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 8
Travis pulled the car into a spot near an abandoned warehouse in Mobile. He shut off the engine and turned to Jennifer. "There she is," he said, pointing to the boat dock.
"La Lisa," Jennifer read from the passenger seat.
He grinned and opened the car door, stepping out into the late evening sunlight. "Isn't this beautiful?" he asked her, sticking his head back in the car. "Come on, Jen, get out and look at this."
Jennifer glanced into the passenger side mirror, noticing three men dressed in black fatigues quickly approaching the vehicle. Her heart raced. SWAT, she thought as she watched them. She glanced at Travis. Confusion furrowed his brow and he looked behind him. When he looked back at Jennifer, his eyes were full of rage.
"Stupid bitch!" he screamed, grabbing Jennifer by the hair and pulling her out of the car. "I told you not to talk to anybody!"
"I didn't Travis, I swear," she pleaded as he pressed a gun barrel to her temple and tightened his grip around her neck.
"Stop lying!" he demanded, then turned to the SWAT officers. "I'll kill her, man, back off. Back the hell off."
The officer put his hands up, indicating to Travis that he was backing off. "Don't do that, Travis," the officer told him. "She's a cop, and that will get you the chair for sure."
"Where's her husband?" Travis asked. "Or that stupid-ass brother of hers? I know one of those little pricks is here. I want to talk to them. I want them to see their precious little Jennifer die."
"Okay, we'll get the husband for you, just don't do anything stupid," the officer said.
He reached up to his radio and began, "Be advised, the suspect wants to speak with Detective Speedle."
Captain Franks responded, "Okay, land the helicopter."
A minute later, Tim was on the ground with Horatio right behind him. They approached Travis and Jennifer carefully. Tim was unarmed, but Horatio had his gun trained on the kidnapper. Tim stared at his wife, fighting back the tears stinging his eyes and the fear in his heart when he saw the gun barrel at the side of her head.
"What do you want Travis?" Tim asked. "Let Jennifer go. She has nothing to do with this, man."
Travis laughed bitterly. "She has EVERYTHING to do with this. It was you - you and that prick Hagen - who took my life away from me."
"How?" Tim demanded. "How did we take your life away? You're the one who pulled the trigger on your own wife, man. John and I had nothing to do with that."
"I didn't kill her!" Travis screamed, "I told you that. I told Hagen that, but you wouldn't listen."
"Your fingerprints were on the gun, Travis. Lisa's weren't," Tim argued. "What do you expect us to think, man? You were tweaked when you killed her. You don't remember what happened."
"I do remember," he fired back. "Lisa killed herself."
"Then why didn't we find her prints on the gun, tell me that? You give me good enough reason, we'll re-open the case."
Tears fell from Travis' blue eyes. "Doesn't matter," he shrugged. "Lisa's gone and my sister won't speak to me anymore."
"That's why you took Jennifer," Tim realized aloud. "Because she's my wife and John's sister. Revenge all wrapped up in one."
"You got it," Travis laughed again, pressing the barrel deeper into Jennifer's temple. "Now you get to watch her die."
"What if?" Tim pleaded, buying some time. "What if we re-open your case, man? Take another look at how things happened?"
Travis laughed deeply, rolling his eyes. "You stupid cops, do you really think I'm going to fall for that routine? How stupid do you think I am, man?" Travis removed the gun from Jennifer temple and began waving it around in a circle. "You think I'm loony tunes, all tweaked and everything?"
He slumped to the ground behind a shaking Jennifer. SWAT had gotten a shot off. Another officer grabbed Jennifer away from the body, while other kicked the gun away. Paramedics rushed in to treat Travis. Tim closed the space between he and Jennifer in a dead run, capturing his wife in his arms.
He grasped her face with his hands and gazed into her jade green eyes as his tears began to fall. "I never thought I'd see you again," he cried, pressing his lips to hers.
"I love you so much," she whimpered, circling her arms around his neck.
