GreatTyrant
Dead on Arrival
Re: Until we meet again
OK, it's official...My heart is broken...
i hope you write more...
OK, it's official...My heart is broken...
i hope you write more...
An *untitled* Horatio/Yelina fanfiction
- Thread starter schelle73
- Start date
t0g0SzMaNdAL0vEr
Rookie
Re: Until we meet again
omg this is too beautiful... i love this story you made me cry! please update soon... you're an amazing writer! awww i love this please don't let Horatio die, let's give this story a happy ending... full of Horatio & Yelina love...
love!
omg this is too beautiful... i love this story you made me cry! please update soon... you're an amazing writer! awww i love this please don't let Horatio die, let's give this story a happy ending... full of Horatio & Yelina love...
love!
Re: Until we meet again
Yelina awoke in the morning with a heavy cloud around her heart that she tried desperately to shake off. Seeing her reflection in the mirror hadn’t helped any, the beating she’d taken yesterday showed itself off. Applying make-up heavily to cover the worst parts of it, she finished unpacking. As she started down the stairs, the phone rang. Frank was on the other end of line. She glanced at her watch as she listened and nodded her head. She told Frank she was on her way and hung up the phone. For all she was worth, they would be done and she could be at the hospital in time to see Horatio again.
*****
She watched through the glass as Rick Stetler sat at the table with Frank and Calleigh. Stetler had been audacious, or stupid, enough to show his face here this morning like yesterday had never happened. They were able to detain him for assaulting a police officer, and also took the opportunity to question him about Horatio and Ray. What he had to say made them all wish he could go away forever.
Rick admitted to making the phone call to Horatio, he laughed as he admitted it. He laughed as he told them of how Horatio acted after the news. A practical joke, he called it, with what was for him great amusement in the results. He had thought that Horatio would see through it, get a message negating it, and it would be over. A practical joke in poor taste, but nothing they could detain him for. To hear him sit there, and reveal to them all he saw Horatio do as he had watched him after that phone call. For three weeks he found ways, reasons and excuses to stay close to Horatio’s apartment. To hear him laugh as he related to them Horatio’s pain made everyone listening desire to punch him.
All of them realized even as they were pressing him for information, he would detained only for a short time. Simple assault, Yelina had been on vacation, not acting as an officer on duty. They’d be lucky to keep him the remainder of the day; he’d be out on bond or something else before night fell. Yelina walked out of the building shaking her head, disappointed, relieved at discovering who made the call, wishing there was something they could do to the caller. None of this now was worth her time away from the hospital.
Yelina became more worried by the minute as she drove towards the hospital. As she gripped the steering wheel tightly, she knew, something was not right. It was increased difficulty that she did not go any faster than she already was. No sense getting pulled over and increasing her travel time. She parked the car and trotted to the elevator, tapping her fingers impatiently as she waited for it. She pushed her way through the slowly opening doors and walked rapidly down the hall, pushing through the first set of doors. She was struck immediately by the commotion in front of her, as nurses and doctors raced back and forth, machines being pushed into a room, a loud tone underlying it all.
It took only a few seconds for her mind to register the room all this was focused on before rushing to the door. Even as she watched, it made no sense to her. This should not have been happening to him. It wasn’t his time to go. She covered a gasp with her hand as she watched his body jerk on the bed from the shock of the paddles. As she watched this happen again, and again tears came her eyes. She shook her head; he wasn’t going to make it. She looked away as the doctor told them to stop, and pronounced his time of death.
As the doctor walked out of the room, he saw Yelina and walked to her. Taking her elbow, he lead her to a quiet corner, and told her he was sorry. There was no way they could have predicted this, the doctor said. He’d been fine the last time he checked on him. Men in his condition didn’t just go into cardiac arrest, normally. He squeezed her hand and walked away.
Yelina shook her head as he walked away. She knew he had been stable, should have been going home by tomorrow, maybe even this evening. It had to have been the men Rick was working for. They must have found him. She wondered if it was going to stop with Raymond. Briefly, she made a phone call and let Frank know what had happened. He would make sure someone was protecting Ray. Then, she called her mother, to check on her and Ray. Now she could take her last step. She had to know he was okay. She’d worry about telling him about Raymond later. He still had to know that HE had not killed his brother.
*****
Horatio had reached the end of the path. Ever since he had walked in the cave, he had been walking down at a slight angle. Now, there was nowhere left to go, the gates of hell had evaded him. He didn’t understand why. He sat on a cold, wet rock looking at the underground pool in front of him. It was too dark for him to see anything in the water, even his own reflection. He ran his fingers through his hair; he was so tired. It was too cold for him to try to sleep. He leaned up against a rock and closed his eyes anyway.
Minutes or hours later he opened his eyes again. The area around him seemed to have changed. It was not so dark anymore. Had he just been too tired to see before? Up, what seemed like miles above was a small hole open to the air, and a rope that he would be able to reach only if he stretched. Up was where he needed to go, giving himself up to defeat wasn’t who he was, and that mentality had lasted long enough.
