Open Road
Disclaimer: CBS, creators, producers, etc., own all recognizable characters, not me; I'm just borrowing them.
Open Road
His head lifted slightly from the microscope as he momentarily shifted his focus off his soil specimen, concentrating instead on the noises coming from the hallway just outside the trace lab. A tiny twitch of a smile flittered across his lips as his ears identified the rhythmic click of heels making steady contact with the tile floor, echoing off the glass walls and heading his way. And not just any heels, but three-inch heels attached to a pair of brand new, ultra expensive, honey brown leather boots proudly worn by one five foot two, blonde criminalist with a southern accent that could melt butter and usually had the same effect on him.
She was coming to see him. That had to be a good sign, he thought to himself with a relief that was all but palpable. Out of the building most of the shift, he hadn't seen her since their paths had briefly crossed much earlier in the day. Could be this visit would be work related, but even that would be better than nothing. And if it wasn't work related, then maybe it meant she was taking pity on him, and the potentially hellish weekend of work he had to look forward to, by overlooking his earlier testy disposition.
Testy? Now there was an understatement, he thought wryly. An innocent inquiry about his case unleashed an undeserved barrage of sarcasm he couldn't hold back and maybe hadn't genuinely tried. He'd apologized, sure, but even that was curt and lacking in sincerity. Without hesitation, she'd accepted it, but did so with that knowing look of sympathetic concern he'd been seeing all too frequently lately. The one that was often accompanied by the voice, that soft saccharine mix of reassurance and understanding that would be construed as patronizing coming from anyone else. But coming from Calleigh, he'd let it go, despite how it occasionally served to feed his irritation even further. He'd take the comfort she offered no matter what form it took, because lately, she was the lone bright spot in a day otherwise cloaked in the shadows of frustration and failure.
Now if his regular collection of inadequacies wasn't enough to weigh him down, there was also that growing list of relationship infractions to contend with, including, but not limited to, the foul mood he'd been sporting for the past few weeks. Well, he certainly couldn't expect her to overlook everything, he thought with a frustrated sigh. It would be best if he simply stuck with being grateful she was coming to see him at all. Resuming his previous position, he peered back into the lens, all the while continuing to listen to the footsteps as they drew closer.
"Hi," she cheerfully called to his back. If the sound of her footfall hadn't given her away, then that unmistakable lilt certainly would. "Busy?" she asked as she stepped up next to him.
"Hey," he greeted, pulling his head up from the microscope. "A bit," he answered distractedly, thinking about their earlier hallway exchange. Casting a sideways glance in her direction, he attempted to gauge her underlying mood and the nature of this visit. Sitting up, he turned in his seat and peered furtively at the doorway for onlookers. "Cal, about before," he began tentatively.
"It's okay," she said, lightly resting her hand on his arm. "It was a tough interview, I understand," she said soothingly.
"Not really an excuse," he sighed, dropping his head. The past couple months chasing a particularly vicious spree killer and always finding himself one taunting step behind was beginning to take its toll on him. Still, taking his aggravation out on the person who least deserved it wasn't something he was proud of. "You don't have to let me off the hook so easily, you know," he said in a low voice.
"You were frustrated. I caught you at a bad time. It's over," she returned, smiling warmly. Nodding, he breathed deeply, ever grateful for her forgiving nature.
"You got something for me, or are you heading out now?" he asked, thinking it must be the latter since he didn't see anything in her hands. As for the hour, his late afternoon caffeine withdrawal headache was as reliable as any clock and usually told him when it was supposed to be quitting time.
"Both," she chirped with more enthusiasm than he would've expected.
"Care to elaborate?" he asked, squinting in her direction as he rubbed his temples.
"Yes, to answer your question, I am heading out now," she replied, still grinning.
"O-kay," he answered, a bit confused. "Guess I'll see you later, if I ever get out of here, that is," he answered softly, always mindful of the prying eyes and ears roaming the hallways. "You have plans?" he asked, wondering if that was the reason behind her chirpiness.
