CSI: Miami Stories: Secret Desires series: Body Heat

Setting: This takes place during a Law Enforcement Convention, during cold-weather crime scene training.

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: CSI: Miami is produced by Alliance Atlantis Communications and CBS Productions, in association with Jerry Bruckheimer Films; the series is distributed worldwide by Alliance Atlantis, and by CBS in the USA. I am in no way connected with these people, and I do not claim ownership to these characters, lands, or names. I have borrowed them to share a story... and most likely not a story any of them would have written, had they had the time or no. I am making no money from this, and it is just for my entertainment, and that of free entertainment to a select group of friends. Thank You.

Notes: This was based on a Lord of the Rings dream I had, and I converted into a CSI: Miami story.

Feedback: Yes, please? Especially constructive. This was my first romantic fanfic (which I converted). samwise_baggins@yahoo.co.uk

The snowy field was cold. A biting wind crept around them, piercing their clothing and slipping into collars... cuffs... any opening it could find. It was wet. It was icy. And it was cold.

The C.S.I.'s had climbed high into the mountains, participating in a cold weather crime scene training course during the most recent law enforcement convention. They were slowed by the worsening snow and ice, and would soon be required to stop for the night to rest. Warmth was near impossible to come by, and the drifts were deep enough in places to cause Horatio Caine to break through in the front, the team leader acting as a battering ram in the deepening snow. It was not an easy trek.

Then, they were stopped by icy winds and avalanches. The training session could not continue, even for their most determined members. Carefully trekking back the way they'd come, Eric Delko soon returned with a report of the hazard that lay behind. Without choice, if they wanted to survive the session, the group qould by necessity have to continue to wade back, breaking through the quickly packing, shoulder deep snow. The trip back seemed harder than the one going forth.

It was now coming onto night, and the small band had nearly made it to the bottom of the mountains by the same trail they'd climbed before. It was disheartening, and the dejected air about camp promoted little voice and much industry. The two women were gathering firewood, while Horatio worked to set up some form of shelter and ration the small amount of food they had left. Eric, their rescue diver, was attempting to build a fire, using wet tinder and matches. Timothy 'Speed' Speedle stood guard, arms crossed, ready to jump into action at a moment's notice.

As she walked, dragging tired cold feet, Calleigh Duquesne, the Ballistics Expert, searched the icy, rock-strewn ground for any sign of twig or branch. There was little vegetation in the area, and that made her job all the more difficult. The layer of snow coating everything merely hid what wood supply they might use. Thus, Calleigh had taken to dragging her feet, using her aching toes, cold even through the leather boots, to uncover what she would.

The woman had a small armload of tinder and was heading further from the camp, when suddenly a sound, as if an explosion of sorts, rang out. The ground shifted beneath her feet, ice slowly cracking into an ever widening crevice. Calleigh looked down in confusion and horror as the ground split away beneath her.

Too late, as she fell through the ice and into the freezing depths below, did she realize what the snow had buried: a frozen, stagnant pond. The rocky formations had really been the tops of water-logged boulders stretching their noses into the air. Calleigh panicked and sank fast, dragged down by her fur-lined coat and the wood she still clutched.

The cracking sound shot through everyone's nerves, and, as one, they whirled around to face this new, unknown danger. It took Horatio but a moment to register that Speed was skidding across the icy field on his belly, aimed at a widening fault in the ground. It was Alexx, the Medical Examiner, who first realized Calleigh was missing.

"Calleigh? Where's Calleigh?" No answer came to her. Indeed, no answer was needed. The investigators were running and skidding towards the crack in the frozen ground.

Speed had been facing Calleigh's direction when the woman's weight broke through the ice. He had seen Calleigh fall into the widening maw. Without thinking, he pulled out and tossed away his gun, slid out of his heavy leather jacket, and tossed himself at the last place he'd seen the horrified criminalist. The Trace Expert skidded across ice, his shirt sliding up and causing scratches across his skin.

Alexx had stopped working and stood watching with horror. Alexx had even started towards the spot, but stopped, realizing that no one knew just where the pond ended and where it began. Any step could plunge one of them into an icy death. Instead, she had to content herself with watching from afar, heart in her throat at the thought of losing her good friend, Calleigh.

She did not join the rescue attempts, instead moving to stoke the fire to a nice, toasty roar. She then gathered all the sleeping bags the team had. They would be required to wrap the rescuers and rescued once the ordeal was through.

Then, Speed was at the opening and had to brace himself against the boulder tops to stop his forward momentum. Plunging arms, and even head, into the icy water, he grasped blindly for Calleigh's frozen fingers... her still hand. Speed risked the ice opening further and swallowing him, as well, but it was a risk he was willing to make for his petite companion.