Horatio stood up shaking his head, he felt so weak. Still, he’d decided he was going up, and that is what he was going to do. He stretched and grabbed the rope with one hand, beginning to haul himself up. Hand over hand; he slowly worked his way up the rope. Suddenly, he lost his grip and fell backwards towards the rock floor so many feet below.
*****
Yelina arrived at the ICU unit and checked in with the nurse on duty both to let her know she was going in and to see how Horatio was doing. The nurse shook her head as she spoke. There was no improvement, if anything his vitals worsened a little each hour. The doctor had relaxed time restraints on visits; he felt family and friends needed to see him. The nurse left the rest of that thought unspoken, but she heard it nevertheless. Yelina shook her head slightly as she walked towards his room, chewing her lip. She refused to let that thought make her lose her hope. He would make it, she would continue to believe that.
She saw when she entered that they had rolled him onto his back. She pulled a chair up close to his bed and grasped his hand. Shortly after she sat, the doctor came into the room to check on the patient. As he turned on the light over the bed and was checking his eyes; Yelina felt Horatio move his fingers, almost as if to grasp her hand. She called the doctor’s attention to this; and they both watched as his hands would flex and release slightly. She could hear that his pulse was slightly stronger, a little faster, his breathing deeper. He was finally fighting? He was going to make it, surely he would, she thought.
Suddenly, Horatio’s entire body jerked, his pulse and breathing began to race. Yelina stood up in horror as she watched the doctor walk rapidly to the door and call for the nurse, and a crash cart. She turned her eyes back to Horatio in time to see his body jerk again, and that horrible tone that she had heard such a short time ago with his brother began. Yelina backed away from the bed and out of the way as other medical staff came in, pushing that machine. They gently pushed her out of the room as they shut the door. She stared through the glass at him. Tears streamed down her face as she watched the scene in front of her unfold. Her pulse throbbed with each push of their hands. She gasped silently with the pain she felt in her own heart when they plunged that needle into his. When his body jerked into the air with the shock; she felt her own body jump and tingle as if it too had been shocked. She found herself gripping the frame as she prayed that, this time, their efforts were successful.
The doctor stopped in midair with his paddles. Yelina quickly glanced at the monitors. His heart was beating, and beating well from the looks of it. She glanced back at the doctor, seeing a satisfied look settle on his face before she put all her thoughts back into looking at Horatio. She needed to be on the other side of the glass, she needed to touch him, feel his life under his skin. As the nurses came out pushing the cart, followed by the doctor, she raced to him. Before she could even speak, he nodded his head and she raced past him into the room and back to Horatio’s side.
Yelina awoke in the morning with a heavy cloud around her heart that she tried desperately to shake off. Seeing her reflection in the mirror hadn’t helped any, the beating she’d taken yesterday showed itself off. Applying make-up heavily to cover the worst parts of it, she finished unpacking. As she started down the stairs, the phone rang. Frank was on the other end of line. She glanced at her watch as she listened and nodded her head. She told Frank she was on her way and hung up the phone. For all she was worth, they would be done and she could be at the hospital in time to see Horatio again.
*****
She watched through the glass as Rick Stetler sat at the table with Frank and Calleigh. Stetler had been audacious, or stupid, enough to show his face here this morning like yesterday had never happened. They were able to detain him for assaulting a police officer, and also took the opportunity to question him about Horatio and Ray. What he had to say made them all wish he could go away forever.
Rick admitted to making the phone call to Horatio, he laughed as he admitted it. He laughed as he told them of how Horatio acted after the news. A practical joke, he called it, with what was for him great amusement in the results. He had thought that Horatio would see through it, get a message negating it, and it would be over. A practical joke in poor taste, but nothing they could detain him for. To hear him sit there, and reveal to them all he saw Horatio do as he had watched him after that phone call. For three weeks he found ways, reasons and excuses to stay close to Horatio’s apartment. To hear him laugh as he related to them Horatio’s pain made everyone listening desire to punch him.
All of them realized even as they were pressing him for information, he would detained only for a short time. Simple assault, Yelina had been on vacation, not acting as an officer on duty. They’d be lucky to keep him the remainder of the day; he’d be out on bond or something else before night fell. Yelina walked out of the building shaking her head, disappointed, relieved at discovering who made the call, wishing there was something they could do to the caller. None of this now was worth her time away from the hospital.
Yelina became more worried by the minute as she drove towards the hospital. As she gripped the steering wheel tightly, she knew, something was not right. It was increased difficulty that she did not go any faster than she already was. No sense getting pulled over and increasing her travel time. She parked the car and trotted to the elevator, tapping her fingers impatiently as she waited for it. She pushed her way through the slowly opening doors and walked rapidly down the hall, pushing through the first set of doors. She was struck immediately by the commotion in front of her, as nurses and doctors raced back and forth, machines being pushed into a room, a loud tone underlying it all.
