By Your Side

chapter 4

" Where are my manners? Calleigh, Alexx, come in," Speed asked as he shook out of his wonderment. When they both stepped forward, he closed the door then glanced up the stairs. He could hear Sascha crying from her bedroom. " Have a seat. I'm going to check on Sascha, ok?"

Calleigh shot him a concerned look and said, " You want me to come up with you?"

" I don't think that is a good idea, Calleigh. Let me go talk to her," Speed said as he turned to walk up the stairs, leaving the two women in the living room.

As he got up stairs, he noticed Sascha's door was closed. Knocking softly on it , he asked, "Is it ok that I come in?"

Silence returned to him and he raised his knuckle to knock again when the door opened and he stood face to face with Sam. She had a look of sadness in her eyes that Speed couldn't bear.

" Are you ok?" Speed asked quietly.

" I'm fine, Tim. But Sascha... I think you need to talk to her," Sam said as she opened the door wider. Tim stepped into his daughter's room and instantly he was taken back to those days when he had come up to talk to her about her mother. Many days, he sat at the edge of her bed consoling her and assuring her that things would turn out fine. He looked at her as she at on her bed with her knees in her chest and her head down, and he saw the six year old that missed her mother. He walked over to her and knelt down on his haunches so that he could be eye to eye with her. He gently put a hand on top of her head as he heard her sobs.

" Sascha, honey, it's daddy. You want to talk about it?" Speed asked. Sascha lifted her head and looked into her father's warm brown eyes and shook her head. She didn't want to talk about how she felt all those years that her mother had not called her or sent a letter. She didn't want to talk about the anger that she had deep inside of her for what her mother did. All she wanted to do was be alone.

Tim wiped the tears that streaked down her face and pulled her into an embrace. He felt as her sobs took over her body and shook it violently. He held her tighter trying desperately to take the pain from her. After a moment, she stopped crying and pulled away from him. Her eyes were red and swollen. She wiped the tears with the back of her hand as she began to speak.

" I don' t want to talk to her. I have nothing to say to her, daddy."

" Sascha, that's not fair. You haven't given her a chance..."

" Did she give us a chance , daddy? Did she try? NO! She up and married Horatio as soon as the divorce was finalized. She didn't even think twice about us. You want to talk about fair? How fair was that?" Sascha said as her temper flared.

" Honey, I'm just saying..."

"Please don't tell me that you are buying this, daddy. She left you to be with him. Seven years of marriage meant nothing to her. We meant nothing to her. She put us through hell and now that she shows up on our door..."

" Sash,..."

" You're ready to take her back... You're an idiot, dad." Sascha continued as her rage reached a deafening height.

" Now wait a minute, Sash..." Speed said as he felt his temper rise as well. Sam moved closer to him and put a hand on his arm. She knew how bad it got when Tim got mad.

" No, daddy, I am not going to wait a minute. If you want to take that tramp back then you can do it without me here," Sascha said as she got up. She moved quickly grabbing her bag and her jacket. " I'm not going to stay here and watch you get punked out by her." Sascha pulled her door open and raced down the stairs.

" Sascha Marie Speedle, you better not step out that door," Speed called from the top of the staircase. He then heard as she opened the door then slammed it shut. Speed close his eyes and ran his hands through his head. He then kicked the wall , leaving an imprint. Sam walked behind him and touched his shoulder lightly.

" Tim, maybe I should go and find her. Besides , I think I need to leave you two alone," Sam said softly. Her voice betrayed her sincerity.

Speed turned to face her, seeing the uncertainty in her eyes. He held her tightly to him and kissed her . Pulling back he then saw as she had tears in her eyes.

" I love you, Sam. This changes nothing." Speed said as he caressed her cheek. He wanted her to see that he meant what he had said. Sam dropped her head and nodded.

" No, Tim, this changes everything. I'll call you if I find her. She can stay at my place tonight."

" Thanks, Sam." Speed said simply. He watched her as she descended the stair case and he cursed silently to himself. She was right , this changed everything.

TBC...