Disclaimer - I don't own any of these characters, including Tim Speedle,
but hey a girl can dream, can't she?
Pairings - Since I personally can't picture Speed with any of the women on the show, I had to create one just for him.
Rating - PG for now, there's a little boy involved.
Summary - Sometimes, what starts out as a simple day can change your life dramatically. Fair warning, if you've lost a parent or a spouse, this chapter sucks. My four-year-old nephew Nicholas has been the model for Ben. I've been watching the way Nicky Nick does things and says things. He's hysterical!
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"Jennifer?" the receptionist, Janice, caught Jennifer's attention as she and Tim stepped off the elevator with Ben, who had woken up when they'd arrived at headquarters. "You've had several phone calls today, all from a Major David Korte. He said he'd call back in an hour, and that was forty- five minutes ago."
"That's my daddy," Ben said proudly to Janice. "He's a Mawine." Tim and Jennifer chuckled quietly as Ben struggled with the word Marine.
"Thanks, Janice, we'll be in the Trace lab when he calls." Tim grabbed their messages and took Ben's hand again.
Exactly fifteen minutes later, the phone rang in the trace lab. Tim picked it up on the second ring. "Speedle," he said, glancing up at Jennifer, "Yeah, she's right here." He handed the phone to Jennifer, who motioned for Tim to take Ben out of the lab.
"Major Korte, my name is Jennifer Hagen, I'm a detective with the Miami- Dade County Police Department; please let me extend my deepest sympathies for your wife's passing."
"Thank you, Detective, how's my son?"
"He's fine, Major," she smiled as she thought of Ben, "He's a wonderful little boy."
"Does he know about his mother yet?"
"No, sir, he doesn't. We thought that might be best coming from you."
"Thank you for your discretion, Detective, it is greatly appreciated." He paused for a moment as he collected his thoughts, "I'm sure you are wondering why I am calling you."
Jennifer didn't answer, so the Major continued. "I assume Social Services has already been in contact with you about taking Ben off your hands."
"They have," she answered quietly.
"I don't want my child in foster care, Detective."
Jennifer breathed a sigh of relief. "I understand your concern, Major."
"Detective," he paused again, "Maria and I were both raised in foster care. We have no family, only each other. We have friends in the Corps, but." he stopped abruptly.
Silence followed and Jennifer wondered if they'd lost their connection.
"Major?"
"Detective, I would greatly appreciate if you would care for Ben until I can return home."
Jennifer struggled to keep the phone in her right hand as her heart began to race, "With all due respect, sir, I."
The Major cut her off. "Detective, you have shown a great deal of concern and care for my son today." His voice broke as he choked out the last words, "You saved his life."
"Major, again, with all due respect, anyone in my position would have done the same thing."
He sighed deeply. "Detective Hagen, I have seen the ugly side of humankind my entire life. Let me assure you, someone else in your position may not have done the same thing."
"Major, I could be ax-murderer for all you know about me."
She heard papers rustling and the Major began to speak again, "Jennifer Michelle Hagen, age 29, born in Okinawa, Japan to Colonel and Mrs. Michael Hagen, also in the Corps. You have a brother named John, five years your senior. Family remained in the Corps until 1984, when the Colonel retired to Miami."
Jennifer was shocked into silence as the Major continued with her life's story.
"You graduated from the University of Miami with a degree in psychology, at which time; you joined the MDPD as a patrol officer. At the age of 27 you were promoted to detective in the vice department. Eight months ago, you were promoted to homicide, at which time you reconciled with one Tim Speedle, a CSI detective also employed with MDPD. You've received four letters of commendation from your superior officers for bravery outside the call of duty in your seven years of service."
"How could you possibly know all of that?"
"I may be on the other side of the world, Ma'am, but I have access to more information than you can possibly fathom," he said seriously.
"Oh."
"I've already spoken with Ben's caseworker at Social Services. She has emailed me the forms necessary to appoint you and Mr. Speedle as legal guardians of Ben until such time that I can return to the States."
Jennifer was stunned. "I'm going to need some time to discuss this with Tim."
