She was so relieved when she saw Eric there. The look on his face was determined as if he
was making it a special point to catch her kidnaper. Of course, Ryan and Tripp were there, and she
was happy to see them, but she was more glad to see Eric. Seth, her kidnaper held a gun to her head
and said, ‘Put your guns down or I’ll shoot her.”
Then a voice came from behind, putting a gun on Seth,
“You’re not going to get the chance.”
Calleigh knew the voice instantly as Horatio’s. She again, was relieved. And she he waited for the gun to come down a
little, and she kicked him, getting the gun and holding it on him. “You messed with the wrong people.” She said,
with a no nonsense look in her
eyes. And as the man was taken away,
Calleigh breathed deeply, and walked over where she felt safe-right by
Eric. He put an arm around her, kind
of. And let her fall into him,
comforting like he always did. And Ryan
put a hand on her shoulder. Tripp looked
protective, us Southerners take care of
our own she thought. She went back
to P.D. and grabbed her things. Eric had
gone with her. He didn’t want to let her
out of his sight. She admired that, and
she felt safe because of it. When they
got outside, he asked her, “Are you sure you’re ok?”
“ Yeah, I’m
fine.”
“What are
you gonna do, take some time off?”
“I really don’t know, to be honest. I think I just wanna go home. Forget about
what happened.”
He looked at her with a sweet smile. He understood. And then she smiled back, and went to get
into the Hummer. He stopped her with a
sweet smile. “Hey, you’re not going home
alone.”
“I’m fine,
Eric, I really am, I promise. But, thank
you.” She really was touched by the thought.
“I’m
not. I don’t know what I would have done
if something would have happened to you today.” She could see it in his eyes,
he was genuine, and he was serious, and, he loved her. She couldn’t say no to
him.
“Ok.” She said softly. And she gave him a smile that said, you’re a nice guy. And he grinned back at her, going over to
the passenger’s side and helping her in, then going to the driver’s side where
she opened the door for him. He smiled
at her as he got in, and she knew in that moment, that he was something
special. Of course, she had always known
he was special, but now, more than ever, she knew it. He was a gentleman. Not like the crook that kidnapped and
attacked her. In a moment, all the
memories, horrible as they were, came to her, but when she saw Eric smile, she
forgot. She looked at him with a gentle
smile, and he had an almost bashful look on his face. And this made her remember the old Eric
Delko, before the accident and his sister’s death. His joking self. Calleigh had always loved that about him, how
he could always make her smile, no matter what the situation. And she loved him. Wait. I love him? She was shocked that she had
admitted it so readily. But then,
looking at him, and remembering all the times they had together: all the crime
scenes, talks, looks, and all the feelings she’d felt with him: after all that,
it was easy to see that it was true. And
as he drove away, she felt safe for the first time in long time.
Chapter2
They arrived at her place. She had a beautiful little house in a nice
neighborhood. Eric opened the car door
for her.
“You don’t have to do that
all the time.” She told him.
“Yes I do.”
“If you want, if it’s too
much trouble, you don’t have to stay here.
I don’t want to put you out.”
“Cal, I don’t mind. I want to stay here, just to make sure you’re
ok. It’ll make me feel better. And, don’t think you’re putting me out,
Calleigh. I want to do it. If anyone’s being inconvenienced, it’s you. I know you don’t like to be the victim and
you don’t like people looking out for you, but, if something happened to you,
and I wasn’t here, I’d feel terrible.”
“Ok. You’re not inconveniencing me, Eric. I think it’s sweet, and genuine, and very
knight-in-shining-armor.”
“You’re not really a damsel
in distress. You can take care of
yourself. There are just some things
that a lady gets into that are not her fault, and she can’t get out of it by
herself. That’s when a guy needs to be
there. And so I’m here.”
“I knew you’d find the
fingerprints.”
“It was clever of you to
leave them.”
“I do what I can. Now,” She got a playful smile on her
face. “Kind sir, would you be so kind as
to escort a lady into her castle?”
It was amazing to Eric that Calleigh could take the
positive out of any situation. And this
had been a bad one. She was already
making jokes. He loved that about
her. Of course, he loved her, but that
just made him love her more. He
smiled. And held out his arm, bent at
the elbow, and said, “I’d love to, mi’lady.”
He felt so corny saying it, but
she started it.
“Thank
you, handsome knight.” She smiled, trying to keep from laughing. And she took his arm, getting out her key
with the other hand. He walked her up to
the front door and she unlocked it, going in.
