Title:Time after Time
Author:LiLAqUaMaRiE
Fandom: CSI: Miami
Pairings/Characters: Calleigh Duquesne/Tim Speedle
Rating: R/M/FRM
Genre: Romance, Drama
Spoilers: None that I can think of.
Word Count: 5,368
Challenge Fic: #16
Challenge Word: #17 – Celebration
Summary: A moment in time is worth a thousand words...
Disclaimer: I don't own "CSI: Miami" or anything related to it, so don't sue me please!!!! I'm already poor as it is and I don't need a lawsuit to put me out on the street.
Note:This fic is for SincerelyinDenial and the CSI Secret Santa 2007 assignment challenge, as well for the MiamiFicTalk Community prompt challenge.
Note #2: This fic wasn't meant to be originally long as it came out as, but it just took a life of it its own and grew and I hope the sexual scenes mentioned aren't too bad; I'm not too good when it comes to actually writing stuff like that.
Note #3: There is just a simple mention of a song within the fic; it's the song "If You're Not the One" by Daniel Bedingfield.

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He's only five minutes late.

Calleigh stared at the clock on her nightstand a little harder and then glanced away from it to stare at the wall instead. No, she was mistaken, he was ten minutes late. A deep sigh escaped her lips as she closed her eyes briefly. She stood motionless within her bedroom waiting patiently for something that had yet to happen.

She had been within her bedroom for ten minutes, according to her clock, completely ignoring the fact that it was New Years Eve, a festive day. It was a day to be out partying or being surrounded by loved ones as the awaited moment of a new year arrived at midnight.

Calleigh opened her eyes to stare at the clock once more – fifteen minutes late. She shook her head to clear her thoughts; she didn't need to be reminded of the passage of time but at the same moment the only thing she had been trying to hold onto was just that – time.

She knew that today was meant to be filled with laughter, love and festivities; she had even dressed herself up in a beautiful dark blue dress, her hair curled up and her make up made up. And yet, there she was within her bedroom alone, resembling a little lost girl, all dressed up and nowhere to go.

She tried her best to keep her eyes away from her clock, gazing over everything and anything but it, she even tried closing her eyes again but it was useless. The clock, no - time itself seemed to haunt her and now she was left alone with it and her thoughts until he called.

And it was a terrible place to be.

Do not be mistaken, Calleigh wasn't entirely alone especially not on this special holiday – she had been invited a numerous of times from her friends and family to spend the night with them, however, she had kindly declined each invitation that was thrown her way.

Calleigh had wanted to be home for when Tim called.

Twenty minutes late.

'That's still not too bad', she thought mentally. He probably had to worry about some new crime or evidence that came up out of the blue. Yes, that's right, work. It had to do with something work related. Calleigh nodded to herself as she continued her line of thinking. He's a very intelligent man, knows what he wants and how to get it and he's absolutely gorgeous.

Calleigh smiled lightly to herself, he could be barefoot, in his pjs and his hair defying all the laws of physics as it stood up in all directions and he would still be gorgeous to her. She wanted to think happy thoughts, happy thoughts made the evening just a bit easier and bearable.

Yes, a new crime scene must have come up over there in New York City and as the saying goes – there's no break for the wicked, not even holidays. But he'll call. He has too. He will. Calleigh bit her bottom lip as she crossed her arms across her chest as she continued to get lost within her thoughts. Yes, Tim will call and he'll wish her a great new year and she'll do the same to him before talking about little things here and there. Then their conversation would change, focusing on them specifically about how much they missed one another which would lead them to talk all the way into the night with the idea of hanging up never crossing their minds.

Calleigh exhaled bitterly as she uncrossed her arms.

It's not like they are able to see each other as much as they wanted to. While they both were Crime Scene Investigators, that does not mean they worked in the same area. Tim worked for the New York Police Department, while she worked for the Miami-Dade Police Department; two different places, correction – two very far different places and its not as if she could possibly take a cab down to where he was whenever she wanted to or vice versa. No, all they really had was the telephone for their long distance relationship. Still, he'll call – he always has.