It took only a few seconds for her mind to register the room all this was focused on before rushing to the door. Even as she watched, it made no sense to her. This should not have been happening to him. It wasn’t his time to go. She covered a gasp with her hand as she watched his body jerk on the bed from the shock of the paddles. As she watched this happen again, and again tears came her eyes. She shook her head; he wasn’t going to make it. She looked away as the doctor told them to stop, and pronounced his time of death.
As the doctor walked out of the room, he saw Yelina and walked to her. Taking her elbow, he lead her to a quiet corner, and told her he was sorry. There was no way they could have predicted this, the doctor said. He’d been fine the last time he checked on him. Men in his condition didn’t just go into cardiac arrest, normally. He squeezed her hand and walked away.
Yelina shook her head as he walked away. She knew he had been stable, should have been going home by tomorrow, maybe even this evening. It had to have been the men Rick was working for. They must have found him. She wondered if it was going to stop with Raymond. Briefly, she made a phone call and let Frank know what had happened. He would make sure someone was protecting Ray. Then, she called her mother, to check on her and Ray. Now she could take her last step. She had to know he was okay. She’d worry about telling him about Raymond later. He still had to know that HE had not killed his brother.
*****
Horatio had reached the end of the path. Ever since he had walked in the cave, he had been walking down at a slight angle. Now, there was nowhere left to go, the gates of hell had evaded him. He didn’t understand why. He sat on a cold, wet rock looking at the underground pool in front of him. It was too dark for him to see anything in the water, even his own reflection. He ran his fingers through his hair; he was so tired. It was too cold for him to try to sleep. He leaned up against a rock and closed his eyes anyway.
Minutes or hours later he opened his eyes again. The area around him seemed to have changed. It was not so dark anymore. Had he just been too tired to see before? Up, what seemed like miles above was a small hole open to the air, and a rope that he would be able to reach only if he stretched. Up was where he needed to go, giving himself up to defeat wasn’t who he was, and that mentality had lasted long enough.
Horatio stood up shaking his head, he felt so weak. Still, he’d decided he was going up, and that is what he was going to do. He stretched and grabbed the rope with one hand, beginning to haul himself up. Hand over hand; he slowly worked his way up the rope. Suddenly, he lost his grip and fell backwards towards the rock floor so many feet below.
*****
Yelina arrived at the ICU unit and checked in with the nurse on duty both to let her know she was going in and to see how Horatio was doing. The nurse shook her head as she spoke. There was no improvement, if anything his vitals worsened a little each hour. The doctor had relaxed time restraints on visits; he felt family and friends needed to see him. The nurse left the rest of that thought unspoken, but she heard it nevertheless. Yelina shook her head slightly as she walked towards his room, chewing her lip. She refused to let that thought make her lose her hope. He would make it, she would continue to believe that.
She saw when she entered that they had rolled him onto his back. She pulled a chair up close to his bed and grasped his hand. Shortly after she sat, the doctor came into the room to check on the patient. As he turned on the light over the bed and was checking his eyes; Yelina felt Horatio move his fingers, almost as if to grasp her hand. She called the doctor’s attention to this; and they both watched as his hands would flex and release slightly. She could hear that his pulse was slightly stronger, a little faster, his breathing deeper. He was finally fighting? He was going to make it, surely he would, she thought.
Suddenly, Horatio’s entire body jerked, his pulse and breathing began to race. Yelina stood up in horror as she watched the doctor walk rapidly to the door and call for the nurse, and a crash cart. She turned her eyes back to Horatio in time to see his body jerk again, and that horrible tone that she had heard such a short time ago with his brother began. Yelina backed away from the bed and out of the way as other medical staff came in, pushing that machine. They gently pushed her out of the room as they shut the door. She stared through the glass at him. Tears streamed down her face as she watched the scene in front of her unfold. Her pulse throbbed with each push of their hands. She gasped silently with the pain she felt in her own heart when they plunged that needle into his. When his body jerked into the air with the shock; she felt her own body jump and tingle as if it too had been shocked. She found herself gripping the frame as she prayed that, this time, their efforts were successful.
The doctor stopped in midair with his paddles. Yelina quickly glanced at the monitors. His heart was beating, and beating well from the looks of it. She glanced back at the doctor, seeing a satisfied look settle on his face before she put all her thoughts back into looking at Horatio. She needed to be on the other side of the glass, she needed to touch him, feel his life under his skin. As the nurses came out pushing the cart, followed by the doctor, she raced to him. Before she could even speak, he nodded his head and she raced past him into the room and back to Horatio’s side.
t0g0SzMaNdAL0vEr
Rookie
Re: Until we meet again
beautiful!! love it!! c'mon c'mon we want more!!
loveeee!
beautiful!! love it!! c'mon c'mon we want more!!
loveeee!
