Title: Bad Day

Author: innocent choir girl (ff-dot-net), shannyfish (From Out of the Lab/Miami Heat/LJ)

Summary: After a lab accident, Calleigh relies on help from her father, but could it be the last thing she does?

Category: Ship Ahoy! Calleigh/Horatio

Genres: Angst, Drama, Friendship, Hurt Comfort, Pre-Relationship, Suspense

Characters: Calleigh Duquesne, Alexx Woods, Frank Tripp, Kenwall Duquesne (Other Character)

Warnings: none

Rating: PG

Chapter: 8 "Hope for the Future"

Author's Notes: This is the final chapter of "Bad Day", more chapters of "Sex, Drugs, & Rock n Roll" still to come, not sure which story will next be started.

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"I'm sorry," she whispered as Horatio walked her up to her building. They had already taken her father home, and he had admitted that he wasn't sure he would be able to stay sober on his own. Horatio refused to let her take her father home with her, though she knew it was only Horatio's way of looking out for her. She was injured, and wouldn't be able to stop him if he wanted to go out for a drink. She still felt embarrassed and ashamed, and worse of all she had compromised the lives and careers of her friends.

He was refraining from touching her, mainly because he was afraid he'd knock her over since she was hobbling around on crutches. She had refused his offer of letting him carry her in, but he wasn't surprised at all. "You have nothing to apologize for…my dear," he said gently as he watched her struggle with the lock.

Dropping the keys, Calleigh sighed frustrated and turned a bit awkwardly to Horatio on her crutches. "How can you say that? You've protected my father and put your career on the line…I don't deserve that…"

Looking down, Horatio smiled a bit before he looked back up at her. "Calleigh, you do deserve it," he told her before crouching down and retrieving her keys. Stepping to the side, he placed the key in the keyhole and turned it. Opening the door, he watched as a small smile came to Calleigh's face before she started to hobble into her apartment. He followed and closed the door making sure the lock it before setting the keys on a nearby table. When he saw her going towards the kitchen, he thrust his hands into his pockets and followed, "You should rest…"

"I was gonna get you some coffee…it'll only take a few minutes," Calleigh explained knowing that he would need a cup after the long day they'd had. She felt the need to do something for him after all he'd done for her, and though coffee wouldn't make up for it all…it was a start to paying him back.

He sighed and stopped behind her, "Calleigh…why don't you let me make the coffee?" Horatio could tell that she was having problems, but it was understandable. He knew from experience that family problems only made things worse, let alone if people knew about them… He and Calleigh were alike in more ways than they probably cared to admit. They both had family problems…both dedicated workaholics…good cops and CSIs…and kept their emotions hidden most of the time.

"You don't know where things are…" she responded quietly hobbling around with the crutches as she opened a cupboard to get mugs down. She reached up and retrieved a dark mug that said MDPD on it, which had been given to her not long after she had joined. After the first mug was safely on the counter, she reached up for a more delicate cup, one that her mother had given her. Her finger caught on the delicately formed handle, and just barely curled around it. As she pulled it down, it started to slip from her grip and she struggled to keep a hold onto it. But the handle slipped from her grasp and fell to the floor.

The clatter of porcelain breaking caught Horatio by surprise, and he reached out and grasped Calleigh just in case she was about to fall. "I'll clean it," he said quickly. He wasn't sure how sharp the pieces were, but he didn't need her injured further. He smoothly made his way around her and to the ground where he started to collect the broken pieces. Sniffling and then quiet crying caught his attention. With broken pieces still in hand, he straightened and turned to Calleigh, "Sweetheart, I promise I can get the coffee and clean up the broken cup. Go ahead and lie down and rest."

"My mother gave that to me…" she got out through her sniffling.

Horatio frowned, she was going through far too much, and he was sure that after everything that had happened, the teacup was just another upset. He'd find a way to make it better… He set the broken pieces on a clean part of the counter to deal with in a few minutes. Wrapping an arm around her, he pulled the crutches away and propped them up against the counter and then carefully scooped her up into his arms. Carefully navigating through the mess in the kitchen, he made his way towards her bedroom. "How about you rest and I'll bring in coffee and something to eat?" he offered and carefully deposited her on her bed being mindful of her casted leg. He watched her move up in bed until her back rested against pillows. He felt she was okay for the moment as he started to leave seeing her wipe her face with her hands.