Calleigh walked over to her bed and plopped down onto it with her eyes closed. She mentally winced knowing full well she was lying to herself. While it's true that Tim would call her or she would call him, the calls had become less frequent as days went by.

They would have some problems here and there, but they were just that, problems. Simple ones at first then simple ones that would somehow turn into big ones that would then go on for days and with each new one, those days would seem just a tad longer.

Calleigh sighed as she reopened her eyes and glanced at the clock once more; thirty minutes late and no sign of him. She tore her gaze away from the clock to fiddle with the hem of her dress as if it would help her ease her mind.

She would wait ten more minutes, just ten more and then she would call him.

Another thought popped into her mind, maybe he forgot to recharge his cell phone. Calleigh smiled grimly to herself, yes, that had to have happened. Tim can be silly like that at times; all focused in work, work, and work and forget a simple fact as recharging his phone. He must be just waiting for it to charge up so he can call. That has to be it; he's just waiting and she can wait too. No hurry.

Calleigh sat motionless as she continued to play with the hem of her dress silently, waiting patiently until the silence was so overwhelming for her that she had to break it somehow. She abruptly stood and started to pace around her bedroom; she tried all her will power to avoid glancing at the clock on her nightstand but her efforts were futile. Her eyes glued themselves to it and all she could do was stare at the time.

Sixty minutes had gone by and not one sign of him. She had actually waited a half an hour and nothing, not one beep, not one ring, nothing. Her shoulders slumped. He couldn't just forget to call her, he couldn't – no. Calleigh bit her inner cheek as she shook her head to clear her mind. She wasn't going to think like that, there had to be a reason for why he didn't call.

Maybe he was hurt and unable, maybe she should call him.

Calleigh nodded to herself as she unconsciously walked out of her bedroom to stand in the middle of her hallway as she gazed toward the main entrance of her home. Yes, she'll call instead. If he can't get in touch with her, she'll get in touch with him – she won't spend the night alone, especially when all she wanted was to hear his voice. As she spoke she all but scrambled over to a table in the middle of her living room where her phone was at and picked up as she quickly dialed up the familiar cell phone number she knew by heart. She quietly waited four rings to pass before the call was answered.

"Talk to me?" a gruff voice came over the phone. She blinked for a moment as the voiced repeated, "Yo, anyone there?"

"Danny?" she asked cautiously.

The voice paused for a second before responding a bit harder, "Depends on whose askin'?"

Calleigh cleared her throat, "It's me, Calleigh."

Laughter broke out, "Calleigh, my girl C?!" more laughter, "Girl it's 'bout time I hear ya voice…Life treatin' ya good?"

Calleigh smiled briefly, Danny Messer could always bring a smile to her lips. "Yes Danny, I'm good. Is Tim around? He's-"

Another silent pause before Danny spoke cutting her off, "Miami boy?" He questioned. "Nah, sorry hon, your Timmy boy's gone."

"What?" was her first reaction before she questioned him further, "Where?"

"Sweetheart all I know is that he's gone to get the girl of his dreams…"

Calleigh nodded to herself as she swallowed hard. There was another woman; Tim was with another woman…

Danny voiced ranged throughout the phone capturing her attention once again, "Yo C, ya still there?"

Her voiced sounded muffled as she replied, "Yeah. Still here."

"A' right, ya wanna leave a message?"

She shook her head before remembering he couldn't see her. "No…no message." She whispered.

"It's cool." Messer responded before adding softly, "Happy new year babe."

A sad smile graced Calleigh's lips, "Thanks Dan, same to you." Then the line went dead and she hung up the phone in an almost zombie like state. Tim went to see another woman. He had someone else he would rather be with tonight, than call her. Tears formed in her eyes as they silently fell from her eyes as she continued to lose herself in her thoughts.

No wonder he never called. He didn't want to when he had someone else to hold his attention. A sob escaped her lips and if it wasn't for the sofa that broke her fall, she would have fallen to the floor due to her weak legs.

Time has passed her by far too quickly that she could not say how long she sat there in her living room sobbing her heart out. The only thing that brought her out of that sad cycle was the insistent ringing of her door bell. It just would not stop no matter how much she tried to ignore it as she continued to dwell into her misery.

