We would like to thank ALL our loyal readers for your support while we have been away. In the next few weeks, you will see our stories being reposted here for all of you to read along with several NEW stories we've written while we've been away.
We appreciate all the kind messages we've received for our readers...we didn't realize how many of you were reading our stories, lol. It has brought HUGE smiles to us and we hope you'll continue to stick with us as we re-post some old favorites and hopefully new favorites. Thanks again!
CaineSpeedle & Speedfanatic05
Now for the good stuff!
**WARNING: STRONG SEXUAL CONTENT AND LANGUAGE! You Are Warned**
"Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before."
From "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe
The light rain streamed down the windows of his office and Horatio found himself drawn to the calming sounds, his memory entrenched in the previous night. As the rain storm intensified and then calmed in the early morning hours, he lain in bed not asleep, but thinking of her. Their night together held such promise that he was holding on to that promise with hopes of fulfilling it. With a smile, he returned to his paperwork and tried to move thoughts of her out of his mind only to focus on work.
As he finished another stack, something had struck him as odd and he looked to the clock to verify that it was late and he hadn't heard from her. Arching his brow, he called down to the firearms lab only to get a continuous ring hanging up after the fifth ring. His senses became heightened at her absence, knowing the depth of her professionalism. She wouldn't have stayed out of work without calling in and to further that thought, she would've never stayed out of work. Picking up the phone once more, he dialed her number and waited, the concern growing.
Darkness slowly gave was to incredible pain throughout her head and a low moan emanated from her as she lay on the floor near her front door. Slowly moving, she winced, even with her eyes still closed at the headache that she now had. Swallowing hard, she fought down the nauseous feeling that seemed to come out of nowhere. She could here the rain falling outside as slowly opened her eyes, the soft light in the room from the open curtains not helping her head any.
Laying there for a little longer, she slowly began to move more, rolling onto her side as her eyes opened, finding herself in her house. Shivering from the wet clothes, she pushed herself up to a sitting position and held her head. Everything was still fuzzy to her, the last thing she could remember having been dinner with Horatio. Taking in a few deep breaths, her memory slowly began to come back to her and she recalled going to her car to roll up the windows.
Startled as the house phone began to ring, Calleigh groaned as she slowly got up, her balance off and stumbling towards the couch. Reaching it, she used it as leverage until she reached the phone. Picking it up, she licked her dry lips, her mouth feeling as if cotton were stuffed in it, "H-Hello?"
Immediately, he was alerted, the sound of her weary voice sending chills down his spine. His heart sped up at the sound of it and he half stood ready to bolt to her home, knowing that something was wrong with her. Crinkling his brow, Horatio steadied his thoughts and breathed out, trying to remain calm, "Calleigh…it's me…Horatio. Are you okay? Is there something wrong?"
"H-Horatio…" she breathed out as she sat down on the floor in front of her couch and held her head, "Some…something happened…someone was here…"
Standing fully, Horatio came around his desk and eyed the clock, his heart now racing." Stay right there, Calleigh. I'm coming to you. Keep the door locked, alright?"
"'Kay…" she replied softly, her head pounding away. Another feeling of nauseousness hit and she dropped the phone and reached for the small waste basket, bring it to her just as her stomach turned on her.
Hearing her in the distant background, retching, he threw the phone down and started for the door, pulling his cell out. Dialing, he descended the stairs, passing the numerous techs, his attention solely on the call. With Calleigh out and Eric gone, he could only call on one other to watch the lab in his absence. Hearing him pick up, he made his way to the bank of elevators, his feet seemingly unable to move as fast as he willed them, "Mr. Wolfe, something's come up, I have to leave the lab and I need you to watch it for me."
Looking up from the fingerprints he had been processing, Ryan could hear a slight urgency in his boss's voice, "Sure H…everything okay?
"I need to do a welfare check, but otherwise, things are fine. I shouldn't be long, okay?" Hitting the button to the elevator, he waited impatiently as the numbers ticked off. When the compartment finally opened, Horatio slid in and pressed the button. The waiting was killing him and he glared at the techs that were angling to get in. The doors shut and he began pacing the width of the compartment, "Take any call outs as they come, okay?"
"Yeah, sure, consider it done. If uh…if you need help out there, H, give me a call. I'll back you up," Ryan replied, keeping his voice low to where no one else could hear.
"I appreciate it Mr. Wolfe." Hanging up, he saw the doors slide open and bolted, practically running out of the door towards the garage. Every second ticking by was a second lost to Calleigh. He felt as if he couldn't get there fast enough.
Pulling herself up, Calleigh closed her eyes tight and the reopened them, gaining her bearings. Heading towards her kitchen, she went in and over to one of the cabinets. Opening it and getting out the Tylenol, she poured four into her hand and then went to the refrigerator. Getting out a bottled water, she downed the pills, hoping for some kind of quick relief from the effects of the chloroform. His words rang through her head, and Calleigh's temper rose, the thought of being caught off guard not settling well with her.
A knock came to the door and Calleigh headed towards it. Looking out and seeing the departmental Hummer, she unlocked the door, wondering who had locked it and opened it. Seeing Horatio standing there, she stepped back, letting him in, "Hey."
Stepping in, his eyes took in her surroundings and then landed on her, seeing the evidence of her disorientation. Moving closer, he reached out to her as his brow crinkled, "Calleigh…are you okay?"
Nodding slightly, she sighed, "With the exception of a massive headache, yeah. I was chloroformed. I remember a sweet smell and then when I woke up, well, thank God I keep a small trash can in my living room."
"Chloroformed? Calleigh…you were attacked?" He moved closer to survey any wounds, astonished that he didn't find any. He stood back to give her space and arched a brow as he placed a hand at his hip, trying to understand. Looking back to her, he sighed, "Do you remember anything about your attack? A voice, a touch?"
Going over to the couch and sitting down, she held her head as her arms rested on her knees, "I went to put my windows up when it started raining…I had forgot I had left them down. I was coming back in and someone grabbed me from behind. He put something over my mouth and nose, a rag or something…it was soft though. I remember him saying that I was his and he'd deal with whoever got in his way."
"You're his? Calleigh, this sounds like a stalker. Have you had any contact with this person, do you know who he is?" Rubbing his eyes he finally looked to her intently, seeing her stare off, "Has he made contact with you before now?"
"No, no not that I know of. I didn't recognize his voice." Lifting her head some, Calleigh's brow crinkled, "I did however get another gift from that secret admirer yesterday. A expensive custom bath set in my favorite scent. The note was the same as the one I got with the flowers…another Poe quote."
"Do you think this could be related?" Her wanted to touch her, to comfort her, but he could see she needed the distance between them. Taking a seat next to her, he sighed heavily, "He's stalking you, but he didn't hurt you. He only wanted to make contact with you. He wants you to know that he's out there and that he's watching you." Keeping his gaze on her carpet, he shook his head and ran a rough hand over his face, his thoughts everywhere. He couldn't fathom losing Calleigh to anything, much less a stalker and even as he thought to do this, he knew she would retaliate. "Calleigh…I think it would be safer if you stayed home with a unit."
Looking at him suddenly, her brow crinkled and she shook her head, "No. This guy is not gonna keep me from doing my job, Horatio. I didn't back down when Kerner was on the loose and after me and I'll be damn if I back down now."