"I'd be worried if you didn't, Detective. I'll call back in one hour." He disconnected the line.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Ben sat happily on a stool next to Eric and Calleigh in the ballistics lab while Speed and Jennifer spoke in the hallway.
Tim shoved his hands into his pockets and stared at Jennifer, "He wants us to what?"
"Major Korte would like us to care for Ben until he can get back to the States."
"You're kidding, right?"
"Hardly." She frankly couldn't believe it herself.
"He doesn't even know us," Speed argued.
"He knows more than you think, Tim," she said, recalling the conversation she'd just had with the Major.
"I don't know about this, Jen, we aren't equipped to take care of four year old."
"I know, but how hard can it be?" Tim raised his eyebrows at her. "He's been through so much already, Tim. I can't just let Social Services come get him and have him in some foster home where he doesn't know anybody."
Tim took a deep breath and exhaled it very slowly, contemplating the situation carefully. "Okay," he said, shoving his hands deeper into his pockets.
"Really?" Jennifer bit her bottom lip, hoping Tim wouldn't change his mind.
"Yeah," he replied and she leaned up and kissed him gently. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Calleigh was leaning down over the microscope, comparing her test fire from the suspect's gun to the 9mm slug Alexx had dug out of the victim. She was smiling as she listened to the conversation Eric was having with Ben.
"What's this?" Ben asked, pointing to the brown envelope Calleigh had slipped one of the bullets from.
Eric picked up the envelope and showed it to Ben. "This is an evidence envelope."
"What's that?" Ben wrinkled his nose.
"What's what?" Clearly, Eric doesn't speak four-year old, Calleigh thought to herself.
"Everdunce." Eric laughed at Ben's mispronunciation.
"Evidence is like little bitty pieces of information that someone leaves behind when they doing something wrong."
"Like when I draw on the wall?"
"Exactly. You leave your crayons behind don't you?"
Ben shook his head knowingly. "Yeah."
"That's evidence, my man."
"When I grow up, I'm going to be a pweece-man, just like you, Ewic. Hi, Jenfer," he waved as Jennifer and Tim entered the ballistics lab.
"Hi, Bennie. Whatcha doing?" she crossed the room to ruffle the young boy's white blonde hair.
"Playing with Ewic. He was showing me everdunce."
"He was, huh?" she said, picking Ben up with her good arm and setting him on her lap.
"Well?" Tim questioned, leaning over Calleigh's shoulder.
"Striations match. This is definitely the gun that killed our driver," she said quietly so that Ben wouldn't overhear.
Tim nodded. "Time to go tell Tripp."
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
"Roberto, you lied to me," Frank said, leaning over the suspect.
"I didn't lie to you, man."
"Roberto, Roberto, the striations from the test fire on your weapon match the bullet we found in our victim, Julio Rodriquez."
"And your fingerprints are the only one on the gun," Eric said.
"And we've got three people from the street who can ID you as the shooter," Calleigh continued.
"You really should have changed your clothes, man." Speed smirked.
Roberto Sequina was tapping his foot on the floor and sweating visibly as the five detectives continued their interrogation.
"Why'd you do it, Roberto?" Horatio questioned.
"I didn't do nothing, man. I don't know what all this means, striations, what the hell is that?"
"You understand fingerprints, Roberto. That's all we need." Horatio said calmly.
"I want a lawyer."
"I'll bet you do, Roberto, I'll bet you do. Speed, let's get this man a lawyer shall we?"
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
"Hi, Daddy!" Ben said brightly into the speaker box Jennifer had pointed to when she'd switched from the handset to the speakerphone.
"Hey, buddy," Jennifer could hear the strain in the Major's voice as he struggled to maintain his composure for his son. "Are you being good for Miss Jennifer?"
"Yes, Daddy."
"That's my boy. Benjamin, I need to talk to you about something very serious. I need you to listen very carefully to what I'm about to tell you."
Had the conversation not been so somber, Jennifer might have laughed as she watched Ben settle in with his arms on the table and his head squarely in his palms. He planted a very solemn look on his face and said, "I'm ready, Daddy."
