Title: It Can’t Get Any Worse…Can It?
Author: Bj Jones
Rating: FRAO
Summary: Speed just wanted out…
***
He saw it coming, but there was nothing he could do about it. There was only one option, he tilted and downed his bike sliding straight into the car; it was either that or go over the car, head first. As the bike came to a screeching stop he moaned in pain. His leg was messed up, no doubt about it.
“Oh My God!!” The driver got out of the car and ran over to Speed. “Sir, are you okay?”
Speed glared at the kid, ‘Great a college student. God, I hope he’s insured.’ “Do I look okay?” He growled.
“Well no.” The kid frowned. “My buddy is calling 911.”
Speed cringed in pain, “Were you even looking when you pulled out?”
“I didn’t see you…” He frowned.
Speed looked at his downed YELLOW Ducati. “You didn’t see me?”
“Hey, I’ve been stressed,” the kid defended himself.
The CSI looked at him, eyes narrowing. “Stressed?”
The kid backed up and moved towards his car. “Finals and all.”
The sirens distracted Speed from reaching out and strangling the kid. Stressed his ass, the kid had no idea the meaning of stress.
“Speed?” Brian, the paramedic, set his kit down. “How are you doing?”
“Been better,” he retorted.
“Can you move your leg at all?” Brian asked.
“Not without screaming in pain,” the CSI moaned. “Hope the kid has enough insurance to cover a Ducati, these things aren’t cheap.”
“Ducati?” the kid asked. “I thought it was a Yamaha.”
The two paramedics swore the world stopped. Speed tried to sit up, his hand reaching for the bag that he had been lying on. Brian quickly took action and snipped the shoulder harness, tossing the bag to his partner.
Speed glared at them. “Give me my gun.”
“No.” Brian shook his head. “Horatio would be upset if you shot him.”
“He would understand. It would be like calling his Hummer a jeep,” Speed growled at the kid.
They quickly worked to stabilize the CSI’s leg and get him into the ambulance. Brian turned to the kid, who still looked worried. “Detective Tripp will be talking with you.”
He turned to see the detective walking up. “Detective?”
“Oh you didn’t know?” Brian smiled. “You pulled out in front of Detective Timothy Speedle, a cop.”
The paramedics closed the door, snickering at the suddenly pale kid. Speed grinned. “Serves him right.”
Hospital
“Don’t TOUCH ME!” Speed yelled at the nurse.
“Sir, you need to calm down,” the nurse growled at him.
“I want to go home,” he insisted.
The doctor walked into the room, looking over the chart. “That isn’t going to happen.”
“Why?” the CSI demanded.
“I’m Dr. Young and you’ve torn cartilage in your knee, we will have to operate. Then you will be in recovery for a few weeks…” the doctor informed him.
“WEEKS!!” Speed demanded. “Why can’t I go home after the surgery?”
“You live alone?” Young asked.
“Ahhh.” The Trace expert frowned. “Yes.”
“Then you’re staying with us for a while.” The doctor smiled, patting Speed on his leg before leaving.
“No.” Speed glared at the nurse. “I’m not taking a sedative.”
***
Speed woke up groggy, blinking, trying to figure where he was.
“Hey, you’re awake.”
He looked over at Horatio. “Get me out of here.”
The redhead smiled. “You have surgery tomorrow, then…”
“The damn nurse drugged me.” Speed sat up in the bed.
“Considering your temper and the fact you hate hospitals.” Horatio smiled at him. “I’m not surprised.”
The younger man narrowed his eyes at him. “My bike?”
“Totaled.” Horatio stepped back in anticipation.
“The kid better have insurance…” He looked at Horatio’s expression. “H?”
“He forgot to pay last month…and…” Horatio took another step back.
Speed took a deep breath. “He had better be long gone by the time I get out of here.”
After Surgery
“There was a complication.” Dr. Young stood at the end of the bed. “You’re going to be here a bit longer.”
“How much longer?” Tim asked.
“Six weeks to a few months depending on healing.”
Speed had some satisfaction that his death glare sent the doctor scurrying out of his room.
Week 1
Horatio looked at his lover, his heart aching. “Hey.”
Speed smiled sadly, his eyes pleading. “Can’t I stay with you?”
“I asked your doctor, he said that you need 24 care, and with my hours…” The redhead sat down on the edge of the bed.
“I’m bored,” the younger man sighed. “If I stay here much longer I’ll go nuts.”
“Got a gift for you” Horatio held up a computer bag. “You can work on that article you wanted to write and some case notes. I set up a link to the lab.”
“Thank you, thank you, thank you.” Speed reached for the bag. “Gimmie.”
