Changing Winds of Many Ships

By: Kuroi Neko-kun

Summary: A few changes and some new faces could make three crime labs either go to hell or go the right way.

Disclaimer: All three CSIs belong to CBS. I only write stories.

Warnings: This fic contains multiple slash pairings of both f/f and m/m. And het relationships too.

A/N: Okay, I decided to dedicate the first three chapters to explain what's going on in each respective lab. After that, it'll be the mumbo jumbo of cities!

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Chapter 2: The Exclusive Lives of Miami Residents

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Eric sighed as he rolled an orange back and forth in the Miami-Dade Crime Lab's break room. He arrived on time to work and found out that H and Speed were already heading to a scene and they had it secured that they didn't need his help. Right. H always says that when he's working with Speed. Calleigh was working on a case solo. And Ryan… he was late. Eric rolled the back and forth again, sighing loudly. So far he had nothing to occupy himself with but an orange.

"Damn," he muttered," I need someone." His declaration was caught by a blond CSI who just hung up her phone.

"Someone? Like who?" Calleigh asked, grinning.

"Anyone," Eric groaned. He didn't care anymore. "You done with your case?"

"Yeah, H told me to hold the fort until he gets back. He has bullets to process and he doesn't want anybody else to touch it but me," she announced. Eric let out his second groan.

"Good for you," he said.

"Aw, Eric. It's rare for Miami-Dade's crime rate to be slow. Take the opportunity! Go out!"

"I've got no one to spend time with and if I go out alone that spells pathetic in so many languages," the Cuban shot back. Calleigh gave him a mock look of annoyance.

"Well, you could at least eat that orange," she said, stopping him from rolling it about. Before they could continue the banter, Ryan burst into the break room, panting.

"Sorry I'm late…"

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He looked at Horatio before sighing. The both of them arrived early to the lab in hopes to catch up with paperwork but Frank Tripp called up and told them about the homicide in Little Havana: A gunfight between two rival gangs that ended up with three dead bodies and ten times the suspects. They had spent hours at the scene and left when it just hit noon. They climbed into the Hummer before Speed sighed again.

"What is it, Speed?"

"You know, I still have reports to finish writing up for you. I don't want have directors riding up your ass," the trace expert said.

"Only you can do that," H teasingly whispered, giving a small smile. Speed rolled his eyes. He didn't know what it was but there was this thing that he and Horatio had been doing for a month since the incident in the jewelry store. He spent months in the hospital to recuperate and H had been there with him, all the way. He grew attracted to the man and in time, it turned into something more. He wasn't sure what it was but he liked the company, the comfort and the warmth it brought. And it seemed that Horatio enjoyed it as much as he did.

"H, let's just get back and give Ryan and Eric something to do," he said.

"You want them to process the evidence?"

"Yes, while we finish up on paperwork." He noted the Cheshire cat grin on Horatio's face. Speed knew he had other plans in mind.

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The bullets were already searching away in NIBIN when Calleigh decided to use this spare time to make a not-so-long distance call. She pulled out her cell and dialed a familiar number. After a few rings, someone picked up with a "Hello?"

"Hey honey," she said, smiling to hear the voice when she needed to.

"You know it's nice to hear your voice in the morning," said the other line. Calleigh frowned before looking at her watch. She didn't know it was morning. Work was getting to her.

"I didn't realize it was morning," the blonde CSI said apologetically.

"Sadly, neither did I." She sighed before shaking her head.

"Mac doing his marathons again, Aiden?"

"Hey, I'm just trying to keep up."

"You do that and you'll be collapsing," Calleigh said in a scolding tone. She heard chuckling on the other line.

"As long as I can collapse in your arms, Cal." Despite how she felt about the situation, Calleigh smiled.

"Sweet talking won't get you anywhere, sweetheart," she said," Now, will you clock out on this shift?"

"If I do, will you come to New York on the weekend?" Calleigh sighed before agreeing. She needed to use her vacation time anyway.

"Okay."

"Thanks, honey. I miss you so much I think I'll go crazy. Mac and Danny are making me jealous."

"I feel the same way. Even if H and Tim are trying their best to hide it," she said before chuckling," I love you, Aiden."

"I love you too. Okay, I got to go and give Mac news about his prints. See you this weekend." The line went dead. Calleigh was used to that. After all, Calleigh and Aiden were both CSIs. So it became easier to understand each other's jobs. She seriously couldn't believe she was in a relationship, with a woman no less. First, they were roommates in some convention in Denver. After spending a few days as friends, they parted. Aiden called up Calleigh one night and said that she wanted to see her again. The New York CSI was on the way to Miami. After a few dates and mutual feelings, they were entering the second month to their relationship. Aiden said that Danny, a fellow CSI that Horatio got the chance to work with, knew about them and Aiden knew about Danny. Calleigh had never been to New York, missing her chance when Horatio was heading there. Her lover knew about this and pestered her to come over. Now seemed like a good chance to it. After all, she had a lot of vacation time left for her.

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"Why are we suddenly dumped with a pile of evidence?" Eric groaned as he looked across the autopsy table at Ryan, who was taking notes on the evidence that they were processing. It was weird when Horatio told them to process the evidence before he practically raced out of the break room, excusing himself with the paperwork defense. Eric wasn't too pleased with being dumped with this much work. Ryan gave him a look.

"Moments ago, you were bored to death in the break room. Now you're complaining?" Eric huffed before turning back to work.

"Well, when Tim gave us this, you were wagging your tail," the Cuban muttered," Do you fetch the paper and his slippers too?" Ryan gave a look before smirking.

"I bet you were like that when H hired you," he shot back. Eric gave him a look. Ryan was hired by Speed personally. Speed just returned to field and Ryan was the first officer on scene. Speedle was impressed by the man and asked him whether he was interested in forensics. It took Ryan the promise of finishing his bachelor scholarship in genetics to get him to take the job. The truth was Speedle was helping him with his thesis while he helped his mentor with his gun and whatever he could on case.

"No, I didn't act like a puppy." Somehow, Ryan doubted it but he kept his comments to himself.

"Why are you complaining anyway?"

"Because I'm bored to death," he shot back. Ryan gave him a look.

"You were right. You need someone," he said before smirking. Eric sighed before going back to work.

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To Be Continued

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