage we will. You have my word, you can trust me Horatio. Now if you rest and take the meds I can guarantee you'll be out of here by the end of the week.

His eyes closed again and a small cold smile appeared on Horatio's face now.

"There's…no way..I'm….stay..ing….." He spoke between breaths, falling short, unable to continue now.

Well that went nicely Joe. He thought to himself, way to go,…Yeah he's real relaxed now.

"Horatio stop talking and try to relax." Calleigh said worried for him.

Joe leaned down over him now and said sincerely, "TRUCE, ok? I am trying to help you, why won't you trust me? I give you my word." His eyes gentle now.

Horatio's eyes narrowed, "Truce. Your word…End.. of ..week?"

"Only if you do what I say, rest and take the meds, deal?"

Maria gave Joe the syringe and he pulled Horatio's pants down a bit near the hip area. He pinched the skin and quickly stuck the needle in.

"Deal…Ahh…" Horatio was answering when he felt the sharp stick.

In seconds his eyelids began to close and Joe was over him. "You're gonna be fine now, just rest." He patted his shoulder and Horatio eyes were closed, he drifted to sleep.

It was early morning and the sun was shinning into his room, it went right across Calleigh's hair. It made her even more beautiful, he thought and smiled. Horatio was sitting up in the bed quietly, watching her sleep. He did not want to disturbed her; he knew she was exhausted and not getting much sleep at all. His eyes slowly closing again, he opened them quickly, not wanting to fall asleep again. Visions assaulted him in his sleep, Calleigh being hit by Jay. Claudia with the baton, that sound… stuck in his head. He shook his head, trying to clear the images and looked back over to her.

He enjoyed seeing her sleep this way, it seemed to relax him. He watched as her chest went up and down, her hair draped around her face and how she slept with her hand tucked under her face. She seemed so peaceful, but then she would become restless and mumbled in her sleep. He knew what was making her restless; he wished he could hold her and tell her everything would be ok. His mind wandered to Claudia and Jay again…He had to find them, find out who was behind this.

He knew deep down now that Calleigh was dragged into this because of him, it was his fault. He wanted to get up and go to her and just hold her, hug her, tell her everything. Everything he felt for her… all his thoughts and all this wasted time. He closed his eyes and put his head back, taking a breath. Suddenly, he yanked the blanket off and began to get up, he was disgusted with himself. His mind began reeling, he thought go to her and tell her. Then he thought, do you really want to put the woman you love in danger? No!

No, he knew the answer. He began to sit back again on the bed, he looked over at her again and this time,… his heart ached. The door opened and Frank walked in.

"Hey H, how you doing today? Sorry it's so early, wanted to get a jump on things."

Horatio motioned to Frank with his head, letting him know to keep it down, Calleigh was still asleep. Frank nodded back and walked to the right side of his bed.

"What happened to my update Frank?" He said in a low voice.

"I umm, called yesterday and Alex told me you were sleeping. I figured it could wait till today anyway. That's why I came in so early to talk with you."

Calleigh stirred and mumbled something incoherent and went right back to sleep. They both became quiet, looking over at her. They did not want to wake her. Horatio's lips curled up just a bit.

"So Alex is starting the post on Jay, she wants to make sure it's really him. It looks like someone… burned him. There was gasoline all over the boat and Alex is betting it's all over him too. We still don't know where Claudia is and how the boat didn't blow up." Frank ran his fingers over his lips, thinking now.

"Did Eric find the phone, Frank?

"No, he didn't…yet. He said he was going diving today, to see if maybe, it's in the water, with Claudia."

"It's not. They're covering there tracks, no evidence, no proof, and no conviction for us." Horatio shook his head, upset now. "They know what their doing Frank! Let someone clean the mess for you, then get rid of them, and nothing comes back to get you, right?"

He put his right hand up to his forehead and then slid it down to the bridge of his nose and softly pinched, His head beginning to throb more now.

"You ok H?"

"Yes, fine." He removed his hand.

"You look tired and….."

"I'm ok Frank, it's just the painkillers working on me. He snapped a bit at Frank and shook his head. Frank understood and nodded to him.

"Were gonna find them H, Claudia still out there remember."

Horatio smiled coldly, tilting his head, "How could I- forget. Did Eric find anything… useful, Frank?"

"H…he found the… baton. He found your keys and…. your" Frank looked away from Horatio now, not wanting to say anymore.

"And?... What's going on Frank? What are you NOT telling me?"

Horatio gave Frank an Intense look now. His head was killing him and he was in no mood for guessing games.

Calleigh stirred again…

TBC... Thanks again for letting me know what ya think. :)

It's about to get very good...Mature scenes comming up...If I don't

chicken out first! LOL