Title: One Step At A Time
Author: xXThePostXx
A/N: I'm sorry about the cliffhanger at the end of the other story. But it wasn't much of a secret anymore, when the secrets have been figured out and solved.
It also happens to be extremely awkward to start a story off in the middle of a cliffhanger but I decided to take CSI: Miami's approach and act like all of this is normal... lol..
Chapter 1:
"So I just want to know, are you okay?" Natalia asked. They were driving down the highway towards the restaurant.
"Yeah," Calleigh said, looking ahead. "I guess I was in denial for a while about certain things." She thought back in her head. One thing that stuck out was the fact that the doctor diagnosed her with a panic disorder. She didn't know how she would be able to live with herself without doing her job. Playing with guns had been her favorite thing to do.
"Hey look, there's Horatio," Ryan said from the backseat. He was almost like a child.
Everyone looked over to the left and saw Horatio. Alexx was in the car with him and she smiled and waved and Horatio smiled, still wearing his infamous sunglasses. Horatio honked his horn, signaling to him that he saw them. The he sped up.
Natalia sighed. "Gosh this slow car in front of me." She put on her turn signal, signaling for the left lane. She would take the route that Horatio had done. Natalia began making her way to the left lane when..BAMMM, another car in the left lane, slammed into her car, causing her to skid a bit. Natalia pushed the breaks hard to prevent her from flying into the concrete barrier when another car slammed into her left side..hard. She cried out in pain, the last sound she heard before unconsciousness started taking over.
Horatio heard crash and looked in the rearview mirror, staring in horror when he realized the car that was impacted. The car that held his family, his team. He eased his car to the side and began backing up slowly and carefully. Once he was next to the impacted car, he and Alexx jumped out to see if everybody was okay.
Horatio pulled out his phone and dialed Eric's number. "Eric," Horatio began. "Eric, there's been an accident. Calleigh, Natalia and Ryan were in the car, along with the baby... they have been hit..."
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"No," Eric said out loud. "This can't be happening." Eric had just gotten news that Calleigh, Ryan and Natalia were in a car accident. In addition to that, the baby was too. He didn't know the severity of the accident either.
"What?" Layla asked.
Eric looked at Layla and then stared back at the wall. He didn't want to alarm Layla or let her find this out right now. "What do you want me to do?"
Alexx is here with me and she's checking it out now. An ambulance will be on the way and I'll call you and let you know what hospital. Until then, don't say anything to Layla but you might want to get her some breakfast."
"Alright." Eric closed his phone but he just had to know. It was killing him. He's just let Calleigh slip through his fingers. This morning, he would never admit it, but he was mad at her. He was really mad and getting out the house was an escape from everything.
Horatio couldn't just hang up the phone like that and not let him know of their conditions. He called back. "H, its killing me to know. How bad is it? Is anyone hurt? How's the baby?"
I just called the ambulance Eric, but I promise...I promise I will update you on their status as soon as I find out."
In the background, Eric heard the gut wrenching scream of the baby. At least he knew that she was alive. She might've been hurt, but crying was a sign that she was alive. "Okay," Eric said sadly. He closed his phone again this time and noticed Layla was standing under him.
"What's wrong?" She asked again. She heard all the questions he asked and living here with Calleigh, 'hurt' 'baby' 'crying' 'alive' 'dead,' those words had all became custom to her vocabulary. Using them all at one time was not good so she knew something was wrong.
Eric didn't say anything.
"Something is wrong with mommy," Layla said, looking down at her feet and crying and pouting at the same time.
"She's going to be alright," Eric said.
"No she's not," Layla cried harder.
Eric squatted down and Layla slowly walked closer to him, laying her head on his shoulder. "Layla, I need for you to think positive. Okay. Mommy is going to be okay." He really hoped she would be okay. Horatio was holding back on information and that kind of made him a little mad.
Layla nodded but she still continued to cry silently.
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Calleigh's eyes opened when she felt something tickle down her forehead. She reached up and realized it was blood. The airbag exploded on impact and caused a small cut in her forehead. She looked at Natalia and Natalia was slumped over in her seat. The baby was crying in the back and Ryan moaned painfully, wincing and holding on to his injured leg.
"Ryan is everything okay back there?"
"Yeah," Ryan made a face. "Andria, she's okay. I think she's startled a little." He groaned as his leg became more painful.
Calleigh looked at Natalia again this time she called her name. "Nat, Natalia!!" No response. "Oh my god!" Calleigh lay her fingers on Natalia's neck, checking for a pulse, only breathing a sigh of relief when she found it.
