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~*~
"SPEED!" Horatio knelt down next to the fallen man. "Come on Speed, hold on."
Speed looked up with pain filled eyes, gasping for air. "H?"
"Hold on," Horatio wiped away the blood. "Rescue is on their way. Just hold on." Horatio held onto the young man's hand.
"I can't feel anything," Speed gasped eyes full of fear.
"You're going to be alright," Horatio forced Speed to look at him. "Do you hear me? You're going to be alright."
Speed gasped for air, "Horatio…"
"Slow deep breaths, don't try to talk," Horatio wiped the tears off Speed's cheek.
"I…" Speed gasped in pain his hand grasping Horatio's. "I…"
"Sh…" Horatio leaned over blue eyes searching brown. "I'm not accepting death bed confessions." Speed smiled slightly, his eyes closing his breathing faltering. "Speed! Don't you do this to me."
Horatio felt strong arms pulling him away, he struggled against them. "Sir we need you to step aside." Horatio looked at the EMT, nodding as he backed up knocking into the overturned table. He watched as they worked to save Speed. He turned and walked out as the EMT screamed they were loosing him. He slumped against the alley wall sliding to the ground. The sobs hit him hard, he couldn't lose Speed – he hadn't told him.
Horatio pulled out his cell phone he needed to call the team. He sat there staring at the phone, tears running down his face. He shook his head – he need to get back in control. They had a case to work; he looked at the phone and dialed.
"Detective Taylor," Horatio sobbed as he tried to get his emotions under control. "Hello?"
"Mac," Horatio whispered pain laced through his voice.
"Horatio?" Mac's voice was filled with concern.
"I, God…Mac there's been a shooting," Horatio tried to explain, everything was jumbled in his mind at the moment. "Speed…he's been shot… I couldn't…"
Mac's voice was calm and in control. "Horatio, do you want me to come down to Miami?"
"I…" Horatio focused on Mac's calm voice. "Mac you had it once – don't lose it again out of fear…please, for me…" Horatio looked up to see Alexx walking towards him. "Mac, don't wait," he hung up the phone.
"Sweetheart what are you doing out here?" Alexx squatted down. "You need to be at the hospital."
"I couldn't protect him," Horatio looked up at Alexx.
"Honey," Alexx cupped his cheek. "He's going to be alright."
Horatio nodded forcing himself to stand up, "I've got to…"
"Horatio," Alexx forced him to look at her. "I need you to calm down. Speed's in good hands, he's going to be fine." Horatio nodded listening to her words.
"I need to talk to Calleigh," Horatio headed back towards the store. "Speed glanced down at his gun, he barely saw the second gunman." Horatio looked around the store seeing everything in a criminalist's perspective, "But why?"
Calleigh walked up to them, "Horatio?"
Horatio looked at her, his eyes bright. "I need you to check the guns." Horatio handed her his and Speed's, "Talk to me first."
Calleigh nodded, "Anything I should know?"
"He looked down at his gun," Horatio took a deep breath. "Alexx can you go to the hospital…"
"I'll keep you posted," She patted his arm. "You go find that lost boy – I'll take care of ours."
Horatio gave her a small smile before heading out to the awaiting police cars. He stalked over to Rudy, his eyes flashing with anger. Rudy better have some good explanations or there will be hell to pay.
~*~
Horatio snuck into the hospital room, his eyes focusing on the young man lying to still in the bed. He took a hold of Speed's hand, careful of the IV. He had been lucky, or so the doctor had told them. Two inches and Speed would be in Alexx's morgue instead of a hospital room. He was happy to see Speed was off the ventilator and resting comfortably. The bullet grazed the lung causing it to collapse. The doctors were able to repair the damage to the lung and shoulder. Speed would be out of the field for a while, but he was alive.
Speed's eyes drifted open a small smile on his face, "H?"
"Hey Speed," Horatio leaned forward whispering softly.
"Did you find him?" Speed asked softly.
"We're close," Horatio soothed back Speed's hair. "How's the pain?"
"Morphine," Speed smiled, "Good stuff."
"You scared me," Horatio took a deep breath.
"I scared me," Speed smiled. "I don't understand what happened?"
"Calleigh's investigating," Horatio explained to him.
Speed nodded yawning slightly, "I love you." Horatio was taken back. "I can't go another minute without telling you. As I laid there my biggest regret was not telling you."
