:lol:
Thanks so much for the reviews.
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Miami Lab, Trace
Delko: *turns on boom box*
Britney Spears starts to play
Delko: *dances*
Speed: *looks over*
Delko: *sings* CRAZY! But it feels alright! Baby thinkin' of you keeps me up all night! *does the Moon Walk across the floor*
Speed: *frowns*
Delko: *pounds on the counter with pipets* CRAZY! I JUST CAN'T SLEEP! Do do do do do do do do do do!
Speed: *turns off boom box*
Delko: *looks over* What the hell man?
Speed: You're in a government building.
Delko: So?
Speed: So act like it.
Delko: Come on Speed, you know you want to dance to Britney. *turns on boom box* You have a lot in common with this song. *sings* OOPS! I did it again, I played with your heart, got lost in the game oh baby baby! OOPS! You think I'm in l-
Speed: Stop it.
Delko: *sings* I'M NOT THAT INNOCENT!
Katie: *walks in*
Speed: *pushes boom box off table*
Boom box breaks
Delko: *stares at floor*
Katie: *looks down at floor*
Speed: Can I help you?
Katie: *lifts head* Uh...yeah. I just wanted to bring over this evidence that Calleigh had and tell you that I'm staying at Lori's place this week.
Speed: Why?
Katie: What, the evidence or the last thing?
Speed: Both.
Katie: Calleigh wants Eric to run the trace she found on the airbags on the vehicle and I can stay where I want.
Speed: There was trace on the airbags?
Katie: You're acting like you even know what case I'm talking about.
Speed: The car accident.
Katie: Right.
Speed: Shouldn't you not be touching the evidence related to the case?
Katie: I'm not you. I know when to back off.
Delko: *scoffs* Ouch.
Speed: What kind of trace?
Katie: Like I said, you don't know when to back off. Eric needs to run this. *hands over folder*
Delko: *grabs folder*
Speed: Did Calleigh find anything else?
Katie: I didn't ask and you shouldn't be either. What do you not understand about the fact that you're emotionally involved with Lori?
Speed: I'm not emotionally involved with Lori.
Katie: *lifts brows* ...Scott?
Speed: *looks down at table, grabs pipet*
Katie: You care more about Scott than Lori.
Speed: No.
Katie: Did I misunderstand the face you just gave then? Concern for him...nada for Lori?
Speed: What do you want me to say? Lori's not the one being targeted.
Katie: Maybe not but she was still in that vehicle and she could have been killed.
Speed: I know.
Katie: You know. You don't care?
Speed: Look, I know you're feeling all...motherly lately but I'm not in the same frame of mind as you so I'd rather think about my job at the moment instead of a bunch of 'what ifs'.
Katie: Well too bad because you're due at dinner with all of us in an hour.
Speed: What? No. I'm pulling a double.
Katie: No you're not. I just spoke to Horatio, he's giving you the night off. Ryan's going to take over your case.
Speed: Funny, Horatio never spoke to me.
Katie: He says you need to spend time with your family.
Speed: You're not my family.
Katie: Lori is and Scott will be soon so you're going and you're going to pretend to enjoy it because she's only got one father and guess who's going to walk her down the aisle?
Speed: Rent-a-father.
Katie: *frowns* You. Get moving.
Restaurant, 7pm
Katie: HIYA! *waves spastically*
Lori: *smiles, walks over* You found the place.
Katie: I certainly did. Tim's horrible at directions.
Speed: *frowning*
Lori: Well you guys are right on time. Aren't they?
Scott: *places hand on Lori's back* Yep. We're on Daylight Savings.
Katie: Sorry.
Scott: *smiles* It's no problem. We've got a table reserved near the back if you'll follow me.
Table
Scott: *pulls out chair*
Lori: *sits*
Speed: *sits*
Katie: *crosses arms* Aren't you forgetting something?
Speed: *looks up* No.
Katie: *frowns, grabs chair, sits*
Lori: *leans over* That was rude.
Speed: Mhm. *opens menu*
Lori: I know this isn't exactly your idea of a great time but Mom wanted to do this and I think it would be good for everyone to sit down together and have a meal.
Speed: And who's paying for this 'sit-down'?
Lori: *narrows eyes* Scott is.
Speed: *lifts head* Scott.
Scott: *looks over* Yes sir.
Speed: You're not paying for this meal.
Scott: Oh no, it's no problem.
Speed: Oh it is. *looks down at menu*
Scott: Um...okay.
Lori: *sigh*
45 minutes later
Katie: *guzzles down wine* Hey when's the steak getting here?
Speed: Not any quicker than the last time you asked.
Katie: When did I ask?
Speed: 30 seconds ago.
Katie: Oh. They should give us some food while we wait. You know, a little snack or something.
Speed: Like an appetizer?
Katie: YEAH! Something like that!
Speed: Keep your voice down.
Katie: Don't tell me what to do. I am a strong, independant woman.
Speed: You're also going to be a strong, independant, kicked-out-of-this-restaurant woman if you don't behave.
