Disclaimer: I own anyone you don't recognize and everyone else belongs to Anthony Zuiker... though Speedle would be nice.
S/C------
Tim shook his head as another random girl pulled Eric off his bar stool. Calleigh laughed.
"He's popular." she said. Tim nodded.
"Don't know why."
"They think he's cute."
"You know this how?"
"Its a known fact. He's Eric Delko." Calleigh smiled.
"You like him or something?" Tim asked, giving his friend a look. He hoped she said no.
"No. I like someone else." Calleigh mumbled, looking down at her drink. Tim nodded.
"Wanna tell me who?"
"Not really. I'll feel stupid if I do. But since we're on this topic. Do you have a special someone?"
"Yes but she doesn't know I like her." Tim looked over Calleigh. "And I don't think she knows how special she really is."
She looked up at him.
"Come dance with me."
Calleigh nodded and let Tim pull her off her stool. Eric saw them coming towards the dance floor and quickly went to the DJ and changed the song to a slow one.
"This is Delko's doing." Calleigh smiled slightly. Tim shrugged and wrapped his arms around her waist as her arms went around his neck. "So... who do you like?"
"I feel like we're a couple of teenagers playing this came." Tim smirked. "You tell me first."
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because... just tell me who you like." Calleigh said. "It'll make me feel better."
"Okay." Tim agreed and Calleigh smiled triumphantly. Tim bent his head and kissed Calleigh softly. She went crazy inside. Here was Tim Speedle, kissing her. The only thing she had longed for as long as she had known him. He pulled away slightly. Calleigh had a dazed look on her face. It hadn't been a kiss that was amazing but it had made her spine tingle. Tim looked into her blue eyes, hoping for some reaction. Calleigh smiled at him and pulled his head back down to hers. The kiss was longer this time and Eric smiled from his spot a few feet away.
S/C------
TWO MONTHS LATER
Calleigh took her protective gear off and smiled when she heard Tim.
"Nice shot."
Calleigh glanced over her shoulder and Tim walked closer to her.
"Did you find a match?" he asked.
"Not yet but I still have all these guns to go through." she replied. Tim nodded and lifted her up onto the counter. "Tim..."
"Shh... I haven't seen you at all today." he mumbled, kissing her. Calleigh wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer to her.
"We can't."
"No one's around. They're all at crime scenes." Tim said. "I don't know how much longer I can go on like this. We need to tell them soon."
"I know and we will." Calleigh assured. "I'm going to go take a break."
"You want to get something to eat?"
"No. I just got to run a few errands."
Tim nodded and kissed her again, longer this time. Calleigh deepened the kiss. He wasn't the only one that wanted to the other. She wished he could just give her a quick kiss when they passed in the hallway but that wasn't happening if no one knew yet.
"I'll see you later then."
"Yeah." Tim helped Calleigh off the counter and she walked past him, throwing him a smile over her shoulder.
S/C-----
Calleigh sat in her car and finally picked up her cell phone and waited for someone to pick up on the receiving end.
"Willows."
"Catherine, it's Calleigh." since Catherine had worked the case in Miami she and Calleigh had kept in touch and were good friends.
"Hey. What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I um... is your supervisor there?"
"Grissom? Yeah hold on." Catherine passed the phone across the break room to Grissom.
"Hello?"
"Mr. Grissom this is Calleigh Duquesne with the Miami-Dade Crime Lab."
"Nice to finally speak to you. Catherine and Warrick said a lot of good things about you."
"Thank you. I was wondering if you... if you had any openings in your shift?"
"Actually we do. Are you thinking of joining the lab?"
"Yes. That is if you don't mind."
"No. I would love to have the infamous 'Bullet Girl' on my team. When can you start?"
"Whenever you want me to."
S/C------
"H?"
"Calleigh, hey."
"I'm sorry I was gone so long." she apologized, sitting down. "Um... we need to talk."
"What's going on?" Horatio asked.
"I... I'm transferring to Las Vegas."
"What? Why?"
"I, certain things have come up and I can't stay here anymore." Calleigh replied. Horatio sat in shock.
"Oh. Well um... I'm sorry about that. When are you leaving?"
"My new boss, Grissom says that I can start Friday. I'm leaving Wednesday though so I can get settled in. I'm taking a leave of absence until my resignation goes into affect."
"Alright." Horatio muttered.
"Horatio I'm sorry." Calleigh said and he knew she meant it.
"I hope you'll be okay." he said.
"I will be."
S/C------
"Guys, please... this is hard on me enough as it is." Calleigh sniffed, wiping her eyes. "I don't want to have to say good-bye."
"Well you just can't disappear into the night." Eric teased, hugging her. Calleigh laughed slightly and kissed his cheek.
"I'll miss you Eric."
"I'll miss you too. Been a pleasure Cal."
"It sure has."
Calleigh moved on to Alexx, who hugged her tightly.
"I expect you to call when you get there." she ordered.
"I will. I don't know what I'm gonna do, not having you to talk to."
"There is such a thing as a phone." Horatio smirked, making the girls laugh.
"Be good sweetheart." Alexx kissed her cheek and Calleigh nodded, hugging Horatio tightly.
"Horatio, you've been the person I've looked up to from the day you walked into my office in New Orleans." she said and for the first time in a long time the usually calm Horatio Caine had tears in his eyes. "You're more a father to me than my own is and I love you for that."
"You're a good person Calleigh." he said. "Las Vegas is lucky to have you."
"But," Eric smirked. "We had you first and may have drained out all of your expertise and you'll get there and suck."
"Thanks for the boost of confidence." Calleigh laughed. She stopped in front of Tim and the other three backed up. They knew the two of them were best friends but they didn't know how deep their relationship really was. Tim wouldn't look at her. "Speed... please don't make this hard."
"Then leave." he muttered. Calleigh hugged him, tears in her eyes.
"I'm sorry." she whispered in his ear. Tim slowly put his arms around her and buried his face in her shoulder. They pulled apart and Calleigh looked at the four that had grown to be her family over the past few years. "Well... bye."
"Good luck." Eric said.
"Yeah." Horatio nodded.
"Call us." Alexx ordered again. Tim stayed silent. Calleigh sighed and walked out of the break room. The four of them watched as she got in the elevator and all was silent for a few minutes.
"I'll be in Trace if you need me." Tim mumbled, his head bowed.
S/C------
Calleigh handed her boarding pass over and glanced out the window to sunny Miami.
"Calleigh, wait!"
She turned around and her jaw dropped when she saw Tim.
"What are you doing here?" she hissed. "Tim, please go home."
"No. I'm not letting you leave." he said. "Calleigh, please don't go. I love you so much and..."
"Tim, no." she shook her head, tears filling her eyes. "You don't."
"Yes. Yes I do and I know you love me. Just please baby stay."
"I can't. Tim, I have to go..." Calleigh whispered.
"Why are you doing this?" he asked.
"Because... it's the way things have to be."
"No it doesn't. You can come back home and pretend this never happened. We... God Calleigh if I did something..."
"This isn't your fault. I can't stay here anymore." she said. "Tim, believe me. It's not your fault. I have to go."
"No, no you don't."
Calleigh shook her head and pulled out of his hold.
"I'm sorry Tim. I really am."
"Calleigh, no..."
She wiped her eyes and walked onto the plane, leaving Tim brokenhearted and lost.