"Calleigh, let's look at this logically. He knows your every move, even where you live. I don't want you out there in the streets where this maniac can get to you. I would feel so much more comfortable knowing that you were safe." The moment was ripe and he turned to her, his brow furrowing. Chancing the moment, he sighed, "I really care for you, Calleigh. I don't know what I would do if something happened to you."
Closing her eyes, Calleigh turned her head back, looking away from him as she clenched her jaw. Slowly opening her eyes, she shook her head, "That's what he wants, me alone…and I can't let him win, Horatio."
"I can't lose you, Calleigh." Horatio's voice was thick with emotion and he brought himself closer. Wrapping his arms around her, he tilted his head to hers, "You're too special to me, Calleigh. Please reconsider."
His tone spoke of his feelings for her and Calleigh closed her eyes her resolve slipping. Leaning into him, a single tear escaped, rolling down her cheek. Biting her bottom lip, she then spoke, "Let me at least finish up the Martin case, Horatio…please. We should have it wrapped up within a day or so."
Her reluctance was bothersome, but ultimately won him over. Exhaling heavily, he nodded, "Alright finish the case but after that, Calleigh…"
"Lab only? There's a lot of eye's there and you'll be able to check up on me better," she replied as she settled into him more.
Liking the idea of the lab, Horatio exhaled, "Lab only then. I feel better if I can see that you're okay." Looking to her, he held her chin in his hand and shook his head, "You look as if you need to take a day. I'll make sure that your paper work gets done."
"No, I'm fine, Horatio. I just need to shower and change clothes…that's all," she said, looking into his eyes. Giving him a small smile, she leaned into his touch, "If you can give me twenty I can ride in with you."
"Calleigh," Horatio warned as he sighed heavily. He was lost to her and reluctantly he allowed, "Go ahead, but if I see that you need to go home, I'm pulling you, okay?"
"I'll be fine, I promise," she said softly. Staring into his blue eyes she nodded back towards her room, "I'll be back in a little bit. Make yourself comfortable."
Horatio nodded and released her fully, watching as she got up slowly. All it was going to take was one instance of her faltering to bring her back here and as she began to walk, he was sure that it would probably happen. As she disappeared into her room, he looked around and saw something in the hall leading to the front door. Getting up, he arched a brow and went over, finding that it was a cloth. Bending, he peered at it before reaching for a pen in his jacket to turn it around.
Going into her kitchen, he paused for a second to survey and then moved, looking for something to carry the cloth in. Finding a Ziploc bag, he went back to the hall and collected it. Looking at it fully, he then slipped the bag into his pocket and returned to his seat in the living room.
Walking through the halls, Walter smiled and nodded to Calleigh as he passed by her talking with another tech. With having the weekend off and coming in refreshed and ready two hours earlier, he knew Tim would be arriving soon and would be looking to him for a tour of the new lab. Making his way to the trace lab, he chuckled as he walked in, seeing the scruffy CSI already there.
Shaking his head, Walter slipped his hands into the pockets of his lab coat and chuckled, "Right on time, Speed. Have a good weekend?"
Grumbling, Tim waved him off and then glanced at the clock, grimacing at it. He then turned back to Walter and tilted his head as if studying him, "Are you always this…perky in the morning?"
"Yep. Got to figure, it's a new day, new week. Plus, no call outs yet, which is a very good thing." Smirking, Walter shook his head, "Jesse and Calleigh already warned me about you not being a morning person."
"Then they did you a great service. Dial it back a few and let's get on the road with this. I think I need to get a tour of the entire lab, seeming as if they gutted it after I left and changed everything." Buttoning his lab coat, he nodded to the corridor, "So lead on Walter."
Walking out into the hallway, Walter looked back at Tim, "We'll hit DNA and the Fingerprinting before AV and QD." Turning back, Walter smiled more as Calleigh approached, "Now that's what I like seeing, a bright smile in the morning."
Chuckling, Calleigh stopped, her keys in hand, "Hey you two. Where are y'all off too?"
"Just giving Speed a tour of the new lab so he knows where things are," Walter replied and then glanced back at Tim.
Giving him a smile, Calleigh went over to him, giving Tim a hug and whispering, "Welcome back, Tim."
Taken by surprise, Tim settled after a moment and then received her fully, "Thanks Calleigh. It's nice to be back."
Pulling back from him, she smiled, "Well, I've got to get to my car. I left some paperwork out there for personnel. I'll see with you in a little while, okay? Maybe we can have lunch together and catch up?"
"That sounds great," Tim answered back as he took a moment to look at her. There was something different about her now, almost as if she were trying to cover for something. Giving a short nod, Tim stepped away completely, watching as she walked towards the atrium, only turning to get one last look of her before she disappeared completely out of his sight.
Heading through the halls, Calleigh decided to take the stairs down to the garage level. Smiling and saying hello to a couple of techs as they were going up, she then came to the door, heading out. The heat of the morning hit her and she sighed, "Gonna be another hot one…great." Walking through the garage to her car, she smiled, seeing his car parked right next to hers.
Opening the passenger side door with her key, she got the file out that she need and also grabbed her packet of gum. Slipping it into her pocket, she closed the door and started in the direction of the elevators, wanting to get back up to the main offices quickly. Remembering she had forgotten to lock her doors back, she looked down as she walked, her thumb going to the button on the remote, and hit the door lock button.
Time seemed to stand still for a few seconds before Calleigh felt herself being pushed forward roughly and a loud explosion ripping through the building. Sheared metal and broken glass few all around and smoke filled the area as she hit the garage floor hard, her head bouncing off the hard cement.
The sound of the explosion ripped through the building and Tim glanced to Walter as they came out of fingerprinting, his brow arched. Looking around and seeing the confusion of the techs milling about, he stated stonily, "Tell me that was an experiment gone wrong." Before Walter could answer, Tim spotted Horatio coming out of his office, his expression frantic as if he knew exactly what had occurred. When the red head stopped in front of him, he felt more presence behind him and turned to see that Wolfe, Natalia and Valera had come, confusion on all of their faces as well.
Looking to the group gathered, his heart fell at the absence of her, but that didn't stop him from his duty. The fire alarms started to sound and he gestured for them all to follow, "We've gotta get out, we'll take a head count when we're away from the building." There was an air of frantic anxiety as he walked with purpose towards the doors, the numerous techs milling about. Once they were all out, he looked towards the lab, waiting to see her emerge from the lab with the same look of confusion that everyone else was wearing.
"H, she said she was going to get something out of her car. Does anyone know where the blast came from?" Tim said as he watched the doors as well. The concern rolled through him as he glanced back at Walter and then to Horatio once again, "She's not coming out."
Seeing the black smoke rising, Horatio's eyes crinkled as he noticed it wasn't from there building, but from behind it. Starting to walk, he spoke firmly, "The garage, Speed." His pace increased and soon he was running around to the side of the building leading back to the garage area. Rounding the back corner, he looked up at the three story structure seeing smoke billowing out from the second level where he knew both his car and hers were parked.
Feeling Speed and Jesse come beside him, his heart dropped, "She's in there. Let's go!"