Horatio and Eric saw Speed's peril simultaneously, and both men ran forward to aid the lean, normally snarky, man. Horatio threw himself to the ground, praying it would be solid, not the treacherous ice. He was fortunate, as Calleigh had fallen near the edge of the hidden waters. Eric threw himself on top of Horatio, holding onto the other mans legs, forming an anchor that might be the only thing between three of the C.S.I.'s and death.

Grabbing quickly, Horatio managed to barely grasp one of Speed's leather-booted ankles. He held tightly, balancing himself with the aid of Eric behind him. Then, as he became sure of himself, he started to tug on Speed's ankle. The investigator had been half immersed in the freezing water for too many long seconds as it was. They could not risk losing both Calleigh and Speed; Horatio determined that if anyone had to die it would only be Calleigh this day, knowing the woman had been down longer; he was reluctant to give her up for lost, however.

With a kick that nearly bloodied Horatio's nose, but drew him back from his unhappy thoughts, Speed managed to get his other foot on the ground. Horatio gripped it tightly, pulling both feet now. The young man seemed unbearably heavy for one who had always been athletic and trim. Then, Horatio saw why.

Speed was clutching Calleigh to him, arms wrapped tightly about the woman, under her arms. The man had his face buried in Calleigh's frozen hair, and was coughing up ice water, but he held onto the woman with all his hidden strength.

Horatio looked up briefly, noting that Calleigh was in Speed's arms. The woman wasn't already frozen to death... was she? But, no... she moved.

And so she did. Calleigh had given all up for lost as the water had closed over her blonde head. She had thrown her arms up in a futile gesture, grasping at nothing, but somehow praying she'd be saved anyway. It had worked. There, in the frozen darkness, Calleigh had felt the touch of something quickly chilling... a hand.

Desperately grasping the appendage, she felt herself tugged upwards. Instinctively, Calleigh gave a mighty kick, unaware that she was more responsible for saving her own life than the owner of the strong hand. Then, the Ballistics Expert felt a second hand; this one was on her arm and tugging insistently.

Calleigh gripped back, grabbing her savior's arms and kicking again. She started to slip, and slid her arms up around Speed's neck, instinctively trying to save herself, yet dragging her rescuer down further with her weight. Speed answered by wrapping his arms around Calleigh, below her arms and burying his face in her hair. Calleigh buried her face in Speed's neck, looking for any warmth she could find.

Horatio now had the dark-haired investigator by his knees and was slowly dragging him backwards, over the ice encrusted ground. A slick trail, faint but there none-the-less, of bright blood could be seen on the wet, white-brown surface of the ground. Speed seemed unaware of the injury.

Moving slowly, since both had their heads above water, and he didn't want to startle them into losing hold of each other, Horatio pulled Speed back again, his hands clasping around strong, muscular thighs. They were the thighs of a runner, and Horatio blinked in surprise, though he well knew the strengths of his comrades by now. Still, Speed's multiple clothing layers had always hid those strengths from the eye.

Eric continued laying on Horatio's back and legs. He wanted to yell at the other man to rush, couldn't he see the two were near frozen to death with cold? But, the detective well knew that rushing now might prove their downfall. The ice might crack further or Calleigh might become frightened and lose her grip or Speed might be pulled against a rock and jostled harder than even the intrepid CSI could take.

By then, Horatio had pulled Speed's hips into his strong, calloused hands. They were slender, yet firm and as muscular as the rest of him. Horatio had to shake his head to dispel the distracted thoughts running through his head so unexpectedly. He pulled Speed again, getting to the trace expert's waist.

Then, reaching past Horatio with a strong arm, Eric clasped Calleigh's hand in his own strong one. He held on, not pulling, but easing some of the burden off of Speed's neck. They heard a whimper, but from which team member it was uncertain.

Calleigh lifted her head from Speed's neck at the feel of the warm hand on her arm. She started shivering then, teeth chattering uncontrollably. That decided it. The pair had been in that frozen water far too long as it was. With a mighty heave, Horatio tugged both investigators from the sucking water, and felt a twinge as he nearly threw Eric off in his efforts. There was the pain of a pulled muscle, but with all safe, Horatio barely felt it. Instead, he rolled onto his back and smiled widely in triumph.

There was a cheer from the remaining members, and Alexx started hurrying forward, when suddenly Speed sat up with a cough. His dark curls were frozen through and clung to his head like an odd ice sculpture. He clothes were drenched and frosted with white, risking causing a deep chill to settle into the man if not removed soon. His lips were blue-tinged and he shivered as much as Calleigh did.

