Okay kids, this is the last chapter for this story. I'm so sorry that this took so long to update, but I hit a major writer's block and couldn't figure out how to get, literarily, from a to z. Suddenly this week the block cleared and I could find the road. Thanks to everyone who reviewed and thanks for the patience. I had fun writing this and I hope everyone had fun reading it. I still have a few more stories to tell, so keep looking for them.

Stepping Forward

Jenny held her hands out as her patient grabbed the parallel bars and shakily stood on her own two feet. "Just come across to me. You can do this."

Giving Jenny a skeptical look, Calleigh began her slow and, to her, torturous trek of the twelve feet between her and her therapist. "That's easy for you to say."

Jenny smiled reassuringly at her. "You know I wouldn't encourage you if I thought you'd fail dismally. You might not get all the way over to me, but you'll get somewhere. Just give it a try, Calleigh; you've been making amazing progress so far."

"Alright, but if I fall flat on my face-"

"You won't because you're too strong for that. And don't look down; look at me," Jenny coached as she watched Calleigh slowly advance. "Come on, sweetie, you're almost there."

Calleigh grunted in effort as she made her way toward Jenny. There was no pain, just a deep and exhausting heaviness as she struggled to shift her weight and move each leg forward. The fact that the braces were on the heavy side wasn't helping. "Hey, can we give it a go without the braces? They weigh a ton."

"No, they're helping you to rebuild your strength right now. Besides, you still need them to keep your feet from turning in," Jenny said, her fingers brushing Calleigh's wrists before pulling back a couple of steps. "Almost there."

She was panting, sweat beginning to bead on her forehead; her arms began to shake from bearing most of her weight for so long. "I can't."

"Yes, you can. Calleigh, look up at me. Look where you are. Yes you can," Jenny said forcefully, sensing her patient on the verge of giving up. That's when she realized that Calleigh didn't actually believe that she could make the distance on her own. "Two more steps and you'll be there."

Knees and elbows beginning to buckle, she looked up and fell into Jenny's arms, letting out a joyful sob. "I did it. I didn't think I could. It was so hard, but I did it. Thank you."

Jenny settled her on the waiting chair and gave her a hug. "I told you you could do this. Why do you persist in doubting yourself and what you can do? Remember, there is no try, just do."

Still breathing hard, Calleigh rolled her eyes and laughed. "Thanks, Yoda. I guess I'm trying to stay cautious in what I expect of myself. I don't want to be disappointed if this is as far as it gets."

Jenny sat in front of her and took her shaking hands. "I understand, I really do, but remember to let yourself hope and be open to anything that comes along. There's a certain amount of audacity in letting yourself hope for something more, something better. Be audacious in hoping, Calleigh, because you've already passed every expectation that Dr. Santos and I have had for you. You just keep crossing the line that we've drawn in the sand for you. I really do believe that, with enough time and hard work, you're going to walk, maybe even run again. Let's just not put a time limit on that. There are no timetables here. It could happen next week, next month or next year, but I believe it will happen. Keep hoping and make it happen."

"You really think I will?" Calleigh asked, hesitation in believing it in her voice.

"Yes, I do. You're allowed to hope now, Calleigh. You really are. Celebrate it; embrace it. Believe in it because it will happen. Dr. Santos wants to take a couple of tests to make sure we're on the right track," Jenny said. "Then the rest is up to you."

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Calleigh held Eric's hand tightly as Dr. Santos sat opposite them. "Well, what do the results say?"

Maria fixed her with an unbelieving stare. "You're a miracle, do you know that, Calleigh? First you're infected with an illness that has the highest kill rate next to Ebola, beat a brain damaging fever, slip into a near coma state only to wake up several weeks later, very weak, but completely free of the bacteria. If that wasn't enough, you've worked like a demon to overcome paralysis, not even knowing if it was possible. Do I think that you'll regain full use of your legs? Yes, I do. You simply can't not do so. You're a medical miracle and I am humbly privileged to be a part of it. The rest of your life is one hell of a gift. I know you'll make good use of it."

Calleigh looked down, trying to swallow past the enormous lump that rose in her throat. She sniffed once, twice, blinking back tears of joy. She was going to get her old life back and it was still sinking in. She was going to walk; she just didn't know when. When she could speak she cleared her throat, "Thank you for everything you did for me, Maria. I really mean it. You never gave up on me and you could have. You could have just thrown your hands in the air when I went unconscious and left me to hospice care. You fought for me, for my life and I don't know what I can ever do for you to convey how grateful I am."

Maria smiled at her. "I think you just did. Gabe will be monitoring you after I go home to Pennsylvania. It's been a pleasure, Calleigh and it's been good getting to know you, too, Eric. Keep taking good care of her."

"I will, doc; I promise," Eric said, his arm around Calleigh's shoulder. He turned to her, his heart bursting with joy. "Can we celebrate all out, now?"

Calleigh laughed, throwing her arms around him. "Yes, yes we can!"

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"Are you sure you're up to it, Calleigh? I mean, you've only started back full time a few weeks ago and you've pulled some long hours. Wouldn't you rather spend Saturday resting instead of throwing a barbecue for everyone?" Natalia said as the two ladies worked side by side in the Trace Lab.

Calleigh sighed and looked up at her friend. "Nat, I've been given a second chance, thanks to modern medicine and I want to just celebrate it; and I want to celebrate it with all of you."

"So you've got your wind back, then?" Natalia asked and then squinted at her evidence. "Calleigh, what is this stain?"

