Fic: Invisible, Part 18/22
Title - Invisible, Part 18
Pairing - Eric/Ryan
Spoilers - Man Down/No Man's Land, Nailed, very brief for Lost Son
Notes - beta'd by
rini1031 ; See, I knew this chapter would be up quicker than the last one. ;) Enjoy!
The hospital room’s pristine white walls stared at Eric, seemingly mocking his internal debate. His thoughts were jumbled and conflicted after talking with Horatio earlier. He wasn’t sure of anything. Was Ryan alive or dead? Was Speed alive or dead? How could he be sure that this world was real, if the last one wasn’t?
The only indication that he had that the place he’d just come from wasn’t real was Horatio’s word. Horatio had told him that he’d only been away - and by ‘away’, Eric had the distinct feeling he meant ‘dead’ - for eleven minutes, meaning he couldn’t possibly have spent over a week with Ryan. While usually Horatio’s word was enough to convince Eric, he just couldn’t grasp the thought that what he remembered as his life hadn’t really happened.
Eric hadn’t asked much as Horatio talked, in fact other than mentioning Speed and Marisol, he hadn’t said anything; he just lay there, taking in everything his boss told him. From what he heard, he gathered that there were only a few constants between both ‘worlds’, a few things that remained the same, that were, apparently, important enough to be transferred from one to another: he, Calleigh, Speed and Horatio had the same career, Speed and Horatio were lovers, and Ryan had been hurt, although the details of that last one differed.
As he laid there, he started remembering some things, memories of this world. He remembered starting his job as a CSI, being trained by Speed and Calleigh, learning from them, going from being the ‘new guy’ to becoming on of the team. He remembered being told that Speed was dead, going to his best friend’s funeral, and Ryan starting at the lab in his place. He remembered him and Ryan fighting.
He remembered hearing on the dispatch radio that Ryan was hurt, remembered rushing Ryan to the hospital, remembered the sinking feeling when the doctor told them all that Ryan had gone into a coma, and although there would be no brain loss, there was no guarantee that Ryan would wake up.
He remembered other things too, like his brief fling with Natalia, but Ryan’s injury was what his brain focused on more than anything else. His memories more than Horatio’s words made him realize that maybe this was the real world. With that decision in mind, he drifted into a dreamless sleep.
The next time he awoke, it was to Calleigh standing over him. She looked as if she were on the verge of tears, and Eric only vaguely understood why.
“Oh, Eric I’m glad you’re alright,” she murmured, grasping his hand. “When I heard you were shot, I didn’t think there was any way you could make it. Why is it that all the men I work with get themselves into life-or-death situations?”
“Calleigh,” Eric whispered, ignoring her question. “I saw Speed.”
Calleigh gasped softly. “How was he?” she asked in a trembling voice. Even after over two years, the loss of their teammate hurt.
“He was… alive. Cal, it was really strange. Speed was alive and Ryan…” Eric cut himself off and gulped, trying to swallow the lump forming in his throat. He wasn’t sure why, but he felt comfortable telling Calleigh everything. Maybe it was because Calleigh was the only person who knew about him being in love with Ryan in the other world.
Calleigh sat down in the chair by his bed. “What about Ryan?”
“He was dead. Someone murdered him, shot him in the chest. His case was unsolved, and I reopened it. I never did find out who killed him, though.” A tear slipped down his cheek, but he was too exhausted to wipe it away.
Calleigh squeezed his hand gently to comfort him. “He’s not, you know. He’s just in a coma. There’s still a chance he’ll wake up.”
“You and I both know that every day his chances get slimmer. It’s been over a year, Calleigh. What are the odds he’ll still pull through?”
“I’ll admit the chances are pretty slim, but what happened to the optimistic Eric Delko we all know and love?”
Eric smiled humorlessly, but chose not to answer. So much had happened to him, apparently just in the last few hours, although it felt like so much more.
“So, what else happened in this world of yours? Anything good?”
Grateful for the change of subject, Eric nodded. “Ryan and I met-”
“I thought you said he was dead?” Calleigh cut in.
“He was. He was a ghost and I moved into the apartment he lived in when he was alive. I loved him, and I think he loved me too.”
“You were in love with a ghost?”
Eric nearly rolled his eyes, but figured that would probably hurt his head. “Are you even listening to me? I was in love with Ryan. He wasn’t a ghost to me. I could see him and touch him and talk to him like any other person. He got mad at me for leaving dirty dishes in the sink overnight. He was stubborn and easily angered.”
“So in other words, he was exactly like the Ryan you fell in love with before. The Ryan that probably thinks you hate him.”
“Yeah… Cal, what if he doesn’t wake up?”
“I don’t know, Eric. I honestly don’t know. I’m sorry.” In an effort to cheer up her friend, she added, “But you’re so stubborn you cheated death, and Ryan’s just as, if not more, stubborn than you.” Eric smiled at her attempt then yawned, exhaustion setting in. “Well, I guess I’ve kept you awake long enough. Get some rest.”
Before he could even close his eyes though, the door burst open. “Oh good, I thought I’d find you here Calleigh,” Alexx said breathlessly as she stepped in, a joyous expression on her face. “Ryan’s awake!”
