CSI Miami Lab

Everything changes.

"so...you can really stay?"

"yeah. Really. I have nowhere to rush." Speed smiled sadly.  H. looked at him and nodded " fine then. we have a call to a crime scene. It's me, you and Calleigh. "

"H...I'm gonna   stay of course, but there are too little of us... we get more and more things to do... I became CSI few months ago and I don't remember a free day..."

"I know Speed. Megan knows it too.. but we're in the shortage of funds. I must say I've got somebody on my mind, I'll do everything to hire him as soon as possible. Now, keep moving."

Speed nodded and took his box. They left the car close to the scene, watching Megan and Calleigh leaving another hummer. All the police officers were running around and there were two dead bodies on the ground. 

"What the hell happened?"

" They fell" the officer told them. "He- this detective-  wanted to stop the killer from suicidal loop and the guy pulled him over the edge... shit, that can happen everyday but it's still one of our own " the cop shook his head.

Horatio had a quick look at the bodies nearby and then a faster one on Megan and Calleigh, then started running towards them. 

"Megan???Megan !!! Wait!"

SPeed wondered what was so important but watching H.'s pace made him run too.

"MEGAN!"  he grabbed her hand in the same moment Megan approached one of the bodies "don't..." but she was already kneeling next to a man. Speed looked at Calleigh and she shook her shoulders , so they approached. Megan was sitting next to this man, all her clothes  were covered in  blood,she was murmuring something. Speedle didn't know what to say and neither did Calleigh. They didn't know what's going on here

"Megan...get up...Megan ..." Horatio tried to get her up, but she resisted.

"Megan, let me pass"  Alexx pushed them "I need to check on him... Megan!! Horatio, take her please."

"I'm trying ALexx..". Horatio shook Megan's arms-"ook at me. AT ME, Megan! " She did that mechanically " Let her take him. Let her take Sean,Megan." Then he hugged her.

This very moment Calleigh covered her lips, and Speedle understood that this man on the floor, completely unrecognizable for others, was Sean Donner, Megan's husband. 

"Speed!" he heard H's voice "please help me!" He stood Megan up and started to lead her in the direction where they left the hummer. Speed felt her strong resistance, and saw Calleigh kneeling down next to Alexx. When they approached the car,  H. sat her down on the passenger's seat and took out his handkies. "There...let me help you... wiping her face and hands of her husband's blood . Water, Speed." 

Speedle rushed for the bottle to the back socket. Megan was sitting like a robot observing Calleigh and ALexx working.

 "I'll be right back" Horatio left suddenly.

"Megan... don't look there. Look at me- now". She gave him an empty look. "Can I take you home?"

" I have no home now, Speedle." She answered quietly. "So maybe I could call somebody close?"

"I don't have anybody close either, now..."  And she just started to cry. The only thing he could do was to kneel next to her and let her cry on his shoulder as long as she needed. He knew well, that no words can make things right  in this moment. After a while H. approached with a paramedic. 

"Megan.. let them help you and I promise to take care of Sean, ok?"

"I want to run this case Caine."  She said in a hardened tone.

"No, Megan. You can't do it. I'm sorry. Speed, come with me". 

Not even one word was exchanged between H, Speed and Calleigh within 2 hours of work. Even coming back to the lab, Cal was driving with Tim and H. went alone. Megan was taken to hospital and he wanted to check up on her. 

"What now? Cal asked waiting at the traffic lights?"

"I don't know."

"you....understand her, right? what she feels right now. " . he looked at her sadly "yeah. I also know that it won't be easy to get over it." 

"I guess so".

H. came after an hour. "SHe got medications. She's gonna stay at hospital for a while. Her brother is flying from Atlanta and Alexx is with her." 

"What now?"

"She's probably gonna take a sick leave." 

"And what about us, Horatio? there are only 3 of us on a dayshift."

"We'll take nighshifters for  awhile. I'm officially your head, until she's back. Let's get to work."........................................................................................................................................................

It was over a month since Sean was killed, when Speed finally couraged to visit Megan. He knew from H that she feels very bad- at his funeral she looked cathatonic -mechanical moves, mechanical answers. He felt so sorry for her. Wanted to tell her that, but was afraid that it might hurt her. When he heard that she decided to come back to work, but was refused because of her state of mind, he finally showed up to visit her. He called many times but there was no answer.

The door was opened by the black haired man, Megan's brother.

"Oh hello, you came to see Megan?"

"Yeah...how is she?"

"Better... she's on medications. A talk with a friend will do her good .Coffee?"

"No thanks"- his heart rate was so high that coffee could easily kill him. He felt so bad, but just needed to see her.

"Hi, Megan"  she put up her head from the bed she was sitting on." How are you?"

"the same as the day before" She said slowly. "No change. How's the lab?"

"Empty without your energetic steps" he smiled. "But we're doing fine. We've got few people to help us for a while. I see your brother's still here."

"Yeah. he takes care of me like a mommy" she smiled.  " It won't get better with time, right?" she suddenly asked him looking him straight in the eye  "You know how it is Tim, I know. "

He was shocked. SHe called him Tim for the first time, and he understood somebody told her about his situation, probably David. 

"Did David tell you...?"

"Yeah. SHortly after hiring you". 

"Oh"

 Speed felt weird. David passed away shortly after his graduation. A heart attack. He felt sad - David did a lot for him. His sister Marianne- Andy's mother- was the only one family member present on the ceremony. SHe spent a nice afternoon with him- they were talking about Speed's runaway, graduation ,work...Then she left. David left him some money-  Marianne said- so Speed hired a condo and bought some simple furnishings. He never forgot all the good things David did for him.  He also didn't know David told anybody about Andy.

"Megan... I'd like to tell you something that will help you, some stuff about the healing time... but...but it's not true. It will be bit better, but always a reminder. That you live and he doesn't. So if you need anything- to talk, watch a movie or just sit in quiet-  just tell me. I can do that. But I'm not  good at saying everything will be fine". 

She nodded. "Thank you, SPeedle. For honesty. Now please go and leave me with my pain"

He left. He felt guilty he couldn't do as little as calming her, soothe her anger. 

A week later H told them that Megan left for Atlanta with her brother and took a longer break for work. 

"SO what now Cal? You've got a boss and I don't...do I still work here?"

"You do, Speed" said H.entering. "Nothing changed in that matter."

"so you see" Calleigh whispered "everything changes from now,Tim."