A/N Hate me. Please, by all means. I suck royally. Here you go! I kinda screwed with the timeline.
Horatio ran behind Hagen as he screamed in the pain at the bullet lodged in his knee, crouching and putting a gun to the man's head, in the traditional Caine style.
He leaned in close to Hagen's ear, "If the inmates don't kill you, I will."
The handcuffs he snapped on too tightly to the wrists that hurt someone he loved didn't seem to be enough to hold the evil within Hagen's soul. It wasn't enough for him, but he would have to settle. His attention turned towards Ryan, a wordless check on his mind and body. Their souls would all have to wait for some healing.
The splash of water drew the eyes of Ryan and Horatio, a soaking Eric carrying a limp Calleigh, his coughing hid only by the cries of an ambulance approaching. His hand clenched on her shoulder was no match for the blood leaking from her wound like his tears from his eyes. The other two CSIs ran to help him but he wouldn't let his hands leave her, clutching her like his last vestige of hope. Resigned, Horatio and Ryan ran back to the Hummer, following the wailing ambulance in a desperate trek to the hospital.
The red letters on her digital clock flashed 12:12AM. She sighed. Work was going to be a pain tomorrow, and she really needed to get some sleep. She just couldn't. One of those days. Slipping out of her bed, and wrapping that plush pink blanket around her small frame, she padded into the living room, with quiet snores meeting her ears, bringing a small smile to her face. Leaning over the couch, she saw him, curled up on her couch, sleeping peacefully. Fixing his blanket, she continued to her kitchen, doing her best to be quiet when a low, rumble emerged.
"How come you get to midnight tiptoe?"
"C'mon Calleigh. Stay with me, please, please. I need you. I'm sorry."
She hoisted her purse over her shoulder, wincing slightly, not noticing his dark, concerned eyes looking at her from being her open locker door. Closing it, she looked up, surprised, placing a hand on her chest.
"Jesus, Eric. You startled me."
He didn't say anything, asking questions they didn't need words to ask. His fingers slipped to the lapel of her jacket and pulled it aside, revealing the dark blue bruise that was forming, contrasting to her pale skin like the stripes in a prison uniform.
"I'm fine. Really. It doesn't even hurt."
He smirked. She thought she was a good liar. He raised his eyebrows, challenging her, with a quiet and slightly playful, "Oh really?", his sarcastic remark meeting a small smile and rolled eyes, as she walked past him.
"Hey, supergirl?"
She turned, with raised eyebrows.
"Catch."
Her good hand flew out to catch the ice pack, looking up to thank him, but he's gone before the words can leave her mouth.
He rested his elbows on his knees, his hand still holding her limp one, praying silently in Spanish. "Not you, please, Calleigh."
The image of her cocking a gun by her ear was almost too much for him to bear. The defeat in her shoulder, yet determination in her eyes. He knew her enough to know the concern was frustrating her…She shouldn't have anything to let people get concerned about. Her desire to prove herself was admirable in itself. She should know that she was accepted by her team in a way that she wouldn't be anywhere else.
The look in her eyes when she ran out the door gun drawn, was enough to break his heart. It was a little fear, something she never let through. He just wanted to take her in his arms and tell her it was going to be okay. Wishful thinking.
But that was the day he knew he loved her.
"We lost a pulse, starting compressions."