Disappearing Acts
Disclaimer: Same as before. Mild language.
Chapter 3
The ride back to the apartment was deathly silent. Speed glanced at Lauren as she stared out of the window. It seemed as if she was trying to remember things as she went by them. He started to touch her, but he thought twice about it, remembering the wedding band that was in his pocket. When he finally turned into the driveway, he exhaled loudly, breaking the awkward silence.
" We're here," Speed said as he put the Tahoe in park.
" This is where I live?" Lauren said opening the door to get out. " It's beautiful."
" This is where we live, Calleigh," Speed corrected. He wanted her to realize this badly.
" Mr. Speedle, I asked you to call me Lauren," she shot back.
" I asked you to call me Tim, but you refused," he replied.
" Are you always like this?"
" Like what? You asked me to call you Lauren, I asked you to call me Tim. What's the big deal?"
" You are so childish, it's ridiculous. Just please call me by my name ,ok?" she retorted.
" Fine ,Lauren. The least you could do is call me Speed. I can't really deal with you calling me Mr. Speedle."Speed said as he began walking to the door.
" Speed? What is that some kind of attempt to retain your youth or something?" she asked walking behind him.
" No , it's short for Speedle. But when I was younger, I loved to race motorcycles. I still have one, even though you tried to get me to sell it. My Ducati doesn't go anywhere without me." Speed said as he unlocked the door. He stepped aside to let Lauren in.
" Umm interesting," Lauren said as she walked in the door. She heard the television on in the living room. Moments passed before she heard the little pit patter of feet as they raced across the floor.
" Daddy! Mommy! You're home," Sascha Speedle said as Speed lifted her up into his arms. He hugged and kissed the little girl on her cheek. " Beth let me watch Spongebob!" she said as Beth the babysitter walked behind her with a big smile on her face.
" She did? I'm going to have to thank Beth for that," Speed replied happily as he turned to Lauren.
Sascha looked at her and smiled, her dark eyes mirroring those of her father's. Sascha then squirmed in his arms , signaling that she wanted to be let down. She then walked to Lauren and tugged on her pants. Lauren looked at the little girl trying to remember but she couldn't.
"Mommy," Sascha whined as she tugged on her pants more.
" Sascha, I'm not your mother," Lauren said coolly as she walked into the living room, leaving a speechless father and daughter in the hallway. Speed looked at the tears that were forming in his daughter's eyes and bent down to her eye level.
" Sascha, mommy's not feeling good right now. Maybe Beth could take you for some ice cream. Would you like that?"Speed asked as he glanced at Beth who walked up and took Sascha's hand.
Speed took some money out of his wallet and handed it to her. He then watched them as they walked out of the door. With anger rising inside of him, he thundered into the living room.
" What the hell is your problem? Why did you do that? She doesn't know what happened to you!" Speed yelled.
" I didn't remember her. You want me to lie to the little girl?" Lauren spun around to meet him, with fire in her eyes.
" That little girl is your daughter. She's only six years old! Christ, why didn't you go ahead and tell her that Santa isn't real while you were at it," Speed asked as he threw up his hands.
" He's not. I'm sorry , Mr. Spee- Speed , but I don't know how to break it to you and Sascha in a nice way. I don't know you and I don't have any feelings for you."
" Nice. Real nice. I thought you were going to try and be open about this! Not two minutes in the house and you are telling us that you don't love us. You haven't even tried to talk to her , to get to know her," Speed returned as he turned away from her. He didn't want to see her like this. It was like she was a totally different person.
" I am trying. You don't know how hard it is to come into something feeling like you don't belong. I see all these pictures , but I don't know who that is in them. She looks like me, but she's not," Lauren said as tears began to fall.
" It's you, Calleigh. Can't you see that? Can't you feel the love that is in this house?" Speed pleaded . " You are our life. You are my life."
" I'm sorry , Mr. Speedle . I can't do this. I can't stay here tonight. I can't live up to what you expect of me." Lauren said as she turned to walk out of the living room. He had called her Calleigh again, and she couldn't bear it much longer. The pressure she felt was too overwhelming.
" What? You want to leave? Where will you go?" Speed asked following her down the hallway.
" I don't know , but I can't do this. I thought I could , but I am not her, Mr. Speedle,"she replied as she let a tear drop from her eyes.
Speed stared at the ground. Never in a million years would he have thought that he would lose Calleigh. His heart felt as if it was drowning in a sea of despair. He moved to embrace her and she side stepped him. He turned and walked away in frustration. From the living room, he heard the door close. Coming back into the hallway he saw as she had walked out of the front door. He flipped his phone up and dialed a number. If she couldn't stay here , he would've rather her stay with someone he trusted.
S/C
Horatio was in his office looking over the reports from the accident . He looked up to note the time before he got up to stretch his aching muscles. He had been in his office every since he had come from the hospital, and now he was ready to go home. Nothing had came back on the undercover cop in the black SUV , and he was looking at dead ends on the hole in the man's back. Resigning to start again with fresh eyes, he grabbed his jacket and turned off his light.
He hadn't got on the elevator when he heard his cell phone chirp from inside his jacket pocket. He had no intentions on answering it, but he glanced at the caller id any way. Noticing the number, he answered, " Speed . What's going on?"
" She's gone , H. She left," Speed said his voice thick with sadness.
" What happened?"
" We fought. She didn't come off too well to Sascha..."
" Is she ok? Where did she go?" Horatio asked quietly. He was just about as concerned with Calleigh as Speed was.
" I don't know, but she doesn't know where she is. I'm afraid for her, H."
