Title: Officer Down

Author: innocent choir girl (ff-dot-net), shannyfish (From Out of the Lab/Miami Heat)

Summary: This is a fanfic based on an episode that was supposed to be shot in season two where Calleigh is shot and Horatio has to face how much she means to him, but since that never ended up being taped, I'll make up my own version ;)

Category: Ship Ahoy! Calleigh/Horatio

Genres: Angst, Case, Character Study, Drama, Friendship, Hurt Comfort, Pre-relationship, Suspense

Characters: Kenwall Duquesne (Other), Alexx Woods, Horatio Caine, Eric Delko, Natalia Boa Vista (Other), Ryan Wolfe, Frank Tripp (Other)

Warnings: None

Rating: PG-13

Chapter: 3 "My Baby…"

Author's Notes: none

……………………………………..

Monday - 1800EST

South Miami Hospital

"Where is she?" Kenwall Duquesne demanded as he headed towards the group of CSIs. He knew that they'd been there longer than he had. Horatio had left him a message while he had been in court, and he had found that it had been left at the beginning of court. It had been closed though, and there had been no way to inform him of his daughter's hospitalization until he got out. He frantically looked around as he approached them.

Horatio met Kenwall, his gaze down. He was wondering when Kenwall would show up, and Horatio knew that once he did…that the tension that was already felt between them would double. He hadn't seen Calleigh's father in a while, and wasn't sure if he'd turned his life around or if he was still drinking, but he was there. So, that told him one thing. He cared about Calleigh… "She's still in surgery as far as we know," he responded, but when his voice started to crack, he stopped. Looking up, he continued trying to keep his composure, "She's lost a great deal of blood."

Getting up from the bench, Alexx felt the need to bring in hope before blame was starting to be thrown around. She knew it could easily get ugly. "Calleigh's gonna pull through…she's a fighter. They're gonna replenish her blood supply, and they're going to get the bullet out… Any damage it may have done, they'll fix it… It's delicate work, it just takes time some time…" She hoped that it was bring Calleigh's father hope, because she knew that any negative thoughts were not welcome there. They had come together, and they had mostly been silent, but once and awhile someone would recall something Calleigh had done and they'd remember just how strong their friend was.

"No one's said anything about an update?" Kenwall asked panicking. Thoughts of losing his baby girl ran through his mind, and he wondered if he'd loose the child that he was probably most connected to. Calleigh wasn't his only child, but sometimes she felt like it…and she put up with a lot from him…but she never gave up on him… Not once had she let him down, but he'd let her down…he knew that…

"They said they'd let us know as soon as they were out of surgery or there were any changes," Eric spoke up. "I'm going to go and check with the nurse…" he said getting up and heading over to the nurses' station.

Alexx managed to get Kenwall to sit with them, but she watched worriedly as Horatio left the group. They were all worried, but she knew the look in Horatio's eyes…she had seen it before…when she had arrived on scene to pick up Tim Speedle's body. It was an empty look. She made a note to make sure she found him in a while to check up on him.

"What'd they say?" Natalia asked as Eric walked back over and took a seat next to her and Ryan.

"Still in surgery?" Frank asked.

Eric nodded, "They said that they're finishing up. That so far, things are okay."

"Good," Alexx said trying to bring up spirits. She looked around and saw that everyone were still shock-stricken and worried. "We need to pray for Calleigh's speedy recovery," Alexx told them and reached out to take hands around her.

…………………………………

When Calleigh had come out of surgery, the doctors had gone over how the surgery had gone and then had allowed them all in for five minutes and then had pushed everyone, but one out. Kenwall Duquesne had been the person to remain. He had cried after everyone had left. His little girl looked so helpless…so pale… He hated seeing her hooked up to all the monitors. They had her on a ventilator, and he only took that as a bad sign.

He held her hand and ran his thumb over the top of it, "My baby…" he whispered. "I'm sorry this happened to you… Calleigh, you've gotta wake up…" He needed to see her eyes. They had induced a coma, and they had explained that they didn't know when she'd wake up, but that at the time it was the best option.

Sitting there, he told her that she'd changed him…made him a better person…and how he'd be dead if it wasn't for her. He told her how he needed her and how it wasn't right for a father to outlive his daughter. He knew that she hated when he told her she was too beautiful to be doing the job she worked, but it was true… Kenwall had pretty much given up hope on Calleigh settling down and starting a family…she was far too much of a workaholic. He only remembered seeing her outside of the Crime Lab when she wanted something or when she was dragging him out of bars…and he vaguely remembered that. "You've made me a better man, Lambchop..."

……………………………

TBC…