Here and Now

by Jessica237

EC. All either of them really needed was right there in that moment, in the here and now. And that was simply enough. Post 8x20.

Title: Here and Now
By: Jessica
Pairing: Eric/Calleigh
Rating: T
Timeline: Post 8x20, Backfire.
Summary: The past had certainly been rocky, and the future would be utterly uncertain until it became the present, but in that moment, none of that really mattered at all. All either of them really needed was right there in that moment, in the here and now. And that was simply enough.

A/N: Born of wild post-episode speculation and a rare free afternoon - I should have been sleeping, but who am I to resist inspiration when it hits quite like this? But yeah, in case there's any question, this is only from speculation and some wishful thinking, heh. Also, I took some liberties with canon, particularly with the timeline and certain other things.

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"She'll be weak for a few hours; she may have trouble speaking, but her exam and test results are normal."

The relief that flooded Eric at the doctor's words was utterly immeasurable – Calleigh was going to be okay. He repeated that as a mantra in his mind, over and over, though the cadence faltered slightly as Eric glanced quickly through the glass to where she lay. She didn't look okay, he couldn't deny that. And seeing her appear so fragile had a greater effect on him than any words from the doctor.

He licked his lips, his parched tongue like sandpaper over them. It was all but impossible to find his voice, but when Eric finally did, he couldn't hide the slight waver in his voice. "She – she'll be okay?" he asked, needing a direct answer to the question itself.

The doctor closed the chart, fixing Eric with a slightly placating smile, but Eric couldn't find the will to feel offended. "As I said, everything looks normal. We'll keep her for a bit longer, just to make sure everything is stable. Calleigh seems fine, though I want to be sure that there are no signs of distress from the baby."

Had Eric heard correctly? Surely not. He blinked in confusion, his brow knitting together at his forehead. "I'm sorry?"

"As early as she is, I want to watch her, just to make sure the stress from the fire doesn't cause her to miscarry," he explained, misinterpreting Eric's confusion. "Most miscarriages occur before the twentieth week of pregnancy, and as Calleigh is still quite beneath that threshold, and with the stress she's been under today, I just want to be sure. I'm sure you understand."

Pregnancy. Baby. It was as though Eric's mind had blanked to all but those two words. He watched, dumbfounded as the doctor continued with more facts and statistics, but none of them seemed to find their way past the sudden barrier in his ears. Calleigh was pregnant? How far? When had she found out? Why hadn't she said anything? The questions filled Eric's head, fluttering around and begging to be given voice, but that would have to wait. For now, Eric simply nodded, swallowing hard against the sudden lump of emotion in his throat. Calleigh was pregnant with his child. "Thank you, doctor," he said simply, and without any further delay, he was at Calleigh's bedside, knowing that in gazing down at her, he was no longer gazing down only at her.

..

She stood with her back to him, gazing aimlessly through the glass doors that opened to the deck outside. The sun remained low in the eastern sky, indicative of the early hour, and as the rays poured uninhibited through the glass and surrounded his blonde beauty with light, Eric couldn't help but be momentarily taken aback by the sight. She looked almost angelic, and Eric hated to break the serenity, but while he'd let it go during her overnight stay at the hospital – after convincing her to go back after getting the closure she'd needed with Patrick – he could no longer ignore it. Everything he needed to say was gnawing a hole in him, eating him from the inside out, and if he didn't get it out soon, he wasn't sure he'd like the outcome. He was angry, he was upset, and beyond everything else, he was still just terrified.

She'd been officially released from the hospital that morning, much to Eric's chagrin – it wasn't that he didn't want her home with him, not at all, but considering that this was the second time she'd been hospitalized for breathing issues, and considering that this time was incredibly different, Eric just wanted to be completely sure. He was worried, he was scared, but apparently his concerns about her well-being meant next to nothing, just because he wasn't the one with a white coat around his shoulders. Much to Calleigh's annoyance, Eric had pleaded with the doctors to at least hold her for a few more hours, if not the entire day, just to be sure. Calleigh, unfortunately and predictably, disagreed.

She saw nothing errant about the doctor's argument – after all, according to him, she was fine. Her favorite word, Eric contemplated with a frown. She was breathing on her own, her airway was in no way obstructed, the oxygen levels in her blood were adequate. She'd regained her color – when he'd first arrived at the hospital, Calleigh had been pale as a ghost. Her eyes seemed alive, and all of her vital signs had held steady for the entire night – in short, the doctors had seen no reason to keep her any longer.

More like no reason to take up the bed, Eric had corrected mentally. He wasn't sure what it was, but he'd never liked doctors. Liked them even less when clearly, clearly they didn't have Calleigh's best interests in mind.

He'd relaxed a little since then, though – a quick breakfast, along with constant reassurances from Calleigh herself went a long way in soothing his nerves, though there was still something that he just couldn't get rid of. Something that he just couldn't ignore.

And that, was the mixing bowl of emotions that churned together within him. He wasn't sure how long he stood there, simply watching her, though by the time Calleigh spoke, he realized it must have been quite a while. "I know you're there," she said softly, breaking the silence that had hung over them for what felt like an eternity. She didn't turn to him; instead, her gaze remained idly to the outside, taking in the deep blues and greens of the ocean in the distance.

"I wasn't trying to hide," Eric answered, his voice even.

"Nor was I."

