The Visitor From The University of Buffalo

Pairing: Speed and Calleigh

Delko hosts a party with Cuban food. The team is there including Kevin

A/N1: I apologize for not updating sooner. I had writer's block with this story and I was trying to do research on Cuban cuisine since Eric Delko is half Cuban.

A/N2: I would like to apologize to the Cuban community. I am not much of an expert in Cuban cuisine. Please bear with me.

Disclaimer: I don't own Speed, Calleigh and the other CSI: Miami characters! Like I had said in my previous work, if I owned these characters, Speed would be alive and with Calleigh. I don't even own CSI's Catherine, Warrick, Nick and Sara. However, I do own Kevin Speedle and his girlfriend Amber.

Dinner Party and Packing Up

Tim, Calleigh and Kevin arrived at Eric's house. The smell of food cooking was making them hungry. Kevin rang the doorbell and waited for someone to open the door.

"Speed, Cal, Kevin, you are a few minutes late," Eric said. "I know that you are into being fashionably late and all. Come on, you are abusing that privilege!"

"Delko, we are late by only two freaking minutes," Tim said. "I don't understand why you are making a big fucking deal about two lousy minutes."

"Speed, I was just playing with you," Eric said.

"I know," Tim said as both he and Eric went to meet with their colleagues and Eric's sisters.

"Cal, are they always like this?" Kevin asked bewildered.

"Yeah, boys will be boys," Calleigh said. "Never leave those two alone by a swimming pool."

"Why is that?" Kevin asked.

"Last year, the three of us went to Las Vegas for a conference," she said. "Also, Tim and I wanted to visit our friends Nick Stokes and Sara Sidle. They are CSIs from Las Vegas, but they weren't the ones that came to Miami to investigate that kidnapping of that little girl and the murders of her parents. Warrick Brown and Catherine Willows were the ones that came to us. Anyway, we were staying at a hotel that had an indoor swimming pool. Eric and Tim decided to go for a swim."

"Did you go with them?" Kevin asked with a smile thinking about where the story was going.

"No, I was having a coffee and pastries with Nick and Sara," she replied. "Tim was supposed to join us, but he was nowhere to be found. We waited and just went on without him. When we finished, Nick suggested we look for Tim. It didn't take us long to find him and Eric in the pool playing some juvenile game of I don't know what it was. Nick shot Tim an angry look and Sara and I took turns yelling at them. Those two were lucky they weren't banned from the hotel pool by the management staff. Both Nick and Sara punished them by making sure that three of us, Nick, Sara and myself, were there watching the two boys trapped in the bodies 26 and 30 year old men."

Tim immediately approached his wife and brother.

"Horatio, Alexx and Yelena were wondering where you were," Tim said and noticing his brother laughing. "Kevin what's so funny?"

"Cal was telling me about the incident at a Vegas hotel," Kevin said. "You were supposed to meet Calleigh and friends Mr. Stokes and Ms. Sidle for coffee and treats."

"Kevin, this is my side of the story," Tim said. "I was adjusting to the two hour difference. I didn't know that I was supposed to be at that coffee place with Cal, Sara and Nick at a certain time – mountain time, not eastern. Delko invited me to go swimming and I accepted. I knew I had to meet my wife and our friends and I forgot the time. Delko and I were horsing around when Calleigh, followed by Sara and Nick, found out. Cal and Sara took turns yelling at me while Nick gave me an evil look. For the rest our stay, Stokes and Sidle served as our babysitters when it came to the pool. That was embarrassing! Luckily, we are still very good friends!"

"Guys, I hate to break up this little gathering," Horatio said. "We are all waiting for you to mingle in the living room. Eric is checking on the food. He asked me to ask you what you would like to drink. Speed, he told me no alcohol for you."

"I am 31 years old," Tim said. "I am going to be 32 in June. Kevin can't have any because he is 18. Calleigh can't because she is two months pregnant. H, why can't I have a drink?"

"You are driving and you have a child on the way," Horatio said. "I don't want you going crazy. I do recommend the chocolate raspberry smoothie. Yelena taught Eric to make that beverage."

"Well in that case, I'll have one," Tim said reluctantly. "Kevin and Calleigh can have sip of mine. If they like it, they can have their own.

One of Eric's sisters emerged from the kitchen for an announcement.

"Guys, I know you are hungry," she said. "My brother and his girlfriend will have dinner out in about ten minutes. I am going to bring out the salad with two different dressings. One of the dressings is spicy. The other one is very mild so if you don't care much for piquant dressings. We are going to sit at the table and have our salad first."