Moving without thinking, Tim glanced to Jesse and then followed Horatio as he pushed towards the outer door of the garage. Here in this location, there was an eerie silence, the frantic voices far from the scene of the apparent crime. Grabbing Horatio's arm, he held him back to prevent him from opening the door, "H, we don't know what it's like in there. Shouldn't we…"
"Calleigh's in there, Speed. We don't have time to wait," he replied as his hand felt the knob of the door for heat. Feeling none, he carefully opened it, smoke pouring out from the staircase. Pulling out his handkerchief, he covered his nose and month and went in, his free hand staying out in front of him.
Following blindly, Tim pulled the sleeve of his lab coat over his mouth and nose emerging himself into the darkened stair case. Unless she was able to call out to them, he wasn't sure that she would be found. Dark thoughts began to erupt and he pushed them back, focusing instead on trying to find her. Hearing Horatio call out, he joined in with the hopes of her responding back. Visibility was meager at best and he sighed with frustration as he heard the door close. Feeling a hand on his shoulder, he turned to see Jesse and nodded towards the sound of the door, "He went in, Cardoza."
"Fire and rescue is on the way," Jesse replied as he used his arm to cover him the best he could. Squinting from the smoke, he shook his head, "Did he go up the stairs?"
"I'm not certain," Tim responded as he looked up. Making a decision, he nodded, "Let's go up, if they're not there, we can go down."
Making his way up to the second level, Horatio coughed as the smoke grew thicker around him. Pushing out the door, he squinted, his eyes burning from the smoke. Seeing flames coming from two vehicles, he coughed and then called out, "CALLEIGH! CALLEIGH WHERE ARE YOU!"
Hearing Horatio's voice, Jesse moved with Tim up the stairs until they came to the door. Going out, they spotted Horatio not to far away from them and yelled out, "I'LL CHECK AT THE OTHER END."
"ALRIGHT!" shouted Tim as he moved blindly through the thickened smoke. The heat that was still hovering in the air was oppressive and as he started out, the concern for Calleigh growing. They didn't know if she was hurt or even conscious, but what was very apparent was that they had to find her. Coming to his senses, he called out loudly, "CALLEIGH! CALLEIGH!"
The heavy smell of smoke filled the air and Calleigh stirred and began to cough. Pain ripped through her head and right leg and she groaned in pain. Slowly, her eyes opened, the smoke causing her to close them again. Coughing once more, she moved to sit up, the pain in her leg causing her to cry out. Through the smoke and the cracking of the fires that were going, she heard his voice as it called out to her.
Turning her head towards it, she tried to call out to him, "H-Horatio…"
Horatio continued to call out, the despair taking over. He moved and called out again with the hopes that she was conscious and could respond. Listening intently, he heard the crackling of the fires coming from the cars and then, faintly, he heard her calling out. Turning to the direction he thought he heard, he called with more fervor, "CALLEIGH! WHERE ARE YOU?"
Couching profusely, Calleigh rolled onto her side, her leg causing her to cry out in pain. Looking down towards it, she could see a shard of metal perturbing from her calf. Closing her eyes tight as she heard his voice again, she called out louder, "H-HORATIO!"
Hearing her voice, he instructed loudly, "KEEP YELLING CALLEIGH, I'M COMING!" She called out again and he zeroed in on her voice, finally seeing her form through the smoke. In what seemed like eons, he made it to her side and reached to touch her to let her know he was there. Speaking firmly, he allowed his eyes to look over her body, seeing for the most part that she was in one piece. As his eyes roamed further, he could see something jutting from her calf and sighed, "Sweetheart, I'm going to pick you up, okay? We've got to get you out of here."
"O-kay…" she coughed out as he moved into place. Placing her arms around his neck, he lifted her and she cried out as the pain seemed to tear through her lower leg. Burying her face into his neck, she coughed again, the smoke getting to her more.
"CALLEIGH!" Jesse called out again as he reached the other end of the garage, having found no one there. Looking around some, he shook his head and began to double back, hoping that either Horatio or Tim had found the southern blond that had inched her way into his heart.
Tim saw movement coming towards him and recognized instantly that it was Horatio and that he was carrying something. To his relief, it was Calleigh and as he approached more, he could see that she was alive, but wounded, starting to move with them as Horatio passed. Reporting, he glanced back to see another form coming towards them, "H…Jesse's behind us. Is…is she okay?"
"She's got shrapnel in her leg, Speed. Get on the phone and have medics waiting when we get down there," Horatio replied as they headed back towards the stairs. Keeping a firm hold on her, Horatio whispered softly, "You're gonna be alright, sweetheart. We'll get you out of here."
Tim pulled his phone out and instructed the dispatch to have medics waiting at the entrance to the building that housed the garage and then flipped the phone down in time to help Horatio push through the door. Feeling Jesse join them, Tim closed the door behind them and took in a deep breath, the somewhat clear air in the stairwell filling their lungs. As they coughed, Tim's attention went directly to Calleigh's leg, seeing the blood pulsating from the wound. Moving past Horatio, he instructed, "Follow me, I'll get you out."
Moving down the steps as carefully as he could without jostling her anymore then he had to, Horatio kept whispering to her, letting her know she was safe now. Finally reaching the bottom, Tim pushed open the door, the smoke flowing out as the bright sun shone in on them. Carrying her out as she continued to cough, he spotted the medic's coming with a gurney and headed towards them.
Coughing, Calleigh tried to take in as much fresh air as she could. When he placed her down onto the gurney, a small cry of pain fell from her lips. Feeling his hand take hers, she opened her eyes, seeing his form, the sun causing what looked like a halo around him. Coughing, she breathed out, "Don't leave me…"
"I'm not, sweetheart…" he replied as looked towards the medics as they stabilized her leg for transport.
Approaching slowly, Jesse heard her stringent request and stopped. Maintaining his distance, he watched them interact and his heart dropped, realizing that they we're reacting to each other as if they had a history- something that he knew readily. Even as he knew this however, he was assured that nothing remained between them, having been forged through years of distance. Rubbing his head, he backed away and then turned to walk towards the front of the crime lab, lost in his emotions.
Tim studied the scene as well and felt no need to flee, his concern still heavy for the southern blonde. Centering on her, the desire to make sure she was okay was strong in him and he came beside Horatio and touched her on her arm, garnering her attention. In her eyes, he saw pain and fear, both of those marring her spirit. He was angry for this happening to her, and now he charged himself with finding out who had done this. "Calleigh….you're going to be okay. I'm going to find out who did this to you, okay? You get better, I didn't come back to see you in the hospital."
Nodding some at him, her eyes caught his and she took in a deep shaky breath. They stared at each other briefly as Horatio talked with the medics as they finished getting her ready. The placement of an oxygen mask pulled her line of sight from him and before she knew what was going on, she began to feel movement.
Walking with the gurney as he held onto her hand, Horatio looked over at Tim as he walked with them. With Tim and Calleigh being long time friends, he knew they had once held a close bond, one watching out for the other. Coming to the ambulance, Horatio let go of her hand as they got her in and he turned to Tim, "I want you and Jesse checked out…no if's, ands or buts Speed. Tell Jesse…that's an order."
Keeping his eyes steady on her, he nodded, "I'll see if I can find Cardoza. I'll get checked out by the medics on scene." Nodding towards Calleigh, he sighed, "Take care of her, H, alright. I'll be there as soon as I can. I'm sure the others will as well."
