Eric was waiting in the hummer and got out when he saw them. He gave Horatio a hand getting in the front seat now and closed the door. He walked around the front, got in and started the engine. Eric was driving and Horatio sat in the front with him, Calleigh and Alexx sat in the back.
"Hey H, how you doing? Bet you're glad to be outta there, huh?"
"Yes, Eric... I am, and thank you, I'm doing fine. Anything new at all, on the case?"
"Well H, um... Ryan is checking to see if he can find some records on Jay's phone. We're hoping it was not a throw away. I'm working on the car that exploded or should I say blew up. I found a component in the starter, so when the driver turned the key..."
"Ka Boom!..." Horatio said, nodding his head. "Anything else Eric?"
"Yeah, I found a partial print on the starter, I'm running it but nothing so far, coming up on AFIS. I'm gonna keep trying though, H. We also found some trace on the files, so we have a few things were working on."
"Eric, try running it through the department files, you understand?""Of course, I didn't think of that, I need to do and internal, Someone inside, dam."
"That's alright Eric, not a problem, well find them and well nail them." Horatio said with conviction. Putting his head back now on the seat, relaxing.
"Horatio... You ok?" Alexx asked.
"Yes, fine... Just relaxing Alexx."
"Ok, just checking on you."
"Thank you Alexx." He said in a deep voice, smiling.
They arrived at Calleigh's and Eric helped him out and into the house. Calleigh opened the door and they lead Horatio to the couch and sat him down. He was out of breath and holding his ribs by now.
"Ready for a pain killer yet?" Alexx asked him. Horatio went to answer but she kept talking, his mouth open still. "And don't be stubborn about it." He waited this time to make sure she was done.
"No, I'm fine, give me a minute." Putting his head back a moment, closing his eyes now.
Ok, here are his things, where do you want them Calleigh?" Eric asked.
"Down the hall, Second door on the left, thanks Eric." Earlier in the day, Eric had picked up some things for Horatio at his place.
"No problem, Wow... Nice place Calleigh, how much do you get paid?" Eric joked, from inside the bedroom now.
She giggled a little, "I'll never tell." She drawled, in her southern accent.
Horatio chuckled, listening to her with his head back still, a smile on his face now.
He, however, did not know Alexx was observing him. She laughed out loud and said, "You enjoyed that one, huh?" Leaning over the couch, watching him now.
His eyes opened, he lifted his head up quickly and the room began spinning. Alexx noticed his eyes immediately and moved around and sat next to him. leaning his head back, with her hand, she told him to keep it there and just relax. It would subside after a moment, and it did. He began feeling better right away.
"Calleigh, you got that bed ready yet honey?" Alexx called out to her.
"I'm alright Alexx. Horatio said.
"Yep, it's all ready for him now."
"Eric, give me a hand with him, ok? Horatio lift your head slowly, ok? We got you."
"I'm... ok, Alexx. Just a little ..." Eric and Alexx holding him as his knees caved.
"DIZZY! Yes I know Horatio! We have to get you down now."
"Wait, I wanted to... at least take a shower and ..."
"Forget it, tomorrows a new day. Your body has had enough today and now it needs to rest. You can take your shower tomorrow; we'll even help you, if you like." She joked.
"Alexx!" Horatio snapped. "We're going to need some ground rules here, I can see." He said back to her and she laughed.
"Really Horatio, do you know just how many bodies I see in a day, male bodies? Who do you think undresses them, hmm? Trust me baby, I've seen it all!" Eric was having a hard time, trying not to laugh.
"Hey H, you can come stay with me if you like, I promise, not to jump in the shower with you!" Eric was laughing now and Alexx chuckled.
He stopped walking, and looked at Alexx and then Eric, he smiled coolly now to them.
"You two having a good time with me?" Horatio asked, leaning more on Eric now. "Good. Just wait till you see your case loads when I get back!" Now he chuckled and Calleigh joined in with him laughing.
They helped him sit on the bed now, his left hand cradling his ribs, his right hand balancing himself. Eric helped him down slowly.
"Ok, Horatio, here's some of your things and the bathroom is right through there. Can we help you with anything at all?"
"No, Calleigh, thank you. I can take it from here." And Alexx and Calleigh left the room. Eric stood with him making sure he was ok moving around. Horatio got up and made it to the bathroom. Eric sat on the bed waiting, talking with him.
