Title: Reconciliation Part Two
Author: Aeon Cole
Rating: FRT
Warning: Slash
Fandom: CSI Miami
Pairing: Horatio/Speed
Prompt: #16 Symmetry
Word Count: 1150
Summary: Tim gets a phone call that changes his outlook on life and gives him the chance to reconcile with his father.
Chapter Summary: Arya does some reflecting.
Disclaimer: Arya and Michael Speedle belong to me. The rest do not.
Author's Note: For the 20 Established Relationships challenge on LiveJournal.
Author's Note 2: I noticed a glaring error in the timeline of this universe. When I wrote Discoveries, I had Tim being 17 in 1985. Unfortunately when I wrote Triquetra, which was supposed to happen 17 years later he suddenly became 36. I can't add, I admit it. Tim should be 34 in that story and 35 in Family Ties. Sooo, I'm going to make the correction to the stories on my website. It's too much to do them everywhere. But from this point forward, I will use the age that is consistent with my time line. He is 35 in this story.
Arya stood in the middle of the living room of her new condo. She turned in a full circle, surveying her new home. She had spent her entire life living with others. She had lived with her parents in Bombay until she was fourteen, then she had lived at the boarding school in London until she was eighteen. The dorms at King's College were next until she graduated at twenty-two.
She'd traveled to New York and met her husband shortly after. She smiled at that memory. He was fifteen years older than she and the head chef at a prestigious Manhattan restaurant. He was hansom and dashing and had swept her off her feet. They had married after only a few months together.
But now, she was proud of the fact that after almost fifty-nine years of life she was finally independent and on her own. Though her mood was tempered by thoughts of her husband and what he was about to go through. His surgery was scheduled for early the next week and she would be traveling back to New York for a few days so that he wouldn't be alone. Even though they had their differences and they no longer wanted a life together, one doesn't spend nearly forty years with a person then simply abandon them.
She was also happy that he and Tim had decided to put their differences aside and try to rebuild some sort of relationship. Michael had always regretted what had happened between them but he was far too stubborn to take the first step in a reconciliation. The cancer had changed him, changed his outlook on life. He had reached a point where, if it meant having his son back in his life, he would deal with his sexual orientation, whether he agreed with it or not.
Arya shook herself out of her thoughts. She had a house warming party to get ready for. Tim and Horatio would arrive soon to help with the cooking, Tim had insisted. She was surprised by how many people she had met and become friends with in the short few months she'd been in Miami. She'd struck up an instant friendship with Alexx Woods, the MDPD coroner and her son's surrogate mother, and her husband Peter. The other members of the crime lab had adopted her as well.
Then there was Jeff Beckman, Tim's partner in crime as a child. She was surprised to see him in Miami, not so surprised that he and Tim were still so close. And Jeff's partner Tony, whose personality complimented Jeff's so well. He was definitely a stabilizing force for Jeff's frenetic persona. Then there was that nice young man, Skylar, who reminded her so much of her son when he was younger.
There was a knock at the door and Horatio and Tim walked in with several grocery bags. They both said hello and Tim gave his mother a kiss before depositing the bags in the kitchen. She watched as her son took charge of the food preparation. Each time she saw Tim and Horatio together she marveled at their relationship and the give and take they afforded each other.
When she saw them at the lab, Horatio was the one in charge and Tim, as well as the others, looked to him for direction. He was a strong leader, someone that everyone there respected. But it was like their roles suddenly reversed when they walked through their front door. Tim took charge of the house and the household finances. He cooked the meals and directed most of the housework. In the end she realized that it was this symmetry in their relationship that had made it so strong. It was the reason that they could work together and live together without driving each other crazy.
She smiled as she stood back and watched the ease with which the two worked together. Frequently Tim didn't have to say anything, Horatio just seemed to know what he wanted. She saw Tim lean over and say something into Horatio's ear that caused him to chuckle. She liked to see Horatio laugh and thought that he did it much too infrequently.
She'd gathered that Horatio had had a difficult life. Tim had told her some things about him. She knew that his parents had died when he was fairly young. She also knew that he had a brother who was a police officer who had been killed in the line of duty only a few years ago. He had a sister-in-law whom he was close with and a ten year old nephew. They would be here later today. In the end he had told her to talk to Horatio, he would tell her anything she wanted to know. She hadn't yet had the chance to have that conversation with him.
As she watched Tim in the kitchen she began to realize just how much of his father he had in him. Horatio had commented once on how much she and Tim had in common. But that was just because he hadn't met Michael yet. She had always thought that Tim took after his father. He certainly had his stubborn streak. Tim may look like her but his personality was all Michael.
As the day drew on and the guests began arriving, Arya watched the interactions within the group. Horatio's nephew had gone off with Alexx's son and daughter and Eric's nieces to play. Tim stood talking with Eric and his parents while Horatio chatted with Yelina and Calliegh. Others were scattered throughout the house and yard, talking and eating. Everyone was having a good time.
Arya wandered through the room chatting here and there. She caught Horatio's eye and he smiled at her. She watched him wander over to Tim and whisper something in his ear. Then Tim strolled over to her.
"Nice turnout," he said casually. Arya nodded. Tim eyed her carefully. "Everything okay?"
She smirked. "What did Horatio just say to you?"
Tim mirrored her expression. "That you look distracted."
Arya shook her head. "He's very observant, you know."
"Comes with the job," he bantered back. "What's bothering you?"
She shrugged. "Just thinking about your father. Have you talked to him recently?"
Tim nodded. "We've been talking every couple days. I talked to him briefly this morning before work." He looked at his mother. "Don't worry about him. He's a stubborn old man. I'm sure he'll be up hitting on the nurses the day after the surgery." He tried to sound reassuring.
Arya laughed. "Yeah, you're probably right."
Horatio wandered over. "Everything all right?"
Arya and Tim exchanged a glance. "Everything's fine," she answered. She linked her arm with Horatio's. "You know, I've been meaning to talk with you," she said as she walked off with him.
Horatio glanced behind him and caught Tim's eye. Tim simply shrugged.
TBC