Trouble with Friends
Chapter 13
Tony spun around, shocked that the blonde had returned so quickly. Only thinking about the fact that he needed to get out of there, he dropped the syringe then charged Calleigh as she began drawing her weapon and knocked her to the floor. The two MPD officers were no match for the big man as he pushed through the startled men at the door and began running down the hall.
Calleigh groaned, shook her head and pushed up off the floor to go after the man. She took a quick glance over at Horatio and saw that he was in the process of sitting up, and then ran for the open door. Once outside the room, she instructed one of the officers to call hospital security and have the building placed on lockdown immediately, and to stay with Lieutenant Caine. Then she ordered the other officer to go with her.
"CALLEIGH…" Horatio shouted after her. "DON'T…HE'S DANGEROUS!"
Realizing his words were not stopping her, he climbed out of the bed and started pulling off the tape that was holding the IV needle in place in his arm. He slipped the needle out and grabbed the bath cloth on the bed and pressed it to the site before he stepped out the door in time to see Calleigh giving chase down the hall.
After running halfway down the length of the hallway, Calleigh abruptly stopped, and pulled off one of her stiletto heels and then the other. These are definitely not running shoes. Continuing the chase barefooted, she kept the tall man in sight as he shoved people aside and knocked others to the floor. Reluctant to fire her weapon, because of the possibility of hitting innocent people, she kept it in her hand ready to use if need be.
Horatio felt lightheaded as he walked as quickly as he could down the hall in the same direction as Calleigh. Periodically bracing against the wall with one hand as he went, he ignored the uniformed officer trying to stop him. After having advanced a few yards, one of Horatio's nurses noticed the redhead walking away from his room and quickly stepped over, taking a firm grip on Horatio's arm to help support him and asked,
"Lieutenant Caine…what are you doing out here in all this chaos? We need to get you back to your room…"
"NO," Horatio snapped at the young man, "Calleigh…needs help."
"Security is on their way. They'll help her."
Horatio shook his head slightly as he sagged against the wall, "I…I need…to back…her up. The man is dangerous…."
There was a great amount of activity going on which made Horatio disorientated and confused, but yet somehow he remained focused on the fact that Calleigh was in danger.
As they pursued, Calleigh instructed the MPD officer to deviate down an intersecting hall and find a way to get ahead of the man, while she continued on after him. Tony rounded the corner, stopping at the first door he came to; hastily pushed it open, and then ducked inside, quickly closing the door behind him. He leaned back against the door attempting to catch his breath, while allowing his eyes to adjust to the darkness. He had no idea how large the room was, or what was in there. Groping around for a light switch, he found it to the right of the door and flipped the switch. Holding in a gasp of shock when he realized there were several bodies covered with sheets on gurneys throughout the room. He cringed and his body shuttered just thinking about being in a room with dead bodies. He quickly forced his mind to focus on the doors across on the opposite wall, determined to find which one might provide him escape. He turned the light off, confident he could find his way by the light streaming in from under the doors.
Calleigh cautiously rounded the corner of the hallway and didn't see the man at all. Realizing he had to be behind one of the nearby doors, she slowly approached the first door on the right, with her gun raised, she quickly pushed the door open. It was a small storage closet. She moved to the next door and repeated her actions. This door was marked as a bathroom. Cautiously stepping over to the shower stall, she flung the plastic curtain back only to find it empty. Lowering her gun, she stepped back out into the hallway and crossed to the other side. He's bound to be somewhere close.
Tony was almost to the other side of the room when a door opened in front of him, immediately causing him to crouch behind a gurney. The uniformed MPD officer slowly entered the room, holding his gun out in front of him and with his other hand, a flashlight helping him to scan the area. Tony laughed to himself, thanks kid for showing me the door I needed. You'll be easy to get around – still green, judging by the looks of ya.
The big man stayed low and silently moved around to the officer's left with the intention of getting behind the young man. Tony now was in position to stand, as the officer was consumed with looking around the area ahead of him. Taking a few quiet steps, Tony began raising his gun with the intention of hitting the officer in the head when he suddenly stopped, feeling the hard steel of a gun's barrel pressed against his spine.
"Drop the gun," Calleigh growled.
The officer spun around at hearing Calleigh's voice and pointed his flashlight in the direction of the sound. At that moment, two armed hospital security men entered the door behind her and flipped on the light. The men breathed a sigh of relief when they saw Calleigh cuffing a large man, with an MPD officer covering her with his gun. After a minute, they were joined by several MPD officers who roughly escorted Tony from the room.
"Your redhead's a dead man blondie," he sneered as the officers pushed him past Calleigh.
On the outside, Calleigh watched with a stern expression as the man was taken from the room, but inside, his words sent a chill down her back. We've got to get Horatio out of here. It's way too easy for someone to get to him. I need to check with Dr. Green and see if it would be possible for Horatio to be released.
Meanwhile, the nurses were having a difficult time keeping Horatio still long enough to re-insert the IV needle. Growing more agitated by the second, Horatio's only thought was of Calleigh confronting the man by herself even though he knew an officer accompanied her on the chase. But, he knew how headstrong Calleigh could be.