"It's over, Jen, it's over," he said breathlessly. He held her as they cried together, while officers swarmed around the crime scene. Horatio stood next to them, one hand on each of their backs. Jennifer noticed his presence and turned to collapse into Horatio's arms.
"Thank you," she said into his ear, kissing him quickly on the cheek. "For always being there for us."
"Always," he smiled weakly, turning to Tim. "I told you I wouldn't let you down."
Tim nodded, hugging his boss. "You did, H. I'm sorry I ever doubted you."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~
Hours later, an Alabama trooper named Tom opened the door to the couple's motel room. He gave Tim a gentle pat on the shoulder as he held the door open for them.
"Thanks," Tim muttered as he carried a sleeping Jennifer into the room, laying her gently onto the mattress.
"Just doing my job, Detective," the trooper replied, depositing the motel key card on the table and leaving.
Tim removed the Keds tennis shoes she was wearing, depositing Travis' purchase into a white garbage bag Tim had taken from the trooper headquarters. Taking Jennifer's favorite pajamas out of his small suitcase, he removed the rest of the clothing she wore and slipped her into her navy blue plaid flannel pants, knowing she'd prefer to wake up in her own clothing.
She began to mutter incoherently as he tugged the gray v-neck t-shirt down over her head, trying not to disturb her. He settled her back onto her pillow and lifted her left hand. He traced a finger over the deep purple bruise on her ring finger, one left partially because the ring Travis forced her to wear was too small, and partially because it had to be cut off her finger by the paramedics.
He reached behind his own head and released the clasp on a heavy gold chain of Jennifer's he'd borrowed after he'd found her rings at Travis' apartment. He'd kept the chain and her rings hidden beneath a t-shirt and his trademark button down shirts. He let them drop into his palm. He fingered the smooth white gold for a moment before arranging the rings - Jennifer's three-stone engagement ring on top with her plain band below - and slipping them back onto her finger.
He stood; shoving the clothes Travis had bought her into the garbage bag - fighting back the nausea gripping his stomach. Placing a gentle kiss on Jennifer's forehead, he tucked her into the covers and took the room key from the table. He stepped out into the night, making sure the door was locked firmly behind him and began a search for the hotel dumpster.
He found it easily, swinging the lid open and throwing the bag inside. Now if only he could make Jennifer's memories of the kidnapping go away that easily. He slumped against the dumpster, burying his face into his hands, releasing the sobs of grief and relief that had swallowed him up for days.
"Speed?" Horatio placed a hand on Tim's shoulder, and knelt down beside him.
"I'm sorry, H. It's just......"
Horatio shook his head. "Let it out, man. It's gonna come out sometime, so just let it go."
Tim wiped his face with his hands and looked up at Horatio. "How'd you know I was here?"
Horatio shrugged. "Followed you. I stopped by the motel cafeteria and sweet-talked them out of some food. Thought you might be hungry, and I was bringing it by your room when I saw you walk out."
Tim rested his head against the cool metal of the dumpster. "Listen, H, I'm sorry about everything I said before."
Horatio smiled weakly. "No need."
"God," Tim laughed bitterly, "there's every need. I had no right to say that to you."
"Tim," his boss began, "Everyone deals with grief in his own way. That was yours. I don't know what I would have done or how I would have reacted if it had been Calleigh."
Tim closed his eyes. "Jennifer being gone was bad enough, H, but the idea of raising Ben all alone was terrifying."
Horatio nodded assuredly. "If it was half as terrifying as the idea of me raising little Breanna alone," he laughed, "then I feel for you."
Tim shook his head at the thought of Horatio raising his daughter without Calleigh. "Truly terrifying, I have to agree."
"Speed, you don't want Jennifer to wake up alone," Horatio warned, offering Speed a hand to help him stand.
"Yeah, you're right," he nodded. "I just had to get rid of those clothes."