Her face was covered in dark tear streaks that ran down her face from where her tears mingled with her mascara turning her sad crystal tears into dark ones. Her eyes were red and puffy and her throat ached from sobbing her heart out. She looked pitiful and all she wanted was to be alone.

Calleigh stood from the sofa and stomped angrily over to the front door of her house and she quickly opened the door – all ready to yell at who ever were persistently ringing her doorbell. She wanted to get rid of them as soon as possible to dwell back once more in her agony. However, the moment her eyes locked onto the other pair that was waiting on the other side of the door's threshold, she froze.

There, before her, standing tall with a grin on his face and a bouquet of roses in one hand while the other rested near the doorbell was none other than Tim Speedle.

"Honey, I'm home."

If it wasn't for the fact that Tim caught her within his arms she would have fallen once more to the floor below her from pure shock. Calleigh could not believe what her eyes were showing her – Tim? Tim was here and in front of her? No, he wasn't. He never called. She must be so lost in her misery that she's imagining things now… She paused in her rapid thoughts as she could easily feel his strong, firm arms around her frame. But he's holding me, how…?

Calleigh stared hard and wide at the man who had his arms wrapped around her as he pulled her further into her house while kicking the door behind him closed. "Tim?"

"Hello princess." He drawled out softly as he gazed down at her, his eyes twinkling against the lights in the living room.

Calleigh gasped slightly before pulling away from him to stand a few feet apart; she studied the man before her silently as she kept shaking her head in denial. His dark black hair was curled up, begging her to run her fingers through it and his eyes, his dark soulful eyes, were pinned to hers. He had an apologetic grim smile upon his lips as he observed her, "Calleigh, I-" he paused briefly, "I'm sorry, I-I meant to call you."

Calleigh's eyes turned hard as she glared at him, "Aren't you suppose to be somewhere else?" she forced herself to keep her tone soft as she spoke but it was hard for her to not show her jealousy – it was clear as the night sky in Miami-Dade.

Tim stared at her quietly, taking in her appearance, her red puffy eyes, her tear marked face. "What's going on, Calleigh?" he questioned softly.

Calleigh stared at the floor as she took in a deep breath, "Nothing that concerns you. Now if you don't mind, I wish to be alone…" she gestured to the door.

"You're actually throwing me out?" He questioned in shock before moving closer to her, he threw the bouquet of roses onto a nearby table and with his now free hand, he reached out to her face and tilted her chin upward, forcing her to look at him. "What's a matter?"

She tried to push his hands away but he held a firm grip on her that she ended up submitting herself to his actions, staring defiantly into his eyes. Tim sighed softly as he studied her face and with his thumb he caressed gently the side of her cheek. "Are you upset because I didn't call?" he asked her quietly as he released her from his soft but firm grip. He watched her as she shifted uncomfortably before him, as she ran her hands through her hair, trying to smooth out the tangles. "Because Calleigh, if it is, then I'm sorry."

Calleigh glared at him, as she couldn't bite back the harshness in her voice as she questioned him, "Look, why did you come here anyway? Your other honey wasn't enough for you to get your kicks that you had to run and see me too?

Tim blinked, taken aback. "Other honey?" he repeated and shook his head, "Calleigh what are you talking about?"

Calleigh rolled her eyes, her anger taking control of her. "Oh please Tim, don't treat me as if I'm stupid, okay. You know what I'm talking about and now I want you to go." She walked over toward the doorway and opened the door wide open, keeping her back to him as she gestured for him to leave.

Tim's heart thumped hard and fast in his chest as he heard her words and saw her actions. He didn't fly from New York to Miami for this reception…he expected to surprise her, for her to run into his open arms, for them to be together after so long of being separated – but not this, surely not this. He took a deep stagger breath and pinched his eyebrows as he tried to calm his wary nerves; it was all he could do to keep from begging her to forgive him for whatever she was accusing him of. He waited for a moment to see if she would turn around and face him, but when she didn't, he frowned and his shoulders slumped in response.

With another deep breath, he marched towards her, closing the distance between them in three long strides. His hands quickly reached for her, one hand found hers on the doorknob while the other grasped her arm. He wasn't going to allow for this between them to end this way, if she wanted to fight against him, then he would fight right back to keep her close. "No Calleigh, I'm not moving from here until you and I talk whatever this is out." His voice was steady and strong.

