Author's Note: I was told to update NOW by Anni. So here goes nothin...

After The Dust Settles 9

Tim walked up the stairs slowly and stopped at Olivia and Sandra's room. "Go, take a break Jessop."

Jessop nodded and began to walk down the hall, he stopped and turned back to Tim. "Detective?"

Tim sighed and turned around, "Yeah?"

"I'm really glad your back...and I'm sorry about, Sandra."

Tim nodded, "Thanks Jessop." He nodded and walked down the stairs. Tim ran a hand through his hair and opened the girls' door. When he walked in Olivia was curled up into a ball in the middle of her bed, clutching a teddy bear tightly. Tim sat down on the edge of the bed and brushed her hair out of her eyes. He looked down at her comforter and saw that it was Hello Kitty. He smiled slightly and for the first time took in the whole room. The walls were pink and purple. There was pink curtains and about 50 hello kitty figurians on the book shelves, he then looked over on the nightstand and saw that there was a hello kitty alarm clock. He laughed slighlty and then looked back at Olivia.

He still couldn't believe he had agreed with Dennis. Family ment everything to him. And he ruined it, he completley threw it right out the window that day in the kitchen. He just wanted to protect them, but obviously him going under wasn't helping them much. Calleigh lost a baby, he got beat up and shot, and Sandra was missing. As the minutes went by he got to thinking. May be he wasn't the 'good' father he thought he was. Or the good father he could have been if he stayed. He turned around on the bed so that he wasn't facing Olivia anymore and his eyes caught a book that was sticking out from the book shelf.

He walked over to it and sat down on the floor, opening it up as he leaned against the wall. On the cover in big blue letter was 'Sandra's Album' Tim smiled to himself as he saw the first picture. It was of him asleep on the couch with both Olivia and Sandra asleep on his chest. He then flipped the page and saw them in their cribs at the hospital. Tim then skipped a few pages and saw Sandra was wripping of wrapping paper to a christmas present. He smiled and went to go put the book back when another page caught his eye. At the top in big red letters it read "My Daddy." Tim then looked down the page and saw it was a picture of him when he first started dating Calleigh. He was much skinner then and his hair was a lot shorter. He heared the door open and felt Calleigh cuddle into him, but not taking his eyes off the picture. Calleigh smiled, "I remember that night."

Tim nodded and set the photo album aside, "Me to." he said as he looked over at Calleigh.

"That was the night you told me you loved me."

Tim nodded, "Yeah well you get enough vodka's in me and i'm liable to say anything." he said with a small smile on his face.

Calleigh smiled, "Well I'm glad you told me."

Tim smiled and looked back at the picture, "I've packed on a few pounds though since then."

Calleigh shrugged and grabbed one of his cheeks, pinching it like a grandma would, "That's ok. I like my man chunky."

Tim laughed and kissed Calleigh's forehead. "I love you."

Calleigh smiled brightly, giving him that smile that she gave him and only him, "I love you to."

After The Dust Settles 9

Sandra looked up from her chair as Johnny walked back in, "Why am I here?"

Johnny smiled and sat down across from her, "Because I have to teach your father a lesson."

"A lesson?"

Johnny nodded, "A long time ago your daddy did something very wrong and he has to pay for that now. Understand?"

Sandra looked up at him and shook her head, "Not really. My daddy would never do anything wrong. He's a good man."

"How would you know?" started Johnny as he laughed slightly, "You've only known him for a few days."

Sandra gave him one of those Speedle expressions, "That was so funny, I forgot to laugh."

Johnny shook his head, "Just like your father."

"I'd rather be like my daddy and be smart and everyone looks up to, instead of a nut job like you." Sandra admitted honestly.

Johnny stood up and looked down at her, "You better watch your mouth little girl."

"Or what? You'll hit me?"

Johnny glared at her and smacked her across her face.

After The Dust Settles 9

Calleigh grabbed Tim's hand and he sighed as he looked over at Olivia, who was still sleeping. "She can sleep through anything." Calleigh admitted. "I swear she could sleep through a hurricane if I'd let her."

Tim nodded slightly, "I wouldn't know. I mean..." he started. "I haven't been here."

Calleigh took her head of his shoulder and looked up at him, "Tim..."

"No, Cal. Don't tell me "Well your here now, and that's all that matters" crap because its not true. I missed out on everything. There first tooth, there first steps, there first word."

"That's not true." Calleigh started. "Olivia's first word was Dadda and you were here for that."

"But I missed Sandra's. I missed out on everything. All because I was stupid and listend to Sackheim. I mean...what was going on in my head?"

Calleigh sighed and sat down in Tim's lap so she was straddling him, "Your family, Tim. That's what was in your head. You wanted to protect your family. That's exactly what I would have done." she said as she looked down at him.

Tim shook his head and placed his hands on her hips, "That's not what you would have done. You would have went out and found Johnny and shot him with one of the guns from your collection." he said half jokingly, half serious. He wouldn't tell her to her face but sometimes Calleigh and her knowledge of guns scared him.

Calleigh smiled slightly, "Ok well...Witness Protection would have been second on my list." she said as she ran her hands up and down Tim's chest. "Tim...you, you are a good man. Ok, and don't you think for one second that your not. So what if you missed seeing them taking there first steps or...whatever. Your still going to be here for the rest of it. There first boyfriend, teaching them how to drive, your gonna be there when they get married."

"No." said Tim immediatley. "There not getting married. As soon as they turn 18 were locking them up in the basement."

Calleigh smiled and kissed him lightly, "See your gonna be a great dad. You already are."

Tim sighed and looked over at Olivia and then back up at Calleigh, "I believe you."

"Good," started Calleigh. "Because its the truth." Tim sighed once again and rested his head against the wall. Calleigh took her hands and slid them up from his chest to his cheeks, bringing his head back down so she could look him in the eyes. "You're a good father, Tim."

Tim nodded and kissed her lightly, resting his forehead against hers. "I'm gonna get her back, Cal. I promise."

"I know you will." Calleigh said as she deepened the kiss slightly.

TBC...