72 Hours
Disclaimer: These characters are owned by creators, producers, etc., not me. I'm just borrowing them.
A/N: Each segment is written in the style of a flash fic & is exactly 150 words, not including title. Each one offers a glimpse of a larger picture & together they tell a complete story. This fic is set in the future following 'Irrational' & continues the series that begins w/ 'A Perfect Place' & ends w/ 'Promises Made'.
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72 Hours
36 Hours and Counting
It's been a day and a half since Tim began working this case and he's long past exhausted. He hasn't been home at all and judging by the number of evidence envelopes piled in front of him, it'll be some time before he ever gets there.
The entire lab's been going nonstop since the discovery of a little girl's partially buried body. Extensive searching of the area turned up three additional young murder victims, each exhibiting evidence of sexual assault and torture.
The tiny victims are heartbreaking, but what haunts him are their unseeing eyes: small, wide and filled with absolute terror.
Living every parent's nightmare, this case hits too close to home, striking a cord of fear and making his blood run cold. Tim's finding it harder and harder not to react, but he's got a job to do, so he keeps working and pushes away thoughts of home.
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Disappointment Abounds
Calleigh sighs wearily as she hangs up the phone. He'll try to get home, but probably will sleep at the lab. 'It's just not a good time to leave work,' he informed her during their brief, disappointing conversation. The distraction and fatigue she expects, but his emotional detachment is a surprise.
She tries to push it from her mind as she heads into the pale pink bedroom, where two blonde heads pop up from their pillows when she enters.
"Is Daddy home now?"
She shakes her head as she sits down on one of the twin beds. "Sorry Sweetie, he's gonna have to stay at work."
"Is he never coming home?"
Reaching out to stroke the soft, golden curls of one, she's soon joined on the bed by the other. They may resemble her in every way, but there's no question, these disappointed two are Daddy's girls.
"I'll read tonight."
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Anguish
With heavy heart, Tim inserts the key into the lock and exhales heavily. A parade of disturbing images continues to flash before him, causing him to instinctively clamp down his eyelids in an effort to banish them.
His exhaustion and despair cling to him like the rumpled clothing that hangs on his frame. They are etched into the lines on his face, but no where are they more evident than in the flatness of his normally expressive eyes.
Three days chasing the evidence, of shutting himself down and closing himself off. Three days of hoping it will be enough, but knowing that sometimes, no matter what he does, it isn't.
Three days given up, in a desperate attempt to prevent another small, lifeless body from being found in a shallow dirt grave. And maybe failing.
'Why do I keep at this?' he silently asks himself. 'What good did I do?'
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Restless Waiting
Calleigh shifts uneasily in the chair, her efforts hampered by the two sleepy little girls in her lap. She glances at the clock on the wall before she opens the storybook in her hands.
"Once upon a time," she begins, only to be halted by another round of questions.
Peppered by endless queries, to which she has had no answers, at least none that will satisfy the grasp of three year olds, she sighs heavily.
She watches as one yawns and then the other. Sleep has not come easily these past couple nights and she can sympathize with them, for it has eluded her as well. Looking into the identical, heavy lidded, green gazes on either side of her, ones she knows mirror her own, she can't help but smile at the hopefulness she sees.
This time she can give them the answer she knows they've been waiting for.
"Soon."
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Answers Provided
Tim stands unmoving on the stoop, unable to quell the demons that plague him. Guilt, frustration and despondency begin to overwhelm him as he rests his forehead against the door. He is close to losing the tight control he has held over his emotions for the past three days. His job is killing him.
A sudden, anxious need to be home courses through him as he turns the handle.
The unexpected silence that greets him, quickens his pulse as he makes his way inside. Anxiety grips him while he wanders the house.
"Daddy!" two voices squeal in unison. "You're home!"
A pair of identical, little girls come out from the bedroom and race to him with arms outstretched. With delighted smiles and sleepy eyes, they throw themselves into his embrace. He sighs deeply, holds them tightly.
They're safe. They're what matters. They're what keep him going when nothing else can.