"Ben, your Mommy had an accident at the Laundromat."
Ben cut his father off, "I know, Daddy," he said quietly. "When I fell asleep, Mommy came and told me that she couldn't come home anymore, but that Jenfer and Tim were going to take good care of me."
Jennifer could hear Major Korte put the phone down and sob. Her heart went out to him, and she wiped away her own tears. When he picked up the phone a minute later, he continued, "That's exactly right, son. Miss Jennifer and Mr. Tim are going to take care of you until Daddy can get home. Is that okay with you?"
"Yep, that's fine, Daddy, I like them a lot. Ewic has been teaching me about everdunce."
"Evidence, huh?"
"Yep, I'm gonna be a pweece-man when I grow up."
"I thought you were going to join the Corps, son."
"This is more fun, Daddy."
The major laughed weakly. "All right, we'll talk about it when I get home, okay? I'm going to let Miss Jennifer pick up the phone now, and I'm going to talk to her for a minute. I love you very much, son."
"I love you too, Daddy."
Jennifer picked up the receiver. "Major," she said discreetly.
"That went pretty well, don't you think?" he asked hopefully.
She smiled. "I think it went very well, sir."
"I can't thank you and Mr. Speedle enough for what you've already done for my son, much less what you're going to do for him over the next few days."
"It's our pleasure, Major. Ben is an incredible child." She glanced over at the boy, who was coloring with some pencils Tim had given him earlier.
"Thank you, Miss Hagen. I've arranged for you and Mr. Speedle to have access to the base so that you can pick up Ben's clothes, toys, anything you need. My attorney will be contacting you this evening to sign the paperwork."
"When will you be home?"
"In approximately one week. I will call with the details as soon as they are finalized."
"Major?" she began, but hesitated. The Major seemed to read her mind.
"Miss Hagen, I know you must think it strange that I would trust complete strangers over my own family. But, I feel like Maria is telling me to trust you. I'm following my gut on this one."
Hey, I warned you. TBC.
Pairings - Since I personally can't picture Speed with any of the women on the show, I had to create one just for him.
Rating - PG for now, there's a little boy involved.
Summary - Sometimes, what starts out as a simple day can change your life dramatically. Fair warning, if you've lost a parent or a spouse, this chapter sucks. My four-year-old nephew Nicholas has been the model for Ben. I've been watching the way Nicky Nick does things and says things. He's hysterical!
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
"Jennifer?" the receptionist, Janice, caught Jennifer's attention as she and Tim stepped off the elevator with Ben, who had woken up when they'd arrived at headquarters. "You've had several phone calls today, all from a Major David Korte. He said he'd call back in an hour, and that was forty- five minutes ago."
"That's my daddy," Ben said proudly to Janice. "He's a Mawine." Tim and Jennifer chuckled quietly as Ben struggled with the word Marine.
"Thanks, Janice, we'll be in the Trace lab when he calls." Tim grabbed their messages and took Ben's hand again.
Exactly fifteen minutes later, the phone rang in the trace lab. Tim picked it up on the second ring. "Speedle," he said, glancing up at Jennifer, "Yeah, she's right here." He handed the phone to Jennifer, who motioned for Tim to take Ben out of the lab.
"Major Korte, my name is Jennifer Hagen, I'm a detective with the Miami- Dade County Police Department; please let me extend my deepest sympathies for your wife's passing."
"Thank you, Detective, how's my son?"
"He's fine, Major," she smiled as she thought of Ben, "He's a wonderful little boy."
"Does he know about his mother yet?"
"No, sir, he doesn't. We thought that might be best coming from you."
"Thank you for your discretion, Detective, it is greatly appreciated." He paused for a moment as he collected his thoughts, "I'm sure you are wondering why I am calling you."
Jennifer didn't answer, so the Major continued. "I assume Social Services has already been in contact with you about taking Ben off your hands."
"They have," she answered quietly.
"I don't want my child in foster care, Detective."