Horatio leaned over kissing Speed softly, "I love you too."
"Aren't we a pair," Speed smirked.
"Get some sleep," Horatio caressed Speed's cheek.
"Stay?" Speed eyes drooped down.
"Forever," Horatio vowed.
He pulled a chair up next to Speed's bed. He laid his cell phone on the bed, ignoring hospital rules. The case was still open, but he just needed to be near Speed for a few hours. He held onto Speed's hand, laying his own head down on the side of the bed, letting the sounds of the monitors loll him to sleep.
Speed was startled by a chirping noise; he looked over to see Horatio sound asleep. His hand found the phone. He flipped it open, "Hello?"
A startled voice answered, "Horatio?"
"He's asleep," Speed smiled at the sight. "Who is this?"
"Mac Taylor," Speed nodded recognizing the name
"Danny's boss?" Speed sat up over come by coughing.
"Speed?" Mac questioned in shock.
"Yeah," Speed took some careful breaths.
Mac voice softened, "There's someone here who wants to talk to you."
"Speed?" Speed could hear the raw emotion in Danny's voice.
"Hey Danny," Speed answered softly laying back down in the bed. "I won't be making it up to New York for a while."
"That's okay," Danny assured him. "What happened?"
"Shooting, my gun jammed," Speed explained not sure exactly what happened. "Two inches and I would have been a goner."
"I thought you were," Danny voice faltered.
"I'm sorry," Speed's voice was soft. "I take it, since Mac handed you his cell phone at seven in the morning that you told him?" Speed smiled at the thought, his eyes drifting towards Horatio.
"I discovered that life was to short," Danny informed him.
"Yes it is," Speed muttered as the phone was taken out of his hand.
"I'm sorry Danny, but Speed needs his rest," Horatio smiled at Speed's indignant expression. "Can I speak to Mac?"
Mac's voice came over the phone, "Horatio. You scared me yesterday."
"I'm sorry, I lost it there for a while." Horatio sighed as he sat up. "Alexx smacked me one and dragged me to the hospital. I should've called you back – explained that Speed hadn't been killed."
"It's okay," Mac assured him, "It worked out in the end."
Horatio laughed slightly, "I can hear that." Horatio paused, "Speed will be in the hospital for a couple more days. Why don’t you and Danny come down in a couple of weeks?"
"We can do that," Mac answered.
One of the nurses walked in glaring at Horatio talking on the phone, "The nurse is giving me a dirty look," Horatio grumbled.
"Take care of him," Mac's voice was soft.
"I will," Horatio promised his hand on Speed's cheek.
~*~
Speed shifted trying to ease the pain in his shoulder. He wasn't a happy camper – Horatio hadn't shown up yet and Calleigh was not telling him anything. Eric had let it slip that Horatio had jumped into the bloody water to save the boy, causing Speed to worry endlessly.
"Hey," Horatio peaked into the private room.
Speed smiled, "Hey."
Horatio walked up to the bed sitting down next to it, "How you feeling?"
"Shoulder hurts," Speed shifted a bit. "I want to go home."
"The doctors told me that you need supervision for the first week," Horatio leaned forward taking Speed's hand into his own.
"Yeah," Speed sighed. "I refuse to call my parents."
"I can stay with you," Horatio caressed Speed's hand softly.
"I don't want to…" Speed looked down at the bed.
"Speed," Horatio stood up to lean over the bed cupping Speed's face. "You're not a burden; I want to be there for you. I want to go to sleep and wake up knowing you're next to me."
Speed's eyes were bright with emotion, "What happened?"
"Your gun jammed," Horatio told him softly.
Speed stared at him, "But… how?"
"Firing pen malfunction," Horatio shook his head trying to get the images out of his head.
"So the first time is my fault, the second random luck?" Speed sighed turning his head away from Horatio.
"It happens," Horatio informed him quietly.
Speed snorted, "Look on the bright side?"
Horatio eyes bore into his, "What bright side?" He demanded.
Speed gripped Horatio's hand, "My gun was clean." Speed thumb caressed over Horatio's hand, "and we…"
Horatio leaned over kissing his lips softly, "I'm never letting you leave my sights again."
Speed smiled eyes drooping a bit, "Sound good to me."
"Get some rest," Horatio kissed his forehead. "I'll see about getting you released into my care."
"Take me home?" Speed murmured.
Horatio smiled. He looked down at Speed as he slept, "home."