Title: In The Line of Fire

Timeline: 7x25 "Seeing Red"

Author: Quitethefangirl

Genre: Angst/Crime

Summary: Eric is missing and on top of that the team is facing another battle and Stetler is behind the gun. As the team' searches for Eric and they put under administrative review by IAB.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything

Author Note: I'd like to thank everyone who read and/or reviewed the first chapter, it really does feel great to read the reviews and know people are reading my words. I also like to thank my beta reader Emily for "beta"ing my story making presentable to the public. Anyways, this is not a awards ceremony so enjoy the new chapter, please R&R thank you.

Chapter 2

Shot

Two weeks earlier

Calleigh didn't know what was worst. Not knowing or the fact that this was her fault?

She had lost many comrades and danced with death on a daily basis. It was risk that came with the job, but this was Eric and not knowing whether he was alive or dead was slowly killing her.

She had shot him, it had been her fault. The last words she said to him were words in anger; she had doubted him and mistrusted him. With all her might she had hoped she'd missed him, but she know she was a good shot, she never missed and always hit her target.

Calleigh pulled her hummer swiftly in the Glades; barely stopping the car before jumping out, scarcely able to breathe. She bolted as fast as her could towards the direction of Horatio and Frank, the images of shooting Eric flashing through her mind.

Frank stood and Horatio was knelling over someone, guns drawn. As she got closer she saw it was Sharova, he was alive, lying on the ground blood staining his shirt. A quick scan of the area confirmed Eric was nowhere in sight, panic seizing her.

"It's not my blood" she heard Sharova as she closed in on them.

"Whose blood is it? Is it Eric?" She cut with in a panicked breathless voice.

Sharova looked up at Calleigh, they're eyes meet his eye filled shame and guilt and his lips trembled.

"What happened" Horatio asked in a pressing but calm voice.

"He was getting me out, before I committed a crime" his words were pained and labored.

"Was he hit? Did I hit him?" Calleigh asked in a steady but frantic tone.

"All I know he was bleeding, he kept driving and then" he paused and continued in a more heavily labored and pained voice "he lose control of the car" he voice cracked "that's all I know" he shook his head slightly. Calleigh put her hands to her face in worry.

"If anything happened to him, you to get what your friends got" Horatio said in a dead tone.

"Get up, your under arrest" Frank said pulling Sharova roughly to his feet and handing him off to a pair of waiting officers and walked to his car. Horatio stood and put his gun back in his holster, pulling out his shades.

"If he's not in the car, where is he?" Calleigh said in the strongest voice she could muster, her legs felt as if they were going to give way. She swallowed hard and mentally chanted "Don't cry, stay professional" in her head.

"We'll find him Calleigh" Horatio answered, turning toward her and looking off across the water, shades in hand. She shook her head as tears form in her eyes, finding little comfort in the lieutenant's words trying her best not to breakdown in front of Horatio.

"We can't lose him" She offered a weak smile, tears in her eyes and a knot in her throat.

He turned his back to her and tilted his head focusing on something in the distance. "I'm not going to let that happen." He left Calleigh to follow a trail of footprints left in the grass.

She stood there alone for a second, choking back tears. Horrible thoughts raced though her mind

"Killed him it was my fault, I killed Eric, My God I killed him."

But this was a crime scene, they had to process it; she went to follow Horatio with a distraught look on her face. She couldn't breathe, she felt as if all the air was being sucked from her lungs, again. "I'm so sorry, Eric?" was the only clear thought in her chaotic and confused mind "I'm so sorry"

Like a whirlwind taking a city, her tears over took her and she succumbed to her emotions that hit her like a tidal wave. She had never felt so alone. In the past she learned to never get emotional involved with a case, it always leaded to trouble. She'd learned that the hard way, but this wasn't just another case, this was Eric. This was the man she loved, she couldn't stop the pain.

Ever since she was a child she'd built a walled around her heart, locking all her true feeling inside, never letting anyone see her weak or afraid. She had worked hard to keep her personal and professional feeling separate and her emotions at bay. It gave her a sense of certainty, stability and control, something she lacked earlier on in her life.

She was known as an optimist, she was rarely seen as anything but happy. She always tried to finding the silver lining of the cloud, some people said she was "too cheerful" in her line of work. She always wore a smile even when she felt otherwise. Her smile lit up the lab and even the grimiest of crime scene.

At work, her collogues know the professional, stoic, witty, committed, gun loving, ballistic expert Calleigh they worked with everyday, her acquaintances and the team knowing the sweet, talkative, lighthearted, humorous southern belle Calleigh they sometimes spent the weekends and nights after work with. The Calleigh she wanted them to know, the Calleigh she was now. She faced much adversity in life, things she was too ashamed, afraid or embarrassed to admit, things that would change the way they looked at her. She didn't want pity; she had had enough of that for one lifetime.