For a moment Calleigh glanced at where Tim's hand was on her arm and then at their hands, taking notice how his larger hand completely covered hers before she shook her head and then a bitter laugh escaped Calleigh lips, "Talk? You want to talk about this?" more laughter came from her, "What's to talk about Tim?" She glared at him, "You really want to make this harder than it has to be don't you?" With a rueful sigh as she looked at their hands once again she spoke quietly to him, "Isn't it obvious it yet? We're done."

Tim removed his hand from the door way to grasp her other shoulder and he shook her slightly, frustrated with her insolent childlike behavior, if she wouldn't talk on her terms, he'll make her talk. "Then why don't you look at me when you say that?" he asked her harshly, "Come on Calleigh, if we're done like you say, look at me in the eye and tell me that."

Calleigh couldn't bear to look at him in the face as she tried to hold back unshed tears; she truly wished in her heart that what was happening wasn't happening at all. She was tired, tired of everything, tired of crying, fighting. She felt deflated inside. "Tim, do you love me?" she questioned softly. Her eyes lifted to scan his face to study his reaction, his words to see if he's telling her the truth when he answers her. "Please…please be honest with me. Do you?"

Tim was startled by the sudden behavior from the woman before him. Her words jarred to a halt whatever he had been thinking at the moment, whatever he was feeling. She sounded so lost, so desperate when she spoke that he just wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms and soothe her, telling her she had nothing to fear with him at her side. Though he had to answer her and she wanted him to be completely honest with her, something deep down his soul told him he was treading hard water here and that he had to be careful on his way – he had to be careful how he worded himself or he could be on the verge of losing everything he once held dear.

Tim had never been a very open man to start with, he usually preferred to keep his emotions to himself and rarely expressed verbally what he felt for anyone – he was those types that tended to let action speak louder than the actual words. And yet, now at this moment in his life, he has to depend on words to help him, and with one deep breath he opened his mouth to talk – bearing his heart to her. "My whole life, I've never loved anything else." He gazed at her, his eyes pinned to hers. "I don't know if I've made it clear to you or not, but I'm in love with you. I love you and I don't think I could stop even if I wanted to. After everything we've shared, experienced together – I'm powerfully, painfully in love with you." He lifted a hand and reached to caress a side of her face gently, "The things you do, the way you look, think, move. Everything about you excites me whenever I lay my eyes upon you." A silent tear fell from Calleigh eye and with his thumb he wiped it away as he continued to express his true feelings towards her. "I remember when I first saw you, I watched you enter one of the labs at work, you were talking to someone – laughing – and I loved you." A soft chuckle escaped his lips, "From day one, you had my heart, how can you think I don't love you Calleigh?"

Calleigh was outright crying at this point as she listened to every word he had uttered; she even felt like someone had punched her in the gut when she finally understood in her heart that Tim truly did love her. His words held so much emotion and his eyes – she felt like a heel for the way she had treated him prior to his confession of his love. Even with everything, she can't help but feel amazed at the depth of his love for her. "You – you love me that much?"

Tim gave her a gentle loving smile, "That much and more."

Calleigh moved her hands to reach for him but halted in her steps, before she did anything she had to know the truth, "Tim?"

His eyes stared at her with uncertainty, "Yeah?"

Calleigh took a deep breath, "Is there another woman in your life?"

Tim blinked startled, "What? No!" Shouting, he pulled away from her, "Is that – you thought that I-?" It was his turn to be upset as he fixed a glare on her. "How could you think that I would cheat?" He started to pace in front of her angrily, "How dare you think that of me…" He paused in his steps to look at her, "How dare you?" he spat out flatly.

"I'm sorry," Calleigh cried out as she tried to reach for him but he backed away from her. Tears swept down her face as her lips trembled, "I know now that, I just….you didn't call and – and I called, a-and…" she started to hiccup as she spoke, "I-I was t-told…" she wanted to beg forgiveness so bad, "It w-was a mis-misunderstanding..."

