Slightly Condoned
Disclaimer: Don't own anything…
Rating: R (later)
Pairing: Eric/OC, Speed/Calleigh, hints of Speed/OC and Calleigh/OC
Summary: It's about to get very, very, very stuffy around here…
Spoiler: Tinder Box, Body Count
A/N: Oh yeah, and Speed's a little out of character here, but can you blame the poor guy, he just got his heart broken!
Dedication: To Katie and Jacqueline, without our late night talks and your advice I wouldn't be able to write half of this stuff. A thanks is in grave order!
***
Part 17- What A Small World We Live In
When the two CSIs slithered their way into the club, it was buzzing with people.
Hot, sweating, over stimulated people getting very close to activities other than dancing on the main floor.
Tim surveyed the wide ballroom, and subconsciously made check that all the fire exits were open. Risking your life had that sort of affect on you.
The bar resembled an island, situated in the heart of the mainland, and two bartenders on opposite ends of the build in square took orders as they flew in.
" Damn, this place is packed." Delko whispered in Speed's ear, because the volume of the music would likely cause his voice to crack.
Speed nodded mutely and then proceeded to the bar.
It was 9:30, if he had his timing straight, he could get in about four beers by 10:30, then be drunk enough to down straight shots of vodka, and be done with it.
And who knew, maybe he wouldn't go home alone.
Eric didn't notice his friend's distress or mental planning right away, instead he settled his eye on a few ladies that passed by in front of him, one of them, a tall brunette, *accidentally* brushed her naked shoulder against him and left him with a lingering stare.
Speed witnessed this, as Delko watched after the two women and rolled his eyes.
" Some things never change." Tim grunted, and sauntered to the bar, trying very hard, himself not to eye all the exposed skin to his liking.
Obviously club "Danza" was swarming with expansive flesh, eager flesh, and one that didn't need much convincing to be lured into a spider web. In any sense, Speed should've been happy, ecstatic even, knowing full well what he was worth, and whom he managed to entice.
Yet he was anything but happy. He was moody, scorned and pissed off, and hoped to drown his pain in alcohol while he watched from the side lines as his friend found another conquest, no doubt experiencing the same kind of pain, but dealing with it better. Or worse, it actually depended on how oneself looked at it.
There was always the tempting river of denial, which consumed Eric, but Tim really didn't know if he should be heading that road, joining the bandwagon so to speak.
The trace expert found an empty seat on the edge of the square bar. Surveying the station he sought out the female bartender with his silent gaze, and watched as the short brunette made her way to him.
In closer view, in front of Speed appeared a smiling redhead, slightly shorter than him, with bright green eyes and a half smile, " What can I get ya?"
Her smoky gaze didn't leave the CSI intimidated, but comfortably intrigued, as he looked back at her, silently contemplating his decision for alcohol all over again.
Wasn't he opting for a beer tonight? No, let's try something different he told himself, as he followed the smoldering gaze of the woman in front of him with his own special attention grabber.
It still somewhat struck him as odd that his mind hadn't ventured lower than her face. Her skin was slightly pallid but went well with the contrast deep color of her hair, and the dim hue of her attire.
" Rum and coke." He finally managed to spit out, through the fog that landed upon him.
His frown remained permanent on his lips though, and he assumed that's what attracted the woman with her eyebrow pierced to his side of the bar.
Unless he was overanalyzing shit again, and she was just being polite and doing her job.
" Rum and coke. Coming right up." She said, in a voice he hadn't expected to hear, coming from such an enigma of a woman.
It was husky, and low, and reminded Speed of smoke, as he stared blindingly at her lips. He wondered if she was hired because she could so easily send a man into drunken oblivion just by talking to him.
No sense in ordering anything, when this woman was speaking to him.
She returned to him with his drink, while he brooded over the situation.
When he thanked her, Tim thought she'd go away, serve someone else; it didn't quite turn out that way. She continued to stare at his hunched position, sipping on the rim of the glass, filled with liquid that promised a good time, and so far wasn't delivering.
Instead, it looked as if Tim was hallucinating. He just swore he'd seen Elisabeth and Calleigh enter the club, but turning his gaze back to the main dance floor, they disappeared from his vision and he liked to keep it that way.
The redhead continued to stare, and as if she could read the CSI's mind, right when he wanted to snap at her, she spoke, again in that seductive tone of hers.
" You got a name?" she asked unexpectedly.
" Doesn't every one?" Speed snapped back, some how relinquishing at least part of his uneasiness, and it felt fucking great.
She gave off a chuckle that lingered in the air; long after it had escaped her mouth.
