Title: Love Apart

Disclaimer: Slash. Angst.

POV: Danny Messer

Chapter Five: Meeting the Boss

I sit quietly beside Nick in the blue Tahoe. We had waited five hours for him to cool off and return home. He didn't. So Nick figured we should go after him. Where to go though?

I call Tim's cell phone repeatedly. No one answers. At that point we decide to head to Miami. He had mentioned returning home to resign. It is currently 8:15am. Another hour and we should be there.

Wake up," Nick says gently shaking me. "We're here."

I awake, drowsily. "Here? Where here?"

"The Miami-Dade Crime Lab."

"Already? Didn't we just pass some old mom and pop place?"

Nick laughs. "You fell asleep, Danny.

I blush. We both step out of the car and stretch. I use my hand to shield my eyes from the bright morning sun.

"Dang, sure is bright here."

"You need to get out of New York a little more, Danny," Nick remarks.

"Maybe next time I'll fly to Nevada."

We both smile. The girl at the front desk looks at us weird. Like she has never seen two guys before. I flash my badge. Recognition flashes in her eyes. She does everything to help us. Or at least me, from the way she ignores Nick.

"Can we please see Horatio Caine?" Nick asks. Se looks at him as though he is invisible. Sighing, he flashes his badge. Badges are handy things.

"I'll let him know you're here," she states. All around us people work at solving cases. I start feeling a tad homesick. A few minutes later the girl hangs up the phone. "He'll see you in his office."

I follow Nick down the hallways using the directions the receptionist has given us. I can't help but admire the place. It is more stylish than the New York lab. I can't help but think of Timothy's boss. What is Horatio Caine like? Timothy speaks highly of his boss. Will he be willing to listen to us? Or will he turn us away? My boss, Mac, is a patient man. For the most part.

Nick knocks softly on the door. After being called in, we enter.

Horatio Caine, with his red hair, sits behind a freakishly clean desk. All that is on it are picture frames and case folders. "What could possibly be so important that CSI's from Nevada and New York would come calling?"

Nick glances at me. He is stronger when it comes to emotional issues but I am better at explaining things and speaking my mind. I square my shoulders before answering. "We're here about Timothy Speedle, sir."

"He's not here. I'm sorry. He's away on…" He looks up from the folder on his desk as though something had clicked. "I haven't heard from him. He's not returning calls. Is he okay?"

"Well," Nick hesitates. Horatio looks at him, holding his breath, fear in his eyes. "Don't worry. He's not dead," Nick states. "That we know of."

"That you know of? What is that supposed to mean?"

I look over my shoulder to see a blond and a relatively tall man.

"Delko, Calleigh, come in and close the door," Horatio says.

"What's going on, H?" Delko asks.

"These two men- I'm sorry, I didn't catch your names," H says looking at us.

"I'm Danny Messer. I work at the crime lab in New York under the direction of Mac Taylor." I glance at Nick. "This is Nick Stokes. He works for Gil Grissom out in the Nevada lab. We're here because Tim is missing."

"He's not missing," Horatio says. "I told you that he went on vacation."

Nick clears his throat. I glare at him. I know what is on his mind. And there is no way to stop him.

"Tim came to see us," he says.

"Delko eyes us. "No wonder Speed didn't seem to have friends, they all live out-of-state."

Nick and I glance at each other.

"Um, Delko," Calleigh speaks up. "I don't think they're friends. Not in the sense you're thinking."

He looks at Calleigh and then back at us. Understanding finally dawns on him. "Oh, you mean…"

"Yes, Delko. That is what she means." We all turn to Horatio.

Nick chuckles. "You knew all this time? To think, Timothy was afraid to tell you."

"I've known for a few months now. I'm not the boss for nothing, you know." He directs his gaze toward me and Nick. "Now, where is Speed?"

I shrug. "Beats us. We got into an argument. He stormed off saying he was going to return home. To resign."

"Resign?" Calleigh, Delko, and Horatio all say at once.

Nick nods. I continue. "He's really messed up. He called me a few days ago, begging me to see him. That's where the time-off comes in.

"When I arrived at the vacation house we all own I found him sitting at the dining table. He was sitting there with a knife and he…he…" I can't find the strength to finish the sentence.

Nick places a hand on my shoulder. "He appeared to want to slit his wrist."

"Speed would never do that," Calleigh freaks.

Nick shakes his head. "He needs to talk and he won't. It's just going to keep getting worse."