A/N: Thank you for all the reviews! In CSI Miami, Horatio Caine is never portrayed as being religious; however, I want to explore that part. I feel that for someone who has lost so many friends and family members, he must question faith. Also Horatio's family relationship with Eric kind died off after his wife's (Eric's sister) death. I want to illustrate that Eric cares very much about Horatio as his family. Hopefully, I didn't write them too out of character.

Chapter 9-

3 hours later…

An exhausted-looking Alex greeted her formal co-workers in the lobby of the hospital. The trauma room has its fair share of ugliness, but today, Alex was particularly beat. When a blazing ambulance opened the door, she knew it was trouble. Her former boss Horatio Caine jumped out the back and with three other medics wheeled out Ryan Wolfe.

The medics were shouting codes out and before Alex could take a look at Ryan; her former boss Horatio pulled her aside. As Horatio explained to her the gruesome details of their experience, she covered her mouth and shook her head. Her baby Ryan had just been tortured. Horatio asked Alex not to participate in rescuing Ryan. It was enough that Eric and Frank had to endure looking at Ryan; Horatio didn't want Alex to experience that. Alex reluctantly agreed. However, she pushed Horatio into a trauma exam room and persuasively examined her former boss. Once Alex made sure that Horatio did not sustain any major injures, she sat by him in the waiting room.

Alex noticed there was a trail of dried tears on Horatio's cheek, but she didn't say anything. She knew he had been crying privately, but the Horatio that sat by her right now was detached.

"You are not responsible for this, sugar." Alex said after sometime.

"I am not sure anymore." Horatio answered without looking at her.

"Ryan wouldn't want you to think that way." Alex added.

Horatio smiled a little at that. Yes, she was right; Ryan wouldn't want him to think like that. But right now, blaming himself seemed to be the only thing that he can do.

'Where are you going?" Alex asked as Horatio stood up.

"To pray."

***************

"Alex!" It was Calleigh that ran up first. "How is Ryan?"

"Not good. Poor kid lost a lot of blood and the doctors are trying to repair his internal damages." Alex informed the team.

"Where is 'H?" Eric asked.

"I don't know sugar, he left an hour ago." Alex answered.

The team was very puzzled by this. Knowing Horatio, he of all people would be here.

"I will call him." Eric said.

"Wait, Eric." Calleigh stopped Eric. "Let's give him some space. Maybe Horatio needs it."

"But…"

"We really don't know what went down there. I mean by Ryan's injures, we know it was bad. Horatio is going to need some time and space to deal with all this." Calleigh reasoned.

"I want to suggest consulting, but knowing Horatio Caine, he would never go." Alex said.

Eric sighed. He remembered when Speed passed away couple years ago, Horatio refused consulting and instead worked out his problem with his then girlfriend. Eric understood the pain of not being able to protect someone. He watched his sister died before him.

"Someone needs to talk to him. I mean both him and Ryan need consulting." Natalia jumped in. Without a word, everyone looked at Eric.

Eric exhaled deeply. He knew he needed to talk to Horatio and left the group to look for his boss and friend. Ever since his sister's death, Eric meant to talk to Horatio. However, Eric knew he was not good at emotional talks. His solution to all emotional problems was beer. He knew if his sister was alive, she would be good at this.

Eric walked pass the gift shop, the café and he stopped before the chapel. The chapel's door was slightly opened and through the crack, Eric saw a red hair man standing before the cross. It was Horatio Caine. Eric was raised as a Catholic. He wasn't very religious, but he did attend church once in awhile. His mother preached about god to him and he joined the church youth group for a month. But he never knew Horatio Caine was religious. All the years that he knew Horatio, religious certainly was not Horatio Caine.

Eric slowly walked into the small chapel and stood behind his friend. He didn't say anything and want to respect Horatio.

"Eric. How can I help you?" Horatio asked without turning his back.

This was Horatio's amazing aspect. He knew his CSI by heart and could identify them blindfolded.

