A/N: This is a very sad chapter... Tissue alert.
Another few years passed. Arya was now a wonderful teenager. She was sixteen but more mature than other teens. That was to be expected because of her past. She and Horatio had just grown closer. And she had gotten close to everyone on the team. Even Frank. Who she called her wonderful Texan. And of course Calleigh and Alexx were her unofficial mommas. She and Horatio had a family routine worked out to. In the mornings Horatio would drive her to school, she'd kiss his cheek and leave. He'd go to work with a smile on his face. Then after school, since Horatio usually couldn't drive her, Arya would get Speed to drive her to her art class. And she would stay there for a few hours until Horatio's shift was over. He'd pick her up and they'd go home. She'd do her homework over dinner and they'd watch a movie or a show together. She and Horatio would laugh and carry on, having a large time together. They never ran out of things to talk about either. And after that she's typically go to bed. Now weekends were a free for all. One day she'd be out seeing a movie with Speed, another she's be with Eric or Calleigh, or just out with Horatio. Everything was smooth and comfortable and everyone was happy.
One morning Arya was on the phone with Speed cooking breakfast. Horatio yawned walking in. Seeing her he smiled and leaned against the wall listening to her. "...So movie tonight speedy?" She smiled and Horatio could only imagine what sarcastic remark speed said. "Ok. I'll be ready after your shift is done." She grinned and ended the call. Horatio grinned and sat down. "I take it you have plans." Arya jumped and laughed handing him his breakfast and coffee. "Yeah I do." She sat down and they ate in serene morning silence. Around the time Horatio was done he got a call out. He looked and groaned seeing the call and a text from his team detailing what happened. Arya looked up and cocked a brow. "Call out?" He sighed and put his dishes away grabbing his suit jacket. He swung it on and nodded. "Yeah. The causeway crumbled after a boat ran into it, and we found a dead man on the boat." Arya shook her head slowly letting out a whistle. "Dang.. That's just cold..." Horatio nodded and kissed her head. "Yeah it is. I gotta go. I hope this won't ruin your movie plans." Arya grinned and hugged him nodding. "Go get em HC." He chuckled and waved walking out the front door. As he drove to the scene he smiled a little hoping the movie Arya and Speed would see would be good.
As the day progressed over the case, dots were connected and things were found. The man was to pay a ransom for his kidnapped boy with jewels. Upon investigating the jewels Horatio and Speed had found out that they were fake. So they asked the wife about them and she pointed them in the direction of the jewelry store where she had them cleaned. As Horatio talked to the manager he noticed Tim had drawn his weapon. The managers words faded out as Horatio drew his own and advanced a bit. A sound came from the back of the store. In that moment Horatio knew what was gonna happen. He brought his weapon up and yelled. "SPEED!" Just before the bullets started flying. A window smashed and women screamed taking cover. Horatio returned fire at the assailant. Speed didn't even get a shot out. His gun jammed. And the shooter saw an opportunity. He shot speed in the chest. Speed landed on the floor with a thud. Horatio growled and shot again before rolling to kneel beside speed. Horatio yelled into the radio. "Man down shots fired!" He dropped the radio and framed speeds face trying to keep him still. "Speed your gonna be alright. Look at me you're gonna be fine." He pulled a handkerchief out and pressed it against Speeds bloody mouth as he gurgled struggling for breath. "I-I can't feel...anything..." Horatio nodded holding Speeds eyes even as blood spattered onto his face. "Speed just keep breathing.." Speed jerked and spasmed. Horatio held onto him, trying not to panic. Speed stopped moving, and then stopped breathing. His head lolled to the side, eyes still open. Horatio leaned back for a moment, scared. "Speed!" Horatio leaned down pressing his face against speeds chest listening for a heart beat. Blood spread around Tim. Horatio leaned back up, blood on his cheek, and a sad defeated look on his face. "Speed..."
