Set Me Free
See Part 1 for Disclaimers, etc.
Looking up from her position in the corner of the room that was their latest crime scene, Calleigh watched Speed comb the carpet nearby for hair and fibers. He was focussing on his task and took no notice of her gaze.
His eyebrows were furrowed in concentration and she lingered for a moment longer, feeling a certain ache in her chest as her eyes brushed over his full lips and the stubble that always made him all the more attractive to her.
She turned back to the bloodstained wall she was dusting for fingerprints and silently cursed at herself for thinking about another man this way. John was in the very next room, talking to the mother of the victim who had been found in this room only a couple of hours ago.
Then she remembered the way John had let his eyes skate over the body of the grieving mother and felt her guilt subside. She had always been aware of the admiring glances he'd thrown her way but lately she'd been noticing he did the same thing with most women.
It was subtle and he probably wasn't even conscious of the fact that he did it but she noticed it all the same.
She didn't want to overreact about it but the fact was that it bothered her that the man she was involved with apparently didn't see anything wrong with ogling other women in her presence.
She couldn't help but wonder if she deserved better. Her eyes wandered to Speed again and found herself meeting the gaze that was already fixed on her.
"How's it going?" He asked her with a grin. "I hope you're having more luck than I am. I'm mostly coming up with pet hair, so unless the killer was four-legged..."
Calleigh smiled back and was about to respond when the ringing of Speed's cell phone interrupted her.
"Speed." She watched his expression as he listened to the caller and wondered if it was Horatio. They were expecting him to call and check in about the case.
"Hey, I was hoping you would call. Are we still on for tonight?" Realizing it was a personal call Calleigh busied herself, trying her best not to listen.
There wasn't much else she could do though, since she was in the same room. It didn't take long for her to figure out that the caller was a woman and from the tone of Speed's voice as he spoke, it was someone he really cared about. Speed kept the conversation short and Calleigh's heart fell as she listened to him end the call.
"I'll see you at seven. Yeah, I'm looking forward to it too. Bye Yana." Speed turned off his phone just as John reentered the room.
"How's the mother doing?" Calleigh asked him, as he came to stand beside her. She put a smile on her face, determined not to let the fact that Speed was involved with someone get her down.
She wanted him to be happy, she would never begrudge him that.
"She's doing okay, considering." John replied, "I'm certain she had nothing to do with this though. She's got a solid alibi." He placed a hand on her back, softly tracing the outline of her bra through her blouse.
The sensation felt good and sent involuntary shivers up Calleigh's spine but she put a hand over his, pushing him away. She stood up, glad for the fact she was wearing heels today.
Sometimes he had a way of making her feel quite small and insignificant, brushing off her worries about keeping things professional at work. She kept saying no yet he kept trying to cross the line in small ways.
"This isn't the time." She whispered softly, shaking her head at him. He smiled at her and she wondered if she would ever get through to him.
He had told her the other night that she drove him crazy and he just couldn't keep his hands off her. All she had to do was look at him.
So, in essence, he was blaming his lack of control on her. At least, that's what Calleigh got out of the conversation. Right now, John looked like a little kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar. He looked kind of adorable but at the same time it made Calleigh want to slap him.
"I know, I know." John said softly. "Not at work."
Calleigh glanced over his shoulder at Speed and saw he was watching them with interest.
"Found something?" She asked him, none too appreciative of her captive audience.
"Actually, yeah. I've definitely got some human hair and some of them have roots. We may have hit paydirt here." If Speed had seen John touch her he certainly wasn't letting on.
"There was a struggle so hopefully the victim managed to pull out a few of the killer's hairs as she was attacked." Calleigh commented thoughtfully.
"And in doing so, she may have helped us catch her killer." Speed added. Hagen looked from one to the other, realizing this wasn't the first time he'd witnessed the two of them finish each other's thoughts.
Neither of them seemed to be aware of it though, or the connection they obviously shared. It used to make Hagen jealous until he realized that their relationship was strictly platonic.
Before he and Calleigh had begun their relationship he had always assumed that she and Speed were sleeping together.
It had been a mixture of relief and surprise when he had realized he was mistaken about them. Still, while he was in Calleigh's bed, part of him had a feeling that he was not the one in her heart.
"So, are you almost finished Calleigh? I can give you a ride back." Hagen asked her, doing his best to look casual. Speed saw right through him, sure that Hagen just wanted to steal a moment or two alone with Calleigh.
Not that Speed could blame him. If he were in Hagen's position he would probably feel the same way.
