They watched from the terrace. They met people on the worst days of there lives, now it was the CSI�s. They had excused themselves from the memorial service on the lawns when Horatio left the podium after his speech.
That was his cue. Horatio rose from his seat and walked past his team to his spot. Memories came flooding back of the last time he�d done this: Raymond�s memorial service. He took his papers out of his pocket and began.
Calleigh could still hear Speed�s voice in her head. His little quips about her expertise in ballistics. It always amazed him that such a beautiful and dainty girl could know so much about firearms. She loved that fact. Calleigh loved that she broke the stereotype. She stared at the large framed headshot of her friend. Silently, tears ran down her cheek. They weren�t the first she had shed since the incident, and they certainly wouldn�t be the last. She willed herself not to break down in front of everyone.
Sunglasses tried to hide the tears falling from Alexx�s eyes. It was particularly painful to be sat there for the pathologist, as she was the one to administer the autopsy on the young agent. That day was hard. To have been talking with Speed, then talking to him.
Delko was distraught, inside. His colleague, his tormentor and his friend was gone. Eric tried to listen to Horatio�s speech but it was too much. This shouldn�t have been happening! Not for Speed! The �what ifs� and �if only�s circled through his mind. He knew he couldn�t have done anything to save Speed realistically, but anger and resentment was better than him breaking down in tears, he felt.
He put his head in his hands and let his elbows fall to his knees. A soothing hand began to move across his back. Calleigh�s. He could just about hear Tim�s little remark. Eric had feelings for Calleigh and this would have been the perfect opportunity for Speed to pester him about why he hadn�t asked her out. A smirk played across his lips at the thought.
The congregation fell silent as H finished. Tears fell from the congregation of Tim�s work colleagues. Horatio put his sunglasses back around his eyes and made his way from the podium, but didn�t stop at his seat. He kept walking down the aisle and out of the large gathering. Calleigh, Eric, Alexx and Yelina followed.
Horatio brought his foot up to rest on the small wall, and leant his arm against his knee. He lowered his head. He felt he had a lost a son. Emotions came flooding back. Emotions he hadn�t felt since his brother Raymond had died. It was his job to protect his team, why hadn�t he? He looked back up to the crowd.
Calleigh stood to the side of Horatio, a step back. Tear�s continually running down her cheeks. She used her hand to wipe them away, but it was becoming harder and harder to stay strong. She lowered her head and walked away to her safe-haven.
Eric watched her go, not knowing whether this was one of those occasions where she wanted company or just peace. He let her go.
Alexx stood on the other side of Horatio, also a step back. Her own safe-haven was calling to her. She took a step closer to Horatio and laid a hand on his shoulder. �Will you be okay?� she asked quietly.
�I�ll be fine Alexx� he replied, but she knew he wasn�t fine. He had said it too reassuringly, but he had to look strong for his team, and Alexx admired that about him. She walked away, brushing her hand across Eric�s arm as a sign of support. He smiled back.
Delko looked over his shoulder to the building, as if trying to hear Calleigh. She�d had enough alone-time, right? He decided to go see.
Yelina and Horatio were left on the terrace. It was Horatio that had been there for her when her husband died in the line of duty. Now it was her time to return the favour. Although she wished it wasn�t. She moved forward, never moving her eyes from the crowd. �You want to go get a drink, Horatio?�
He kept his eyes trained on the service. �That would be good