The ringing of a cell phone, followed by the annoying buzzing of the alarm clock, on the cherry stained bedside table woke, Tim Speedle up. He realized he had forgotten to turn his alarm off before going to bed. As for the cell phone he searched for it not with urgency but with 'where the hell is it,' and 'I know it's here somewhere' type attitude. He finally found it under his pillow. How it got there he had no idea. "Hello," he said groggily.
"Speed, I need you at a scene. How soon can you get here?" His boss, Lt. Horatio Caine asked. Tim Speedle groaned. He was supposed to be on vacation.
"H, it's my vacation… Yeah I'll be there. Where are you?" Speed asked still trying to wake himself up. Horatio gave him his location, and hung up, letting his CSI get ready.
Rolling over to his right side he stared at the figure laying next to him. She hadn't even moved or opened her eyes. Speed cuddled her for a minute before whispering in her ear. "Lauren, wake up sweetheart. Horatio called and I have to go into work." Feeling her stir he scooted back a little.
"What?" she asked groggily, rolling onto her back. "Timmy, I thought you were supposed to have the whole week off? We're supposed to go New York."
"I know my love, but Horatio needs help at work." He leaned forward to give his fiancé a kiss. Speed had asked her to marry him last night after they're dinner date on the water. They both had been working a lot these past few weeks. Tim, a CSI and Lauren, an Interior Designer. She and two of her interior design friends owned their own successful interior business in downtown Miami.
Sighing Lauren said, "I know. I should probably go into work for a few hours. Check off some stuff on the to-do list. Plus, I need to take Molly to the doctors."
Molly was Lauren's eight-year-old sister. Both their parents were in jail for selling and possessing illegal drugs. Lauren's parents had struggled with drugs ever since she could remember. Her mother even did drugs while she had been pregnant with Molly. Lauren had and still was taking care of her. Molly adored Speed to no end. He was like her big brother. For Molly, Speed was like her superhero.
"Is she not feeling good again?"
"No, last night when we got home, Teagan said she was sleeping all night and her ear was hurting her. She couldn't find the thermometer so she couldn't see if she had a fever." Teagan was their eighteen-year-old babysitter, who was amazing with kids and lived in their apartment complex. "But you need to get going before Horatio fires you for being late," Lauren added giving him another kiss.
She knew Horatio would never fire, Speed. Horatio was the only one whom she had the chance to meet other than Megan Donner. She no longer worked at the Miami-Dade Crime lab. Speed was a very private man with a hard shell around him, but once cracked he's the just a soft teddy bear.
Speed sighed. "Yeah. I'll be in the shower." He gave her a quick kiss before sliding out of bed.
Lauren sat up, and fixed her twisted pajama pants and tank top when she heard footsteps in the hallway. A soft knock followed. "Lauren, can I come in?" came Molly's voice from behind the door.
"Yeah, you can come in. The doors open, sweetheart," Lauren said. Molly made her way in, and climbed up onto the bed beside Lauren. She snuggled into her sister's arms. Lauren could hear the faint sound of Molly crying. "You okay, Moll?" She didn't say anything she just nodded her head no. "What's wrong honey?" Molly broke the embrace.
"My ear hurts really bad," she said tears streaming down her face. "And I get hot then I get cold."
"Okay, which ear is it? Left or right?" Molly pointed to her left ear. "All right, you stay here I'll go get a hot washcloth." Getting up Lauren headed into the bathroom in search for a clean washcloth. "Tim, did you just take the last washcloth from under the vanity?" Lauren asked with a raised voice so Speed could hear her over the running shower water.
"No, there should be still one left. It's next to the sink."
Lauren spotted the white washcloth, grabbed it, and ran it under some hot water. She quickly walked to the kitchen grabbing a zip lock baggy to put the hot washcloth in then headed back into the bedroom.
"Here, Molly, put this on your ear. It will help," Lauren said handing her sister the bag. Molly applied the bag to her left ear. The pain instantly leveled off to bearable, and she soon fell asleep. Lauren didn't understand why Molly didn't come get her last night. That's when she realized Speed must have told her about the proposal.
Hearing the door open, Lauren looked up and smiled. "Well, hello handsome," Lauren said grinning. Speed was half dressed. The only thing that wasn't on him was his blue button-up dress shirt. Speed smiled as he slipped his shirt on.
Speed walked over to the side of their bed, and said, "How's she doing?" He sat down on the bed.
"The hot washcloth is helping, but I I'm going to still take her to the doctors. I think she was up all night last night." Speed leaned forward resting his hands on the bed. He gave her a few quick kisses. "I love you."
"I love you, babe." Speed kissed her again. "I got to get going. I'll see you later on tonight."
"Okay, I'll be here. I've decided to go into work for a little bit then I need to pack a few more things before we leave tomorrow. Your parents and Melissa and Tom are excited to see us." Melissa and Tom became Lauren and Molly's foster parents after their biological parents were sent to jail. Lauren, Molly, and Speed were excited to see them. They were happy to be able to see Speed's family too, even if he wasn't all that close with them. Speed barely had a relationship with his younger brother, Harry, who was thirteen years younger than him.
Speed half smiled and said, "Me too." Lauren got up, and followed Speed leaving her sister sound asleep on their bed.
"Tell Horatio he's on my list for making you come into work on your week off," Lauren said winking at him as he walked out the door. "Bye, love. Be careful, and be safe."
"I will." Lauren went back into the bedroom. She heard Speed's motorcycle start up, and smiled to herself.
As she lay in her bed a little longer she felt that something wasn't right, but couldn't put her finger on it. Dismissing the thought she snuggled up to her sister and fell asleep.