"Understandable. Here's the food." Horatio placed a hand on Tim's shoulder and began leading his protégé back to his room.
"H?" Tim turned and looked at Horatio, tears welling up in his eyes again.
Horatio shook his head. "Speed, you are like a brother to me. You trusted me with the life of your son if anything ever happened to you. That's a big deal and I would never let anything take you or Jennifer away from him if I could somehow prevent it."
"Well, if some psycho ever kidnaps Calleigh, I've got your back," Tim said sarcastically, opening the motel door.
"Count on it," Horatio answered, sticking his key into the lock of the room next door.
Tim shut the door and sat down at the small table in his room. He greedily devoured the food, realizing it had been hours since he'd eaten anything. Finishing up his hamburger and fries, he deposited the Styrofoam container in the trash - proof for his wife that he'd actually eaten. He removed his jeans, shirt and t-shirt, crawling into bed wearing only his boxer shorts.
He snuggled up next to Jennifer, wrapping an arm protectively around her waist and nuzzling her hair with his face. "I love you," he whispered, drifting into sleep.
He awoke, seemingly just a few moments later, to Jennifer's screams and an elbow to his stomach. Jennifer was trashing in her sleeping, fighting Tim's arm at her waist.
He sat them both up, gathering her into his arms, pinning her arms to her chest and stretching his legs over hers. "Jen," he said gently, holding her tight. "Jen, wake up, it's just a nightmare."
She whimpered; slouching in his embrace as she slowly woke up. "Tim?" she said quietly, her eyes still closed.
"Yeah, baby," he answered, his voice still husky with sleep. "You're here with me, and tomorrow we're going home to Ben."
"It's over?" she asked cautiously, resting her head on his shoulder.
"Travis is in the hospital, then he's going to jail for the rest of his life. It's over, Jen." Tim's cell phone rang and he grabbed it from the nightstand. "Hey, H," he answered. "Yeah, she's fine, just a nightmare. Okay, thanks."
"I didn't mean to wake Horatio," she said, burying her face in her hands.
He grinned. "Oh, so you meant to wake me?" he asked sarcastically.
"Ha, Ha," she answered irritably. "Very funny, my husband's a regular stand-up comic." Jennifer stretched her arms out. Her engagement ring caught a glint of moonlight and she sighed heavily. Tim stretched his left hand out, capturing hers and intertwining their fingers. "I love you, Jennifer," he told her, bringing their hands up to his face. He kissed her bruised ring finger.
"I love you, too," she answered, snuggling into his embrace. "Thank you for finding me."
Speed laughed heartily. "Thank you for being so damned smart, not that I ever expected you'd be anything else."
"A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do to get back to her boys," she stated, giggling slightly. "The thought of the two of you attempting to do your own laundry, cook your own meals, pay the bills and run the house - well, let's just not go there."
"I can cook," Tim defended himself. "And I did do my own laundry before I met you."
She laughed, plainly this time. "Paying someone to do your laundry for you is not the same thing as doing your own laundry, Tim."
"You say tomato," he argued, moving her hair away from her shoulder with his finger. He placed a gentle kiss on the soft area where her neck and shoulders met, causing her to moan lightly.
"Don't stop," she encouraged him. "I won't break, Tim."
"I know," he said, resting his forehead in the crook of her neck. "I'm just.......," he couldn't find the words he needed to complete the sentence.
Jennifer turned in his embrace to face him. "He didn't touch me like that, Tim, not once." She ran her fingers down the side of his stubbly cheek. "I need you," she whispered onto his lips, letting her fingers trail down his chest. "I need to feel you, to know you're real."
"I'm real," he breathed heavily, capturing her face in his hands. He kissed her deeply and ran his hands under her shirt, caressing the creamy skin beneath. "Horatio's in the next room," he muttered, pulling the shirt over her head.
"I don't care," she replied breathlessly as her fingers made contact with the growing bulge in his boxers. "Make love to me."
