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: Calleigh Duquesne, Horatio Caine, Frank Tripp (Other)

Warnings: None

Rating: PG-13

Chapter: 5 "Bright"

Author's Notes: none

……………………………………….

Saturday - 2100EST

South Miami Hospital

Horatio stared at the wall as he sat in the hospital chair in Calleigh's room. She had been asleep when he had arrived and he hadn't wanted to wake her. He had even stopped one of the nurses who wanted to make sure that Calleigh ate, but Horatio assured her that he'd make sure she ate when she woke up. Alexx had stopped him on his way in telling him that the doctors said she'd be fine, but her body was still weak and that they really needed to keep an eye on her. That was something he fully intended to do. He just hoped that Calleigh didn't throw him out after his declaration the last time he had been there.

"You're not supposed to say those kinds of things," she whispered as she blinked her eyes. She had woken up and saw him there and wasn't surprised to see him so late. His words from the day before had been going through her mind. What to say…how to respond…how to feel…what to do…and she still wasn't sure.

Smiling, Horatio looked over at her, turning in his chair, so he was facing her. "Someone has to say them," he responded. She looked better, he thought, her color looked like it was coming back he could tell that much. He reached out and took her hand, and squeezed it lightly.

"It's not permitted, Horatio," Calleigh reminded as she watched him. She knew that he'd been miserable…for a long time…they both had, but Calleigh wasn't sure that trying a relationship together was going to improve either situation.

Dropping his gaze, Horatio nodded, "You're right…it's not something that they promote, but that doesn't mean that it's wrong…"

"Horatio…"

"Alexx says you're going to need a couple more days in here and then about a week rest at home," he told her with a smile. "So, that means actual rest, Ma'am… I'll be alerting everyone that you're not to be in the Crime Lab or on scenes until after that time."

"My poor lab," she mumbled thinking about how whoever was overlooking ballistics was probably messing stuff up and not doing things the right way. "Can't I be on light duty?" she asked with a small smile. "Please?"

"Do you know what light duty is?" Horatio asked with a smile.

Calleigh smirked, "Probably just about as well as you do."

"I'm not the one shot."

"I'm starting to think you have a guardian angel," Calleigh remarked.

"Hmmm," he murmured with a smile as he glanced back down at their hands. "I wish I could have directed that angel to protect you." Horatio wished that he could protect Calleigh always, but this proved that he couldn't… But she was alive, and that was something to be truly thankful for…

"I'm alright," she told him. "I'll probably start to get a bit irritated having to rest for so long…but I'm alright." She smiled at him, "It's not so bad when I'm sleeping most of the time…"

"That means you're healing, Sweetheart…" he told her smiling at her. "So, you rest all you need…"

Calleigh smiled brightly, "We've changed the subject…"

"The subject has always been you healing, Ma'am," Horatio told her squeezing her hand.

"Calleigh…"

"What?"

"You can't call me 'Ma'am' after tellin' me you're in love with me and want to marry me, Horatio… That's just wrong on so many levels," she teased.

He laughed quietly and smiled at her, "I suppose I can't, can I?"

"No."

………………………………………..

Saturday – 2300EST

South Miami Hospital

It was late, but Horatio wasn't ready to leave. They had gone back and forth over the subject and he could tell that Calleigh didn't want to lose the relationship they had, and he didn't either…but he also wanted to be happy. Those simple moments in the hospital had shown him exactly how happy they'd be. They just needed to take the chance. He wanted to tell her, to tell her that he'd make sure he was the one that they went after if anyone found out, but she'd fallen asleep shortly after eating a bit of the food they had brought in for her.

The silence, save for the quiet beeping of one of her monitors, made for a good place to think. Horatio thought about how dangerous their jobs were potentially anyways… They didn't normally chase after suspects with guns and get shot at everyday…but sometimes it did happen. Crime Scene Investigation sometimes included more police officering at times than investigating. He was pulled from his thoughts by a light knock and the door and looked over to see one of the nurses standing there.

"You need anything? Coffee?"

"No, thank you though," Horatio replied quietly and watched as the nurse left. He turned his attention back to Calleigh and thought about their conversation earlier about 'light duty'. He smiled brightly at the thought. It was just how Calleigh operated. How they both operated, he corrected himself; they were both workaholics trying to speak for the victims through the evidence at any cost…even if that meant sacrificing sleep and social lives.

"How's she doing?"

Horatio's head looked up quickly in surprise at his friend's voice. He hadn't expected anyone else to bother him. "She's just really tired," Horatio responded with a smile. "The doctors say she'll be just fine once she's rest and healed."

Frank took a seat in the extra chair not too far away from Horatio. "How long until she gets out? She looks pretty good…not so pale. Not that once she gets into the field that'll be a problem, the sun'll bring color back quick."

"Couples days. They want to make sure she's completely stabilized before they release her," Horatio told him frowning as he watched Calleigh sleep.

"And then time off before she can return to the lab?" Frank guessed, and when he noticed Horatio only nodded in response, he frowned. "Horatio, you know it's not your fault…"

"I feel like I should have done something to keep this from happening…" Horatio admitted. It had been the same with Speed. He had kept trying to think of a way he could have prevented his death.

Frank sighed, "Look, you've gotta look on the bright side. Calleigh's alive, Horatio… You found her, and got her help. The EMTs even said that if she hadn't been found so soon that they could have lost her…just from the blood loss. You gotta hold onto that. We all choose this line of work, and we all know what those choices can lead to… Now, we might kick ourselves for our friends gettin' shot at…but it's not our fault… Someone's gotta protect Miami…and it's all of us…"

Horatio just sat there with his head hung in silence taking in what Frank had just said. He was right, he knew he was. He just was so concerned about Calleigh that he didn't care if things made sense. "She's going to be alright…" he finally whispered.

"That's right."

…………………………………..

TBC…