Disclaimer: Same as previous chapters. Mild language and violence warning.

Summary: Things start to go bad for Calleigh, quickly.

Chapter 5

He was upset, clearly. Calleigh listened intently as he entered the house, slamming the doors. She was startled because she had never heard him get upset in the time she had been there. She gathered herself, preparing to be ready when he came in. She waited for a minute then heard as he retreated to his room. She relaxed herself and closed her eyes. So far, he had been calm, with the exception of the slapping incident, but she blamed herself for that. She knew that she shouldn't have provoked him , but she was furious at him for assuming that he was doing her a favor by taking her. She closed her eyes, hoping that she would actually get some sleep tonight.

She had drifted towards sleep when he opened the door, and she squinted as he turned on the light. When her eyes focused, she saw as his face was contorted in pain. He had been crying , and she could smell the heady aroma of a liquor as he walked to her. He stood at the foot of the bed, his eyes wild . Calleigh saw the glint of something in his hand.

" Therrin, wh- what's wrong?" Calleigh asked as she sat up.

" He's still looking for you. I thought that he would've forgotten about you by now, since he didn't love you any way. But, he's a stubborn man," Therrin replied coldly.

Calleigh's heart lifted at the news. Speed hadn't given up on her. She tried to keep her excitement in check as she asked, " Who? Who's still looking for me?"

" Don't. I'm not stupid. You know who I'm talking about. Your boyfriend, Speed." Therrin's tone began to get darker. He moved closer to her , revealing what he had in his hands, a pair of scissors. " I've got to do something to throw him off. He's a smart man. He saw the necklace that I got from you."

Calleigh felt a chill as he leaned forward , hovering over her. The liquor mixed with her fear, made her stomach turn cartwheels. She turned her head to the side and let her stomach contents return to the surface. He looked at her in disgust then grabbed her hair. She struggled, violently shaking her head. He slapped her hard and her head went limp. He then went on, methodically cutting her long blond hair. When he was finished, he collected the hair , then held the scissors open. He hesitated a moment , tears coming to his eyes. He didn't want to hurt her, but things were starting to happen. He had to throw Speedle off guard. He sniffled, then slashed Calleigh's wrist were the faded scar had been. He moved quickly, collecting the blood in a small bowl, then applying pressure on the wound. He then stitched it up and wrapped it with gauze. He looked back at her as he walked to the door. He would clean her later, but now he had work to do.

S/C

The night had been troublesome for Speed. He was unable to sleep, thinking about his encounter with the bus boy at the Bistro as well as a break in the case. A hair had been found on the tail pipe of Calleigh's jeep. Speed stood breathless as Horatio explained as the evidence had gotten misplaced in transport from the crime scene. Speed had waited in the DNA lab the rest of the day, hovering over Valera as she tried her best to hurry the process. In the end, there was nothing in AFIS, but it was something new. Now in the early morning hours, Speed stared at his ceiling ,his hopes flying.

When it was evident that he wasn't going back to sleep, he got up and went for a run. He loved to run, it helped him to clear his mind, but since Calleigh's disappearance, he had stopped going. How could he enjoy himself when she was gone? As expected, it was deserted on the roads, and that suited Speed just fine. He felt as the stress fell off of him as he ran farther. Two hours later, he was in his shower. After getting out, he looked at himself in the mirror and thought about the words Delko had said to him. He got out his shaving cream and began to shave the beard that had taken residence on his face. When he finished, he smiled to himself lightly, Calleigh loved to see him clean shaven . He then got dressed and headed for the lab. It was still early, but he figured he could get some work done and maybe get a shot at the new piece of evidence.

He was at work a full two hours before Paula had called him. He had a package at the front desk. He hung the phone up and took off his lab coat, then walked down the hallway to the lobby.When he got there, he saw as Paula was just getting settled in. He smiled at her lightly when she glanced up with her eyebrows lifted.

" Well Speed. What's with the new look?"

" I shaved. What's the big deal? Should fireworks go off every time I put a razor to my face?" he asked , his voice heavy with sarcasm. " You said I had a package?"

" Yeah. Here it is," Paula said handing it to him.

Speed looked at the package. It was wrapped in a brown paper bag and the only thing that was on it was 'Timothy Speedle' in thick black words. He looked at the package from all sides, nothing jumping out at him. " Was it delivered this morning?"he asked shaking it.

" It was just sitting here when I got in," Paula offered. " There's nothing on the sign in."