"Mmm," she murmured, supplying no details and leaving him guessing.
"Alright. Have fun then, I guess," he said reluctantly.
"Oh, I plan to," she teased in her honey-coated drawl. Sliding next to him, leaving little space between them, she placed both elbows on the table and rested her chin in her hands. His brows drew together at this unexpected closeness.
"Well, I don't want to keep you from, uh, whatever it is you've got going on and I've got about four more hours of work ahead of me, so if you don't have anything that needs my immediate attention," he began.
"But I do," she interrupted.
"Then what is it?" he groaned, regretfully feeling his patience slipping away. "Because I don't have all day here."
"I have a surprise for you," she said brightly.
"I'm not in the mood for games, Calleigh. This day, if you hadn't noticed, hasn't exactly been a barrel of laughs," he grumbled with increasing irritation. "And I don't like surprises."
"Yes, you do," she countered, ignoring his agitation.
"Uh, no, Calleigh, I think I'd know if I liked surprises and I don't," he replied firmly. "Especially right now," he added for emphasis.
Bending slightly, and with apparent disregard for their current surroundings, she leaned in so that her mouth was flush with his ear. "I happen to know that's not completely true," she whispered in a sultry voice, sending shivers down his back. Dropping her head slightly, he could feel her warm breath tickling his neck, causing his body to react accordingly. His mind, meanwhile, drifted happily as he recalled exactly the kind of surprises she was alluding to. She was now so close that for one long, distracted moment he wondered if the next thing he would feel would be her lips on his skin. For this brief interval, the day's frustrations and failures disappeared in a haze, replaced with the promise of comfort and completeness that only she could provide.
The sound of a ringing phone jolted him from his thoughts. Shifting uncomfortably, he cleared his throat. "Uh, Cal, we're at work," he reminded, reclining in his seat. "Maybe we could do this later?" Their months long relationship was no secret amongst their coworkers, but both adhered to a strict business-only professional relationship at work. It was a policy neither violated.
"Actually, you're done now. That's part of the surprise. Eric's going to take over for you as soon as you give the word that you're leaving with me," she chirped enthusiastically.
"What are you talking about?" he asked, blinking with confusion. "Eric's got his own work to do and besides, he's off this weekend, not me."
"Nope. Not any more," she answered smugly.
"How's that?" he asked.
"I had your weekend switched, plus I got you an extra day off. Which reminds me, you owe Eric a favor which he said he'd be certain to collect," she answered sheepishly.
"What? You had my weekend switched? You never said anything to me about that. Why would you do that?" he asked, arching a brow at her.
"Well, partly, it's for your birthday," she said.
"My birthday? Which is when? Right, next month, just as I thought. So why the secret switch now?" he asked, eyeing her curiously.
"Well, I know that," she chided. "You needed the time off because you and I are heading out of here and hitting the open road."
"We're what?" he asked, squinting at her in disbelief. "Tell me you really didn't just say we're hitting the open road," he said, unsuccessfully biting back a laugh. Playfully, she smacked his arm.
"You and I are leaving here and heading off on your bike." His eyebrows rose questionably at that statement. "Three days, no responsibilities, no plans, and no destination. Just us, and yes, the open road," she answered, looking at him warningly.
Staring blankly, it was a moment before her words sunk in. "We're going away?"
"Mmm. What do you think?" she asked. He couldn't help but notice the self-satisfied expression she wore. There was little doubt she was enjoying herself.
"I don't know what to think, this is the first I'm hearing about it, remember? Until a minute ago, I thought I was working this weekend and I still don't understand why I'm not. Wait, we're taking off on the bike? Are you for real?" She bit down slightly on her lip and nodded hesitantly. "You're spending the weekend on the back of the Ducati?" he asked, narrowing his eyes at her. Still biting down on her lip, she nodded again. "Do I need to remind you that you don't like riding on the back of the Ducati all that much?"
"That's not entirely true," she said. Her attempt to sound convincing was half-hearted at best, but mattered little since he knew the truth whether she'd admit it or not.