Katie: Pfft I didn't see a bouncer when I got in.
Lori: *covers eyes*
Katie: Hey Lori! Can I see that rock again?
Lori: If you promise not to eat it or steal it.
Katie: *grabs Lori's hand* This musta cost lotsa money. Your man sure isn't cheap, is he?
Speed: Lori probably wouldn't expect anything less.
Katie: *rolls eyes* Pish posh.
Scott: You think it's a mistake that we're getting married.
Speed: Yes, I do.
Scott: Well I can assure you, I-
Speed: I'm not worried about
you.
Lori: What's that supposed to mean?
Speed: All I can say is watch out for your accounts, Scott.
Lori: *frowns* Excuse me. You really think I'd clean him out?
Speed: That's what you do.
Lori: No it's
not what I do. You have no idea what I do and you know why? You barely take any time out of your oh-so busy life to actually get to know me and I don't appreciate the assumptions you're making.
Speed: And she's learned manners. I guess I'm supposed to be impressed by that.
Lori: At least I
have manners. That's more than I can say for you at the moment.
Speed: Alright, fine, I'm sorry. You're a saint. How could I have ever doubted you.
Lori: What is your problem tonight? We're just trying to have a meal, is that so difficult for you to be a part of? Can't you at least pretend we're a family for an
hour?
Speed: We're not a family, Lori.
Lori: Why. Why are you so adamant on shoving us all in a closet and forgetting about us? At one point, Mom and I were all you had. I don't understand.
Speed: You're screw-ups.
Lori: *stares at Speed*
Speed: And
you, you're the worst one of them all. I'm ashamed to be called your father. *stands, leaves*
Lori: ...
Katie: Oh honey he didn't mean it. He's just in a bad mood, that's all.
Lori: *looks down at table*
Scott: *grabs Lori's hand* I'm sure he's just angry about something else, he'll probably apologize in no time.
Lori: *throws nakpin on table, stands leaves*
Katie: Well...this went well.
Scott: More wine?
Katie: Please.
Behind restaurant
Lori: *slams door open, walks down steps* So the big secret comes out.
Speed: *leaning against building*
Lori: Not that it was much of a secret to begin with but it's nice of you to finally acknowledge it to my face.
Speed: *staring down at ground*
Lori: What do you
want from me. Because I've done everything you've asked. How could I
possibly be a bigger embarrassment now than when I was a slummy drug addict? How is it my motivation to move on and be a productive member of society pisses you off? *steps closer* What do you want me to do? Become an astronaut, senator? I would love nothing more than to make you proud of me.
Speed: *lifts eyes*
Lori: What is it?
Speed: I killed someone.
Lori: ...*blinks* What do you mean you killed someone? Like...like an accident? Self-defense? Line of duty type of thing?
Speed: A suspect was fleeing from custody down the street from where I was processing a scene. I responded to the backup call. The suspect jumped two fences, crashed a toddler's birthday party and I managed to catch up to him at a gas station down the road. He grabbed a woman and a pocket knife he had which was probably what the officer found before he took off. I pulled out my service pistol and he stabbed the woman in the neck, killing her. There were
six children in her van all under the age of 10 and all of them had to watch her murder.
Lori: What about the suspect?
Speed: He stabbed himself with the same knife in the heart.
Lori: *stares at Speed*
Speed: So I walked over to him and pulled the knife out.
Lori: ...And you think he might have lived if you hadn't-
Speed: Yep. I was too angry to care. And because of that, those kids had to watch a second person die. Because of me.
Lori: *exhales* ...That's rough. Was he a bad guy?
Speed: Found out later that he was a local pedophile.
Lori: One child traumatizer off the streets...six children traumatized for life.
Speed: I'm supposed to help people. Not ruin as many lives as possible in a 30-second span.
Lori: If it had been any other responder, the scene would have played out the same way. Those kids would have still seen a death and that pedophile would have ended up suicide by cop.
Speed: He might have lived if I hadn't touched the knife.
Lori: He stabbed himself in the heart. If he wanted to live another second, he wouldn't have done that. He'd already killed someone. If you ask me, he wanted you to pull out the knife or at least he wanted to die later so he didn't have to see the inside of a jail cell for the rest of his life.
Speed: I just...I hate the job. I hate seeing death every day and I don't want to be the cause of another one. Why would anyone want to get into this line of work?
Lori: Because someone has to do it. And I don't know about you but...
I'm proud to be your daughter.
Speed: *stares at Lori*
Lori: *smirks*
Speed: I am so sorry for taking it out on you. And I've
been taking it out on you and everyone else all week.
Lori: Mother and I forgive you. At least she will when I explain it to her.
Speed: *nods*
Lori: So you're...really not ashamed to be my father?
Speed: I'm not. And you're not a screw-up. Your mother on the other hand...
Lori: *smiles* She hasn't been too bad lately. I heard how she told
you off. I'd call that a success.
Speed: *smirks*
Lori: We should get back inside. We left Mom alone with Scott.
Speed: Poor guy.
TBC.........................