To her younger colleagues she was a listening ear, a confidant now more than ever with Alex gone. She kept them in check when their emotions got the best of them, when Eric got hot-headed or when Natalia was overly emotional and when Ryan was well just Ryan. She knew their background, their fears, their story, their struggles and problems. Whenever she saw her colleagues troubled, she'd pry until they let it out, whether it was personal or professional problem she'd help them through it, carrying the burden with them. She let them know they didn't have to struggle alone, but when they extended the same offer to her; she'd just brush them away and said she was fine.

However there were only a few snips they'd managed to learn about her background over the years, things she wasn't able to hide. Her unstable childhood, complicated family life, her father's alcoholism, her rocky relationships with men, but never the details, those subjects were personal.

They didn't know the real Calleigh, not like Eric did. He'd been working the hardest and longest to bring down those walls down and boy was he persistent. She always had a special place in her heart for him since the day they first meet, he knew her like no other and he was her best friend.

He saw right through the false smiles and the "I'm fines" he would never take no for an answer. He had never forced her to talk about her past or anything she wasn't comfortable with, but being around Eric the walls would automatically come down, letting out a different side of Calleigh people rarely saw and before she know it she was opening up to him, telling him her secrets and troubles, things no one else know. He never judged her. He made a point of being there when she needed him, listening. He loved her; he'd find whatever way possible to show her that, even when she felt she didn't deserve it.

Through all the horrible incidents she faced over the recent years, the breakups, the kidnapping, the off duty shooting, the car accident and the multiple attempts on her life. He was always there, offering a hand to hold, a warm embrace, a shoulder to cry on and words of reassurance, comforting her and making it all better. He was her strong tower, her best friend and most importantly he was the love of her life. She had finally accepted her feelings, it was the best thing ever she'd done.

The feelings had always been there, but she was too afraid and didn't know how to convey them, her relationships with men always ended badly. She didn't want to hurt the strong bond she shared with him, she loved Eric too much to lose him. So she just danced around the feelings, hiding behind her security blanket. It wasn't until the first time she thought she lost him when he was almost deported, she saw how much she cared about him.

She noticed how much time she wasted; she'd rather risk loving him than then never knowing and regretting it. She told him this with a kiss, it was the best decision she'd made in her entire adult life.

The past few months with Eric had been like a breath of fresh air, they had the best months she had in a long time. They were inseparable, everyday their relationship growing stronger. She enjoyed every moment they spent together, whether it out on the town, her place or his, even at work when they could only offer a bright smile or a lingering gaze, she loved it. It was like a fairytale, but now it was over, now it was a nightmare, now he was gone, missing in action and she had no one to run to. Not only would she have to face this alone, she have to live with the guilt that she caused this, if anything happened to Eric she'd forever blame her self.

Her legs finally gave away and she fell to her knees not caring who was watching, she had spent too much time caring what others thought, but now she didn't care. The pain was too great; it felt like the world had crashed around her. She cried tear that were long overdue, she cried the hardest she ever cry had making up for all the times she held them back. Sobs wrench through her body, she felt so frail and fragile. She cried alone for what seemed like an eternity until she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Ma'am, we're going to find him. I won't rest until we find him, I promise." It was Horatio. She knew the tone of voice all too well; it was the voice he used to comfort the victim's family, giving them reassurance and hope. She knew he meant well, but it only filled her with more grief and she cried harder.

"I-I-I shot him" She managed through her tears.

"Shhh, it's going to be ok" he said to her. Horatio knelt beside his grief-stricken CSI, pulling her into his arms resting his head on hers, stroking her back, as a father would a daughter, hoping to sooth her. Horatio knew about the two, although Eric and Calleigh had hid their relationship from the team, he knew what Eric meant to Calleigh, he knew they were more than just colleagues. After a few minutes of crying into Horatio's shoulder, the tear subsided.

"Go home I'll call you if anything changes." He said. Normally Calleigh would protest, work always came first, but she didn't have the will or the stamina. She couldn't work this case, not now. Horatio helped her to her feet and walked her to her hummer; both unaware of all the shocked and slightly confused eyes that were gazing at them. Horatio opened the door to the passenger side and helped her into the seat. He placed one hand on her shoulder, looking her directly in the eyes, something he seldom did and said "We'll find him"

With that he walked away, calling over an officer to drive Calleigh to the lab. They rode back to the lab in silence, Calleigh's mind tangle in deep thought.

OK I have a little bit of a dilemma I originally planned to write the story from Calleigh's point of view, but the more I wrote the more story started taking turns of its own.A new plot has been add and certain part of the story could be better told from other member teams' prospective. What do you think? Like the way its going now or would you like the change?