Disclaimer - I don't own any of the CSI characters, including Tim Speedle,
sigh, but hey, a girl can dream, can't she? I do, however, own Leanna and
Nicholas. They are part of my master plan to create a life for Timmy
outside the office.
Pairings - Tim and his lovely wife Leanna, Horatio & Calleigh, Eric & Valera
Rating – Back to PG-13 for now.
Summary – Two prominent physicians are murdered in their Coconut Grove home. All clues point back to the couple's daughter, who is hiding more than one devastating secret.
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Tim tapped his foot nervously against the linoleum floor of the interrogation room. Horatio was to his left, calm and cool as always while they waited for Lauren's arrival. She'd been booked, fingerprinted, and now she was on the way to interrogation. The door opened with a creak and Tim jumped up, picking a spot against the opposite wall to stand.
"What shall I call you?" Horatio asked sarcastically, tossing a file onto the table in front of Lauren and her attorney as they sat. "Julie, Lauren, do you have any other names?"
Lauren shook her head weakly. "No," she answered quietly. "Lauren is fine."
"Okay, Lauren," he began, peering at her over the bridge of his nose, "tell us what happened the night your parents were killed."
"I'm sure Michelle already told you," Lauren dodged the question.
"We'd like to hear your version," Tim said from his spot against the wall.
Lauren glanced quickly at her lawyer, who nodded. "Michelle came in that night, argued with my father, and then I shot him," she answered coldly.
"Why did you shoot him, Lauren?" Horatio asked.
"For all the horrible things he did to Michelle. She tried to kill him, but she just couldn't," Lauren explained.
"What about your mother?" Tim asked.
"What about her?" Lauren asked curiously.
"Well, she's dead," Tim said with just a hint of exasperation, "so, which one of you killed her?"
The look Lauren gave Tim clearly said, 'you're a moron'. "I did," she answered, rolling her eyes. "What kind of detectives are you people?"
"Well, see that's funny, Lauren," Horatio began, "that's what we thought too, but your sister has a different story to tell."
"What?" she asked, shocked by Horatio's response.
"She says that she killed your mother," he stated plainly.
"No," she shook her head, "no, no, that's not right. I killed my parents. Me – Michelle was upstairs with Mikayla, she didn't see anything."
"So, who do we believe, Lauren?" Tim asked curiously.
"Me," she said emphatically, "you believe ME. Michelle has Mikayla, she needs to be able to take care of Mikayla."
"Mikayla," Horatio said, "is being well taken care of, I promise you that. What we need to sort out now, is who killed your mother."
"I did," she said again. "You have to believe me."
"Oh, I believe you," he said. "Sit tight, we'll be back." He nodded at Tim, who followed Horatio into the hallway.
"Get them together and see what happens?" Tim asked, voicing his boss' unspoken orders.
Horatio nodded. "You got it, Speed."
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"Lauren!" Michelle exclaimed as she was led through the door of the interrogation room. She reached out to hug Lauren, but she pulled away, her eyes full of anger.
"What have you done?" Lauren demanded, her voice dripping with fury.
"What are you talking about?" Michelle asked innocently.
Lauren shook her head. "Don't give me that. What is this crap-ass story you've been telling the cops? You aren't sticking to the plan, Michelle."
"I told them the truth," Michelle said emphatically.
"You don't know what the truth is, Michelle," Lauren screamed back. "I killed them!" Lauren crossed over to the one-way mirror and banged on the glass. "Do you hear me in there?" she screamed as Horatio and Tim watched from the other side. "I killed them!"
"Well, this is interesting," Tim commented dryly, having taken a step back from the glass when Lauren began pounding on it.
"I can think of other words," Horatio sighed.
"Lauren!" Michelle cried, "Please stop." She stood and crossed over to the mirror, enveloping Lauren into a hug from behind. "Please stop," she pleased again as Lauren began crying too and collapsed onto the floor.
