By Your Side
Chapter 10
Tim watched as Calleigh walked over to Sascha and embraced her. For a moment , he was transfixed at her. He had not seen her since the day in the emergency room and he had almost forgotten how beautiful she was. Almost.
" Cal-Calleigh, I thought you were working today?" Tim asked as he cleared his throat. Sam noticed his mannerisms and stared at him in disbelief.
" Horatio let me off for a couple of hours. Sascha called me to let me know that she was starting today," Calleigh said smiling at her.
" The perks of being the bosses wife," Sam said as she stood to walk out. " Excuse me."
Calleigh watched Sam as she walked out and smiled lightly to herself. She then looked to Tim who had a confused look on his face. As much as she enjoyed watching Sam's jealousy, she sighed and shook her head.
" Go ,Tim."
" You going to be okay?" Tim asked Sascha. Sascha nodded her head and beamed at her mother.
" She'll be fine .If the therapist comes in, I'll tell them that you went to the bathroom," Calleigh drawled.
Tim nodded then walked out of the door in search of Sam. He found her sitting outside on a bench. The sun shone protectively over her giving her an other worldly glow. Instantly he knew what was bothering her.
" Okay, so I am a jack ass," Tim said as he sat next to her. Sam eyed the engagement ring on her finger and wiped her eyes.
" Tim , if you want to be with her, just tell her," Sam said not looking at him. If she looked at him, she wouldn't be able to hold herself together.
" I don't want to be with her. I gave you that ring for a reason. Remember?" Tim said taking her hand in his. " I love you."
" She is in your heart, Tim. I can't compete with that."
" I'm not asking you to compete, Sam. She's married to Horatio..."
" So I am a consultation prize? Is that it, Tim?" Sam asked as she snatched her hand away from him.
" Sam, what is the matter with you?"
" I saw how you looked at her, Tim. You practically wanted to jump her right there. I can't live my life wondering if I am always going to be second best. I love you, Tim. But I can't deal with this any more," Sam said as she moved to get up.
" Sam, you are the one I love. I'm not going to lie, Calleigh was my first love, but honey, I can't stand to think of my life without you," Tim said pleading with her. " Sam, look at me."
Sam continued to stand with her back to him. She wanted to believe him but her mind was telling her to go.
" Sam, look at me," he pleaded with hints of tears in his voice.
" I can't Tim," she said as she walked away. She wanted to get as far as she could from him.
Tim watched as she walked to the corner and hailed a cab. He ran a irritated hand through his hair and cursed to himself. She was gone.
" Daddy, we are almost fini- hey where's Sam?" Sascha said as she sat back down in her wheelchair. Tim looked at Calleigh then back to her with a slight scowl on his face.
" She had to go," he replied simply.
" Where?" Calleigh asked.
Tim shot her a deadly glance but ignored her. Again, she was the cause of his pain.
" Mr. Speedle, the session is over. If you can, stop by the receptionist's desk to make her next appointment," Robi said feeling the tension in the room. " And Sascha, remember, don't take it too hard. You have got to start slowly, if you want to walk again. If you push yourself, you might be doing more harm than good."
" She'll take it easy," Calleigh said patting her on the head. Sacha smiled at her mother.
Tim opened the door for Sascha as she wheeled herself out of the room. Sascha watched her mother intently as she walked ahead of them.
" Daddy, do you think mom would want to spend time with me?" Sascha asked.
" Why wouldn't she?"
" She's got a full plate with work and her family. I just wanted to spend time with her and maybe get to know my sisters," Sascha said as she stopped at the receptionist window.
" The only way to know, Sash is to ask," Tim said as he gave the receptionist his insurance card.
" I'm scared to."
"Why? She's your mother."
" Mr. Speedle, Sascha's next session is next Wednesday at two o'clock," the receptionist said handing him the information back to him.
" Thanks," Tim said as he placed the information back in his wallet. He stopped at a picture of Sam and his heart dropped.
Calleigh walked over to Sascha and knelt on her haunches, "Sascha, I got to get back to work. But call me, okay?"
Sascha watched her as she rose. She was petrified but the words came tumbling out any way,
" Mom, I wanted to know if I can come stay with you."
Tim turned quickly almost losing his balance, " Stay? I thought that just wanted to spend time with her?"
" Daddy, I missed out on so much time with her, I just thought that it would be cool to know how it felt to be with her again. If she will have me," Sascha said as she glanced at her mother.
Tim hung his head in disbelief. In a matter of two hours, the two ladies in his life had asked to leave.
" Dad, it's nothing against you. You are the greatest dad any girl can have. You've done everything for me. It's just I miss my mom."
The words stung him and he remained silent. Calleigh looked at him with those green eyes that he was starting to despise.
" Tim, I don't see a problem with it."
" What about Horatio?" Tim asked as he started out of the door. Calleigh pushed Sascha outside , following him.
" He's going to be okay with it. He always told me if Sascha wanted to come that he would open his doors," Calleigh said.
Tim sighed heavily as he unlocked the van, " Are you going to ride with me home, excuse me to the place where you stay?" His sarcastic tone was sharp.
" Daddy, don't be that way. This is something that I feel like I want to do. I want to connect with my mom again," Sascha said. His tone hurt her , making a slight tear tremble down her cheek.
" I'm sorry, Sash," Tim said as he looked at her. He had wounded her with his words and his attitude. " it's just that we have been together for fourteen years and I have not spent anytime away from you, even when you were in the hospital."
" Dad, I understand. You have been there by my side through everything, and I thank you for it. Can't you just think of it as a vacation?"
Tim smiled at her lightly. She had gotten that light sense of humor from her mother. Calleigh stood by patiently as they talked about it.