Natalia stirred awake and moaned. She looked around the car. "Is everyone okay?"
"Somewhat," Calleigh said, looking back at Ryan. He looked at her and continued to grit his teeth, trying to control the pain.
Alexx reached the car finally, looking inside and smiling when she realized everyone was conscious. She opened the back door to reach Andria. "It's a great thing Andria was strapped in like this." She looked at the support around Andria's head. "Poor baby. She's so scared." Alexx looked over at Ryan who was in need of a doctor as soon as possible. "Ryan, baby, are you okay?" She looked at his leg and noticed blood gushing from it. Alexx rushed to the other side and put a thick gauze around his leg.
Ryan winced as the contact from the gauze made his leg sting a little.
"Hold it there for a moment," Alexx said. She made her way up to the front seat, looking at Horatio as he had the driver of the other car walking a makeshift walking line to see if he was drunk. Alexx closed her eyes and shook her head in disbelief as she watched the driver of that car stumble on the line. Horatio recorded the man's reaction. Soon, radio car's and ambulances could be heard in the distance.
"Calleigh, how are you feeling?" Alexx said.
"I'm okay. Besides this cut, I think I'm okay." Calleigh touched her stomach. Suddenly, she had the overwhelming feeling of nausea. She got out the car and ran over to the one of the road dividers and barfed.
"Natalia, how are you sweetie?" Alexx asked.
"I'm doing okay," Natalia said, nodding her head. "I'm just a little scared and nervous." She looked down at her shaking hands. "I possibly put everyone lives in this car in danger. That was just so stupid."
Alexx grabbed Natalia's hand and held them, letting her know that everything was okay. "Natalia, you did nothing wrong. Horatio is over there with the driver of the car that hit you. The driver was drunk. This accident has probably prevented another another accident. One that could've been fatal."
Soon the ambulances and police cars pulled up. The police officers went immediately to Horatio, one sticking around Natalia's car to get an official report on the accident. The paramedics headed to the car.
"Is everyone okay?" one of the medics said. He realized Ryan was bleeding and one of the paramedics tended to him. "We got to get you to the hospital buddy."
The paramedics continued to examine Natalia, Ryan and Andria. Calleigh was still over at the divider, barfing.
Horatio looked at Calleigh and raised and eyebrow. Calleigh finally stopped barfing and turned to see the commotion at the car. When doing so, she turned in Horatio's direction and he caught glimpse of her stomach. He raised an eyebrow, knowing that it was possible she was pregnant. If she was, that would explain a lot of Calleigh's behavior lately. He wasn't the type of person that would ask a woman if she was pregnant, men just didn't do that.
"Are you okay?" Horatio asked, looking at Calleigh with his eyes, the look that he gave whenever he wanted to know something, a confession. He used that look on so many criminals at work.
Calleigh nodded and rubbed her lips together. Then she noticed Horatio look down at her stomach and he raised his eyebrow. "Horatio," she nodded her head, "Maybe this accident was my fault. If we had never been trying to get to breakfast.."
"It's not your fault," Horatio said, interrupting her. "Drunk driver. We're just glad he didn't hurt anyone."
"Calleigh nodded and ran a hand through her hair. "You know, Eric and I planned this breakfast..." She searched her mind for something to say. How much did Horatio know? He probably knew it all, he just need confirmation.
Horatio nodded his head in understanding and also a signal that she could continue.
"For the last eleven months, Eric and I have been in a relationship and we're getting married soon. I'm also pregnant." She sighed.
"That's," Horatio positioned his body in a sideways stance. "That's good news." He smiled. "Are you excited?"
"Yes," Calleigh said, looking at the top of his head. Suddenly, she felt embarrassed. "You knew already, didn't you?"
Horatio nodded his head and grinned. "Remember, I'm not Rick. Talk to me about anything."
"Okay," Calleigh said silently, nodding her head.
"I think you should go get checked out. I'm going to call Eric and let him know you all status and what hospital."
"Okay." Calleigh walked over to one of the ambulances and a paramedic began examining her. She'd gotten used to that routine by now.
Horatio pulled out his cell phone and looked around at the drunk man being hauled off. "Eric," Horatio started. "Everyone is okay. Ryan's leg is cut pretty bad, Natalia has a sprang ankle, Calleigh was cut just a little and Andria is fine. They're all on the way to Lutheran General Hospital. Okay. Meet you over there."
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Okay, so here's the first chapter. I hope you guys enjoy it=]]