Title: Man Down – Alternate Perspectives
Author: Bj Jones
Rating: FRM
Summary: A variety of scenes that didn’t happen, or did it?
Author’s Note: A series of Drabble/Snippets for a specific episode ‘Man Down’ of CSI: Miami
Alternative #1
Eric blinked as he regained consciousness; he moaned and covered his eyes at the bright lights surrounding him. His eyes slowly adjusted, giving him an opportunity to have a good look around. He frowned slightly as he sat up in the bed; it didn’t look like a hospital room. The last thing he remembered was a sharp pain, then darkness.
“Hello?”
“You’re awake.”
Eric jumped at the familiar voice; turning, he stared in shock at the figure sitting next to his bed. Someone he hadn’t seen in over two years. “Speed?”
Timothy Speedle smiled as he got up from his chair moved towards the bed. He sat down and took Eric’s hand in his. “Hi.”
“Where am I?” he asked, looking down at their joined hands. He felt so real, warm, alive.
“In between,” Speed answered.
Eric looked at him, confused. “In between?” He then looked around the brightly lit room. “I’m dead?”
“Yes, no… well sort of.” Tim smirked. “Soon you’ll be going back, but I had to take this moment to tell you how sorry I am.”
Eric cupped his lover’s face. “I missed you so much.”
“I’ve never left you.” Speed mirrored the gesture. “I’m sorry…”
“Shhh…” He leaned in and kissed him softly. “I know. The gun was clean, babe… it was the firing pen.”
“I tried to stay, I fought… I did… but,” he sighed and laid his head on Eric’s shoulder, “I never wanted to leave you.”
“I’m here now.” Eric lifted his head back up and kissed the soft lips. “We’re together now…” He frowned as Speed shook his head.
“You have to go back,” he whispered, kissing him all over his face. “It’s not your time.”
“NO!” Eric held on to him. “I want to stay here, with you.”
“I’m sorry…” Speed repeated.
He held onto his lover tightly. “Please let me stay…” He felt a strong pull on his body; the light was beginning to fade. His hands reached for Speed’s as the darkness surrounded him.
Suddenly he gasped and sat up, the sounds of loud voices and sirens assaulted his ears.
“We got him.” the paramedic yelled as they set back to work to keep him alive.
Eric fell back onto the gurney, eyes closing. “Speed….”
Alternative #2
Eric looked around the beach with confusion. Last thing he remembered he was on some rooftop, in a shootout. How did he get to the beach? Did something happen on the rooftop? He couldn’t remember.
Wiggling his toes in the warm sand, he smiled as an old memory surfaced: a deserted beach much like this, a soft blanket, good foods, and a naked Speed hard and panting under him. They had escaped Miami for a few days, a rare vacation, just the two of them. While traveling, they had found the secluded beach and spent the afternoon alternating between playing in the water and making love on the sand. Eric closed his eyes, relishing in the memories, refusing to follow the memory to its tragic ending. Phones ringing – a boat hitting a bridge – all hands on deck.
“Those were always my favorite jeans.”
Eric spun around quickly, staring at the figure before him. His hand reached out, wondering if it was real or just his imagination.
“I’m real.” Speed smiled at him as he took his lover’s hand and pulled him close. “This is all very real.”
A sob was pulled from his throat just as the lips he dreamed about at night took his mouth in a sweet kiss. “Speed?” He cried out as they parted. “Is it really you?”
“It’s me.” He cupped Eric’s cheek. “Everything is going to be okay…”
“How?” Delko asked. “I…” he paused. “Last thing I remember is being on a rooftop and gunfire…” Eric stepped back and looked at his lover. “I’m dead.”
Speed nodded. “You took a shot to the leg then the head.”
“Oh God… Horatio…” He turned away from Speed. “First you… Marisol…and now me.”
Timothy slipped his arms around his lover and pulled him close, nuzzling his neck. “Don’t worry about Horatio…”
Eric pulled away and glared at his lover. “You don’t know what he’s been through. The guilt of your death, Marisol’s, and now me, he’s not going to…” Speed shut him up with a hard deep kiss. “Speed…”
“You think I don’t know what’s been going on?” he snapped. “I’ve been watching from the sidelines, protecting when I can.” Eric paled slightly. “I know about the Boa chick, really Eric.” Speed cringed. “Thought you had better taste in that; Ryan would have been a better lay than her.”
Eric glared at him. “Well you weren’t there now, were you?”
“No, I wasn’t. But it didn’t mean I didn’t stop loving or watching over you,” Speed snapped before turning and walking away.