" I'll find her, Speed . Then maybe you can sit down like adults and talk this out,"Horatio said as he got into the elevator and pressed the button to the parking garage. " I'll call you if I find her, ok?"
" Thanks , Horatio," Speed said as he hung up.
Horatio flipped his phone down and got off the elevator as it reached the parking garage. Walking to the Hummer, he saw a figure in the shadows. He placed his hand on his gun , preparing himself for anything. As he came closer, he saw the long blond hair. It was Calleigh.
" Lauren?" Horatio said quietly. He remembered her request to be called by that name. " What are you doing here?"
Lauren turned around to face Horatio, her tears dropping in floods, " I don't know how I remembered this place, but it just stood out. I can't do this, Horatio."
" You remembered my name, that's a start," Horatio replied as he gave her a small smile. " You want to talk?"
" Yes. Could we?" Lauren asked , her southern accent thickening.
" Sure. Coffee sound ok to you?" Horatio asked as he opened the door for her.
" Fine with me handsome," Lauren said as she got in the Hummer, wiping the tears away .
" Oops ! Did I just say that?"
" Yes, and you will be happy to know that , it's something that you used to call me all the time. So no harm no foul," Horatio stated as he closed the door.
The drive to the coffee house was peppered with light conversation . It was a drastic difference from what she felt with Speed earlier. With Horatio she felt at ease. When they sat for coffee, she brought up the point to him.
" Why is it that I feel so at ease with you and not Mr. Speedle?" she asked as she blew over the cup.
" He loves you, he wants you back."
" He's going about it the wrong way. I couldn't talk to him. He is so, so...
" Stubborn?"
" Yes! It's irritating. I couldn't get a word out before he would come back with something else."Lauren said as she put the cup down on the table.
" He's trying, Lauren. You were the love of his life when he woke up this morning, now he is faced with trying to get you to just remember him. I can understand why he is so impatient. If my wife had amnesia, I would try my damnest to get her back," Horatio said .
" Why is it that you aren't wearing a ring? You seem like a down to earth man."
" Well, Lauren, I had a chance a long time ago, but I missed it," Horatio replied as he stared into his cup. His heart still belonged to her.
" She must've been a catch if she still has that effect on you. What happened?"
" Different story for a different night," Horatio said changing the subject quickly. " Are you ready to give this a try?"
" What?"
" Going back. Give it a day or two. If nothing gets better, you can leave. But try, Lauren. At least give it a try." Horatio said as he pulled out his money to pay for the coffee. Lauren looked at him and smile slightly. This is a good man, she thought.
" Okay, I will try. But if nothing clicks, I'm out," Lauren returned as they walked to the Hummer.
S/C
Speed sat on his daughter's bed , thinking of a way to explain what was happening. He smoothed the dark curls that cascaded into her face. Even though she had his dark features, Sascha's mannerisms were all Calleigh. It was what he was contending with at the moment.
" But why did mommy say that she wasn't my mommy if she is?" Sascha asked yawning.
" Because, mommy got into a bad accident and bumped her head. Now she is having a hard time remembering everything," Speed said pulling the covers up on her.
" Why did she leave, daddy? Did I do something wrong?"
"Oh no, Sascha. You didn't do anything wrong. Mommy's just got some things to figure out. She may not be living with us for a while until she can do that."
" Will she remember, daddy? I miss her."
" I don't know sweetie, but I miss her too. Goodnight, honey," Speed said as he got up. " I will be in my room if you need me, ok?"
" Okay daddy."
Speed walked to the door and turned out her lights. In a moment he heard her call for him again.
" Daddy!"
" Yeah, hon?"
"Are you going to forget?" Sascha asked fearfully.
" No, baby. There's no way I could forget you or your mother. Now go to sleep," Speed replied gently.
" Daddy!"
" Yes Sascha?"
" I love you. I love mommy too."
" I love you . Good night .
"G'night."
Speed then crossed the hallway to get to his room. Sitting down on the bed he heard the doorbell ring. He got up quickly and descended the stairs. Opening the door he saw Lauren standing there with an awkward smile on her face. Horatio stood behind her meekly.
" Give it another try, Speed?" Lauren asked .
" You willing to try again?" Speed said trying to hide his joy and failing miserably at it.
" Only if you promise me that you won't bombard me with anything until tomorrow, and show me the guest room. I'm tired."
" How did you know we had a guest room? I didn't show you around yet. Are you remembering things?"
" Little by little , some things come to me, but not enough. Just give me time , Speed. I promise that I will be a little more open. I have a little girl to apologize to when she wakes up," Lauren said as she walked in. She looked back at Horatio with an appreciative smile playing on her lips.
" Thank you Horatio."
" You are welcome, Lauren. You two get some sleep. Maybe you can sort this out in the morning. Speed, I will need you to come in for a little while at least."
" Horatio, I was planning on taking a day..."
" Bring her along. Maybe if she sees the lab, something will click. You never know." Horatio replied as he turned to walk to the Hummer.
Speed waved to Horatio as he drove off . Closing the door, Speed looked at Lauren with happiness in his eyes.
"I'm sorry for earlier, Lauren. I get so frustrated easily."
" It's ok, Speed. I 'm not the best person to be around right now. Let's talk in the morning."
" I can show you to the guest room, your clothes are upstairs in our room. Let me know if there is anything I can get for you."
" There is something, Speed," Lauren said almost in a whisper.
" What?"
" My life back."
" I'm working on that," Speed replied as he left to prepare the room for her. She watched him as he left , thinking of something to help her to try to remember, but it was no use. It would have to wait until the morning.
TBC...
A/N: The new Calleigh is kinda mean isn't she?...