Part 19
Pairing - Eric/Ryan
Spoilers - Man Down/No Man's Land, Nailed, very brief for Lost Son
Notes - beta'd by
rini1031 ; See, I knew this chapter would be up quicker than the last one. ;) Enjoy!
The hospital room’s pristine white walls stared at Eric, seemingly mocking his internal debate. His thoughts were jumbled and conflicted after talking with Horatio earlier. He wasn’t sure of anything. Was Ryan alive or dead? Was Speed alive or dead? How could he be sure that this world was real, if the last one wasn’t?
The only indication that he had that the place he’d just come from wasn’t real was Horatio’s word. Horatio had told him that he’d only been away - and by ‘away’, Eric had the distinct feeling he meant ‘dead’ - for eleven minutes, meaning he couldn’t possibly have spent over a week with Ryan. While usually Horatio’s word was enough to convince Eric, he just couldn’t grasp the thought that what he remembered as his life hadn’t really happened.
Eric hadn’t asked much as Horatio talked, in fact other than mentioning Speed and Marisol, he hadn’t said anything; he just lay there, taking in everything his boss told him. From what he heard, he gathered that there were only a few constants between both ‘worlds’, a few things that remained the same, that were, apparently, important enough to be transferred from one to another: he, Calleigh, Speed and Horatio had the same career, Speed and Horatio were lovers, and Ryan had been hurt, although the details of that last one differed.
As he laid there, he started remembering some things, memories of this world. He remembered starting his job as a CSI, being trained by Speed and Calleigh, learning from them, going from being the ‘new guy’ to becoming on of the team. He remembered being told that Speed was dead, going to his best friend’s funeral, and Ryan starting at the lab in his place. He remembered him and Ryan fighting.
He remembered hearing on the dispatch radio that Ryan was hurt, remembered rushing Ryan to the hospital, remembered the sinking feeling when the doctor told them all that Ryan had gone into a coma, and although there would be no brain loss, there was no guarantee that Ryan would wake up.
He remembered other things too, like his brief fling with Natalia, but Ryan’s injury was what his brain focused on more than anything else. His memories more than Horatio’s words made him realize that maybe this was the real world. With that decision in mind, he drifted into a dreamless sleep.
The next time he awoke, it was to Calleigh standing over him. She looked as if she were on the verge of tears, and Eric only vaguely understood why.
“Oh, Eric I’m glad you’re alright,” she murmured, grasping his hand. “When I heard you were shot, I didn’t think there was any way you could make it. Why is it that all the men I work with get themselves into life-or-death situations?”
“Calleigh,” Eric whispered, ignoring her question. “I saw Speed.”
Calleigh gasped softly. “How was he?” she asked in a trembling voice. Even after over two years, the loss of their teammate hurt.
“He was… alive. Cal, it was really strange. Speed was alive and Ryan…” Eric cut himself off and gulped, trying to swallow the lump forming in his throat. He wasn’t sure why, but he felt comfortable telling Calleigh everything. Maybe it was because Calleigh was the only person who knew about him being in love with Ryan in the other world.
Calleigh sat down in the chair by his bed. “What about Ryan?”
“He was dead. Someone murdered him, shot him in the chest. His case was unsolved, and I reopened it. I never did find out who killed him, though.” A tear slipped down his cheek, but he was too exhausted to wipe it away.
Calleigh squeezed his hand gently to comfort him. “He’s not, you know. He’s just in a coma. There’s still a chance he’ll wake up.”
“You and I both know that every day his chances get slimmer. It’s been over a year, Calleigh. What are the odds he’ll still pull through?”
“I’ll admit the chances are pretty slim, but what happened to the optimistic Eric Delko we all know and love?”
Eric smiled humorlessly, but chose not to answer. So much had happened to him, apparently just in the last few hours, although it felt like so much more.
“So, what else happened in this world of yours? Anything good?”
Grateful for the change of subject, Eric nodded. “Ryan and I met-”
“I thought you said he was dead?” Calleigh cut in.
“He was. He was a ghost and I moved into the apartment he lived in when he was alive. I loved him, and I think he loved me too.”
“You were in love with a ghost?”
Eric nearly rolled his eyes, but figured that would probably hurt his head. “Are you even listening to me? I was in love with Ryan. He wasn’t a ghost to me. I could see him and touch him and talk to him like any other person. He got mad at me for leaving dirty dishes in the sink overnight. He was stubborn and easily angered.”
“So in other words, he was exactly like the Ryan you fell in love with before. The Ryan that probably thinks you hate him.”
“Yeah… Cal, what if he doesn’t wake up?”
“I don’t know, Eric. I honestly don’t know. I’m sorry.” In an effort to cheer up her friend, she added, “But you’re so stubborn you cheated death, and Ryan’s just as, if not more, stubborn than you.” Eric smiled at her attempt then yawned, exhaustion setting in. “Well, I guess I’ve kept you awake long enough. Get some rest.”
Before he could even close his eyes though, the door burst open. “Oh good, I thought I’d find you here Calleigh,” Alexx said breathlessly as she stepped in, a joyous expression on her face. “Ryan’s awake!”
Part 19