Set Me Free 1/?

Rating: R

Pairings: J/C, S/C

Spoilers: Season 2

Disclaimer: These characters belong to CBS and I don't own any of them unfortunately...

A/N/Dedication: I'm inspired by Yana to start a post-fic series of my own. I can't guarantee how long it will be or if I'll post after every episode. Hell, maybe I'll even post more than one per episode ---we'll see how motivated I am...by both feedback and the show, of course!

He was shocked at what he saw as he walked into the parking lot that night. At the same time, he should have seen it coming. Calleigh was a beautiful woman and no doubt longed to be cared for like any other person.

But why John Hagen? He always knew that John had a thing for the blonde-haired ballistics expert but then again, so did half the other guys in their office.

Even Speed had looked into Calleigh's eyes on occasion and felt lost in them. Now he was looking at Calleigh pressed up against the side of her car, involved in a very passionate kiss with Hagen.

If someone had told him that they were together he would have thought they were joking. From what he knew about Hagen, he just didn't seem like Cal's type. She was such an independent woman and Speed couldn't imagine Hagen respecting that quality in her.

Hagen was a nice guy but Speed he could just imagine how the two would clash.

Watching Hagen kiss a trail from Calleigh's lips to her throat and hearing the soft moan it elicited as she leaned her head against the car was too much for Speed. He turned around and walked back inside, nearly running into Eric as he walked blindly down the hallway.

"Hey, Speed. Who are you running away from?" His friend asked, looking more serious than Speed was used to.

"You don't want to know, believe me." Speed assured him. "Are you okay?" He asked Eric, worried by his friend's downcast eyes and somber expression. Then he remembered.

"How could I be such a poor judge of character? I'm a CSI but it doesn't seem to make my skills of observation any better. What the hell's wrong with me?" Eric asked, looking seriously angry at himself and the world right now.

"Fuck man, give yourself a break. You're not the first guy to be blinded by a blonde-blue eyed beauty." Eric looked him in the eye, nodding his head in reluctant agreement. "Believe me, I know." Speed added hastily.

"She just seemed so perfect, Speed. I mean she dove for treasure, a woman after my own heart." Eric said, somewhat dreamily as he thought about the woman who had stolen his heart, among other things.

"Everyone makes mistakes. One of these days you'll meet the right girl, until then, well, it's going to be hits and misses. You'll get a few good fucks along the way too." Speed said, finally getting a smile out of Eric with his crudeness.

"She was great, Speed. I really felt a connection with her and I thought, with this girl, it's going to be different. I was even going to take her out for dinner tomorrow night."

"Sounds like you could use a beer. Let's get out of here."

"Where are you off to, boys?" Calleigh's voice froze Speed in his steps and he turned to see her standing solo, smiling widely at the two of them.

"Hey Cal." Eric said, his glum expression brightening up a bit. "We're going out for drinks? Want to come?"

Speed tensed up at the suggestion, not sure what he could possibly say to her right now. He just couldn't believe she was sleeping with Hagen and didn't know if he'd be able to keep his opinions to himself when he had a few beers in him.

"Umm, I don't know." Calleigh said, looking at Speed pointedly. "Maybe I'll pass." She knew him too well and he was sure his expression spoke volumes.

"Come with us, Calleigh. I mean, unless you've got other plans." Speed said, watching her face for a reaction.

"I'm free as a bird. I'd love to come with you. Let me grab my purse, okay?" They nodded and Eric looked at Speed, as if he was trying to figure something out.

"Look, I'm sorry I asked her to come. If I'd thought it was a problem I would never have suggested it. Is something going on with you two?"

"Nothing's going on with us. It's Calleigh. She's fucking John Hagen." Speed spat the last words out and watched as Eric's eyes widened and a surprised smile spread to his lips.

"Go, Calleigh." He said, shaking his head. "I thought that girl was getting some, she's seemed a lot happier lately."

