"Calleigh, I want you checked out and then in my office" Horatio cut in again. It was clear that he was not happy in her endeavours, more importantly in her choices. They had all only be reunited for a few minutes and it was already back to business. Calleigh knew that her decisions were rash but they had to be done.
Eric overheard Horatio telling Calleigh she needed to get checked and then head to his office. He approached the group and grew confused as he saw Calleigh staring at the floor, as if she were a guilty child. Natalia reached out and patted her shoulder in support. Eric was finally joined up to the group as Calleigh looked up and locked eyes with him. She wasn't there. It was as if her eyes were dead. Eric knew something wasn't right. It was as if the moment was played in slow motion. The second after he made eye contact with her, her emerald green eyes rolled to the back of her head. Her head leaned back as her legs simultaneously gave out. Horatio grabbed her small framed body around the waist to try and break at least some of her fall. "WE NEED MEDICAL" Eric yelled as rushed the remaining feet between them to help Horatio in getting her up. Natalia stood helpless watching the two of them grabbing and lifting her body like a rag doll. Her head rolled around with every movement like that of a new born baby. Her arms and legs were lifeless. It was like everything went silent and life just continued to happen and all she could do was watch from the sidelines.
Alexx came rushing down the hallway with an assistant. "Put her down" Alexx demanded as she finally reached them. Horatio and Eric gently laid her down onto the ground on her back. Horatio backed up to give Alexx room. Eric crouched down and stated by Calleigh's side.
"What happened baby?" Alexx cooed to her as she removed her flashlight and opened one of Calleigh's eyes. "Pulse is thready, but it's there" Alexx's assistant informed as he removed the stethoscope from his neck. Alexx watched as Calleigh's pupils slowly dilated and constricted back.
"That's good right? Her pupils changed in response to light! That means she's okay?" Eric rushed. Ryan saw the flashing lights approaching and rushed to the door to open them for the paramedics to get in. Alexx sighed. "It's good, but it's slow. That's not considered normal" Alexx explained. Eric watched as Alexx rolled Calleigh's head to the side and a small amount of clear liquid came out of her ear. Alexx looked up to Eric hoping that he hadn't seen it, but he had. The paramedics came in and began to get Calleigh onto a backboard.
"Patient has brain fluid draining through the left ear, slow pupil dilation, and a thready pulse" Alexx listed off as she aided them in lifting Calleigh onto the gurney. Eric felt his heart drop. Brain Fluid. "Eric, I'm going to ride with them, and you're going to follow us okay?" Alexx said to him calmly, she knew he was probably panicking. Eric couldn't stop looking at Calleigh as they inserted a tube into her throat. "Eric, follow us there. She will be okay" Alexx said again. Eric finally tore his eyes off of her and looked at Alexx. She looked confident, like how Calleigh had looked when she told them to ram the car. Eric nodded blankly and watched as Alexx ran and hopped into the back of the ambulance. Horatio slammed the door of the ambulance closed and proceeded to jog towards his Hummer.
"Eric" He yelled out. Eric felt his legs jogging after Horatio to join him in his Hummer but couldn't figure out how. He pulled himself in and pulled the seatbelt across his chest as Horatio pulled out of the parking lot and followed the ambulance.
"She said there was brain fluid coming out of her ear" Eric finally said. Horatio closed both his eyes for a moment at the statement. He knew that something serious was wrong with Calleigh, he was just avoiding the thought. "If we hadn't rammed the car-" Eric started. "If we hadn't rammed the car he could have shot and killed her. He could have run the car off a bridge. We did the best thing in the moment" Horatio intervened. He wouldn't let Eric take on the guilt. Eric slumped back into his seat and ran his hands over his face. This day had been full of insane trips. Calleigh seemed a little weird after the case but he didn't think much of it.
Eric thought back to the scene..
Horatio and Eric began approaching the car when the passenger side door opened. There was Calleigh, squatted inside the car with her arms reached up holding Daisy in place, who was still secured to the seat. "I need help" Calleigh called out. Eric look at her. She had little trails of blood running down her cheeks and forehead and yet seemed to be perfectly fine. "Now!" Calleigh yelled. The frustration in her voice tore Eric right from his thoughts. He started towards the car to help Calleigh. "Miami Dade PD, stop right there!" Horatio called out as he pulled out his gun. Eric stopped for a moment to see Horatio with a gun drawn at none other than Bryan. He appeared a few feet from the car, crawling away. He laid flat down on the ground with his hands above his head until Horatio made his way over to cuff him.
Eric went to the other side of the car and managed to get the door open.
