Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own any of the characters or any actual events in CSI Miami…I just like messing about with the characters…

A/N: thanks to all of you who have reviewed and I hope you continue to do so. Let me know what you think of the chapter…

Btw… how many of you reading this are actually Calleigh/ Speed shippers?

Chapter Five

Horatio Caine walked into the break room to find Eric looking over a file. Horatio twisted himself slightly and caught sight of the name on the file. Straightening back up, he glanced at the ceiling and felt his jaw tighten and his gut clench. He set his eyes and turned to Eric.

"Eric…you wanna explain that?"

"Jesus, H, don't sneak up like that!"

"Sorry…back to topic…you wanna explain that file?"

"Tim had a copy of the original Lynch file…"

"Yea and I told Tim to leave it alone, that, my friend, includes you…"

"We just wanted to check and see if there was something…anything…that could help us now…"

"Believe me Eric, I understand that, but I've made it clear that my own team isn't on this because it's personal. There's a reason why Speed handed his gun over. Do Not make me take yours…"

"H…I know…but…"

"Eric, I'm serious…"

"So am I, H! It's Cruz in that car, Tim's my best friend…I can't just stand back…"

"Then give me your weapon, and I mean now. I want that file too and when I say the file I mean it all."

"Wh…?" Eric stopped and his head shot in Horatio's direction.

"You just admitted how personal this is to you. That can make you do some dangerous things. Weapon and file, Eric, And I'm not asking"

Horatio held Eric's gaze. In the end, he won out as Eric let out a frustrated sigh as his jaw clenched. He unholstered his weapon and sat it on the table. He gathered the papers from the file and put them in side and he handed both to Horatio before walking out, the door slamming shut behind him. Horatio threw the file onto the table in a silent scream. Horatio Caine had a reputation for keeping emotions in check through difficult cases which had earned him the respect and envy of fellow colleagues, but this was one case where Caine was on the very edge of losing it. He was rattled and that was scaring the shit out of him more than anything. He hated losing control, and he was beginning to wonder whether Simon Lynch was simply playing them and had bigger plans. That in it's self was enough to make him want to sit in a corner and scream all of the emotion out of him.

He was pissed off that Tim was the one in this situation. He had been through enough. Granted, the disaster of Dispo Day and the near fatality of the incident at McCauley Jewellers could have been prevented but Speed was Speed. He had changed since then and Speed had insisted on giving his 9MM over to Calleigh every two weeks for inspection. A dirty gun was one thing, but his baby in a car was another.

The door of the room swung open and Calleigh entered.

"Hey, Handsome"

"Heyy-yy" He turned around. Calleigh tried to read the expression on his face and although she knew him better than anyone, she couldn't for the life in her tell what was going on in his mind.

"I just saw Eric…" She trailed off

"Yea…I had to take his weapon…"

"Yip, I heard…Are you doing okay?"

"Call, I have no idea how to solve this" Calleigh's heart broke. This was her husband. Lieutenant Horatio Caine and it broke her heart to hear him say that he was being beaten by a case. She looked him in the eye.

"That's because…I can say this right?" She held his gaze

"You know it"

"It's personal…and this time, you can't detach your own emotions from the emotions of the case. At the same time, you have this inner battle going on between being professional and stepping back and your loyalty to Tim and Cruz. You know you should step back but you can't stand the thought that someone else would come in and take over your watch of your team."

"So what do I do?"

"Horatio Caine…you already know that answer."

"Yes…I do…"

"Then…do it. Do what you've always done. Protect your team and get the bad guy."

"I love you."

"I love you too"

"Can you put this in the gun vault with Speed's please?"

"Already on it…"

"I have a baby to save" Horatio kissed Calleigh, set his jaw and left the room. Calleigh looked at Delko's gun in her hand and smiled. Picking up the file from the table she headed to the Ballistics Lab.

Outside, Tim was making his way to Alyssa. He kept his gaze set and ignored comments of fellow workers, not wanting to speak to any one until he'd spoke to her. She turned around as she felt his arm slide around her waist and his hand entwine with her own. He smiled at her.

"I'm sorry" she said, meaning every word as she looked him in the eye. He put a finger to her lips, and shook his head.

"Baby, you ain't gotta say sorry to me…I'm sorry. I should have been here and I wasn't. I don't wanna make this any harder on you."

"I'm still sorry, babe" Alyssa told him

"What was it I said to you the night I proposed?"

"You said a lot of things, baby…and I remember every word."

"You're the one who gives me hope when my dreams feel like they're outta my reach. You're the one who keeps me holding on. You remember that?"

"Yea…" her eyes were beginning to tear.

"Yea, well we've been through a whole lot of shit babe, but we're still here. The world around us can crash all it wants. My life is complete. I've got you and I've got Cruz. Put us together, we can do anything. We'll get Cruz back, because we've got Horatio. We've got the team. And, we'll be together again. No one, and babe, I mean NO ONE is gonna tear us apart."

"I hate you for being the strong one!" Alyssa laughed through her tears. Tim wiped her tears and kissed her.

"Am only strong coz I've got you, gorgeous."

Alyssa wrapped her arms around Tim and buried her face in his shoulder. Tim tightly wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close, kissing her hair.

"Let's go see H…so we can get our baby girl back and go home"

Un seen by every one in the Parking lot, Simon Lynch made his way around cars, staying out of sight before he reached the S.U.V. Creeping up the inside panel of the door he got in, started the engine and crashed through the crime scene tape.

"What the…!" came the cry from almost every one in the parking lot. Alyssa looked at Tim, panic flashing through her hazel eyes. She clung to his hand as he turned to Horatio.

Horatio Caine turned to Tim Speedle.

"That was him…" Speed said to him

"He just made his second fatal mistake"

"Second?"

"He messed with my team…and then came back to the scene of the crime. Now he's got half of MDPD on his tail, plus a very pissed of Lieutenant. Oh and Speed?"

"Yea?"

"There's a tracking device in the car"

Tim Speedle grinned for the first time since arriving at work.

That was another chapter…let me know what you think…in other words, hit the button pleeeeeeeaaaaaaaaassssssssssseeeeee