He looked around. “Wow, it’s been
a long time since I was here last. It looks
nice.”
“I should
have let you come for dinner sometime… I’m really bad at that.”
“It
probably wouldn’t have been proper, since we work so closely together.”
She put a hand on his shoulder. “I don’t feel that way about you, and us
anymore, Eric. I said what I said before
because I was afraid. I thought that if
we got together, something might go wrong, and we wouldn’t be friends, or that
one of us would have to give up our jobs to make it work, and I knew neither of
us wanted that. But I knew in my heart
that in the longrun it didn’t matter.”
“What
exactly are you telling me, Cal?” he looked like he needed to be told the truth
no matter if it was good or bad. She
couldn’t say anything. She just put her
arms around him, getting up on her tiptoes and kissing him. This time, it wasn’t on the cheek, it was on
the lips. At first, it was just a
gentle, soft kiss, but then she got closer and kissed a little harder. She knew he was shocked. But he kissed her back, so she knew
everything was ok. She had noticed a
change in his posture and his arm went around her tiny waist. There was something in the way he held her,
and for like, the millionth time, she asked herself why she’d chosen Jake
instead of him. Now that she thought
about it, where was Jake during all
this. Had he even inquired about
her? Somehow, she doubted that, and he
definitely didn’t come looking for her.
It was just like him to not be the hero.
But when Calleigh really got to the heart of the matter, she ralized she
already knew Jake wasn’t the guy for her, and that he wouldn’t be the prince
who came and rescued her. And she
realized she didn’t want him to. She was
glad that Eric was the one who had been sort of at the head of the rescue
operation. He hadn’t said this, but
Natalia had pulled her aside when she got back, to tell her, for one, how glad
she was that Calleigh was ok, but also, that she should thank Eric because as
upset and worried as he was with the whole kidnaping, he held it together and
he stopped at nothing to make sure she was safe. Calleigh had smiled, a look of only mild
surprise on her face. “He’s a good man.”
“You better believe it, bullet girl.” And
she had walked away.
And now, as Eric held her, she could feel his heart beat,
and she smiled. And finally, she
couldn’t wait any longer. She had to
tell him how she really felt. She
started, a little shakey. “I-“ at first,
that was all she could get out.
“Hmm?” He
inquired into her hair. She was
surprised he’d even heard it. He’s very attentive, I guess.
“I love
you,” She finally got out. “So very
much, Eric. I can’t explain it. I just
want you to know that I’ve never said it to any man, other than family, so it’s
not something I say that means nothing.
It carries a lot of weight.
You’re the first guy I’ve told.
As you know, my love is not easily won, but, you’ve won it.”
He looked dumbfounded.
But then, he smiled. “Really?”
“Uh-huh.”
“You know
I love you too.”
“Yes, I know that,
Eric.” And as she said this, her eyes
filled with tears. She laid her head on
his strong shoulder, and Eric didn’t care that she was getting his shirt
wet. All he cared about was that
Calleigh was ok, and that she loved him.
It was all that mattered.
Calleigh had been through hell,
and he wanted her to be able to let it all out-all the fear and anger,
sadness. She kept things inside so often
that it made her hurt even more. He
kissed her neck softly, just to let her know that he cared about her. He wanted her to know that she could tell him
anything. She took a deep breath. “I was afraid. I had to do what they said. I had no choice. When Tommy went to the store, Seth made me
stand against the wall, that’s where I made the 60. He told me, ‘Tommy’s out running
errands. I thought me and you could waste
a little time.’ I looked at him and I said that I’d rather die than have him
touch me. He was furious and hit
me. I fell to the ground and he got on
top of me, sticking the gun in my
face. He asked me if I had any last
words. I said that I didn’t think he
called the poker player. That’s-“ She
began to cry again. “That’s the only
reason he let me live.”
And he knew she couldn’t say
anything else. “It’s ok, Cal. I’m
here. Nothing’s gonna happen to you
now.”
She wheezed, trying not to
choke on her tears. “Shh. Shh.
It’s ok, sweetheart. It’s ok.”
She nodded. She knew it was true. It was good he was there.
