It's Official!
By Alekat
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters but I did borrow them for just a little while.
Rating: T
Pairing: Tim/Calleigh
Spoilers: N/A
Summary: A special couple's secret gets out.
His eyes drifted open as the trickling sounds of raindrops melted down the windowpanes next to the bed. A momentary wave of confusion swept over him as realization dawned that he was not in his own bedroom. The fleeting confusion was washed away like the droplets rolling down the glass the instant he reached out and felt her soft skin against his callused hand. Gently brushing his hand down her back then over the supple curve of her hip a smile lighted his sleep-roughened face. She drew in a deep breath letting him know that a peaceful sleep still claimed her as its prisoner. He lay as still as possible just feeling her soft rhythmic breaths until the pair of cell phones on the bedside table began to vibrate in unison.
Tim reached out and picked up one phone, not checking to see whose it was and flipped it open. "Speedle," his voice sounded scratchy, roguish to his own ears. The caller on the other end spoke and Tim replied, "Not sure, I guess we got them mixed up at work yesterday. That was the last time we spoke." His answer to the caller's questions of why he was answering Calleigh's phone and had he seen her.
She was awake now and looking at him, smiling. He smiled at her and mumbled incoherently into the cell phone that he would see the caller in fifteen minutes. He slid the phone shut and watched as she grabbed the other cell phone and had very nearly the same conversation. She slid his phone shut and the peaceful morning he had dreamed of was shattered.
"Guess we'll have to switch phones when we get to work?" She leaned into him for a slow sensual kiss that lasted longer than either had time for.
"Yeah, Eric didn't seem to think I was telling him the truth." He agreed and pushed them both to a sitting position, reveling in the fact that the cover fell to her slender waist revealing her supple breasts, which she made no move to cover knowing he would enjoy the few if only for the brief moment they had before work claimed their attention. He leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to the pebbled tip of each breast before pulling himself quickly from the bed knowing if he didn't they'd never make it to the crime scene.
She laughed as she watched his un-tanned behind disappear into the bathroom. It was an unspoken rule that they never share the shower if they were on their way to work. It was a lesson learned very early in the relationship when they were still learning each other's habits and bodies. The crime scene in question had been waiting and both had to make up a tall tale to rectify their tardiness to Horatio and Alexx who were waiting for them to arrive.
By the time he was finished in the shower, she had coffee and bagels for each on the counter. He placed a soft kiss on her cheek and whispered, "I love you," in her ear as they passed in the hallway and he headed out with her phone and his helmet in tow. She whispered her love in return and headed to the shower. They would meet at the crime scene in twenty minutes and switch phones then leaving their coworkers none the wiser.
Across town Eric smiled at Horatio, who was closing his phone. "She tell you the same story he told me?"
"Yeah, they got their phones mixed up yesterday." Horatio answered as he put his phone in its clip on his belt.
Both men laughed as Eric said, "Uh huh, Tim was half asleep and grabbed her phone instead of his."
Alexx stood up from where she had been knelt next to the dead man, "You two should be ashamed." Her admonishment was answered by an acknowledging shrug as Horatio focused on the crime scene.
"What's the COD?"
She focused on the body and rattled off, "COD was blunt force trauma to the back of the skull but this boy was really put through it before he died."
"Tortured?" Eric put the word out there.
"Yeah baby." Alexx agreed, watching each man flinch as she told them what she had found. "There are signs of continuous blows to the ribcage, kidneys and his jawbone here appears to be crushed." She was down next to the body again pointing out the different bruises as she explained.
The sound of Tim's cycle engine brought their attention to the parking lot just beyond the golf course and they watched as he leaned into the Hummer next to Calleigh. They continued watching as both emerged from behind the Hummer carrying toolboxes and Tim swung a camera bag over his shoulder.
It was obvious to any onlookers that these two were more than mere co-workers. Horatio noted the way Tim allowed Calleigh to walk just a couple of steps ahead and the fact that his hand gently brushed at the small of her back as they were ushered beneath the crime scene tape.
Eric and Alexx shared a knowing smile as Tripp stepped into their view with his notebook in hand. He rattled off the particulars of the case as Tim and Calleigh came to a stop next to him.
Everyone disbursed to work their part of the crime scene, leaving Tim to take photos before Alexx moved the body. As he snapped photos, he would take furtive glances around to see where Calleigh was. He had never done that before and wondered if it had something to do with their whispered confessions of love this morning. Of course, it did!!!
While he worked the scene, his mind processed the whys of not already telling her he loved her. He had loved her for as long as he could remember and it didn't make sense that he had only just told her he loved her. It was the most natural thing this morning when he said it. Why hadn't he already said it? The question plagued him.
Alexx stood and directed the removal of the body. After the technicians had left with the gurney, she noticed Timmy standing with his camera in hand but he was staring off into nothing...
"Timmy, honey, are you okay?" She laid a gentle hand on his shoulder.
His head snapped towards her. "Alexx!" She had caught him off guard startled him.
"Hey, you were in another world?" The concern showed on her face.
"Sorry Alexx," he murmured, "I was thinking about something."
"Something or someone?" She asked gently.
He looked down at her confused then realized that she had put two and two together. "Someone." He knew it was best not to try to lie to her. She always had been able to see right through him.
"Trouble in paradise?" Her question caught him off guard as he followed her line of sight directly to Calleigh.
"NO!" His emphatic answer startled both of them. "I mean no." He blushed a deep crimson. "I was just thinking about something I said."
"Tell me about it?"
"It's nothing." He shook his head.
"Did you say something to make her mad?"
"No." His shoulders slumped, defeated. He might as well tell her. She wouldn't stop until she had the whole story out of him. "Well, we've been seeing each other for six months and this morning without any warning, or any thought, I told her I loved her."
"And what's wrong with that?" Sometimes she couldn't figure this boy out.
"Nothing," he sighed. "And everything." She looked confused so he continued, "I always thought it was supposed to be a special occasion when you tell the woman you love that you love her for the first time." He shook his head in defeat.
"Oh baby," she cooed, ... "There's no right or wrong way to say it. Candles and flowers and food don't make it sound any sweeter. Trust me, she knows you well enough to know that pomp and circumstance could never tell her how you feel any better than the way you did it."
Calleigh had been standing a few feet away and she said, "It was perfect."
Tim and Alexx both looked around at her. The soft radiant smile across her face said everything.
Alexx stepped away as the pair drifted into this little world belonging only to them.
Hours later at the local tavern, Eric raised his beer to toast his friends. "Hey everyone, I've got something to say. To my..uh.. Our friends, Tim and Calleigh. We're all happy for you guys."
There were cheers all around as the happy couple shared a sweet kiss in front of their friends letting the world know they were officially together.
The End..