"Speed, once the scene is clear, have Ryan and the others process her car." Climbing in behind the medics, he took a seat next to her and looked back at his trace expert, "I'll call with an update."
"Okay, and you take your own advice, H. Get checked out, you inhaled some of that stuff too." Staring at him steadily, he nodded, "We're going to find this son of a bitch, H."
Nodding his head, Horatio then looked at the medics, "Let's go, gentlemen." Taking up her hand again, his eyes stayed on her as the doors closed and the ambulance began to roll out.
Watching the ambulance pull away, Tim then turned to survey the crowd, picking out Jesse among them. Passing countless techs and medics, he listened to the scene, hearing the sounds of chaos beginning to build. Off to the right of him, he saw the convergence of the media as they began to spin the story and shook his head heavily, the memories coming back to him in a steady stream. After a moment, he shook himself from the memories and approached Jesse, seeing something different in his old friend.
Clapping his shoulder, he sighed heavily as the stream of smoke began to filter from behind the building, "H wants us to get checked out, Cardoza. He meant it as an order."
"I will later. Fire department is in there now getting it under control," he said pointing to the garage. Crinkling his brow, he turned to Tim, "I was wondering…have H and Cal always been that close? Or was that something new between them?"
Narrowing his sights on Jesse, he arched a brow, "Well, when I was around, they had this playful flirt thing going, but that seemed to die out. I don't know what's happened since I've been gone, but this could be just him being concerned. He's like that when it pertains to anyone on his team." Again, the memories overwhelmed him and he grimaced irritably, absently rubbing his shoulder. "He's worried about that wound on her leg. But that doesn't negate the fact that your superior told you to do something and expects it to be done. Get checked out, Cardoza."
Looking back at the building Jesse shook his head, "This was no accident, Speed. Someone was trying to get to her." Taking in a deep breath and sighing, he looked back at his old friend, seeing him covered in soot like he was. Smirking, he shook his head, "Hell of a way to come back to work, huh?"
"Yeah…somehow, I didn't envision this when I came back." He watched as the firemen went into the building and sighed heavily, "How about we find this bastard?"
"Sounds good. And, I think I just might know where to start looking," Jesse said as he nudged Tim's arm for him to follow. As they started walking towards the other ambulance, Jesse began to fill Tim in, "Calleigh's been receiving gifts from a secret admirer. Thing is though, on the cards, they've all had Edgar Allan Poe quotes."
"Edgar Allan Poe? That's odd, his work is very…interesting. Why would anyone want to ply their secret admirer with Edgar Allen Poe? His work doesn't exactly scream romance, I mean, some of his pieces were thought provoking but romantic?" He shook his head as Jesse nodded to the medic and watched as he began, "We're obviously dealing with a whack job."
"Yeah, well, she's gotten flowers, expensive scented bath soaps, and who knows what else from whoever it is." Taking the oxygen mask that the medic handed him, Jesse looked at Tim, "We need her to let us process those cards and gifts."
"I agree," Tim responded as he received the oxygen mask as well. Taking in a deep breath, he exhaled and turned to Jesse, rolling his eyes. After satisfied that he'd been helped, Tim stood and waited for Jesse, mulling over what he had said. What he had described had immediately thrown red flags and he sighed, "Calleigh's got a stalker, and he's just up the ante. Gone is the docile way of getting her attention, now it's by any means necessary, and that means if he has to kill to get to her, he will."
"Then we'd better get to work finding this bastard before he tries again," Jesse said as he stood up and handed his mask back to the medic.
"As soon as they give us the scene, I want to be in there. Can you gather everyone, we're going to need a lot of eyes on this."
"Yeah. I'll get right on it," he said as he pulled out his cell phone. Seeing Walter, Jesse waved him over to them, "Fill him, Tim…I'm find Ryan and Nat."
Gesturing to Walter, he smirked, "Walk with me, big guy. We've got a priority scene here. How are you with putting puzzles together?"
Smirking and clapping his hands together, Walter pursed his lips, "The bigger the better I always say. What's up? Was there anyone in the garage when it went?"
Averting his eyes, he nodded, rubbing his neck, "Calleigh was there. She'd gone down to get something out of her car and was thrown from the blast. She's on her way to the hospital, H is with her." Looking towards the building and the firemen coming out of it, he smiled, "I think we're about to be handed the biggest jigsaw puzzle ever."
"Point me where you want me, boss," Walter said as his eyes went to where Tim was looking. Stopping Tim, Walter nodded back towards there building, "Let's get our kit's ready. I've already got one made up for you…you know, just in case something like this came up."
"Good idea, Walter and good insight. I like that." Patting him on the back, he started off towards the building, his mind on finding whoever wanted Calleigh dead.
Staring at her as she rested, Horatio couldn't help but feel despair. Grasping at her hand, he squeezed it at the memory of her lying on the garage floor his heart rate now doubling. He'd seen her at her most vulnerable, but yet, that didn't compare to what he saw two hours ago. He was used to her taking the blows and getting up and moving along as if nothing happened, but now as he sat beside her, he could see the truth that was Calleigh.
Caressing her hand, he averted his eyes and then shook his head, wondering just how long she had been enduring this. Refocusing, he leaned closer, "You're not going to have to worry about anything, Calleigh. I'm going to fix this."
With the anesthesia now wearing off, Calleigh began to slowly stir, the soft beeping of blood pressure monitor being the only thing she could hear. Gone was the pain in her leg, but she still felt sore all over. Barely opening her eyes, she felt warmth enveloping and lifting her hand and then a soft kiss to it. Turning her head slightly, she saw him sitting there, his blue eyes staring back, "Hey…"
"Hey," he responded lightly, allowing a smile to come forth. He moved her hair away from he eyes and sighed, "You've been out for a while now…how are you feeling?"
Blinking slowly, she licked her lips, her voice coming softly, "Sore…like a truck ran me over."
Horatio nodded and squeezed her hand, nodding, "You were banged up pretty badly, sweetheart." His brow crinkled and he looked down at their hands, seemingly searching for the words to say, he sighed heavily, "Seeing you down there …on the floor…frightened me, Calleigh."
Watching him, Calleigh squeezed his hand back and when he looked up at her, she whispered, "I'm too stubborn to give up."
"That's a good thing…" he smiled lightly. Covering her hand with his, he leaned closer, "Luck seems to be on your side. I'm getting updates from the lab, the type of explosive used was intended to liquefy you. This guy…Calleigh, I don't like this. You're not safe here, or at your home…I don't want to lose you to this."
Shaking her head, her eyes closed, "I've dealt with guys like this before…"
"That may be true, Calleigh, but this guy…it's different. This was too close." He struggled with the decision not to tell her about his own car, instead wanting to persuade her to listen to logic, "Calleigh, please listen to me…I want you to think about going somewhere, until this is over. I don't want to risk your life over pride."
"I'm not gonna run and hide, Horatio. If I do, then he's won…and I'm not gonna let him win this," she replied her voice rose slightly. "I've never backed done and I'm don't intend to start now."
"It's not about running, Calleigh. It's about surviving. Where are you going to go? He knows where you live, where you work… There will be nowhere that you can go, he's got you trapped." Feeling himself losing control, he released her hand and stared, "Calleigh, I don't want to do this, but I will pull you away from this. I'm giving you a choice."