Stress was something that he and Calleigh hardly dealt with externally…but they had always been the ones who were the closest. He and Calleigh had bonded years ago on some other level. He had a feeling that that was why she had been somewhat comfortable shedding her feelings in front of her. Moving carefully through the kitchen, he scanned the floor and picked up the remaining pieces. Horatio deposited the broken remnants of the teacup into a Ziploc bag and left them on the counter in plain sight, so that he could take it with him to find out about having it reconstructed later.

A new cup was pulled from the cupboard and placed next to the MDPD one. Horatio went through the refrigerator and found something to whip together that could constitute enough of a meal to get fill Calleigh's stomach and then hopefully let her sleep. Though, he was going to give her coffee, he had a good idea that the pain meds would help her sleep. Carefully, looping fingers through both cup's handles, Horatio picked up the plate of food and headed for Calleigh's bedroom. Pain medication was stuffed in his pocket, where he had hidden it when Calleigh had started to protest needing it.

Calleigh had calmed down a great deal, and had actually felt the tug of sleep pulling at her. "This thing is uncomfortable," she mumbled pointing to the bulky cast on her leg. Her eyes blinked a lot as she fought the need to sleep right away, she really didn't feel ready…

Setting the things on the side table, Horatio sat on the edge of the bed and twisted to hand her the coffee cup. "This should warm you up at least…" He retrieved the plate and placed it between them on the bed. They were simple peanut butter and jelly sandwiches cut into pieces and then a couple pieces of peanut butter and banana sandwiches. "And eat something…so you can have your medication."

"What medication?" she asked and placed her hand over her mouth to try to mask a yawn.

"Pain medication," he told her and placed his finger on her lips when she opened her mouth to start to argue, "And you're going to take them and not argue with me. You need to heal…and the only way you're going to be back in your lab fully is when you're cleared by doctors."

She sighed and picked up a piece of sandwich, "What are we goin' do about my dad?" she finally asked not looking at him. She knew that they had to do something… "Other than puttin' him in some kind of rehab, I'm not sure what to do."

"I know a good rehab place," Horatio told her. "I told your dad to be packed and ready to leave in the morning…" He hadn't thought that Calleigh would be up for trying to figure out options for Duke, so he had decided that the option he had would work the best. She needed to be taken care of even if she didn't know it…and Horatio had intended to be the one to care for her.

Calleigh nodded and took a bite of the sandwich before quietly speaking up as she looked at him, "Thanks." She wasn't used to being able to relax about things like that…or having the worry taken from her. Horatio was taking care of things…normally Calleigh liked the control…being able to make the choices…but right now…it was the last thing she needed.

After most of the plate was gone between the two of them eating the sandwiches, Horatio pulled the bottle from his pocket and shook out a pill before handing it to Calleigh. He set the closed bottle on the bedside table, so it would be within reach for Calleigh later on. He watched as she drank it down with the rest of her what had to be cold coffee. Getting up, he took the cup and set it on the table with the remnants of their meal before helping Calleigh remove the shoe she had on and pull back the covers, so she could be tucked in. "I'm going to go put things in the sink, I'll be back in a minute, Sweetheart," he told her seeing that she was really ready to sleep now.

It didn't take him long to put things into the sink and turn off lights before returning to the bedroom to find that Calleigh's eyes were shut. He smiled to himself before approaching the bed and carefully moving her casted leg, so that it was under the sheet and blanket. When she started to stir, he stopped. He hadn't meant to wake her. Rest was really something that Calleigh needed, and now was the time for her to really get it. "Go back to sleep…" he said in a quiet, soothing tone.

"Uncomfortable," she mumbled. "I hate this…"

He watched as her eyes closed again, but saw them open again. He turned off the bedside lamps and sat on the edge of the bed. "You'll feel better once you sleep," he whispered.

"I want my pants off," she mumbled opening her eyes again and working on the clasp and zipper on the pants she had on. They were slacks that were roomy, so that they fit over the cast, but she just wanted them off.

Crossing boundaries wasn't something Horatio wanted to do, but he wanted Calleigh to sleep…and her being comfortable was something that was needed. He assisted her and carefully helped her removed the pants. He also removed the single sock before laying it all off to the side of the bed. He heard her sniffling and returned back to the bed and found himself pulling her into his arms. He felt the need to take time to protect her…even if it was only from bad dreams…

After a time, Horatio fell asleep with Calleigh in his arms, her head laid against his chest, and her arms curled around his body. The nightmares didn't bother either of them as they managed to sleep through the night soundly.

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The End