Left Undone

Chapter 12 Knowing the Difference

Tim walked out of the hospital, looking for her. There was so much to tell her, yet so little time. He was going back under and he wanted her to know why he had done it. He wanted her to know that he loved her and the life that he left behind. After talking with his son, he knew that he had to find her, even more so now. Time was of the essence.

As he walked, his mind lilted on his life with her, the marriage, the birth of their son, and the little things in between. When he first met Calleigh Duquense, he couldn't fathom even saying two plausible sentences to her, much less going out with her. But by some chance miracle, he had asked her out, and she accepted, thus starting a beautiful relationship. They had been great friends before going out with each other and it was intensified even more as the relationship got more serious. Tim couldn't remember the last time he was able to be himself with a woman, to be truthful. With Calleigh , that all came easier.

" It's what you would call love," she had said to him as they walked along the sandy beach. They had been going out for quite sometime and deep conversations were par for the norm for them .

"How do you know? I mean, do bells go off or something?"

" You just know. One day it just dawns on you, you are in love. Knowing the difference is what can make or break someone's happiness..."

Tim smiled deeply at the memory of that night. It was the first night that they had given themselves over to the love that they both harbored for each other. It was the first time that Tim had fallen in love. That night, he knew that he would be with this woman for the rest of his life. Lost in thought , he turned the corner to see her sitting alone, with her hand over her eyes, crying. The sight of her in this state made Tim want to kick himself in the head. How could he have done this to her? He walked silently over to her, feeling the overwhelming sadness that she held like a fortress around her. His heart broke as he stood above her for a moment before sitting down next to her. He had to make this right.

"Calleigh, I want to tell you how sorry I am for all of this. I just wanted to keep you and Junior safe. That was my motivation for doing this. Things got heated and I had to disappear. I didn't want it to be like this , you gotta believe me."

" Why not just leave? Why did you have to die?" Calleigh replied without looking at him. The tears still flowed down her face as she stared at the ground.

Tim was at a lost for words. His will was diminished at the sound of her pain riddled voice. He wanted to take her into an embrace and to take all of that pain that she held inside of her away.

" There were many nights, Tim, many nights that I thought that I would die from the pain of not having you beside me. I ached to feel you again, I longed to see your smile, my heart , my heart was in a thousand pieces..."

Tim listened to her as she let two years of grief pour out of her. He continued to sit by her, feeling the need to hold her increase, but he knew that he had to let her go through this.

" I lost control over my life, over Timothy. I was merely existing... There was no joy for me. I was a shell of the person that I once was, all because you weren't in my life anymore. Can you imagine seeing the one you love lying on the floor dead? Or in the morgue? In a casket? Can you, Tim?"

The images of Calleigh dead invaded his mind and he tried to shake them off, to no avail. He couldn't imagine it. She was the most important thing to him, and he would go insane if he lost her to death. He couldn't- he wouldn't live with himself. He lifted his hand slightly as if thinking about his next move, then brought it to her face . Gently, he wiped the tears away, and turned her face to his. She had to see the love, she had to see that he had done this for them. She had to see him. Her pain pierced him as he stared into her green eyes, but he was unable to tear away from them. With his gaze locked into hers, he slowly advanced on her, feeling the energy of the moment surging through him. He needed her touch.

Slowly he kissed her, gently letting his lips touch hers. She let the tears fall once again as the feeling of his touch ignited something inside of her. A mixture of joy , pain and love fueled her, and soon the kiss deepened. For too long she had been alone, missing the deepest part of her heart. The kiss lasted for moments longer, until they could no longer stand it, and they parted.

" I needed that,"Calleigh said as she let a small smile form on her lips, the traces of her deep pain being erased by just one kiss.

" I know what you mean," Tim said as he looked into her eyes again, please to see that the debilitating pain had all but disappeared. He let an equally small smile grace his face as he touched her cheek. The smile dropped as he remembered what he had to do. " Calleigh..."

" I already know, you have to go back under," Calleigh returned , continuing to hold his gaze which had turned into confusion.

" How?"

" An attempt was made on Riley, and her father... I mean her uncle is in a coma. It doesn't take a detective to figure it out, detective. I just wished that there was more time. I just found out that you were alive just to see you walk out of my life again. Tim, I can't do it. I can't live without you again. I'm not strong enough."

" Calleigh, you are the strongest person I know," Tim said as he took her into an embrace.

" Right. And strong meaning the basket case that was sitting before you a moment ago?" Calleigh replied sarcastically.

"But you are still here," Tim stated gently, " and that is strong if I ever saw it."