" Thanks , Paula."

" Sure, no problem," she replied as she grabbed the phone.

Speed held the package under his arm as he walked through the lobby. He spotted Eric as he was getting off of the elevator , holding a file folder. He smiled at Speed as he noticed that he had shaved. " So, you shaved. Good man."

" What is it with you people? Why are you all so fascinated with my grooming?" he said as he kept walking. Inside , he felt good about the attention. Most of the time he had felt like noone had noticed him.

" What you got there?" Eric gestured to the package under his arm.

" I don't know. I was going to open it in the break room, but I think I will open it in the ballistics lab. You never know what kind of surprises someone will send when they feel like they've been done wrong by the man," Speed said smirking.

" Damn the man?"Eric asked a big smile forming on his face.

" Exactly," Speed replied simply. The duo kept walking until they came to the elevators. Getting on , Speed felt a little suspicious about the package. It didn't rattle , and he didn't hear any ticking, but he couldn't be sure that it was harmless. If it was, why the anonymity? The men stepped off the elevator and stopped at the doors of the ballistics lab. Speed seemed hesitant to go forward.

" What's up?" Eric asked as he saw Speed stop.

" I 've walked past here so many times, but I haven't actually gone in since she's been gone," Speed replied softly. Tears formed in his eyes. The emotions that he had fought to keep at bay were starting to resurface again. He was okay when he didn't have to face her ghost , but the ballistics lab held her essence. Speed breathed in deeply and walked in the doors. He had to start making progress forward.

" Hey guys, what's up?" Mark , the new guy asked. He had joined the group right after Calleigh's disappearance, but he still couldn't find his rhythm. He was no 'bullet guy', but he knew his stuff.

" Just wanted to open a package. Not sure if it's safe. You don't mind do you, Mark?" Speed asked.

"N-No, not at all," Mark replied. He remembered the autopsy he observed, his first. Headless. He had lost it right in front of Lt. Caine. Now he was standing face to face with the instigators of the prank.

" What's wrong, Mark?" Eric asked chuckling.

" Nothing, I just know that you guys are notorious pranksters. I hope it's nothing that will make a mess, I'm in the middle of processing evidence," Mark replied nervously.

" Don't worry, Mark. It's not a prank. Really," Speed said unwrapping the paper. He then gently opened the box. He felt as the color drained from his face. Eric moved next to him ,seeing the distress on his friend's face.

" Speed, what is it?" Eric said looking into the box. Sitting neatly in a pile was a good amount of hair. Blond. It was streaked in a red substance. Eric took in a harsh breath, " Is that blood?"

Speed grabbed some gloves then picked up a strand. He smelled as the faint aroma of vanilla intermingled with the heady copper smell. It made him sick to his stomach. He stumbled slightly as he tried to find a seat. His body didn't cooperate and he tumbled onto the floor, hitting his head. Eric moved quickly seeing as blood began to pool under Speed's head.

" Mark, call Horatio," Eric said working to hold off the bleeding.

" Wh- Is he ok?" Mark asked weakly. This was almost too much for him.

" Get Horatio here now!" Eric ordered. " And call down to the morgue. We need Alexx up here too."

Mark flew into action first calling Horatio in his office, then getting the ME. They both made it to the ballistics lab in seconds, Horatio walking in the door first, Alexx following . Alexx saw Speed on the floor, and began working on him.

" What happened?" she asked as she lifted Speed's head slightly. She felt an opening in the back of his head, it still bleeding profusely.

" He got this package this morning," Eric said gesturing to the box.

Horatio put on some gloves and inspected the box. He saw the blond hair and smelled the blood. He dropped his head then lifted it, " Eric, get this to trace."

Eric grabbed the paper , the box and it's contents and headed out of the ballistics lab. Horatio turned his attention to his trace expert. He looked at Alexx and asked, " Is he okay?"

" He's gonna need stitches, and some serious aspirin , but other than that, I think he's going to be ok," Alexx said as she got out her cell phone, calling the rescue. "I'll go along with him to keep him company."

" Thanks, Alexx. Keep me posted on him, ok?" Horatio said walking out.

" Horatio?" Alexx asked

"Yes?"

" Was that Calleigh's hair?"

Horatio glanced at the floor and placed his hands on his hips. His reply was laced with sadness,

" I don't know, Alexx. But I, I intend on finding out."

TBC...

For those Rory fanatics I slipped in a line from Empire Records. :)