Staring at him, Calleigh then adverted her eyes and turned her head from him. She couldn't believe he was asking her to run from this, to hide. She didn't want to be a victim, she was stronger then that. Clenching her jaw, her temper rose and she breathed out, "Do what you've got to do Horatio…but I'm not running."
Dipping his head, he exhaled heavily and stared at the floor, "You're leaving me no choice, Calleigh." Looking to her, he saw that she was still turned and shook his head, "As of right now, Calleigh, you're on suspension with pay. If you need a reason, insubordination will do. I want you to find somewhere to go and stay until this is over."
Opening the door and walking in with her hands filled, Nurse Rachael Keeling smiled at the man sitting with the young woman, "Excuse me, Ms. Duquesne, these just came for you." Going over and setting the vase of tulips onto the bedside table, she then turned to Calleigh, "This came for you as well."
Looking at the white box with a beautifully tied ribbon around it, Calleigh took it, barely mumbling a thank you to the woman. Eying the box as the nurse left out, she pulled the small card and read it.
"It was night, and the rain fell; and falling, it was rain, but, having fallen, it was blood." EAP
Staring at the card, she then closed her eyes, "He knows I'm here."
Hearing the message, Horatio moved to grab a paper towel and then reached for the card, "This is what I'm talking about. If you're not here, he can't get to you." Reaching for the box, he asked, "Can I take this from you, Calleigh?"
Knowing Horatio would know what to look for before opening it, Calleigh nodded and carefully handed it over to him. Dropping her eyes, she kept them down, not wanting anyone to see the defeat in hers.
Taking the box in hand, Horatio peered at it intently and walked the surface and sides of it, looking for a trigger. When he didn't see anything, he opened the box slowly and then looked to Calleigh, shaking his head, "Now…do you think this is important enough?"
He walked back over to her, lowering the box for her to see. Inside were the tops of dead tulips covered in what looked like blood. Her chin trembled slightly and she shook her head, "Who the hell is doing this to me?"
Grabbing the box away from her, he sighed, "I don't know, but you have to let me do my job, Calleigh. I can only do that if you're somewhere safe."
"I…I don't have anywhere I can go. If he knows where I live, who's to say he doesn't know where my family lives," she replied as she finally looked up at him. "I won't place them in danger."
"We'll find a place for you, Calleigh. I'm going to find somewhere for you to go so that we can get this guy." Taking her hand once again, he stroked it softly and sighed, "I just want you safe."
Taking in a deep breath, Calleigh released it and nodded her head, "I trust you, Horatio. Just…promise me you'll stay safe, okay? He said he'd deal with anyone who got in his way…I don't want you or any of the others hurt."
"Don't worry about us, Calleigh. We're going to be just fine." Feeling his phone vibrate he sat up and answered it, looking to Calleigh before hanging up. When he did, he gave her a small smile and exhaled heavily, "I've got to get to the lab. I'll be back as soon as I can."
"Okay," she replied as she held onto his hand. Staring into his eyes, she whispered, "Find this bastard, Horatio."
"I will, Calleigh. I promise," he replied as he half stood. Placing a small kiss on her head, he stood fully and then smiled down at her, "Rest, I'll be back."
Nodding, she let go of his hand as he headed for the door with the package she'd received in hand. When he looked back at her, she gave him a small smile, knowing that he'd do anything and everything he could to find the person that was stalking her.
With his flashlight in hand, Jesse looked over the inside of Calleigh burnt up car, the smell of smoke still heavy inside the garage. When the fire marshal and building inspector cleared the building, the CSI team went in full force. One of them had been hit, they had a score to settle now.
Sighing heavily, he stood back up, wiping at his brow with the sleeve of his jumpsuit. Not much was left of the two vehicle or a few others that were in the close proximity of the explosion, but, they still had a job to do. Clearing a spot of the garage floor, Jesse got down, laying on his back at peered up under to the undercarriage. Running the light over the burnt metal, he called over to Tim who was on the other side of the vehicle, "Finding anything over there, Speed?"
Peering at the side of the car, he swept the flashlight against the charred metal and sighed heavily. For hours they'd been at this, only recovering some components of the bomb among the debris. Having started on what was thought to be the remains of Calleigh's car, Tim eyed the burned frame of Horatio's and sighed heavily. On his first day back, two of his friends had been targeted. Shaking the thoughts from his mind, he sighed and frowned as he came upon a mass still clinging to the chassis. "I think I just may have found the source."
Getting up and going around to the other side, Jesse watched as Tim carefully brought the charred remains of a box with metal wires running from it, the plastic covering having melted away. Crinkling his eyes, Jesse raised a brow, "Car bomb like that needs a remote detonator…and I hate to say, it could have been her key-less remote."
"Key-less remote? Okay…officially this guy is scary. He's getting too personal." Turning to Walter, who was working on Horatio's car, he called out, "Anything over there, Walter?"
Crinkling his brow, Walter shook his head and gestured to the car, "If he would've slipped the key in the ignition and then turned, our boss would be lit up like the fourth of July. What is this guy after anyway? I thought the idea of a stalker was to get next to the obsession. He's trying to kill her."
Raising his brow, Jesse looked at Tim, "Or trying to eliminate any competition he thinks might get in the way. If that's the case, there might be another bomb in this garage."
Tim glanced to the two of them and then around, arching a brow, "Who else is parked here?"
"I'm parked on the other side of the building," Walter responded as he snickered, pointing between the other two men. "So, the lunatic is probably after the two of you."
Slipping off a glove, Jesse rubbed the back of his neck and sighed, "Calleigh and I went out a few nights ago…even had lunch together last week a few times." Looking at Tim, he turned looking over and down to where his truck was parked near the ramp, "Better call in the bomb squad."
Tim arched a brow and slipped his phone out, and started dialing, smirking, "I would suggest we all take a step out of the bomb infested garage."
Walking with Jesse, Walter hit him across the shoulder, "Dude…Calleigh? Really?"
"Nothing happened. It was just dinner, nothing else. Besides, I'm not her type," he replied sourly as they headed for the stairs. "Might be why H's car will need an extreme makeover now."
"And it could be why we're now trying to get the bomb squad to look over your car. Face it, man, you're a target too," Walter said as he laughed lightly. Listening to Tim hang up, he called over to him, "So…ETA on the bomb squad?"
"Five minutes out, they told us to leave the scene," Tim answered as he saw him walking towards them. He narrowed his eyes, confused as to why he was here and not with Calleigh. As they met up, he nodded, his expression annoyed, "Hey…H, I thought you were at the hospital with Calleigh?"
"I was…" he said as he looked over to where the vehicles were, sliding off his sunglasses. "What's going on here?"
"Apparently, there's another bomb. Jesse came to the conclusion that this guy aiming to take out anyone who gets in the way of his prize. Being that he and Calleigh have gone out, he thinks it's on his truck." Walter hiked his thumb towards the truck and snickered, "We're taking the bomb squad's advice and vacating the scene."
Taking in the information and raising a brow at the fact Calleigh and Jesse had been going out together, he stored the information away, intent on asking her about it later. Looking back to them, he sighed, "Let's clear the area then. We'll also need to clear the lab as well. I'll have them do a run through to make sure our friend hasn't left us any surprises in there as well."
