Tim walked down the halls of CSI and stopped near Ballistics. Luke, the new guy, was standing in front of the door.
"Geller..."
Luke looked up and smiled slightly.
"Speedle."
"Dazing off?" Tim questioned, watching Calleigh now.
"No. Just... didn't want to bother her but I need these done." Luke replied, holding up a few evidence envelopes. Tim nodded and rubbed his eyes with his left hand.
"I'll give them to her. I actually have to give her some things of my own." he muttered.
"Oh. Thanks." Luke handed him the envelopes and disappeared down the hallway. Tim waited until he was gone and then quietly walked into the lab. Calleigh was hunched over one of her microscopes, her hand rubbing her neck once in a while. Tim stepped behind her and gently squeezed her shoulders. She didn't jump, just smiled to herself as Tim softly kissed her neck.
"These are for you." he mumbled, burying his face in her shoulder. "From the new guy."
"Okay. Why are you still here?"
"Don't you like my company?"
"Love it but... I need to work and you're a bit distracting."
"Why thank you."
"Wasn't a compliment." Calleigh smirked. Tim snickered and looked up at her. She smiled and kissed his forehead. "Go work."
"I finished. Valera is just processing my DNA."
"Lucky."
"Indeed." Tim muttered. "I don't like him."
"Who's him?"
"Geller."
"What's wrong with him?"
"He looks at you too much."
"I guess a lot of people don't like you then either huh?" Calleigh teased.
"That's different. A lot of people aren't your husband." Tim said. "And besides I'm allowed to look at you in dirty ways."
"Baby, you got a huge jealousy issue."
"I do not."
"Do too."
"Do not."
"Do too."
"Do not."
"Shut up." Eric complained, walking in. "Jesus! Can't you keep your hands off her for a second?"
Tim released Calleigh from his embrace and then quickly grabbed her again.
"There. That was a second." he smirked and Calleigh giggled.
"Look, Valera is busy with the DNA from our case and a new case just came in. H wants you two on it."
S/C-------
"Hey Alexx." Calleigh greeted.
"Hey sugar. Hi Timmy."
"Hey. What do we got?"
"Female, age 32, name is Linda Randall."
Calleigh froze and Tim looked at her worriedly.
"What?" she stammered.
"Female, age 32, name is Linda Randall." Alexx repeated. "Why? You know her Calleigh?"
"I worked with her in New Orleans and... and she moved here with her husband. She..." she mumbled, not going on.
"Cal, why don't you go back to the lab." Tim suggested. "I can do this."
"N-No. I... I ha-have to do this."
"You two should take a look at this." Frank said, emerging from upstairs. The CSIs followed him into the master bedroom and Frank pointed at the wall. "What the hell does that mean?"
"Take this as a warning." Tim read. "He'll strike again."
"But who?" Calleigh asked, still shaken up.
"Tim will tell."
S/C-------
"Hey..."
Calleigh looked up and gave Tim a weak smile as he walked closer to her.
"Shift ended an hour and a half ago." he said.
"I want to finish this." Calleigh replied. "God Tim, who would do something like this?"
"I don't know baby. Come on, let's go home. You won't be any good to us if you don't get any sleep."
"Tim..."
"I know Calleigh but you need to come home. Eat, get some sleep, and we'll come back tomorrow morning, ready to solve this."
"No..."
"Cal, we never finish a case in a day, no matter how hard we work. You always need to take a break. Come home or I will drag you home."
"You don't understand!" she exclaimed exasperatedly. Why wouldn't he listen to her?
"I do! She was my friend too! But you're about to drop dead from not resting and not eating!"
Calleigh opened her mouth to reply but Tim's beeper went off.
"That's Belmontes. Meet me in the locker room in ten minutes and I'm serious Calleigh." he said, walking out. Tim entered Trace and saw Belmontes waiting, a print out in hand.
"Okay Speed, what do you think?"
"I'm hoping it's not Linda's blood."
"It's not. Even though it was red and wet... it was paint."
"Paint." Tim said flatly. "That narrows it down to everyone."
"Yeah and it's a paint that's not so rare. You can by it at Home Depot."
"Wonderful but at least we know. Thanks."
"No problem."
Tim walked out of Trace and went down to the locker room. Calleigh was there, a reluctant look on her face.
"Let's go." she mumbled. "If we stay any longer I'm going to change my mind."
Tim nodded as he grabbed a few things out of his locker and then they left.
S/C-----
Tim felt bad. He really did. Calleigh and Linda had been close enough to be sisters and he knew his wife was taking this hard.
"Calleigh?"
"Hmm?"
"You wanna talk?"
"No."
"It'll make me feel better."
"I don't feel like talking." Calleigh muttered, playing with her food. "I... I just don't understand! Everyone liked her. No one hated her. Why or who would do this?"
"I honestly don't know." Tim admitted. "But we will find out. Have you talked to Bryan?"
"Yeah. He's... torn up over this. He loved her so much."
"I know."
Calleigh stood up and moved to the other end of the table. Tim pushed his chair out and she sat down in his lap.
"I miss her." she mumbled, running a hand through Tim's jet black hair. "And... this made me realize that I don't know what I'd do without you. I see what Bryan is going through and I don't want to have to go through that, at least not for a long time."
"Neither do I."