Unexpected
By: Kuroi Neko-kun
Summary: Unexpected events occur around her all the time but what if it happens to her? Sara will soon find out.
Disclaimers: I don't own CSI or CSI: Miami.
Warnings: Slash included. Bring your own batteries.
A/N: Well, this is 'inspired' from Speed's untimely death. I know I've been writing too much on his death. Well, this is a final part for the Sara/Speed section of the Cross Jurisdiction series. Since he died, you know. I will still continue the Gil/H part of the CJ. I might bring in a new couple for this series, depending on who I pick.
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She had been racing to the bathroom an incredulous number of times that it was obvious to the oblivious. She dunked her donuts in the wee hours of the morning during a double shift with Gil. The supervisor raised an inquisitive eyebrow before resuming to their work at hand. It had been like this since she returned from her Miami trip. Spending the week with Tim only meant that she would be very happy. She didn't expect to bring home an untimely souvenir. Looking at the mirror, Sara smiled to herself, subconsciously touching her lower abdomen.
"Congratulations." She turned to see a grinning Catherine Willows.
"What are you talking about?" Sara asked, feigning innocence. Catherine cocked her head to one side and stood beside Sara.
"So does Tim know about it yet?" she asked.
"No, I thought I'd surprise him with the news," the brunette said," I'm so happy Cath."
"Yeah, I felt the same with Lindsey," Catherine said before hugging her," I'm happy for you." Sara smiled before hugging back.
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"I don't get it," Sara said, a confused look on her face," Why do you want to come to Miami with me?" Gil gave her a small smile, concealing his reasons. They were both at the airport, waiting for their Miami flight to be called.
"I can't have you going around Miami alone with a baby on board," he explained after a pause. But Sara thought otherwise. Gil was never going to tell her why and she knew that for a fact.
"Well, thanks for the concern, Gil," she said indifferently.
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Once they arrived at Miami-Dade's crime lab, the two noticed the somber air that was surrounding the said place. Something had happened and the two sharp CSIs noticed it. Sara decided to approach the reception desk. But before she could reach it, she was whisked away by a pair of slender arms.
"Sara," went the southern voice," What are you doing here?" She sounded cheerful but Sara noticed her eyes were red.
"Uh… I'm here to see Tim, Cal," she answered, slightly dazed," There's something I need to tell him…"
"What happened here?" Gil asked, invading their conversation. Calleigh's eyes dropped to the floor.
"I'm not the one you should be talking to," she mumbled, still staring at the floor.
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The way his lover acted worried him. Gil watched Horatio stare someplace else, not making eye contact to the both of them. It disturbed him somehow. H finally leaned forward and sighed.
"I don't know how to tell you this, Sara," he said with deep resignation. Horatio glanced at him before turning back at Sara. That look on his face was enough for Gil to know. He did not have to hear it from H's mouth.
"What is it, Horatio?" Sara said quietly, knowing it was bad news. With another sigh, he touched Sara's arm.
"He's dead." Sara stared at him with disbelief.
"What?" She did not register to those words. She did not believe Horatio. "You're kidding right?" Horatio's face was grim. Knowing Horatio, he barely joked about these things.
"He died during a case. GSW."
"H, you can't be serious… He can't be dead," Sara said, willing it to be a joke. But the tears slid down her cheeks all the same. Gil touched his colleague's shoulder.
"Gil… You don't believe him, right?" Sara asked, looking for reassurance. Before he could say anything, Calleigh came into the office.
"Sara," she mumbled, taking the brunette into her arms.
"It's not true, right? Calleigh?"
"I'm afraid it is, Sara," the blonde responded, on the verge of tears. It was then Sara broke down to tears, still not believing her fellow CSIs. Horatio sighed, not wanting to come to this.
"Let's bring her to Alexx."
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"Are you sure about this Horatio?" Alexx asked. The both of them took a head start as Calleigh and Eric both accompanied Sara.
"It's not that I'm against you, H," Gil said," But Sara's pregnant. An image of the father on a cold slab may not be best for her."
"Then when do you propose we live out the fairy tale for her?" H snapped," We see these cases everyday and we tell them despite how wrong it is. Now, I think Speed at least deserve to be with Sara one last time." Gil tried to say something but Alexx, who was behind Horatio, shook her head.
"H, why don't you bring Sara here?" Alexx suggested," I think she needs to know more about Speed before seeing him." Without even looking at Gil, H left the coroners. When Horatio was sure to be gone, Alexx turned to Gil.
"What is wrong with you?" Gil blinked.
"What?"
"You know he needs you, sugar," she said," More than anything in the world. Speed was the closest he had to a son and he lost that. It's killing him inside." Gil looked to the direction where H had gone and sighed. "Worse part is…"
"There's a worse part?" Gil asked. Alexx nodded.