"Hey H, you ok in there? I can come in and give you a hand if..."
"ERIC, I'm FINE!" Horatio snapped back at him.
"Ok... H." Shess, Eric thought. Just having some fun with the boss. He grinned and Calleigh walked in.
"Is he ok, Eric? Calleigh asked him now.
"Yep, he's fine Calleigh. So how long are you..." Calleigh quickly nodded her head to him and he realized to shut up. He put his hands up in the action of asking what, what I'd do?
Horatio heard the conversation, wondering what they were up to now. He changed his pants quickly but his shirt was beginning to give him a problem. He unbuttoned it, but couldn't bring his arms back to slip it off. He was going to need some help. He took a breath and shook his head, annoyed he could not do it himself. Lifting his head up now, he heard Calleigh, being loud.
"A WEEK, THE DOCTORS WANT TO SEE HIM IN ONE WEEK!" She said very loud now. Eric answered her.
"OH, OOH, HE HAS TO CHECK HIM OUT AGAIN." Eric giving her this confused look, like what the heck is going on and put his hands out in question. She nodded her head to him and gave him a dirty look now.
"Why are you being so loud Calleigh?" Alexx asked, walking into the bedroom, hearing her from the living room. Now she gave Alexx a dirty look, and Alexx went right back out, as quickly as she came in, chuckling now.
Horatio was leaning on the bathroom counter, listening to the fun, smiling the whole time, thinking to himself. This is just like work; I just have to figure out what they are going to do next. He chuckled.
"Horatio, you ok?" Calleigh asked now. Eric mimicked Calleigh with his head now.
"Get Out Eric!" She whispered now, pointing to the door.
He heard her just throw Eric out of the room and chuckled again.
The bathroom door opened and he cleared his throat and said, "Would.. you a... mind... giving me a hand, Calleigh?" He asked, in his low deep voice. She looked him over.
The shirt he was wearing was opened and unbuttoned, but loosely hanging on his body still. He couldn't get it off. His arms and ribs not making it easy for him.
Holding his Pajama shirt in his hand now, he said looking down, "I um, didn't think this was going to be a problem, however um,... I was wrong, and it is." Still looking down at the floor now, fiddling with the shirt in his hand.
"No, it's no problem at all Horatio, sit down on the bed, it will be easier for you."
He walked over to the bed and sat down, Calleigh's eyes roaming over his body as he walked by. His pajama pants were light blue, they hung comfortably low on his waist. The elastic band just under his navel and she noticed his happy trail was showing, his RED happy trail. She looked away and almost had to catch her breath now.
She slowly gather herself and turned back to him now, her eyes higher. His shirt was opened and hanging loosely on him now, she noticed the red chest hair he had and now the tape over his ribs. She tilted her head to him feeling badly. He knew in an instant and grinned at her, letting her know, he was ok. No words were needed, just eye contact and small head gestures. How did they know each other this well? She thought, smiling.
"Ok, let's take the right arm off first, so we can just slip it off the left."
"Um-hum." He nodded to her and moved his right arm. She pulled on the cuff of the sleeve, so he didn't have to bend it too much and she slipped it off. Then she just moved it around his back and was able to slip it off his left arm, he didn't have to move it at all.
"Hmm, thank you." He said, looking down at his hand now.
"You're welcome, handsome." She smiled to him, wanting to reach up and feel his face with her hand. His red stubble beginning to show more, how she longed to feel that.
There he was right in front of her for the first time, with no shirt on. Thoughts started running though her mind now.
She wanted to lay-him-back-and--...
She caught herself and tried to pull herself together. Now is not the time for this Calleigh, she though. He needs your help! She was staring at his chest now, his bare chest, her eyes scanning over him.
Horatio looked up at her and quickly back down, her face turning red. She studied his body for a moment and looked him in the eyes now. Her face still red, as a small grin appeared on his now.
She moved to his left arm and began putting the pajama top on him now. She moved slow and now to the right arm and it was on. She bent down now in front of him now, leaned in, between his legs and began buttoning the shirt for him. Horatio was now looking down at her hands, he swallowed hard.
"Is that ok, Horatio?" She said, looking up to him now, with her deep green eyes.
"Just fine, thank you Calleigh." He said in a smooth voice now.
She wanted to close her eyes, she thought. That voice, how she loved, that voice. It was deep she thought,... no sexy,... no rough,... no smooth... YES! Yes, she thought, that's it, smooth.
