Two Sided Mirror Chapter 5, a csi: miami fanfic

Two Sided Mirror

chapter 5- Wonderland

Speed sat in the corner of the spacious house, glaring at the walls. Just this morning he was in his own house, now only a mere sixteen hours later, he's wanted for connection in the murder of a Miami Dade police officer. He absently grabbed at the cell on his side only to remember Prue taking it from him.

" They can trace it," she had said to him as she drove through the dark streets of Miami. He sat quietly in the SUV glancing over at her every so often, wondering just when she had changed. The Prue he knew would never had taken this for her life's work. She was too compassionate, too caring to have to deal with this. Something must've happened in between the last time he had seen her and now.

She walked over to him and sat in front of him, searching his eyes for understanding. It had been too long since she had seen him, but she didn't want their reunion to be this way. Taking his hand, she squeezed it, wanting him to remember.

" Tim, I'm sorry . I know I should've called, but so much has happened in the past few years. I lost my sister to the streets and my mother to cancer. After mom , I just threw myself into my work. Andrea provided me with something to do, mama kept me at it," Prue said as she attempted to smile. The pain of her loss was still evident, and Speed softened his look as he gazed into her blue eyes, losing himself in them. She spoke through a tight throat as she looked down at the table as if searching for the right words, " I heard about Nia, Tim."

He unlocked his gaze with her ,it being his time to glance awkwardly at the table. He hadn't thought about Nia much today with what had been going on, but now sitting here in this serenity with Prue had given him the chance to remember . His eyes welled with tears as he looked up at her, her beauty taking the pain out of his heart. His emotions were running high from his introduction to her, to the quick escape that they had to make. Now he was on the run with this beautiful stranger that was more familiar to him than anyone at the CSI lab.

" Yeah, it's been a rough two years," he replied as he loosened his grip on her hand and stood. He had to move around. Just sitting here would drive him crazy.

" I know, I've watched you," she replied as she walked towards him.

" You've watched me?"

" Yes. I've seen the news, Tim. Grief like the one you carry around with you, is easy to see," she said as she put her arms around him easily circling his lean body. " You never really grieved for her did you?"

" No," he said softly as he caressed her cheek. How could he been holding her in this way with what was going on around him? " I didn't allow myself that luxury. I just threw myself into my work."

" That's our first mistake. We don't allow ourselves to heal, instead fearing what we don't understand. Tim, you've got to let it go. Start to heal."

He held her closer as he lost himself in the scent of vanilla that beckoned him to let go, lose control. He felt the familiar feelings rise inside of him as he bent to kiss her softly, feeling at first hesitant , but then letting his emotions flood out. All that he had experienced up to that point had surfaced and he was in danger of letting it take completely over. Prue leaned into his embrace and felt her tears as they slid down her face. She hadn't realized this until now, but she loved him. Even through out all of the years they had spent apart, he was still in her heart , beating forcefully against her. As they got lost in their emotions and each other, the fear of the danger to come was but a distant memory. What mattered was that they had each other just for this night.

/Wonderland/

Calleigh sat at the bar , drinking her favorite drink as she thought about the day that she had just experienced. Her mind forced out the accusations of one of their own being behind the theft and the murder of their desk sergeant. As she pulled the drink up to her mouth, she spotted him coming through the doors, just as he had done the night before , his vision intent on one place. She watched him as he sat down by himself at the same table , checking his watch several times.

" What are you doing here , Speedle?" Calleigh asked herself aloud. She continued to watch him as he constantly returned back to his watch. Minutes passed before she saw the same blond haired man walk up to him and sit down. Calleigh shuddered at the sight of him in his severe black suit, likening him to a snake. She continued to watch as Speed held a conversation with this man, looking more and more irritated by the moment. She trained her eyes on his lips, trying to read them, but she couldn't tell whether it was the music or the alcohol that was prohibiting her from understanding what he was saying.

Calleigh remained intent on them as he saw the black suit talk animatedly, gesturing , while Speed sat back . He didn't looked interested in what the man said until he pointed to Speed's chest. She watched him as he looked down then back up to the black suit with fury evident in his eyes. How she wished she could hear what was being said. Not wanting to miss anything, she picked up her drink off of the bar and took it to a table that was closer to them, but not so close where she could be seen. Shaking her head slightly , she retrained her focus on them in time enough to see a rather tall, attractive woman walk up to them . She was shocked to see Speed stand up and hug her, his body language speaking more than friends. This was someone whom he loved , or rather had loved, and hadn't see this person in so long. Calleigh focused in on the woman's lips long enough to gather her name.

" Prudence Kruss... ATF? Speed what have you gotten yourself into?" Calleigh asked as a commotion started at the front of the club. Calleigh turned to see uniforms as they swarmed into the building. She turned back to see Speed and the woman leaving out the back exit, hand in hand, leaving black suit sitting at the table with a huge toothy grin on his face. Calleigh got up and was going to make her way over to him, but a hand stopped her. She turned to see Horatio as he glanced in the direction of the black suit.

