When The Sand Runs Out, a csi: miami fanfic

Song fic about Eric Delko at Speed's grave

Song fic about the team at Speed's grave at his death's anniversary

Disclaimer: I do not own CSI: Miami or anything associated with it, which is so saddening, but I can still dream, can't I?

Authors Note: I know Speed took chances and stuff, he wasn't like the song describes, but I love this song, had to do a song fic about it

Eric had been feeling really restless that day at work, and almost everyone could tell that something was bothering him. There was something bothering him, it was the fact that it was the two year anniversary of Speed's death, and no one said anything about it. He was kind of frustrated and all, but he knew it was painful for everyone to bring up, especially Calleigh and Horatio. He knew it, but still, he felt like everyone had forgotten Speed, replaced him with Ryan and Natalia. When shift ended, he took off for the graveyard, but stopped just as he pulled up. He took off again, but this time he went to the flower store to get some flowers. When the sales lady took his order, she said,

"Order for a special lady friend?" Eric looked at her before replying,

"No, flowers for one of my best friends,"

"Oh, do you want them delivered?"

"No, I'd rather do it myself," The lady look puzzled, and Eric sighed and said,

"He's in the graveyard, so I want to do it myself,"

"Oh, I am sorry about that," Eric nodded and left without another word. He drove back to the cemetery and went straight to Speed's grave. He had memorized the location, he could find it in the dark if he had too. He knelt by the grave and said a quick prayer before standing up and gently dropping the flowers on the grave. He looked down and just started talking to Speed for a moment.

I spent the mornin' at an old friends grave, flowers and amazing grace he was a good man, he spent his whole life spinnin' his wheels, never knowin' how the real thing feels, he never took a chance, or took the time to dance, and I stood there thinkin' as I said good-bye, today's the first day, of the rest of my life,

"Hey, Speed, it's Eric, but I bet you knew that, didn't you? Well, I'm just so frustrated at everyone, it's like they're acting like you never existed, like Ryan and Natalia replaced you, though I've got nothing against them, believe me. They didn't talk about it at all, and it just doesn't seem right or fair to me. I know that you'd say that it's painful for them to talk about it, and I know it is, it's painful for me too, but maybe it would help all of us to just talk about it, just talk about everything that has ever happened to us, you know? Just open up and be honest to everyone, maybe that would help us, I don't know. One thing I do know is that you were a good man, Speed, a really good man." What Eric didn't notice was a certain redheaded Lieutenant standing at a respectful distance watching one of his CSI's at another of his CSI's grave. He walked over to him in time to hear him say,

"You were a good man, Speed, a really good man," Horatio walked up next to him and said,

"Yes he was, Eric, and so are you," Eric spun around, startled, and then said relieved,

"Oh, H, it's you,"

"Yes, I guess we both had the same idea, huh?" Horatio asked as he pulled a few flowers. Eric nodded and backed away to let Horatio pay his respects privately.

I'm gonna stop looking back, and start movin' on, and learn how to face my fears, love with all of my heart, and make my mark, I wanna leave somethin' here, go out on a ledge, without any net, that's what I'm gonna be about, yeah I wanna be runnin', when the sand runs out,

Horatio knelt down, and said a prayer, and laid the flowers on the grave next to Eric's. Then, he said quietly,

"Hey Speed, it's Horatio, I know you already know that, but it just feels better to say it. Well, it's been two years, and somehow we've seemed to keep up our reputation without you're brilliant CSI brain. We all miss you, Speed, and I know that we don't talk about it, though we probably should. Maybe I'll get Eric, Calleigh, Alexx, Frank, Ryan and Natalia together and we'll open up about stuff that we never had before, like us five did before, you remember, Alexx, Calleigh, Eric, you and me. Well, I'd better go, Eric probably wants to say something else. Like he said, Speed, you were a good man, a really good man," Horatio stood up and Eric came back to stand next to him.

Cause people do it everyday, promise themselves their gonna change, I've been there, but I'm changin' from the inside out, that was then, and this is now I'm a new man, yeah I'm a brand new man, and when they carve my stone they'll write these words, Here lies a man who lived life, for all that's it's worth,

"I really miss him sometimes, H," Eric said, and Horatio nodded, and said,

"Me too, Eric, me too," They didn't know that while they were talking, a certain Southern blonde woman was standing back, watching the two of them, waiting for them to be done praying so she wouldn't interrupt. She saw them both take a few steps away, and then started walking towards them. She stopped a few yards away, and saw something a little while away. She studied it for a moment, and then gasped. Horatio and Eric spun around and saw a white faced Calleigh with wide blue eyes filled with fear and disbelief. Eric grabbed her arm and Horatio said, his voice filled with concern,

"Calleigh, are you all right?" She shook her head to clear it and then pointed, saying,

"Oh my God, it's Tim," Eric looked at her, and then his gaze followed where she was pointing. He didn't see anything, and Calleigh dropped her arm. Horatio said gently,

"He's dead, Calleigh,"

"I know that! It wasn't really him, it was more like his, his ghost or something like that," Calleigh said, and stepped away from Eric. Eric and Horatio glanced at each other, worried about Calleigh's mental health, but then she said,

"I know you guys think I'm crazy, but I swear I saw him, you guys can't tell me you haven't seen him before," Eric shrugged, and Calleigh said,

"Whatever, just forget I said anything, all right?"

"All right Calleigh, okay," Horatio said soothingly, and Calleigh smiled at him and said,

"So, I guess we all had the same idea, huh?"

"Yeah, guess so," Eric said, and Horatio gestured for Eric to follow him. They stepped away, letting Calleigh pay her respects to Speed in private. While they talked about Calleigh, Calleigh talked to Speed, basically telling him the same things Horatio and Eric talked to him about. Then she said,

"I know I'm not crazy, Speed, please show them that you're still here, or something, please, I don't want them to think that I'm crazy, I really don't, please," Calleigh finished, and then stood up after saying a prayer. She laid a bunch of flowers on the grave and smiled at the thought that Speed hated flowers.

And as the cold wind blows across the graveyard I think I hear, the voice of my old friend whisper, in my ear,

She walked back over to Eric and Horatio, and heard her name.

"Stop talking about me, please," She said, walking up next to them, and they looked caught. She smiled and then said,

"I told you that I wasn't crazy, look!" She pointed, and there stood Tim Speedle. Eric and Horatio gasped, and Calleigh smiled. Speed waved at them once, and they all raised their hands in farewell. Speed turned and walked away, and Eric and Horatio turned to look at Calleigh who was looking at them with an 'I told you so' expression on her face and her hands on her hips. They sighed, and Calleigh smiled. Then, the smile disappeared to be replaced with a sad expression, as Speed had been like a brother to her, and it hurt to lose him. Horatio and Eric both put their hands on her shoulders and smiled at her. She smiled back, albeit sadly, and then they walked back to their cars together, and then Horatio told them about his plan to get them together again and have them all open up, like they had done before. Eric and Calleigh sighed, but agreed that it might help.

Then, they all got in their cars and drove to the diner to have one last drink before they all went home. They all talked about Speed, and then when they had had a few drinks, they all left to go home and dream about one of their own that was lost in a tragic battle.

The End

That song was 'When The Sand Runs Out' by Rascal Flatts, and I love that song, it's so beautiful, I think, because I love Rascal Flatts. So, thanks for reading, and I love reviews, which was a big hint to PLEASE REVIEW!! So, once again, thank you soooooo much for reviewing!!