Jennifer breathed a sigh of relief. "I understand your concern, Major."
"Detective," he paused again, "Maria and I were both raised in foster care. We have no family, only each other. We have friends in the Corps, but." he stopped abruptly.
Silence followed and Jennifer wondered if they'd lost their connection.
"Major?"
"Detective, I would greatly appreciate if you would care for Ben until I can return home."
Jennifer struggled to keep the phone in her right hand as her heart began to race, "With all due respect, sir, I."
The Major cut her off. "Detective, you have shown a great deal of concern and care for my son today." His voice broke as he choked out the last words, "You saved his life."
"Major, again, with all due respect, anyone in my position would have done the same thing."
He sighed deeply. "Detective Hagen, I have seen the ugly side of humankind my entire life. Let me assure you, someone else in your position may not have done the same thing."
"Major, I could be ax-murderer for all you know about me."
She heard papers rustling and the Major began to speak again, "Jennifer Michelle Hagen, age 29, born in Okinawa, Japan to Colonel and Mrs. Michael Hagen, also in the Corps. You have a brother named John, five years your senior. Family remained in the Corps until 1984, when the Colonel retired to Miami."
Jennifer was shocked into silence as the Major continued with her life's story.
"You graduated from the University of Miami with a degree in psychology, at which time; you joined the MDPD as a patrol officer. At the age of 27 you were promoted to detective in the vice department. Eight months ago, you were promoted to homicide, at which time you reconciled with one Tim Speedle, a CSI detective also employed with MDPD. You've received four letters of commendation from your superior officers for bravery outside the call of duty in your seven years of service."
"How could you possibly know all of that?"
"I may be on the other side of the world, Ma'am, but I have access to more information than you can possibly fathom," he said seriously.
"Oh."
"I've already spoken with Ben's caseworker at Social Services. She has emailed me the forms necessary to appoint you and Mr. Speedle as legal guardians of Ben until such time that I can return to the States."
Jennifer was stunned. "I'm going to need some time to discuss this with Tim."
"I'd be worried if you didn't, Detective. I'll call back in one hour." He disconnected the line.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Ben sat happily on a stool next to Eric and Calleigh in the ballistics lab while Speed and Jennifer spoke in the hallway.
Tim shoved his hands into his pockets and stared at Jennifer, "He wants us to what?"
"Major Korte would like us to care for Ben until he can get back to the States."
"You're kidding, right?"
"Hardly." She frankly couldn't believe it herself.
"He doesn't even know us," Speed argued.
"He knows more than you think, Tim," she said, recalling the conversation she'd just had with the Major.
"I don't know about this, Jen, we aren't equipped to take care of four year old."
"I know, but how hard can it be?" Tim raised his eyebrows at her. "He's been through so much already, Tim. I can't just let Social Services come get him and have him in some foster home where he doesn't know anybody."
Tim took a deep breath and exhaled it very slowly, contemplating the situation carefully. "Okay," he said, shoving his hands deeper into his pockets.
"Really?" Jennifer bit her bottom lip, hoping Tim wouldn't change his mind.
"Yeah," he replied and she leaned up and kissed him gently. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Calleigh was leaning down over the microscope, comparing her test fire from the suspect's gun to the 9mm slug Alexx had dug out of the victim. She was smiling as she listened to the conversation Eric was having with Ben.
"What's this?" Ben asked, pointing to the brown envelope Calleigh had slipped one of the bullets from.
Eric picked up the envelope and showed it to Ben. "This is an evidence envelope."
"What's that?" Ben wrinkled his nose.
"What's what?" Clearly, Eric doesn't speak four-year old, Calleigh thought to herself.
"Everdunce." Eric laughed at Ben's mispronunciation.
"Evidence is like little bitty pieces of information that someone leaves behind when they doing something wrong."
"Like when I draw on the wall?"
"Exactly. You leave your crayons behind don't you?"
Ben shook his head knowingly. "Yeah."
"That's evidence, my man."
