Disclaimer: I own Bayden and Amy. I also own two dogs. But not CSI:Miami.

Notes: Sorry for the gap in updates. Let me just say I've been busy, and writer's block is a terrible disease. But now I'm back, and hopefully I'll find time to update more regularly now.

More notes: Since I'ce forgotten what was unique about the last chapter, I'm giving out the life-like Horatio plushie to everyone. throws out plushies Enjoy:)

And now...on with the fic!

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Chapter 6

"Your task is simple – to carry these mini tape recorders with you all day, and whenever you're in the vicinity of Calleigh or Horatio, just turn them on and record their voices. Your mission – to get me good samples of their voices."

Bayden's lousy imitation of a handler giving an agent his or her special mission fell short of Michael Vartan's talent on Alias, but it was good enough for Delko, who took the small device and carefully slipped it into his pocket. Speed was slower to follow suit; Delko got the feeling the senior CSI wasn't happy at the way Bayden was now taking charge, but he too took the device and put it into his pocket.

The guys were all at Bayden's home, a neat little bungalow in a nice neighborhood. The place was, to put it simply, a mess. The living room was cluttered with canvasses and art supplies, and pencils littered the coffee table – not to mention any other flat surface that could be used for the simple activity of drawing.

The rest of the house didn't look much better, filled with junk and old newspapers that Bayden said he collected to help his little sister with her school's recycling project.

The only place that actually seemed livable was the bedroom. From the brief peek Delko had gotten of it, anyway, it seemed to be the most spacious room in the house. And by most spacious, he meant less junk.

Bayden slept on a single mattress in a corner, and there was a closet filled with clothes – earthy tones, nothing fancy, just normal everyday clothing… and a few suits Delko figured Bayden used for when he had to go to court.

The other room that was actually useable was the guest room, and Delko had a feeling the only guest that actually used that room was Bayden's little sister. There were posters of unicorns all over the walls, and the bedspread was a pink one with Pokemon all over it. The whole room was also neat, which definitely signaled a female presence.

But the thing that Bayden had invited them over to see wasn't there. It was, instead, sitting inconspicuously in a corner, a neat little PC that Bayden claimed he had put together himself with parts bought with his own money. Whether they had been bought legally or not was presently still under speculation, but Delko didn't really care. He was more curious as to what Bayden planned to do once he had the samples of H and Calleigh's voices. And what did Bayden's souped-up computer have to do with anything?

Bayden was happily starting up the computer, which leapt to life with a soft whirr. He had a sudden energy in his movements as he typed in commands, and suddenly Delko got the feeling that Bayden was as good with computers as he was with his artwork. He'd heard somewhere that most artists were geniuses, talented in more than one field. Bayden seemed to be proving that theory. Delko knew that Bayden had done well in school, if his results were anything to go by. He was a remarkable artist, a good crime scene investigator, good with children…it seemed he was a computer whiz too. What else could he do?

…Other than create illegal computer programs, that is.

"Dude - where'd you get this program? I wasn't aware that it was on the market." Speed's eyes were wide.

"Um…it isn't, technically," answered Bayden uncomfortably. "I tweaked the original program a little….don't think I'd better tell you where or how." Straightening, he added, "Anyway, this baby will help us get H and Cal together, you just watch!"

Delko had to admit it was a good plan. The program was a special one that could be used to "adjust" what someone was saying. For example, if you wanted someone, say, H, to say "I love you", they could enter voice samples of him talking normally into the program, then the words could be spliced together to create that exact sentence, complete with intonation. All you had to do was know how to use it…and of course, you needed voice samples of certain words.

Hence, the tape recorders.

"So…think you guys can get the words we need?" asked Bayden, powering down the computer again and spinning in his seat.

"Shouldn't be a problem," answered Speed. "Unless they both decide to take a vow of silence or something."

Bayden nodded seriously, as though that might actually be a factor – even though, seeing as H wasn't a monk and Calleigh wasn't either, it definitely wasn't possible.

Man, this guy needed a sense of humor…or a woman, whichever came first. With his boyish good-looks, why hasn't he found a girlfriend? Delko wondered.

Gee, Delko, could it be that his sketchbooks are his girlfriends?