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 8
Travis pulled the car into a spot near an abandoned warehouse in Mobile. He shut off the engine and turned to Jennifer. "There she is," he said, pointing to the boat dock.
"La Lisa," Jennifer read from the passenger seat.
He grinned and opened the car door, stepping out into the late evening sunlight. "Isn't this beautiful?" he asked her, sticking his head back in the car. "Come on, Jen, get out and look at this."
Jennifer glanced into the passenger side mirror, noticing three men dressed in black fatigues quickly approaching the vehicle. Her heart raced. SWAT, she thought as she watched them. She glanced at Travis. Confusion furrowed his brow and he looked behind him. When he looked back at Jennifer, his eyes were full of rage.
"Stupid bitch!" he screamed, grabbing Jennifer by the hair and pulling her out of the car. "I told you not to talk to anybody!"
"I didn't Travis, I swear," she pleaded as he pressed a gun barrel to her temple and tightened his grip around her neck.
"Stop lying!" he demanded, then turned to the SWAT officers. "I'll kill her, man, back off. Back the hell off."
The officer put his hands up, indicating to Travis that he was backing off. "Don't do that, Travis," the officer told him. "She's a cop, and that will get you the chair for sure."
"Where's her husband?" Travis asked. "Or that stupid-ass brother of hers? I know one of those little pricks is here. I want to talk to them. I want them to see their precious little Jennifer die."
"Okay, we'll get the husband for you, just don't do anything stupid," the officer said.
He reached up to his radio and began, "Be advised, the suspect wants to speak with Detective Speedle."
Captain Franks responded, "Okay, land the helicopter."
A minute later, Tim was on the ground with Horatio right behind him. They approached Travis and Jennifer carefully. Tim was unarmed, but Horatio had his gun trained on the kidnapper. Tim stared at his wife, fighting back the tears stinging his eyes and the fear in his heart when he saw the gun barrel at the side of her head.
"What do you want Travis?" Tim asked. "Let Jennifer go. She has nothing to do with this, man."
Travis laughed bitterly. "She has EVERYTHING to do with this. It was you - you and that prick Hagen - who took my life away from me."
"How?" Tim demanded. "How did we take your life away? You're the one who pulled the trigger on your own wife, man. John and I had nothing to do with that."
"I didn't kill her!" Travis screamed, "I told you that. I told Hagen that, but you wouldn't listen."
"Your fingerprints were on the gun, Travis. Lisa's weren't," Tim argued. "What do you expect us to think, man? You were tweaked when you killed her. You don't remember what happened."
"I do remember," he fired back. "Lisa killed herself."
"Then why didn't we find her prints on the gun, tell me that? You give me good enough reason, we'll re-open the case."
Tears fell from Travis' blue eyes. "Doesn't matter," he shrugged. "Lisa's gone and my sister won't speak to me anymore."
"That's why you took Jennifer," Tim realized aloud. "Because she's my wife and John's sister. Revenge all wrapped up in one."
"You got it," Travis laughed again, pressing the barrel deeper into Jennifer's temple. "Now you get to watch her die."
"What if?" Tim pleaded, buying some time. "What if we re-open your case, man? Take another look at how things happened?"
Travis laughed deeply, rolling his eyes. "You stupid cops, do you really think I'm going to fall for that routine? How stupid do you think I am, man?" Travis removed the gun from Jennifer temple and began waving it around in a circle. "You think I'm loony tunes, all tweaked and everything?"
He slumped to the ground behind a shaking Jennifer. SWAT had gotten a shot off. Another officer grabbed Jennifer away from the body, while other kicked the gun away. Paramedics rushed in to treat Travis. Tim closed the space between he and Jennifer in a dead run, capturing his wife in his arms.
He grasped her face with his hands and gazed into her jade green eyes as his tears began to fall. "I never thought I'd see you again," he cried, pressing his lips to hers.
"I love you so much," she whimpered, circling her arms around his neck.