Michelle soothed her sister as best she could, stroking Lauren's honey- blonde hair with her handcuffed hands.
"I know you're trying to protect me," Lauren said. "But don't. I don't need protection. I've seen the evidence and I'm going to jail for a long, long time. They've got you as an accomplice. You could be out in ten years, Michelle. What difference is one more life sentence going to make for me?"
Michelle shook her head violently. "No, no I won't let you do that," she sobbed.
Lauren looked up at Michelle defiantly. "You don't have a choice. Keep telling your story, or stop. Doesn't matter," she sighed, standing and smoothing out her orange jumpsuit. "When I'm called to testify at your trial, the truth will come out."
"I took the deal they offered," Michelle answered ruefully. "There won't be a trial."
Lauren sank into a chair and sobbed. "What have you done, Chelle?" she asked, burying her face in her hands, "What have you done?"
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"Michelle," Calleigh said gently, taking the younger woman's hand, "this is your last chance."
Michelle wiped the tears from her eyes, and looked up at Calleigh and nodded. "I know, and I still stick to my story. I killed my mother for letting him rape me all those years and doing nothing about it. I'm ready to sign the papers."
Calleigh's heart broke as she watched Michelle sign her life away, creating her signature on each line the district attorney indicated. The deal - for being an accessory to the murder of Michael Johansson, she would serve 10 years. For the murder of her mother, she would serve a life sentence. She would be eligible for parole when she was 63 years old. Mikayla would be 44 years old.
Lauren accepted a similar deal, much to the team's chagrin. They had desperately wanted one of the girls to face trial, giving them another opportunity to reach the truth. This just felt empty - for all of them.
"And the adoption papers?" Michelle asked, indicating the presence of Horatio and Calleigh's personal attorney.
Jim Brooks stepped forward. "Michelle, this document releases you of your parental rights to Mikayla Rose Johansson," he said in a gentle Southern drawl. "And this one, assigns temporary guardianship of Mikayla to Horatio and Calleigh Caine, until such time as the formal adoption is approved by family court."
"How long do you think that will take?" she asked curiously, signing the documents quickly.
"Two to four months," he answered honestly. "And Horatio and Calleigh have asked me to remind you again, if you want to change your mind at any time during that time, you do have every right to do so."
"Thank you," she said with a faint smile. "But, I know what I'm doing." She turned to Calleigh and took her hand. "I'd say you are going to be a great mother, Calleigh, but you already are."
"I will take such good care of her," Calleigh promised fiercely, squeezing Michelle's hand. Michelle looked at her through teary eyes and laughed. "Don't you think I know that?" she asked. "If I didn't, you wouldn't be adopting her."
Horatio knelt beside Michelle. "Michelle," he said quietly. "I think that you are, uh," his voice began to break as he spoke, "one of the bravest young women I have ever met. I will be honored to tell my daughter that you are her mother, as well as Calleigh."
"Thank you, Lieutenant," she said softly. She turned to the district attorney and Mr. Brooks. "Is that it?" she asked, fighting back the sobs threatening to overtake her.
The district attorney nodded. "That's it, Miss Johansson." He turned to the guard and nodded again. The guard crossed over to Michelle and placed the handcuffs on her wrists, then led her out of the room.
Calleigh collapsed into Horatio's waiting arms, snaking her arms around his shoulders as she sobbed uncontrollably. "Shhh," he whispered half- heartedly, unable to fully console his wife when he was so close to losing it himself.
"Let's go home," he finally said. "Let's go get our daughter and go home."
Calleigh nodded and smiled weakly, wrapping her arm around his waist as he led her into the hallway. "That's the first time you've said that," she said with a faint laugh.
"Well, I guess that I had better get used to it," he said, smiling back at her. "I'm a father now. Yes, I like the sound of that."
"And I'm a mother now," Calleigh responded, tightening her arm around his waist.