Pushing away the truly scary thought, Delko nodded to Bayden and followed the other two men as they headed for the door.

Once outside, Speed headed for the Hummer and opened the driver's door. Sliding behind the wheel, he waited until Delko had belted up before starting the car and stating, "Bayden seriously needs a girl."

"What – is he our next project?" asked Delko, actually liking the idea. He and Speed made a good team. They could be like… 'The Matchmakers of the 21st Century'. No, that was too long. 'The Couplers'. No, it sounded…weird. 'The Get-Togetherers'. No, that sounded like they planned lunches for people…

Oh well. The right name would come in time.

How about 'The Busybodies'? a little voice whispered in his mind, but thankfully, Delko was able to ignore that as Speed started speaking again.

"Well…after H and Cal get married, we can try... I think Bayden would like a blonde. Eh?"

Delko grunted. Weren't all women the same, regardless of hair color?

At the noncommittal grunt, Speed rolled his eyes, making a mental note to find Eric a girlfriend first.

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Horatio Caine entered his office the next morning like a commando sneaking through a minefield. He wasn't exactly crawling over the floor as looking around cautiously, though. After the happenings of the past few shifts, he didn't want to see exactly how creative whoever was messing in his and Calleigh's lives had gotten. In fact, he was pretty certain that if there was another envelope on his desk with another photocopied sketch, he was going to rip it up and burn it.

Thankfully, today the table was bare, and Horatio stepped back out of his office with the day's assignments, feeling relieved…and yet…

Nah. He shook himself impatiently. Of course he didn't think those sketches might actually be worth listening to. Silly idea. He must not have gotten enough sleep last night. Yeah, that was it. He was tired, therefore his brain conjured up silly ideas like that…

"H!"

Eric jogged up to him, a nervous grin on his face. Opening his mouth, he thought about whatever he had wanted to say, then shut it again.

Bracing himself, Horatio asked, "What's up, Eric?"

Eric looked at his boss, cleared his throat, shuffled his feet, then mumbled, "SpeedandIhadafightsocanInotbepairedwithhimthismorningplease?"

It took Horatio a full minute to decipher that sentence, which he used to drag Eric towards the break room.

"You and Speed had a fight?" he repeated, frowning, truly surprised. "A fight."

"Yeah." Eric looked down at his feet. Apparently the dirt markings on the floor were more appealing than Horatio's blue eyes at that moment – a sentiment Calleigh probably wouldn't agree with.

Horatio mentally smacked himself on the forehead – where on earth had that last sentence come from?

What are you trying to do, Caine? He scolded himself.

"H?" Eric was looking strangely at him.

"Eric, I -"

"I promise I'll make up with Speed soon, H, but I can't do that until he cools down. I can't work the Daniels' case with him, H, honestly I can't."

Delko looked so desperate... Horatio sighed.

"Well, as long as you promise to make up with him soon, all right?"

Honestly, sometimes dealing with his team was like dealing with five-year-old children. And Horatio was certain that five-year-olds could be more mature – though he didn't say so out loud, since even five-year-olds knew how to hit back when hurt.

"Yes, sir," answered Eric, sounding relieved.

"Good. We'll be working the Lovegood case this morning – According to Yelina, Henry Lovegood was found dead in his swimming pool this morning, so we're heading over there right away. Where's Bayden?"

"Uh…in there." Eric gestured towards the break room, where the artist was doing what he usually did – sketching. His brow was furrowed with concentration as he drew, and under his talented fingers, Eric could already see a lovely side profile of Horatio blooming, like a flower under the sun.

"Bayden." The dayshift supervisor called patiently, anticipating the slight daze that the young man was usually in after he emerged from what Speed called his "sketching high". Bayden looked up, green eyes bleary, then he focused on his boss and got up, dropping the sketch book.

"Let's go, Hawkeye," the red-haired lieutenant said. "Time to do our job."

"It's what we get paid the medium-sized bucks for, H," grinned Eric, and Horatio wondered if he was so cheerful because Speed wasn't there of because…of something else altogether.

But that could wait. For now they had a crime to solve, and a victim whose family members needed justice – and closure.

