Stay With You

Disclaimer: I don't have any ownership of Speed, Calleigh, Samantha Spade or the rest of the gang in Miami. I do have Sascha Speedle, which makes me pretty special. :)

A/N: This picks up from By Your Side so you might want to read that and Disappearing Acts, to get the full story.

A/N: Deb, this is for you... :)

Chapter 1

The light blue sky welcomed her as she looked out of the window of the airplane, to see the familiar sights of Miami, that were slowly coming into view. For Sam, this moment had been a long time coming. Her time in New York had definitely told her that she was now a Miami girl. She missed th beach, and the tropical feel that the city provided , but most of all, she missed him. Sure they talked on the phone, but Sam missed the physical contact, she missed his warm brown eyes that twinkled just for her, mostly she just missed his smile. Tim Speedle was the best thing that could've ever happened to Sam, and it was sad that it took her to go away for three long weeks to find that out.

As the plane began to make it's decent into Miami, she thought briefly about the night she left Miami , and the doubt that she had tried so hard to shove into the back of her mind. No matter how many times Tim had said that he was in love with her, or how many times he had showed her, Sam still had one obstacle that always gave her pause, Calleigh Caine. Even now as she prepared to see him, Calleigh was lurking in the shadows of her mind. She would always be there, and Sam knew this. Her heart said to her that Tim would stay faithful to her, but her mind continued to remind her of what him and Calleigh had shared in the past.

Can I contend with this? Sam asked herself as she felt the plane dip. The ring on her finger answered and chastised her, blinking beautifully as if to remind her of his promise to her.

" I don't want to be with her. I gave you that ring for a reason. Remember?" Tim said taking her hand in his. " I love you."

Don't be stupid, Sam ,you know that he loves you, she continued to say as the seatbelt light came on. She had to stop doing this to herself. She knew that Tim loved her, but she was afraid of what she could lose , and she didn't want to lose him.A smile grew on her face as she felt the tires hit the runway and her heart started to turn somersaults as the plane slowly came to a stop. Only ten more minutes, and she would be in his arms.

S/S

Tim eyed the traffic that was going to Miami International and closed his eyes, letting a frustrated sigh escape his lungs. He had gotten held up at the lab, helping Delko piece together some evidence, then gotten roped into a meeting with department heads. Since Horatio's shooting, the lab had been turned over to him for a short period of time, but he hoped that Horatio was on his way to getting well, because he didn't know if he could keep this up. He rubbed his forehead, trying to ward off a headache, as he flipped down his visor. A picture of her stared back at him and he inhaled deeply, letting a smile creep across his face.

" I'm sorry ,honey," Tim said as he touched the picture of Sam on the beach. Behind, him, he could hear the incessant honking of the horns as the traffic inched closer to the airport. Beside him, he heard his cell phone come to life. Praying that it was Sam and not the lab, he quickly grabbed it and glanced at the caller id. Sighing yet again , he flipped it open and closed his eyes, gripping the wheel with his free hand. How did Horatio ever get used to this?

"Speedle."

" Speed, there's something going on with the mass spec," Eric Delko said hurriedly.

" Delko, isn't this something you can handle on your own?" Tim asked as he let the wheel go to massage his eyes.

" Yeah, I just thought that I would tug your chain a little. Have you gotten to her yet?"

" No."

" Wasn't her flight supposed to land ten minutes ago?"

" I realized that , Delko, but I'm kinda in the middle of something right now," Tim replied sarcastically. The line of cars had seemed to stall.

" You're stuck in traffic ,aren't you?" Eric asked with a broad smirk on his face.

" Cute. But I wouldn't be here if you could've handled that piece of evidence by yourself, which I still think you could've by the way."

" I told you what way to go to get there the fastest."

" I did, and you'd never guess what I ran into," Tim said getting throughly ticked off.

" A boat?"

" Yeah, it took it almost twenty minutes to clear the bridge."

" Oh man, you are going to be late. I wonder if I'm going to be held responsible for this?" Eric asked as he started to snicker lightly.

" Bye ,Delko," Tim said as he flipped the phone down. In seconds, the phone rang again, and he flipped it open without looking at the caller id, " Look, I would appreciate it if you would stop harassing me, and get back to work!"

" Good morning to you too," a gentle voice said . He could picture her smile on the other end.

" Sam?" Tim asked as he forgot about the massive traffic. His heart skipped a beat when he said her name.

" Having a bad morning?"

" You have no idea," Tim returned as he let his head rest against the seat. He became more relaxed when he heard her voice. " Have you landed yet?"

" Yeah, I'm getting my baggage right now. Are you in the terminal?"

" No, I'm about ten minutes from the exit. I got stuck in traffic. I'm sorry," Tim said almost sadly.

" Hey, what's with the sad tone? I'll just hang in the airport bar until you get here. I've waited this long to see you, I can wait ten more minutes," Sam said as she grabbed her luggage from the carousel. " How has Sascha been?"

Tim smiled deeply at her change in topic and answered, " She's fine. She misses you... And she's walking."

" Oh, I miss her too... Wait, did you say that she was walking? When did this happen?'"

" The day after you left," Tim replied as the traffic slowly began to move again.

" I knew she would do it. She told you that she would be walking down the aisle when we got married. By the way, have you confirmed everything?"

" You doubted me?" Tim asked in a feigned voice.

" I just wanted to make sure. The last I remembered you wanted your family to cook the food," Sam quipped as she made her way to the airport bar. " Did everyone call in their reservations?"

" Yes, dear. Everyone will be here on Friday."

" You picked up your tux?"

"Yes."

" And you called the florist?"

" Yes."

" What about the church?"

