Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, including Tim Speedle (sigh), but hey, a girl can dream can't she?

Rating: We'll start out with PG-13 for now.

Pairings: Speed/OC (Jennifer), Horatio/Calleigh, and maybe we'll give Eric a little love this time!

Summary: Speed's wife is kidnapped and all the clues lead to a case Speed and John Hagen worked on early in their careers.

Author's Note - I almost feel like I'm making Speed cheat between two women right now! However, my brain hurts and I desperately need a break from the serial killer in Love Lost Returned. This story has been in my head for a few days now, and if I don't get fingers to keyboard - I'll forget it all!

Chapter 5

Tim laid in his empty bed, in his empty house, tears streaming down his face. God, I miss her thought, burying his face in her pillow, reliving every single solitary moment of that morning. I didn't tell her I loved her - he closed his eyes, breathing heavily at the thought - why didn't I tell her I loved her? Ben, his brain screamed, what are you going to tell Ben?

"I DON'T KNOW!" he screamed aloud, sobs finally wracking his body. "I don't know," he repeated quietly, inhaling Jennifer's scent from her pillow while sleep tugged at his eyes. He gave in, finally, his last thoughts of his wife and how he might never see her or make love to her or tell her he loved her ever again.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"TIM!" Jennifer exclaimed, sitting straight up in her bed. She could feel her husband's pain piercing her heart. Her own heart was racing; sweat pouring down her body. She swallowed hard, tears pouring down her cheeks. Does he know how much I love him, she thought, does he even have a clue? She ran a hand through her damp hair, begging her heart to slow down. She knew instinctively he was thinking about her, wondering where she was and if he'd ever see her again.

"I know, baby, I know," she sobbed, sinking back down onto the mattress, cradling her pillow as she cried. "Be strong for me, my boys, be strong," she told them.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"MOMMY!" Ben screamed, his little body flailing around in his bed. Julie came running into the room, cradling her grandson. "Don't hurt my mommy," he cried, "Please don't hurt my mommy." He sobbed hot wet tears into the sleeve of Julie's nightgown.

"Ben, honey, wake up," she pleaded, rocking him on her lap. "You're dreaming."

"No," he cried, shaking his head, still dreaming. "Don't hurt my mommy, please."

His blue eyes opened slowly. "Mimi?" he asked quietly.

"Yes, honey?"

"I want my mommy," he stated plainly. Ben hadn't called Jennifer "Mommy" in months, claiming that he was a big boy now. All the boys at school called their mothers "Momma" and that's what Ben had wanted to do too.

"I know Ben, I know."

"A bad man took Mommy," he said quietly, squirming in Julie's embrace to lay his head on her lap.

"Ben, it was just a dream," Julie lied, stroking his blonde locks with her fingertips.

"No," he shook his head furiously. "I know it was real. That's why Mommy and Daddy aren't here. Daddy's looking for Mommy."

Tears fell quietly down Julie's cheeks. How could he possibly know all this, she thought to herself. Somehow, she remembered, he'd known his mother Maria was dead, before being told. Mothers have special connections to their children, she knew. She prayed that she would know if something terrible had happened to Jennifer.

"Mimi?" Ben looked up at her with wide, scared eyes. "Can we go home to Daddy?"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Tim awoke to the feel of a warm body sliding up next to his. What a bad dream, he thought, slowly opening his eyes. He focused on his son's blond head, pressing against his chest. "Ben, what are you doing?" he whispered.

"I wanted to be with you, Daddy," he answered, snuggling closer to Tim under the covers. "I miss Mommy."

The words shocked Tim into reality. Jennifer had been kidnapped. Ben was staying with Julie. "Where's Mimi?" he asked, suddenly curious as to how his son ended up in bed with him.

"In the baby's room." Ben had always referred to the guest bedroom as the baby's room. At first Tim and Jennifer had secretly wondered if Ben knew something they didn't. When Jennifer didn't turn up pregnant, however, they determined it was just Ben's wishful thinking.

"Oh, okay." He wrapped his arm around Ben's pulling him in close. "I miss Mommy too," he confessed, giving his son a squeeze.

"A bad man has Mommy," Ben told him quietly.

"How do you know that?"

"Mommy Maria told me." Tim and Jennifer were quite aware of Mommy Maria's visits, ever since she had died nearly two years before. Tim didn't believe in ghosts or angels, but nor could he explain some of the things that Ben knew - and shouldn't.

He stroked Ben's hair absent-mindedly. "What else did Mommy Maria tell you?"

"That she won't ever leave Mommy and she'll keep Mommy safe, because we need her."

"Good to know," Tim answered.

"Daddy? When is Mommy coming home?"

Tim closed his eyes and sighed. "As soon as I can find her, Ben."