Disclaimer: Nope. . . still don't own CSI Miami.

A/N: Whoo! Update! LOL. . . XD

Chapter 27

Teeth chattering uncontrollably, she rubbed her arms up and down for warmth. Her arms were now sore from trying to open the chest's cover. She had given up on trying to get out and just tried her hardest to keep her body temperature up. Being pregnant was on her side; the extra fat she was hording was helping her stay alive.

Her head was pounding from lack of water and food… and from the cold. Sure she had lived through quite a number of blistery New York winters, but, compared to her current situation, it was as if she was going through one with summer attire on.

She feared for the worst. Frostbite.

As long the baby stays alive… right? They say if the mother dies, the baby still has chance for… how long was it… oh, I don't remember…

So cold… so extremely cold… no, Natalia, don't think about it… think about something else... Eric... At any other time, she would have felt the heat rise to her cheeks and neck, but this time, it wasn't working. She still felt the frigid air biting into her skin.

She took in another shaky breath, but it burned. Her throat was dry and the cold icy air was slicing through her throat. She coughed, but that only made matters worse… she was starting to taste something metallic in the back of her throat.

She didn't know how much longer she could last under the conditions. I have to… for the baby… for Eric… for…

Her eyes burned, allowing the tears to come easily. Just breathe, Natalia… She couldn't though; it just hurt too much. Just hold on a bit longer…

Everything hurt. Her arms were so numb and so beyond burnt, that she could barely feel them. Her fingertips were swelling a bit and turning colors. When she clenched her fists, the pain made her wince.

Her cramped position was making her legs and butt fall asleep and the painful pins-and-needle-numb feeling was supplemented by the nippy air. I'm going to be so screwed when I stand up…

…If I ever get out of here that is… She felt herself coming in and out of consciousness. No, keep your eyes open… no matter what… Natalia, you need to keep your eyes open…

Her last thought before blacking out was that she had a very strong urge to go to the bathroom.

The basement had been cleared. Nothing out of the ordinary, aside from the blood trail and the fact that suspect was no where to be found. The officers of Miami-Dade were not taking any chances this time and nearly did a triple check before the blonde ballistics expert kindly reminded them that their speed could cost a CSI her life. That sped things along.

The obsessive compulsive CSI had finally arrived by their side, rearing to go. He wasn't the first to notice or point out the heaping pile of quickly melting frozen food, but he felt compelled to state the obvious.

"Why would they just be sitting there? It doesn't make any sense… And all this blood… the suspect has to be close by…"

"I don't know, Ryan. I honestly don't. The police cleared the area…" She eyed the freezer chest at the same time her partner did. With a little smirk, she muttered, "Now, talk about strange…"

There was a tile sitting at an odd angle on the box. Don't tell me… don't tell me that… The blonde could not bring herself to finish her thoughts as she made her way over. She lifted up the weight and placed it beside the white box. She opened the lid carefully, working with Horatio Caine for so many years had taught her to be cautious of even the smallest things. Oh my Lord…

"Ryan, call rescue IMMEDIATELY!"

The young man did not have to be told twice and darted out of the basement to get better reception on his cellular phone.

"FRANK! A hand!" Calleigh took charge of the situation as the older balding detective bustled over. Together they pulled out the frozen body. Please still have life in you… please don't give up… not now… there's so many people who care about you…

She then proceeded, with a variety of tactics, to awaken her, simultaneously rubbing the poor woman's frozen limbs and lightly slapping at her face. "C'mon Natalia… c'mon… wake up sweetie…It's Calleigh, honey… wake up…" Where are those damn paramedics?

She didn't even bother checking the pulse… she knew that her friend was alive. She just had to be.

He looked at his wife adoringly. She was sleeping now and didn't have the heart to move and in the process, awaken her. It had taken quite a bit to lull her to sleep.

He motioned for her father, who was pacing around the lobby waiting for an answer.