" Horatio? What's going on?" Calleigh asked as she glanced back at the black suit. He sat back as if there was nothing going on. " Speed was just in here, he left out the back."

" He was here?" Horatio asked as he dropped his head. " How long has he been gone?"

" A minute, maybe two... Horatio, you've got that look. What has Speed gotten into? The lady that he left with says that she worked with the ATF."

Horatio looked up suddenly, as if Calleigh had popped the question, " You spoke with her?"

" I told you I read lips didn't I?"

For the first time today, Horatio smiled slightly and nodded, " Did you get anything else?"

" No, they got up and left when the uniforms came in. Horatio, I don't like this," Calleigh replied as she glanced again at the black suit. He smiled in their direction then beckoned Horatio to come over. Calleigh looked between the two, " You know him?"

" You can say that. Do me a favor, and run outside and tell Eric to look in the alley. They couldn't have gone very far."

" I'm suspended, Horatio. Can't do anything," Calleigh replied as she hung her head.

" You're not on duty , you are a concerned citizen," he replied as he threw her another small smile. Calleigh nodded her head and turned to leave.

Horatio walked over to the table, and smiled at him. He looked up at him and smiled back, kicking the chair out from the table.

" Lieutenant Caine, nice to see an old face. What do I owe the pleasure of your company to ? St?"

" I prefer to stand . Preston, you have gotten your hooks into one of my CSIs and now, he's in trouble. Now... how did that happen?" Horatio asked calmly as he tilted his head slightly as if peering at an insect.

" I dunno, guess you are going to have to ask him, aren't you?" Preston said smugly. Horatio glared at him and put his hands on his hips, the years between meeting this character didn't sit well with Horatio.

" I intend to, Preston. I intend to," he returned as he walked away from him. This had just gotten serious.

/Wonderland/

He opened his eyes, to see dark brown ones staring back at him. Squinting, he smiled at her as she smiled wildly back at him, pulling at the sheets. He tugged on it playfully, inciting shrieks of laughter from her. The light of the sun provided a halo for her as he sat up and looked at her with loving eyes. The day was more beautiful because she was in it. It was a wonderland for him.

Speed woke up with a start, feeling a long dormant warmness flow through him. It had been a long time since he had woken up from a good dream of her. But he knew, that it wouldn't last, just as his happiness. It would come to an end once he closed his eyes again.

Sighing heavily, he tried to shift his weight, but found that he couldn't. Looking down, he saw the curly brown hair and smelled the faint scent of vanilla. Instantly, he knew why he couldn't move. Feeling her fingers on his chest, he grinned as he lifted a hand to move the curly mane to see her slumbering face. The movement caused her to open her eyes slightly, and look up at him.

" Well, I guess all pretense is out of the door," she said as she moved her hand up slightly, brushing up against his chest.

" I guess so. How did you sleep?"

She sat up and gazed into his face. A hint of warmth was where the coldness was last night. She couldn't help but remember last night, and she felt the heat rise in her cheeks, as she reached up and kissed him softly on the lips, replying, "That was the awesomeist sleep."

Speed glanced down to her ,his expression changing. Prue sat up and pulled the covers over her, maintaining eye contact with him. In an instant , she saw the tears as they flowed down his face.

" Tim,... what's wrong? Was it something I did?" she asked as she reached up to wipe the streams away.

He cleared his throat as he cast his eyes downward. After what he shared with Prue the night before, could he share his grief as well? Prue noticed his hesitancy and moved closer to him, caressing his cheek. He needed her support, and she would be there to help him.

" Tim, I'm here. You can let it go," she said as she tilted his head towards her. She was taken aback from the vastness of his pain that shone through his eyes. " It's time."

He looked at her, those ice blue eyes having the comfort that he was looking for, and he released it . The tears came with intensity at first, prompting Prue to take him into an embrace. She held him as his body rocked with the violence of his pain, shaking them both.

" Shh, Tim , it's okay... it's okay... Let it out," Prue said softly into his ear as she caressed the back of his head. He gathered himself and pulled away from her, wiping his tears. Silence followed, neither of them talking , letting the unsaid words linger in the air. He then spoke, his gentle voice breaking the silence hesitantly.

" It was on a Friday," he said as he began , not lifting his eyes, " I had the whole day off, so I thought that I would take Nia to the park. She loved the park." He smiled faintly as he glanced up into her face, then returned his eyes to the sheets in front of him. " She was so happy that we were going to spend time together. I had been working over time on a case that had ties to gun smugglers, and I had testified the previous day in court. My evidence sent the suspect to jail."

" All she wanted was to spend the day with me..." he continued as he felt another round swelling his eyes, " it was a beautiful day. She woke me the way she always did..."

Flashback

" So what do you want to do today? You have me for the entire day, so make it good."

" I want to go to the park. We haven't been in a while."

" Nia, we went last weekend," he returned as he tossed the sheets to the other side of the bed, covering her.

