BETA READ by Lady Anemone

WARNING: Miscarriage

Chapter 1

"Calleigh's going into shock!"

Guns aren't that dangerous, but the people who handle them are... and former Homicide Detective Berkeley was definitely one of those people. CSI Duquesne had never been scared of any type of weapon. Never. That's why she had ultimately become a CSI. The baby in her womb had changed her, though. She had always been quite capable of making it on her own and she still cared for her independence, but she had been able to see the many possibilities of the situation this time, instead of only one, when Berkeley had pointed the Smith & Wesson. If Jake Berkeley genuinely shot and got the woman in advanced state of pregnancy harmed in one way or another... She had actually realized the possible consequences as well.

"Breathe, sweetheart. I'm here," Horatio said as he carefully stroked the inside of her left ankle.

The woman was lying on her back, with her knees pulled up. Not exactly the most comfortable position she could have in her situation, and it really didn't help the baby come down at all, but she had tried nearly everything... Even sitting on her hands and knees. It, however, didn't matter in which position she was; the pain still weighed her down. And in every position she had tried, Horatio had been there to support her and held her if necessary.

Horatio, who sat at the side of the woman in labor, tightly held her hand, while the other still laid across the skin on which the old Chinese character for the word 'truth' had been tattooed a year before Horatio had travelled to New Orleans, to hire the CSI with the more than obvious nickname Bullet-Girl for a job at his Crime Lab.

He had been in need of a Ballistics-expert and had wanted to hire the best. Since the lieutenant had heard of her abilities with guns all the way from New Orleans, he had decided to travel down there to check if these rumors about this beautiful girl with brains were true. They had been, and when Horatio had been convinced she had a good head on her shoulders, he hadn't doubted for a second that he wanted CSI Calleigh Duquesne to work for him. And to be quite honest, he hadn't been forced to use much effort. The young female cop had wanted to see more than just the four walls of the little gun range at the New Orleans Laboratory and had consented. She had been flattered that someone had come all the way down from Miami to find out more about her Ballistics abilities. Only four days after the redhead's visit there, the then twenty-six-year-old Calleigh had terminated her job and loft, and had moved to sunny Miami, where she had directly joined Horatio's team as the new Ballistics-expert. She had replaced the husband of former Lieutenant Megan Donner, which she actually hadn't known about until the widow had resigned.

Horatio's girlfriend had been scared for the baby's life. She really didn't care if Berkeley emotionally tortured her; if she had to endure more. Because she already did... She already endured so much at once, but she refused to admit it in her unequalled stubbornness. She preferred to suffer in silence, but their baby... If anything happened to their little one, she would go ballistic. And Horatio would as well.

'I can't lose consciousness,' Calleigh continuously thought. Though the pain ran through her abdomen and lower back, it seemed like every other part of her body was mostly numb. The stabs of pain in her abdomen only became more unbearable. They came on quickly, but didn't entirely subside before another one broke through. Horatio was practically carrying every bit of her weight and very cautiously caressing the small of her back, but the female CSI wasn't able to feel the lieutenant, whose anger had been washed away by worry since Detective Eric Delko had walked in.

Besides, Horatio didn't know what Berkeley had done… not entirely. The ex detective had been terribly rough and careless with the pregnant CSI. Berkeley had pushed her belly-first against the kitchen cupboards and had caused her abdominal trauma by doing that. Abdominal trauma in combination with an eight-month-pregnant belly, nearly always turned out to be a quite fatal business... Both Calleigh and the baby were in danger. The placenta had come loose and Calleigh would lose more and more blood... Until she or the little one would eventually die… or both.

Calleigh had already been in labor for quite some time and... the longer it took, the more dangerous it became; the more their chances to survive declined, Calleigh's as well as Horatio's daughter's, the life she had carried in her womb for eight months.

"H., we really need to get Calleigh to Dade Memorial," Eric warned as he suddenly noticed more blood penetrating Calleigh's clothes and slowly dispersing to leave another smudge on the carpet.

Eric had to look on when Calleigh's eyes narrowed, the creases on her smooth, tender features indicating that another wave of pain had emerged and then roamed across her body. CSI Duquesne tried to offer resistance and pushed. The intensity of the pain made Calleigh feel quite powerless. She leaned entirely on Horatio, who still largely carried her weight and tried to keep the woman as comfortable as possible and conscious.

"Immediately."

"Too... late..." CSI Duquesne hoarsely whispered.

Horatio sighed in intense despair and looked at Eric, who only looked back at the superior.

"Guess she doesn't need to be moved... By the way, if you would drive like you did when Ryan got that nail in his eye after his catfight with the nail gun, I guess Calleigh's never going to make it to the hospital."

"...Alexx."

Then, the guys looked at each other. Of course! Why hadn't it occurred to either of them sooner? There wasn't any more obvious possibility. Eric's mind raced at top speed. Detective Delko knew that Horatio would want to stay with the mother of the little Caine and H. would not want to leave the woman in any circumstances, because... they both knew what had happened when Horatio had left the side of the woman that he dearly loved, only a year ago... She had died slowly and in pain.

"Stay with Calleigh... I'll be right back."

Horatio nodded, while the Trace and Tires CSI stood up quickly and hurried to get Alexx on the line. Calleigh began to hyperventilate again; she did go into shock. Her mind suddenly blurred and the Ballistics-CSI connected the odd feeling with the few hours she had been dosed with cocaine on an exceptional case, while she had struggled to retrieve a bullet from a so-called tile of marble, four years ago. It had been an exceptional case, because an officer had been down.

"Don't. No, breathe..."

CSI Delko immediately looked back, but there wasn't any reason for the CSI-detective to get back to Calleigh. Calleigh didn't need the other detective. Because, the one that she desperately needed, was Horatio, and the lieutenant already supported the woman in advanced state of pregnancy. The male Delko realized that there was no one who needed him; no one waiting for him. There wasn't someone who would always keep him from the abyss, who would struggle for his love...

*MDPD... Ryan Wolfe, CSI.*

"Ryan! I need Alexx on the line, immediately."

*Why?*

Eric raised his pure brown eyes to heaven and lost the little of temper that rested. CSI Delko sighed deeply in impatience. This really wasn't the right time!

"Put her on the phone, idiot!"

/\/\/\/

Tears continued to run soundlessly down Calleigh's cheeks, while shivers roamed across her slender, petite figure. She didn't have the force to scream in pain anymore and looked up at Horatio with wide eyes. As if she wanted to convince Horatio with that one and only glance that she wasn't up to bear their baby; that it became too much for her. CSI Duquesne noticed that her own insecurity only reflected in Horatio's angelic, bright sapphire blue eyes.

Horatio, however, didn't only recognize the insecurity, but also the same hopeless little girl he had seen on the evening Calleigh had tried to cut her wrists. Like a deer, caught in the headlights. That one glance said louder than words, 'Please... Make it stop!'

He couldn't, no matter how much he really wanted to.

/\/\/\/

In the meantime, Ryan understood the seriousness of the situation and then hurried to Alexx's Medical Examiner's Office, until the line eventually cracked and Delko heard Alexx's concerned voice, *Eric? What's going on?*

"Calleigh..."