Tim slowly pulled to a stop in front of a house and pulled his keys out of the ignition. He recognized Stacey's SUV in the driveway immediately and made his way to the front door.
"Stacey?" Tim knocked on the door and waited. He heard footsteps and gave a relieved smile when he saw Anna in Stacey's arms.
"Hi." she smiled, kissing his cheek lightly. Tim gave a forced smile and reached for Anna. Stacey relented and let him take her. Anna gave a happy gurgle, seeing who was now holding her. Stacey glanced out the window and gave a satisfied smile, seeing only Tim's Explorer. "I knew I could trust you Tim."
"Of course you can." he mumbled, his attention focused on his daughter.
"What did you tell Calleigh? I mean, she must be broken up over Anna and she must not want you out of her sight."
"I told her I was going to the lab." Tim lied. "I have time to spare."
"Good." Stacey smiled. "I really missed you."
"I missed you too."
Stacey stared into Tim's chocolate eyes, trying to find some trace of him lying. But as always, Tim's expressions were unreadable. He turned away and walked over to the patio door.
"Nice place you have here."
"Yeah. I figured you'd like it." Stacey smiled, walking up behind him. Tim's eyes scanned the backyard and finally he found what he was looking for. He smiled to himself and turned around. Stacey gently took Anna from him and motioned for him to sit down. "I never thought this day would really come. I figured Calleigh would never let you go."
"Mhmm. You have to have a bit more faith in your sister."
"Do you regret marrying her?"
Tim bit the inside of his cheek and gave a slow nod. He had to keep this up to get Stacey to believe that everything was okay.
"So I was right huh? You did marry her just because she got pregnant?"
"I had to. Your father would've killed me. Then you wouldn't been able to have me at all." Tim smiled. He stared at Anna, trying to keep himself under control. Stacey noticed this and a jealous looked crossed her face. Tim saw it and gave a small grin. "Jealous of a baby Stacey?"
"You just pay so much attention to her."
"I got a lot of attention to give." Tim said quietly. Stacey moved closer to him and pressed her lips against his. He felt like throwing up but just a few minutes more... that was all he needed. A timer went off and Stacey reluctantly pulled away from him.
"Dinner." she said, setting Anna down in a swing. She walked into the kitchen and Tim quickly went to Anna, checking her over. She seemed fine. Stacey hadn't done anything stupid to her. Tim sighed quietly and rubbed his eyes. He couldn't keep this up much longer. Yes, Calleigh knew but still he felt horrible for doing this. Tim walked over to the patio again and panicked when he didn't see the Hummer on the next street.
'Where are you H?' he wondered. 'Don't tell me you left me here to go to some crime scene.'
"Tim?"
He glanced over his shoulder and saw Stacey standing right behind him.
"Why do you keep going over here?"
"I like the landscape." Tim lied. It was a shitty backyard, very plain, unlike his and Calleigh's.
"Oh. I'm glad. Well... dinner is on the table."
S/C--------
Three hours. Tim stared at the clock. He had been here for three hours.
"Are you a workaholic?" Stacey asked, bringing Tim out of his thoughts.
"Huh?"
"Are. You. A. Workaholic." Stacey repeated slowly.
"Slightly. Why?"
"Well Calleigh hasn't called you."
"She thinks I'm trying everything to find you and Anna. She doesn't know I'm already here." Tim said. Stacey snickered.
"For a CSI she's pretty stupid."
"Yeah I suppose." Tim agreed. Where was Horatio? They agreed he would stay on the street next to Stacey's and when Tim called him, after he got everything settled, Horatio and Yelina would come and arrest Stacey. Now they were gone and had not been back.
"You seem so tense." Stacey said, sliding behind him. Tim visibly cringed as he felt Stacey's hands on his shoulders. "What the hell is the matter with you?"
"Nothing. I'm tired. You scared me today. I... I thought that you hurt her or something." he said, standing up.
"Oh Tim, I would not do that to Anna. She's like my daughter, hell, soon she will be."
"Step-daughter." he corrected.
"She's two months old. She won't remember Calleigh when she's older." Stacey said. "You seem so concerned about Calleigh."
"As a friend. I was her friend before... everything started."
"She has other friends to worry about her. Just forget her."
'I don't want to.' Tim thought. 'I just want to get the hell out of here and be back home and hold her in my arms.'
"I'm trying Stacey but... damn you look just like her."
"But I'm better than her." she smiled seductively. "Want me to show you?"
Tim glanced at the swing that was going softly. Anna was asleep.
"Not in front of her. I don't want to leave her in the swing either. It's not... safe."
"Tim... you think I'm stupid. I have a whole room upstairs, just for her."
'Okay she's creeping me out now.'
Stacey kissed him softly, then the kiss escalated. Tim couldn't get her off him. Not that he didn't want to, she wouldn't let go of him.
'God make her stop.'
Stacey pulled away from him suddenly and walked away from him.
"What's wrong?" Tim asked lamely. Stacey shook her head.
"You're... distracted. You're not the way you used to be. I want us to be how we were..." she said, turning around. "I want us to be how we were in Boston."
Tim nodded, walking over to her. He glanced out the patio door and gave a sigh of relief. Horatio was back. He could see the unmistakable Hummer between the houses behind Stacey's.
"Like this?" he asked, kissing her passionately. Stacey moaned lightly into the kiss, sliding her hands up his chest. Tim reached into his back pocket and Stacey's eyes popped open when she heard a snap.
"What the hell!" she screeched, staring down at her handcuffed wrists. "You bastard!"
Tim shrugged and pulled out his cell phone, dialing Horatio's number.
"Yeah, it's me. Mhmm everything's under control. You can come in now." he hung up and looked at Stacey.
"I can't believe you." she said tearfully. "You... you lied to me."
"I'm sorry." Tim said sarcastically. "This was all a set-up."
There was a knock on the door and Tim opened it, revealing Horatio and Yelina. Yelina began to lead Stacey out but she jerked out of her grasp and looked at Tim, who was picking Anna up.
"Tim..."
"What?"
"You don't know how bad you have it." Stacey said. "We would've had it great."
"I already do Stacey. I wish you'd just realize that instead of trying to get your way."
