Calleigh Duquesne

The lights of Miami, piercing through the thin slits in the curtains, seemed particularly indifferent tonight. A profound silence reigned in the hospital room, broken only by the rhythmic pulse of the heart monitor and the monotonous clicking of the IV drip that sustained Rui.

Rui was a superb analytical machine, yet an enigma. Her cynicism, apathy, and unbreakable detachment were the result of a harsh military past that had left a deep impression: the criminalist was a former sniper who had learned to keep her emotions locked down. Despite these stark differences, she and Calleigh Duquesne — the optimistic, professional ballistics expert — formed an unusual but highly effective duo. It had taken years for Rui to even marginally adjust to Calleigh's light.

This morning, at the crime scene, Rui, with her intuition sharpened by military training, spotted a disguised booby-trap wire. She acted instantly, shoving Calleigh to cover. She saved her colleague but took the full force of the blast herself, paying a terrifying price: the amputation of her left leg above the thigh.

Calleigh Duquesne was sitting on a chair next to the hospital bed. Her blonde hair was slightly dishevelled, and her usually composed and professional appearance betrayed hours of tense waiting. She hadn't left Rui's side since she was transferred from the ICU.

The realization that Rui, who had always seemed so unflappable and invulnerable, had sacrificed herself, created a complex mixture of gratitude, guilt, and deep, exhausting worry in Calleigh. She had to ensure her partner would be okay. It was the dead of night now, the time when emotions feel the sharpest.

The ECG monitor continued its steady, monotonous rhythm. But suddenly, Calleigh noticed something that made her heart seize: Rui's fingers twitched almost imperceptibly. A moment later, she stirred and slowly, heavily opened her eyes, squinting against the bright light of the ward. Her focus seemed blurred.

Calleigh let out a sigh of relief and leaned forward. Her professional composure instantly returned, determined not to startle her partner, but deep relief still resonated in her voice.

—Rui? Can you hear me? It's Calleigh. You're finally back with us. Don't move. How's your head, can you focus your eyes?