She smiled and got up, both her hands balancing her, on his legs now. He automatically reached, with his right arm to help her up. Her eyes wide, as she just realized what she did, his hand still on her.
"Thanks." She said, smiling.
"Calleigh, I'm the one who needs to be saying thank you, not you." She looked down to the bed and picked up his other shirt. She gave him a smile.
She took his other shirt and walked with it to the bathroom and put it in the hamper. Thinking to herself now, OMG, how on earth didn't I just pass out cold! Horatio with no shirt... Me taking it off him? WHEW, she put her hand through her hair, trying to calm herself, her face feeling hot again.
Alexx came walking in now and Calleigh was coming out of the bathroom.
"Everything ok in here?"
"Yep, fine." She said.
"Ok, Horatio, take these and you'll be out before you know it." She handed him 2 pills, one for pain one for swelling.
"Hmm, I'd rather stay awake right now if..."
"No you don't! Take them right now; they need to get into your system to start working."
He swallowed the pills with some water and they helped him lie down now. Once his head hit the pillow, it was only minutes before sleep claimed him.
Alexx showed Calleigh how to put the cool soaks on the burn wounds and in no time she had it down. She also put some antibiotic ointment on some of the cuts. Helping them to heal better. The wound from the needle was swollen and Alexx told Calleigh she could keep putting ice on and off throughout the day. As much as he could tolerate, she said.
"What about his meds Alexx, how often do I give them to him?"
"Well the pain meds are every 4 to 6 hours, depending on his pain, but you know he is not going to take them like he needs to. The analgesics he gets twice a day with food, make sure he eats Calleigh, we need to keep his strength up.
"Try to keep him down like Joe said, ok? Those ribs are a problem; I just hope he can give them the rest they need to heal."
"I'll do my best Alexx." She grinned now. She buttoned up Horatio's shirt again and covered him with the blanket. She was liking the idea of this now and smiled.
"You make a wonderful nurse, Calleigh." Alexx said, smiling. "I'll even bet my job, he thinks so too." She said tilting her head over to Horatio now. Calleigh smiled to her.
"How about some coffee, Alexx?"
"Sounds good honey, but you should really get some rests yourself. ""I will later, I promise, ok." Calleigh made some coffee and they sat talking a while about everything. Taking turns, checking on Horatio every once in a while.
It was getting late and Eric told Calleigh that two uniformed officers would be staying on guard, they finally arrived. Calleigh was really hoping for Jessop but she knew he was on duty with Frank. Eric told Calleigh he would stop by tomorrow, to let him know if she needed anything for H.
"Well Calleigh, I'll be here bright and Early in the morning. If you think of anything you need, please call me and let me know. "Please call me if you have any problems, anything Calleigh, ok? Do you want me to stay the night with you?"
"No, no Alexx, we'll be fine, besides you'll be here bright and early right." Calleigh said smiling.
"You bet honey. Ok, we'll see you two tomorrow then." Alexx and Eric said goodbye and left. Calleigh checked out the officers and offered some coffee to them.
"Officers Anslow and Jordon Ma'am. No thank you, we're fine. Any problems just let us know, ok?"
"Ok, thank you." She closed the door thinking, wishing this was all a bad dream. She went to check on Horatio.
He was sound asleep now on his back, his right arm laying on the bed and his left cradled close to his body and resting on his stomach. She pulled the chair closer to the bed now, so she could be close to him.
She sat back and relaxed, just watching him sleep. The blanket was only pulled up to his lower waist; she got up and pulled it up more onto his chest. She felt his head with her hand and smiled, he felt cool to her touch.
She took her hand and softly cupped his face, feeling his stubble now. It felt a little rough; she smiled and slowly ran her hand down against it, feeling the texture. She couldn't figure out what exactly she felt.
First she thought it was rough, but soft. Then she thought, feeling it again, closing her eyes now, concentrating, it was smooth, and hard. She smiled and he stirred, her eyes went wide and she removed her hand and sat back down in the chair.
He mumbled something, she leaned in closer to hear better now. His face tightened and he moved his head, he was dreaming, she realized. She put her hand on his forehead and softly ran her fingers through his hair. His face relaxing now and his body calming, he fell soundly to sleep again.