But if he were ever lucky enough to be with Calleigh hopefully she wouldn't fight so hard to keep their relationship such a secret the way she was with Hagen.
"Actually, I'm going to be at it for awhile longer." Calleigh answered. "I'll catch a ride back with Speed." Hagen looked a bit disappointed but didn't push her.
"Okay. I'll check in with you later then. Hopefully you'll have something for me." He looked Calleigh in the eyes as he said this and Speed just barely held back a snort, wondering if the guy knew just how transparent he was.
He left the room and Calleigh went back to work as Speed started gathering up the evidence he'd bagged and labeled. As much as he wanted to ask Calleigh what was going on with Hagen he didn't want to pry.
They'd been friends for years now and he knew that if she wanted to tell him that she would.
Besides, he was keeping his own relationship a secret from Calleigh. It wasn't like he was ashamed but he really didn't know where things were going yet and he also knew that Calleigh wouldn't approve of his choice in women.
Much like Calleigh, Yana was beautiful, smart and funny but they had never gotten along. Neither woman had ever made a secret of her dislike for the other. They tolerated each other but they had never made an effort to become friends.
Women. Speed would never understand the intricacies of their relationships with each other.
Delko had joked to Speed once as he watched them that it was hard for two women to get along when they both wanted the same man. He had brushed off that comment at the time but now he wondered if it were true somehow.
Calleigh had looked incredibly hurt the other night when he had practically ignored her, focussing all his attentions on Yana. As for Yana, she did little to disguise the way she felt about Calleigh. She was borderline rude that night yet Speed had still been haunted by the image of Calleigh and John so he had let it slide.
Now he wondered what he was getting himself into. Was he getting involved with another woman to spite Calleigh and distract himself from the thought of Calleigh screwing John Hagen?
It didn't make a lot of sense, considering he and Calleigh had never even kissed. What difference should it make to him who she sleeps with? It's not like he'd ever made a move to change their relationship.
Speed finished packing up his kit and wordlessly approached Calleigh, who was photographing the blood splatter on the wall, capturing every angle.
She didn't hear him come up behind her and suddenly turned around, bumping into him and nearly losing her grip on the camera.
Speed put his hands over hers, smiling at her.
"That was close." She said, relieved that the camera wasn't lying broken on the floor.
"I didn't mean to sneak up on you, Calleigh. I'm sorry."
"Don't be. I just wasn't paying attention to what I'm doing."
"Are you okay?" Speed's chocolate brown eyes gazed at her with concern and Calleigh realized that his hands still hadn't left hers. She wanted to tell him she wasn't fine and that she was lonely.
Even though she was in a relationship with a man who was hovering over her every chance he got.
It wasn't the kind of love she sought but she knew she couldn't verbalize it, not to John and definitely not to Tim. Saying it out loud could lead to more than she bargained for.
"I'm fine." Calleigh insisted, gently pulling away from him, feeling heat rise to her cheeks when she realized how it might have looked if someone had walked in just now.
"I'm ready to go, actually."
For a moment there, as she'd looked into his eyes, Speed thought that maybe Calleigh would tell him what was on her mind. Then, suddenly, the spell had been broken and she had pulled away.
Both physically and emotionally keeping her distance from him once again.
Speed wished he could ask her out for dinner, spend some time with her one on one. But Yana would be waiting for him when he got off work and he definitely didn't want to piss her off by bailing at the last moment.
She may not be Calleigh but she deserved better than that.
"So, you've got a hot date tonight?" Calleigh asked him, almost as though she were reading his thoughts. "I didn't mean to overhear, but, you know..." She looked apologetic but curious to hear his answer.
"I wouldn't call it a hot date but I do have dinner plans with Yana, yes."
Calleigh nodded and he tried to read her expression. She gave him a genuine, almost sad smile before commenting.
"Yana's a good person. We may not always get along but I think she could be a good match for you."
That surprised Tim, but then again, Calleigh was nothing if not diplomatic. She was also pretty good at hiding her feelings.
"Thanks Cal. We're having a good time."
"That's good. God knows we all deserve that."
Calleigh led the way out of the house and Speed wondered if she would ever be ready to tell him about her relationship with John.
This would have been the perfect opportunity but she wasn't giving anything away.
As they got into the Hummer she deftly steered the conversation into safer territory, discussing their case and leaving the topic of personal lives far behind.
Speed willingly let her change the subject, allowing himself to forget for the moment about Hagen, Yana and any other distractions that kept creeping into his brain.
Instead, he listened to the voice he knew so well, meeting those blue eyes every few moments, forgetting the turmoil that was raging inside of him, and that she was the main cause behind its existence.
