Chapter 8
As Speed
went back into work at Monday morning his first way was Horatio's
office. He knocked.
"Yes. Come in" he could
hear.
"Morning. Can I talk to you for a minute?" Speed
asked.
Horatio
looked up and then at his watch. "You're in very early. What's
up?"
Speed took the chair in front of the desk. "I…wanted
to know…if…if you told the others about…what happened at the
beach."
"No.
I said it before. What you tell me stays between us."
"Good.
Because I want to tell them by my own."
Horatio was surprised. "Really?"
"Yeah.
I even called mom. We both cried for hours…but now I feel…better.
Took some weight off my shoulders."
"Glad to hear. Glad
we could help you."
"I own you one. A big one. I'll make
it up to you, I promise."
"We talk about this later. Now
we've got some work to do."
A pissed Speed stormed into
Horatio's office two hours later. "Why do I have to stay at the
lab? I've got no new assignment today!"
Horatio smiled. "You
told me you would behave."
"I
said I would try to. Now, why do you treat me like this?"
"It's
not my decision. Chief Commissioner Gordon ordered this. At least for
4 weeks."
"Four
weeks! Oh, come on. This can't be true" he sighed. Then he
held up his hands. "Okay. I behave. If this is my punishment, I
get along with it."
"It's better that way. Eric refuses
to write all your evidence bags at the crime scene."
"And
how am I supposed to do it in the lab?" he asked and help up his
cast.
"Ask one of the assistants. Be nice and maybe one of
them is willing to help you."
He grumbled. "Great."
"That
or you have your reprimand back in your record."
"Alright.
I got it. I'm in the lab of you need me" he said angry.
As he
turned to leave, Horatio called him back. "Speed?"
"What?"
"Think of it as a chance."
"A chance of what?"
"Just
four words: Supervisor of the lab?" Horatio smiled.
"I'm
already second in command, so stop playing around."
"True,
but I'm sure the new technicians will be impressed by your
reputation. Second in command and supervisor of the lab. I
mean, look at me, I don't have such status at all."
First he
wanted to reply something stupid, but was interrupted by his boss.
"You know, you can show the new techs how to work, manage the
whole equipment, stuff like that."
Speed just nodded and
walked away smiling, thinking about the new female employees. Maybe
this wasn't that bad at all.
At the end of the shift, everyone met in the break room. Speed was pacing nervously from one side to the other, until Horatio stopped him. "Speed…take it easy. Relax. You don't need to push yourself into it. If you need more time…"
"Time…I took too much time carrying this with me…no, I want to do this right now."
The group settled down, not sure what to expect. He hadn't told them the reason he wanted to see them after work. He sighed and stood in front of them.
"Alright. First, I want to apologize. My behaviour the last days wasn't quite nice. I would like to thank you all. For your friendship, your loyalty."
Now they looked confused. Nobody spoke, each of them going through the last days in their mind.
Speed continued. "I owe you an explanation, so, here we go. The reason…I got mad…well, I don't know how to describe it. See, I got a girlfriend at high school and we fell in love. My best friend Brian got into a snow mobile accident and became paralysed neck down. Lisa, my girlfriend, was there for me and one day…" He told them the same story he had shared with Horatio the day before. He had thought it would be easier, but in the end, he was crying all over again. But he wasn't alone. Alexx stood up and hugged him, tears in her eyes. "Oh, honey. I'm so sorry. I wish I could have helped you back then."
"I wasn't ready for being helped", he said softly, still hugging her.
Calleigh was next. "Tim, I have no words for such a tragedy…but I know this – whenever you need me, just give me a call, okay? Don't do this 'Rambo' thing again", she smiled and gave him a hug, too.
"I'll try. Thanks."
Eric still sat at the couch. "Do you have a picture?"
Speed was stunned about this question. "Yeah…" he searched for his wallet and got a picture out. Its colour was faded, and it looked as if it was held in his fingers many times before. "It's not a professional shot. But we didn't think that…" he said quietly, "…that something that bad would happen."
"Nobody does", Eric answered and looked at the picture. It was a simple one, taken in automatic photo machine. "She was beautiful", he stated. "And you look…somehow funny."
Tim had to smile. "I don't know what you mean."
Eric took the picture. "Hey, Cal, wanna see Speed with long hair?"
"What?"
"Yeah, he looks like a hippie", Eric laughed.
Everyone
gathered around Eric to take a look at the picture and then they
laughed all together. (Think of "Dazed and confused…he looked
so sweet…lol)
Speed got serious again. "Well, that's about
it. I'm sorry if I got you into trouble…"
"Trouble?
You? No way" Eric said and went to him, to give the picture
back. "I'm sure she was a lovely person. Maybe you can tell us
more about her someday."
"Sure", was all Tim replied as he stuffed the picture back in the wallet.
"If you need company, you know my number", Eric offered. "Hang in there, buddy."
"Thanks. To you all. I owe you one", Speed said and smiled for the first time in days.
"One more thing…Tim, I saw your kitchen. Quite professional. I'm impressed. Care to explain?" Alexx said.
"Why should I explain that?"
"You never mentioned that fact before. I mean, if you don't cook, why that equipment?" she asked.
"It's not unusual, considering that I like cooking", he said.
"Well, I know you like eating…but I can't imagine you as a cook. No offence, but you don't look like…" she said.
"Okay, tell you what, I'll prove my skills to you. How 'bout a homemade dinner? As a 'thank you' gesture, so to speak?" Speed asked the group.
"Sounds like a plan to me. What should I bring?" Calleigh asked.
"Nothing. I'll do the cooking, you just come and enjoy."
"Tell us the time and we'll be there", Horatio said.
"Well, since I'm shorthanded right now, I would say we talk about the date again in 3 weeks. By then the cast should be removed." He thought for a moment. "Oh, that's great – by then I'm also allowed to work outside again. Another reason to celebrate! Although I like being 'Supervisor of the lab'."
With that the meeting was over and each of them went their way. Outside the break room, Calleigh turned towards Eric "'Supervisor of the lab'? What's that? Never heard of that."
Eric laughed. "See, H came to me, asking what he could do to calm Speed down. I mean, Tim almost drove the techs crazy with his cranky mood. So I suggested this 'Supervisor of the lab' thing."
Calleigh
looked at him with an evil smile. "You are real bad, you know
that?"
"Hey, it worked. That's all that matters",
Eric grinned back.
Only Horatio and Speed remained at the break
room after everyone else had left. Horatio padded him on the
shoulder. "I'm proud of you. You did well."
Speed nodded. "I'm glad having you as a friend. I owe you so much, I don't know how to thank you…"
"You don't have to. That's what friends are there for. Just remember to ask your friends for help if you need it. Don't shut us out." Then Horatio went, too.
Speed was left behind.
tbc…