"I'm sorry, sir, but I need to leave. They just found our missing CSI." He had received a brief page from Ryan informing him of such and of the extremities of the situation. Suspect is still at large…

"The one, the young lady, that my son is looking for?"

"Yes, sir."

"Where was-is she?"

The ginger-haired man didn't want to disturb his father-in-law and therefore saved him from the gruesome details. "In, in a dark place."

"Is she alive?" His deep reverberating voice was beginning to falter; he was losing hope… losing faith. What will Eric do… those children… and Clorinda? She seems to be taking a liking to that girl… I have yet to meet her, see what's so different about her. Eric… Where are the doctors? I hope all went well. It must have… otherwise, Clorinda would have come…

"Yes."

"You need to leave, then?"

"I do, sir. Could you tell Marísol-" Personally, he would rather not leave his wife in a great deal of stress… but his CSI's whereabouts were important as well.

The elder Delko's gruff throaty laugh bounced against the walls, cutting his son-in-law off. "Go! Your CSI's safety is important… do not worry so much! My daughter will understand… that is her nature. You must protect… that is your nature. And, this woman's wellbeing determines the health of my son. He cares for her gravely. So, please, go check on her. I can take care of my daughter."

With that, his shoulder became the pillow for his daughter while her husband stood up. "Thank you, sir."

"You know, Horatio. You can call me Papí," the elder man said with a small smile.

Horatio cheeks grew warm with embarrassment as he nodded. "I'll remember that." He put on his shades and left the building for his Hummer.

She felt... warm... Warmer... where... where am I? There was a blur and haze as she squinted slightly and then she shut her eyes again. Too much effort... She clung to the big cozy blanket around her. Wait... where'd this come from? She didn't bother to over think it though. I'm warm again...

Wait... what about the baby... She consciously put her hand to her stomach... it was warm too. There was no kick. Oh God... please... A thought struck her. Eric... where is he? Is he... She frowned slightly and decided that thinking hurt too much. She was warm. That's all that mattered... for now.

She heard a voice. Go away... come back tomorrow...

The voice persisted. I said go away! I want to sleep. She really just wanted to curl up in a ball and forget about everything.

Her eyes flung open as her annoyance got the best of her. WHAT? What do you want? Why can't you just come back tomorrow?

The voice belonged to her ginger-haired boss. He stood with his sunglasses dangling from his hands, looking worriedly at her.

Huh? What-Where am I? The cruel events from earlier began to fully impact her. In her state of confusion and panic, she began to lose her ability to breathe. Where's Eric? ... the baby...

"Ma'am?" He knew that right now his CSI was most likely emotionally and mentally scarred, but for now, he was satisfied with the fact that she was alive. As long as she doesn't slip away from us... Concerned, he called for her once again.

She didn't respond. She couldn't... she was afraid of how her own voice sounded. Would it crack? She just turned away and huddled closer into herself in the blanket.

She slowly recognized her whereabouts. She was sitting on the edge of the ambulance where paramedics were bustling to and fro, taking her temperature and doing all sorts of other little tests to make sure she was healthy.

Physically, she was. They would just need to take her to the Dade Memorial to check on the health of her unborn child. Ryan had mentioned the nitrous oxide found at the scene, so the doctors would need to run some exams to make sure the baby had not been affected or harmed in any way.

Mentally, she was not. The trauma was too much. She wasn't a claustrophobic person, but that experience... changed her. I just hope that it doesn't affect the baby... where's Eric? Luke... is he-is he still out there? She let out a moan from anguish, from sadness... from happiness.

The baby had kicked.

Oh, God. Thank you. At least something is still right.

Slightly alarmed at the sound, her boss gave her a questionable look. Something Calleigh had mentioned struck into his brain. She keeps moaning, "Eric, Eric..." He IS okay, Horatio, right? I don't know if she can handle anymore stress.

"Ma'am? Eric is in the hospital." He paused to think; he didn't want to tell her something that would cause her to have an anxiety attack, or cause her to go into premature labor. His wife had informed him of his CSI's condition. "He's waiting for you." When there was no response, he continued, "Ma'am, are you ready?"