“What do I get in return?” the redhead teased.
“I’ll blow you.” Speed grinned, knowing how much Horatio got off on him talking dirty.
Horatio sat the bag down and made sure the door was closed and no one was around. He pounced his lover, kissing him hard and deep, their tongues dueling with each other. Horatio’s hand slipped under the soft, worn t-shirt, pinching the brunette’s nipples.
“I’ve missed you,” Horatio moaned as he trailed a path down Speed’s neck.
“I want you so much,” Speed whined. “Damn cast, damn college kid, damn hospital.”
Horatio grinned, kissing the younger man softly. “Let me take care of you.” He pulled down Speed’s boxer shorts and took hold of the hard shaft. His thumb caressed the head, smearing the pre-cum. A few strokes and Speed came with a muffled shout. Horatio grinned at Speed’s groan as he licked his hand clean. “Get some rest.”
“I can’t sleep in hospitals,” Speed muttered as his eyes closed.
Horatio leaned over and kissed him on the forehead. “Love you.”
***
Nurse Matron walked into the room to check on her unruly patient. She stopped short the room reeked of sex. A horrified look came over her face when she realized who Mr. Speedle’s visitor had been.
“Not on my shift.”
Week 2
Speed looked at the book sitting next to his breakfast. “De-programming?” He flipped through the book, his jaw dropped. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“It’s a good book and worth exploring,” Matron stated. “Eat your breakfast.”
“You gave me a book on how to stop being gay?” Speed looked at her. “What give you the right?”
“Since no one else cares, I’m saving your soul.”
Speed stared at her with wide eyes. “I don’t need to be saved. You have no right to judge my lifestyle.”
“If I don’t try and save you who will?” She stormed off.
“This can’t be good.” Speed frowned. He picked the book back up and flipped through it. Well, it was humorous.
***
“What do you mean you can’t come see me?” Speed yelled into the phone. “What! Denied entry… That BITCH!” Speed hung up the phone and seethed.
“You need to calm down…”
“I want to speak to your supervisor!” Speed yelled. “You have no right to interfere with my life.”
“If you don’t calm down…”
“CALM! Honey I’m calm. I want to speak to your supervisor…”
***
Speed woke up groggy.
“Hey sweetie.”
He looked over at Alexx. “She drugged me again!”
“What?” she asked concerned.
“The Evil Nurse…” Speed groaned. “She doesn’t like the fact I’m gay and decided to convert me.”
“Is that why Horatio can’t come see you?” The ME blinked.
“Yeah,” Speed growled. “I demanded to see her supervisor and I woke up…” He checked his watch. “Six hours later!”
Alexx stormed out of the room. Speed could hear her yelling through the closed door. He grinned. Don’t mess with momma.
Week 3
“What you watching?” Eric asked, walking into the room.
Speed sighed. “Some soap opera.”
“Is that Natalie?” Eric asked.
“Now you know why it’s entertaining me.”
Eric snickered and sat down. “Wow, she’s even a slut here.”
“Yeah, but this is a soap opera.”
“Have you seen the lab lately?” The Cuban eyed his friend.
“Good point.”
Week 4
Speed looked around the bed. Leaned over and looked around the floor. He frowned. It was there when he went to sleep. He buzzed the nurse.
“Oh God, it’s you.” Speed glared at the Evil Nurse.
“What do you want?” she asked her tone sharp.
“To be able to marry my lover and it be legal, but that ain’t going to happen so how about my laptop?” Speed mouthed off.
“You’ve been spending too much time on it, so the doctor took it.” She turned and left the room.
Speed growled. “I need to get out of this place.” He reached for his cell phone. “Where’s my phone!”
The Evil Nurse leaned back into the room. “Only respectful patients get phone privileges.”
“I’m sicing Alexx on you!” Speed threw a pillow at the door.
***
“How did she get back into the hospital, let alone my floor?” Speed demanded.
Horatio sighed. He could understand his lover’s frustration. He had been stuck here now for four weeks. With a nurse who was determined to make him non gay and a doctor who thought it would be best if Speed rested and took his computer away, his only outlet.
“Her reputation is excellent and the hospital refused to believe she would do such a thing and took her off probation.”
“I want to go home.” Speed leaned back in his bed.
Horatio sat on the edge of the bed. “I know baby. I’m sorry I’ve been gone – our case load has been hell.”
“I’m sorry.” The younger man slipped his hand into Horatio’s.
“Not your fault.” He slipped off his shoes and climbed into the bed, pulling Speed close. “Get some rest.”
Week 5
“Psych evaluation?” Speed stared at his new doctor. “Because I screamed at you for stealing my computer.”