" Damn." She added, and Speed was compelled to ask her why, " What?"
She gave him another smirking look, as she rested her palms inches away from his shot glass. For a split second Tim wished the counter wasn't so wide.
" Damn…why do only smartasses come to these clubs?" She directed cryptically, and Tim smirked, taking another small swag from the shallow glass.
" Maybe because they have no where else to go." He suggested, with a lot more knowingness than he would've liked. It was obvious that this chick wasn't stupid, and in doing so, Speed managed to reveal his intentions.
" Do they?" She mused, " Never thought about it."
He grunted, and took another sip.
" Maybe you could tell me?" He looked up, and their eyes met in a sear dance, infiltrated minds, and the bond that Speed so dangerously didn't want to form here.
What would he accomplish by doing this? Stoop down to Calleigh's level and drown his sorrows in some body else, use them for his own sick pleasure? Comfort the other whilst thinking about someone else?
All the thoughts of doubt racing inside his head didn't stop Tim from answering, " Maybe."
That left a lot of things open in the air, protracted, poisoning the oxygen Tim so concertedly craved, but couldn't seem to get.
They didn't break eye contact, as he took another drink from the glass, finally feeling the warmth infatuated by his senses, and yearning for more, but as Speed reached for another drop, he found there wasn't any.
She sensed his craving too, and without turning around, tore the apron from her waist, revealing the tightest jeans possible, that should've enticed Speed. But he didn't even glance at them, just kept staring at her face, into her eyes, boring incessant holes in her features.
Over her shoulder, he didn't hear her yell to someone on the other side, "Rick, cover for me."
" Fuck you." He shot back, from an unseen direction, and only elicited a mere, bored chuckle from the redhead standing, naked from her apron.
" You wish." She snapped and smiled at Speed, so genuinely, she brought him back to his reality. The reality that forced him to oblige his doubts mentally, but not physically.
He didn't even realize what he was doing, until she stepped underneath the counter, and ended up by his side.
" Let's dance." She suggested, and he found himself sliding off the leather stool.
" The club is called Danza." He reminded, and she chuckled throatily at him, " You've done your homework." She responded by capturing his arm in her surprisingly tight grasp, and they made a few steps to the dance floor.
The closer they came the headier the scent, of sex mixed in with sweat and smoke, got. The abundance of it, made the CSI nearly lightheaded, or perhaps that was the close contact with another woman who wasn't Calleigh.
" Yeah, let's hope this one doesn't burn down too." He mumbled to himself but the bartender heard, and laughed louder than before, however the heavy volume of nonstop trance that blasted out of the DJ on the sound stage, covered up the annoying giggle.
But he didn't await a reply, because he knew she wouldn't supply him with one, instead he surrendered himself to her, as she pulled him into the heart of the dance floor and pressed her best assets against him.
As her hips flowed with the music, Tim had never felt so powerless, his hands dropped to his sides, and he felt unusually claustrophobic amidst the moving crowd.
Speed looked blankly at her, smelled her, and felt her hands take his and place them at the low waistband of her jeans, as she vibrated moves all through him.
Leaving him tingling, but not for more, on the contrary, he wanted to vomit. He felt like a damn puppet, and she was guiding him by strings that proved invisible in his sight.
Nonetheless she settled against him, an awkward fit but not too uncomfortable.
And suddenly a fear rushed over Tim, as he felt the physical reaction his body was having to this stranger, she obviously felt it too, because she instantly looked up, her gaze leveled with his, as she took his hand and lured him once again away from the place that was suffocating him.
They didn't speak as they walked out of the club, and onto the swift, chilling night air.
" I figured you'd want to take this some place else." She whispered to him, blowing on the bristles of his cheeks. And something almost animal like inside the young man snapped, he felt loss of control and the worst kind, because not even while he was so sustained, could he monitor what he was about to do.
" You guessed damn right." He said as he roughly pulled her into a deserted alley that smelled of vomit and dried blood, he didn't even register the odor, because he smelled her lust, and the fire in her eyes, although he was pretty sure it was reflected from his.
He slipped his arm around her waist, and didn't care that he was pressing her so clumsily against the brick wall, that he could feel her heartbeat, beneath the flesh, and tautness of her nipples.
Speed reached between them and tweaked one of them and watched as her eyes nearly rolled in their sockets, then breathlessly she bit his earlobe and said something she shouldn't have.
" You know maybe we should tell each other our names first." And that stopped him.
Speed froze, and pulled back, running a hand through his tussled hair, not believing what he'd just done. He wanted to cry, he wanted to throw things, bash innocent objects into each other, and inflict torture on people less fortunate than him, and then laugh at their pain.