Re: Until we meet again
*****
Horatio opened his eyes and looked around him, then sat up wincing. That fall had cost him; maybe he had broken something. He could hardly move his left arm, so much pressure on that side he couldn’t take a good breath. Must have been the side that he landed on. He looked up where the rope had been, gaging the sunlight and how far away it was. He’d figure out a way to get up there, or die trying. Slowly, using the cave wall as a support, he stood up, stretched and once again grabbed hold of the rope.
*****
As afternoon crawled into evening, night, the first blush of dawn and back into afternoon, Yelina stayed by Horatio’s bed, watching as he lay so deathly still. The doctor had pulled him back from death’s door, was it even yet going to lay claim on him? To give false hopes as you watched a loved one supposedly improve; was that the cruel work of death taking over?
As the many hours passed, friends stopped by, looking at Horatio in his seeming sleep, speaking softly with Yelina, offering support and leaving for the next to come in. In each successive one’s eyes, Yelina could begin to see the crack in the façade that hoped Horatio would be joining them again. They tried so hard to appear hopeful, but eyes told the truth better. Horatio would never give up when someone needed him, but if he thought he hadn’t any family to protect anymore, did he have anything else? How was anybody supposed to be able to let him that he had it after all? Inside of her, Yelina’s soul violently shook her head in denial. He would awake, he would join her; the alternative was unacceptable.
*****
Sweaty, bloody fingers plunged up out of the hole in the ground, grasping desperately for a sure hold. That right hand fisted around the trunk of a small tree, and slowly the body it was attached to emerged from the ground. The epic story of that most difficult of climbs would never be told. Horatio turned his eyes away from that now completely visible sky, the light too bright yet. Only briefly, before that which defined him forced him up, to take his bearings, and find his way back. The road began at the limits of his sight. He knew that once on it and once past the graveyard holding everyone he had ever killed, including his brother, he would be in the reality of his life. The reality of his life that included the loss of that love that kept him centered; how it could it remain in the face of such travesty? That was how it should be; he would shoulder this burden too and continue.
*****
Even as the nurses on the floor began urging her to go get some rest, Yelina refused to leave Horatio's side. With the rise and fall of his chest made regular by a respirator and the sound of his heartbeat through the heart monitor; what kept her hope alive was its constancy. Frank and Calleigh, Alexx and Eric, they each came by every few hours, received an update, noted the increased tension in the set of her body, and promised to be back again. In the waiting room they would meet, and talk of what they saw. Alexx told them she was afraid he might have slipped into a coma, and if he had there was no telling how long he would be in it.
Yelina remained constant in her vigil, memorizing every detail she already knew by heart, unwilling to yet face the possibility that memories may be all that was left to her. She knew she had probably already passed the point that Horatio would have wanted her to remain, she must be willing to go on. Duties called to her outside of these walls, Raymond waited for his funeral, and Ray Jr. waited for his mother. Horatio would insist that life must go on and duty must be fulfilled. In time, she argued with him mentally, in time.
As the sun rays pierced the blinds, she heard him. He moaned faintly, she glanced up and saw him closing his eyes tighter against that very sun. She pushed the call button for the nurse; she was not leaving his side for this either. Both nurse and doctor walked in. As the doctor checked Horatio's vital signs, he nodded his head. His patient was beginning to awake. He patted Yelina's shoulder quietly as he walked past her, and asked her to talk. He explained to her, as they stood in the corner that if Horatio continued to improve, he would move him out of ICU. He wanted her to leave the room briefly, patients fought the respirator once awake, and he needed to remove it. Reluctantly Yelina stepped out of the room, just as Calleigh and Eric came down the hallway. Yelina smiled and told them that Horatio had begun to awaken, and was being taken off the respirator.
With the relief of built up tension, Yelina found herself unable any longer to keep a wakeful vigil. Horatio’s steadier breathing was a gentle lullaby, and she dozed off with her head on his bed. She awoke with a start; a look at the clock told her it was after noon. What had awakened her? She looked at Horatio as she realized that Horatio must have laid his hand on her head, as he was now laying it on her own hand. She gently turned her own hand over and gripped his hand. Horatio weakly returned her grip.
Yelina stood to see his face better, and found that his eyes were slightly open, searching, watching. She smiled a little, and did not even realize she was crying until she saw the tears fall on his face. He'd known though, and had been trying to reach her face with his hand. As he finally succeeded, she grasped his hand and even as she brought it to her lips, he pulled it away and returned it to her cheek.
Horatio wiped the tears with his thumb and studied her face. He could not bear to look away from her face, as it was likely the last time he would see it. As he pulled on reserves of strength to not only control his emotions, but to find words and be able to say them, she could see the muscles of his jaw working rapidly under the skin. Yelina thought she understood why he’d pulled his hand away, thought she understood what he was expecting from her, anger. As she opened her mouth to express that, to tell him she wasn’t angry, didn’t need to be, that he didn’t do what he thought, he shook his head to stop her.