"So, I guess our definitions of entirely differ somewhat, is that it?" he ribbed.
"Well, I didn't think we'd be spending all our time driving," she said playfully, looking up at him from beneath a fringe of long lashes. And considering they were still at work and absolutely anyone could walk in any minute, very uncharacteristically playful.
"No, I would imagine you didn't since you don't like being stuck holding on in the back for long periods," he answered, still befuddled by this entire exchange. "And where exactly are we going on this weekend that I know nothing about?"
"I don't know. Wherever we want. Wherever we end up, I guess," she shrugged. His brows drew together as he contemplated her non-answer.
"Are we just supposed to ride off into the sunset with only the clothes on our back?" he asked sarcastically. "No offense, Cal, but even aside of the whole bike thing, isn't this just a bit out of character for you? Not to mention, right out of left field?"
"What do you mean?" she asked innocently, tilting her head to the side.
"C'mon, Cal, you switch my weekend without telling me, decide we're going away without asking me, on the bike, no less," he scoffed. "And now you tell me you have no idea where we're going. You, who plans everything and leaves no stone unturned. This just isn't like you," he said, shaking his head. "You don't go anywhere without being prepared, and in this case, that would include going on a trip without luggage."
"Well, now there's where you're wrong. I am prepared. I've taken care of everything I need to, money, my helmet, clothes for us to change into before we leave here, and packing anything else we might need." His reaction to that statement was an eyebrow that rose dramatically. "Everything we need is in that old backpack of yours," she answered in response this questioning look. "Besides, it's not like we'll be needing lots of clothes," she added cheekily.
"No, I guess we wouldn't on our trip to who knows where, to do who knows what," he smirked. Shaking his head, letting his thoughts drift, he lost himself in the mischievous glint her green eyes held and wondered just how the planets arrived at the alignment required for a guy like him to lose a bet for dinner and end up with her for dessert.
"Oh, I know what we'll be doing," she teased, inching even closer, sending his blood racing south with just a simple turn of a phrase.
Leaning forward and bringing his mouth to her ear, he spoke in a low voice, feeling her body shudder at the sensation. Two could play this game, he thought. "And do I need to remind you that we don't need to leave home to do that?"
"Think of this as an adventure," she giggled. "A romantic adventure for your birthday."
"Did I want a romantic adventure for my birthday?" he teased. "A simple gift wouldn't do? Say, a good book, or maybe a new shirt or two, since you seem to have a complaint about almost all of mine," he suggested with a shrug. She shook her head.
"No. I mean, I did get you some nice gifts, but this was something I wanted to do for you, to give you something you wouldn't do for yourself," she said, her voice now serious.
"I don't understand," he said, picking up on the change in her voice and expression.
"Yeah, I know," she sighed. "Sometimes, to get away from something, you need to leave everything behind."
"What are you saying?" he asked, looking at her with an expression of bewilderment.
"What I'm saying is that it's been a rough couple of months, and things are getting under your skin. Things you have no control over, but I don't think you see that, or necessarily believe it, if you do." Dropping his head, he clenched his eyes and sighed deeply. He felt her palm come to rest on his stubbled cheek. "You put up a good front, at least most of the time," she said, pausing and leaving her hand where it was. He looked up, meeting her warm, reassuring smile. "But I know you and I can tell when you're having a hard time."
"Calleigh, I'm fine, really," he lied, feeling anything but at the moment. Sighing again, he studied her, wondering just how much she'd had to put up with lately and really, why she stayed at all.
"I know you are. I just think you're starting to fray a bit around the edges," she said very softly. The implication of her words struck a nerve and he pulled back, feeling the loss of her hand as he did. For a minute, he wasn't certain who he was angry with, himself for not doing a better job, of what? His job, or coping with it? Or was it with her, for calling him out on it?
"I can do my job, Calleigh. I don't need you securing time off for me or worrying needlessly," he replied defensively.
