Title: Unexpected Pursuits

Chapter 2; Breakfast.

Pairing: S/C perhaps

Rating: PG for now

Disclaimer: don't own anything although I will be introducing some
original characters in this and the next chapter.

Note: This story was started about a year ago but things got in the way an I was unable to finish it, I think I have about 10 or so chapters that have been completed and posted in the CSI MIAMIFIC yahoo group. I had written more but I have lost the disk with the new and old chapters were on, so I'm coping the chapters that have already been posted onto here, i've tried my best to sort them out before I post but sometimes that may not always be the case.

Calleigh crept of her bedroom and into the kitchen where she proceeded to make herself a herbal tea. She sat down on the chair in the living room opposite where Tim was sleeping and watched him. He looked so peaceful there she thought. Calleigh began thinking about her relationship with Tim how in fact she didn't really know that much about Tim even though she had been working with him for a few years now. He was a mystery to her, she knew nothing about his background other then his was from Syracuse and that Megan had recruited to work in the lab. In turn he knew little about her other then that she was southern and knew nearly everything there was to know about ballistics. Calleigh sat on the sofa drinking her herbal
tea her mind filled with all sorts of thoughts.

A loud clutter came from the kitchen. Tim woke up and found that he was in unfamiliar sourroundings; he sat up and looked around him finally remembering where he was. He concluded that he must of fallen asleep waiting for Calleigh as the last thing he remembered was the news bulletin on the apprehension of the two escaped convicts. Tim got up and headed towards the kitchen and the noise.

Morning sleepy head.' Calleigh's cheerful tones greeted him. He grumbled back a reply rubbing his eyes in the vain hope that it would wake him, as he was still not fully alert. He wasn't sure if he could handle a chirpy Calleigh this early in the morning.

There's some juice on the table, I was just making some breakfast want some?'Calleighs voice was back to its bright and cheerful tones unlike last night.

Yeah thanks.' Tim sat down at the kitchen table he could smellsomething burning from where Calleigh was standing. He decided that he should take control of the situation. Your doing it all wrong.'

Calleigh looked at Tim who was now standing beside her gently taken the pan from her hands.

Oh and how should I be doing it? Calleighs voice was raised she wasn't the kind of woman that like to be told what to do. Tim either didn't notice or chose to ignore Calleighs tone.

Well for one you shouldn't be burning it.' Tim looked at her with a cheeky grin. Calleigh tried to suppress a laugh but gave in. Tim decided to throw away Calleighs first attempt and start again.

Calleigh found herself gently pushed aside as Tim took over making breakfast. She stood back a slightly bemused look on her face. Calleigh began to muse over the morning's events the fact that Tim had told her more or less that her cooking skills sucked, he actually dared to tell her that her cooking sucked and that Tim Speedle knew his way around a kitchen. Calleigh rested against the kitchen worktop and smiled to herself as she watched Tim cook breakfast. Calleigh thought about how natural and comfortable the activities of the morning felt and how...

'Calleigh hey Cal.' A voice yanked her from her thoughts

'Huh, what.' Calleigh came back down to earth with a bump

'Plates, I need some plates to dish up breakfast, are you ok you kind of zoned out there for a moment.'

'Yeah I'm fine just, plates you said.' Calleigh turned round feeling a little flustered that Tim had caught her daydreaming'.

Here.' She turned around giving the plates to Tim What? Tim was staring a Calleigh with a rather strange look on his face.

'Nothing'. Tim shrugged and went back to dishing up breakfast. Calleigh walked over to the kitchen table and sat down.

'Breakfast is served. Tim placed the plate of scrambled eggs and toast in front of her.

'This looks great.'

'It's nothing special.' Tim started picking at his eggs. They ate in a comfortable silence until Tim decided that he should try to broach the subject that he was going to last night before he gave into sleep. So how you feeling now? He felt like he was a asking a stupid question her friend had just died how was she expected to feel.

'I'm ok, feeling much better thanks.' Calleigh didn't know ho she was trying to convince more herself or Tim.

'Cal.' Tim's voice was soft.

'Look Tim really, I'm ok it was just the shock of bumping into Janet's parents so soon after, I don't know what came over me.'

'You were upset Calleigh it is allowed you know.' He reached forward and placed his hand on hers. Calleigh looked down at Tim's hand on hers trying hard to fight back the tears but Tim wasn't helping with his kind words and gestures. Calleigh felt a tear escape and she knew that she would be unable to stop the rest from flowing.

'I feel like I failed her Tim.'

'What how.' Tim was shocked that Calleigh actually believed that she had somehow failed her friend although he knew what it was like to feel like that and he didn't think that Calleigh should be allow to feel like that about herself.

I should of known what Kerner was going to do, I should of figured it out and warned her, all I was concerned about was getting kerner I didn't think about who he would go after until it was to late.'

