We would like to thank ALL our loyal readers for your support while we have been away. In the next few weeks, you will see our stories being reposted here for all of you to read along with several NEW stories we've written while we've been away.

We appreciate all the kind messages we've received for our readers...we didn't realize how many of you were reading our stories, lol. It has brought HUGE smiles to us and we hope you'll continue to stick with us as we re-post some old favorites and hopefully new favorites. Thanks again!

CaineSpeedle & Speedfanatic05

Now for the good stuff!

**WARNING: STRONG SEXUAL CONTENT AND LANGUAGE! You Are Warned**

"There are two bodies ― the rudimental and the complete; corresponding with the two conditions of the worm and the butterfly. What we call "death," is but the painful metamorphosis. Our present incarnation is progressive, preparatory, temporary. Our future is perfected, ultimate, immortal. The ultimate life is the full design."

From "The Mesmeric Revelation" by Edgar Allan Poe

The night light's of Vegas shown bright in the distance, dotting the horizon as they headed west of the vast desert oasis of fortunes and losses. Turning back in her seat and taking another bite of her food they had stopped to get, Calleigh glanced over at Christopher, noticing him gripping the wheel more. Since arriving in Las Vegas, she had seen him become nervous once again, staying to the outer city limits.

Reaching for a napkin and wiping at her mouth, Calleigh then looked back over at him and spoke softly as music from the radio became soft background noise, "Christopher, why are you tense again sweetie? Do you need to rest?"

The tension rolled in his shoulders and he grimaced, shaking his head, "No…we're almost there. I should've put you in the back…you're too visible." His eyes darted over the darkened terrain and his heart sped up as a set of headlights approached, causing him to grip the wheel.

"Stay very still, Calleigh," he hissed as he kept his eyes forward. The headlights passed and he spit out, "You can't move, Calleigh! You're going to ruin everything."

"Okay, okay…I won't move. Please Christopher, calm down. I'm not gonna ruin anything for us," she replied in a pleading voice. "I want to get there as bad as you do so we can be together…always."

"They're going to find you, and take you away from me," he answered, his voice thick with stress.

Crinkling her brow, Calleigh closed her food and set it aside, "No…no. They don't even know where we are…you promised we'd stay together, Christopher."

"I need to get you home, Evie. They can't find us there." Pressing on the gas, Christopher shook his head again and then looked to her, his expression faltering somewhat. He couldn't help the feeling of losing her, especially when he'd done so much to get her.

Keeping her eyes between him and the road, Calleigh began to get a nervous feeling in her stomach, one she only got when trouble was brewing. Moving slowly, she reached for her drink, taking a sip and setting it back. As the lights of another car came into view, she ducked down in the seat and whispered to him, "I'll make sure no one take's me from you, Christopher."

Thinking ahead, he looked to her, "When we get home, I won't turn on any lights. We'll have to stay in the dark until I think it's okay to turn them on. I can't….lose you, Evie. I won't." Passing a sign, he exhaled heavily, "We're about ten minutes away, stay down, Evie. I don't want them to see you."

Reaching over to him and placing her hand onto his thigh, she strained her voice to sound as if she was pleading, "Chris…please, you're scaring me. No one is going to take me from you."

"No….they're not. No, no…no…no one's going to take you away from me. We'll die before we're separated again. I won't live without you, Evie…and you, you won't live without me."

"Sweetie, please…no one knows were here," Calleigh tried to plead with him to get him calmed down some. "No one knows but us. It's just me and you, Christopher…just me and you."

Driving further, Christopher nodded and took in a deep breath, relaxing some. Listening to her calmed his anxieties and he allowed a smile, "Just me and you. I like that, Evie. Just me and you. No one else." Entering into a neighborhood, he smiled more and then looked to her, "Sit up, Evie and look. Do you remember any of this?"

Doing as he said, Calleigh sat up and looked around the unfamiliar area. Houses were spread out from each other, only there light's revealing where they stood. Acting like she was looking hard, she finally looked back at him, "It's so dark…I can't tell. They look spread out though…am I right?"

"Yes… that's right, they are spread out. You're remembering, aren't you?" His smile widened and he sighed with relief, his thoughts now staying on the happiness that his life was going to become. Turning the last corner, Christopher stopped and then looked to her, "We're finally here. Home."

Looking towards the large darkened house, she smiled faintly and then looked at him. Nodding, she sighed, "Home." Reaching for his hand, she whispered, "Our home."