“It’s obviously you’re stressed, Mr. Speedle. It would benefit you to talk to someone…”
Speed grinned, as he watched the doctor scamper out of his room he’d still got it.
***
Speed stared at the therapist. “How do I feel?”
“Yes. Tell me what you are feeling right now.”
“Like my life is out of control. I’ve got people deciding what’s best for me.”
“They are your medical caretakers,” the therapist pointed out.
“Oh, I understand that.” He rolled his eyes. “It’s one thing to decide that I have to stay in this hell hole for six weeks or more because they screwed up the surgery. And another to have my lover banned from the premises on the idea to save my soul.”
The therapist paused and blinked.
“Then to steal my laptop because I’m not sleeping. Well, if you would stop waking me up every two freaking hours during the night to make sure I’m resting properly maybe I’d get some damn rest or better yet let me go home to sleep.”
“I can see why you’re stressed.”
“I’m not stressed, I’m pissed. Two different things.”
Week 6
“What?”
The whole team stepped back in fear. Speed was too calm.
“You aren’t being released,” Horatio said in his best ‘Stay calm voice’.
“Why?”
Horatio rolled his eyes as the team looked at him. “It seems someone screwed up the paperwork…”
“How?”
“In administration…” The redhead paused. “There was a Timothy Spindle who got in a car wreck and well they mixed up the files and you’re dead.”
“When?”
“They are working on getting it fixed, but they need proof you’re alive,” Eric informed him.
Speed closed his eyes and started laughing. “Proof?”
“You actually being here in the hospital isn’t enough.” Calleigh added. “So the lab is running a DNA test…”
“Which could take weeks…” Speed stopped laughing.
“Well, if we were on TV it would be done after the commercial break.” Eric hid behind Horatio.
Week 7
Speed stared at the doctor in shock. “Really?”
“Your papers are being written up now. There is on condition….” The doctor paused.
Speed was out of the bed and already getting dressed limping around the room. “I’m staying with my lover, boyfriend, significant other.”
The doctor smirked as the nurse fumed in the doorway. “That should be fine. You’re still off work for a few more weeks, then lab only.”
“Yeah…yeah. Is my ride here?” Speed asked.
“NO riding your bike….”
“I was liking you, don’t push it.” The younger man glared at the doctor.
“I can honestly say. I’m glad to see you going home,” the doctor smirked.
“No hard feelings.” Speed smiled brightly when Horatio came into the room. “Take me home, now.”
Horatio grabbed his bag. “You chariot awaits.”
Week 10: Downtown
Speed leaned against the cane slightly. His leg was healing nicely and in another week he would be in the lab and in a month back in the field. The last couple of weeks had been restful. Reunited with his lover, it was amazing how creative they got with his knee out of commission. He had a brand new Ducati in the driveway, though Horatio wouldn’t let him drive it yet.
Best of all he had finally proven he was alive and well, kicking and screaming. He was heading to a small café to meet Alexx for lunch.
“Give me your money!”
Speed looked at the punk teenager. “How many piercing do you have? Do you pick up radio reception with them?”
“Give me your money!”
“Go away.” There was no way in hell Speed was giving up his wallet.
The punk kid, not liking Speed’s attitude, slammed his fist into his face. Speed stood back up, growling. “Now you’ve pissed me off.” He brought up his cane and smacked the wannabe mugger in the knee then slammed it down on his back. Sending the kid to the ground.
“Sir, put the cane down.”
Speed looked up and started laughing. A young rookie officer was holding a gun on him. “He tried to rob me.”
“Put the cane down and hands in the air.”
“Call Lt. Horatio Caine…”
“NOW!”
Speed dropped the cane and raised his hands up.
Precinct
Horatio looked at his CSI. “Speed?”
“The punk kid tried to rob me, he hit me first.” Speed pointed out the bruising along his cheek and jaw. “I knocked him to the ground and the other punk kid arrested me.”
“Witnesses collaborate your story.” Horatio shook his head. “Let’s get you home.” Speed stood up and stumbled. “After we get you to the ER.”
“NO…..”
ER
“I think we should admit you…”
“No.” Speed got off the table leaning against the bed. “No… no way…out of the question…”
***
Speed woke up groggy. “I wish they would stop doing that.”
“If it makes you feel better I threatened to sue.” Horatio ran his hand through the dark locks.
“Can I go home now?” Speed asked tired of just… he was just tired.
Home
Speed curled up with Horatio content to be in his arms. “This is where I belong.”
Horatio kissed the top of his head. “Welcome home.” Horatio held him close as the two drifted off to sleep.