Disclaimer: I don't own anything
Summary: Spoilers for 'Lost Son'. Calleigh has memories of the time she spent with Speed.
Pairings: Calleigh and Speed.
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Horatio had been deeply affected by Tim Speedle's death and he couldn't deny that re-investigating had hit a sore spot, so that was why he wasn't going to ask for Calleigh's help. He was going to ask for Eric's.
Eric had been a lot like Speed in many ways. For one, he didn't show his emotions very easily. However, he was in fact better at showing them than Speed had been. Horatio knew that by asking Eric, he'd be able to get his job done without his emotions clouding his judgment. The only problem was, Eric was nowhere to be found.
He had peeked in on Valera, only to find her hunched over a microscope, but still no Eric. Next, he contemplated whether to bother Alexx in the Morgue. He finally decided that he would observe through the viewing area, one story above. At the moment, Alexx was performing an autopsy with a CSI from night shift, who, like himself, was probably working overtime. He waited another ten minutes before he pressed the intercom. "Alexx, have you seen Eric?" Horatio asked the Medical Examiner.
"He was here about an hour ago," Alexx said, as she bustled around the Morgue, preparing for her next victim, "but I don't know where he is now."
Horatio thanked her and continued his search for Eric. His last stop was the Ballistics lab. When Horatio walked in, he saw Eric hugging Calleigh, no doubt comforting her. The two broke apart as Horatio said, "You're a hard man to find Eric."
"Sorry, H,"" Eric said as he looked down at the ground and scratched his temple with his right index finger. "What do you need?"
"I need a favour regarding Speed," Horatio said, with an uneasy tone in his voice.
At the mention of Speed's name, Calleigh became flustered. She mumbled about having to do something and quickly ran out of the room.
Horatio didn't want to ask Eric what he was about to ask him. He didn't think it was a good idea to let Calleigh work on a case by herself. He knew that Eric would be able to comfort her and stop her from making any irrational decisions. He also knew that Eric was the best man to accompany him on this case. He had nothing against Ryan, but he was too new. He decided that he would assign Ryan to work with Calleigh, just until Eric was free.
Horatio could tell by the look on Eric's face that he knew what Horatio was going to ask and he didn't like it. "I need you to go back to Mcauley Jewelers," Horatio told Eric. Horatio had a very strong suspicion that the first thought that came into Eric's head would be of Calleigh and he was right.
"What about Calleigh?" Eric asked his boss.
"I'm going to ask Ryan to work with her, until you're able to work with her again," Horatio said.
Eric was about to argue this, after all, he did have very good reason to, but he quickly stopped himself. "Okay," Eric said, hesitantly, "but just until I come back." With those words said, the two CSIs left the lab.