Finally the nurse stopped and looked over at Horatio and threatened, "Lieutenant, if you won't cooperate with me, I'll have no choice but to give you a mild sedative."
"NO…I can't sleep…must help," Horatio pleaded.
"Well then it will be a lot better if you settle down and let me do my job, that way we'll both be happy."
Horatio stilled long enough for the nurse to get the needle replaced and taped down. The door to the room opened and Calleigh entered, walking straight to Horatio who's face showed immediate relief at the sight of her.
"Calleigh…" he whispered.
"Is he alright?" She asked the nurse as she reached out and gently stroked Horatio's chin that was already darkening with a bruise.
"He's fine, just going to have a painful lip for a while. I hope the man was caught that did this."
"He was. He's on his way to MPD as we speak."
The nurse stood and let out a sigh of relief, then walked to the door, looked back at Horatio with a smile and said, "I'll see you later Lieutenant."
Horatio reached for her hand and held it to his chest. "I…was scared. So scared I'd lose you."
Calleigh pushed his hair back from where it rested on his forehead, and smiled sweetly as she replied, "That's not going to happen. We've got the guy Handsome. He won't bother you again. Are you really alright?"
Horatio smiled, "I am…now. What did…they find…at Cutler Bay?"
"I talked to Eric just before I came here and he said that the location was an abandoned store and when they searched the building, there were obvious signs that someone had been staying there, but that the person or persons were gone when they arrived." Horatio looked away.
Thirty minutes later, Dr. Green walked into the room along with Alexx. Calleigh had called the doctor about releasing Horatio to go home.
As he sat down in the chair next to Horatio's bed, Dr. Green began, "Ms. Duquesne has requested that I release you to go home. I understand, considering the events here earlier, that there is concern for your safety."
Horatio slowly spoke, "I don't want…others…to get hurt…because of me."
"Well, we want what's best for you. I was looking into possibly letting you go home tomorrow so, one day won't make a lot of difference. Tell you what, let me get a CT scan done along with some blood work and I'll make my decision when I get the results back." Looking around at Calleigh he asked, "Will he be safe here for that long?"
"I think so. It might be some time before another move would be made against him."
Dr. Green stood, "Alright, I'll go get everything started," then walked out of the room.
Alexx stepped up beside Horatio's bed beside Calleigh offering, "I can come by the house and keep a check on Horatio's medical condition and stay with him if you need me Calleigh."
Horatio grunted before saying, "Thank you…Alexx. You are busy…have been babysitting…me enough here."
"Now you know I always have time for you Horatio," Alexx smiled warmly as she squeezed his arm.
"Thanks Alexx. That'll be a big help." Calleigh smiled, taking her up on the offer.
Eric met them at Horatio's house and helped Calleigh get him settled.
"Do you need me to stay?" Eric asked with a worried expression.
"Thanks Eric," she replied, glancing over at Horatio sitting on the side of the bed, "but, I can manage tonight alright. Frank called and said he would be here in the morning before I left for work to stay with Horatio since he's on medical leave."
"I don't…need a babysitter," Horatio growled as he sat staring at the floor.
Calleigh and Eric looked at each other and Eric whispered as he gave her a small smile, "Good luck." Eric looked over at Horatio and softly said, "Take it easy H. I'll see you tomorrow," and with that, Eric walked out of the room.
Calleigh walked over to Horatio and sat down beside him. "Feel up to a shower?"
Slowly turning his head he answered, "That would be great."
Horatio stood in the shower, and as the warm water pounded on his chest he asked, "What do I do?"
Calleigh taken aback by his question, hesitated and then answered, "Stay there and I'll help you." Quickly taking off her clothes, she stepped into the shower with him.
They were eating a bite of dinner at the table when Horatio reached over and took her hand in his and softly said, "Thank you. I know…I'm not the same and it is…hard…on you."
"You are getting better every day Handsome. What would be hard on me is for you to give up trying to get back…and you're not doing that. Just keep that determination and you'll get there." Horatio smiled as he squeezed her hand.
After checking on the officers on duty outside of the house, Calleigh took Horatio's hand and led him to the bedroom where she helped him get in the bed. Then she began taking off her clothes to change into her nightgown.
"Beautiful," Horatio softly said. Calleigh heard him and turned, giving him a radiant smile.
"Why thank you Handsome."
After checking her .45 that was on the bedside table, she turned back the cover and turned off the light. The moonlight came streaming through the windows giving the room a soft glow as she slid into the bed next to Horatio. She reached over and gently pulled his head down to her shoulder and began making soft, soothing circles around the bandage covering the incision where the drain had been.
"Long time…since I've felt…like this. Feels good," he sleepily whispered.
"I've missed holding you, taking you in my arms like this," she whispered as she softly kissed the top of his head. Horatio responded by raising his head to where his lips had access to hers and he kissed her softly before pulling himself up to where he could reach her mouth easier and then deepened the kiss.
Their lips separating momentarily, Calleigh breathlessly asked, "I thought…you were sleepy?"
"There'll be…plenty of time…for sleeping later because…I remember…something better," and once again he captured her lips while he began to slip the strap of her gown off of her shoulder.
TBC…