Arya walked into the crime lab smiling a little. It was late afternoon and she had to figure out the plans for movie night with speedy. But walking in, seeing all the sad faces, Arya knew something was wrong. She saw Eric and Calleigh and walked over. "Hey guys where's speedy?" They stared at her and looked down sadly. Eric closed his eyes putting a hand on her shoulder. "He's gone..." Arya smiled a little. Dreading the worst Horatio and Frank walked up silently. "What out on a call?" She turned and saw Horatio's sad face, and the blood. She shook her head and Frank, along with Eric and Calleigh all laid a hand on her. Horatio dropped his eyes. "No Arya... Speedle was shot today.. He's dead sweetheart." Arya jerked away and stared at them all. "You're lying! Stop and just tell me where he is!" Horatio pursed his lips and exhaled softly. "He's gone." Arya growled and pulled her phone out. She dialed speeds number before anyone could stop her.
The phone in Tim Speedle's personal effects began to ring. Alexx looked and saw "Squirt" flashing on it. It was Arya. Either she didn't know or was trying to see if he really was gone. Alexx answered and spoke softly. "I'm so sorry baby... But Timmy isn't comin back..."
Arya stood frozen in place. Alexx's words echoed in her head again and again. The world faded and crashed into a million pieces. Arya's phone clattered to the floor. She wasn't even aware she dropped it. In the span of a second all the memories of Speed flashed in her minds eye. The others watched unable to do anything. Tears welled in their eyes as the words finally registered in Arya's head. Eric was the first to take a step towards her. "Arya..." She shook hard stepping forward and away from them. Her eyes fixed on the door. Horatio stilled. "Arya...don't..." But she did. Arya shot out of the crime lab like a bat out of hell. Horatio and the others took off after her. But by the time they made it down the steps she was gone. Eric panted softly leaning on his knees. "She's gone h... I don't think she wants to be found..."
Horatio groaned breathing hard. "Eric...she's gonna go where she feels safe!"
The pier was an old forgotten one by now. The wood was cracked and worn, unkept. There were still bloody stains from so many years ago. That same little girl sat at the end bleeding like last time. Only this time it wasn't her body. It was her heart. Flashbacks of a different variety assaulted her mind. Speedy was dead. Gone. She let out a wayward sob curling into herself. She cried out at the loss of Tim. It was times like these she gripped the dog tags her dad had made for the funeral. She had never taken them off. But now they felt like a dead weight. No comfort was given from them now. Arya sobbed uncontrollably. She had ran for miles without thinking, without stopping. And somehow she made it back to the same pier she hid at when she was little. The same one where she met her now family. And the same one that would hold a new memory of losing a new family member. There she sat, in the same situation years later. She kept her head down.
She didn't want to go on. Suddenly angry, she banged her fists on the pier and screamed. "WHY!" A quiet voice answered her. "I don't know sweetheart... I don't know.." Arya stilled and turned around. There behind her, was a teary faced Horatio. Staring at her in sadness. Arya wiped her face turning away from him. "Go away...I don't want to be seen.." Horatio sighed and sat down next to her. "Arya..." She lowered her head to her arms. "I'm nobodies 'squirt' anymore.." He reached for her. She jerked away hard causing him to wince. She stared ahead. "Don't get too close... You'll die." She closed her eyes getting up. "Everyone I love dies.. I refuse to see it happen again." Horatio rose with her feeling a panic rise within him. "Sweetheart it's got nothing to do with you...sometimes life is just cruel.." Arya looked at him, the light in her eyes was gone. "I can't take that chance... I won't let anyone else die.." Arya turned away from him. "Just take me home..." And she walked to his hummer and got in the back.
Horatio was stunned. Stunned and scared. He had never seen her like that. He had never seen an emotional wall that thick, put up that fast. From her! She wasn't just self destructing, she was blocking him out. Preventing him from helping her. Horatio walked to the hummer panicking. He had to get through to her. Had to make her see Speedle's death wasn't her fault. He knew they had been close, knew this would be bad. But never in his darkest dreams could Horatio have imagined she would block him out to. Him! Her HC! As he got in the car he made up his mind. First thing in the morning he would call Eric, Calleigh, everyone to help him. Maybe with all of them working together they could restore his Arya before it was too late. He had to save her. She was his bright spot in his day. He couldn't lose her. She was his. His. Horatio's Arya couldn't be lost...