"It's taken care of, babe. You want to check behind me?" Tim retorted lightly.

" No, I trust that you've taken care of your responsibility. But you have to understand, I've been away from this for three weeks. That's not something a bride wants a month before her wedding."

" Sam, everything is going to be perfect," Tim said as he was able to get up to thirty-five. " Look, the traffic is moving. I'll call you when I get to the airport ,okay?"

" Okay, I'll be waiting. I love you."

" I love you too, sweetie,"Tim said as he flipped the phone down. The headache that threatened to rear it's ugly head, was but a memory. She was home , and that was what mattered.

S/S

Calleigh walked into the bedroom, trying to be as quiet as she could be. Horatio had just laid his head down on the pillow and she didn't want to disturb him. In moments, she heard twin feet as they bounded up the stairs, followed by high pitched giggling.She tried to close the door, before the noise could wake him, but she saw as he turned and slightly lifted his head up.

" You might as well let them in," he said as he sat up and put his back on the head board, hearing them knocking. He had a small expression of pain as he tried to position himself better . It had been three weeks since he was shot, and the pain had subsided some, but not much.

" You sure?"

Horatio nodded and gave his wife a smile as she gazed at him with concern in her eyes. That same concern was there when he first woke up in the hospital and it stayed there permanently. He couldn't help but feel some guilt over not being prepared. What would've happened to them if he had been killed? He let that thought dissipate from his mind as he prepared to receive his little girls.

" Daddy, Daddy, are you up?" they both asked in unison.

" I am now. What can I do for you?" Horatio said as he opened his arm for them. They jumped in the bed with him and giggled furiously, barely missing his other arm that was nestled in the sling. He looked down into their angelic faces and felt his heart swell through the pain that was pulsating through his shoulder. He could never leave them.

" We want to go to the park,"Lizzy said as she beamed at her father.

Horatio looked up to Calleigh who shook her head then back down to them, " Sorry , ladies, mom says no."

" Aww, daddy, why?" Livvy asked as she began to poke her lip out.

" Because I have an appointment today, and daddy is resting," Calleigh said as she walked over to the bed. She hated being the one to spoil their fun, but she knew that Horatio would give into anything that they wanted.

" Can't Sascha take us?" Livvy asked again.

" She's busy today, Livvy."

" Mama..." Livvy whined.

" Livvy, you can't go , and that's final."

" Humph", Livvy said as she crossed her arms in a huff.

" Excuse me, young lady?" Calleigh replied as she bore a whole in her daughter.

" I want to go to the park," Livvy continued as big tears began to form on the edge of her eyes. Horatio looked at her and then to Calleigh. Calleigh shook her head, knowing what her husband was going to say.

" No, Horatio. You are not feeling up to it," Calleigh said as she focused her sights on to him.

" Just drop us off. I can sit and watch them play while you are at your appointment."

" Horatio,..."

" I'm fine, Calleigh. We shouldn't punish them for wanting to get out of the house," Horatio said as he glanced back down at them. He gave Calleigh a look that could melt hardest of hearts. She smiled at him and relented.

" Alright, you guys can go, but I don't want to hear any noise in the truck,"Calleigh said as they shot up off of the bed and quickly left the room." I mean it, girls."

"Now was that hard?" Horatio asked as she walked to the side of the bed.

" They will always win with you," Calleigh said as she bent to kiss him. Pulling away, the concern look returned and she sat on the bed, opposite him to get a better look, " Are you sure that you are okay to do this?"

" I need to get out of the house more than they do, Calleigh. I don't even remember the last time I took them to the park," Horatio said as he dropped his head.

" Hey , don't do that. Don't you go blaming yourself for this. It was an accident, one that I am thankful that you survived. But that is what it is," Calleigh said as she took his free hand and placed it up against her abdomen. " I'm sure this one would agree."

Horatio nodded and smiled faintly as she drew him closer. He was lucky to have this life.

S/S

Tim parked the black SUV quickly and dashed in the door, searching for the airport bar. When he gave up on the search, he pulled his cell out of his pocket and punched in her number. He waited for a second before he started to walk again, feeling his pulse rising. It was as if he couldn't get to her fast enough.

" Hi, Tim."

" Hi, beautiful. I'm in the terminal and I'm lost. Where is the airport bar?" Tim asked as he turned from side to side in the throng of people that were going to and fro.

" Did I ever tell you how much I loved to see you in black?"

" You can see me? Where are you?"

" Look in front of you," Sam said as the sea of people parted. She smiled at him as he approached her matching her smile. " So you shaved? For me? I'm touched."

" For you, anything," Tim said as he stood face to face with her. He flipped the phone down and stared at her. She was as beautiful as he remembered, more so, if that was possible. "Hey you," he said as he stepped forward and felt her warmth , feeling unable to contain himself any longer. He reached out to her and took her into an passionate embrace the weeks that she had been away, becoming a distant memory. He felt her lips on his and it sent a surge of energy through him and forced him to continue. When he pulled away gently, she had the most radiant smile on her face.

" I should go away more often," Sam said as she gazed into his eyes. She saw a hint of something that would best be confronted with in the sanctity of their home.

" I would tie you down if you ever tried," Tim replied as he hugged her again.

" That sounds promising," Sam said as she giggled slightly. All doubts about her relationship with him were fleetingly disappearing.

" Get your mind out of the gutter."

" Why, it suits me better there."

Tim smiled even wilder, having a feeling about the type of night he was going to have. He then bent down and picked up her luggage, " You're unbelievable. Ready?"

" Am I ever," Sam said as she watched him walk in front of him. She had been ready since the day she met him.

TBC...

A/N: Alright, guys, let me know how you feel about this...