*CHAPTER 4*
*Disclaimer*-I'm not on the ball. I still don't own CSI:Miami.
(Sorry it took me so long)
Eric paced around the hospital, fearing the worst, but hoping for the best. Knowing his track record in hospitals, he wasn’t holding out much hope. He looked around the waiting room of the hospital, and acknowledged everyone he’d lost that was close to him.
It felt like the walls were beginning to cave in on Eric in the tiny waiting room he was in. Fatigue was beginning to set in. He looked up at the clock on the wall that read 9:20. He knew he’d fall asleep where he stood if he didn’t get a cup of coffee, so he decided to take a walk to the cafeteria to get some.
As he walked down the dark hallway, the events of the day played through Eric’s head like a movie. He could still smell the gun powder from Jack’s gun as he shot Calleigh. He could still see the horrified look on Calleigh’s face when the bullet tore its way into her body.
Eric stopped in the bathroom and splashed some water on his face. When he looked up into the mirror, he was surprised to see the angry face staring back at him. He knew that this had an effect on him. He could feel the hate inside of him growing, beginning to consume him.
Once Eric left the bathroom, he went to the elevator, and rode it down to the bottom floor. The soft tones of the elevator music couldn’t find their way into Eric’s ears. His mind was too consumed with the woman he loved hanging between life and death just two floors above him.
Eric stepped out of the elevator and went to straight ahead to the cafeteria. He walked up to the counter to order a cup of coffee and stopped, not believing who he saw behind the counter. Jack’s face was staring at him. He couldn’t believe it. He rubbed his eyes violently to see if the image his mind had created would change. Sure enough when his eyes reopened, he saw the face of a very perplexed teenager. He just smiled at him, ordered his coffee, paid and left.
He couldn’t believe the tricks his mind was playing on him. He could have sworn he saw Jack’s face behind that counter. He was quickly convinced that he was losing it. He needed sleep, he thought as he traveled back up the elevator.
Meanwhile, Calleigh’s struggle between life and death continued. As the EMTs took Calleigh into the hospital room, Calleigh dreamt of the future. Her perfect future with Eric. She dreamt of a house out in the country, with a white fence, and the kids playing in the yard with the dogs. Her and Eric would be standing on the porch of the house, watching it all. Calleigh would turn to Eric and tell him how much she loved him, and would kiss him lightly.
Nothing in the world would be better. This was her vision of paradise. However, everything wasn’t as perfect outside of her dreams. She had lost a lot of blood, and her vitals were beginning to slip.
Doctors were trying everything they could to stop the bleeding, but the bullet had caused a lot of internal damage. It seemed like just a matter of time before the doctors lost Calleigh all together.
Calleigh’s dreams shielded her from the harsh reality that she was teetering between the land of the living and the land of the dead. She remained still oblivious to the world around her, as she dreamt of her perfect future.
As doctors rushed to stabilize the wounded and near dead Calleigh, her own connection to the outside world was beginning to fade. The doctors worked for almost three hours to get Calleigh’s vitals stabilized, and finally it was happening. This however was coming with a very dear price. Though Calleigh’s vitals stabilized and the bleeding was contained, she had slipped off into a coma due to the severe blood loss.
As Eric walked back into the waiting room with his coffee in hand, he was met by the main doctor that had been working on Calleigh. He stood about 6’0, built frame, short black hair, looked to be about 30 years old. "Eric Delko?" The doctor said as he walked up to him.
"Yeah. How’s Calleigh?" Eric asked impatiently.
"Hi, I’m Dr. Miller. Calleigh’s stabilized and the bleeding was contained. However, she’s slipped into a coma."
As Eric heard the news, his heart sank down to his shoes. He had expected this to happen. Everyone close to him was hurt, and he knew that. That’s why he didn’t want to get close to her. He didn’t want her hurt too, but now that was too late.
The Dr. put his hand on Eric’s shoulder, and told him "I’m sorry son, maybe you should go in and talk to her. "
Eric nodded and followed Dr. Miller to Calleigh’s room. He quietly entered, shutting the door behind him, and sat down in the brown chair next to her. He felt himself change inside when he saw Calleigh as helpless as she was. He couldn’t believe that the strong woman he knew and loved was reduced to such a helpless state, and all because of a sick man who wanted to senselessly kill.
Eric took Calleigh’s hand with his own and got closer to Calleigh. "I know somewhere in there you can hear me. So I’m going to talk, and you’re going to listen. You can’t leave me Cal. You have to stay here with me. The lab won’t be the same without you." Eric stopped for a second to regain himself. He let a few tears fall from his eyes. The drops of water fell from his cheeks, and landed on his black t-shirt, leaving their mark on it. "Please Cal , you have to stay for me. I love you, and I don’t want to live without you."
All of the sudden, Eric looked down at his hand holding Calleigh’s hand. As Calleigh’s hand began to squeeze his, showing a last ditch sign of life. Eric smiled, wiping the tears from his eyes. He leaned in and kissed Calleigh’s lips and whispered to her "I promise, he’ll pay for this. No matter what." Eric’s hand then went to Calleigh’s pocket and pulled out her cell phone, knowing that it would be a helpful tool in Eric’s pursuit killing Jack.
Only seconds after Eric’s mouth closed, finished with his promise, Calleigh’s battle between life and death ended. She held on long enough to hear Eric tell her he loved her. Then Calleigh’s dreams that were running wild inside of her head were slowly cut to blank whiteness, as if the dreams were a movie that had its film cut. The toll of heart monitor ranged as Calleigh’s heart ceased to beat, and she slowly slipped away. Eric could feel the life leave Calleigh’s body as he held her close, allowing a few more tears to fall as he was forced to face the fact that the woman he loved her gone.
As the doctors rushed into the room, Eric was cast aside, made to leave the room, so that maybe the doctors could save her. Eric knew it was futile though. She was gone. He could feel that she was gone. Eric turned and left the hospital, a very changed man.
AMAZING update!!!!! I was on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading!!!!