"Alright Calleigh, you hold onto the kid and I'll cut the belts off" Eric ordered. Calleigh just looked at him and secured Daisy with her hands. Two officers approached and waited outside of the flipped car to assist where needed. Eric began cutting at the belts and tried to push his curious thoughts out of his head. After all that happened she couldn't even talk to him? She said nothing. It didn't seem right and it didn't seem like Calleigh. Then again, nothing today really added up. Soon enough the belts were cut and Daisy was freed from the car seat. Calleigh hugged her for a split second to comfort the crying child before handing her to an officer outside the car who ran her up to the EMT's. Calleigh lost her balance in her squatted position and fell a little to side before catching herself on the door frame.
"Hey, let me help you" Eric said with an obvious hint of concern in his voice. Calleigh just shook her head. Eric got out of the car and stood waiting for her to get out as well, he didn't trust her to do it on her own. She was acting off. Calleigh stepped out of the car and began to stand up before she began to lean backwards. Eric reached forward and placed a hand on her lower back to steady her. She grabbed onto his arm to steady herself. "Calleigh, let's get you checked out alright?" Calleigh wouldn't even make eye contact with him. He began leading her up the slight hill to the paramedics. He watched as she rubbed her head and squinted. Probably just whip lash. He didn't want to ask her again, the paramedics would get it figured out. One of them reached out a hand with a warm smile towards Calleigh. Calleigh looked up and gave a slight smile back and took her hand in assistance towards the ambulance. Calleigh somehow always got this paramedic and she knew damn well how difficult and stubborn that Calleigh was.
"Quick check and I'll let you go, but you have to cooperate!" The paramedic said as she helped Calleigh to a seat on the back end of the ambulance. Calleigh just nodded. "I'll give her back in a few minutes!" She called out to Eric. Eric nodded and walked over the where Horatio was.
"We got our man, and we got Calleigh. Job well done" Horatio said as the two of them watched Bryan get put into the back of a police vehicle. Eric shook his head and scowled at the sight of Bryan. "How's Calleigh?" Horatio asked while turning to face Eric. "I don't know H, something seems off with her" Eric replied while furrowing his brow. The paramedic patted Calleigh on the back and just like that it was all to be fine. Calleigh stood from the ambulance and headed towards the two of them.
"Looks alright to me, drive her back and I'll escort the officer with Daisy. I'll talk to her when we're all settled" Horatio stated as he walked away before Calleigh could reach them. Eric watched her with worry as she approached. "Why do you keep giving me that look? I'm fiiine Eric" Calleigh said with a small chuckle in her voice. Eric was surprised at her sudden change in attitude.
"I mean you were just in an insane car accident Cal" Eric said as he watched her face for an expression, for anything that would give him an excuse to get her to be honest. Nothing. She smiled and gently placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I think I just had some bad whiplash, but I swear I'm feeling much better" She said with a trace of her southern drawl. Her eyes were genuine and Eric couldn't help but smile back in relief. She was actually okay, or so he thought. Or so even she thought. He drove her back to the lab and they met up with the rest of the team and then, this.
Here they were. Eric sat as Horatio demanded more information from the doctor but Eric had zoned out. Ryan was comforting Natalia and Eric sat by himself staring at the clock on the wall. They had been sitting there for 45 minutes now. 45 minutes and 36, 37, 38 seconds. Eric was so focused on the clock that he could practically hear the ticking. Focusing on that meant not focusing on the fact that the doctors wouldn't give them a clear answer, not focusing on the fact that Alexx had yet to be seen, or that everything seemed to be falling apart and the hope that they had once held high was slowly creeping down.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
Another door opened again with a glowing red sign above it that read "Medical Personnel Only". Horatio had stopped yelling, Natalia had stopped crying, and Ryan fell silent. Eric dripped the edges of the waiting room chair and stood as they watched Alexx emerge in scrubs. She removed the mask from her face and stepped forward. Nobody moved except for Eric how practically ran to her. Alexx waited for a moment before speaking. The team slowly gathered around her to hear whatever it was that she was going to say.
"Calleigh has some bleeding in her brain…" She started.
Friends I have got to say that I love writing this story and hearing from you guys afterwards! But a little update for anyone reading who got confused or concerned. Brain fluid is pretty much a liquid that is in the brain and spine and it acts as a kind of pillow for a part of the brain. When there's trauma to the head or brain this fluid can sometimes leak out through the ears! You can feel free to look into it it's actually very interesting! But ANYWAYS thank you for all of your support and keep it coming! What's going to happen to Calleigh? Will she survive? And next chapter we will finally see some EC action, whether it will be happy or sad is up in the air right now! So let me know what you guys think!