He stopped and turned to face her. Capturing her face with his hands, Horatio looked deep into his wife's eyes and kissed her gently. "I REALLY like the sound of that," he said.
TBC....
Pairings - Tim and his lovely wife Leanna, Horatio & Calleigh, Eric & Valera
Rating – Back to PG-13 for now.
Summary – Two prominent physicians are murdered in their Coconut Grove home. All clues point back to the couple's daughter, who is hiding more than one devastating secret.
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Tim tapped his foot nervously against the linoleum floor of the interrogation room. Horatio was to his left, calm and cool as always while they waited for Lauren's arrival. She'd been booked, fingerprinted, and now she was on the way to interrogation. The door opened with a creak and Tim jumped up, picking a spot against the opposite wall to stand.
"What shall I call you?" Horatio asked sarcastically, tossing a file onto the table in front of Lauren and her attorney as they sat. "Julie, Lauren, do you have any other names?"
Lauren shook her head weakly. "No," she answered quietly. "Lauren is fine."
"Okay, Lauren," he began, peering at her over the bridge of his nose, "tell us what happened the night your parents were killed."
"I'm sure Michelle already told you," Lauren dodged the question.
"We'd like to hear your version," Tim said from his spot against the wall.
Lauren glanced quickly at her lawyer, who nodded. "Michelle came in that night, argued with my father, and then I shot him," she answered coldly.
"Why did you shoot him, Lauren?" Horatio asked.
"For all the horrible things he did to Michelle. She tried to kill him, but she just couldn't," Lauren explained.
"What about your mother?" Tim asked.
"What about her?" Lauren asked curiously.
"Well, she's dead," Tim said with just a hint of exasperation, "so, which one of you killed her?"
The look Lauren gave Tim clearly said, 'you're a moron'. "I did," she answered, rolling her eyes. "What kind of detectives are you people?"
"Well, see that's funny, Lauren," Horatio began, "that's what we thought too, but your sister has a different story to tell."
"What?" she asked, shocked by Horatio's response.
"She says that she killed your mother," he stated plainly.
"No," she shook her head, "no, no, that's not right. I killed my parents. Me – Michelle was upstairs with Mikayla, she didn't see anything."
"So, who do we believe, Lauren?" Tim asked curiously.
"Me," she said emphatically, "you believe ME. Michelle has Mikayla, she needs to be able to take care of Mikayla."
"Mikayla," Horatio said, "is being well taken care of, I promise you that. What we need to sort out now, is who killed your mother."
"I did," she said again. "You have to believe me."
"Oh, I believe you," he said. "Sit tight, we'll be back." He nodded at Tim, who followed Horatio into the hallway.
"Get them together and see what happens?" Tim asked, voicing his boss' unspoken orders.
Horatio nodded. "You got it, Speed."
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"Lauren!" Michelle exclaimed as she was led through the door of the interrogation room. She reached out to hug Lauren, but she pulled away, her eyes full of anger.
"What have you done?" Lauren demanded, her voice dripping with fury.
"What are you talking about?" Michelle asked innocently.
Lauren shook her head. "Don't give me that. What is this crap-ass story you've been telling the cops? You aren't sticking to the plan, Michelle."
"I told them the truth," Michelle said emphatically.
"You don't know what the truth is, Michelle," Lauren screamed back. "I killed them!" Lauren crossed over to the one-way mirror and banged on the glass. "Do you hear me in there?" she screamed as Horatio and Tim watched from the other side. "I killed them!"
"Well, this is interesting," Tim commented dryly, having taken a step back from the glass when Lauren began pounding on it.
"I can think of other words," Horatio sighed.
"Lauren!" Michelle cried, "Please stop." She stood and crossed over to the mirror, enveloping Lauren into a hug from behind. "Please stop," she pleased again as Lauren began crying too and collapsed onto the floor.
Michelle soothed her sister as best she could, stroking Lauren's honey- blonde hair with her handcuffed hands.