Turning off the lights, Christopher got out quickly and went to the back, pulling out a bag. Filling his hands with two hand guns, he looked up at her, "I made myself at home at your place. You're prepared for anything." Staring at the gleaming weapons, he smirked, "No one's going to ever take Evie away from me again."

Standing at the car door, she felt her heart sink at the knowledge of him being in her personal gun vault she had in her closet. Taking in a deep breath of the cooling desert air, she tilted her head, "Why don't we go inside now. A nice long hot bath is sounding really good right now."

Watching through the nighttime binoculars from a safe distance, Horatio's jaw clenched at the sight of Larken. When he began to moves again towards Calleigh, Horatio glanced to Ray who was hiding out with him and Tim and whispered softly, "I want this bastard taken alive if possible."

Tim's heart raced and he nodded, "Don't underestimate him. He took out five SWAT members in St. Petersburg. He's definitely not what he seems." Watching him intently as he ushered Calleigh into the home, he sighed, "If he gets wind of us, he's going to do something drastic with her."

"That's why we're going to take this nice and slow, Speed. At the first chance we see him far enough away from her, we need to have SWAT's sharp shooter disable him for us while we move in."

"Something's telling me, Lieutenant, that he's not going to stray too far away from her, but just the same, I'll radio the sharp shooter," Ray answered as he crouched beside Horatio. He turned slightly and put the radio up to his lips, speaking softly, "SWAT leader, Lieutenant Caine has requested a sharp shooter. If the moment arises, take the shot."

Listening, Tim sighed and shook his head, his brow set nervously, "I don't like this. Something's not right." He peered into the darkness at the house and shifted his weight, "Something's not right."

"Take it easy, Speed. Calleigh will let us know in her own way if she needs us in sooner," Horatio replied as he peered back at her. Noticing the short hair, he sighed, hoping that she'd been the one to cut it and not Larken.

Watching as Christopher approached, Calleigh closed her car door and moved to the back one, "I'll get the book and all. Maybe we can read by candlelight."

Grasping hold of her arm, he shook his head, gesturing to the house, "Leave the book. I'll get it in the morning. I don't like the feeling of this." Taking a weapon in hand, he peered into the darkness, sure he felt someone watching him. Nudging her with the barrel of the gun, his eyes danced around his surroundings, swearing that the shadows moved. Walking swiftly up the walkway, he clutched her arm, "We'll stay in for the night, and tomorrow…we'll find somewhere else to go."

Looking up at him as they moved, Calleigh shook her head, "But I thought we were gonna make this our home…that we'd raised a family here."

"You're not safe here," he answered as his eyes shifted. "I can't protect you here." Coming to the door, he shook his head, "We're going to stay quiet tonight, Evie."

Waiting as he unlocked the door, Calleigh looked around in the dark, seeing a slight glint off of an object. Knowing they were being watched for sure, Calleigh sighed, "Well this night is gonna suck then."

"What did you say?" he asked as he shot a glance at her, narrowing his brow. He pulled her roughly to him and clenched his teeth, pressing the barrel in her side, "You know something, don't you, Calleigh. You know that they are out there, don't you?"

Shaking her head, she breathed out, "Who, Christopher? There's no one here but us." Feeling his grip increase, she looked into his eyes, "If anyone was here don't you think they'd already tried something? We're alone…it's just you and me."

"Don't lie to me, CALLEIGH! There's someone out there." Pushing her against the door, he positioned the gun at her stomach, "No one is going to take you away from me. We'll die before we're separated."

Itching to move, Tim inched closer, gripping the butt of his weapon tightly, "H…he's losing it."

"Ray…tell SWAT to hold their positions," Horatio replied as he watched the scene unfolding in front of them.

Closing her eyes as fear began to course through her again, Calleigh released a shaky breath, "I swear, Christopher…no one is out there. They would have taken you by now if they were…or at least tried when you got out the car."

"You're lying to me…DON'T LIE TO ME!" Deciding to leave, Christopher pulled her away from the door, "We're going to go where they can't follow. We can come back tomorrow, when I'm sure they're gone." When she didn't move, he pulled him roughly, "MOVE!"

"Chris…" Calleigh pleaded as he pulled her with him. "Please…we have no where to go…" Hearing a noise, Calleigh gasped as he pulled her to him roughly and placed the gun up at her neck.

Pulling his gun, Horatio's body tensed and he cussed under his breath, "Shit…who the hell did that?"

