Title: Love Apart

Disclaimer: Slash. Angst.

POV: Danny

Chapter Fourteen: Trigger Finger

Horatio enters the room with two other people; a young man and a young woman. Nick gives my thigh a gentle squeeze.

"Danny, Nick, meet Agent Sam and Agent Martin," Horatio says, introducing the cute FBI agents. I can't help but think that they make a cute couple.

No one talks while the agents get themselves situated. The silence is like a never-ending disease; always there, waiting for its chance. I feel like screaming and have a strong desire to break something.

"We're here to discuss the disappearance of CSI Timothy Speedle," Agent Sam begins. Her voice is lovely and deadly serious.

"Why is this an FBI matter?" I ask.

"Has Mr. Speedle ever just gone off before?" Agent Martin questions, ignoring me.

"No," Nick and I reply.

"From what I see here, Mr. Speedle has had a few recent problems. Are you sure he is not trying to run?" Sam asks.

I feel like yelling at her. She makes me wonder if all those blond jokes are true. I get this weird vibe from her, like she feels that she has to prove herself. Been there, done that.

"Why would Timmy run away?" Nick inquires.

"Perhaps he wanted to start a new life. Forget everything that happened. It's more common than you think," explains Martin.

Horatio finally speaks up. "Look, I have known Tim for a number of years. He may be quiet and a bit withdrawn at times. But he's a damn good CSI; devoted to his job. He loves and respects each and every one of his friends. Tim would never just leave."

Sam glances down at her paperwork. "I see here that Mr. Speedle received therapy in college. Why?"

"Hi friend died," Nick says shortly. I hear the anger creeping into his voice.

"Is Mr. Speedle gay?"

"Bi-sexual. What the hell does this have to do with anything?" I snap.

"Has he ever been harassed for being bi-sexual?"

"Not a lot of people know. As I've already stated, Tim likes to keep to himself," Horatio responds. How can he be so calm?

"Has he ever been threatened?"

I can't take it anymore. "No, he's never been threatened," I yell. "What does any of this have to do with finding Timmy?"

"Excuse us," Martin says. He ushers Sam from the room.

Nick gives my shoulder a reassuring squeeze. Horatio leans back in his chair. How can they be so strong? Why doesn't their worry for Speed show? I shrug Nick's hand from my shoulder. I don't want his pity. If he can be strong through this then so can I. And next time I have a problem with Speed, I will not involve Nick. I'll work things out on my own. I bite my bottom lip. If I was capable of that, we wouldn't be here right now.

The door opens and an older man enters. "I'm Jack, head of this team. Agents Sam and Martin will not be interviewing you anymore."

"Good," Nick sighs.

He sits. "I'm sorry for the way Agent Sam was handling things."

"Apology accepted," I say. Both Horatio and Nick give me surprised looks. I ignore them.

"I'm afraid to say, your friend has a streak of very bad luck," Jack says. From a manila folder he removes a photo. He passes it to Horatio.

"Who is this guy?" Nick asks as he passes the photo my way.

I eye the photograph. It appears to be either a mug shot or an ID photo; they were hard to tell apart. They guy was Caucasian with close cropped brown hair. His eyes were amber colored. He looked like an ordinary person.

"The man's name is Simon Shore. He's a small-time lawyer here in New York."

I set the photo on the table. "What does he have to do with Tim?"

"Wait," Horatio mutters. "I know that last name. It's very familiar."

"The girl that died," Nick chimes in. "The one that Speed feels so guilty about. Her name was Sally Shore."

"Family connection?" I inquire.

"Simon's younger sister. On that day Sally was in the care of the middle child, Seth Shore."

I tear my gaze from the photo. "Seth Shore? That's the guy Speed IDed for that rape not too long ago."

"Bingo," Jack says.

I shake my head. Speed truly does have bad luck. With this knowledge I find I can relax. We know who has him. We can go in and get him.

"What are you doing to get Tim back?" asks Horatio.

"Right now we can't do anything. We have no proof that Simon Shore is responsible for kidnapping Mr. Speedle. But we are putting him under surveillance starting tomorrow afternoon."

"Tomorrow?"

"I wish I could do it today but I'm sorry, I'm not able to."

I groan. My head is pounding with the on-set of a major headache. The door to the room flies open. We all turn to see Martin.

"Jack, we have a problem."

"What is it, Martin?"

"We're getting reports of gunfire-"

"And?"

"The description from witnesses fits that of Simon Shore, to a T. Witnesses also report seeing him shove an injured and bloody man into his van," Martin says hastily.

"Do we have a description of the victim?"

"Yes," Martin pauses. "He matches that of the missing CSI."