"I know you're trying to protect me," Lauren said. "But don't. I don't need protection. I've seen the evidence and I'm going to jail for a long, long time. They've got you as an accomplice. You could be out in ten years, Michelle. What difference is one more life sentence going to make for me?"
Michelle shook her head violently. "No, no I won't let you do that," she sobbed.
Lauren looked up at Michelle defiantly. "You don't have a choice. Keep telling your story, or stop. Doesn't matter," she sighed, standing and smoothing out her orange jumpsuit. "When I'm called to testify at your trial, the truth will come out."
"I took the deal they offered," Michelle answered ruefully. "There won't be a trial."
Lauren sank into a chair and sobbed. "What have you done, Chelle?" she asked, burying her face in her hands, "What have you done?"
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"Michelle," Calleigh said gently, taking the younger woman's hand, "this is your last chance."
Michelle wiped the tears from her eyes, and looked up at Calleigh and nodded. "I know, and I still stick to my story. I killed my mother for letting him rape me all those years and doing nothing about it. I'm ready to sign the papers."
Calleigh's heart broke as she watched Michelle sign her life away, creating her signature on each line the district attorney indicated. The deal - for being an accessory to the murder of Michael Johansson, she would serve 10 years. For the murder of her mother, she would serve a life sentence. She would be eligible for parole when she was 63 years old. Mikayla would be 44 years old.
Lauren accepted a similar deal, much to the team's chagrin. They had desperately wanted one of the girls to face trial, giving them another opportunity to reach the truth. This just felt empty - for all of them.
"And the adoption papers?" Michelle asked, indicating the presence of Horatio and Calleigh's personal attorney.
Jim Brooks stepped forward. "Michelle, this document releases you of your parental rights to Mikayla Rose Johansson," he said in a gentle Southern drawl. "And this one, assigns temporary guardianship of Mikayla to Horatio and Calleigh Caine, until such time as the formal adoption is approved by family court."
"How long do you think that will take?" she asked curiously, signing the documents quickly.
"Two to four months," he answered honestly. "And Horatio and Calleigh have asked me to remind you again, if you want to change your mind at any time during that time, you do have every right to do so."
"Thank you," she said with a faint smile. "But, I know what I'm doing." She turned to Calleigh and took her hand. "I'd say you are going to be a great mother, Calleigh, but you already are."
"I will take such good care of her," Calleigh promised fiercely, squeezing Michelle's hand. Michelle looked at her through teary eyes and laughed. "Don't you think I know that?" she asked. "If I didn't, you wouldn't be adopting her."
Horatio knelt beside Michelle. "Michelle," he said quietly. "I think that you are, uh," his voice began to break as he spoke, "one of the bravest young women I have ever met. I will be honored to tell my daughter that you are her mother, as well as Calleigh."
"Thank you, Lieutenant," she said softly. She turned to the district attorney and Mr. Brooks. "Is that it?" she asked, fighting back the sobs threatening to overtake her.
The district attorney nodded. "That's it, Miss Johansson." He turned to the guard and nodded again. The guard crossed over to Michelle and placed the handcuffs on her wrists, then led her out of the room.
Calleigh collapsed into Horatio's waiting arms, snaking her arms around his shoulders as she sobbed uncontrollably. "Shhh," he whispered half- heartedly, unable to fully console his wife when he was so close to losing it himself.
"Let's go home," he finally said. "Let's go get our daughter and go home."
Calleigh nodded and smiled weakly, wrapping her arm around his waist as he led her into the hallway. "That's the first time you've said that," she said with a faint laugh.
"Well, I guess that I had better get used to it," he said, smiling back at her. "I'm a father now. Yes, I like the sound of that."
"And I'm a mother now," Calleigh responded, tightening her arm around his waist.
He stopped and turned to face her. Capturing her face with his hands, Horatio looked deep into his wife's eyes and kissed her gently. "I REALLY like the sound of that," he said.
TBC....