"He was with Speedle when he died. His death is killing us all, Gil, but he's getting the worse. You are his boyfriend. Act like one." Gil took her words and sighed. She was right.
"Wait, how did you know about us?"
"H made it obvious for me. He was always happier when you're here," Alexx pointed out. Despite the predicament, Gil smiled at her.
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It was not easy to tell Sara about Speed's death but when he arrived in the break room, it was damn tough of him to bring her to see his body. She was in Calleigh's arms while Eric rubbed her back. Both had been comforting her. Horatio watched them for awhile, preparing himself for the worst. He knew this was unfair. This wasn't one of those unattached victim's love one. This was Speed's girlfriend. He remembered that Speed had turned to him for advice in his relationship with Sara.
&&&Flashback&&&
"What do you think H?" Speed asked as he pointed to a ring on a window showcase of a jewelry store. H raised an eyebrow before looking at his subordinate.
"Depends on who's it for," the redhead answered. Speed chuckled before shaking his head.
"For Sara. I've been thinking about marrying her," he said, slightly embarrassed.
"Well, what are you waiting for?"
"Uh… I'm just not sure about it. I love her but it's tough with the long distances and I'm just…" he trailed off, sighing.
"Scared?" H continued for him.
"Yeah…" He admitted," Scared that Sara will never accept."
"Speed, what rock have you been living under?" It was Speed's turn to raise eyebrows.
"What?"
"You have to be living under a rock if you can't even realize that she loves you to bits," H pointed out.
"I know that, H."
"Then just go ahead with it," H said. Speed looked at his boss before sighing. H touched his shoulder. "Don't wait till it's too late. You're going to regret it." Speed nodded before staring at the glass window for a long time.
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And he knew that Speed would regret it. Not doing the one thing he knew was right. He didn't propose. Speed… I can't do everything for you… H fingered something in his jacket pocket. It was a small velvet box. He had found it amongst the things he took out from Speed's locker. He knew that Sara should at least know.
"H?" he heard a familiar voice say. He turned to Calleigh. "She's ready for him now." He sighed for the nth time.
"Okay, let's go."
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It was an eerie silence for the CSIs as Alexx unveiled the autopsied body of their colleague and loved one. Sara took a sharp breath when she saw Tim's peaceful face. She could fool herself by saying he was just asleep but she had better sense. Her Tim was dead. She moved forward and touched his face while the others watched. She flinched at how cold it was. Her hand glided to his neck, his chest and to the nearest hand. Tears splashed onto it.
"Tim…" she mumbled," I came with good news." At that point, the others looked at each other, wondering what she was thinking.
"You're a father." As she said that, she sobbed. Alexx slowly took her away, back into Eric and Calleigh's arms. H watched them as he tried to ease the pain in his heart. He felt a hand holding his and gave it a reassuring squeeze. Gil may not know it but that made him feel a bit better.
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The funeral was in a few days. Horatio sighed at that piece of news as he sat in his living room on the couch. Speed's parents, Alex and Vera Speedle, came to tell him that. They agreed that Speed had found home in Miami and it fitted that he was buried here. Horatio paid for their stay here, thinking that it could bring him some peace to the reason they were here. Now, all he could think of was of Sara's unborn child. They had heard of Sara, he knew. He caught Speed on the phone with his parents, telling them of her and asking that of their opinion of his proposal. They met her while they were at the crime lab. He had been at Sara's side when he introduced them. She wasn't too thrilled on meeting them but at least she knew who they were now. He sighed, sinking into his couch. His sigh must have reached Gil's ears because the man slid next to him and placed an arm around his shoulder. H gave a tight smile to his lover before sighing again. The redhead leaned against Gil's body, letting out another sigh before closing his eyes. Gil wrapped his arms around him in response. He said nothing, knowing his actions meant more than words. A few moments later, he heard a hiccough from H. The man was crying, finally shedding his tears. All Gil could provide was a shoulder to cry on, like he did before. There were no words of comfort because Gil knew that his lover would never accept the lie in those words. All H needed was someone to be with him when he had to let all grief out of his system. And Gil was that person. Like Alexx said, he needed Gil, more than anything in the world.
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"You okay?" Gil asked as he watched his lover slowly rise from bed early next morning. He knew none of them slept the night. H was still in deep grief and Gil wanted to be there as much as he could. Being a supervisor of the night shift crime lab, Gil was used to not sleeping, even in the comfortable bed of the man beside him. Horatio glanced at his lover before sighing.
"Okay or not, I need to be in that crime lab," he muttered. Gil sat up as well, placing his arms around H's shoulders.
"I know that, H," he mumbled," I just needed to really know." Despite himself, Horatio smiled and kissed his lover. It was his way of showing appreciation. When they parted, H sighed.
