Title: All Grown Up

Author: Kasandra

Rating: FRC/K+

Content Warning: Some language.

Disclaimer: Don't own; don't sue. Thanks

Pairing/Characters: Speed/Calleigh

Spoilers: None.

Classification: Romance/Humor

Summary: She'd always be Tim's little girl.

Archive: Yes at Count: 1,616

AN: This is ficlet for the MiamiFicTalk community prompt challenge.

Challenge Prompt: # 15 Flashback.

The once young, robust criminalist with boyish good looks had aged quite handsomely. Fine lines weathered his face, gray hair speckled his dark waves and steel wire frames completed the look. His wife watched him earnestly as he stared at the young bride who was chatting happily with guests, with her husband at her side.

"Tim? Are you alright?" Calleigh questioned concerned.

Tim turned to face his wife, who in his opinion was still as gorgeous as the first time he ever laid eyes on her. "What makes you think that there is anything wrong?"

"Oh, well, nothing except the fact that you've been staring at Lexie for the past half hour," Calleigh replied. She reached over and patted his arm affectionately. "I know it hurts, but you have to let her go."

Tim pinched the bridge of his nose. "She is a spitting image of you on our wedding day."

"She's got your eyes though," Calleigh replied as she too, looked at her daughter. "Twenty-eight years sure go by fast."

Tim grunted his agreement. "I remember the day she was born; it seems like yesterday."

"Uh, Tim…" Calleigh arched her brow, "Believe me when I say I remember."

Tim chuckled. "It's just that one minute she was holding her tiny head up and now she's getting married! Damn," he muttered in disbelief.

Tim looked up from the paper he was reading to his wife who was holding their two month old daughter in her arms.

"I need you to watch Lexie for a few minutes as I run to the store. Do you need anything while I am gone?" Calleigh questioned.

"Wait… you can't just leave me alone with Lexie just yet," Tim protested.

Calleigh shook her head as she handed him their daughter. "You'll be fine. She's just been fed; she should be settling in for a nap soon enough."

Tim stared at his tiny daughter, who was staring back. She yawned and her eyelids began to droop. "I guess I should go put her in her crib."

Calleigh beamed and gave him a quick peck on the lips. "If you need me, I'll be on my cell."

A few minutes turned into an hour and Calleigh still hadn't returned. Tim heard Lexie begin to fuss through the baby monitor and by the time he reached the nursery, Lexie had begun to wail.

"Oh, daddy's here," Tim cooed picking her up. "What's wrong pretty brown eyes?"

Lexie continued to wail, tears streaming down her chubby pink cheeks. Tim rocked her in hopes to soothe her.

It didn't work.

After a horrible attempt to sing to his daughter, Tim turned to playing puppeteer. When that failed, Tim rocked her some more and tried to give her another bottle. It finally dawned on him that Lexie might need her diaper changed. He finally managed to get one on Lexie – with the added use of duct tape.

By the time Calleigh did return; Tim had vowed to get a vasectomy. There was no way he was going through this again. Eighteen years seemed tough enough.

"I'm pregnant," Calleigh replied to him years later.

"Excuse me? What?" Tim replied in shock. "I thought…but…what?"

"I know we didn't plan for another baby, but we're going to have another one!" Calleigh replied excitedly. Tim shook himself out of his daze and a grin broke onto his face. He pulled Calleigh into a kiss and they remained like that until she broke away.

"We should go tell Lexie that she's going to have a baby brother or sister," Calleigh murmured against Tim's stubbled cheek.

She felt Tim nod and he gave her arms a gentle squeeze before letting her go. "I'll catch up with you in a sec, okay?" Tim replied.

Minutes later, Tim heard Calleigh let out a scream. As he ran into the hallway, Calleigh emerged from Lexie's room, her face stricken with fear. "Lexie's gone."

"What do you mean Lexie's gone?" Tim demanded.

"I went into her room to talk to her and she's not there." Calleigh replied, her hand on her forehead. "Her drawers are all open…there are clothes on the floor. Christ, someone's taken her!"

"Impossible…" Tim barked. "She's got to be around here. Get on the phone – call Horatio. I'll go look outside!"

