What's In A Name?

Pairing: Calleigh/Speed
Rating: G
Authors Notes: This was supposed to be a fun fluff piece for Raven's challenge on the CSI:Miami fic list about Speed's name but they had other ideas. Maybe it will also fit the angsty challenge too.
+++++++++++++++

Calleigh sat at the bar and downed another drink. Her third so far. She completely ignored the man sitting next to her. She knew Eric's presence was only that of a babysitter. Something she'd sworn she didn't need but apparently Horatio and Speed had thought she did. They were worried about her. She knew that. She knew they were concerned about how the last case had affected her. It had been a hard one and it had an effect on her unlike any other case she'd been on even after all the years she'd worked in New Orleans and Horatio at CSI. Hence Eric's presence since Horatio and Speed were still tied up.

"Come on Calleigh, let's get you home," Eric suggested trying to get her to stop drinking and go home before he had to carry her home passed out.

"Eric, if you want to go, go. I'm staying here," she replied tapping her empty glass on the bar to indicate she wanted another refill.

"Cal..." Eric said as the bartender set the drink down in front of her.  He wanted to get her to stop drinking. Drowning her feelings was not the answer.

Calleigh held up her hand, stopping him from continuing. She knew what he was going to say, she'd said it to herself over and over, she didn't want to hear him say it. "How do you think Tim got his nickname?" she asked changing the subject. She didn't want to talk about the case. She didn't want to think about the blood, the bodies, and the amount of rounds she pulled from the walls, the floors and the ones Alexx pulled out of the bodies. She had compared rounds and shells and guns until she was cross-eyed. She could still see the blood that covered them even after they had been cleaned off.  She was already having nightmares about it but listening to the killer justify why he'd opened fire in the preschool killing his wife and the dozens of children present had too much of a human face on the slaughter than there already was.  Thinking about Tim was easy because he was frequently on her mind.

"What?" Eric asked crinkling his eyebrows at the sudden change of subject. Catching up, he replied, "With a last name like Speedle, how do you think he got it?"

"I think there is more to it," she contradicted taking a sip of her drink.

"I don't."

"Guess we'll just have to ask Tim then," Calleigh declared as she finished her drink in one big gulp and set it on the bar with a thud.

"Ask me what?" Tim questioned coming up behind them and taking the stool on the other side of Calleigh.

"How you got the nickname 'Speed'? I'm assuming it has more to do then simply shortening Speedle."

Tim laughed at her question. She was spot on with her assumption.  "You would be right," he replied.

"You know what," Eric interrupted before they could continue. "I'm going to leave her in your capable hands, Speed, and go home."

After they said their goodbyes to Eric and the other CSI took off, Calleigh looked at Tim and asked, "So?  How did you get the nickname Speed?"

Tim wasn't surprised when Calleigh didn't let his nickname drop. "Tenacious as always," he laughed before telling her the story, "It was Megan who gave it to me. When I started working with her, I had a bit of a reputation. I liked fast things, cars boats…"

"You still do," Calleigh pointed out, interrupting him.

Tim snorted before adding the last fast thing he liked. "And women."

"Well *that* has changed."

"Yeah, I only like one woman now."

"You better," Calleigh stated leaning in to him. Letting him embrace her.

Tim held her for a moment.  It felt good to have her in his arms again.  They had been on different shifts during this case, something which he hated when he saw the weariness grow every time Calleigh walked into the lab. "Ready to go home now?" he asked hoping he could get her out of the bar, something which Eric had failed to do.

"Will you hold me and keep the nightmares away?" she asked letting her weakness show for the first time.

He was surprised by her request for comfort. Calleigh always insisted she could stand on her own and had for years. For her to ask meant this case had affected her worse than either he or Horatio had guessed.  "Always," answered standing and holding out his hand for her.

Taking his hand, Calleigh hoped that for the first time since this case started she would sleep the night through, and if she did it would be because of Speed.

The end