Calleigh suddenly broke down into an uncontrollable sob. Tim got out of his chair and once again embraced Calleigh in a hug, gently soothing her like a child. He listened to Calleigh carry on with her thoughts. Tars streamed from Calleighs eyes as she poured her heart out to Tim.

'Hey look at me.' Tim bent down so he could face Calleigh. You did not fail her you had no idea what Kerner was going to do, no one did.'

'He made all those comments in court Tim.'

'If we took seriously every raving comment made by every crook in court, we wouldn't be able to step out of our homes.'

'I should of known I mean even Hagen had an idea that he would come after me, I just, I.' Calleigh broke down again unable to finish her sentence. Tim hugged her for what seemed like eternity to Calleigh. He gently broke away. Taking a chair he sat in front of Calleigh taking her hands in his.

There was nothing you could of done, Kerner wanted revenge and he was going to get it one way or another. Do you think Janet would of listened to you and gone into protective custody if you told her Kerner was after her.'

'No probably not.' Calleigh sniffled.

'Look I knew Janet from cases and from what I could tell about her she wasn't the type of woman to let herself be intimated by someone like Kerner.' Calleigh looked at Tim and knew that he what he was saying made sense Janet had been pretty headstrong.

'I know you're right.'

'You caught him. He's not going to hurt anyone else and I doubt anyone will take their eyes off him now on so I don't think that he will be escaping anytime soon.' He smiled at her and she felt him loosen his grip on her hands. You should eat up it's getting cold.' Calleigh flashed a small smile and returned to her breakfast. They went back to eating in silence.

'Tim.'

'Yeah.' He looked up from his food.

'I, I just wanted to say thank you for everything you did, I really appreciate it.' Tim smiled at her giving her one of his rare yet charming smiles.

'It was nothing really all I was a pair of ears for you to talk to.'

'Well those ears meant a lot to me.' Tim smiled at her and she smiled back.

'Seeing as we're saying thank you, thanks for letting me kip on your couch.'

'Well what was I supposed to do wake you up and kick you out it. The least I could do was let you kip on my couch. Beside you looked so peaceful I didn't have the heart to disturb you.'

'Thanks' Tim smirked. He looked at his watch I best be going I got to go home and change.'

'I'll give you a lift.' Calleigh offered.

'Nah that ok I don't want to make you late.'

'You won't.' Calleigh assured him. Tim was about to refuse but the look in Calleighs eyes told him that it was pointless.

'Ok, ok lets go then.'

Calleigh pulled up outside Tim's apartment. She offered to wait for him and give him a lift to work but he insisted on not spoiling her record for perfect time keeping.Calleigh sighed she had worked practically non-stop all day and she was exhausted. What she really needed was to go home to bed and sleep but at that moment in time she was climbing the stairs to Tim's apartment. She hadn't had a chance to speak to him all day, as they had both been busy with cases. Strangely enough Calleigh had missedhis presence after breakfast that morning. After work Calleigh had been driving home when she passed a bookstore and stopped she wanted to get Tim something to show how grateful she was to him.

Calleigh stood in front of Speed's front door and was now becoming slightly apprehensive maybe she was making too much of a big deal about this. No she thought I've come this far it would be silly not to give him the gift. Calleigh gently tapped on the door, she waited for a minute. Perhaps he wasn't in or hadn't heard her. She knocked one more time just in case. No answer. Calleigh turned to leave when she heard the door opening she greeted the person with a friendly hello before she could even see them. When the door opened fully Calleigh could see the face behind it and got quite a shock. Standing in front of her in one of Tim's shirts was a small, petite honey blonde woman. After the initial shock Calleigh quickly regained her composure.

'Hi I was wondering if Tim was in?

'Sure he's just in the shower would you like to come in and wait.'

The young woman's voice was friendly and welcoming.

'Oh no if you could just give him this and tell him Calleigh says thanks.' She gave the young woman the book that was wrapped in a small brown paper bag and turned to leave.

'So your Calleigh I've heard so much about you, I've been wanting to meet you for ages.' The young woman began rambling on and Calleigh became lost in her thoughts for ages' how long had she known Tim.

'I'm Amy by the way, Tim's girlfriend but you probably already guessed that by now.' She smiled sweetly extending forward her hand.

'It's nice to meet you I wished I could say I've heard all about you but.' Calleigh beamed a fake smile at Amy

'Well you know what Tim can be like at times.'

'Oh he's a dark old horse is Tim that for sure.' Calleigh managed through gritted teeth.

'Well I best be going.'

'Are you sure you won't stay.' Amy opened the door further offering Calleigh to come in. Calleigh felt as if she couldn't escape even though Amy was being nothing but pleasant and sweet to her Calleigh just couldn't wait to leave.

'No I really should be going I'm meeting friends.' Calleigh lied. The door shut and Calleigh turned wanting to get as far away as possible from Tim's apartment building she wasn't sure how she felt about this new development.

TBC