“I’m sorry, Yelina. What I did is unforgivable, I’ll carry it with me the rest of my life. You and Ray Jr have every right to hate me for the rest of your lives. I’ve accepted that.” He paused and drew a deep breath; the hard part began and ended here. “Good-bye, Yelina” As he said this, he closed his eyes and moved away from her, in all ways.
Yelina began to tremble as she sat there, watching him separate himself from her with a huge gulf. Her temper fought for control over any compassion or understanding she may have felt in his statement. She also knew, if she walked out of here in anger, it would in fact be good-bye. She gripped his fingers tightly with one hand and leaned closer to run her other hand through his hair and across his face, hoping to draw him back to her a little, she needed him to listen. Even as he tried to pull his hand away from hers, she wouldn’t let go. Over and over again, she began to whisper, “I don’t hate you. You didn’t kill Raymond.” More times than she could count she whispered this. It didn’t matter that she lost count, with each whisper she moved closer. Soon she was whispering it against his hair, his forehead, then his cheek, caressing them with the movement of her lips saying each word. The whispers, the caresses, her tears mingled together as they ran down his face.
Soon, her lips had reached his. Still she whispered to him the same words over and over again. His lips began to move under hers; her words had gotten through to him, finally. She stopped whispering; her lips still caressed his, beginning in earnest to taste, to feel. Her fingers still rested in his hair, holding gently to him. She felt his hand as he buried it in her hair, weakly pulling her to him, deepening the kiss.
Horatio dropped his hand to her shoulder, pushing them apart. He looked in her eyes, and as she looked at him she realized the wetness on his face was not only from her tears.
“Do you speak the truth, Yelina? I didn’t kill Raymond?”
Yelina shook her head, and allowed him to pull her closer, burying his face in her hair in relief that his brother still lived, and had not died by his bullet. As he did, his overtired healing body took him back into sleep.
*****
Horatio opened his eyes and looked around him, then sat up wincing. That fall had cost him; maybe he had broken something. He could hardly move his left arm, so much pressure on that side he couldn’t take a good breath. Must have been the side that he landed on. He looked up where the rope had been, gaging the sunlight and how far away it was. He’d figure out a way to get up there, or die trying. Slowly, using the cave wall as a support, he stood up, stretched and once again grabbed hold of the rope.
*****
As afternoon crawled into evening, night, the first blush of dawn and back into afternoon, Yelina stayed by Horatio’s bed, watching as he lay so deathly still. The doctor had pulled him back from death’s door, was it even yet going to lay claim on him? To give false hopes as you watched a loved one supposedly improve; was that the cruel work of death taking over?
As the many hours passed, friends stopped by, looking at Horatio in his seeming sleep, speaking softly with Yelina, offering support and leaving for the next to come in. In each successive one’s eyes, Yelina could begin to see the crack in the façade that hoped Horatio would be joining them again. They tried so hard to appear hopeful, but eyes told the truth better. Horatio would never give up when someone needed him, but if he thought he hadn’t any family to protect anymore, did he have anything else? How was anybody supposed to be able to let him that he had it after all? Inside of her, Yelina’s soul violently shook her head in denial. He would awake, he would join her; the alternative was unacceptable.
*****
Sweaty, bloody fingers plunged up out of the hole in the ground, grasping desperately for a sure hold. That right hand fisted around the trunk of a small tree, and slowly the body it was attached to emerged from the ground. The epic story of that most difficult of climbs would never be told. Horatio turned his eyes away from that now completely visible sky, the light too bright yet. Only briefly, before that which defined him forced him up, to take his bearings, and find his way back. The road began at the limits of his sight. He knew that once on it and once past the graveyard holding everyone he had ever killed, including his brother, he would be in the reality of his life. The reality of his life that included the loss of that love that kept him centered; how it could it remain in the face of such travesty? That was how it should be; he would shoulder this burden too and continue.
*****
Even as the nurses on the floor began urging her to go get some rest, Yelina refused to leave Horatio's side. With the rise and fall of his chest made regular by a respirator and the sound of his heartbeat through the heart monitor; what kept her hope alive was its constancy. Frank and Calleigh, Alexx and Eric, they each came by every few hours, received an update, noted the increased tension in the set of her body, and promised to be back again. In the waiting room they would meet, and talk of what they saw. Alexx told them she was afraid he might have slipped into a coma, and if he had there was no telling how long he would be in it.
Yelina remained constant in her vigil, memorizing every detail she already knew by heart, unwilling to yet face the possibility that memories may be all that was left to her. She knew she had probably already passed the point that Horatio would have wanted her to remain, she must be willing to go on. Duties called to her outside of these walls, Raymond waited for his funeral, and Ray Jr. waited for his mother. Horatio would insist that life must go on and duty must be fulfilled. In time, she argued with him mentally, in time.