Tim thundered down the steps and just as he was about to scream out for Lexie, he found her with her suitcase sitting by the bus stop on the street, her fists propping her chin.

"Lexie!" Tim called out as he ran over to her. "Stay right there!"

She turned to him, tears running down her face. "Daddy!"

"Are you OK? Oh my God," Tim questioned, as he ran his hands over her golden curls. "Are you hurt? Do you have any boo boos?"

Lexie shook her head. "No… I…I… I was running away."

Tim blinked. "Why would you do something like that Lexie?"

"I heard mommy say that she was going to have another baby. I thought I did something bad so I decided to run away," Lexie replied, her dark eyes brimming with tears.

"No, no, Lexie. You didn't do anything bad," Tim replied. "Running away is not the answer though. You had mommy and I very scared." He picked her up and then reached for her suit case. Come on pretty brown eyes. Let's go home."

"What in the hell is that on your back?" Tim questioned his seventeen year old daughter.

Lexie looked at him with wide eyes before raising her chin in defiance. "It's just a tattoo dad. It's not a big deal."

"Alexandra Rose Speedle, you had better hope that tattoo comes off with soap and water," Tim yelled at his daughter. "Wait 'til your mother hears about this."

"Dad, I'm going to be eighteen in a few months. What is your problem?" Lexie questioned with her hands on her hips. "Besides, mom knows."

"Mom knows? What do you mean she knows?" Tim wondered. "Calleigh!"

"Mom overheard me bragging about it. We talked about it and she was fine. Besides, she's got a tattoo herself," Lexie countered. "It's just a teeny rose. You don't want to see what Laura Jenkins got."

"I don't care about Laura Jenkins; she's not my kid. And as for your mother, she's different." Tim replied, his anger rising. "When you live under my house you live under my rules. What kind of place lets seventeen year olds get tattooed? I'm going to find this place and have them shut down."

Lexie rolled her eyes. "Whatever, I have to go. I'm late for school."

"You are grounded for two months!" Tim called out which caused Lexie to promptly halt in her movements.

"Grounded? Come on dad! Mom said it was OK!" Lexie screeched.

"I'm going to have a talk with your mother. Now, go get to school before you get there even later than it is. We'll talk about your punishment when you come home after practice," Tim snapped.

"Ugh, I hate you!" Lexie yelled as she slung her bag over her shoulder.

Calleigh emerged from the den an amused look on her face. "Congratulations, you're officially a parent," she teased. Tim gave her a hard look and she shrugged, laughing. "It's true. When they say they hate you, it means you've done a good job."

"Dad? Dad!"

Tim looked up to see his daughter snapping her fingers in front of him. She smiled as she realized she got his attention.

Lexie tugged on his hand. "Dad, the father/daughter dance is going to start soon."

Tim smiled at her. "Okay," he replied and allowed her to lead him to the dance floor. The DJ made an announcement and "Butterfly Kisses" began to play. Tim always had two left feet when it came to dancing, but whilst his engagement to Calleigh, she had made him take lessons. He still thought he was terrible, but he didn't care at the moment.

"Thank you dad, for everything," Lexie whispered against his cheek as they danced. Tim felt his cheek grow damp and he realized she was crying. He pulled away and brushed her cheek with his thumb.

"No tears pretty brown eyes," Tim gently chastised her calling her by the nickname he had given her when she was a little girl.

Lexie laughed, before giving a small wave to her husband who watched her from across the room. They continued to dance and soon enough, the song changed and they were approached by her husband. "May I cut in?"

"You take good care of her," Tim replied. "Her mom and I may be old coots but we're still CSIs. And her mom is still as quick as a whip when it comes to guns," he added.

Lexie and her husband smiled and Tim couldn't help but see the six year old who had threatened to run away all those years ago. Calleigh approached him, pressing herself against his back.

"Oh Tim you'll be fine. Besides Jenna's just moved back home from college and Rachel's only half way through high school," Calleigh reminded him as she wrapped her arms around him. Tim held her tightly as they swayed to the music.

"I know, but she's our first. She'll always be my baby," Tim choked.

Calleigh pressed a kiss on his lips, before quipping, "If you get this emotional now, imagine when she tells us that she's pregnant!"

FIN.