Turning towards the sound, he pushed the gun further into her skin and spoke through clenched teeth, "No one's out here, huh? Is it that red head? Did he find his way here?" Pulling back on the hammer, he shook her, "Is he?" Watching as she dissolved, he bellowed, "YOU BROUGHT HIM HERE! YOU'VE RUINED THIS!" Starting off, he stormed towards the back of the house, hearing more rustling. Clutching her close, he pulled the gun to her temple and spoke to the shadows, "If you make a move to do anything, she's going to die. I will not hesitate."

Clenching his jaw, Horatio looked at Ray and whispered, "Whatever you do, he's not gonna leave here with her."

Nodding, Ray looked back and called out, "Mr. Larken…this is Ray Langston with the Las Vegas PD. I just want to talk, that's all, sir."

"No! No talking! You're here to kill me and take her away from me. You're not going to do that!" Inching closer to the backyard, his eyes danced around the darkness his heart hammering in his ear, "There is no talking!"

"Mr. Larken, I'm not here to kill you, I assure you of that. I'm unarmed, you can see for yourself," Ray said as he handed his gun to Horatio. Whispering, he sighed, "Trust me on this on Horatio."

Looking back up, Ray called out, "Mr. Larken, I'm coming out…unarmed, sir. Do not shoot."

Watching as the tall man emerged out of the shadows, he tightened his grip on her, forcing the gun further into her temple, "GET BACK! You come any closer and I swear to God, I'm going to blow her brains out!"

Stopping, Ray kept his hands out where Larken could see them, "And what will that do? She'll die like your wife did? What happened to her was wrong…she was too young to die, just like CSI Duquesne. Think about it, Evelyn wouldn't want you doing this. She'd want you living your life to the fullest."

Listening to the words, he felt the emotion welling and shook his head, "I'd rather die than to live a life without her. We can be together…forever." He looked to her and smiled through his now dropping tears, "I loved her so much. I wanted nothing more than to be happy with her."

"I know…" Calleigh replied softly, "you treated her like a queen and I'm sure she loved you so much for that."

"Mr. Larken…I can get you help. We can end this now and walk out of here," Ray stated as he stood still. "Let Calleigh be able to live her life and find happiness like Evelyn did with you."

Stopping his forward motion, Christopher glanced to Ray and shook his head, "I can't…I really…can't let her go." Starting back to walking, he pressed the gun to her hear, "IF you follow, she will die. Don't follow…please." With that, he disappeared quickly in the darkness, pulling her along with him.

Watching as he disappeared around the side of the house, Ray then pulled out his radio, "Stay with him at a distance, do not let him out of your sights."

Traveling through the darkness, he glanced back at her as she lagged, seeing the fear in her actions. This was not where he wanted to be with her, he wanted nothing but happiness. As he came to the edge of the property, he snatched her closer, "Come on, Calleigh. We need to lose them so that we can have our life back."

"We have no where to go, Christopher," Calleigh replied breathlessly as she moved with him. "Please…I…I don't want to die…I don't want you to die…"

"Then just do as I say," Christopher answered sternly. Looking a head to vast space, he smiled, "They won't follow us, they're scared for your life."

Wanting to reason with him, Calleigh continued to move, noticing him picking up the pace, "Christopher…if you love me…if you love Evelyn…then don't do this. We don't want you to get hurt."

"No! We have to get away. They won't take you away from me ever again." Seeing that she was lagging behind, he pulled her closer, "Come on! We can lose them in the park, they'll never find us."

Feeling the gun back at her ribcage, she began to pick up her pace with him. Looking back briefly, she prayed that Horatio would find a way to get to her. As tears began to streak down her cheeks, her thought's stayed with the red head, hoping she'd see him again.

Pacing the span of the walkway, Tim watched as more uniforms flooded the area, the action waking up the sleepy neighborhood. He couldn't believe that they had Calleigh within their reach and failed to secure her before Larken stole away with her. In the darkness, he could faintly make out Calleigh's silhouette, astonished to find her altered. His heart seized when Larken became paranoid and shoved the gun against her temple, the fear for her surging through his veins. For the first time, Tim had seen the vulnerability encased within her stance, perceiving the trembling in her body. It startled him and as he thought about it now, to see that fear angered him.

Ignoring the action around him, Tim dissolved himself into his own thoughts, wanting to leave the group and search them out himself. He knew that it was impossible- already they had a team out scouring the area, keeping a safe distance as so not to alarm Larken and provoke his delicate condition.

As the command center began to take shape, he knew he would need information about the area, finally looking up to take in his surroundings. He saw Horatio standing with Langston and Catherine, his eyes hardened with a mixture of anger and fear encasing them. He was surprised that the red head wasn't vocal, instead muted with his revelation that the woman he was in love with had slipped through his fingers. Tim couldn't possibly know how he was feeling, but he could sympathize with him in the determination to find her.