She knew that at the hospital, they would be not only examining her and her baby's health, but also run a rape kit on her. Just in case Luke did something that he shouldn't have. It wasn't true, but she didn't have the energy to protest. As long as the baby wasn't harmed...

"Alexx was sent home, but I assure you that there will be female doctoral staff on deck at Dade Memorial."

She nodded, a little distracted by her thoughts.

As the paramedics reentered the ambulance, one, with Horatio, helped the silent woman into the back where she sat on the bench, still huddled within the blanket.

Even though the Miami heat was at its worst, being the month of July, she still felt tremendously cold.

"JEM! JEM! Wake up!"

The eight year old jolted in his sleep, awakening his grandmother in the process.

"Ah! Mi Dios! What is all the commotion?"

"Pido perdón abuela," cried the small boy as he hopped off the old woman's lap. "Are you crazy, Ella," he hissed at his younger sister, knuckling her head slightly for her foolishness. "Why're you waking me and abuela up for?"

The little brunette stuck out her tongue for being hit on the head and rubbed it. "But look!" She pointed excited to their father's room. "The doctors are leaving…" She smiled widely, presenting all her tiny, itty-bitty white teeth. "Is that good?"

The elderly woman stood up as a medical doctor approached her. The children had no idea what they were saying, but her face was filled with a mixture of relief and sorrow as she fell into the surprised man's arms, sobbing.

"Abuela?" The two siblings looked worriedly at their grandmother. "Is daddy okay?"

The doctor had informed her that they could enter, but that although his heart had been revived, he was still unconscious. He warned them not to further upset him by making excessive noise or mentioning anything 'disturbing.'

Once the strong old woman detached herself, she went over to the two children. "Your Papí is going to make it. Your Papí is going to make it." Tears flowed down her face as she steered the two comforted children into their father's room.

They remained by his bedside, hoping something would happen, like he would come around and return to his usual fun-loving self.

The huge bandages on his arms, legs, head, back had been changed again. The thin blue paper hospital gown was torn open, revealing his bare dark chocolate-colored chest. Over his heart, where they had injected the adrenalin shot, there was a large bandage with white gauze for cushioning. The machine that was monitoring his heart was back to its normal beat count.

The small eight year old boy's brow furrowed. If Daddy's okay, then why isn't Ella? She's still flickering. Why can't everything just go back to normal…why can't we just go home…why is all this happening? Did we…Did I do something? Is this my fault?

Meanwhile, oblivious to her older brother's thoughts, the teeny little girl ran up to her father and kissed him gently on the cheek. "This is for you Papí, until you feel all better and don't need her anymore!" She placed her fuzzy lime-green teddy bear into his limp arms and ran back to her grandmother, burrowing her head into the folds of the older woman's loose clothes.

"Usted es una muchacha muy pensativa y dulce." Clorinda glanced at the two children adoringly as she petted the little girl's hair. Such a lovely and cute little girl.

"Sé, abuela." She looked up to her sweetly, a tiny smile spreading quickly onto her creamy mocha-colored face.

"Ai, mi pequeña nieta…" The aged woman held Ella, who was flickering again, close to her body. I don't want to lose the little girl I just met. Eric… he wouldn't be able to handle the loss… oh, my babies… "Mi pequeño nieto." She motioned for the small boy to come to her other side, so she could hold them both.

They stood like that for several hours, watching the silent patient as he exhaled and inhaled, his chest moving slowly up and down. All they could do was hope and pray that they wouldn't lose him… for good.

A/N: How was it? LOL . . . Feedback is much appreciated . . . XD

Spanish-English:

Mi Dios: My God

Pido perdón abuela: Excuse me, grandma

Usted es una muchacha muy pensativa y dulceYou are a very thoughtful and sweet girl.

Sé, abuela: I know, grandma.

mi pequeña nieta: my little granddaughter

mi pequeño nieto: my little grandson