TBC....
See Part 1 for Disclaimers, etc.
Looking up from her position in the corner of the room that was their latest crime scene, Calleigh watched Speed comb the carpet nearby for hair and fibers. He was focussing on his task and took no notice of her gaze.
His eyebrows were furrowed in concentration and she lingered for a moment longer, feeling a certain ache in her chest as her eyes brushed over his full lips and the stubble that always made him all the more attractive to her.
She turned back to the bloodstained wall she was dusting for fingerprints and silently cursed at herself for thinking about another man this way. John was in the very next room, talking to the mother of the victim who had been found in this room only a couple of hours ago.
Then she remembered the way John had let his eyes skate over the body of the grieving mother and felt her guilt subside. She had always been aware of the admiring glances he'd thrown her way but lately she'd been noticing he did the same thing with most women.
It was subtle and he probably wasn't even conscious of the fact that he did it but she noticed it all the same.
She didn't want to overreact about it but the fact was that it bothered her that the man she was involved with apparently didn't see anything wrong with ogling other women in her presence.
She couldn't help but wonder if she deserved better. Her eyes wandered to Speed again and found herself meeting the gaze that was already fixed on her.
"How's it going?" He asked her with a grin. "I hope you're having more luck than I am. I'm mostly coming up with pet hair, so unless the killer was four-legged..."
Calleigh smiled back and was about to respond when the ringing of Speed's cell phone interrupted her.
"Speed." She watched his expression as he listened to the caller and wondered if it was Horatio. They were expecting him to call and check in about the case.
"Hey, I was hoping you would call. Are we still on for tonight?" Realizing it was a personal call Calleigh busied herself, trying her best not to listen.
There wasn't much else she could do though, since she was in the same room. It didn't take long for her to figure out that the caller was a woman and from the tone of Speed's voice as he spoke, it was someone he really cared about. Speed kept the conversation short and Calleigh's heart fell as she listened to him end the call.
"I'll see you at seven. Yeah, I'm looking forward to it too. Bye Yana." Speed turned off his phone just as John reentered the room.
"How's the mother doing?" Calleigh asked him, as he came to stand beside her. She put a smile on her face, determined not to let the fact that Speed was involved with someone get her down.
She wanted him to be happy, she would never begrudge him that.
"She's doing okay, considering." John replied, "I'm certain she had nothing to do with this though. She's got a solid alibi." He placed a hand on her back, softly tracing the outline of her bra through her blouse.
The sensation felt good and sent involuntary shivers up Calleigh's spine but she put a hand over his, pushing him away. She stood up, glad for the fact she was wearing heels today.
Sometimes he had a way of making her feel quite small and insignificant, brushing off her worries about keeping things professional at work. She kept saying no yet he kept trying to cross the line in small ways.
"This isn't the time." She whispered softly, shaking her head at him. He smiled at her and she wondered if she would ever get through to him.
He had told her the other night that she drove him crazy and he just couldn't keep his hands off her. All she had to do was look at him.
So, in essence, he was blaming his lack of control on her. At least, that's what Calleigh got out of the conversation. Right now, John looked like a little kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar. He looked kind of adorable but at the same time it made Calleigh want to slap him.
"I know, I know." John said softly. "Not at work."
Calleigh glanced over his shoulder at Speed and saw he was watching them with interest.
"Found something?" She asked him, none too appreciative of her captive audience.
"Actually, yeah. I've definitely got some human hair and some of them have roots. We may have hit paydirt here." If Speed had seen John touch her he certainly wasn't letting on.
"There was a struggle so hopefully the victim managed to pull out a few of the killer's hairs as she was attacked." Calleigh commented thoughtfully.
"And in doing so, she may have helped us catch her killer." Speed added. Hagen looked from one to the other, realizing this wasn't the first time he'd witnessed the two of them finish each other's thoughts.
Neither of them seemed to be aware of it though, or the connection they obviously shared. It used to make Hagen jealous until he realized that their relationship was strictly platonic.
Before he and Calleigh had begun their relationship he had always assumed that she and Speed were sleeping together.
It had been a mixture of relief and surprise when he had realized he was mistaken about them. Still, while he was in Calleigh's bed, part of him had a feeling that he was not the one in her heart.
"So, are you almost finished Calleigh? I can give you a ride back." Hagen asked her, doing his best to look casual. Speed saw right through him, sure that Hagen just wanted to steal a moment or two alone with Calleigh.
Not that Speed could blame him. If he were in Hagen's position he would probably feel the same way.
But if he were ever lucky enough to be with Calleigh hopefully she wouldn't fight so hard to keep their relationship such a secret the way she was with Hagen.