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Keeping Watch
From her position in the doorway, Calleigh silently watches her family and can't help but smile. The worry of the past few days has been replaced with a feeling of contentment. The threesome before her sit huddled together in a single twin bed, oblivious to the lack of space, or her nearby presence.
Giggles and bits of animated conversation fill the air, thoughts of sleep, long gone. There are stories to tell, hugs and kisses to catch up on.
He catches her eye, offers a smile and a wordless message passes between them before he turns away.
She imagines he needs this time as much, maybe more than they do. Calleigh understands, all too well, how difficult the past few days have been and knows the toll this job exacts. Plagued with guilt, he never thinks he's done enough.
If he only knew how far from the truth that was.
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Truth and Fear
Spooned against her back, Tim holds his wife tightly, trying not to disturb her slumber. He still can't relax and isn't ready to close his eyes. There's too much on his mind that he can't let go of.
Up three times to check on his girls, he needs to see them snug in their beds, stuffed animals by their side, in order to believe that they are safe.
She turns in his embrace, feels the tension in his body and presses soft kisses on his face. As if able to read his mind, she knows what he needs.
"They're fine, they're not going anywhere. I'm right here with you." She strokes his cheek and he leans into her touch.
"I just want to keep them safe. And you," he says softly and she nods.
They are the best part of his life and he would be lost forever without them.
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Holding Tight
His hold on her waist has loosened and Calleigh can tell by his even breathing that he has drifted off to sleep.
The past three days have taken more out of Tim than he will ever admit. It is a herculean task to witness inhumanity daily, then deal with the resulting onslaught of emotions that accompany the job. The baggage he carries, wears him down and depletes him.
He thinks he has nothing left to give, yet this home, this family, is all because of him. His love for them astounds her, but she wonders if he will ever truly believe he is worthy of their love in return. She knows his biggest fear is that it will all slip from his grasp.
She thinks about his whispered words, spoken in the dark, before he finally closed his eyes. 'Please just keep loving me.'
As if she could ever stop.
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Thankful
A persistent, soft tapping on his shoulder, along with a simultaneous tapping on his arm, rouses him from sleep. He turns over to face the culprits, opening one sleepy eye, then the other. This causes an eruption of giggles, followed by, "You're still here," from one, then, "Will you make us breakfast?" from the other.
He gazes into the eager faces of his daughters and can't help but grin at them, as he nods his head. More giggles. He holds his finger to his lips. "Don't wake Mommy. I'll make waffles, wanna help me?" he whispers. They nod, smiling happily and race to the kitchen.
A quick glance at the clock causes him to wince. 'Sleep is overrated,' he muses with a chuckle. He feels nothing like the burned out shell from yesterday and he knows exactly why.
He turns to his slumbering wife and offers a silent 'thank you.'
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Having It All
Calleigh pads into the kitchen besieged by the clatter, laughter and powerful aromas. It can only mean one thing: Tim is cooking and he has help.
Sleep was her goal this morning, but all the fun is in here and she doesn't want to miss any of it.
Three delighted smiles greet her. One comes forward bearing coffee and a kiss. A single kiss is never enough, so she pulls him back for more, mindful of the giggles this activity elicits.
Once seated, she surveys the damage with a growing smile. The kitchen has seen better days, but the man in charge of this chaos and his pint sized helpers have never looked happier.
The lump grows in her throat. For so many years, she believed a loving home like this was only a distant dream.
He claims she saved him, but in truth, it is he who saved her.
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Together
Milk spills, juice spills and waffles slide off plates, but breakfast together is worth a bit of a mess. After eating, the twins skip off to color, while their parents tackle the kitchen.
"There's batter in the silverware drawer. How's that possible?" Calleigh asks, disbelieving.
"Oh. There was a bit of a spill with the first batch," Tim answers sheepishly. "I thought we got it all."
"Not quite," she laughs.
"It was pretty early, I was barely awake. Speaking of which, the girls were up late last night and up early this morning, any chance they might take a nap?"
She shrugs. "Sometimes bribery works."
"How about the zoo this afternoon?"
"That'll do it." She smiles. "So, did you have any special plans for nap time?"
"I've missed you," he begins and pulls her into his arms, "and I was thinking that we could spend it any way you'd like."
the end