" If this is what you want , Sash. I want you to be happy," Tim said defeated. Sascha's face lit up with happiness as Calleigh moved to hug her.
" Look, Sash, I have to go back to work, but I will call you when I get off and we can come pick you up. We can get your things tomorrow."
" That's great mom! Thanks dad so much," Sascha said as she let her mother go. Calleigh turned to Tim to see the uneasiness in his brown eyes.
" Tim, it's not like I'm taking custody of her and moving away. We are in the same city, and she knows how to use the phone. You can see her whenever you want to."
" I know." Tim said simply. His life was quickly turning out to be a Greek tragedy. He helped Sascha in the van and closed the door. He then watched Calleigh as she walked to the Hummer.
He wanted nothing more than to go home and forget about everything that has happened to him.
Sam stared out into the ocean silently and watched the white caps of the sea as they came crashing to the shore. She wanted nothing more than to retreat back to New York, but she couldn't. Despite what she felt, she loved Tim tremendously. Even though she saw a different Tim when his ex- wife came around, she couldn't bear to think about life without him. If she wanted to be apart of his life, she had to be able to deal with the issue of Calleigh Caine. It's just too hard, she said to herself. Why couldn't she see that Tim did love her? Why was her pride always getting in the way? Because you're an idiot. Tim's the best thing that's ever happened to you and you know it, Sam.
She sighed to herself and looked down at the ring again. She couldn't lose him. She would go to him and talk about her fears and reservations and proclaim her love for him. She just hoped it wasn't too late.
" Well daddy, I think that is everything," Sascha said putting her bag down by the door. " Mom says that she will get the other stuff sometime tomorrow."
" Wonderful." Tim said as he sat down on his couch.
" Dad..."
" What Sascha? I'm happy for you. I just can't show it," Tim said as he stared at the pictures on the wall. Times were much more simpler when she was younger.
" I love you , dad."
" I love you too, Sash. I just can't help but think that this is the last time I'm going to see you."
" Not true. I 'm no more than twenty minutes from you. You can pop in anytime," Sascha said as she stopped next to him.
" Don't tempt me. I will be calling you. Just to make sure that you are ok," Tim said as he heard the Hummer pull up. He got up and opened the door and two little girls ran past him and jumped onto Sascha.
" Girls, be careful," Calleigh warned as she walked into the foyer. Horatio stood behind her.
" We will, mom," Livvy said.
" Calleigh, Horatio, come in." Tim said as he gestured to the hall.
" We are not staying. The girls wanted to go to the movies tonight." Calleigh said as she walked into the living room. Tim glanced at Horatio and felt like enough time had passed and he offered his hand.
" Look, Horatio, I apologize for what happened. I was angry. But that didn't give me right to take it out on you."
" No apologies needed, Speed. It's all water under the bridge as far as I am concerned. Is it true that you came back to the lab?"
" Yeah," Tim said sheepishly, " I couldn't just sit around and do nothing. Being a CSI has been apart of my life for so long. I don't know if I could do anything else. I asked for the night shift though, so I could take Sascha to her appointments."
" We have a slot open on the day shift if you want to come back," Horatio said with hope in his voice. Truth be known, he missed having the best trace expert in Florida.
" What happened to Wolfe?" Tim asked genuinely thinking about it.
" He transferred out. He and Delko just couldn't work together. They had a fight in the layout room last week. Trampled over some evidence. Eric's been suspended for a week. So I am in desperate need of good help," Horatio said.
" I'll think about it, H." Tim said as he walked into the living room. Sascha was smiling brightly as the twins were trying to explain the differences between them. Calleigh looked at her watch and then looked up at the two men that she loved dearly.
" Are you ready, Horatio? The movie is going to start in ten minutes," she said getting up.
" If you are. Liv , Lizzy let's get in the truck. Sascha , are you ready to go?"
" Yeah, just give me a minute," Sascha said as she wheeled next to her father. The Caine's walked out to the Hummer with her bags.
Sascha looked up at her father and saw the sadness in his chocolate brown eyes. She put the breaks on her wheelchair and pushed herself up.
" Sascha, what are you doing?" Tim said as he turned to her .He grabbed her by her arms.
" Standing up to give my daddy a kiss," she said steadying herself. She leaned over and gave him a kiss on his cheek and put her arms around his neck. He held her as a tear came to his eyes. " I love you daddy. Thank you for being there." She pulled back and looked at him. " I'm going to walk down the aisle when you marry Sam."
" If there is a wedding, Sascha."
" There will be a wedding, dad. Trust me." Sascha said smiling. She then nodded to him and said, "Okay , dad, I need to sit back down."
Tim gently helped her sit back down and wheeled her outside to the Hummer. As he helped her inside he told her, " You have an inside track. Let me know if they have anything other than a Hummer at home."
Sascha flashed a dazzling smile and giggled furiously, " Daddy , you are so silly."
" What?" Tim asked as he returned her smile, " I've never seen him drive anything else."
Tim looked up at Calleigh in the front seat and smiled at her as well, " You take care of her."
" We will Tim." Calleigh returned.
Tim closed the door and watched as they pulled out of the driveway. As the tail lights shined in the distance, he felt his heart drop. He was finally alone. He walked into the house and grabbed a beer out of the refrigerator and sat out on his patio. The stillness of the night drove him insane. He thought about Sam and how much he needed her in his life. He was about to go up to his room when he heard the door bell ring. Opening the door he saw her standing there with a longing look in her brown eyes.
" Tim..."
" Sam, don't talk . Just stay,"Tim said as he took her in an embrace. He kissed her passionately not wanting to let her go.
Sam broke away from the kiss ,out of breath, " I'll never leave you, Tim. Never."
Tim picked her up and took her to their room They would talk in the morning.
TBC...