The Unthinkable

Calleigh walked to Horatio's office, stopping as she reached the open door, she stood for a moment observing him sitting at his desk with his head laid back in his chair. She noticed how he winced when he shifted his body trying to get comfortable. He is in pain, she thought to herself, but being the hard-headed man he was, Horatio never will admit that he is suffering to anyone…including me. What am I going to do with him?

Calleigh eased into the office and quietly pulled a chair near to Horatio and sat trying not to disturb him. She sat there for several minutes just watching him sleep as she thought about what Dr. Woodall had told him…no work for two weeks and that only if his pain had greatly improved, but Horatio came back to the lab after barely one day.

The rest of the team had already left for the day as it was Friday evening and some had a day off tomorrow, Calleigh was grateful Horatio was one of them. She would have to work tomorrow, but she had Sunday off and she knew Horatio did as well. She thought about their plans for Sunday afternoon when they would take Austin and Patty to an amusement park for a "get acquainted" meeting with the children, of course she was already acquainted with them, but Horatio was looking forward to getting to know them. She was glad that no one from the adoption board would be with them, as was procedure; the board members knew the children would be in good hands with the Caine couple given their standing in the community.

Horatio began to stir in his chair, but as he did, pain shot down his left side and he involuntarily let out a moan.

Calleigh touched his arm and began to ask, "Horatio…are you ok? Horatio…"

To him it felt like he was coming out of a thick fog, hearing Calleigh calling to him, "Horatio…are you ok? Horatio…"

Horatio gradually opened his eyes and saw Calleigh sitting beside him, "Hi Beautiful…" he softly replied.

She smiled radiantly at him, but at the same time he detected a look of concern. "Horatio…I want you to tell me the truth, how bad is your pain?"

He broke eye contact with her for just a split second, looking down to his lap, but quickly lifted his head and chuckled low, "Cal…I can't lie to you…I am still in pain, but I realize it will be with me for a while and I am handling it Sweetheart."

"Horatio, do you remember what Dr. Woodall told you just barely a week ago in the ER? He told you NOT to overdo it and rest. So far you have done anything but, and it concerns me…I don't want you to be out in the field and have your reaction time affected in situations when you need to act in a split second."

Horatio for the first time in the years he had known her found himself snapping at the love of his life. "I AM AWARE OF POTENTIAL DANGER CAL…I WON'T LET THAT HAPPEN! I DON"T NEED A NURSEMAID!"

He noticed tears welling in her gorgeous green eyes, reflecting the hurt she felt at his response. She immediately jumped out of her chair and began to walk away toward the door.

Horatio jerked to grab her arm with his left hand and doubled over in pain…grateful he had not risen too far out of his chair because his knees buckled under him and he went down hard.

Calleigh was startled out of her hurt feelings by the loud cry of pain from Horatio and immediately turned around to see him in his chair, writhing in pain holding his left side. At that moment, Frank had appeared in the doorway with some forms for Horatio to sign and he had heard the loud cry from down the hallway. Both Calleigh and Frank rushed around the desk to Horatio.

Calleigh reached him first and shouted, "Handsome…Handsome…what happened?"

Frank went to the opposite side of him and just watched his friend looking for any sign that his pain was easing.

"I'm…so…sorry…Cal…please forgive…me…for snapping…at you…like…I did."

They both noticed that Horatio was attempting to catch his breath over the pain and Calleigh just rubbed his arm and gave him time to recover. She noticed how pale the color in his face turned, but she told herself that extreme pain would cause that reaction.

After a few minutes, Horatio appeared to be regaining a more normal composure and Frank offered, "Horatio, you need to go to a doctor, but if nothing else, you need to get out of here and go home…and stay home."

"It's no use Frank," Calleigh replied to his suggestion, "I have been saying that for days and he won't listen to reason….undoubtedly the most stubborn man I have ever known!"

Horatio finally was able to say, "I would heed your…suggestions, but this case…is too important…I have to be here."

"Well, you don't have to be here now or back here until Monday…. You feel like trying to make it to your car?" Frank asked.

"I think I do…"

"C'mon then…I will help you to the car…you are too much weight for Calleigh." Frank said in a curt manner.

Frank eased Horatio into their car and told them he would follow behind to help get him out and into their house when they got home.

