Shatter Me

🧬☠️It's A Matter Of Life And Death

"You smell delicious!"  Zariah coos as she walks over to Horatio after he gets back from "arresting" Yelina who's been working undercover for him for quite some time and had thrown a glass of champagne at him "I bet you taste even better!"  she coos as she presses her body and lips up against his and he chuckles and the tip of her tongue slides over his bottom lip as their lips meet "mmmm I was right!"  she hums after she lets his lips go and he smiles "go flirt with your Dame we'll be in your office!"  she tells him before walking away he chuckles as he watches her leave his smile never leaving his face.... a few hours later Zariah gets a call from Eric asking for her help so she drops her children off at Paula's who luckily had the day off then heads to the Everglades to find him taking Caine with her "alright Caine search and rescue!"   she says as soon as she opens her vehicles door once they get there and Caine hops out and searches for his friend once they find Eric Zariah sees that he is bleeding pretty badly and she calls Alexx to let her know that she was bringing him to the hospital as she drags her friend to her vehicle with Caine at her side watching their every move once she gets to the hospital and meets Alexx at the door she calls.... Horatio looks down at his phone with a confused expression on his face when he reads his wife's name on the front screen a flash of panic flows over his face as he answers the call "I took Eric to Dade General he called and asked me to meet him.... I didn't think it was that bad just figured you all needed another errand or something!.... he was bleeding so much I didn't know what else to do and I didn't know if he could wait for a ambulance....!"  he hears Zariah say with soft frantic tones "it's okay, everything is going to be okay, I'm on my way!"  he tells her then he hangs up and lets Calleigh know what he just learned and they head to the hospital while Frank takes care of Eric's biological father.... "Horatio!"  Zariah says breathlessly as she shoots up from her seat in the Waiting Room once she sees her husband walk in with Calleigh at his side she rushes over to him and hugs his chest he cups the back of her head with his hands and whispers softly as he kisses the top of her head "it's ok.... he'll be alright.... you did good!"  she chuckles softly into his chest and he smiles when he feels her smile into his shirt "Zandra's with him I called her as soon as Caine found him luckily she's smart enough not to argue with the pup she knows will never leave his side till he opens his eyes and he knows better than to get in her and her teams way!"  she tells him softly he chuckles "the kids are at Paula's"  she tells him he nods she looks up at him and he smiles seeing the sorrowful worry in her eyes his smile drops and he hugs her to him "I'm going to go get the kids.... Calleigh's going to need a distraction!"  she tells him as she once again leans back and looks into his eyes he chuckles then kisses her lips softly and whispers "okay, I'll see you in a few"  she nods then gently grips a lost in her own thoughts Calleigh's arm Calleigh jumps awake at the feeling of her gentle touch and watches as Zariah walks out of the hospital then asks Horatio with a whispered tone "where's she going!?!"  Horatio replies with a smile "to get your distraction!"  Calleigh smiles.... a few minutes later Zariah returns with Timothy and Deidra who rush over to both Horatio and Calleigh and give them hugs Calleigh sits with the kids as Zariah takes Horatio's hand and leads him to Eric's room for he was contemplating whether or not he was strong enough to go in there and with Zariah by his side he felt a lot stronger than before.... Zariah stands in the doorway of Eric's hospital room as Horatio sits by their friends bed and whispers softly "Eric I know how hard.... how hard you're fighting right now, and I know how easy it would be for you to to slip away and be with Speedle I think about that too but I don't want you to do it I'm not ready"  she walks over and slides her hand over Horatio's shoulder and he grips her hand gently as he continues to speak while trying to fight back the tears that were threatening to fall "I'm not ready for you too....!"  Zariah slides her body onto his lap and hugs his head to her chest as the tears win the war and start to fall and he wrap his arms around her as he lets them he sighs and chuckles wryly then he says "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry it's just that I.... that I.... lost him, and.... and Ray.... you're - you're all I got left, Eric"  Zariah slides out of his lap and walks towards the door as he continues his mind so lost in the potential of losing a friend that he didn't even feel much less see her walk away from him "so.... I.... I want you to do what we always do I want you to fight"  he stands up and whispers as he leans over his comatose friend and caresses the side of his cheek with his thumb "that's what I want you do to that's what I need you to do I'll be right here"  Horatio straightens when he realizes it was way too easy for him to stand up last he remembered was crying into his wife's breasts he looks around the room and sees it empty and he whispers with a frantically worried tone "Zariah!?! Zariah!?!"  he rushes over to the door and looks out of it but doesn't see her and he racks through his brain to figure out why his last comfort left him and he remembers saying "you're - you're all I got left, Eric" and he whispers softly "no!.... that's not what I....! no!!"  and he falls to the ground with his back up against the doorframe and slaps the wall in anger then hides his head in his hands sliding them up to his hair which he grabs and pulls trying to make himself once again feel her pain that he once again caused "I'm so sorry Sweetheart!"  he whispers softly and starts crying again this time without her comfort to warm his now cold body which makes his tears fall harder and faster than they did before.... about a half an hour later Alex, Frank, Timothy, Horatio, Deidra, Calleigh, Natalia and Ryan stand around Eric's bed while Zariah leans up against the doorframe of the room away from the rest of them once Zariah saw Eric's eyes open she walks away and the only one who noticed was Eric himself "hey Zari where are you going!?!"  Eric asks with a scratchy voice Horatio turns but doesn't see his wife in the direction that Eric was looking and his heart squeezes in pain "alright what did you do!?!"  Eric asks as he looks up at Horatio the adults around him chuckle Horatio places a hand on his friends shoulder and says softly "I'll fix it I promise!"  Eric replies "you better!"  Horatio smiles with hopeful yet sad eyes....