For Love or Happiness
Chapter 2
8 months later
Tim sighed heavily as he stared at his fifth shot of whisky. Coming to the bar after work had began to be a nightly ritual of his. He looked down at his hand and took in his ring finger. Instead of the silver ring that marked his hand as a taken man he saw nothing. Just the skin of his finger. He sighed and lifted the shot glass to his lips. He swallowed and sat the glass back down and then motioned for another drink. Tim looked over when he saw Eric sit down next to him and sighed heavily, "Horatio send you here?" he asked softly.
Eric shook his head, "No. I came here on my own." he said as he looked at his friends apperance. He had dark circles under his eyes and his stubble had grown into almost a beared. Instead of looking 35 he looked about 50. "I'm worried about you man."
Tim laughed a little, "You'd be the first." he said as he drank down the whisky once again.
Eric sighed and took the glass away from him, "Why don't you stay at my place tonight. I don't think you should be alone." he said and stood up. "Come on." he said softly, yet sternly.
Tim shook his head, "I'm not going anywhere."
For Love or Happiness
Calleigh smiled a little to herself as she tucked Madelyn into her toddler bed. Tim had given her everything she had ever wanted. She had a ten year old daughter who finished the top of her class. A five year old son who showed a lot of potential. And a three year old daughter who could be anything she wanted to be. The one thing she didn't have anymore was a husband. Well as of 8:35 this morning when she signed the divorce papers. It wasn't an easy thing to do. Divorce wasn't supposed to be easy. Emily being the daddy's girl refused to talk to Calleigh until Tim came back home. Jake didn't really know what to do. He loved his mother and father both equally so he couldn't decide who to live with. And Madelyn was to young to understand. So being the good guy Tim is he decided to let Calleigh have the kids through the week and he'd get them on the weekends. At first Calleigh thought he was doing this because he thought it was better. But after Calleigh had learned about Tim's drinking problem she thought it was so he could have time to sober up.
Calleigh brushed Madelyns dark curls out of the way and exited her bedroom. The house was definatley not the same without Tim. There was no classic rock blaring from the study. No clothes on the bathroom floor. The house was neat as a pen. Calleigh found herself sometimes leaving her clothes around the house or knocking papers on the floor in the study just so it would look like it did before. Now that it was all over with she wasn't sure that a divorce was the best answer. During the day she would be fine. As long as she had a casing or two to look at she was fine. But nothing could save her from the cold confines of her empty bed. For the first few months she couldn't bare to sleep in it. It just wasn't the same without him.
Calleigh sighed heavily and walked into her son's room, surpised to see him awake, "Hey sport what are you doin' up?" she asked softly.
Jake sighed, "I'm not tired." he said as he rolled over onto his back and looked at the celing. Calleigh sighed a little and sat down next to him.
"You wanna talk about whats buggin' you?" she asked. Jake just shook his head.
"I'm ok mommy." he said softly.
Calleigh sighed heavily, "You miss your daddy dont' you?" she asked quietly. Jake nodded. "Me too, kiddo. Me to." she said as she laid down next to him.
For Love or Happiness
With a lot of protesting and fighting Eric finally got Tim into his car. He started it up and pulled out of the parking lot. Eric looked over at his friend and sighed heavily, "What with you man?" he asked.
Tim was slumped against the window his right elbow propped up on the door and his left arm lying in his lap, "Stay out of it, Delko." he said sternly.
Eric sighed, "Look man your my friend. I just want to help."
Tim snapped his head over in Delko's direction, "You can't help me." he said. "No one can help me." he said bitterly and looked back out his window.
Eric shook his head a little, "Well you can't keep drinking, man. You have kids to think about. You already moved out of the house. Do you want them to lose you for good?" he asked.
"Well I guess they'll never get the chance if you keep coming and spoiling the moment." he said angrily.
Eric looked at Tim like he had just shot him in the chest, "So you want to die? You want to get killed?" he asked.
Tim shrugged, "Its not like I have anything to live for anymore." he said softly. It was then that Tim realized without Calleigh and their marriage he had nothing. He was just a pathetic excuse for a man. "No one cares." he added bitterly.
Eric shook his head and looked back at the road. "Well I'm sorry you feel that way, man." he said. "Because I know 3 somebodies who would care a lot if they lost you."
For Love or Happiness
After Jake had fallen asleep Calleigh watched him sleep. He was the spitting image of Tim all the kids were. The only one who had a trait of Calleigh was Madelyn who had bright green eyes. She sighed a little to herself and tucked Jake in before leaving the room and walking into the living room. She stopped in the door frame and took in the room. This was where it ended. She sighed a little to herself and took off Tim's yankee baseball blanket off the couch and wrapped it around herself. Things would turn around right? They had to.
For Love or Happiness
Tim sighed a little as he walked up to ballistics. Calleigh was standing there with her lab coat and her hair down and curly. He always loved it when she wore her hair like that. He took a deep breath and walked inside, "Hey you get a match yet?"
Calleigh shook her head and kept her eyes trained on the computer in front of her, "Not yet." she said simply. Tim nodded a little and sat down next to her. Calleigh looked over at him and sighed a little, "How much did you have to drink last night?" she asked as she turned her attention back to the computer.
"I didn't know you knew about that." Tim said softly.
Calleigh laughed a little, "Tim it doesn't take a genius to know you've been drinking." she said as she gave him a look.
Tim shrugged a little, "I had a few beers." he said softly.
"And?" Calleigh asked pointedly.
Tim sighed heavily. Calleigh always could see right through him, "And some shots of whiskey." he added. "Your not my wife anymore why do you care?" he asked.
Calleigh closed her eyes and sighed, "Just because i'm not your wife anymore doesn't mean I don't care."
It was Tim's turn to laugh now, "No, if you cared you wouldn't have took me out of the house and away from my kids."
Calleigh was about to open her mouth to defend herself when Horatio came in the room, "Do we have a problem?" he asked with his hands on his hips.
Tim sighed, "No." he said as he stood up. "No problem."
Horatio shifted his weight a little and gave Tim a look. Tim shuddered a little he knew that look all to well. He saw Horatio give it to suspects all the time. The look that meant 'you get out of line and i'll take you out'. Horatio looked away from Tim and then down at the floor. Tim shook his head a little and left, pushing the door open roughly.
Calleigh closed her eyes and looked away from him, "You ok?" he asked softly.
Calleigh smiled and nodded, "You know it." she said softly.
Horatio nodded a little, "Alright the gun?" he asked casually.
Calleigh shrugged, "Its still running through IBIS." she said softly. "So i'm thinking this guys a first timer or he uses a new weapon each time."
Horatio nodded a little, "Alright keep me posted." and with one swift motion he was gone. Calleigh took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Things weren't going to get easier. They were just going to get worse.
TBC...