"Thanks Frank…you are a good friend," Horatio said after he got settled in the car.

Later that night as they lay in their bed after having eaten a sandwich and fruit for dinner, Horatio began, "Calleigh…you never have accepted my apology for being in such a foul mood earlier. I really don't know what came over me…I never want to hurt you, please believe me. You are my whole world Sweetheart I love you so much, it will never happen again…I promise and you know I never break my promises."

"Handsome," Calleigh softly answered as she propped herself up on an elbow to look into his eyes, "Handsome, I forgive you…I know you are under tremendous pressure with this case…but you had better not do it again…" she deviously smiled, "after all, I always have a gun handy since I am your ballistic expert!" She grinned as she cupped his face in her free hand and leaned down and gave him a tender kiss which caused him to reach up with his right hand and pull her down to where he could return her kiss with a more passionate one of his own.

After breaking their kiss before it got too heated, Horatio smiled back, and for the first time this evening he not only felt some relief from his physical pain, but from his guilt too. "Believe me…I know how good a shot you are!"

Calleigh had gotten up early to head to the lab, grateful Horatio was not disturbed from his sleep with her preparations to leave. She thought she would call Alexx and ask if she had just a few minutes to stop by and check on Horatio during the day…and she herself would come home for lunch to see how he was doing.

Having spent most of yesterday resting…which he knew he needed to do in order to keep going at the lab, Horatio was really looking forward to Sunday afternoon with the children.

After lunch, the children were brought to their house and they met Horatio. Austin remembered him from the lab, when he was helping the CSI's capture his father, but Patty had not met him before. Patty immediately felt comfortable with him and even agreed to call him 'H' as he told her all his friends did and he hoped they could be friends. Austin was a little more reserved around him so, Horatio made a mental note to attempt to break the invisible barrier that seemed to be between them.

The children appeared to be enjoying themselves at the amusement park and Horatio had to let Calleigh ride with them on most of the rides as his ribs would not allow him to participate. He did ride the merry-go-round with Calleigh and the children, since the ride included benches for adults…the children rode the animals. Finally there was one ride that seemed to be for younger children that appealed to Patty so, Austin sat with Horatio watching Calleigh and Patty enjoying the ride from a bench under a tree.

Horatio allowed Austin to speak first and after a few minutes the boy began asking Horatio how long he had been a policeman. Horatio told him he had been a policeman over 20 years and Austin seemed to be impressed. Austin also was curious about where Horatio was from and his family. Horatio explained that his parents were deceased and a brother had also died only a few years ago.

Austin finally asked him if before his brother died if he ever felt responsible for his brother…to make sure he was always ok.

Horatio chuckled, "Austin, I always did, even after he was grown…but I guess that was because I was the oldest. Do you feel responsible for your sister?"

Austin looked down at his feet and said, "Yeah…I have watched out for her ever since she was little and sometimes, it scares me to think about if something happened to her too…then I wouldn't have anybody."

"Umm…Austin, I know how you feel, but don't ever think you will be alone. I was thirteen when I lost my parents and it hurt for a long time, but there were always people around to help me…to help my brother and me."

Unknown to them, Calleigh and Patty had walked up close behind them and Calleigh gave the little girl the signal to be quiet so, they stood there listening to the pair.

"Did you ever have to go to foster homes?" Austin looked up asking.

"I did," Horatio answered.

"Yeah, but I bet your father didn't hurt anybody…I know he tried to kill you and that woman he shut in the trunk of a car."

Horatio stared at the ground before tilting his head to the side and looked at the boy sitting on his right and took in as deep a breath as his ribs would allow before answering, "He…he did Austin. I won't go into details, but he murdered someone close to me and he beat my mother, brother and I. He didn't love us…unlike your father. Austin, your father did make serious mistakes, but he did what he did because he loved you and your sister so much, that it clouded his judgment."

Austin just answered, "Yeah, it did…I have been afraid you would not like us because of what he did to you," he said as he sadly looked up into Horatio's eyes.

"Austin…you and your sister are not to blame for what your father did, do you understand? Don't EVER think that, alright?"

Austin looked as if he was attempting to absorb what Horatio said and just shook his head, at Horatio's kindness toward him.