Focusing his attention to Jesse and Walter, his hands went to his hips, "Go make sure everyone gets out safely and have them hold up across the street." When they nodded and headed off, Horatio turned and began to walk, noting that Tim followed, "Speed, we need to get Calleigh out of Miami for awhile."
Catching up to him, Tim looked to see Horatio troubled and nodded, "Alright…does she have a place to go? Family, perhaps?"
"No, this guy is too close and knows way too much. She doesn't want them placed in danger," Horatio replied as they came to the stairwell and began to head down. "We've got to find a safe place she can go…and someone to escort her. I don't want her alone."
Thinking of his place in St. Petersburg, Tim smiled lightly, "I think I have just the place. When I left St. Pete's, I kept a place there. This guy wouldn't know to search for her there. I could escort her down there and stay with her until this is over." Frowning as a thought came over him, he sighed and then shook his head, "I can't leave Emma here, I'm all she has…unless." Putting up a finger, he pulled his phone again and dialed her number, praying that she'd answer. When her voice filtered through the contraption, he smiled with relief, "Alexx…I have a favor to ask of you."
Smirking as she set a paper plate down in front of Emma with cut up apples and bananas on it, Alexx chuckled, "Not even back for four hours and they've talked you into working late already?"
"You could say that," he said as he glanced to Horatio, seeing his impatience. At the risk of his ire, Tim furthered the conversation quickly, "About that favor, um…there was an accident at the lab today, an explosion. Calleigh was at her car and when she went to lock it, it blew up." Hearing Alexx gasp he quickly followed up, "She's fine, Alexx, but she needs to get out of Miami for a while, and I have just the place. Horatio wants her there to stay safe, but he wants someone to go with her. I was wondering…could you watch Emma for me during this time? It shouldn't be long, I hope…"
Moving out of the kitchen where Emma couldn't hear, Alexx concern for her long time friends grew, "Of course, baby. What the hell is going on though? Who would want to hurt Calleigh?"
"Apparently, she has a stalker, and Horatio feels as if she should leave here until the guy is caught. I wanted to be the one to escort her. I was thinking it would be me."
"Okay, just let me know when you're gonna need me, Timmy. Emma is more then welcome to stay here. I'll make sure she's well taken care of," Alexx replied, a worried tone in her voice.
Rubbing his eyes, he heard the concern and assuaged her, "Alexx, everything's going to be alright. I'm going to get Calleigh somewhere safe, and Horatio's going to try and find this guy. Like I said, it shouldn't be long." Hearing his daughter's voice, a smile broke through and he sighed, feeling better already. He knew he was going to have to explain it to her, but he was sure that she would be okay spending time with Alexx. Quirking his brow, he asked, "How's Emma doing? Can I speak to her?"
"She's fine, I just gave her a snack. Hang on, baby…" Going back into the kitchen, Alexx smiled as Emma sang to herself and bent down to her, "Em, your daddy's on the phone." Handing to her, she chuckled at the little girl's enthusiasm.
Putting the phone to her ear, Emma smiled brightly, "Daddy!"
Laughing, Tim turned and walked away from Horatio, wanting a moment alone with his daughter. Ambling absently, he asked, "Hey, sweetie…how are you doing? Are you being good for Grammy Alexx?"
"Yep…" she replied and then popped a piece of banana into her mouth. Chewing, she wiggled in her chair, "Grammy Alexx fixed me some bananas and apples and let me help with them."
"She did now? Maybe if you're good for the rest of the day, she'll let you help with dinner. Would you like that?" Tim's heart felt as if it were going to burst and he had a sudden thought, stopping him in his tracks. Could he leave his daughter for an unknown specific amount of time? Rubbing his neck, he asked, "What are you guys going to do for the rest of the day?"
Chewing and then swallowing, Emma wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, "Janie said she'd take me to the park when I finish my snack, but I have to eat it all she said. And Bryan went to his friends house, and Grampy Henry went to work."
"The park? I'm sure you're going to love that. Can I speak back to Grammy Alexx?"
"Okay." Getting down out of her chair, Emma giggled, "I love you, daddy."
"I love you too, sweetie," Tim replied as he smiled more.
Giggling more, Emma saw Alexx in the laundry room, "No, I love you more."
"Not possible, sweetness, I love you more," Tim returned as he turned to face Horatio. Taking in his expression Tim shrugged his shoulders and laughed, shaking his head.
Smiling, Emma went over to Alexx, getting her attention, "Okay daddy…here is Grammy Alexx. Be good at work." Handing her the phone, Emma took back off to the kitchen and her snack.
Laughing at her antics, Alexx put the phone back to her ear and sighed, "I can almost bet you were the same at her age."
"I wasn't as vocal with my feelings, but pretty much yeah." Running a hand through his hair, he sighed and looked back towards the scene, feeling the heaviness of his decision weighing down on him. Since he'd been in Emma's life, he hadn't left her side, and now, he was about to do it for an unspecified time. He didn't know if she was going to understand that. "Alexx…I've got to figure out a way to explain this to Emma. She's not been without me for three years. She may not take this well."
Understanding where he was coming from, Alexx leaned back against the washer, "Well, baby, just be honest with her and make sure she understands that you are coming back. While she and Janie are at the park, I'll run and go get one of those disposable cell phones for you. That way you can call her and it won't be able to be tracked."
"Thanks, Alexx. I don't know what I would do without you," Tim responded in a huff. Glancing to see Horatio growing irritated, he closed his eyes, "I have to go, but give Emma a kiss for me and I'll see you later tonight."
"Okay, be careful, baby…and tell Horatio I said the same. I know that man is going out of his mind right now with all this," Alexx replied almost to herself.
"I'll tell him. Thanks for everything, Alexx." Hanging up, he approached Horatio and waved his phone, arching a brow, "Alexx will do me the favor of watching Emma …oh…and she said to be careful. She's worried about you going out of your mind with this."
"That's our Alexx," Horatio replied as he looked to see the bomb squad heading into the parking garage. Sighing, he looked at Tim, "Calleigh will probably be released tomorrow, but I'll know for sure later tonight." Turning to the younger man, Horatio looked down and raised a brow, "Speed, are you sure you can do this? You have a daughter you have to think about as well now."
Having questioned himself about this very matter he nodded, assured of his answer, "As long as I'm sure that she'll be taken care of, I'm sure that I will do this. Calleigh's life is in danger, I think Emma will understand how this is important to me. Alexx has been a great help too, so I'm not worried so much about Emma." Arching a brow, he glanced at the ground before looking up at him and smirked, "Now, you can tell me to piss off, but I have a question; are you and Calleigh…ah…involved?"
Tilting his head as he looked at him, Horatio licked his lips, and sighed, not wanting to give any information that he didn't absolutely have to just yet, "Calleigh and I are just friends, Speed…same as before you left."
The answer that was given didn't match the demeanor, but Tim decided to let it lay; there were bigger things to think about now. He took a look back and saw the bomb squad and sighed heavily, "You know, if we find something on Cardoza's car, that means that he's targeting potential obstacles, so that answers my question as to if you and Calleigh had gone out. Horatio, it's alright if you and Cal have a thing. The point now is to avoid putting you two in the hospital."