Chapter 3: Nightmares
The only time Eric left
Calleigh’s side that night, was when he ran home for a bit to throw some
clothes in a bag to take to her place, so he could change in the morning. He had decided to sleep on Calleigh’s couch
for the night. This time, she hadn’t
said anything banning “midnight tip toes.” Not that he was planning on trying
anything. He was sleeping soundly when
he heard something and woke up. He
noticed that it sounded like Calleigh, and he realized the sound was crying, so
he went in and shook her gently awake.
“Hey, Cal, wake up. You’re having
a nightmare.”
When she opened her eyes,
she couldn’t see him because it was dark.
“Who is it?” She asked, not totally with it.
“Eric.”
It was like instantly, she
was ok with everything. “Ok.”
“I was in the other room and I heard you. I wanted to make sure you were alright.”
“I’ll be fine. Thank
you, Eric.”
“You’re welcome.” He went to leave, but she grabbed his arm
and pulled him back.
”Hey, Eric, can you please, stay with me.”
‘Sure. Do you want
me to sack out on the chair?”
‘No.” She patted the bed beside her. “Right here. Honest, I think I’ll feel better.”
“Only if you say so.
I am here to help.”
“You’ll be helping.”
He was a little hesitant,
but he got in. She smiled, kissed his
cheek, and told him goodnight. And he
was there to comfort her whenever she needed him. She woke up several times, and all he had to
do was wrap his arms around her and she was ok.
The only time this didn’t work was when she was having a nightmare about
Seth trying to rape her. She pushed Eric
away and tried to get up, but he put a hand on her arm and said, “Relax, Calleigh,
it’s just me.”
She looked at his, tears in
her eyes, and even after resisting originally, she took a deep breath and
curled up as close as she could to him.
This was how she felt safe.
Chapter 4
On
the dirty warehouse floor. Musty smell. Slight decomp. I open my eyes and see a dead body on the
floor. People are walking in… She
dreamed. Her dream shifted. “You
can be her delivery boy.” Seth said to Tommy.
“Give me a chance to get to know this bitch, one on one. GO!” Flash
forward. “Tommy’s out running errands. I
thought maybe me and you could waste a little time.”
Fear. Determination. Disgust.
He’s not getting me. I have to
stand my ground. “I’d rather die than
have you touch me.”
Anger. Rage.
I hit him, he hits back, and I’m on the floor. He gets on top of me with the gun in my face
and asks me if I have any last words. I
say the only thing I can think of. “I
don’t think you killed the poker player.”
He
lets me live. I have proven, once again, that I am valuable. They cannot get along without me. Of course, they could still kill me, but it
would be their loss… Other thoughts… I don’t want to die. Words
cannot express how much I’d like not to die.
Not just for me though- I’m not that selfish. Who will take my place at the lab? How will the team handle it? How will Eric handle it? What about my poor old drunk father? What will happen if I’m gone? There are so many things I’d like to do that
it doesn’t look like I’ll be doing. I
wanted a life. A home. A family of my own-husband and kids-all
that. Why didn’t I do it? Why did I wait? I might miss out. What else?
If you really want a family with kids and a husband, how are you going
to make it happen if you get out of this?
Who would you want? Who do you
really want, Calleigh? Girl, make up
your mind. If you think hard enough, and
take away all those stupid walls of procedure and propriety you’ve created, and
tell yourself you can have anyone you want; which man would you pick? Who would be the best husband—father to your
children, if you choose to have them, who is your best friend? Answer these honestly, and you’ll know what
you should do. And the only person who
has these qualities pops into your mind.
ERIC. I should be with Eric.
So, dammit, girl, wake up
and tell him what you want.
Chapter 5
She woke up, almost in a
panic. But she knew everything was ok
when she saw that Eric’s arms were around her, keeping her safe from the
elements. She smiled a little. Then, she turned her head to look at him. God! He’s gorgeous! I wouldn’t mind waking up next to him every
morning. And—I’d really like to—she
stopped herself for a moment, knowing what she was implying. But then, she recalled the little voice in
her head. YOU WANT HIM. And she
couldn’t ignore it any longer. She
rolled over, and kissed him until he woke up.
Then, he smiled a little and asked why she was up.
“Because,” the tone of the word was
loaded with emotion, suggestion, almost pleading. “I love you.
I want you. And I need you.” She
kissed him again. He had a shocked look
on his face. “I know, it’s a stunner,
right?”
“Uh-yeah…”
“Well, then this will be too.” She smiled, rolling over on
top of him. His eyes widened a
little. She grinned. Then, nervously, hoping that she wasn’t
making a fool of herself; removed her tank top, and slid off her shorts,
kissing him once again, but this time harder and longer with more passion, and
that alone told him what she wanted. He
looked a little unsure. “It’s alright.”