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"But, Calleigh, it's just a riddle," said Speed, his voice echoing slightly as he drove the Hummer towards the crime scene he was working alone with the Bullet Girl due to his and Eric's "fight". Or, as Speed had described it to Calleigh, the "Big Blow-Up".

Calleigh sounded mildly irritated as she replied, "Tim, you put bread in a toaster. Toast is what comes out of it."

Darn. Foiled. Tim forced up a smile.

"So what happened with you and Eric anyway?" asked Calleigh. Now she sounded curious.

Speed had prepared for this moment with Delko, so that both their stories would be synchronized. Turning onto the quiet neighborhood where their crime scene was, he answered in a tight voice, "There's this girl…"

Calleigh groaned. "Speed, no. Don't tell me you and Delko are almost throwing away your friendship for a girl."

"Fine, I won't tell you," said Speed. He closed his mouth, but it turned out Calleigh wasn't done.

"Speed," she leaned forward, "I mean it. You and Delko have a great thing going on. You're like…buddies, real partners in so many ways. Don't let one girl come between you two. Don't let anyone or anything come between you two. You need to talk to Delko, okay?"

Speed grunted, but Calleigh seemed satisfied. And deep down inside, so was Tim. He was willing to bet Bayden would be able to get some really good stuff off of Calleigh's little speech. All the little words they could get - 'buddies', 'partners'… Speed fought the urge to cackle evilly, like a witch who had gotten a really good potion bubbling in her cauldron.

It took all of his restraint and self-control not to rush home immediately after shift, though he did glance at the clock several times and imagine himself telekinetically moving the little hands to the desired positions.

The problem was, Speed wasn't telekinetic. And time kept moving at its own slow pace, no matter how hard he silently begged the clock to hurry up.

Of course, it did occur to Speed that the clock mechanism didn't respond to mental pleas and silent commands.

But finally, 5 o'clock rolled around, and Speed was the first out the door. Delko followed, and Bayden left last, so as not to arouse suspicion. The three men met up at Bayden's again, where the young artist got his computer up and running.

Speed chose to spend his time pacing, while Delko ordered out for Chinese, foreseeing that they might be there a while. Bayden was completely focused on his computer, typing in codes and commands. Often, little snatches of words, in Horatio's and Calleigh's voices, came drifting out of the speakers that stood by Bayden's PC.

Finally, the artist pushed his chair back and grinned. Speed liked the way he was grinning.

"Well?" he demanded, trying and failing to keep the anxiety out of his voice.

Bayden grinned. Tapping a button, he turned up the volume on the speaker's and leaned back with a smirk.

"… I mean it. We have a great thing going on, Horatio. We're more than buddies, we're partners, real partners in so many ways…"

Though Calleigh's voice sounded slightly metallic, Tim was ecstatic, knowing there were filters Bayden could use later to get rid of that…

"Great! All that from one day? Awesome!" The CSI was psyched. "What about H?"

Bayden smiled. "God bless Henry Lovegood," he said, grinning. "Without his name, I doubt we'll ever get Horatio to say the 'L' word."

"Remind me to send his widow flowers when H and Cal get married." Speed looked impatiently at Bayden. "Well?"

Bayden's grin faded a little. He turned to the computer and sighed. "We don't have enough," he said, helplessly. "H talks, but he rarely says anything we can use…we need a plan, guys. Something to get him saying the words we need…"

"Which are?" Speed straightened instantly.

"I dunno. Something about…commitment, maybe. Something about romance and love…."

Just then, the front door flew open and Amy Michaels came hurtling in, moving in her usual whirlwind fashion.

"Hey, guys," she said, not missing a beat. "How's Bayden's plan coming along?"

Bayden, Delko and Speed all stared at her…and slowly, all three of their faces split into almost identical grins…

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Well, since I no longer give shout-outs (apparently FF dot net doesn't allow it, they say this place isn't a mesageboard...), I'd just like to give a warm thank you to each of the reviewers who reviewed...and I'd also like to urge everyone here to hit the little purple button...and let me know what they thought of this little chapter. Thanks to all who waited so patiently for me to update...I'm really sorry it took so long. hope you'll bear with me and stick with the story anyway! Now...review:)

Random quote of the day: "I didn't do it. You can't prove it. Nobody saw me. The sheep are lying."

Peace out,

RK9.