She took her hand off him now and sat back again in chair. She looked at the time, it was almost 11pm and he was due for his meds again. She went and got some water and his pills. She took them out of the bottles and placed it back on the bedside table now. She softly called his name.
"Horatio... Horatio." She put her hand back on his face now and softly caressed it. He began to wake, his eyes slowly opening, coming into focus now. His eyebrows raised, looking at her now with question. He tried to lift his head up but she kept her hand on his face, she smiled to him.
"Hey, I'm sorry to wake you but you have to take your meds again, ok?"
He blinked at her a couple of times, looking confused.
"Mm-hum." Was all that came out, she put her hand behind his head and slowly lifted, he put his right arm down into the bed lifting himself up a bit more, against the headboard. She talked to him.
"How you feeling?" She asked him, handing him the glass of water but still holding onto it, making sure he was awake. He took it from her and drank some. He lifted his head up from the glass and licked his dry lips, his eyes seeming clearer now.
"Good?" She asked.
"Mmm, yes, thank you.. Calleigh." His voice thick, from sleep.
"Ok, here you go. It's that time again." She said, smiling to him, feeling very tired now.
"Calleigh, what time is it?"
"It's a little after 11, Horatio, and time for your meds." She yawned now.
"11 at night?... I slept all day?
"Yes and that's a good thing, you need to rest, remember. You're going to take these now and rest some more, ok?" She said firmly. He stared at her now, with his puppy dog eyes.
"C'mon Horatio, please take the pills, I'm exhausted and need my pillow. A girl needs her beauty sleep you know." She said in her southern accent, smiling to him.
"Hmm, well in that case, you don't need any... ever. No amount of sleep can make you more beautiful than you are already Calleigh." His voice low, smooth now.
She tilted her head to him and smiled, shyly. His hand reaching up to cup her cheek, her eyes closed and he caressed her face with his thumb. She was exhausted, he knew, giving in he said.
"Let me have them Calleigh." His hand finding hers and the pills.
"Oh, sorry... here." She said, in a daze.
She handed him the pills. He took them and drank some water to chase them down. He stared at her now, smiling. He watched her now, she took the glass from him and put it back on the bedside table. Her eyelids heavy and her hair pulled back in a ponytail, she yawned again now and he smiled.
"Go to bed Calleigh."
"Mmm, I'm going... ok. She got up and helped him to lie back down again.
"I'm fine Calleigh, go... goodnight."
"Good night Horatio, I'll be back in a few hours for..."
"Calleigh, I'm fine. I can take them in the morning, now go get some sleep."
"Ok, nite." She yawned again now, leaving the room.
"Calleigh?..."
"Yes?.." She turned around.
"Sleep with the angels." He softly said to her, in the most sincere way.
Her heart leaped and she blushed now, looking down, unable to hold his gaze. She walked back over to him now. His eyebrows rose, questioning. She bent down and kissed him on his forehead.
"I hope you sleep with the angels too, handsome." She smiled to him.
"Well, I'm with an angel right now." He answered her. "Goodnight Angel." He said now, smiling.
She gave him the biggest, brightness smile, he had ever seen. His eyes slowly closing now, the meds kicking in. She stood and watched him fall back now into a sound sleep.
She pulled the covers up onto his chest and ran her fingers through his hair, "Goodnight Handsome."
She walked out of the bedroom and walked directly across to hers. She went into the bathroom washed up, brushed her teeth and changed in to her nightshirt. She got in bed, pulled up the covers and was asleep in seconds.
Flashes of Jay and Claudia assaulting her sleep now. Horatio bleeding, his head. Jay hitting her, Claudia shocking him and drowning him with the water. Her body now thrashing in the bed, she yelled and jumped up from her sleep. Looking around the room her breathing erratic and her mind reeling. Trying to catch her breath now, she ran her hand through her hair. She heard a sound and looked up. Horatio was standing in the doorway watching her, his eyes concerned now.
"Horatio, are you ok?"
"Um, yes.. I'm ok Calleigh. Are you ok?" He tilted his head to her.
"What do you mean?" She asked, trying to avoid the question.
"You were dreaming, Calleigh... you yelled out, I thought, something..." He shifted feeling some pain in his side now.
"I... Yelled out?... Oh my I 'm.. so sorry, I didn't realize that. She said, rubbing her forehead now, covering her eyes. Flashes still going off in her head of what happened. She took in a deep breath now and he noticed something was wrong.