"Daddy!" she said as she pulled the sheets off of her, messing her long dark hair. He turned and snickered at her, and she threw a pillow at him, hitting him on the head.

" So you want to throw pillows , huh?" he said as he advanced on her, " you have a good aim, but can it match the tickle?"

" Oh no, daddy, not the tickle... Please, daddy," she pleaded as he proceeded to tickle her . She dissolved into a heap of giggles as he continued to tickle.

" Guess, that will teach you," he said smiling at her, trying to catch his breath. She looked up to him and gave him a dazzling smile. " Now, let's get ready to go."

"Okay , daddy..."

(At the park)

"Daddy, I want to thank you," Nia said as she sat next to him on the swings. They had played together for most of the morning , now they just enjoyed the soft breeze that blew off of the Atlantic, rustling the trees.

He looked over to her with a lopsided grin and answered, " Thank me? For what?"

"For fighting for me. Mom never wanted me to know you, and you fought for me. Even though I was a mistake, you wanted me," she replied looking at the ground. Speed smirked at her maturity, knowing that her time with her mother had made her wise beyond her young years.

He got up and came to her, kneeling in front of her and tilted her head up to see her brown eyes. It gave him so much satisfaction that he had a part in this beautiful life, " Nia, you were not a mistake, honey. God put you here just in time."

" Mom, always said that I ruined her life..."

" I hate to break it to you, Nia, but your mom isn't all there," he said as she let a smile come. " She didn't know what she was giving up. There's no way I could live my life without you in it. You are my life, Nia."

" I love you , Daddy," she said as she hugged him tightly.

" I love you, Nia," he responded as he hugged her back. He tried to get up, but she held on. Then he heard her tiny sniffles and he struggled to pull her away, feeling her resistance. His heart started to beat faster as he felt her grip tighten. " Nia, honey, are you okay?"

She continued to hold on to him, not wanting to let go, " I love you daddy, I love you daddy..."

He held her in his arms, fearing for her, " Nia..."

She finally pulled away from him , giving him a tiny smile through her tears, " I love you daddy."

He looked at her for a moment, perplexed at what just transpired, wiping her tears away, " You okay?"

"Umm hmmm," she nodded.

" Sure?"

"I'm good daddy," she said as she pushed him lightly away, standing up. " You know you are the awesomiest."

"Awesomiest? Is that even a word?" he asked as he took her hand.

She lightly punched him in the arm and laughed as they crossed the street to the car, then stopping, " Daddy, I forgot my ball."

He looked down at her and shook his head, pulling out his keys, " You would forget your head if it wasn't attached, Nia. Go get it and come straight back. I promised your god mother that we'd stop by."

" We get to see Alexx? Yesss!" she answered as she ran to the side of the street just as a car sped through.

" Nia, watch out for the traffic, and hurry."

"Okay daddy..."

He watched her as she went to pick up her ball, then she came to the edge of the street and looked both ways, making sure that there was nothing coming. She crossed and walked towards him, bouncing the ball happily. He glanced at her again before he started to get into the car, seeing that beautiful smile. Then he heard the screeching of tires coming from the street and he stopped just in time enough to see the green impala speed past, and hear the distinct sound of gun fire erupt from the window.

The sound frightened Nia, and she stopped in her tracks , looking at her father who was making great strides to get to her.

"Nia, get down!" he shouted as ran for her, " get down!"

" Daddy!" he heard her scream as he felt a white hot heat in his arm. The sensation shocked him and he fell down, keeping his eyes on the car. It seemed familiar to him, but then he couldn't be sure.

When the shooting stopped and the tires screeched away, Speed got up slowly and saw that Nia was on the ground. Coming up to her, he saw the red spots in her back , and he dropped to his knees, the tears welling up and falling in rapid succession. He lifted her lifeless body up to him, holding her tightly to his chest. She was gone.

"No, don't leave me, Nia... Don't leave me..."

He barely heard the paramedics as they asked him to let her go, and he struggled against them as they attempted to take her from him.

" I can't ... I can't... ," he replied tearfully.

"Sir, we have to take her... and you need to be looked after...Sir... Sir..."

Silence permeated through the room as Speed let the pain of remembering her death seep out of him. Prue had no idea that he had witnessed his daughter's own murder, and now realized that this was why he was in the predicament he was in. She touched his arm, and he lifted his head as if he didn't know she was still there, the tears glistening in his eyes. There was some relief there, but she knew it would take a lot more time and some retribution to help him completely heal.

" So this is why we are here?" Prue asked him as she held on to his hand.

" Yes ,it is. I'm going to get the gun smuggling ring and the bastards that killed my little girl," Speed said as his intensity came through. It shocked her how fast he could change demeanor.

" Tim, you don't know that they are responsible..."

" They are, and they are not finished either. I got the sect that was responsible for the first shipment, but there is another one, and they have no idea who I am. Or what I am about to do to them."

Again silence had taken over, and the weight of his words hung in the air. It was a promise to her that fueled him. She would not die in vain.

TBC...