"It's over, Jen, it's over," he said breathlessly. He held her as they cried together, while officers swarmed around the crime scene. Horatio stood next to them, one hand on each of their backs. Jennifer noticed his presence and turned to collapse into Horatio's arms.
"Thank you," she said into his ear, kissing him quickly on the cheek. "For always being there for us."
"Always," he smiled weakly, turning to Tim. "I told you I wouldn't let you down."
Tim nodded, hugging his boss. "You did, H. I'm sorry I ever doubted you."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~
Hours later, an Alabama trooper named Tom opened the door to the couple's motel room. He gave Tim a gentle pat on the shoulder as he held the door open for them.
"Thanks," Tim muttered as he carried a sleeping Jennifer into the room, laying her gently onto the mattress.
"Just doing my job, Detective," the trooper replied, depositing the motel key card on the table and leaving.
Tim removed the Keds tennis shoes she was wearing, depositing Travis' purchase into a white garbage bag Tim had taken from the trooper headquarters. Taking Jennifer's favorite pajamas out of his small suitcase, he removed the rest of the clothing she wore and slipped her into her navy blue plaid flannel pants, knowing she'd prefer to wake up in her own clothing.
She began to mutter incoherently as he tugged the gray v-neck t-shirt down over her head, trying not to disturb her. He settled her back onto her pillow and lifted her left hand. He traced a finger over the deep purple bruise on her ring finger, one left partially because the ring Travis forced her to wear was too small, and partially because it had to be cut off her finger by the paramedics.
He reached behind his own head and released the clasp on a heavy gold chain of Jennifer's he'd borrowed after he'd found her rings at Travis' apartment. He'd kept the chain and her rings hidden beneath a t-shirt and his trademark button down shirts. He let them drop into his palm. He fingered the smooth white gold for a moment before arranging the rings - Jennifer's three-stone engagement ring on top with her plain band below - and slipping them back onto her finger.
He stood; shoving the clothes Travis had bought her into the garbage bag - fighting back the nausea gripping his stomach. Placing a gentle kiss on Jennifer's forehead, he tucked her into the covers and took the room key from the table. He stepped out into the night, making sure the door was locked firmly behind him and began a search for the hotel dumpster.
He found it easily, swinging the lid open and throwing the bag inside. Now if only he could make Jennifer's memories of the kidnapping go away that easily. He slumped against the dumpster, burying his face into his hands, releasing the sobs of grief and relief that had swallowed him up for days.
"Speed?" Horatio placed a hand on Tim's shoulder, and knelt down beside him.
"I'm sorry, H. It's just......"
Horatio shook his head. "Let it out, man. It's gonna come out sometime, so just let it go."
Tim wiped his face with his hands and looked up at Horatio. "How'd you know I was here?"
Horatio shrugged. "Followed you. I stopped by the motel cafeteria and sweet-talked them out of some food. Thought you might be hungry, and I was bringing it by your room when I saw you walk out."
Tim rested his head against the cool metal of the dumpster. "Listen, H, I'm sorry about everything I said before."
Horatio smiled weakly. "No need."
"God," Tim laughed bitterly, "there's every need. I had no right to say that to you."
"Tim," his boss began, "Everyone deals with grief in his own way. That was yours. I don't know what I would have done or how I would have reacted if it had been Calleigh."
Tim closed his eyes. "Jennifer being gone was bad enough, H, but the idea of raising Ben all alone was terrifying."
Horatio nodded assuredly. "If it was half as terrifying as the idea of me raising little Breanna alone," he laughed, "then I feel for you."
Tim shook his head at the thought of Horatio raising his daughter without Calleigh. "Truly terrifying, I have to agree."
"Speed, you don't want Jennifer to wake up alone," Horatio warned, offering Speed a hand to help him stand.
"Yeah, you're right," he nodded. "I just had to get rid of those clothes."