As the sun rays pierced the blinds, she heard him. He moaned faintly, she glanced up and saw him closing his eyes tighter against that very sun. She pushed the call button for the nurse; she was not leaving his side for this either. Both nurse and doctor walked in. As the doctor checked Horatio's vital signs, he nodded his head. His patient was beginning to awake. He patted Yelina's shoulder quietly as he walked past her, and asked her to talk. He explained to her, as they stood in the corner that if Horatio continued to improve, he would move him out of ICU. He wanted her to leave the room briefly, patients fought the respirator once awake, and he needed to remove it. Reluctantly Yelina stepped out of the room, just as Calleigh and Eric came down the hallway. Yelina smiled and told them that Horatio had begun to awaken, and was being taken off the respirator.
With the relief of built up tension, Yelina found herself unable any longer to keep a wakeful vigil. Horatio’s steadier breathing was a gentle lullaby, and she dozed off with her head on his bed. She awoke with a start; a look at the clock told her it was after noon. What had awakened her? She looked at Horatio as she realized that Horatio must have laid his hand on her head, as he was now laying it on her own hand. She gently turned her own hand over and gripped his hand. Horatio weakly returned her grip.
Yelina stood to see his face better, and found that his eyes were slightly open, searching, watching. She smiled a little, and did not even realize she was crying until she saw the tears fall on his face. He'd known though, and had been trying to reach her face with his hand. As he finally succeeded, she grasped his hand and even as she brought it to her lips, he pulled it away and returned it to her cheek.
Horatio wiped the tears with his thumb and studied her face. He could not bear to look away from her face, as it was likely the last time he would see it. As he pulled on reserves of strength to not only control his emotions, but to find words and be able to say them, she could see the muscles of his jaw working rapidly under the skin. Yelina thought she understood why he’d pulled his hand away, thought she understood what he was expecting from her, anger. As she opened her mouth to express that, to tell him she wasn’t angry, didn’t need to be, that he didn’t do what he thought, he shook his head to stop her.
“I’m sorry, Yelina. What I did is unforgivable, I’ll carry it with me the rest of my life. You and Ray Jr have every right to hate me for the rest of your lives. I’ve accepted that.” He paused and drew a deep breath; the hard part began and ended here. “Good-bye, Yelina” As he said this, he closed his eyes and moved away from her, in all ways.
Yelina began to tremble as she sat there, watching him separate himself from her with a huge gulf. Her temper fought for control over any compassion or understanding she may have felt in his statement. She also knew, if she walked out of here in anger, it would in fact be good-bye. She gripped his fingers tightly with one hand and leaned closer to run her other hand through his hair and across his face, hoping to draw him back to her a little, she needed him to listen. Even as he tried to pull his hand away from hers, she wouldn’t let go. Over and over again, she began to whisper, “I don’t hate you. You didn’t kill Raymond.” More times than she could count she whispered this. It didn’t matter that she lost count, with each whisper she moved closer. Soon she was whispering it against his hair, his forehead, then his cheek, caressing them with the movement of her lips saying each word. The whispers, the caresses, her tears mingled together as they ran down his face.
Soon, her lips had reached his. Still she whispered to him the same words over and over again. His lips began to move under hers; her words had gotten through to him, finally. She stopped whispering; her lips still caressed his, beginning in earnest to taste, to feel. Her fingers still rested in his hair, holding gently to him. She felt his hand as he buried it in her hair, weakly pulling her to him, deepening the kiss.
Horatio dropped his hand to her shoulder, pushing them apart. He looked in her eyes, and as she looked at him she realized the wetness on his face was not only from her tears.
“Do you speak the truth, Yelina? I didn’t kill Raymond?”
Yelina shook her head, and allowed him to pull her closer, burying his face in her hair in relief that his brother still lived, and had not died by his bullet. As he did, his overtired healing body took him back into sleep.
Until we meet again
******
Rick Stetler had been watching Horatio's room, and Yelina ever since he had paid his bond and left the department. He was suspended pending the outcome of the assault case they had filed on him. He doubted it would send him to jail, but it would affect his career. And it was all her fault. He'd found a snug corner close to Horatio's room to watch, no one had known he was there. His friends, though, they knew. And they were going to help him make sure she had paid for the trouble she caused. The pain it would cause Horatio made him chuckle, a nice side benefit.
******
Yelina stayed with Horatio a little longer. Long enough to help the nurses move him to another room, a move he slept through as result of the morphine they gave him prior. And long enough to ensure that one of Horatio's friends would stay with him while she rested, buried Raymond and checked on Ray. She would be able to visit only sporadically over the next few days.
Rick followed discreetly as Yelina left Horatio's new room, left the hospital in her vehicle, and drove home. As she pulled into the driveway, he made a brief phone call, relaying her whereabouts. He imagined, as little sleep as he knew she had gotten the last couple of days, she would be sound asleep very soon. Then, he would use the copy of her key he had made to enter, and they would be able to grab her with little fight.