Taking Speeds arm and pulling him aside, Horatio kept his voice low, "Calleigh had a visitor late last week after work. He chloroformed her, but not before telling her he would deal with anyone that got in his way. He also claimed she was his. Now, I stood watch over Calleigh for most of the weekend, he probably saw me as an obstacle anyways, especially if he knows anything about this lab."
"Which, I'm sure he does." Glowering at the information that was imparted to him, he shook his head, "How long has Calleigh been receiving things from this bastard? If he's had that much access to her life, there's no telling exactly what he knows."
"I know of three so called gifts he's sent to her. There could be more that she's not telling me about. But, I found a cloth in her foyer and have already run a few tests. It popped positive for chloroform, so I know that was what was used on her." Turning more towards Tim, he lowered his head and whispered, "If you will for me Speed, take Walter and go process her house. If this guy knows about her intimately there's a good chance he left some of himself behind."
"No problem," Tim responded as he started walking. Turning back to him, he asked absently, "Did you happen to test the cloth for DNA? He could've left some while preparing."
"It was clean," Horatio replied as his eyes scanned the crowd that was forming behind the yellow police tape. "I've got two unit stationed at Calleigh's door…but, he's already sent another gift, dead tulips dipped in blood. As soon as were clear, I'm gonna start processing them myself."
Tim gave a cursory glance over the crowd as well, wondering which one was doing this to her. Feeling his temperament growing, he shook his head and started off, calling behind him, "Anything that we find, we'll make priority."
"I'll be on my cell," Horatio called back as he turned back towards the parking garage, his hands going to his hips and finger tapping his ID as he looked up at the structure. Clenching his jaw, he swore to himself that he would get to the bottom of this and bring the man that had hurt Calleigh to his knees by any means necessary.
He watched as she picked a book up on her way to him, skipping lightly as her tiny pink night gown swished with her movement. In what was a nightly ritual, they'd come home, ate a small dinner and started preparing for the next day. It was during this time that they were able to relate to each other the best, talking about their respective days, Tim usually dissolving in to fits of laughter at his daughter's antics. Every second that he spent with her, he found that he was learning from her. Their conversations were give and take, and if there was something wrong, it was during this time that it would come out.
When she came to rest in front of him, he twirled his finger around and she smiled as she turned, opening the book. As she began to read, he brushed her hair gently, pulling the brush through her wet curls, listening intently. He smiled when she came to a word she didn't know, offering it softly. With her being five, he didn't expect her to read dictionaries, but he did make reading a priority. Chuckling as she stopped, he did so as well, arching his brow, "What is wrong, princess?"
"So you have to go back to work tomorrow, daddy? I missed you today," she replied, turning her head and looking back at him. "We didn't get to eat our lunch together."
"No, we didn't, and I'm sorry about that, but Emma, this is how it's going to be from now on. You know why I had to start working, don't you, sweetie?" He could hear the disappointment in her voice and sighed, knowing now that this was going to be difficult. "I had to go back so that I can provide for you and keep you safe from all the meanies out there. You want me to do that, don't you?"
Looking down with a small frown on her face, Emma nodded and sighed, "I still miss you though."
"And I missed you a lot. I couldn't stop thinking about you, but the work that I do is important. I help others." Taking in a deep breath and then letting it out, he started to brush slowly, measuring his words. "One of my best friends needs help, and I'm the only one that can give it, but I'm going to have to go away." Feeling her turn in his arms, he studied her face, seeing the fear and sadness in her expressive brown eyes. Shaking his head, he explained, "It will only be for a little while, and you can stay with Grammy Alexx."
"But I don't want you to go," Emma whined as tears began to fill her eyes. "Please don't go." Moving closer to him and dropping her book onto the floor, her arms went around his neck as she held onto him, "Don't leave me, daddy."
"Emma," he whispered as he held her close to him, rubbing her back gently. Her tears tugged at his heart and he scowled, hating to have been put in this position. Both Calleigh and Emma were important to him, and both needed him. Pulling from her, he smoothed her curls away from her face and stared at her, making a connection. Speaking softly, he shook his head, "I wouldn't leave you if it weren't important, Emma. My friend's life is in danger. A bad guy wants to hurt her bad. I can't let that happen."
"But what if he hurts you, daddy?" she asked, scared that she might not see him again.
"He's not going to hurt me, baby. I won't let that happen, I'm going to be very careful." Caressing her face lovingly, he pulled her close again, "I'll call you every day, and I'll make sure that Grammy Alexx will have everything you like."
Holding onto him tight, tears streaked down her cheeks and she buried her face into the side of his neck, "Don't forget me like mommy did, daddy."
"I won't forget, baby. I can't, you're my heart." He squeezed her closer and then pulled away from her, wiping her tears, "I'm coming right back for you, Emma. Can you be a big girl until I come back?"
Nodding her head, she sniffled and looked into his eyes, "Promise you'll call?"
"I promise with everything that's in me, Emma. I'll call you everyday until I come home" Smiling he twirled his finger around and allowed her to pick up her book. As he began to brush again, he sighed, "You know, this is going to be just as hard on me as it will be for you. I'll be missing my princess."
"When do you have to go, daddy?" she asked as she opened her book back to where she had been reading earlier.
Grimacing, he sighed and responded heavily, "Tomorrow. I'm going to pack your things tonight, so after we do your hair, you can go and pick out what you want to take."
Turning her head back to him again, her eyes met his, sadness filling both sets, "Can I stay in your room tonight, daddy?"
"Sure you can, sweetie." Touching her cheek, he sighed, "Maybe you can finish the story you were telling me."
"Okay," she replied softly. Taking a deep breath, she wheezed some and looked at him, "Can we go finish my hair in my room? It's too hot in here."
"No problem, you take the book, I'll grab the brush." With their arms full, he followed her into her room and settled, lapsing into their usual conversation.
Shifting the best she could with her injured leg propped up on a couple pillows, Calleigh sighed as she reached over, raising the head of the bed up some. After spending most of the afternoon sleeping off the effects of the pain killers the doctors were giving her, Calleigh was growing more and more uncomfortable in the hospital bed. Finding a position that didn't bug her too much, she looked back up at the tv, the ten o'clock news playing and showing footage from the lab and garage earlier in the day. Grimacing as one of the camera crews got shots of Horatio carrying her out of the garage and to the gurney, she breathed out heavily, her thoughts going to the red head that just might have saved her life.
She had always flirted with him, more so in the first two years they were working together until it tapered off after Tim had left. She had always felt something for the man with the flaming red hair and eyes so blue one could loose there soul in them and sometimes she thought that she had. People had come and gone in both there lives over the years, relationships seeming to be a problem for both of them; Horatio loosing two woman he cared for and loved to killers they took off the streets and Calleigh having fallen for men that seemed to do nothing but use her for there own personal gain. Even with Eric, she had felt a certain amount of betrayal.
A soft knock at the door pulled her from her thought's and her eyes gravitated to it. When the door opened slowly, she tensed up until she saw her Lieutenant and best friend poke his head around the corner. Giving him a small smile she nodded her head towards the chair next to the bed, "Come on in. I'm still awake."
