Thanks so much for the reviews!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Therapy Room, 9am next day
Speed: *sits*
Lori: *looks at Speed*
Doctor: Okay, welcome. Lori's told me so much about you.
Speed: *frowns* Has she.
Doctor: All of this will be between the three of us so don't be afraid to say everything that's on your mind.
Speed: Great. I think this is a waste of time.
Lori: So I'm a waste of time to you now.
Speed: That's not what I said.
Doctor: But you can see why Lori might feel this way.
Speed: The only reason she wants me here is so she can cry victim like she always does. I love her but she's a pain in my ass.
Doctor: Because of her disease.
Speed: If you want to call it that.
Doctor: It's normal to be angry. Lori understands the effect she's had on everyone.
Speed: Does she.
Lori: Yes. You and Mom never let me forget it.
Doctor: What's the
worst memory you have of Lori?
Speed: The worst?
Doctor: Yes, the point in which you were the most disappointed, furious or scared.
Speed: Can there be more than one?
Lori: *frowns*
Doctor: Let's start off with a singular event.
Speed: Okay. *looks at Lori* When you tried to kill yourself.
Lori: ...That was the worst thing you could come up with.
Speed: What's worse than losing your child?
Lori: *stares at Speed*
Speed: I've lost
enough.
Lori: Yeah? Is that why you ran your bike off the causeway? What the hell do you call that? You think that didn't totally gut me too?
Doctor: Obviously there's a lot of hurt here but I see a lot of love as well.
Lori: Definitely. You might be pissed off that I did what I did but I can't replace you either. And I have no desire to.
Speed: *stares at Lori*
Lori: *leans back in chair* ...You know, when I was sent off to Colombia...you didn't just lose me. *lowers head* I lost you too. I lost just as many years with you that I'll never get back.
Speed: *nods*
Lori: And I...I just...I know I've done a lot of really stupid and hurtful things but whenever you look at me like I'm just a worthless whore, even when I'm trying to do good and I'm successful with something...it kills me. It makes me feel like it wouldn't matter whether I was an addict or completely balanced.
Speed: *lowers head*
Lori: *angry sigh*
Doctor: Tim, do you get what she's trying to say?
Speed: Loud and clear. And she could have just said it to my face, we didn't need a shrink in the room.
Lori: You wouldn't take me seriously any other way.
Speed: That's ridiculous.
Lori: You said this was a waste of time earlier.
Speed: It is.
Lori: *rolls eyes*
Doctor: *looks at watch* ...54 and a half minutes left. *sigh*
Miami lab, layout room, 11am
Tom: *lifts clothing*
Katie: *walks over* Need any help?
Tom: No thanks, I got it covered.
Katie: Can I observe?
Tom: *lifts brow* Checking up on me?
Katie: *shrugs* Got a problem with that?
Tom: Not at all.
Katie: *pulls chair over, sits*
Tom: *picks up tweezers*
Katie: Have you always wanted to be a CSI?
Tom: No. *lifts fiber*
Katie: But you have a science degree.
Tom: It was either that or musical theatre.
Katie: Oh come on, people who get into science have to have
some sort of intelligence rattlin' around up in the noggin.
Tom: I worked my ass off. Good enough?
Katie: I guess.
Tom: *nods*
Katie: ...You and Lori have slept together, right?
Tom: *lifts eyes* ...Not recently.
Katie: It's kind of funny because when Stephanie was conceived, it was right around the time you two did your dance between the sheets.
Tom: *stares at Katie*
Katie: I mean sure, she has Scott's eyes but...you both look pretty similar. Lori definitely has a type.
Tom: Anni told me you do this.
Katie: Do what?
Tom: Try to mess with people's relationships.
Katie: It's the truth.
Tom: I think this is the part where I'm not supposed to indulge you.
Katie: *leans on table* You must have really loved Lori to let her and her child stay at your place for months.
Tom: *lowers head, stares through magnifyer*
Katie: But hey, maybe if she'd met you in that rehab instead of Scott...you two would be the ones married. Ever think about that?
Tom: I married Anni. She's the one I want to spend the rest of my life with. She's the one I want a family with.
Katie: Yeah but she'll always be second tier, right?
Tom: *frowns* No. Now I'm really busy, you can go
observe someone else for a while.
Katie: *smiles, walks away*
TBC..........................................