"May I..." He started to say.
She looked up at him and said, "Of course, oh my god, Horatio, I'm sorry. I.. I must really be tired, huh." She chuckled. "You can come in, I don't bite."
He sat on the small couch, across from her bed. He leaned back, trying to get comfortable. "So, what were you dreaming of?"
"Nothing much really."
"Calleigh, nothing much doesn't make you yell out. It's ok; you might feel better if you talk about it." He said, tilting his head to her, giving her sincere eyes.
She ran her hand through her hair again and again now. "I'm fine; really, it was just a stupid dream." She answered him now. He just remained quiet and let her talk.
"Horatio, I'm ok, really... why don't you believe me? I'm tired and I was worried sick for you, I was having problems sleeping... in the hospital." She quickly recovered but it was too late,. She had said it and he caught her. She knew and looked down now at the blanket.
"You're having problems sleeping because of what happened, right? Calleigh... Calleigh?" He waited for her to answer.
She picked her head up and now he could see the pain in her face, her eyes welling up, and tears ready to fall.
"Calleigh...it's" She quickly looked away.
He started to get up and she picked her head up again looking at him now as he made his way to her bed.
Now he looked down at her and asked her again, "May I?" She just stared at him now.
"Ummm... yes."
"Ok... move over." He said softly now. She looked at him in shock.
She scooted over more to her right and he gently eased himself down on the bed, with a couple of groans.
"Horatio, I don't think..."
"Hmm... Come here." He put his right arm around her and she moved in closer to his body now. His body felt warm she thought, smiling now. She put the pillows under his head, to elevate him a bit, less pressure on his ribs, she thought.
She didn't need any pillows, he was her pillow now. He pulled her closely and placed his hand on her head now, lowering it to his chest and shoulder area. He put his fingers in her hair and began stroking it now, he heard her softly moan. He smiled.
"Better now?"
"Mmm, yes, thank you. Horatio, I... "
"Shhh, go to sleep Cal, close your eyes and get some rest. You need it. He was playing with her hair in between his fingertips now.
"Thank you Horatio." She smiled looking up to his face now. "If I go back to sleep, will you?"
"I think so Cal, besides I am not going anywhere, ok? I'm right here with you, ok?" He said, holding her tighter.
"Mmm." She moaned softly again, his hand massaging her head now, in her hair. She snuggled closer and her leg automatically wrapped itself around his. His eyes went wide.
He was trying to keep his composure; he felt his groin stir when she wrapped her leg around his. It was an automated response, he thought. He swallowed hard, trying to think of something else, anything else. He was very happy to see she quickly fell asleep. He shifted just a bit, trying to relax himself now but his groin ached more, they were not in agreement. His hand in her silk hair, was not helping matters much right now either. He took another breath and relaxed, smelling her now... he leaned his head over to her hair and inhaled deeply. He closed his eyes.
"Mmm" He softly moaned. Vanilla, soft...Calleigh, he thought.
His eyes slowly closing now, he drifted off to sleep.
Elsewhere, a phone rang...
A figure stood, standing in a dark room and picked it up.
"We now know, where they are keeping Judge Greenhill." A voice said.
"So, he's still alive?"
"Yeah, but not for long..."
"Good, lets get this over with, I don't like loose ends!"
"Soon you'll have nothing to worry about; they can't connect you to anything, Judge."
"You had better hope not. If they connect me, then they find you!"
"Well, no one is connecting anything, because Greenhill will be dead. So don't worry, I'll take care of this."
"I'll stop worrying when he's dead, you had better get this right."
"Well, you Want to hear some more good news?"
"NO! I want to hear that Greenhill is dead!"
"Well, it seems we also found out where Caine is... staying now."
"Really... It's wonderful to have such reliable resources." The judge laughed now. "So how is our good lieutenant doing, these days?"
"Well, I hear he has a long road to recovery and..."
"Yes. Well, maybe we can shorten that, after Greenhill. He is priority, you understand?"
"Yes, Judge... I do, don't worry."
"That's what Jay said, right before I lit him up!"
"Ok, ok, consider Greenhill dead, I'll call you when it's over."
"Ok, I'm expecting a call very soon then."
"Yes, as soon as I get the plan together judge."
"As far as Caine goes... I have this feeling, I'll be seeing him Very, Very Soon!" The judge laughed deeply into the phone and hung up.