"I have to be," he muttered. Gil just kissed him again. It was his way to calm Horatio. And it was working.
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As the funeral proceedings ended, as all the tears had been shed and all the final goodbyes were said, the people started filing out of the cemetery. Calleigh held Sara in her arms, being the supportive friend she was. Eric was on the other side of Sara, silently acting as bastion to the two women. They were walking to Calleigh's Hummer when Horatio came up to them.
"Sara?" he said gently," Can I talk to you?" The other two CSIs looked at their supervisor before leaving Sara with him.
"I'll be in the car, Sara…" Calleigh said. Eric squeezed her arm.
"We'll be here." Sara nodded before taking her leave with Horatio. They slowly walked away from the crowd to a quieter place by a tree. H looked at the brunette, pity washing over him. He searched for something nice to say. Not finding any, he sighed.
"It's not easy for all of us, Sara," he said," Especially for the both of us."
"I know," she mumbled," Gil said that Tim was like a son to you."
"As I was a father to him."
"H, I miss him," she said," I don't know how to deal with that."
"Sara, we miss him too. But you hold a piece of him inside you," he pointed out," And instead of grieving for him, remember him through his child." Fresh tears spilled down her cheeks. H embraced her in his arms.
"When I first met him, he was lost. I found him and now I lost him again, H," she mumbled between sobs.
"You didn't lose him, Sara," he said, taking out the small velvet box for his pocket. "He left this for you." Sara took the box, wide eyed.
"H…"
"Just remember that you didn't lose him."
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The papers that Sara had handed to his office shocked him slightly. He looked at them before turning to the now three months pregnant brunette.
"What's this?"
"Transfer scripts to Miami-Dade's crime lab. Specifically the morning shift," she said in a matter-of-factly voice.
"Sara, I can read," Gil mused. She just rolled her eyes.
"I need you to approve them."
"Did you talk to Horatio about this?" Sara nodded.
"He agreed to my reasons."
"And what are your reasons?" The brunette sighed before looking at her boss.
"My son can't have trips to Miami every month just to see his father," she explained," Or his father's family. I need to be there so that he could have the love of the family that loved Tim."
"What about the family that loves you? The one here in Vegas."
"If they do love me, they'll understand my reasons," she answered. Gil looked at the transfer papers before sighing.
"It'll take awhile but I'll get it done," he said. She smiled at him.
"Thanks, Gil." Before she could leave, Gil stood up.
"Sara?"
"Yeah, Gil?"
"Take care of Horatio for me," he said," Until I come to Miami again." Sara blinked for a moment before understanding.
"Gil… You mean…" He just smiled and nodded, slightly embarrassed.
"Yes," he said," Now keep this to yourself until you get to Miami. Then you and Alexx can have your private gossip party of us." Sara grinned before hugging her supervisor.
"Thanks."
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She stood over the grave, touching the cold tombstone that belonged to the man she loved. She sighed.
"Hey, Tim. It's me," she said, staring at the stone. "It's been a year since my last visit. I wanted to come sooner but cases build up when the hurricane arrives. And you know how Horatio deals with every case." She paused, looking around before turning back to the tombstone. "He wanted to come with me today but he just started pre-k and I can't let him skip this. He said 'daddy's more important.' He's really smart, Tim. A lot like you." As she let out a chuckle, a sob choked out. She wiped the tears off her face. "A lot like you…" She mumbled.
"And the reason why he should never be left out when you visit his father's grave." Sara turned to see her redheaded supervisor with her son in his arms.
"H? TJ?" She blinked. "Horatio, did you take him out of school?"
"He gave me a call and said that you were heading to see 'daddy' without him." Sara sighed before shaking her head.
"TJ…" The young boy in question looked at his mother with doe eyes.
"Uncle Horatio said that it's unfair. I wanna see daddy too. I wanna show him the picture I drew and all the things I learnt." Sara looked from TJ to H to her son again. She smiled.
"Okay, TJ. You go and tell him all you want. I'll wait here with Uncle Horatio, okay?" As the young boy ran to his father's grave, Sara watched as she stood next to Horatio.
"Timothy Speedle Junior," he mumbled," Why did you leave TJ out on this one?"
"Because he's only five."
"Sara, you know that he's already smart enough to understand."
"I got worried. Most mothers wouldn't dare bring their children near a cemetery," she mumbled.
"You're not most mothers and he isn't most children. Sara, he spent his five years in the crime lab. It's his playground." Sara smiled at H.
"It's mine too." They stood in a comfortable silence, looking at the five year old boy who was now placing a picture on the grave.
"I always remember Tim when I look at TJ, H. It's occurring a lot lately," Sara said," Maybe that's why I didn't want to bring him here today."
"And Speed would miss a day without his son," H said. Sara sighed again before smiling at her supervisor.
"Thanks, H."
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Fin
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