Approaching the computer terminal, he set his eyes at the screen, watching as the area appeared on screen, his demeanor dropping even more. All he was seeing was rocks and rugged terrain, the boulders jutting out from the earth in a macabre fashion. Shaking his head, he sighed heavily, "Tell me this is easy to navigate, that we can find her."

With one arm crossed over his chest and his other hand up rubbing at his chin, Ray examined the area on the computer and shook his head, "We're gonna need for wheelers and possibly horses to navigate some of that. Even then, we'll still have to do a lot on foot." Glancing at Horatio and seeing him staring out into the darkness, Ray looked back at the others as Jim Brass began to speak.

"At first light, we'll have choppers in the air scouring the area. If they are spotted we'll have them call in the location and move on so Larken thinks we missed them. Ground units will then be able to close the distance to them," the older man said as he looked around at the others.

"At first light? That gives him an entire night with her…out there!" Tim gestured angrily. He looked to Horatio and asked, "Are you going to do anything, H?"

Turning and looking at them, Horatio's hands set on his hips and he raised a brow, "I'm going after her tonight with or without help." Looking over at Jim and Catherine, "I hope you'll have what I need ready within the next ten minutes."

"Horatio, you can't be serious. It's pitch dark out there and you don't even know the terrain," Catherine stated as she stared at him with a crinkled brow.

"I'm going with him," Tim interjected as he looked to Catherine. Shaking his head, he emphasized, "I'm not going to let her spend the night out there with him."

Standing there listening to them, Ray pursed his lips as he thought and sighed, "I'll go with them."

Furrowing her brow, Catherine shifted her weight, "Ray…"

"No Catherine. I'm more familiar then they are with this area. And they are right, Calleigh does not need to be with him one more night. We need to find them now."

Looking at Jim and running her hand through her hair, Catherine sighed, "Alright." Looking over towards a couple officers she nodded to them, "Get me the packs from my SUV…and as many flashlight's as they can carry along with water."

Pulling Tim aside, Horatio looked the other dead in the eyes, "Are you sure about this, Speed? There's a chance things could go really wrong out there."

"I know, but I cannot let Larken have her for another night. The fear I saw…Horatio…we've got to get her back." Tim stared at Horatio arching his brow, "We're wasting time here, H. We need to get her back."

"Speed, we need to be prepared for what were gonna face out there, otherwise we'll be no good to Calleigh," Horatio stated as he looked over to see the officers coming with three packs. Nodding in the direction, Horatio kept his voice low, "Make sure you have enough water with you incase we're out there into the day tomorrow."

Tim nodded and eyed the packs, "Anything to get her back, H."

Clapping his shoulder, Horatio began to move, "Come on." Heading over to the officers as they placed the packs up onto the front of one of the SUV's, Horatio grabbed one, opening it and checking to make sure it had what would be needed. Discarding a few items they wouldn't need, he took the water bottles from another officers, placing them into his pack, "Jim, we're gonna need more firepower."

Jim nodded and then looked to Catherine, "Executive decision, Cath. It's up to you, my guys are going to have to hold the standard and start out first light."

Pursing her lips, Catherine ran a rough hand through her hair and looked over at Ray as he checked his pack. Seeing the concern in his eyes, she sighed and shook her head, "I guess if we're going down, might as well make it good. Jim, you guys got extra firearms and ammo? We're gonna need them."

Calling to three officers, he waved them over, "Michaels, Smith and Williams, give them your weapons. They'll be returned to you as soon as possible." Watching as they gave up their weapons, Jim smirked, "Now… anything else?"

"Just make sure your men are ready to go in at first light," Catherine said as the others checked the weapons. Sighing, she moved over to Horatio, "I wish you'd wait til first light, Horatio."

"Calleigh doesn't have til then, Catherine. We've got to get to her now," Horatio said as he picked up the heavy pack, groaning some from his ribs and swung it around onto his back. Watching as Tim did the same, Horatio glanced at Catherine, "We'll keep in touch with the radio and let you know when we catch up to them."

Moving from her, he looked to Tim and Ray, "Ready?"

"As I'll ever be," Ray answered with a sigh. Looking to the younger CSI, he arched a brow, "Speed, have you ever gone hiking?"

Tim chuckled as they started walking. Heading to the edge of the property line, he looked to Ray, "The only hiking I've done is trekking across the park with my little girl. Suffice to say, I'm in for a treat."

"Ray, please tell me these packs have tracking devices incase we get separated," Horatio said as his eyes adjusted to the darkness of the high desert terrain. "Last thing we need is another search party for one of us."