“Speed, wait…” Eric ran after him. “Look, its been tough…” He sighed at the look in his lover’s eyes. “I just don’t want leave Horatio alone.”
“He won’t be.” Tim ran a hand through his hair. “He’ll find comfort and happiness, and we won’t be seeing him here for a long time.”
Delko pulled his lover into his arms. “So then we have a while just to hang out?” He began to nibble along Speed’s neck. “Make love on the beach.”
Tim moaned at the touch. “Just you and me – forever.”
“I like the sound of that,” he said, pushing Speed down onto the sand, kissing him hard and deep. “Eternity.”
Alternative #3
The pain was the first thing that assaulted his mind and body as he woke up. He moaned softly, wanting it to go away. He couldn’t think straight. Images were flashing through his mind, all mixed up, and none of it made sense.
“Eric?”
He moved his head slightly, then regretted it as pain shot through his body. The shock of red hair told him who was by his bed. “Horatio?”
“I’m here.” He held Eric’s hand. “You’re going to be alright. You hear me; you’re going to be fine.”
He had to believe him; Horatio Caine never lied.
“It hurts.”
Horatio pushed the nurses call button. “Help is on the way. I want you to relax and focus on my voice.”
Eric closed his eyes and concentrated on the smooth tones of H’s voice, letting it flow over him. The pain began to fade, as the morphine kicked in. “Thanks.”
Horatio patted his hand. “You scared me.”
“Sorry,” he muttered softly.
“Just rest, we’ll talk more tomorrow.” He gave him a small smile.
The young man nodded sleepily, he then looked around slightly confused. “H?”
“Yes, Eric?” The redhead leaned forward to hear the soft question.
“Where’s Speed?” he asked as his eyes drifted closed.
***
Horatio watched over the young man as he sat looking out over the ocean. The bullet itself hadn’t done the main damage, being without oxygen for ten minutes had. Once Eric had woken up for a second time, the extent of the damage became apparent.
He had no memory of anything from the past three years. The last thing he had remembered was just after Dispo Day, when it seemed Speed and Eric had become lovers. When they had told him Speed was gone, Eric had retreated into himself.
Now months later, he still hadn’t spoken or reacted to anyone. Physically, he had healed nicely. Mentally, he had retreated into his mind. To a time before he lost everything, a place where he could look into loving brown eyes, kiss soft lips, and get lost in the touches of his lover. And as long as he was there, Horatio Caine swore he would take care of him, because he knew that’s what Speed would have wanted, until the day would come when the scruffy CSI returned to take his lover home.
Alternative #4
Everything was mixed up in his head. Flashes of faces he didn’t know. Names he didn’t recognize. Scenes and places unfamiliar. He moaned and shook his head, trying to sort everything out. He blinked at the lights, his eyes slowly adjusting to the brightness. He looked around the room, wondering how he had ended up in a hospital. Reaching up, he gently touched the bandaged forehead, trying to recall what happened. Nothing.
Names and images came to mind.
Ryan Wolfe? CSI? Replaced….
Natalia Boa Vista? DNA, lab grants. Mole….
Marisol. His sister married … Horatio?
Flashes of a jewelry store, funeral. He gasped trying to sit up. “Speed?!”
“Hey,” a soft voice came from his side. “I’m right here. You’re going to be alright.”
Eric turned and looked into the brown eyes of his lover. “Speed?”
He cupped his lover’s cheek. “Well at least your remember me,” he teased. “You’ve been out for the past week.”
“The jewelry store, you weren’t killed?” Eric asked, confused. “Ryan replaced you… and Natalia she’s the DNA specialist…I slept with her…” He laid back down, confused.
“Who the hell is Ryan and Natalia, and do I need to worry about who you’re dreaming about?” he teased slightly. “As for the jewelry store, Eric, you were shot.”
“I was?” He asked, confused. “No…it was you. God, I’m confused.”
“We were called back from our vacation.” Tim ran a hand through the dark hair. “Boat hit a bridge, led us to a ransom. You had information on the jewelry and went with Horatio to the store. There was a shooting you were hit in the head.” Speed choked up, squeezing Eric’s hand. “If it wasn’t for that hard head of yours…”
Eric looked up at his lover. “So none of it happened….”
“None of what?” he asked.
“You didn’t die? Ryan didn’t replace you? No, Natalia who betrayed the lab? Did Horatio marry my sister?” The wounded CSI asked, completely confused. “There are all these images and I don’t know what’s real.”
Speed leaned over the bed and kissed him deeply. “That’s real.”
Eric’s eyes drifted close. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” He held his lovers hand as he drifted back to sleep. ‘Note to self, if anyone named Natalia shows up at the lab, shoot her.’