"Alex wants me to check on you." Eric lied. He needed something to start the conversation and telling Horatio that he needed to talk to him about emotional crap wasn't an option.

"How is Ryan?" Horatio asked.

"He…Alex said not well." Eric answered.

The two friends stood there in silence for the next ten minutes, neither knew what to say to the other. Finally it was Eric that opened the Paradox's box.

"'H' I might not know what happen back there, but I know for a fact that some ugly things went down. You are only human and sometimes it might not seem like it. We all need help 'H'". Eric took a deep breath and continue, "I didn't realize I need it help after my head wound, but it got to the point where it was so bad that I couldn't function. 'H' I don't want to see you end up at that point…please, if not for yourself, for Ryan. Cuz hell knows he is going to need a lot of help."

Eric let out a breath and surprised that his support speech wasn't that bad. But Horatio didn't say anything back and that worried Eric.

"'H'…say something anything! As your friend, your brother, I want to help, but you got to let me know how."

Perhaps it was Eric's speech or his reference to the brother relationship or it might have been that Horatio Caine was simply exhausted from the events that occurred in the past 3 days. Whatever it was, a rare event occurred. Horatio turned to face Eric and his eyes were moistened with tears. Eric walked up and embraced his friend. Eric felt Horatio returning his embrace back and heard his friend whispered "I never felt so helpless."

Lieutenant Horatio Caine, the one that had answers to all the problems, the one that protected this city for years, and the one that could scare the gods of heaven and hell had just admitted his own vulnerability. Whatever happened in that house had shook Horatio.

They stay like this in a brotherly embraced. The contact was much needed therapy for Horatio.

"You know, you don't always have to face everything alone. You have us. We got your back." Eric encouraged

It was the truth, he was not alone. He had this team. Ryan was willing to die to protect his integrity and Eric dropped all his arrogance to open up to him. Really what more could he ask. His team was his greatest asset.

The embrace was broke up when Eric's phone ring.

"Yea, yea I found 'H' ok, we are coming." Eric hung up the phone and said "Ryan is out of the trauma room." Without saying anything else, both men rushed out of the chapel.

"Horatio!" Alex greeted them and the rest of the team stood up as the two friends came into view

"How is he?" Horatio asked.

"The doctors were able to stabilize him, but they are worried about infections." Alex regretfully answered.

'I want to see him." Horatio requested.

"You will. Ryan is heavily sedated. He needs the rest and so do you, Horatio." Alex interrupted Horatio's request. If anyone could stop Horatio Caine, it was Alex. "I promise I will call you if anything changes and you can come back tomorrow morning." Alex stepped forward and stared Horatio in the eyes. "Go home for now."

Horatio exhaled heavily and nodded his head in agreement. Calleigh volunteered to take him home and the rest of the team left for the day.

However, 20 minutes right after the team left, things did change. At first Alex didn't want to alarm Horatio, but after several unsuccessful attempts to calm Ryan down, Alex couldn't stand it anymore. Ryan was reacted violently to the doctors and nurses that were attending him. He screamed at no one in particular, but most of his words were muffled by the oxygen mask. Alex rushed in to calm Ryan; however, he didn't seem to recognize her. Ryan's eyes were filled with rage and emptiness. Although his struggles were weak, but he still managed to pull out the IVs and the heart monitor. He also managed to knock over a glass of water by his bed. Finally the doctors ordered restrains so that Ryan wouldn't hurt himself. It was a moment of great despair for Alex. It's one thing to do it on people she didn't know, but to watch someone that she knew so dearly was very difficult for her.

Alex stepped out the room and made the call to Horatio.

That night, Horatio, Alex and Calleigh each took turns to look after Ryan. Soon after Ryan was sedated, ice packs were ordered to cool the 105 degrees fever that seemed to be firing Ryan's brain.

Speed: "Are you a religious man?"

Horatio: "After a fashion."