He wanted everything, and nothing, nothing to do with the woman breathing heavily against the wall, because he almost gave her an orgasm.
" I can't do this." He snapped to himself, and did what Tim Speedle did best.
He fled…
***
His head was still spinning when Speed rushed into the club, cutting off a line of people waiting to get in.
His heart beat so insanely loud in his temples that he either didn't hear the screaming crowd or chose not to. Whatever the reason was, he rushed faster than wind, by them, the bouncer, having remembered that Speed was a cop, ignored him and told a little white lie about an emergency inside.
It earned him four dirty looks, and two people left the line tired of waiting.
" Mission Accomplished." He murmured to himself, and watched the departed CSI storm in.
Speed wasn't disoriented, nor was he embarrassed, he was just a tiny bit ashamed at the lack of his self-control, and he hoped to god that the bartender he just grouped in a street corner wouldn't come back on duty.
Looking at the bar, he studied two males serving drinks side by side.
One of them was Rick.
The other was the back up.
He slid into his previous chair, and settled down comfortably, figuring that he'd be there for a while.
Just then Rick strolled up to him with a cocky smile and asked, " How was Jade?"
Speed looked at him a little disoriented, and confused.
" Who?"
" You didn't even catch her name, eh? It's okay it happens. Want something to drink?" The sandy haired bartender sympathized, and suddenly Speed realized, whom he'd been talking about.
Jade.
Jade was her name, where was she now? Tim didn't want to know, as long as she didn't come in here, and he really didn't give a shit either, if it was insensitive of him to think so. She was better off if she never even met him.
" How about a little bit of everything." Speed suggested bitterly, and watched Rick nodded off, and walk to the middle of the square island, assembling a variety of shots.
" Good." Tim murmured to himself, feeling a lot less chipper than he did in the beginning of the evening.
***
" You gonna be okay for a while by yourself?" Elisabeth asked breathlessly while some Casanova wanna-be sucked on her neck.
Calleigh snorted, as she watched the couple before her, writhe together to a slow trance song.
" Course, I was made to be by myself." Calleigh mumbled and walked off into the direction of the bathroom, figuring she'd at least fix herself up before Josh arrived.
Speaking of him, looking at her watch Calleigh concluded that he was about an hour late now, and she didn't like being stood up, especially by someone who was barely legal.
But then again maybe this was her wake up call? Punishment, for thinking she could get away so easily from the guilt of hurting some one she loved.
Maybe she this was god's way of telling her she screwed up, and might not get a second chance, if she kept going at it.
She needed to stop this nonsense, it wasn't healthy to drink away her troubles, she knew that much. One of the minimal things her daddy taught her in his hours of drunken stupor was that alcohol didn't solve any problems, it only implicated them.
Forced you to deal with them even more fervently, in a greater capacity, cleaning up whatever mess you brought yourself into when you were under the influence of it.
Calleigh suddenly came to a realization that plagued her entirely, rattled her body with a sense of confidence, and awareness that she finally understood. It made her face everything she'd denied for so long, coped with the denial of the situation.
She needed to cross one boundary to caution the other, and condemn it for the reasons it was made in the first place. She needed to understand why she and Tim were having such problems instead of just drowning her sorrows in denial.
Acting as if it'd been him who accepted a phone number from a complete stranger, as if he'd been the one to falter in the relationship. He'd done nothing wrong, and it was about damn time she let him know that.
So instead of powdering her nose, Calleigh shut herself in the third bathroom stall and took out her cell phone.
Dialing the most familiar number she could think of at that point, she waited for some one to pick up, but instead of hearing the warm if yet at times, indifferent voice of Tim Speedle, she encountered the voice mail on his cell.
Biting down on her thumbnail nervously, she paced the small expanse of the cubicle, and began talking evenly, trying desperately to find the right words to say and at the same time not stutter, or worse break down.
When the metallic voice of the operator gave her permission to record a message she began, " Hey, uh, Tim it's me Calleigh." Her southern drawl dripped like invisible honey into her speech, stretching out the syllables in painful breaths.
" Look I know you probably don't want to have anything to do with me right now, but I just need to let this out." She bit harder on her nail, but then withdrew and said in one quick breath, " I think I'm in love with you."
A few seconds of silence, and Calleigh regrouped, " There I got it off my chest. Now the ball's in your court." She sighed, with almost regret, and hung up.
Now all she had to do was wait…
***
Meanwhile Speed downed his umpteenth shot of Grey Goose and found it kind of odd when he felt a warm hand on his shoulder, and panting in his ear.