She said.
Eric had never been so
shocked by this situation in his life.
In the olden days, getting a girl, for him was not hard. He could have any girl he wanted, pretty
much. He had had a way of getting girls
to sleep with him, not that he remembered what he’d done. It came easily to him. But, this was different. Since the accident, he hadn’t even tried to
sleep with anyone. For a while, to him,
it was unclear as to why. Part of him
might have thought it was because he feared he’d lost it, along with his
memory. Another part just didn’t
care. A bigger part though—wanted
Marisol to be proud of him. And then—he
realized that it was because he loved Calleigh. He didn’t want to be the guy who would have
one night stands with random girls and forget their names. He wanted to change. He wanted to be someone who deserved
Calleigh. It had taken so long to even
get her to admit that maybe there was something there that he never really
thought anything would come of it. That
had hurt worse than any bullet. But
somehow, he still couldn’t bring himself to give her up. Something would always happen to bring him
back to her. And most of it was none of
his doing. Mostly, it was Calleigh. She’d give him a smile, toss her hair, wave
to him—and his heart was right back to beating for her. But now, after the rescue, it was like, that
was what it took to get her to realize how much he loved her, and maybe that
she felt the same. And now, as she
looked at him, he saw love and longing in her eyes. It was for real. He was a little hesitant, mainly because it
all seemed too sudden; but it felt right.
“Are you sure?” He asked, trying to make sure she was ok with this.
“I’m sure.”
“You should know that it’s been a long time
since—you know… And since the accident I haven’t—.”
She put a finger to his
lips. “It’s ok. I don’t mind.
It’s been a long time for me too, so we’re probably both a bit rusty,
but you know, babe, it doesn’t matter.
It’ll all come naturally.”
Ok.”
“Good.” She blushed.
And then, she got a seductive look on her face. “Now, take these off and make love to me.”
And he had to admit, those
were words he’d never hear, especially from her, but, then again, he didn’t
mind. He did what she said, and when it
happened, he knew that it wasn’t a mistake.
She knew what she was doing. She
was serious. And she was happy. He was happy.
It wasn’t just the sex though, although that was fantastic. He felt something he had never felt before:
this was how it was supposed to be.
She smiled. And even though she was exhausted, Calleigh
couldn’t sleep. She couldn’t stop
watching him as her slept. He was—beautiful
and handsome, gorgeous, hot, everything.
But, the thing that struck her was that for the first time in a long
time, he looked like he knew where they stood.
He had looked so confused before this whole thing started, with the
kidnapping. But now, things seemed to
make sense. She wasn’t stupid. She knew he loved her, he had for a long
time. She just never returned it. But now that she had, they both felt a lot
better. And again, she smiled, laying
her head on his chest, finally falling asleep.
This was how she wanted it.
Chapter 6:
Calleigh awoke the next
morning, still in his arms, feeling safe.
She felt fine. She wasn’t afraid
anymore. And she kissed his neck, feeling
lucky. This was how it could be, possibly from now on. She wanted that. She had everything right now. A great job, and a handsome man in her life
who loved her with every fiber of his being, someone she loved right back.
He could feel her
there. It felt like kisses, and the
scent of perfume was around him. When he
opened his eyes, Eric could see that Calleigh was on top of him, smiling
sweetly. “Good morning.” She said.
“Good morning.” He grinned.
“I know I don’t have to be at work today, but I think I can
go back tomorrow like normal. I’m over
this whole thing—I’m not afraid.”
“Are you sure, Cal?”
“I’m sure. You’ll be
with me.”
“That I will. Hey,
did your phone go off at around 7?”
“Uh-huh. It was
Horatio. He wanted to make sure I hadn’t
gone home alone last night. I said that
I hadn’t, and he chuckled a little and said, ‘I bet I know who offered to take
you home.’ I told him that I thought he
was probably right, and I told him to take a stab at it. He said you, and I said yes. ‘I’m not surprised’. Actually, he said he thought it was great.”
‘Wow. Does he know
about—“
“The sex? Yeah. But I didn’t mention it. It was like he already knew. Strange, right?”
“yeah. Wait… He’s ok
with it? With that?”
“Uh-huh. Sweetie,
you don’t need to worry.”
‘Ok.”