Emerging slowly into the room, Horatio smiled, glad to see that she was at least conscious now. For the remainder of the day, he'd been preoccupied with her condition, wondering if and when she surfaced, would she be able to speak at length with him. He had some questions to ask and he needed clarity. Coming to a seat, he settled and then grasped her hand, making eye contact with her and grinning.
"So…how are you feeling, Calleigh? They're talking about letting you out of here tomorrow," Horatio said, watching her expression. The idea of going away wasn't one that she loved, but he already had a good feeling about it. "I've gotten Speed to take you away. He's got a place in St. Petersburg that you can use…"
"Tim? But he's got a kid to take care of, Horatio," Calleigh replied softly as her brow crinkled. "I don't want him endangering her because of me."
"He's not endangering her, he's going to let Alexx take care of her while he's gone. He called me to confirm for tomorrow, you will leave as soon as you are released. The less time you spend in Miami, Calleigh, the better off you are." Horatio took her hand and caressed it slowly, "He's concerned about you, Calleigh."
Laying her head back against her pillow and closing her eyes, she sighed, "Leave it to me to have some psycho stalking around Miami." Feeling his thumb gently rubbing the back of her hand, she reopened her eyes, looking at him, "They said two cars were involved…you were parked next to me."
Averting his eyes, he sighed, "There was a bomb attached to the ignition of my car. By yours exploding first, it triggered it and it exploded." Feeling her hand pull away, Horatio held on to it and implored, "I'm still here, Calleigh, and we're going to find this guy and put him where he belongs. You will be away from Miami, safe."
"But who's to say he won't try to come after you again, Horatio?" Staring into his eyes she shook her head, "I wouldn't be able to live if something happened to you because of me."
"It's my theory that if he doesn't have you to single out, he'll leave the rest of us alone. Besides, if he tries anything, we'll be waiting." He held her gaze and smiled faintly, then bowed his head as his brow arched, "There was one other bomb…on Jesse's truck. Walter made a good observation in that this guy is only after those who pose a problem between you and him. Is there something I should know about you and Jesse?"
Shaking her head minutely, she blinked slowly and turned her head away some, "No. We had dinner one night and had lunch a few times. We're just friend's, that's all, Horatio. I don't hold any feelings for him besides being a good friend…like Tim and Ryan are."
Relieved somewhat, he smirked and asked, "So what does that make me?"
Smiling shyly, Calleigh licked her cracked lips and shrugged, "Besides being my best friend…" Looking at him she paused for a moment and then said softly, "I think we're still working on that."
"I can work with that." Holding her hand tightly, he sighed heavily, "I can't say that I'm not worried about this, Calleigh, but I trust Speed. He's going to look out for you."
"Is there any leads yet on who did this? Any evidence?" she asked, the CSI in her coming out fully. "There has to be something. This guy cannot be that good."
Horatio sat up and crinkled his brow as he shook his head. At every turn they were meeting with a wall, and everything was pointing to how good this guy really was. He sighed heavily and looked to her, "I had Speed and Walter check out your place and they found…nothing. No hairs, no fibers…the scene was clean. I found a cloth in the hall, but that only proved that it was chloroform that was used. I have QD working on the inscriptions, but Calleigh…it's looking thin. Unless he really makes a mistake…"
"Horatio…he's got to mess up somewhere. I cannot be in hiding for the rest of my life. I have a life here…and a job that I love. I can't have some guy out there keeping me from that," she replied, desperation coming trough her voice.
"He will make a mistake, Calleigh and we'll be able to pick up where we left off at." Silence entrenched them and he smiled lightly, clearing his throat slightly. When he spoke, he did so softly, arching one brow, "When you get back…I'd like to cook for you."
Giving him a small smile, Calleigh relaxed a little, "I think I'd like that. I guess our gun range bet is put on hold for awhile, huh?"
"Yeah…but at our earliest convenience, I want to take you on the range."
"Sound's good to me. Hopefully that will be soon." Turning her hand over in his, she looked down as their finger interlaced and she sighed, "How long do you think I might be in hiding?"
"A month at the very most but if we can't get a bead on him, I think that it's a possibility that you could go longer." At the thought of her being gone so long he frowned and brought her hand to his lips, "I wish it was me who was whisking you away."
Staring at him, she nodded, "I know…but then who would catch the bad guy for me?"
"Good question." Catching her eyes, he reached to caress her cheek and gave her a warm smile, "There are so many other qualified CSI's out there as well. I just want to be with you."
Closing her eyes at his touch, she smiled, "I wish you were the one coming with me too." Looking back at him, she whispered, "Will you be able to call me?"
"Sparingly because I don't want him to learn of your whereabouts. I will make it my business to call you when I can." He sighed and could see her despair over the subject, "I know you hate this, I hate it too, but…it's for the best."
Releasing a long breath, Calleigh frowned and grumbled, "I'm taking my gun with me. If that bastard finds me I'll make sure he never even thinks of stalking anyone again."
Horatio laughed and kissed her hand again, "I think you're well prepared for this trip, Calleigh." Taking notice of the time, he sighed, reluctant in leaving. Sweeping his gaze over her, he smiled, "I think I should go."
"Horatio…about tomorrow. What if he see's me leaving here with Tim? He'd know something is up and might follow."
Having already thought about that, Horatio nodded, "We have a decoy leaving before you. So if he is watching, he's going to see someone else get in the car and follow, giving you enough time to get away with Speed." Seeing the fear, he sighed, "This is going to work."
"And my clothes and other things I'll need?" she asked as she looked at him. Taking in a shaky breath, she shook her head, "You already thought of that also didn't you?"
"I hope you don't mind, I had Valera go over and grab a few things. It's in the Hummer down in the parking lot." Seeing her incredulous expression, Horatio shrugged, "We couldn't take that chance, Calleigh."
Nodding, she breathed out, "Well, I guess what I need and don't have I can send Tim out for. I'm sure he'll love that."
"He's there to help you Calleigh. I'm sure he'll do anything to make you comfortable. All you'll have to do is ask." Taking another glance to the watch, he sighed, "I really should get going, I want you to rest, okay?"
"Okay." Watching as he stood up, she gripped his hand, "Will I see you tomorrow?"
His heart dropped and Horatio sighed, "No…if this is supposed to work, I can't. I want to be there for you, Calleigh, but not at the expense of your well being."
"Then I guess this is the last time I'll see you for awhile then, Handsome." Gripping his hand more, her eyes pleaded with his, "Please be careful, okay? Promise me you won't do anything foolish like getting hurt."
"I won't do anything foolish like getting hurt. You and Tim take it easy down there. Take the time to rest and relax. Everything's going to be fine."
When Horatio leaned down to her, Calleigh turned her face to him, there lips touching gently. Letting her eyes close, she let the softness of his caresses hers, the tenderness of it all leaving her wanting more. When he parted from her, she slowly opened her eyes, looking into his, "Get some rest too and sleep well, Handsome."
"I will," Horatio said as he smiled, tempted to kiss her again. He sighed as he let go of her hand and stepped away, whispering, "Night…Calleigh."
"Night…" she whispered back. Watching him reluctantly walked to the door, he looked back at her and she gave him a smile. He opened the door, leaving out and closing it back behind him. Sighing, Calleigh looked around the now empty room, wondering what her future held in store for her.