He swerved around in his seat; half expecting to find Jade standing there, ready to slap him, or worse kill him with his own gun.
But did he bring his gun, wait, wait, wait. How many drinks did ya have?
" Huh?" Speed murmured to himself, wondering from where that earlier inquiry arose.
" I said how many drinks have you had?" The man beside him inquired as he ordered a beer.
" No fair, you can't ask me that and then order a Corona!" Speed exclaimed complainingly, as Delko chuckled and took a sip of the beverage Rick provided.
" Then answer me when I finish." Delko gave him a slightly dazed smile, and then took another swag.
" Fuck off, seriously." Tim mumbled and Eric looked concerned for a second.
Passing a few bucks at Rick, Delko tugged on his friend's shoulder and said, " C'mon, let's go get some fresh air."
" I already got fresh air." Tim remembered bitterly, but Eric simply ignored his comment, thinking it was the alcohol talking and not the intelligent mind behind it.
Speed was pretty assured that, that was exactly how his friend took his thoughts, but didn't press him on it, because then he'd have to elaborate, and he wasn't looking to start a meaningful conversation at this point.
Instead he just followed his friend out, trying to concentrate all though it was painfully hard to make out any one in the blur he was experiencing.
He was about to open his mouth to speak, but looked up as he hit soft flesh, and in an instant stumbled back.
Eric looked at him.
" Hey, sorry." The agitated young man that Tim encountered curtly hastily apologized and nearly jogged into the opposite direction.
" No problem." Speed mumbled, and Eric looked at him, chuckling, " Hey, look he's probably late to some hot date." Delko smirked, about to push Tim out the door, but the older man didn't move an inch, his eyes fixated on something out of Eric's sight.
But before Delko could open his mouth to question his friend's strange behavior, Tim spoke in a husky, and yet captivated voice, " See the blonde at the bar? She's got curly hair and that glittery red thing on."
It was either Delko's imagination or Speed actually sobered up when he spoke. There was definite clarity in his friend's chocolate eyes, however Eric couldn't help but tease Speed about his sudden infatuation.
" Fuck what is it with you and blondes?" He sneered sarcastically, and pulled them off to the side, now fully aware that they were standing in the middle of the entrance.
" You should talk." Speed grunted, then he tore his eyes away from the blonde apparition; to smirk at his friend, " Let's not forget Andie."
A little color drained from the Hispanic man's face as he murmured some sort of incoherent cursing in Spanish, before replying, " Let's not forget you have work tomorrow."
But Speedle was already too far-gone, if possible irritating his friend even more with his incessant ramble, " She's gorgeous." He murmured, and Delko rolled his eyes, " She's on the other side of the bar, we can't even see her face. But if you're so eager, go do her."
He announced confusedly, and a little condescendingly, but in a good way, because it seemed to loosen his friend up.
" Maybe I will." Speed murmured, but before he could even comprehend doing anything about the curly haired mystery his eyes lulled him to another phenomenon.
The New Yorker actually had to rub his eyes physically to make sure he wasn't seeing things.
Because if he wasn't, than it was actually the respected Assistant District Attorney Elisabeth Kaytlin that was so shamelessly pulverizing a random guy on the dance floor.
He looked further on, and watched as the man dancing with the redhead grabbed the back of her knee and pulled her so that he was situated between her legs.
To Tim it wasn't a dance anymore, it was pure foreplay, and the only thing he hoped was that Eric didn't have any sudden urges to look over his shoulder, otherwise there'd be hell to pay.
Meanwhile Delko was witnessing a sight for himself. While he surveyed the bar, he noticed the youngster Speed had bumped into earlier make his way to the blonde vixen that Tim was so keen on meeting.
Delko chuckled about the irony of the other man's date, until she turned in profile and his chuckle turned into inaudible painful paradox.
The remembrance of his earlier comment about Speed doing this woman was irony beyond him as he realized it was one of his best friends.
Now the question was what Calleigh was doing with the no doubt younger man beside her and whether Speed was sober enough to handle this responsibly.
However, seeing his jaw clench at an unseen sight on the dance floor, Delko figured this wouldn't be the best way for his friend to find out that Calleigh had moved on.
Simultaneously the two men looked at each other with identical looks and said, " I'm tired, let's go." Then another second passed and again they said in unison, " Why?"
" Hey stop that." Was the final straw, and Speedle decided to take action, " Why the hell are you so keen on going home?"
Eric looked around nervously, before saying, " Umm, let's just say it's a really, really, really small world."