He ignored her as he turned his back on her, "And here I came with roses no less, thinking that we could spend a nice happy new year eve together, but no…" he walked closer to the entrance door as he had all the intentions of leaving.

Calleigh darted towards him in an attempt to stop him. She wrapped her arms around his waist with her face buried into his back as she sobbed, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." She repeated over and over as if in a mantra. "Please don't leave me." She begged in a whisper, "I love you, Tim."

Tim froze the instant she wrapped her arms around him and silent tears trekked down his own face as he listened. He swallowed hard and silently turned his body around so that he could pull her against him, her head on his chest as he held her tightly as possible. He brushed his lips over her hair and ran a gentle hand across her back to calm her as her breathing hitched while she sagged against him.

"Shh, its okay." He whispered out to her, "Its okay princess, I'm here." He told her.

They held onto one another, both needing the comfort, safely and warmth each felt whenever they were in each others arms. Time passed them quickly even if it felt like eternity to them and for a moment, Tim glanced up to look at a near by clock and noticed what time it was; midnight on the dot – the new year had finally arrived.

He glanced down at the female within his arms and pulled back to see her face and leaned down to kiss her forehead then moving to her nose before a soft kiss on her lips. As they parted, a soft smile graced Calleigh's lips, then parting almost hesitantly to whisper," Happy New Year Princess."

Calleigh eyes widen in surprise, "Already?" She was definitely amazed. "I completely forgot it was New Years Eve…." And then she smiled softly at her beloved Tim, "Happy New Year to you too, baby."

They smiled at one another once more before both bursting out in soft laughter. Tim shook his head, "Look at us, all that fighting and now laughing, we must look like crazed people to anyone who passed by your house tonight." Calleigh grinned, enjoying the sound of his voice.

She pulled away silently with a soft smile on her lips and went toward the doorway of her house and closed the door, locking it. Eying him with a small giggle, she moved forward, "We're safe from prying eyes now…" She glanced to a side and saw her appearance in a mirror that was hanging nearby on a wall and her eyes widen slightly before turning to Tim. "Why don't you relax why I go freshen up a bit?" she asked him and he nodded. She walked back to where he was to pass him as she headed for her bedroom, but paused briefly to pick up the bouquet of roses that lay forgotten on a table, "I'll put these in a vase as well, thanks by the way. They are lovely."

Tim smiled at her, "Not as lovely as you, Princess." He scanned her living room quickly as she walked towards her bedroom and called out to her before she disappeared into the room. "Nice place, by the way. You've got that elegant look going for you."

From within her bedroom, Calleigh answered back in the same manner, "Thanks."

In the long silence that followed, Calleigh washed her face as thoroughly as she could to remove the tear marks that covered her lovely face. She wanted to look pretty for Tim not as if she just returned from a funeral. In the living room, Tim kept himself busy with looking through Calleigh music cd record collection she had by her stereo, evaluating each cd he came across with a nod, smile or a raise of his eyebrow.

After a few minutes, Tim finally settled on a cd he liked and placed it within the cd player of the stereo and the sounds of a soft ballad filled the room. It was the song "If You're Not the One" by Daniel Bedingfield and even though it wouldn't have normally been one of his top favorites, he did like the song. It was soft, gentle like but at the same time so full of raw emotions and feelings and it truly expressed what he felt about Calleigh. It seemed fitting to play it tonight after everything that had transpired between them.

After the song was in place and playing, Tim glanced in the direction of Calleigh's bedroom for a brief moment before heading towards it to stop in front of the door way to stare within the room. Calleigh stood in front of her body size mirror and frowning as she pulled back her hair and letting it drop with a frustrated groan. He sighed to himself as he shook his head silently; did she not realize she was beautiful no matter how she looked? She was his Princess and she could never be less than beautiful in his eyes.

Padding across the room, Tim came up behind Calleigh and took the heavy mass of soft golden hair in his hands and smoothed it down with his fingers, then he gently combed his fingers through it, enjoying the feel of it and lastly he curled it around his fingers as he marveled at the beauty of it. It was perfect like how everything about Calleigh was, it's clean bright smell, its sheen, texture, and color could keep him there all night playing with her hair. He released her hair, smoothing it back down as he leaned in closer, laying his chin on her shoulder as he stared at her through the mirror before them.

