Horatio Takes a Vacation

Chapter 7

Calleigh stirred slightly as Speed glanced at her. She had been out for almost an hour and a half and Speed had sat in the same spot watching her. She turned over then lifted her head quickly as if she was waking from a terrible dream.

" Oh my god , I can't breathe," Calleigh said breathlessly.

Speed got up and moved closer to her, putting a comforting arm around her.

"Calleigh, calm down. You're okay."

Calleigh slowly started to breathe easily and rested her head against his chest. Speed let a smile crack on to his face as he began to speak again.

" So how long have you been claustrophobic?" Speed asked as he took in her scent.

" Since I was a little girl. When my dad would get into his fits, I ran to the closet. It just started taking a toll on me. I thought that I would grow out of it," Calleigh returned softly. " Why am I telling this to you?"

" Maybe, because it makes you feel better. You see, you have stopped trembling."

Calleigh sat up and turned to look at him in the dim light. His features had softened and she felt the sincerity that emoted from his dark brown eyes.

" You are right. Who knew that you were a good listener?"

" If you just take the time to get to know someone, you'd be surprise what you will find," Speed replied.

" So, Dr. Phil, I told you something horrible about me, what about you? What haunts you?" Calleigh asked as she sat back on the elevator wall. Talking to him had calmed her considerably.

" What makes you think that I have something haunting me?" Speed inquired as he turned away from her. He hadn't thought about Daniel in a long time, but in a split second, he felt the debilitating pain that he had successfully put away after his funeral.

" Have you seen yourself? I mean really taken a look. Half the time, you are unshaven and your clothes look as if you didn't bother to iron them. Does that sound like some one who has had an easy life?"

" I've had some issues in my life , but nothing that has hindered me ," Speed said defensively.

" You're not the easiest person to get along with, and you barely talk."

" I just think that talking is overrated sometimes. There's nothing, so drop it."

" Tim..."

" I said drop it," Speed said angrily.

" Okay, okay. Considered it dropped. But don't you think that it will help to talk about it?"

" Calleigh."

" Alright, hypocrite, it's dropped," Calleigh replied with her thick accent as she turned away from him. She thought about it and turned to him again. She was not going to let this go. " Tim, you talk a good talk , but underneath it all, you are just like other men. When it comes down to it, you're a coward."

" What?" Speed turned to face her , his anger boiling to its point.

" I said you are a coward. You haven't been able to face it, whatever this is that has you by the balls, and then you have the gall to put up this front that you're the tough guy. It's bullshit."

" You don't know anything about what I've been through! You don't know the nights I've spent up crying over the loss...," Speed said as tears began to form behind his eyelids. " When he died, I felt like it was all my fault. Then when it was time to say goodbye, I ran. I've done nothing worthy of respect."

Calleigh gazed at his admission and watched as the walls began to tumble down around Timothy Speedle. She now knew why he acted the way he did. He was trying to shield himself from feeling anything.

" Tim, whatever happened to him, it wasn't your fault. You are a noble man, a good man. You're compassionate towards others and you have a knack for helping. You helped me," Calleigh said as she softened her voice. She smiled and even through the horrible lighting, Speed could see the beauty of it.

" You did that on purpose, didn't you?"

" I know how stubborn you can be, Speedle." Calleigh said as she scooted closer to him. " Feel better?"

" Come to think of it, I do. Thanks," Speed said as he wiped the tears from his face.

" Not a problem, Tim. So how long do you think we are going to be here?"

" I don't know, an hour two tops. Why? Are you okay?"

" Yeah, I am now." Calleigh said as she inched her face slower to his. Speed was sucked into the moment and closed in the space between them. He had no idea what he was doing , but he was glad that he was doing it.

CSI

Horatio walked into the trace lab to see a brand new mass spec and he wasn't happy. He turned to walk back out, spotting Belmontes as he was coming down the hall.

" Sam, can I talk to you for a moment?"

" Yeah, sure Lieutenant Caine. What can I do for you?"

" When did we get the new mass spec?" Horatio asked as he glanced in the trace lab.

" About a week ago," Sam said hesitantly.

" And why, per say, did we get another mass spec?" Horatio asked as he put his hands on his hips.

" Have you talked to Speedle?"

" No, haven't seen him since I arrived."

" Maybe you need to talk to him," Sam said as he began to walk away. " He's around here somewhere." He then hurriedly turned and walked . He didn't want to get stuck in whatever Speedle was in.

Horatio continued to look at Sam as he rounded the corner then turned himself and walked up the steps to his office. Something's going on here, Horatio thought as he opened his door. He then stood in the doorway to his office with a shocked surprise written over his face. Speed's things were piled on the couch and paperwork was spread all over the desk instead of it's neat piles that he was used to. Horatio sighed and took a seat behind his desk and began to read through the paperwork.

" I'm never taking another vacation," Horatio said as he sorted through the reports. He had some words he wanted to say to Speed.

CSI

Eric looked up at the doorway to see Alexx standing there with a worried look on her face. He got up and walked to her, feeling uneasy about the moment.

" Alexx, what's the matter?"

" Have you seen Timmy?"

" No, and I haven't been able to reach Calleigh. You think something's wrong?"

" I don't have a good feeling about this, Eric. It's not like Tim to just disappear like that. I'm worried."

" Alexx, I don't think there's anything to worry about. Wherever he is ,I'm sure he's fine. Now , we need to find Calleigh."

Alexx nodded and turned to walk out of the lab. If something happened to her Timmy, she would never forgive herself.

CSI

Calleigh gazed into his eyes, feeling afire. She had never felt this way about anyone before and the emotions were almost too much for her to handle. She felt the tears as they dribbled down her face and reached up to wipe them with the back of her hand. Speed saw this and caressed her face softly. He had all sorts of feelings running through him at the moment , and all of them were good.

" Why are you crying?"

"I- I don't know... I can't explain it. It was..."

" Amazing," Speed finished with a smile on his face.

" Yeah, amazing."

" This changes everything, Cal."

" You are right, Tim. But , let's just take it one step at a time, okay?" Calleigh said as she buttoned her blouse and then stood up. Speed looked at her as she pulled her hair back into a ponytail. She was incredible. After they had dressed, Speed leaned over and kissed her.

" If I still have a job, you want to go out this weekend?"

" Don't be like that Tim, I know Horatio will understand."

" You are so optimistic. That's going to take a lot to get used to."

Calleigh returned the kiss, and instantly the lights came back on and the lift began to move again.

Before the door opened, Calleigh leaned over to him and he bent his head down to hear her.

" You say anything to any body, and I kill you."

Tim glanced at her as she stared straight out with a smile on her lips. The door opened to the firearms lab and she walked out. She turned to look at him and gave him a wink. He smiled back and pressed the button for the trace lab. He now had something to look forward to . Now if he could survive Horatio.

TBC...

A/N: I know it's been a while, but I've been stoked for the premiere of CSI:Miami. Happy watching:)