Disclaimer: I own CSI: Miami. And yesterday I saw a purple flying pig the size of a Porsche 911.

Notes: Anyone notice what's different about this chapter? Not just that it isn't set at the lab...anyone who can figure it out gets a Horatio plushie that walks and talks...and snuggles up to you in bed. >:)

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Chapter 5

Pizza Hut, as its name suggested, smelt of pizza. It was crowded with pizza-loving patrons, half of whom, to Speed's eternal disgust, were chowing down on pizza with extra anchovies.

"Come on," he muttered, yanking Delko past a group of giggling teenage girls who seemed to be trying to pour ketchup down each other's backs.

Delko yanked his arm free of Speed's grasp. "Where's Bayden?" he wanted to know.

The senior CSI stood on his toes, scanning the restaurant. Finally, he dropped back down, and pointed. "There."

Eric followed his finger, his jaw dropping in shock as he spotted the blond.

"Doesn't he ever stop drawing?" he asked, moving to keep up with Speed as he headed over.

"Apparently not," came the reply, and both men skidded to a halt in front of Bayden's table.

Bayden glanced up at them, and motioned to the plush leather seats.

"This is my sister, Amy," he said, introducing the little girl who was sitting opposite the table from him, playing with a dark curl and holding the sketch Bayden had just made of her between her fingers.

Amy looked up at both men with interest. "You must be Speed," she said to the CSI, who nodded.

"And you're Delko," she said to the young Cuban. "You're the guys who've been stealing my brother's sketches."

Both men swallowed hard at that, though they tried to look cool.

"We didn't steal them," said Delko uncomfortably. "We took them."

"Without permission," Amy pointed out. "Which, in any dictionary, equals stealing."

Bayden grinned and motioned the men to a seat. "Can you tell she wants to be a lawyer when she's all grown up? My parents are so proud of her…"

Amy swatted his arm, and grinned.

"Just looking out for my big brother," she assured him, her green eyes twinkling.

The blond ruffled her hair and turned to his coworkers, all business now.

"You guys are in serious trouble, you do realize that?" he asked, green eyes solemn. "You might not get arrested, but if I so much as hint to H that you're behind all this…"

All three men shuddered simultaneously. They all knew that H had a temper to match his red hair, but he just controlled himself too well for it to show. From her seat, Amy watched interestedly, taking a bite of pizza.

Speed was the first to speak.

"What do you want, Bay?" he asked, his voice tired. "Money? We gave you back your sketches. What more do you want?"

The artist looked disgustedly at Speed. "Money?" he repeated. "Why would I want money?"

'Shows how well he knows my brother,' thought Amy, nibbling at a pineapple slice.

She might be young, but she knew Bayden. He had practically raised her, or at least been a first-rate babysitter as she was growing up. Their parents – her parents – were barely home, thanks to their jobs and need of cash to support their little family.

Bayden's life hadn't been an easy one. Her mother had told her a little of how devastated Bayden had been when his father had left home at age six, shortly after the death of Bayden's twin brother. The young boy had worshipped the ground his father walked on, and Amy guessed that her brother had been happy to have inherited his artist father's talent.

His life had been further disrupted when their mother had remarried a novelist – talk about falling for artsy-type people – and had given him a younger sister at the difficult age of 14. As a teenager struggling to find himself and his place in the world they inhabited, Bayden had barely tolerated Amy at first, jealous of how his mother and the stepfather he had grown to like paid more attention to their bundle of joy than to him.

She supposed she had grown on him. Amy smirked to herself; she did have that effect on people.

Bayden had been a good son to their mother; he'd gotten good grades in school, went to Miami's most prestigious university, graduated with honors…and now he even sent money home for her, even though both his parents had a job. Amy didn't know what her mother did with the money, but she wondered sometimes if her mother's first husband had maybe been a saint – how else could Bayden act so…good, after what he had been through?

But as far as Amy knew him – and she knew him pretty well – Bayden's whole life was his art. As long as he could sketch, he would be happy. Money, family, friends – it could all disappear for all he cared.

Okay. So maybe it was a bit of exaggeration. But close enough.

"I don't want money, Speed," said Bayden. He leaned in, green eyes serious.

"I want to help."

Speed spewed the mouthful of Pepsi he had just swallowed over his pizza slice, and Delko choked on his mouthful of pasta. Bayden patiently waited for both of them to recover, while Amy thoughtfully handed each man a handful of tissues.

" Say what?" Speed croaked at last.

"Would you like me to repeat that in Spanish?" asked the young man, a teasing note in his voice. "Or would you be more comfortable with Latin?"

"Bayden can also speak Chinese," Amy put in helpfully.

"No – I mean," Speed spluttered, still not quite over the shock just yet.

"Why would you want to help us?" Delko asked, finally, voicing what his companion had been trying to splutter.

The blond grinned. "Why would I want to help you? Let me count the ways."

"One -" Amy grinned.

"I think Horatio and Calleigh belong together as much as you do,"

"Two -"

"I'm better at designing things on Photo Shop 7 than whoever you've been bribing so far,"

"Three -"

"I know a lot more songs that would be appropriate than the two of you put together,"

"And four –"

"I'm more creative," finished Bayden.

Speed muttered, "If I didn't know you were such a modest person, Bay, I'd hate you for that."

"The thing is, Speed, he hasn't said anything that isn't true yet…" Delko glanced at Speed, who had been in charge of the whole thing all along. What would he decide?

Speed chewed thoughtfully on a Pepsi-sprayed pizza crust, before he glanced at Bayden, who was patiently waiting for a reply.

"Well," he said thoughtfully, "I suppose it couldn't hurt…"

"It would probably help," said Amy pointedly, before Bayden shushed her.

But Speed grinned. "Yeah, Amy, you're probably right. It would help. Which is why -" he raised his Pepsi glass in a toast, "I'm welcoming Bayden to our little team."

Delko broke into a grin and Amy whooped, throwing herself at Speed and hugging him.

"You're the greatest!" she told him enthusiastically. Her brother looked amusedly on as she kissed Speed on the cheek.

"She also doubles as my agent," he told Delko, and both men laughed.

"Okay, okay, back to business…" Speed gulped down some Pepsi and wiped his mouth with his sleeve. "What are we going to do next?"

"Well…" Bayden leaned forward. "I might have a plan…"

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Shout-outs go to:

Calleigh and Horatio 4 evea - Heh. By now you know what Bayden did to them. Thanks for reviewing.

Huba - Check my disclaimer, you'll see that the song is Spiritual Love by S Club 7. I say S Club 7 because the song is from before Paul left the group.

Mac3 - I suppose you could order their album? I'm not sure it'll come out in the states. Try and find out. The album is definitely worth it.

Daisyangel - Thanks, glad you like the fic. I love your reviews too... (hinthintnudgenudge)

dadsgirl4ever - Hi shay! Cool username! Do you have any fanfics up yet? let me know when you do, I'll find time to read them.

orangeangel - Heh, well, it would have been cliched for them to go unnoticed for long. And Bayden's not blind. ;)

Bummer - I don't know what happened, but I'm glad the fic helped. Take care!

woody27 - I might need to join CSIAA in the near future. And you don't want to mess with my minions, believe me. >:)

flashdancer16 - Thanks! Keep reviewing and i'll keep writing! Feedback is to the writer what fuel is to a car!

Timespirt - Thanks! Hope you liked this chappie!

Okay, I'd appreciate it if everyone would click on the purple button down there... and type something into the space that appears. It doesn't have to be much, just a few words saying how you felt about the fic. Thanks!

Random quote of the day: "Angel by name. Demon by reputation." - First Mutant.

Peace,

RK9.