"This isn't about whether or not you can do your job," she returned, matching his defensiveness with her own. "But maybe you deserve a break from it and you don't seem to see that."
"Oh, and you think if we take off for the weekend, it'll stop me from unraveling?" he asked, meeting her eyes and blinking with uncertainty.
"Tim, you know I don't think you're unraveling." Slipping her hand under his, she grabbed his fingers and squeezed. Clearly, she'd tossed the rulebook for conducting a professional relationship at work before coming into the room. "I just wanted you to be able to let go a little. When was the last time you took off and left everything behind?"
It took him a moment before he caught up to the meaning behind her question. "Calleigh, that was a long time ago, things were different then. I have responsibilities, a job…" his voice trailed off as he fidgeted in his seat. Reading his discomfort, she gave his hand another squeeze.
"I know that," she reassured. "And I'm not suggesting you disappear long term. I'd miss you too much."
"Good to know," he mumbled, surprised by how much relief hearing those five words provided.
"But when was the last time you thought about it?" she continued. Taking in a deep breath, he pursed his lips, letting the air out slowly. Well, if he were being honest, that would probably be just a couple hours ago when he ran into yet another brick wall in this never ending, soul-sucking murder investigation, not that he would admit that. But that was just thinking about it. He'd never really leave, not the way he once did, because leaving here meant leaving her and that, he'd never do. "Mmm. Just as I thought," she said with a knowing smile. "You have been thinking about taking off and leaving this paycheck behind," she said, letting go of his hand. Straightening up, she folding her arms across her chest and faced him. "So, how about you let me give you this chance to get away, at least for three days. Because otherwise, what's gotten under your skin, is not going to let go of the hold it has on you."
It hadn't been clear in the beginning, but her clandestine, well-intentioned plan had finally sunk in. Lacking the words to express a gratitude he was still coming to terms with, he went with the next best thing, his wit. "You're right about that, maybe a break will give me a different perspective, or something. But if I'm really gonna get away from all this, then shouldn't it be something I do alone?" he asked as he casually leaned back in his seat.
"Well, no, that's probably not a good idea," she said, shaking her head at him. "Because I happen to know that you don't like sleeping alone," she teased playfully in her lilting drawl.
"Now that's not entirely true, I have no problem sleeping alone." He couldn't help chuckling at her slightly wide-eyed look of surprise. "But I do have a problem sleeping without you, so I imagine I'll be dragging you along with me." Since the hands-off at work policy obviously wasn't in effect today, he grabbed her hand, pulling her closer, no longer caring who saw.
"So, does this mean the open road is calling?" she asked eagerly.
"Yeah," he snickered, giving her a lopsided smile in the process. "I guess it does."
"I knew you liked surprises. Didn't I tell you that?" The smug look she was sporting did nothing but add to her overall adorableness, but he wasn't about to tell her that. She had a point, though, he did like surprises, at least under the right circumstances, something she had a knack for always being able to find. Just like she had a knack for pulling him out of the dark corners he sometimes found himself in.
"Don't get too full of yourself, Calleigh. I'm navigating this trip and I may have a surprise or two for you up my sleeve," he mischievously admonished, only to be met with a giggle she couldn't hold back. There was no question, this was bound to be an adventure and surprise, it was one he found himself eagerly anticipating. But first, there was something he needed to know. "Why, Cal? Why go to all this trouble?"
Tilting her head to the side, and wearing an expression of wonder, as if she couldn't quite believe he'd had to ask, she studied him for a moment. "Because," she said in her lilting drawl, stretching the word for all it's worth.
Sighing deeply, he nodded his understanding, the only response required. With one word that explained nothing, she'd told him everything he needed to know. Because he'd never needed to ask in the first place.
"So, are you ready to take me for a ride?" she asked flirtatiously, leaning in with lips hovering impossibly close to his.
"Oh, yeah," he answered. He barely got the words out before a pair of soft lips pressed against his, in the middle of the trace lab, on a most unexpected day. And out of character never tasted so sweet.
The end