"Understandable. Here's the food." Horatio placed a hand on Tim's shoulder and began leading his protégé back to his room.
"H?" Tim turned and looked at Horatio, tears welling up in his eyes again.
Horatio shook his head. "Speed, you are like a brother to me. You trusted me with the life of your son if anything ever happened to you. That's a big deal and I would never let anything take you or Jennifer away from him if I could somehow prevent it."
"Well, if some psycho ever kidnaps Calleigh, I've got your back," Tim said sarcastically, opening the motel door.
"Count on it," Horatio answered, sticking his key into the lock of the room next door.
Tim shut the door and sat down at the small table in his room. He greedily devoured the food, realizing it had been hours since he'd eaten anything. Finishing up his hamburger and fries, he deposited the Styrofoam container in the trash - proof for his wife that he'd actually eaten. He removed his jeans, shirt and t-shirt, crawling into bed wearing only his boxer shorts.
He snuggled up next to Jennifer, wrapping an arm protectively around her waist and nuzzling her hair with his face. "I love you," he whispered, drifting into sleep.
He awoke, seemingly just a few moments later, to Jennifer's screams and an elbow to his stomach. Jennifer was trashing in her sleeping, fighting Tim's arm at her waist.
He sat them both up, gathering her into his arms, pinning her arms to her chest and stretching his legs over hers. "Jen," he said gently, holding her tight. "Jen, wake up, it's just a nightmare."
She whimpered; slouching in his embrace as she slowly woke up. "Tim?" she said quietly, her eyes still closed.
"Yeah, baby," he answered, his voice still husky with sleep. "You're here with me, and tomorrow we're going home to Ben."
"It's over?" she asked cautiously, resting her head on his shoulder.
"Travis is in the hospital, then he's going to jail for the rest of his life. It's over, Jen." Tim's cell phone rang and he grabbed it from the nightstand. "Hey, H," he answered. "Yeah, she's fine, just a nightmare. Okay, thanks."
"I didn't mean to wake Horatio," she said, burying her face in her hands.
He grinned. "Oh, so you meant to wake me?" he asked sarcastically.
"Ha, Ha," she answered irritably. "Very funny, my husband's a regular stand-up comic." Jennifer stretched her arms out. Her engagement ring caught a glint of moonlight and she sighed heavily. Tim stretched his left hand out, capturing hers and intertwining their fingers. "I love you, Jennifer," he told her, bringing their hands up to his face. He kissed her bruised ring finger.
"I love you, too," she answered, snuggling into his embrace. "Thank you for finding me."
Speed laughed heartily. "Thank you for being so damned smart, not that I ever expected you'd be anything else."
"A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do to get back to her boys," she stated, giggling slightly. "The thought of the two of you attempting to do your own laundry, cook your own meals, pay the bills and run the house - well, let's just not go there."
"I can cook," Tim defended himself. "And I did do my own laundry before I met you."
She laughed, plainly this time. "Paying someone to do your laundry for you is not the same thing as doing your own laundry, Tim."
"You say tomato," he argued, moving her hair away from her shoulder with his finger. He placed a gentle kiss on the soft area where her neck and shoulders met, causing her to moan lightly.
"Don't stop," she encouraged him. "I won't break, Tim."
"I know," he said, resting his forehead in the crook of her neck. "I'm just.......," he couldn't find the words he needed to complete the sentence.
Jennifer turned in his embrace to face him. "He didn't touch me like that, Tim, not once." She ran her fingers down the side of his stubbly cheek. "I need you," she whispered onto his lips, letting her fingers trail down his chest. "I need to feel you, to know you're real."
"I'm real," he breathed heavily, capturing her face in his hands. He kissed her deeply and ran his hands under her shirt, caressing the creamy skin beneath. "Horatio's in the next room," he muttered, pulling the shirt over her head.
"I don't care," she replied breathlessly as her fingers made contact with the growing bulge in his boxers. "Make love to me."