" Tell me about it." Speed mumbled thinking of Elisabeth groping some guy on the dance floor, he looked back, and didn't know if he should be worried or not that he couldn't spot his sear haired friend anywhere.
" Who you looking for?" Delko's voice interrupted his search, and he shrugged, " No one, I need a drink." He turned around, and swallowed very hard when he encountered another surprise.
" Okay, what the fuck is going on." He exclaimed, and even the volume of the music could mask his distress, when Eric realized Tim knew now, that the blonde he was eyeing, was some one he knew intimately.
And also the fact that she wasn't here alone.
" I don't know." Eric shrugged.
" Well, I'm gonna find out." Speed snapped, and before Delko could stop him, stocked off into the direction of the bar, in his eyes, envy was evident.
***
Calleigh nursed her second Jack Daniel's when she felt a warm presence surround her, and a familiar voice call to the bartender.
" Club soda, lemon."
She smiled in spite herself, and half turned on her chair, " I thought you said we'd both be drinking alcohol on our date?" Calleigh took a sip of the whiskey and watched Josh's grin widen.
" Oh there will be more time for that later." He smiled and glided into the stool next to her blonde.
" Sorry to keep you waiting." He added, and when their eyes met, Calleigh could tell that he was genuine.
It made all her doubt disappear, for a split second, until out of the corner of her eye she thought she saw a ghost.
A ghost that bared an awful like resemblance to her ex boy friend.
" Oh hell no." she murmured, but Josh heard her, and after taking a sip of mineral water, " What?"
" That." Calleigh managed to fit in, before they had company.
" Calleigh, hi, what a pleasure to see you here." Speed smiled falsely, and ordered a beer from Rick.
Who looked hesitantly at Eric, " Oh what the fuck, give it to him." Delko exclaimed throwing his hands up in exasperation.
" Tim, Eric, this is Josh, my uh…" Calleigh's voice trailed off, and Tim took the curt liberty of finishing up her thought, " Your date, I know we've met." He smiled beyond his ex, and to the innocent looking brunette sitting confusedly, over a club soda.
" So is this like karma for bumping into you?" Josh asked comically, but nonetheless not entertaining, " Because I really am sorry." The college boy elicited no chuckles, not even smiles.
The intensity within the group was almost as heady as the scent of smoke lingering in the air.
A sip of beer for Speed proved to be a little too much because he couldn't steady himself, and grasped the counter for support.
" Speed, Tim, are you drunk?" Calleigh exclaimed, not believing the turn her evening was heading in.
" Maybe." The trace expert said playfully, in his low husky voice that would usually weaken Calleigh, but now it disgusted her, and so did his alcohol-scented breath.
She backed away, " What's the matter Cal, can't face up to what you've lost?" He asked innocently, still a bit shaky in his own ground, but able to hold his own, even though his speech was slurring.
" Speedle, man you need to chill." Eric felt compelled to step in, by placing a firm hand on his friend's shoulder.
Which Tim shrugged off successfully, and with not much needed strength. Eric knew enough about his friend, to know that being forceful would only worsen his condition.
" Yeah, he's right dude, you've had way too much to drink." Josh pointed out, probably just trying to be helpful, but seeing as though the usually levelheaded police officer was under the heavy influence of alcohol, he took it the wrong way.
" Hey, this coming from the guy drinking mineral water, lay off kid, how low under the legal age are you?" Speed snapped, and Calleigh took a sip of her JD, just to feel something other than the abating shock and numbness that the situation laid upon her senses.
" And how long till you go into retirement?" Josh taunted back, but Calleigh quickly placed a cautioning hand on his shoulder.
" Josh, don't, he's drunk, be the bigger person." She suggested, and he scoffed, " Whatever, fuck it." He snorted, and down another carbonated gulp.
Calleigh felt absolutely horrid stuck between the two men, and looked on for help from Eric, while he tried to steady Tim, and at the same time loosen his grip on the beer.
" C'mon, I'm gonna take you home." Delko suggested.
" No."
" Sleep it off Tim."
" Fuck you Delko."
Eric was about to open his mouth, but was beaten to the punch when a fifth party joined them.
" Hey guys, what'd I miss?" He froze when he heard the familiar voice and turned around in what seemed like slow motion.
" Apparently more than I did." Eric smirked, and tried to mask his complete and utter surprise with sarcasm.
" Hi Liz." Calleigh mumbled softly, and shoved Speed into the neighboring stool before he fell down entirely.
" Hey." Elisabeth smiled almost shyly and looked down at her shoes.
No one said anything for a few minutes, and then to make matters worse, the only one over the alcohol limit laughed.
" Well this is awkward."
" Shut up Speed."
TBC…