Tim sat numbly as the funeral slowly progressed. He glanced on either side of him. Nicky was desperately trying to avert everyone's stares. Abbie was looking straight ahead and Tim was sure she was looking at nothing. Jen's eyes were focused on her lap, determined to not look up at Calleigh's casket. Tim was handed the flag that draped Calleigh's casket and he stared down at it, not registering what was happening. This wasn't supposed to be happening, not yet at least. They were supposed to be older, much older when they died. Abbie, Jen, and Nicky were supposed to be all grown up and have their own families by then. It wasn't supposed to be him left with three kids to raise on his own. The 21 Gun Salute began and Tim felt a piece of him being taken away with every shot. Every memory of Calleigh he ever had suddenly surfaced. The day he met her...
Tim looked up as Horatio walked into Trace, a petite blonde behind him.
"Finally, the trace lab." Horatio was saying. "And here's the last member of the crew. Speed, come here."
Tim reluctantly moved away from the microscope and smoothly sauntered over to where Horatio was standing.
"I'm Tim Speedle." he extended his hand and the blonde shook it, a smile on her face.
"Calleigh Duquesne."
She was having a bad day...
"You need to take it easy Cal." Tim smirked, not looking up from the pictures he was going over.
"Oh I'm sorry that I have so much work to do and so little time to do it in!" she snapped.
"You know what you need?"
"No but I have a feeling you're going to tell me."
"You need a really good kiss to make you loosen up."
"You know, if it wasn't me and I didn't know how you were, I'd be very offended by that comment." Calleigh smiled. "So who is going to be giving me this kiss?"
Tim leaned over the layout table and gently pulled her closer to him. Calleigh's eyes closed as Tim's lips met hers. They pulled away a few seconds later.
"Have dinner with me." Tim said quietly.
He took her on a weekend vacation...
Calleigh leaned back against Tim's chest as they watched the fireworks. He rested his chin on her shoulder and he was able to hear her over the booming and everyone's oohs and ahhs.
"Isn't it beautiful?"
"Not as beautiful as you are." Tim said, making Calleigh smile.
"Stop it."
"I'm being serious. Nothing and no one can match your beauty."
"You're very smooth with comments Mr. Speedle."
Tim grinned to himself as she said his name.
"How about you become Mrs. Speedle?"
Calleigh seemed to have froze in his arms and then turned around to face him.
"What?"
Tim got down on one knee and pulled out a diamond ring.
"I love you more than anything Calleigh and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?"
"I... oh my God... yes! Yes of course!" she exclaimed happily and Tim smiled as he slid the ring onto her finger. Calleigh stared down at it in awe and looked back up at Tim, tears filling her eyes. She quickly pulled him to her, pressing her lips against his. "Tim, I love you. I love you so much."
Tim buried his head in his hands, hoping that he would wake up and find it was all a bad dream. The shots kept coming though and so did the memories. Their wedding day...
Tim fidgeted as he waited at the altar impatiently. Eric clamped a hand down on his shoulder, forcing him to look at him.
"Calm down."
Tim nodded as the doors at the end of the aisle opened. Calleigh was there, looking as beautiful as ever, on her father's arm. Their eyes connected and she gave him a smile, which was enough to make Tim melt. Tim had a good feeling he was grinning like an idiot when Calleigh's father passed her off to him.
'I love you.' she mouthed.
'I love you too.' he mouthed back and felt himself drowning in her eyes. She always had that affect on him.
"Tim..."
"Huh?"
Their guests chuckled. Tim had been so deep in thought that he hadn't heard the priest begin talking to him, telling him to repeat what he said.
"Oh!" he turned red, making Calleigh smile. Why was he so damn cute?
He waited outside that door for what seemed to be hours...
"Baby come on!" Tim groaned impatiently. "Are you done yet?"
"Yeah." came her quiet reply as she opened the door. "Tim..."
"Well?"
"I-It's positive." Calleigh stammered, a shocked, yet happy look on her face.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes I'm sure! Why the hell do you think I was in there, looking at that damn stick for fifteen minutes!" Calleigh exclaimed as Tim scooped her up into his arms. "I can't believe it! I... we... a baby..."
"Finally!" Tim exclaimed, kissing her deeply. Calleigh giggled against his lips.
"You're so impatient."
"Yeah now I have to wait another stinking nine months." Tim pouted. "I love you. You know that right? I love you so much!"
"I know. I love you too. Now put me down! We're gonna be late for work."
Tim looked over at Abbie, that day still clear in his mind...
Calleigh and Tim looked at each other, identical looks of relief on their faces, as they heard the unmistakable sound of a baby crying.
"It's a girl." the doctor smiled happily. "Congratulations."
"I think you broke a few of my fingers." Tim smirked, kissing Calleigh softly.
"I can bet you a lot of money that you're not in as much pain as I am in." she said sweetly.
"I think I'll agree with you." Tim nodded as the nurse handed Abbie over. "Is she okay?"
"Yep. 7 lbs. 8 oz." she smiled. "Ten fingers, ten toes. You can count them all if you don't believe me."
Calleigh was already peeking into the bundle of blankets in her arms. Tim turned back to her and kissed her forehead.
"I love you."
"I love you too. Oh... look at her." Calleigh cooed. "She's so pretty."
"Just like you." Tim smiled. Calleigh smiled as she looked up at him.
"Blackmail." she mumbled, looking back down at Abbie.
"What?"
"Nothing." Calleigh reached up and wiped a tear off his cheek. "I think all the guys at CSI would love to know that you cry. Especially Delko."
"Hey I've got a good reason." Tim defended.
Tim jumped when he felt someone's hand on his shoulder.
"Speed..."
He turned around and looked at Eric.
"I'm sorry." he said quietly. "I... I shouldn't have left the room."
"Eric, it wasn't your fault." Tim said, his voice cracking. "Listen, can you um... take them?"
"Yeah. Overnight?"
"Do you care?"
Eric shook his head.
"Come on guys." he motioned for the three Speedle siblings to follow him. They walked ahead of him and Eric turned back to Tim. "You uh... you're not going to do something stupid are you?"
"No. I got them to take care of." he assured. "I'll probably knock back a few beers but nothing big."
"Just take it easy. We all miss her."
"You all weren't her husband. Thanks for taking them."
"I'm always there for you." Eric walked off. Tim sighed and placed the flag down on the chair that Nicky had been sitting on. He walked over to Calleigh's casket, fiddling with the rose in his hand. Finally, he tossed it on the casket along with the other flowers, tears streaming down his face.
"Bye baby."