Lauren didn't look up when she heard someone walk up beside her. She didn't flinch either when she saw the person's shadow appear in her peripheral vision. "I figured you'd be here when I didn't find you at the apartment. I'm sorry I wasn't able to come to the funeral," said Detective Virginia Parker. Lauren looked up, and a small smile played across her face as she jumped up pulling Virginia into a hug. Virginia held her tight as Lauren cried out.

"He's gone, Virginia!"

"I know, baby. I know. But he is not truly gone as long as we keep him in our hearts. There he will always be alive."

Lauren hugged her tighter and said, "It's not the same." Virginia held her friend. That's all she could do.

When Lauren finally pulled away she asked, "How long can you stay?"

"I'm here as long as I'm needed. I got Mac covering for me with the bosses, plus as long as I check on a cold case before leaving, it's all on the NYPD's time and dime."

Lauren looked down at her wedding rings. "I don't know if I can do this."

"You can. Come on tell me everything that I've missed. Starting from when I left until now, and don't squinch on the details." Virginia threaded her arm through Lauren's and the two friends walked along the beach.

Later on, back at the apartment, Virginia was watching TV with Lauren, and rubbing her back while she slept when a knock came to the door. Getting up carefully so she didn't wake Lauren, Virginia made her way over to the door. Looking into the peep-hole she saw that unmistakable red hair. Virginia smiled to herself and opened the door. "Hey Red, it's good to see you, it's been a while," she said.

Horatio looked up. He was shocked to see her standing on the other side of the door. "Hi Virginia," he said with a weak smile. Virginia looked at him again and noticed he looked different. He looked tired and disheveled.

"Hey, come here, Horatio." She pulled him into a hug. He held her tightly and felt his emotions get the best of him. Virginia held her long time friend until Horatio was ready to let go. No words were needed.

After a few moments, Horatio decided he was ready to let go. He saw Lauren was asleep and didn't want to wake her. He motioned for himself and Virginia to head outside onto the little patio attached to the apartment building. "Horatio, I'm sorry I couldn't be down here for the funeral. I tried so hard, but things came up," Virginia explained.

"It's alright, Virginia," was all that came out of the Lieutenant's mouth.

Virginia stared at Horatio intently without him really noticing. Something else was bothering him other than Speedle's death. "You feel that this is your fault don't you, Red." He nodded yes. "You want to talk about it. It always helps me."

"You know me too well, Virginia," Horatio said with a weak smile. They sat in silence for a moment. "I keep having these images of the jewelry store and… Speed getting shot and…" Horatio tried to keep it together, but it was becoming difficult. Virginia was someone who made him feel comfortable enough to let himself go, and reveal his true feelings. "I just feel like I could have done something. I lost Raymond and my mother, now Speedle… Virginia I don't want to lose anyone else."

"Horatio, listen to me. There was nothing you could have done." She placed a calming hand on her long time friend's arm. She knew he would never believe her. Speedle was like a son to him, and no matter what, when you lose a son you always feel like you could have done something.

"I… I just feel like… like I let him down. He's gone Virginia, and he's not coming back." Tears began to fall from Horatio's eyes. "And Lauren… I failed her too."

"Red, listen to me. I know you feel like this, but you have to keep telling yourself that it's not your fault and you didn't let Lauren or… or Speedle down," Virginia said as she too felt tears come to her eyes. Virginia couldn't believe Tim Speedle was gone. The laid back, sarcastic, level-headed Speed was gone. "Horatio, did you bring the case file by chance. I would like to take a look at it just to see."

"Um, yeah actually I did. Lauren wanted to see them even though I told her it wouldn't be a good idea."

Horatio fished out the file from his suit jacket and handed it to her. She took it, and hesitated for a moment before flipping through the paperwork.

Virginia finally reached the photographs. At first they were hard to look at, but she continued until she found the autopsy photos. She noticed something that wasn't right. "Horatio," Virginia said noticing something odd on the body. This man that was supposedly Speed had pierced ears and a tattoo.

"Yeah," he said softly.

"Did Speedle have any tattoos or pierced ears?"

"No, not that I know of. He never mentioned anything. Lauren didn't either… why?" Horatio was confused as to why Virginia would ask a question like that.

"Because the man in this picture has pierced ears and a tattoo on his arm," Virginia pointed out as she showed Horatio the picture again.

Horatio took the file from her hand and began to study it. There were in fact pierced ears and a tattoo of some skull and bones on the man, who was supposedly their, Tim Speedle. Horatio didn't know how Alexx, Lauren, the rest of his team, and himself hadn't recognized these marks.

"How could we have missed these, Virginia? Especially the mark on his arm?" She knew why. Speed was a husband to Lauren and like family to the rest of the team. Their emotions had gotten the best of them, and the simple, obvious signs that something wasn't right were blurred.

"You, Lauren, and everyone else were overcome with emotion. If you weren't then I would think something was wrong."

Horatio gave a half smile. "So, what does this all mean, that Speed is alive?"

"I seems like it, but we still don't know that."

"So what do we do?" Horatio asked. Virginia thought for a moment and then said, "Let me make a few calls. I've been making some new friends."

"Okay," Horatio whispered as he saw Lauren stir on the sofa and get up.

Virginia caught his gaze and smiled. "Go in there and talk with her. Don't let her in on anything. I'll be in a few. I'm going to make those calls." Horatio got up and let Virginia do her thing while he headed into the air conditioned apartment.

"Hi sweetheart, how are you doing? Any better?" Horatio asked in a soft voice. He rubbed the side of her arm. She was holding back her tears. Horatio pulled her in a hug and she began to cry in his arms.

"He's gone, Horatio. This is all so surreal," Lauren said through her tears. "I can't be here anymore. I can't stay here. I have to leave, Horatio."

"Sweetheart, you leave then you are running away from him, and the life you had and still have here," Virginia said as she came in. Her cell phone was in her hand, waiting for a call. Lauren didn't say anything as she just held onto Horatio. She knew Virginia was right, but staying in the apartment was too painful.

A soft knock came to the front door. Lauren wiped the tears away and answered it. Calleigh was standing there, her eyes red and puffy. "Hey, how are you?" Calleigh asked softly.

Lauren shrugged her shoulders as the two sisters came together, and hugged each other tightly. "Calleigh, I can't do this anymore," Lauren sobbed.

Out of the blue Lauren pulled away from Calleigh. "I have to go," was all she said.

"You have to go? Go where? Lauren what are you doing?" Calleigh asked concerned. She was worried Lauren was going to do something she would regret later on. Lauren grabbed her purse and her car keys. "Lauren where are you going?"

"I'm going to see my husband." With that she left leaving everyone in her apartment speechless.