The guests took their seats at the table and the salad was served. Eric's sister got compliments for her creativity and ability to accommodate people's taste. Conversations were all about work, Tim and Calleigh's unborn child, Ryan Wolfe's arrival at the crime lab and Kevin's perspective on college life that included everyone else's. Eric left the table for the kitchen only to return with a basket full of sliced crusty Italian bread with garlic butter and another with warmed Cuban style empanadas.

"For the main course, we have oxtail with beans and rice," Julia, Eric's girlfriend said. "Eric will bring out the fried plantains momentarily. I hope you enjoy your meal."

A big serving dish, filled with rabo, an oxtail dish, was being passed around and everyone took some of it and passed it to the next person. Another big serving dish that had the beans and rice, called congri, was passed around. A smaller serving dish containing the fried plantains was also being circulated around the table. Everyone looked at Calleigh who took a little more than she usually would. Tim shot a look of slight anger at everyone in defense of his wife.

"I am eating for two," Calleigh explained. "I know that it isn't quite obvious, but I am pregnant."

"Stop ragging on her," Ryan said. "My cousin was the same way when she was pregnant with her daughter."

"Thank you, Ryan," Calleigh said.

"Eric, the food is delicious," Tim said. "My compliments go out to you, your girlfriend and your sisters."

"I am glad you enjoyed it," Eric said with a smile.

After everyone was finished with the main course, Tim and Calleigh helped Eric, his girlfriend and sisters clear off the table. They placed all the dishes, pots, pans and utensils in the sink. Eric told his girlfriend, sisters, Tim and Calleigh not to worry about washing. He will do that later. Tim and Calleigh rejoined the other guests and anticipated what course was coming next. Eric and his sisters brought out fruit cups before the grand finale of tres leches cake would be served.

"Delko, why are we getting the fruit cup?" Tim asked. "Aren't you supposed to give us some of that tres leches cake?"

"It is something to clean your palette with between the main course and dessert," Eric said.

"I thought that lemon sorbet cleanses the palette," Tim said. "That is what I was taught growing up. Can fruit do the same thing?"

"Yes, it can," Eric said. "I didn't think to buy lemon sorbet."

"Eric, don't worry about it," Horatio said. "Speed enjoys busting your chops. Hey Speed, shut up and eat your fruit!"

Tim just gave Horatio a glare before finishing his fruit cup. He was looking forward to Eric's sister's homemade tres leches cake. He had tried it once before when he and Calleigh were at her friend's house. It was too sweet for his taste. He is hoping that this one will be slightly less sweet. The small bowls that the fruit was served in was taken away. More conversation took place while the cake was being prepared.

"Kevin, what classes are you going to take in the coming semester?" one of Eric's sisters asked.

"I am taking biology, French, chemistry, political science and physics next semester," Kevin said. "I still am not sure what I am going to major in. I do know that I won't base it on grades alone. My interests would have to factor into the equation."

"That is an interesting schedule," she replied.

"Thanks," Kevin smiled.

Eric and his girlfriend served the tres leches cake. Two of his sisters made coffee and heated water for tea. On the table, there was a small dish that had an assortment of sachets of tea. When everyone was served and had his or her choice of coffee or tea, they ate the cake and took sips of the beverages. The cake wasn't very sweet but it was delicious. There was a hint of coconut either in the topping or the cake itself. There was talk about the dessert and how they loved it.

The next two hours were filled with constant conversation. It was broken up since everyone had to be at work the next morning. Kevin had to catch a flight back to Syracuse at 10:30 in the morning and had to start packing tonight. Everyone exchanged 'good nights', good-byes' and wished Kevin a safe trip back home.

An hour later, Tim, Calleigh and Kevin were back home. Calleigh went to bed due to exhaustion. Kevin went to the guest room and started packing. Tim immediately followed him.

"Do you need any help?" Tim asked.

"No, thank you," Kevin said with a smile. "I can manage."

"Mom is going to have a field day doing all that laundry," Tim said.

"Tim, I am perfectly capable of doing my own," Kevin said with a chuckle. "I have been doing my own laundry since I started college. However, mom taught me how it is done."

"Yeah, she taught me all that I needed to know in that department," Tim said. "Now, Cal and I take turns doing the laundry each week."

"I'll leave out the last minute stuff and the clothes I'll wear tomorrow," Kevin said changing the subject.

"That's okay," Tim said. "Do you have your ticket and identification near you?"

"Yes, it's in my carry-on bag," Kevin said.

"Why don't you get some sleep?" Tim said. "We will wake you up at about 6:00 and take you to the airport."

"You should rest, too," Kevin said. "Good night!"

"Good night," Tim said and left the guest room.

Within an hour, Tim, Calleigh and Kevin were asleep.

TBC