"When I grow up, I'm going to be a pweece-man, just like you, Ewic. Hi, Jenfer," he waved as Jennifer and Tim entered the ballistics lab.
"Hi, Bennie. Whatcha doing?" she crossed the room to ruffle the young boy's white blonde hair.
"Playing with Ewic. He was showing me everdunce."
"He was, huh?" she said, picking Ben up with her good arm and setting him on her lap.
"Well?" Tim questioned, leaning over Calleigh's shoulder.
"Striations match. This is definitely the gun that killed our driver," she said quietly so that Ben wouldn't overhear.
Tim nodded. "Time to go tell Tripp."
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
"Roberto, you lied to me," Frank said, leaning over the suspect.
"I didn't lie to you, man."
"Roberto, Roberto, the striations from the test fire on your weapon match the bullet we found in our victim, Julio Rodriquez."
"And your fingerprints are the only one on the gun," Eric said.
"And we've got three people from the street who can ID you as the shooter," Calleigh continued.
"You really should have changed your clothes, man." Speed smirked.
Roberto Sequina was tapping his foot on the floor and sweating visibly as the five detectives continued their interrogation.
"Why'd you do it, Roberto?" Horatio questioned.
"I didn't do nothing, man. I don't know what all this means, striations, what the hell is that?"
"You understand fingerprints, Roberto. That's all we need." Horatio said calmly.
"I want a lawyer."
"I'll bet you do, Roberto, I'll bet you do. Speed, let's get this man a lawyer shall we?"
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
"Hi, Daddy!" Ben said brightly into the speaker box Jennifer had pointed to when she'd switched from the handset to the speakerphone.
"Hey, buddy," Jennifer could hear the strain in the Major's voice as he struggled to maintain his composure for his son. "Are you being good for Miss Jennifer?"
"Yes, Daddy."
"That's my boy. Benjamin, I need to talk to you about something very serious. I need you to listen very carefully to what I'm about to tell you."
Had the conversation not been so somber, Jennifer might have laughed as she watched Ben settle in with his arms on the table and his head squarely in his palms. He planted a very solemn look on his face and said, "I'm ready, Daddy."
"Ben, your Mommy had an accident at the Laundromat."
Ben cut his father off, "I know, Daddy," he said quietly. "When I fell asleep, Mommy came and told me that she couldn't come home anymore, but that Jenfer and Tim were going to take good care of me."
Jennifer could hear Major Korte put the phone down and sob. Her heart went out to him, and she wiped away her own tears. When he picked up the phone a minute later, he continued, "That's exactly right, son. Miss Jennifer and Mr. Tim are going to take care of you until Daddy can get home. Is that okay with you?"
"Yep, that's fine, Daddy, I like them a lot. Ewic has been teaching me about everdunce."
"Evidence, huh?"
"Yep, I'm gonna be a pweece-man when I grow up."
"I thought you were going to join the Corps, son."
"This is more fun, Daddy."
The major laughed weakly. "All right, we'll talk about it when I get home, okay? I'm going to let Miss Jennifer pick up the phone now, and I'm going to talk to her for a minute. I love you very much, son."
"I love you too, Daddy."
Jennifer picked up the receiver. "Major," she said discreetly.
"That went pretty well, don't you think?" he asked hopefully.
She smiled. "I think it went very well, sir."
"I can't thank you and Mr. Speedle enough for what you've already done for my son, much less what you're going to do for him over the next few days."
"It's our pleasure, Major. Ben is an incredible child." She glanced over at the boy, who was coloring with some pencils Tim had given him earlier.
"Thank you, Miss Hagen. I've arranged for you and Mr. Speedle to have access to the base so that you can pick up Ben's clothes, toys, anything you need. My attorney will be contacting you this evening to sign the paperwork."
"When will you be home?"
"In approximately one week. I will call with the details as soon as they are finalized."
"Major?" she began, but hesitated. The Major seemed to read her mind.
"Miss Hagen, I know you must think it strange that I would trust complete strangers over my own family. But, I feel like Maria is telling me to trust you. I'm following my gut on this one."
Hey, I warned you. TBC.