"If…if we are fortunate that the adoption board allows you and your sister to live with Calleigh and I, you can be assured you and your sister will ever be alone or unloved…ok?" Austin looked up at Horatio and shook his head in relief and smiled for the first time that afternoon.

Calleigh's hand flew to her mouth as she heard that statement.

"Hey you two…" Calleigh playfully said with tears welled in her eyes, "You guys missed a great ride with Patty and me!"

Horatio smiled at her and said, "Well, that just means we will have to come back again then, doesn't it Austin," as he placed his arm around the boy's shoulders turning his head to smile at the boy.

"Yeah…I know I would like to!" Austin laughed.

"ME too…" Patty agreed.

The group finished their day at a family seafood restaurant on the beach before heading home. Both of the children told them more than once how much they enjoyed the day with Horatio and Calleigh and were sad when a person from the adoption board arrived to pick them up to take them back to their foster family.

"Hey you guys," Calleigh began, "We will spend some more time together soon, ok?"

Austin spoke up first saying he would like that very much. Patty hugged Calleigh so hard after Calleigh dropped down on one knee and hugged the little girl back. Then standing, she hugged Austin and to her surprise, Austin gave Horatio a light hug on his right side, mindful of his injured ribs on the left. Patty hugged Horatio around his waist with no hesitation and Calleigh smiled and concluded it must be that irresistible Caine charm influencing the girl…how it could not, for she herself had fallen under his spell years ago.

After they left, Horatio took Calleigh in his arms and said, "I understand why you fell in love with those children…I have too."

Calleigh looked into his eyes and said, "I think it was mutual Handsome…thank you for a wonderful day."

"I am glad you enjoyed it…I am already looking forward to another visit from them," Horatio responded.

Monday morning at the lab was hectic, seems Miami had an active weekend in crime, unfortunately. As Horatio sat in his office, he realized he actually felt a little better than last week, physically and mentally. He thought back about their day yesterday with the children and how much it seemed to him that they could already be a family, after only one afternoon…the family he had wanted for a long time.

Suddenly his cell phone pulled him out of his thoughts and he answered, "Caine."

Unfortunately, it was a call out from dispatch alerting the team to a new crime scene. Horatio strode out of his office to be met by the rest of the team and Calleigh…all had received the call.

He paired the team off and of course Calleigh would ride with him. He thought about how comforted he felt concerning the fact he had convinced Calleigh to wear a Kevlar vest now, to ease his mind. She had wanted him to do the same, but he had questioned whether he could, considering his injured ribs. He just told her he would see if it would work, but never gave her an answer.

The call out was to a scene near Little Havana just south of downtown and would not take them long to reach the location situated in a strip mall. Upon arriving, Frank walked to Horatio's Hummer to get him updated on what had occurred.

"Seems two guys just went loco and shot up this building, shooting out the plate glass and coming mighty close to killing a couple of folks inside. The witnesses to the incident said the two men drove away in a dark blue car that was sitting on the side street over there, but no plates to help identify it. There used to be nightclub located here, but now it is just a gathering place for kids to come and play on the video machines inside."

"Any children hurt Frank," Calleigh asked as she stood by Horatio.

"No, thank goodness…just the assistant manager and an employee and right now one is critical," Frank said in answer to her question.

Horatio scanned the area and asked Frank, "Has the area been secured?"

"Yeah it has H…I don't think they are anywhere near this place now."

"You never can tell my friend….," Horatio said as he and Calleigh began walking across the parking lot toward the building, leaving Frank with a couple of his patrol officers who had walked up to obtain further instructions…unaware of someone hiding behind a parked car that was in their path .

Horatio saw a slight movement ahead of them from behind a car and then saw a man as he stood with a gun pointed directly at Calleigh…Horatio immediately stepped in front of her blocking the shooter's target.

The bullet hit Horatio in the chest at the exact moment he screamed, "NO…CALLEIGH…"the impact knocking him to the ground on his back, with his body just grazing her right side.

It only took a split second for Calleigh to react to the shooter as she drew her .45 automatic and fired. The man hit the pavement upon impact, then she turned, horrified at the sight she saw…Horatio sprawled on the ground and not moving.

"HORATIO…" Calleigh screamed as she ran to his still body.

TBC…appreciate all the reviews…will try to update soon…