"You think so?" Speed asked him, realizing he was right, while she was as cheerful as ever, she did seem a lot more content as of late. It had just never crossed his mind that she was in a relationship.

"Yeah, I do. She's just been a lot more relaxed and laid-back I think."

Despite her warm and open personality, Calleigh was a very private person. The fact that she'd kept this affair so well hidden hit him full force.

"I guess you're right." Speed said quietly, as Calleigh rejoined them in the hallway. The three of them decided to go to Yana's, a pub that was a five minute walk from CSI.

As they walked, Eric and Calleigh chatted about the case and Eric admitted what a fool he felt like. Calleigh's response was much like Tim's had been and as he listened to her reassure Eric, he wondered if she was similarly blinded by her current situation.

He was just having a hard time erasing the vision of Calleigh in Hagen's arms earlier that evening.

When they were together at Vivian Kensington's trying to retrieve the artifact from the crime scene he never would have suspected she was involved with Hagen.

He had been watching her listen with obedient interest as the woman had bragged about all of the millions she'd invested in her "collection" and he thought she'd never looked more beautiful, lugging the field kit she'd insisted on carrying, with the sun highlighting her golden hair.

Then, when she'd come to his rescue, saving him from saying something he might regret to that woman he'd admired her ability to turn on the charm to get what she wanted.

The woman's snide response to Calleigh was obviously made for his benefit and he'd had to force himself to bite back a comment. He was working after all and didn't want to embarrass Calleigh or himself.

"Thanks for the save, Cal." He'd said to her with a smile, as they walked away from Vivian, the name of Eric's latest fling on a piece of paper Calleigh had carefully put in her pocket.

She'd turned to him and burst out laughing. It was contagious and before he knew it he was laughing with her.

"What's so funny?" He finally managed to ask.

"You're just so adorable." She told him, as they reached the Hummer. He flashed her a puzzled look, causing her to laugh again.

"Under different circumstances I would have loved to see you tell her off some more but we needed something from her so I knew we'd have to make nice to get her to cooperate a bit." She said after she calmed down. Her eyes were sparkling and Tim knew she was right.

"Yeah, she was such a bitch and I admire you for being able to handle her the way you did. I'd rather eat shit than be nice to her." Speed told her, knowing he didn't have to mince words around Calleigh.

She snorted and shook her head at him, taking the keys to the Hummer out of his hand.

"Don't hold back on my account." She said, putting her gear in the back and climbing into the driver's seat.

"I guess this means you're driving." Tim said, stating the obvious as he walked around to the passenger side. Calleigh smirked at him as he got in. She pulled off her blazer, revealing a nasty-looking bruise on her shoulder.

"Christ, Cal! Where did you get that bruise?" He asked, gently putting his hand on her arm.

"I'm surprised you didn't hear about it earlier." Calleigh said, her voice heavy with sarcasm.

"No. Why would I have?" Speed answered, wondering what he'd missed.

"Never mind. I was trying to match a spear-gun to the spear from the crime-scene and one of them bit back pretty good. It's okay."

"Goes with the job, I guess." Speed responded, knowing that Calleigh didn't want to be coddled. She'd ask for help if she ever needed it.

"I wish everyone could just understand that." Calleigh said quietly, keeping her eyes on the road.

Speed had let it end there, feeling like this was somehow a sore subject for Calleigh. At the time he hadn't known what the problem was but now he wondered if Hagen had something to do with it.

A guy like Hagen wouldn't know when to back off so it wouldn't be long before someone as strong as Calleigh would begin to feel smothered by him.

As much as it hurt him to know that Calleigh was probably spending most of her nights in Hagen's arms, he didn't see how it could last. Maybe it was wishful thinking on his part but something told him that eventually this thing with Hagen, whatever it was, would come to an end.

In the meantime he would do his best to be a friend to her and be there if she needed him. If it meant not sharing his opinions on her relationship with John Hagen then so be it. He would suffer in silence, waiting for it to end.

TBC...