accident/missing

Calleigh called Natalia over and put the phone on speaker. "Say it again Eric."

Natalia's face looked pale as she heard Eric's words and turned away so Calleigh couldn't see the emotion on her face.

"Eric, get it to the lab and see if there's anything else. We're coming."

Eric had the results by the time the girls arrived, not wanting Natalia to have to do it, even though it was her specialty. The look on his face told them everything the girls didn't want to know.

"It's a match," said Calleigh immediately. "Did you find anything else?"

Ryan came in. "Found an address. It's worth a shot."

"Let's go."

"No sense in trying to get you to stay here?" Eric asked Natalia.

"None."

He nodded, already knowing the answer. Calleigh helped her friend to the car, knowing she was in pain but determined to hide it anyway. Natalia didn't realize that she still had the paper in her hand until they pulled up to the building. Calleigh hopped out and headed straight into the building, clearing rooms as she went. Eric, Ryan, and Natalia were right with her, doing the same.

Ryan was the one to find their boss. "In here!" he yelled.

Natalia ignored the pain and ran to him, going immediately to Horatio. When she put her hand on his head to stroke through his red hair, she saw blood. "Get some help!"

Calleigh got on her radio for help while Ryan and Eric bent next to Natalia to help her keep Horatio alive. Her focus was completely on Horatio, not noticing her own pain or fatigue. Ryan looked up and saw Calleigh hanging back, looking relieved to have found Horatio, but worried at the same time. Natalia held Horatio's hand, talking to him, even after he was loaded on the ambulance. The last thing she said was for Ryan to call Lina. Ryan dialed the number he loved seeing on his phone, dreading the news he was going to give.

Lina had picked up Kaya at school, not a rare occurrence given Natalia's and her dad's work hours. The teenager had just gotten into the pool when Ryan called. Lina smiled automatically. "Hey, sweetheart."

"Lina, I have to tell you something. Are you near Kaya?"

"She's swimming." She paused, a bad feeling in her stomach. "Ryan, what's wrong?"

"It's H...."

She'd been waiting for calls like this all her life, but it didn't make it any easier. "Where?"

"He's going to hospital. Nat's with him."

"Okay, I'll call, see if Kaya can stay with Mari. Then I'll be there."

"Want me to pick you up?"

"No, I'm...I'm okay. Stay with Nat." It was obvious she wasn't okay, but she wasn't going to admit that.

"I'm not with Nat right now. She went in the ambulance with H."

"Do you think Kaya should come?"

"If you try to stop her, she'll pester Cal and Eric until the tell her what happened."

"Not if I tell her I have to go in to the restaurant."

"She'll believe that when her parents aren't home?"

"You guys work all hours. It won't be the first time I have to go in when you aren't home."

Her tone had a stressed, almost confrontational, tone to it.

"Won't Nat be upset that she's alone?" asked Ryan gently.

"Will Nat be more upset that she sees Dad hurt?"

"True. Do you want me to look after her?"

"No." She said a little stronger than normal. "Maybe I should just stay with her." The last thing she wanted was to have to deal with her father being hurt alone.

"Are you sure Lina? It won't be an issue."

"It will." She said, rubbing the back of her neck like she did when she was stressed, tense. "I can't be up there by myself. I can't do that, Ryan."

"You won't be. Nat's there. Or, do you want me there?"

"Forget it. I'll stay with Kaya. I've gotta go." She hung up without telling him goodbye, something she never did.

Ryan stared at his phone after she hung up and then made the decision to go to her and take her to her dad.

Eric looked up, worried. "The girls okay?" He asked quietly where Natalia couldn't hear.

"I have to go. Lina's worried but she won't leave Kaya alone to come."

"Why doesn't she just take her to the house? Mom wouldn't mind staying with her and she could play with Mari."

"I don't know. But I'll tell her."

Eric somehow sensed there was more to it than that, so he just nodded and turned his attention to helping Calleigh try to convince Natalia to get checked out, but she wouldn't leave the spot where they'd taken Horatio away. Ryan left with a wave to the girls, and headed to see Lina. Calleigh finally found a doctor to see Natalia and took him over to her.

"I'm fine. I don't want to see anyone. I don't need to see anyone. I want to know how Horatio is."

"I'll find out Nat, but you do need to be checked out."

"I'm fine, Calleigh. I...I just want to see him."

"You will, I promise."

With her refusing to be checked out, there was nothing the doctors could do for her. Calleigh sighed and asked for them to check on Horatio.
***********
Kaya was too busy swimming to have noticed anything wrong with her sister and Lina stayed in the house, trying to stay busy, to make sure it stayed that way. Ryan knocked on the door, although he had a key, and waited, hoping Lina would open it. The dogs barked but Lina didn't come to the door and Kaya, from the back of the house, couldn't hear it. Finally, Ryan used his key and let himself in, calling out so he wouldn't scare anyone. The dogs wagged their tails and let him in, leading him to the kitchen where Lina was cooking what looked like enough food to feed her restaurant, at least three or four different meals at once.

"Lina."

"Yeah?" She concentrated on chopping vegetables without cutting her shaking hands.

"Stop. Look at me."

She looked up, her eyes forcing back tears. If she cried, Kaya would know something was wrong. Ryan opened his arms and hugged her, keeping an eye on Kaya in the pool. She buried her head in his chest, starting to cry, trying hard to stop even as the first tear fell.

"It's going to be okay."

"I...I made some food, so Nat can focus on taking care of him when he comes home."

"That's okay honey. Why don't we get one of your neighbours to look after Kaya?"

She hesitated, but had to admit she liked it better than him leaving her to deal with her dad's crisis alone. Ryan gave her another hug and then went outside to tell Kaya that Lina was going to be busy at the restaurant.

"Sorry Kay, Lina won't be free to stay with you."

"I need to go home first, and then I will come back and get you. How does that sound?"

"Okay. Lina's neighbour is going to look after you until I come back, okay?"

Ryan hugged his girlfriend's little sister and then looked up, seeing Lina waving at him.

ready to go