Fic: Bought and Paid For, Chapter 9 (CSI Miami, Ryan Wolfe / Eric Delko)
Title: Bought and Paid For, Chapter 9
Fandom: CSI Miami
Pair: Ryan Wolfe / Eric Delko
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Not mine, etc.
Feedback: Always welcome.
CSI Miami Main List
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Summary: Ryan Wolfe is a CSI working on a murder case. Eric Delko is a man of different vocation. A dead man brings them together.
PS: Despite the title, this is NOT a slave fic or anything similar. The meaning of the title becomes clear during the story, but it’s not what it sounds like.
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“You said-”
“I know, but there was some complications, and they had to get the bleeding under control before they could continue.”
“He’s been in there for six hours-”
“And that is surgery, not a sewing club.” The first voice boomed with a clearly annoyed tone. “It takes as long as it takes, and someone will come to tell you when it’s over.”
Eric heard the voices. Two women. He cracked one eye open and stared at the ceiling.
“So you’re finally awake.” The other female voice came closer and Eric turned his head. A blond dressed in white sat down next to the bed and leaned closer to talk to him. “How are you feeling?”
“Where am I?”
“What do you think?”
“In…” The whiteness of the walls, white covers over him, pale blue scrubs… The answer came to him without even thinking. “… hospital?”
“Yeah.”
“You’re… you were in one of those pictures Ryan had in his place. You and some creepy looking redhead and some other people…”
“That’s right.” The woman smiled. “I’m Calleigh Duquesne. Are you well enough to talk?”
“Tired, but… why am I here?”
“A man broke in when you were in CSI Wolfe’s apartment. Do you remember that?”
“Yeah… He had a gun.”
“I know. Fenwick said you collapsed after he got you off the cuffs, but the doctor said it’s just a stress reaction. We…” She looked a bit embarrassed. “We had to process you when they were examining you.”
“I’m fine. At least I think I’m fine…” Eric looked down. The only parts of his body that he could see were his hands, the rest of him was under the covers. Wide thick bandages covered his wrists in both hands.
“That came from the cuffs.” Calleigh explained. “They broke the skin, but other than that you don’t have other injuries.”
“He didn’t…?”
“There was some bruising in you thighs, but-”
“He stopped.” Eric said and a flash of memory came back to him. “He stopped and then there was shouting and… Gunshots?” The meaning of it dawned on him. “Where’s Ryan?”
“Garden heard them approaching and grabbed his gun, Ryan and Fenwick were just outside the bedroom door. Ryan left his cover to shoot.” Calleigh`s eyes wandered down nervously, as if she wasn’t ready to tell the rest of the story. “He hit Garden in the arm, Garden hit him in the chest. Fenwick got a good, clear line and shot Gardner.”
“Chest? He hit him in the chest?”
“Yes. They’re operating on him right now.”
“How bad is it?”
“He lost a lot of blood, and…” Her fingers fiddled with the lapels of her jacket. “He flat-lined in the ambulance.”
“But they would have told you if he wasn’t well, so they think he’ll recover, right?” Eric’s jittery voice revealed that he wasn’t any more convinced by his logic than Calleigh.
“I don’t know.” She sighed. “I don’t know, they don’t now, no one knows.” Her hair fell down on her face, hiding her eyes. “I… there will be an official report about the shooting.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean that you were in Ryan’s apartment in the middle of the night. You’re still involved in an active investigation. It’s in everyone’s best interest if any… other reasons for your presence are kept under wraps. You remembered something about those two dead men and you didn’t want to talk about it over the phone.” She send Eric a strict glare. “That’s how it was, wasn’t it?”
“Yeah.” Eric nodded. “Strictly business. I mean his kinda business, not mine.”
“Good.” Calleigh stated and turned away from him. “And… They both acted accordingly. Ryan and Fenwick. There’s no question about that, but there’s no need for rumours to start running around.”
“I won’t say anything.”
“Don’t get me wrong… I’m glad you got away with so little, but my co-workers laying on an operating table as we speak. I just can’t be very supportive right now.”
“That’s okay.”
“It wasn’t about work. When you went to his place.” Calleigh seemed to be galloping back and forth between topics, but in her distraught state it seemed oddly appropriate. “Am I right if I say it wasn’t about… money? He wasn’t after your customer service?”
“I was after him, not the other way around.” Eric smirked crookedly. “He was like a… challenge. He looked, but didn’t touch, when he came to my place.”
“Did you want him to touch?”
“Yeah. I kinda conned my way to his apartment. Is this just between us?”
“Yeah. There’s been enough drama for one case, it doesn’t need any spicing up.”
“I could spice him up real well…” The smirk disappeared from his face. “If he makes it.”
“When he makes it.”
“No, if. I lead that guy to his place. If I had just gone with that guy and let him do what he wanted right away, he could have been gone before-”
“No. You could be dead, so don’t even think about that. And you didn’t lead him to Ryan’s apartment, he followed Ryan when he left your place.”
“Really?”
“That’s why Ryan and Fenwick came to check on you. They found his phone and a bunch of pictures of Ryan. All the others were taken in front of your building, but the last one was outside his apartment.”
“Excuse me.” An elderly nurse knocked on the door and walked in. “Miss Duquesne?”
“Yes, that’s me.” Calleigh got up to face her.
“You were waiting for news about Mr. Wolfe.”
“Yes.”
“He’s out of surgery now.”
“And he’s…?”
“He’s stabile, but the next forty-eight hours are critical. The gunshot caused a lot of damage, and he lost a large quantity of blood.”
“Can I see him?”
“No.” The nurse gave both of them a sympathetic look. “He’s in isolation due to the infection risk.”
Interlude & Chapter 10/11