"There's a GPS device in each pack, but if I were you, I wouldn't drift too far away from each other. Terrain like this isn't the best to get lost in." Silence drifted in between them and Ray sighed heavily, "If not for the situation, this would be a great way to get exercise."

"Great way to exercise, right," Tim huffed as he readjusted the pack on his back. He shook his head and turned to his companions, "There's better ways of getting exercise."

"Just be glad this isn't the glades, Speed. Otherwise you'd be up to your neck in snakes, alligators, mosquito's, and humidity," Horatio said with one hand resting on his sore ribs.

"And you know how much I adore the Glades," Tim answered acidly. Having heard the pain in Horatio's voice, he looked to him and asked, "How are you doing, H?"

With his brow furrowed in concentrating on the ground below them, Horatio nodded, "Okay…I'll be better though when we get Calleigh back."

Tim nodded and added, "Everything will be better once we can put this behind us." Scanning the desolate landscape in the darkness, he shook his head, "We're looking in the proverbial haystack, guys. They can be anywhere by now."

Walking just ahead of them and looking back, Ray shook his head and turned back forward, "Not really. If this guy is as smart as he lets on, he'll take her up into the Spring Mountains…maybe even Red Rock Canyon. But, with choppers, either way, we'll be able to spot them."

"Well, let's consider him smart then," Tim responded as he looked forward. In the distance, he could see the shadows of the mountains, hoping beyond hope that they could reach them before getting there. The potential for danger had risen, and they didn't need anything else thrust in the way of recovering Calleigh safely. Picking up his pace slightly, Tim exhaled, "Did you see her hair cut, H? He must've done that back in Georgia. He's determined to strip Calleigh of her individuality, make her someone she isn't."

"I wouldn't doubt it. More then likely he's been calling Calleigh by his dead wife's name…which could have some effects on Calleigh. We'll have to make sure she hasn't convinced herself that she is Evelyn as well."

"With as much time that she's been with him, it's going to be hard to say if she's not fully submerged into the life he's molded for her. There's no telling what he's made her do, or what she's had to do to survive." Tim shook his head and sighed, "The Calleigh that I know is strong… she's going to persevere no matter what's happened."

"Stockholm Syndrome is kinda touchy…it'll be hard to tell what might trigger something, a memory or even a reaction from her about what all's gone on," Ray replied as they navigated through some of the low lying brush. "We don't know if he used hypnotism, or even applied drugs to her system. Might be best for a psychologist to talk with her as soon as we get her."

"I agree," Tim answered as he shot a glance to Horatio. He knew Horatio wanted to have Calleigh in his arms as soon as possible, but he would have to wait at least until the doctors had their turn with her. "It will be better for her once we know what we are facing."

Horatio's eyes and expression hardened and he growled out, "He'd better hope all he's done is cut her hair to look like Evelyn…considering she was pregnant when she was killed."

Tim could feel the anger wafting off of his friend and sighed, hoping that his emotions wouldn't be a hindrance. The red head's determination was legendary, the tenacity to protect what he loved almost unparalleled. If the threat to his love one's safety was valid, he eliminated the threat. Reaching out to him, he cupped his shoulder, "H, I'm sure Calleigh's fine. She's done everything she knows to survive."

"I'm sure she has, Speed, but there is still that chance," Horatio replied as he glanced to him. Shaking his head, he sighed, "Let's just hope she was able to keep him at bay."

"Let's hope, for his sake," Tim answered as he let him go. Continuing in silence, Tim shook his head and smirked, "What a way to spend a night, deep in the wilderness."

Smirking, Ray sighed, "More like high desert, Speed. And tomorrow, you two will want to keep your water bottles handy. It get's pretty hot out here. One hundred twenty plus on some days."

Stopping in his tracks, Tim groused, "One hundred plus? Are you serious? And here I thought I was getting away from the oppressive heat."

Chuckling lightly, Ray glanced back at him, "Dry heat is much different from your humidity that you guy's are usto. It doesn't feel like a sauna. But, you still have to drink a lot…oh, and by the way, you might want to get moving…the high desert is famous for scorpions."

"Scorpions!" Tim jumped and started moving, shaking his head as he groused, "Now I know the full reason why I don't like coming to Vegas. It's hot and too many bugs."

Smirking more, Ray shook his head, "Just think when the sun comes up we'll also be having to watch for rattlers too."

"Larken's ass is mine," Tim grumbled deeply. Being faced with nature and contending with god awful heat was killing his goodwill with each step that he took.