******
Calleigh sat in Horatio's room and watched him sleep. This was her off day, and she'd chosen to take the whole day with Horatio. She'd been watching since morning, and knew from the change in his breathing that he would wake soon; she still hadn't mangled through this puzzle. Yelina had told her that Horatio knew that Raymond hadn't been been killed by his bullet, but he didn't know Raymond was dead. Neither of them had yet to figure out how to tell him, or even when, without it being detrimental.
Horatio had only just awakened, and been alert enough to exchange greetings when the nurse came in, asking Calleigh to leave. She needed to give the patient a bath, change his sheets, take his vital signs, normal nursing things not normally done in front of visitors, and that had been put off long enough. Calleigh nodded her head in understanding, and a sort of relief. She was sure Horatio would have gone back to sleep by the time all this was done, and it gave her a little longer to figure this puzzle out.
Calleigh made a few calls as she paced the halls, she could have sat in the waiting room, but she wasn't one for sitting still for so long. By the time she was done with her calls, Horatio's friends knew how he was doing, and she knew how things were going at the lab. She was doing Horatio's job until he got back. As she headed back from the cafeteria where she had taken a small snack, she took small notice of a mail carrier dropping off mail. Her mind was typically full and multitasking, filing pieces of information away and working through puzzles.
As Calleigh drew close to Horatio's room, she saw the nurse enter with a handful of mail, and leave again. She walked into his room, and saw that he was, indeed, asleep again. She smiled a little at his still moist hair and his regular deep breathing before sitting beside his bed again. She did not have to wait very many hours before he began to wake again, surely a sign of improvement.
Horatio opened his eyes slowly, and waited as the room slowly came into focus. One of the first things he saw was the blond hair of his coworker framing her face. He smiled slightly.
“Hey there, you're still here?”
“Yeah, I'm still here. Had to see those handsome eyes again.”
“Mmmm, yeah,” he chuckled a little. “Where's Yelina?”
“We...sent her home to get some rest. She stayed here with you for those first few days without hardly ever sleeping. We had to make sure both of you made it to the end okay.”
Horatio nodded his head, glad his friends were helping keep her well too. He glanced around for the water pitcher, finding both it and the mail that had been dropped off. He asked for Calleigh's help reaching the mail, and pouring the water. As she poured the water, he looked briefly through the pile. It was probably mostly get well cards. He picked the one that was smaller than the others, and began to open it.
Calleigh glanced up from the glass as she heard the slight gasp and the shaky breath coming from the bed. Seeing Horatio's face, she quickly put the glass down and stepped closer to him.
“What's wrong, Horatio?”
Anger and grief filled Horatio's eyes as he looked up to her. “As if she doesn't know!”, Horatio thought. He thrust the photos at her, and waited only briefly before questioning her.
“Well, Calleigh? Yelina told me he was alive. Is this some sort of sick joke? Is he not on that autopsy table? Are YOU the one that's here to tell me the truth, or are you here to continue telling me lies?”
Calleigh set her jaw in frustration, anger, grief, so many different emotions. She fixed her own eyes on his, the straight truth was how this was going to have to be.
“Yelina did not lie, nor did she tell you he was alive. She told you that you did not kill Raymond. You were still weak, and fell asleep before the rest could be told to you. He was getting better, he was going to come see you as soon as he could. The gang members that were looking for him the last time he was here, they found him, and got to him while he was still recovering. Alexx did an autopsy on him, they'd injected a beta blocker into his IV line. Yelina left here after she knew you were stable to get some rest, and to bury Raymond. We were still all trying to figure out a way to tell you. I am so very sorry you had to find out this way.”
She'd been watching Horatio closely as she spoke. Watched as the jaw set, the eyes hardened. He was preparing for action, and was in no condition to do anything. She looked down contemplating the photos, trying to figure out who could have taken them, who would have been cruel enough to send them. Only one name came to her mind, Stetler.
“I need you to listen to me Horatio. You're in no shape to try to solve or fix anything. When I hear from Yelina, I'll find out when the burial is, and figure out how to get you there. Until then, you need to trust us to take care of things. For instance, finding out who sent these, and why. Okay?”
Horatio nodded, not feeling like he had much choice at the moment. He knew he was weak, knew he couldn't hardly even move one arm. Like this, there was nothing he was going to be able to do but lie here.
“Go on, Calleigh. Get started”
******
Rick Stetler had been watching Horatio's room, and Yelina ever since he had paid his bond and left the department. He was suspended pending the outcome of the assault case they had filed on him. He doubted it would send him to jail, but it would affect his career. And it was all her fault. He'd found a snug corner close to Horatio's room to watch, no one had known he was there. His friends, though, they knew. And they were going to help him make sure she had paid for the trouble she caused. The pain it would cause Horatio made him chuckle, a nice side benefit.