"You're beautiful in whatever way you look Princess," he told her honestly and was rewarded with a smile.

He pulled back a bit and moved a strand of hair that was around her neck and stared at the soft delicate skin there before he leaned closer and pressed his lips against the side of her neck. Calleigh moaned in response and titled her head to allow him better access. Tim smiled to himself before trailing soft kisses over her neck and all the way up to her cheek as he enjoyed hearing Calleigh moan in pleasure at his mere touches.

"Tim…" she whispered breathlessly.

He continued to kiss her neck, letting his tongue dart out and taste the salty skin before him. She moaned louder at the feeling, "God, Tim, make love to me…" He continued to assault her vulnerable neck – he was intoxicated with her taste, scent – everything. It made him feel dizzy with desire. "Please…" she begged desperately.

He pulled back and buried his face into her hair, breathing in her sweet scent before gently turning her around to face him. He stared deeply into her heavy lidded eyes full of desire and need and leaned in forward to capture her lips with his own in a soft small peck. Then he placed another one on her chin and another kiss on her heated skin below her chin as Calleigh threw her head back, her body craving his teasing kisses. As butterfly kisses trailed over her long neck downward and upward back to her lips, a wave of warm laughter escaped her lips, especially whenever Tim kissed a certain spot on neck that was on the column of her throat, sending delightful tingles through her entire body.

She sucked in a gasp when she felt a kiss just below her ear, lips barely brushing the surface as a husky voiced murmured softly to her, "Let me help you out your dress…"

Calleigh had to close her eyes as her body shuddered slightly, breathing out, "Sure…" the single word almost catching in her throat. The tingles, the sensations were getting stronger now, powerful, turning into full blown shocks wherever Tim touched her.

Tim kissed her cheek as he went behind her once more and picked up her hair up in a pile and gently placed it over her left shoulder undoing the dress hook that was around her neck as slowly as possible, blowing softly over any exposed skin he saw, making Calleigh moan in pleasure. The top part of the dress fell from her upper torso falling against the bottom part of the dress that slid against her thighs. Her breasts tumbled out freely and his arms went around, skimming lightly over her nipples enjoying the way she moaned and arched into him, her back crushed against his chest, her head thrown back over his shoulder. Her neck was exposed to him once again and he growled in desire and leaned in sucking on the tempting skin before him, Calleigh groaned and shivered against him.

What seemed like eons later, Tim pulled away slightly from Calleigh because he had wanted to finish undressing her. He unzipped the bottom part of the dress, allowing it to fall carelessly to the floor below them. Once that was done, he moved back a few steps to get a good look at her, she was dressed in only her underwear and shoes, her hair was curly and wild, her face was etched in desire – she was breathtaking to him, beautiful beyond words.

He quickly undressed himself watching and enjoying the appreciative glances she threw at him then he went over to her and lifted her up into his arms, putting her upon the bed in the room. She resembled an angel upon it, with her hair spread all around her like a halo. He moved to the foot of the bed and removed the shoes from her feet, leaving them bear before gripping the waist of her underwear and sliding them over her hips. The action itself made Calleigh wither with pleasure on the bed. Once the item was off, he flung it to the floor beside him and turned back towards his beloved angel on the bed. He lifted one of her legs up and gently trailed kisses from her foot all the way to her calf before giving the other leg the same treatment. Calleigh almost purred out in pleasure and he smiled down at her as he watched her go completely soft under his ministrations.

He leaned down towards her and captured her mouth in a deep kiss, lips and tongues tangled up together in a slow and thorough kiss, and she whimpered into the kiss as she felt his hands caress her body with experienced hands. It seemed like eternity as they touched and explored each other all over again after so long of not having any physical contact. She had cried out when she felt him lower his mouth to her sensitive folds, he knew exactly how to pleasure her, how to drive her wild, the same way she knew how to pleasure him. And they did exactly that throughout the rest of the night till even the next day.

And just like every story has an end, in life every end is just a new beginning and that's exactly how it was for Tim and Calleigh, along with the New Year.

FIN.