" Tim, some times, what you see on the outside isn't what is going on in the inside. Losing you took my life away. Gaining you, well, gaining you brought it back. And after that kiss, I will shoot you myself, if it meant that you would stay."

" I can't Cal. She's been flushed, and they are going to move her and me... It has to be done."

"You have a family, Tim. Can you just walk away from us again?" Calleigh asked , her voice growing slightly angrier.

" Maybe, I won't have to, Calleigh," Tim said as he inched closer. Calleigh could see something brewing inside of his head.

" Timothy James , what are you planning?"

" A way for us, all of us to be together. Are you game?"

"Are you kidding me? Of course! Tell me," Calleigh commanded as a devious smile formed.

TSJ

He answered the phone as soon as it rang. This was one call that he was anxious to get over with. He had done as he was told and the targets had been taken out. He wanted to report it and return back to New Jersey, he hated it down here.

" Yeah."

A dark voice drifted into his ear, making him shiver deeply. Usually he did this type of thing with no problem, but he knew that the targets were high profile, which meant that they came with certain heat, that heat being Horatio Caine. He had seen the red head Lieutenant in action and he wanted no part of it.

" You did good, Coop. But the boss wants one more."

" One more? I did what I came here to do. The bitch and her uncle are dead. I saw to that," Cooper replied sighing heavily. He needed to find something else to do with his life.

" Smashing job, but he wants one more ,then you can come home," the voice said as he continued on. The sound of it made Cooper think twice about questioning him again.

"Alright, who is it?" Cooper asked giving in.

" That cop, Calleigh Speedle, and her son. Timothy... He wants them done."

"What? You want me to take care of them? Why?"

" Don't ask questions, Cooper. If he wants it done, there's gotta be a reason for it. Do it. And soon."

Cooper didn't have a chance to reply before the line went dead. He had gotten his instructions. As uneasy as it was to think about killing a cop, he smiled to himself as he thought about putting one into Speedle's son. From the moment he met him, he hated him. This was going to be a pleasure for him.

" You want to call Donnie and let him know?" one agent said as they sat out in the crown victoria.

" I think it would be wise. He needs to know that there's been a hit put out on his sister-in-law and nephew."

" Alright, make the call," the other agent said as he saw the lights go out in the house. Things were about to get heated.

TSJ

" So you really can't tell me where we are going? It would help a lot, Donnie," Riley said as she shifted in her bed. The pain was less now, thankfully and she began to feel comfortable again.

" If it makes you happy, you're going to be on the west coast. But that is all that I'm going to tell you, Riley."

" And my new name? I hope it's nothing lame. I lucked up on Riley."

Donnie smiled and was about to reply when his phone rang. Riley looked at him as he spoke into the mouthpiece, hanging on every word. When he was through, he flipped the phone down and sat silently for a moment before he got up.

" Riley, I will be back in the morning. Get some rest, okay?"

Riley knew the look that he had on his face. Something had happened. " Donnie, what's going on?"

" Don't worry about it, Riley. Get some rest. You might be leaving quicker than I thought."

" Donnie..."

The door closed without a reply and Riley laid her head back. There was something brewing, she could feel it in the pit of her stomach.

TSJ

Tim held Calleigh closer to him as they walked back into the hospital. This was what he had been missing, her beautiful smile. He didn't notice as Donnie walked up behind them.

"Tim, man you have to be more careful," he said with a irritated voice.

Tim turned around quickly , coming face to face with his brother, seeing the concern etched on his face. If there was anything that frightened Tim more , it was the look that Donnie was giving him now.

" Donnie, what's up?"

" It's happening. The deal's been made," Donnie said as he glanced at Calleigh.

" When?"

"We don't know. But soon. Did you talk to her?"

" Yeah, but..."

" You know , I'm standing right here, guys," Calleigh interrupted. Tim turned to look at her, the same concern etched on his face now. Things had turned serious in a matter of seconds.

" Calleigh, remember what I told you?" Tim asked as he grasped her hands.

" Yeah, that someone was out to kill Riley and her uncle and now some how we are involved."

" There's a hit out on your life, and Timothy's," Donnie informed her. Calleigh's light demeanor dropped as she glanced into the hospital. Donnie shook his head as he saw her, " He's fine . I sent a detail up there to look after him. But we have to think about long term."

" You mean..."

" Yes, that's exactly what I mean. There's no time to lose. We know this guy's location, but what we don't know is when and where he's planning to act. So we have to beat him to the punch."

" Whatever you want me to do, Donnie, I'll do," Calleigh said as she squeezed Tim's hand. They were in this together now.

TBC...