******
Yelina stayed with Horatio a little longer. Long enough to help the nurses move him to another room, a move he slept through as result of the morphine they gave him prior. And long enough to ensure that one of Horatio's friends would stay with him while she rested, buried Raymond and checked on Ray. She would be able to visit only sporadically over the next few days.
Rick followed discreetly as Yelina left Horatio's new room, left the hospital in her vehicle, and drove home. As she pulled into the driveway, he made a brief phone call, relaying her whereabouts. He imagined, as little sleep as he knew she had gotten the last couple of days, she would be sound asleep very soon. Then, he would use the copy of her key he had made to enter, and they would be able to grab her with little fight.
******
Calleigh sat in Horatio's room and watched him sleep. This was her off day, and she'd chosen to take the whole day with Horatio. She'd been watching since morning, and knew from the change in his breathing that he would wake soon; she still hadn't mangled through this puzzle. Yelina had told her that Horatio knew that Raymond hadn't been been killed by his bullet, but he didn't know Raymond was dead. Neither of them had yet to figure out how to tell him, or even when, without it being detrimental.
Horatio had only just awakened, and been alert enough to exchange greetings when the nurse came in, asking Calleigh to leave. She needed to give the patient a bath, change his sheets, take his vital signs, normal nursing things not normally done in front of visitors, and that had been put off long enough. Calleigh nodded her head in understanding, and a sort of relief. She was sure Horatio would have gone back to sleep by the time all this was done, and it gave her a little longer to figure this puzzle out.
Calleigh made a few calls as she paced the halls, she could have sat in the waiting room, but she wasn't one for sitting still for so long. By the time she was done with her calls, Horatio's friends knew how he was doing, and she knew how things were going at the lab. She was doing Horatio's job until he got back. As she headed back from the cafeteria where she had taken a small snack, she took small notice of a mail carrier dropping off mail. Her mind was typically full and multitasking, filing pieces of information away and working through puzzles.
As Calleigh drew close to Horatio's room, she saw the nurse enter with a handful of mail, and leave again. She walked into his room, and saw that he was, indeed, asleep again. She smiled a little at his still moist hair and his regular deep breathing before sitting beside his bed again. She did not have to wait very many hours before he began to wake again, surely a sign of improvement.
Horatio opened his eyes slowly, and waited as the room slowly came into focus. One of the first things he saw was the blond hair of his coworker framing her face. He smiled slightly.
“Hey there, you're still here?”
“Yeah, I'm still here. Had to see those handsome eyes again.”
“Mmmm, yeah,” he chuckled a little. “Where's Yelina?”
“We...sent her home to get some rest. She stayed here with you for those first few days without hardly ever sleeping. We had to make sure both of you made it to the end okay.”
Horatio nodded his head, glad his friends were helping keep her well too. He glanced around for the water pitcher, finding both it and the mail that had been dropped off. He asked for Calleigh's help reaching the mail, and pouring the water. As she poured the water, he looked briefly through the pile. It was probably mostly get well cards. He picked the one that was smaller than the others, and began to open it.
Calleigh glanced up from the glass as she heard the slight gasp and the shaky breath coming from the bed. Seeing Horatio's face, she quickly put the glass down and stepped closer to him.
“What's wrong, Horatio?”
Anger and grief filled Horatio's eyes as he looked up to her. “As if she doesn't know!”, Horatio thought. He thrust the photos at her, and waited only briefly before questioning her.
“Well, Calleigh? Yelina told me he was alive. Is this some sort of sick joke? Is he not on that autopsy table? Are YOU the one that's here to tell me the truth, or are you here to continue telling me lies?”
Calleigh set her jaw in frustration, anger, grief, so many different emotions. She fixed her own eyes on his, the straight truth was how this was going to have to be.
“Yelina did not lie, nor did she tell you he was alive. She told you that you did not kill Raymond. You were still weak, and fell asleep before the rest could be told to you. He was getting better, he was going to come see you as soon as he could. The gang members that were looking for him the last time he was here, they found him, and got to him while he was still recovering. Alexx did an autopsy on him, they'd injected a beta blocker into his IV line. Yelina left here after she knew you were stable to get some rest, and to bury Raymond. We were still all trying to figure out a way to tell you. I am so very sorry you had to find out this way.”
She'd been watching Horatio closely as she spoke. Watched as the jaw set, the eyes hardened. He was preparing for action, and was in no condition to do anything. She looked down contemplating the photos, trying to figure out who could have taken them, who would have been cruel enough to send them. Only one name came to her mind, Stetler.
“I need you to listen to me Horatio. You're in no shape to try to solve or fix anything. When I hear from Yelina, I'll find out when the burial is, and figure out how to get you there. Until then, you need to trust us to take care of things. For instance, finding out who sent these, and why. Okay?”
Horatio nodded, not feeling like he had much choice at the moment. He knew he was weak, knew he couldn't hardly even move one arm. Like this, there was nothing he was going to be able to do but lie here.
“Go on, Calleigh. Get started”