Tornado

"This is nobody's fault. Except the weather."

"I know that now. I knew that then, but...It's so easy to say that if Dad had gotten everyone into the lab, if Walter and Ryan had come back like Dad and Eric did, if Ryan hadn't kept pushing...I'm not sure what I could have done, but I was mad at me too."

"So tell Walter that. It might help."

"I will, when he and Dad get back."

"Do you need me to stay with you?"

She didn't want to be alone, but she didn't want Natalia to have to feel that she had to babysit her either. "I'm okay."

"No you aren't. I'm staying."

She didn't argue and shot her a grateful look. "He's going to be okay, right?"

"Yes."

She couldn't stop pacing though, unable to sit still. Natalia watched her friend pace sadly. Horatio sat beside Natalia when they returned, trying to hide his worry. He'd hoped that Alexx would have word on Wolfe by the time they made it back.

"Walter? How are you doing?"

"I'm okay." He wasn't really, but the reason why had nothing to do with his hands.

"I think you and Lina need to talk." She looked at Lina. "Right?"

"Walter, I'm sorry if it seemed like I was mad at you." Lina started, feeling like Kaya getting scolded by her mom.

"I don't blame you."

"I was mad at you, Dad, Ryan, even myself."

"This is not your fault."

"No and it's not yours either. Or Dad's. or Ryan's. It's just something that happened."

"So stop blaming yourself."

"You first."

"Lina, I can't..."

"Walter, I know you. You held on with all that you had against a tornado. No one on earth could have done more. And then when that was over, you and Eric dug him out. If it wasn't for you, we wouldn't have made it this far."

Walter smiled. "You really don't blame me?"

"Of course not."

"Thank you."

She hugged him.

A few minutes later, a young nurse came in. "Lina?"

Lina stood, thinking she had news about Ryan.

"I have been told that you need your hands checked."

Lina started to argue but Horatio said, "You need to get them checked now so that you can give Ryan your attention when he wakes up." He refused to say 'if'.

"It won't take long, I promise."

Lina nodded, walking with the nurse.

"Have a seat. I'm going to look at your hands."

"I really need to get back out there. My friend is supposed to update me on my boyfriend's condition." She allowed her hands to be washed though and examined.

"I can check for you when I finish here."

"Thank you," Lina said softly.

"No problem."

She winced as the antiseptic was applied, but didn't say anything or cry out.

"Nearly done."

She allowed them to be wrapped, knowing she could always take it off later if she needed to take care of Ryan.

"Done. Let me go find out what's happening."

"Thank you." She walked back to wait with the others and Horatio kissed her forehead gently as she lay her head on his shoulder.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"The nurse is going to check on Ryan."

"Good."

Calleigh and Eric arrived, Eric talking with Walter while Calleigh talking with Natalia. Alexx came in just after, a small smile on her face.

Lina stood, the others standing beside her. "Can I see him?" Lina asked. She didn't dare hope he be awake.

"Yes. But first..."

Horatio could feel her trembling and put a hand on her back. "First?" He asked when she couldn't.

"You should be aware of how he looks, it's a shock."

"I've seen him, Alexx. I don't care how he looks, as long as he's alive. Everything else we can fix or live with. Please, can I go see him?"

"Okay."

She hurried back. "Natalia, go with her," Horatio asked, his tone letting her know it was a request, not an order.

"Got it."

"I'll go too," Calleigh volunteered, leaving the guys alone with Alexx.

"Alexx, what were you trying to tell us?" Horatio asked.

"Ryan is in pretty bad shape. He took a lot of debris to his body, some of it penetrating. He has a lot of injuries, and I don't know if he'll recover from them all."

"Is he stable?" Eric asked, his voice shivering.

"Yes. He's still out though."

"I should get back there," Eric said, thinking about the girls walking into that. All three were close to Ryan; they all were.

Horatio shook his head. "It's my job." Not as a boss, but as a father, as a significant other. "But I'd like it if you were there too." He wasn't sure how the girls would take it, how bad it would be. "Walter?" He looked at the one who had remained silent.

"I'll come too."

"Thank you, Alexx," Horatio said softly.

"Of course."

The three followed the women back, not quite sure what to expect.

Lina stopped short in the doorway to Ryan's room, frozen, unable to move.

"Lina?"

When Lina had seen Alexx's smile, she'd thought that things had magically taken a turn for the better. It was obvious that they hadn't. She made herself put one foot in front of the other, made herself walk into the room, and sat on the side of the bed, watching Ryan.

"Lina, it's okay," said Calleigh from the door, despite her own feelings.

Lina made no response at all, no movement to let either of them know she was alive, let alone that she knew they were in the same room with her.

Calleigh took a breath, then walked in to sit with her.

Calleigh gave Natalia a worried look.

"Lina, he's going to be okay."

(What now?)

To him waking up?