"Actually, I'm going to be at it for awhile longer." Calleigh answered. "I'll catch a ride back with Speed." Hagen looked a bit disappointed but didn't push her.
"Okay. I'll check in with you later then. Hopefully you'll have something for me." He looked Calleigh in the eyes as he said this and Speed just barely held back a snort, wondering if the guy knew just how transparent he was.
He left the room and Calleigh went back to work as Speed started gathering up the evidence he'd bagged and labeled. As much as he wanted to ask Calleigh what was going on with Hagen he didn't want to pry.
They'd been friends for years now and he knew that if she wanted to tell him that she would.
Besides, he was keeping his own relationship a secret from Calleigh. It wasn't like he was ashamed but he really didn't know where things were going yet and he also knew that Calleigh wouldn't approve of his choice in women.
Much like Calleigh, Yana was beautiful, smart and funny but they had never gotten along. Neither woman had ever made a secret of her dislike for the other. They tolerated each other but they had never made an effort to become friends.
Women. Speed would never understand the intricacies of their relationships with each other.
Delko had joked to Speed once as he watched them that it was hard for two women to get along when they both wanted the same man. He had brushed off that comment at the time but now he wondered if it were true somehow.
Calleigh had looked incredibly hurt the other night when he had practically ignored her, focussing all his attentions on Yana. As for Yana, she did little to disguise the way she felt about Calleigh. She was borderline rude that night yet Speed had still been haunted by the image of Calleigh and John so he had let it slide.
Now he wondered what he was getting himself into. Was he getting involved with another woman to spite Calleigh and distract himself from the thought of Calleigh screwing John Hagen?
It didn't make a lot of sense, considering he and Calleigh had never even kissed. What difference should it make to him who she sleeps with? It's not like he'd ever made a move to change their relationship.
Speed finished packing up his kit and wordlessly approached Calleigh, who was photographing the blood splatter on the wall, capturing every angle.
She didn't hear him come up behind her and suddenly turned around, bumping into him and nearly losing her grip on the camera.
Speed put his hands over hers, smiling at her.
"That was close." She said, relieved that the camera wasn't lying broken on the floor.
"I didn't mean to sneak up on you, Calleigh. I'm sorry."
"Don't be. I just wasn't paying attention to what I'm doing."
"Are you okay?" Speed's chocolate brown eyes gazed at her with concern and Calleigh realized that his hands still hadn't left hers. She wanted to tell him she wasn't fine and that she was lonely.
Even though she was in a relationship with a man who was hovering over her every chance he got.
It wasn't the kind of love she sought but she knew she couldn't verbalize it, not to John and definitely not to Tim. Saying it out loud could lead to more than she bargained for.
"I'm fine." Calleigh insisted, gently pulling away from him, feeling heat rise to her cheeks when she realized how it might have looked if someone had walked in just now.
"I'm ready to go, actually."
For a moment there, as she'd looked into his eyes, Speed thought that maybe Calleigh would tell him what was on her mind. Then, suddenly, the spell had been broken and she had pulled away.
Both physically and emotionally keeping her distance from him once again.
Speed wished he could ask her out for dinner, spend some time with her one on one. But Yana would be waiting for him when he got off work and he definitely didn't want to piss her off by bailing at the last moment.
She may not be Calleigh but she deserved better than that.
"So, you've got a hot date tonight?" Calleigh asked him, almost as though she were reading his thoughts. "I didn't mean to overhear, but, you know..." She looked apologetic but curious to hear his answer.
"I wouldn't call it a hot date but I do have dinner plans with Yana, yes."
Calleigh nodded and he tried to read her expression. She gave him a genuine, almost sad smile before commenting.
"Yana's a good person. We may not always get along but I think she could be a good match for you."
That surprised Tim, but then again, Calleigh was nothing if not diplomatic. She was also pretty good at hiding her feelings.
"Thanks Cal. We're having a good time."
"That's good. God knows we all deserve that."
Calleigh led the way out of the house and Speed wondered if she would ever be ready to tell him about her relationship with John.
This would have been the perfect opportunity but she wasn't giving anything away.
As they got into the Hummer she deftly steered the conversation into safer territory, discussing their case and leaving the topic of personal lives far behind.
Speed willingly let her change the subject, allowing himself to forget for the moment about Hagen, Yana and any other distractions that kept creeping into his brain.
Instead, he listened to the voice he knew so well, meeting those blue eyes every few moments, forgetting the turmoil that was raging inside of him, and that she was the main cause behind its existence.
TBC....