"I have no idea. Bring it down here so I can get a good look at it," Calleigh said, trying to suppress a grin. Over the last weeks she had been working extra hard at strengthening her legs and improving her range of motion. Just the day before she had graduated to using crutches to help her get herself around. It was exhausting work, but she was more encouraged than ever to keep working at it. She wasn't going to be asking for evidence to be brought down to her for all that much longer.

"See what I mean? I can't tell exactly what that is," Natalia said, highlighting the stain.

"It's a body fluid of some kind. It is a bed sheet, after all. It's entirely possible that could be a product of intercourse. Why don't we get a sample and send it to Valera and let her sort it out?" Calleigh replied, checking her watch. "I hate to say this, but I need to go. I have therapy in half an hour and Horatio promised to drive me and pick me up."

Natalia looked down at her. "How's that going, by the way? You never talk about it. I'm not trying to be nosy, but is it doing anything? Is it helping?"

Calleigh couldn't help but smile up at her very concerned friend. "Yes, it's helping. I don't talk about it because I don't want to bore anyone with it. It is pretty boring, you know. I do like the hydrotherapy, though."

"Calleigh, almost ready to go?" Horatio asked, entering the lab. He jangled his car keys.

She grinned at him, rolling past him into the hall. "Just let me grab my purse and we can go."

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"Hey, Frank, give the grill a rest," Ryan called as Natalia tossed the Frisbee at him. "I'm getting killed here. It's two against one."

"Yeah, yeah, just let me baste the ribs one more time," he said.

Alexx shook her head at him. "They're already coated."

He shot her a glare. "And who won the Spearman Texas barbecue cook off eight years in a row? That wouldn't be you, doc. Leave me to my basting. I don't tell you how to post a vic."

Horatio stretched out in the lawn chair and chuckled at the playful banter going on around him. He had to admit that the barbecue was doing everyone good as they all got reconnected again. Though, what was taking Eric and Calleigh so long? They both got everyone settled and happy and then disappeared. "Hey, Calleigh, Eric, what's taking you so long?"

"Just a minute, Horatio. It'll be worth the wait, I think," Calleigh called back from inside the house. She gave Eric a final grin and nodded. Eric pulled back the sheer curtain and slid the patio door open and let Calleigh walk out ahead of him. "Well, what do you think of my newest accessory?"

Horatio looked over at her and his jaw dropped. She was standing on her own two feet, aided by crutches, but she was completely standing."You're-"

"Yeah."

Ryan looked over just as the Frisbee collided with his chest. "Calleigh-"

Frank seemed to recover from the surprise quicker than anyone. He dropped his barbecue brush into the sauce and shot across the patio, scooping her up and spinning her around, letting out a joyful holler as he did so. He set her carefully back on her feet, making sure she was steady before letting her go.

"When, when did this happen?" Horatio stuttered, still reeling from the shock.

"A couple of weeks ago. I've been bursting to tell everyone, but I thought I'd just let you see for yourselves," she replied, making her way to one of the chairs. "I'll still need the chair at work for a while, but I'm walking again."

"Honey, what did the doctors say?" Alexx asked because Gabe and Maria told her nothing. She knew that Maria was planning on flying back to Pennsylvania at the end of the next week. She just assumed that Calleigh had improved as far as she could and Maria was closing the case.

"Horatio, you're going to have to have my Lab refit again. No rush, though. I'm no where near the point where I'll be able to spend a lot of time on my feet. This is just the beginning," Calleigh replied, grinning madly at her friends, her family.

"Well don't you just beat all?" Frank said bemusedly.

Natalia hugged her tightly. "I had a feeling the other day that you were keeping quiet and were being evasive when I asked how your therapy was doing. Why didn't you just tell me that you were walking?"

"What, and miss that look on your face? No way," she replied. "It was priceless."

Eric re-emerged from the house with two champagne bottles in his hands. "I think this needs to be toasted with some of the good stuff."

Calleigh shook her head. "You didn't have to..." She looked at the year and her eyes went wide. "Eric, these bottles just might total your entire paycheck. Why did you...?"

He leaned down and tenderly kissed her for them all to see. "Because this is a celebration, I love you and we're all worth it."

"Then pop that cork so we can all get a little liquid happy," Ryan said, leaning over and giving Calleigh a small kiss on the cheek. "I'm so glad you're going to walk again. I'm really happy for you."

"Thanks, babe," she replied as she accepted a glass of champagne. She waited until everyone had on in hand. "I want to make a toast. It's to all of you. Alexx, you made Eric take me to the ER so that I could get help right away. I know I could have died if it wasn't for you. Horatio, Catholic guilt or not, it still isn't your fault. Ryan, Natalia, Frank, thank you for being there for me. Thank you for visiting me and driving me everywhere and just being around. Eric, I couldn't have made it without you there the whole time. Your strength and love and constant hopefulness kept me afloat when I struggled not to go under. I love you all and thank you."

Here here's were said and several hugs and kisses were given and taken before Calleigh wiped teary eyes. "Frank, where is your eight time award winning barbecue? I'm starving!"

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Eight months later...

"Calleigh, we have a call out to the 'Glades; feel like coming?" Horatio asked, sticking his head into Firearms.

"DB's and plenty of decomp and biohazard?" she asked as she looked up from her scope. "Stagnant water?"

"In spades," Horatio replied.

Calleigh stepped away from her scope and took off her lab coat. "What are you waiting for?" she asked already jogging for the elevator.