Title: Vendetta

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

Summary: Clavo Cruz escapes from prison and goes after those Horatio holds dear in order to really get back at him. Clavo sees that there's more between Horatio and one of his co-workers, and takes Calleigh... (takes place before current season - I swear this was thought up before "Man Down")

Category: Ship Ahoy! Calleigh/Horatio

Genres: Angst, Drama, Episode Related, Established Relationship, Friendship, Hurt Comfort, Suspense

Characters: Calleigh Duquesne, Eric Delko

Warnings: none

Rating: PG-13

Chapter: 8 "Doubt"

Author's Notes: that's right people, I'm so procrastinating turning in the laptop… huggles it but I LOVE it so much!!!! Whatever will I do for three whole weeks without it?! I've already gone through a whole thing of ink for my pen just trying to work up to using my notebook again! Anyways…

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Calleigh opened her eyes, white sterility surrounded her. Where was she? Why was she there? She couldn't remember anything that would give her a clue. She turned her head and let out a low moan, her neck hurt. It was like she'd been in an uncomfortable position for far too long, but she didn't know why.

"Hey," Eric spoke up seeing her move about. "How are you feeling, Calleigh?" he asked as he approached her bedside from the chair by the wall he'd been sitting in.

"Confused," she blurted out unintentionally. She was always in control, but she couldn't be this time. "Where am I?" she asked calmly.

"Hospital," Eric responded and carefully studied her. He was still worried she'd been out in the heat too long even though the doctors had said she seemed just fine to them.

"What happened? Why am I here?" she asked, still trying to remain calm. "I just feel sore…not hurt."

Eric nodded, seeing that she seemed a bit normal. "For precaution."

"What happened?" Calleigh asked again.

"Tripp and I found you locked into Horatio's Hummer. We were worried you'd been exposed to the heat for too long," Eric told her. Doctor says you're fine."

"Why was I in the Hummer?" she continued feeling even more confused. She couldn't think of a good reason she'd be locked inside one of their work vehicles.

He realized that Calleigh really didn't know what had gone on. That worried him more. What if the doctors had missed something? She should remember something… "We think Horatio traded himself for you and then locked you in the Hummer. His cell dialed Tripp and we traced the signal to a dirt road."

"Clavo?" Calleigh finally spoke up as she tried to piece things together. "We were in a truck…" she remembered.

"Yeah," Eric confirmed. "Clavo might have used something to sedate you. That's why things might seem foggy." What if Calleigh had hit her head? Doctors couldn't be perfect about everything, right?

"I remember Kerner's voice, too," Calleigh reported.

"He's back where he belongs," Eric assured.

Calleigh crossed her arms in frustration. "He belongs with a bullet in his head," she mumbled before reaching up and rubbing her temple.

"You alright?"

"Fine," she answered trying to put a smile forward for Eric, but she knew there was a chance he wouldn't believe her. "So, what do we know about Horatio?"

Eric sighed, "Just that we're pretty confident Clavo has him."

"And Clavo has a vendetta," Calleigh said sitting up and adjusting the side rail so it collapsed down. She swung her legs over the side of the bed, "He's gonna try to get Horatio back for embarrassing him and outing him to the general."

"Hey, what are you doing?" Eric said quickly, still concerned. Clavo had had Calleigh the longest. She wasn't remembering things easily. He also knew that she kept things inside and told everyone she was fine even when that was far from the truth. It was a front.

"You said the doctors said I was fine," Calleigh told him quickly.

"But they didn't give permission for you to be released," Eric pointed out.

"So, I'll check myself out," she argued and pointed to the tall, thin, sterile white closet, "Hand me my things."

"Not until a doctor clears you."

She glared at him for a moment. He wasn't being the least bit helpful. "Eric, we're wastin' time."

"Horatio would agree with me, and you know it."

"If it was him, he wouldn't care," Calleigh pointed out.

"Please?" Eric begged.

"You find a doctor before I manage to change and sign myself out then," she told him as she let her feet find the floor. She held the back of her gown shut with a hand as she watched Eric scurry out of the room.

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TBC…