"Quick..." Speed was barely audible, "Strip Calleigh. Get her into a sleeping bag." The man sat up, trying to control his own shivering enough to undo his clammy clothes. Horatio knelt down and started to assist him. Eric helped by holding Calleigh in a sitting position as Alexx's nimble fingers quickly made light work of undressing the shaking woman. Eric reached over for sleeping bags to wrap around their two companions.

Once undressed, however, Speed did not relax. Instead, he slid to Calleigh's side, and pulled the nude blonde into his own bag, wrapping both around them. Eric opened her mouth in shocked protest, but Alexx hushed him. "Sharing body heat's the best way to get them warm quickly. It may be the difference between life and death. I'd choose life."

Calleigh opened her green eyes, looking up into worried brown ones. She was shivering still, but the slight warmth radiating from the body next to her drew her inexorably closer. She couldn't resist burrowing into Speed's chest. The criminalist made an undistinguishable sound and wrapped his arms more firmly about the woman.

Eric nodded and gestured for the others to bring the victims to the fireside. Alexx then served everyone hot soup she made from what little they had. This was hand fed to Speed and Calleigh by a thankful Horatio. Eric finished with setting up camp, while Horatio took over the watch for Speed. He returned with Speed's gun before the end of his shift. The C.S.I.'s curled up for sleep as Eric replaced Horatio, to be replaced by Alexx later in the night.

The shivering slowly subsided as both Calleigh and Speed were warmed from the inside by the soup and from the outside by each other's body heat. Fear gave way to exhaustion, and Calleigh found herself having trouble staying awake. She lay her head on Speed's shoulder, and drifted off, unconsciously placing her hand on Speed's chest.

Speed looked down at the tired woman. He studied the soft blonde hair, worry-lined face, and pale skin. Raising one hand, Speed slowly, gently traced the shape of Calleigh's cheek and jaw-line, then the shell of her ear. Calleigh stirred but did not awaken, and Speed smiled briefly. He then curled around the younger women and let himself drift into a dreamless sleep.

She felt warm and comfortable, curled up against the man next to her. Perhaps, under normal circumstances she might have been embarrassed or troubled. But not now. Not like this.

Despite being a world-wise criminal investigator, Calleigh had been saving herself for someone special. And, Calleigh had always been fascinated by Speed, had always been drawn to the dark, intense investigator. She didn't think her friends knew just how deep that fascination ran. It went beyond normal curiosity, or even hero-worship. No, Calleigh's longing for Tim Speedle ran far deeper; it ran into deep desire.

She didn't know why. She hadn't known him long. But something about the man had always tugged at her heart and her sensuality. The handsome features, the confident air, the powerful grace and strength, all added up into one tempting package, and Calleigh Duquesne had proven all too susceptible to the lure of such a package. Almost unconsciously, she kissed the man's chest.

Suddenly, she was blushing. Who was she to be taking such liberties with anyone, let alone Speed? Speed was adorable in a scruffy way. He was moody and aloof, knowledgeable and sure, and oh so desirable. But, there was no indication that he was amenable to a relationship... especially with one of his coworkers... with her. Thus, Calleigh was surprised by the response she got.

Speed reached down and gently lifted Calleigh's face from his chest. Deep brown eyes studied soulful green ones. Then, slowly, as slow as Calleigh had been, Speed bent and placed his mouth over Calleigh's. The kiss started gentle, sweet, but it quickly spiraled out of control. Heat suffused Calleigh, and she felt an answering response surge through Speed.

Blinking, Calleigh looked up into Speed's face, and sucked in a breath at the blatant desire in the man's dark eyes. Speed kissed her again.

Calleigh responded to that need with a kiss, an answering need welling up, even more pressing than her desire to get out of this cold. She wanted this man... right here, right now... and forever. She slid her tongue along the seam of Speed's lips, finding easy entry into his mouth.

Tongues meshed and swirled around each other in a promise of what was to come. Speed transferred his own mouth to Calleigh's ear, tracing with his teeth and tongue where his finger had roamed mere hours before. The sensation sent a shudder through Calleigh, and Speed permitted himself another smile. Despite the exhaustion still washing over her, she pulled Speed back by still damp curls and sealed their mouths with a passionate kiss.

With kisses, caresses, and the occasional murmured endearment, both CSI's felt the growing heat of desire before Speed finally pulled away, their breaths coming in pants. A sheen of sweat caused Calleigh's hair to cling and body to glisten, rather than the frozen pond water of earlier. Speed smiled, and kissed her sleepy eyelids softly. "Sleep, Calleigh... I'll watch over you."

And Calleigh now knew that to be true... in more ways than one. She snuggled closer to her savior and future lover, content with the world and thankful for a hidden bit of thin ice. If it hadn't been for that fall, she'd never discovered that being with Speed was every bit as wonderful as she'd imagined, and she would never have discovered that sharing body heat could be so rewarding.

FIN

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