"You disappeared pretty fast after breakfast, though," he pointed out, resisting the urge to approach her. He wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and hide her away from the world, but for the moment he kept his distance, simply hovering in the doorway. "You okay?"

Calleigh sighed, hesitating for a moment before giving what Eric could tell was a carefully choreographed answer. "Yeah. I just needed a moment to myself. To think." To that, Eric didn't reply, and Calleigh closed her eyes, gathering her strength and glancing the tips of her fingers momentarily over her stomach before opening the door she knew they both needed to step through - she'd known that he'd been holding something back since yesterday afternoon. "Say what you want to say, Eric," she said softly. "Just say it."

Eric gave a quiet chuckle, though entirely lacking in mirth it was. "I don't have anything to say," he replied, crossing his arms and resting his body against the wall. The distance between them was killing him, but for now, he couldn't help but feel it was necessary to both of them. It acted as a cushion, a buffer for the acidic emotions just beneath the surface, just waiting to burn. "I just have to…" Trailing off, he shook his head as the art of articulation left him. "What were you thinking?"

That was predictable, Calleigh mused with a slight smile. Predictable, yes…and yet, she hadn't prepared an answer to that. A question she knew he was going to have, and she hadn't been able to answer it herself. What had she been thinking? Her first concern had been the kid in the burning house, and while she'd tried to rationalize it, she couldn't without seeing Patrick's face. And because that left her eyes moist, she'd tried to sidestep it. And that left her without a good answer. "I – I don't know, Eric."

"You don't know." Eric shook his head. "Calleigh…you could've been killed in there."

With those words, Eric's voice wavered. Lowering her eyes, Calleigh drew her gaze to the soft pink of her bare toes below. The errant thought crossed her mind – how much longer would it be before she could no longer see her toes when she stood? It brought a momentary smile to her lips, though it was gone in a fleeting instant. "I know, Eric," she sighed. "I guess…I felt like I had to try to help him."

"Well, you didn't have to rush into a burning building to help." Unable to stop himself, he took a step toward her, though he did manage to stop at that. His concern had lifted somewhat, though in its place had filtered in a surprisingly intense burst of anger. And Eric was angry; he was furious. He'd spoken to Ryan; he knew that Calleigh had ignored his pleas, eager to rush blindly into the flames. Without a second thought it seemed she had risked her life. "Did you want to be the hero out there?"

Calleigh's head snapped up; for a moment, she was tempted to turn and face him, though ultimately decided it was much safer with her back to him – she couldn't be entirely sure of what she would find in his eyes until it was too late. "No," she answered vehemently, lifting a hand to her neckline. Anxiously she fidgeted with her necklace, slowly weaving the simple chain through her fingertips. "What else was I suppose to do, though, Eric? Just leave that kid behind to die alone?"

"What you should have done was wait for rescue. The fire department. Anybody." He stopped there, forcing himself to draw in a deep breath, holding it for the longest moment before allowing himself to exhale. "You could have waited."

"Would you have waited?" Calleigh shot back, already knowing the answer.

"I don't have a lung condition," Eric answered.

"No, but you had a bullet fragment lodged in your brain. And what did you do? You went and played with the Russians, got yourself involved in a shootout, and ended up nearly dead in the Everglades!" Calleigh tensed, mortified with the sudden burst of uncharacteristic emotion - she couldn't even be sure if it was due to hormones, or physical exhaustion. Maybe both. It was true, though, and Calleigh couldn't help but feel it was no different. Leaning forward, she rested her forehead on the cool glass of the door, mentally counting each breath she drew in and subsequently let out in an attempt to hold on to some semblance of control. "Ryan – Ryan refused to do it," she began again, her voice so quiet that Eric had to approach her just to hear. "Everybody at the scene – they just…stood there and watched. And there was a kid in there," she repeated. "No one else was going to save him."

"Because it wasn't safe, babe," Eric tried to explain, his own voice hoarse with emotion now. Few things could stem the tide of his anger like the sight of Calleigh breaking down; suddenly, though he'd known the words were all words that he'd needed to say, he couldn't help but think that maybe he should have waited, or let his own emotions dissipate before engaging in this.

"I know," Calleigh relented, squeezing her eyes shut. It was no use, though; as the words, the reason for her actions formulated at the tip of her tongue, she felt the tears begin to break through, wetting her cheeks despite the barrier of her eyelids. "He – he was somebody's son, Eric," she said. "That kid was someone's son." Blinking through the tears, Calleigh straightened up, though still she didn't turn around. She lay a palm briefly over her tummy, almost as though drawing strength from the tiny life within. "And you can say a thousand times that everybody is somebody's son or daughter, that this one kid shouldn't matter in the grand scheme of things, but I – I kept thinking that I would've wanted somebody to do the same for ours. I – I wouldn't want ours to be left behind to die."

Her reasons broke his heart, left him feeling an ache so great in his chest that Eric found himself short of breath. While the news, unbeknownst to Calleigh, had had almost a full day to sink in to him, there was still a certain element of surprise that came from hearing her acknowledge the words aloud for the first time. "Ours?" he asked, choosing not to give away that he knew.

Calleigh shook her head lightly, sniffling softly. With trembling fingers, she dabbed at the tears that dotted her cheeks - if these were the emotions she was going to face for the next several months, she was going to have a lot to get used to. "Come on, Eric," she murmured glancing over her shoulder to him, finally meeting his eyes. He'd feigned surprise, but it was apparent in his dark gaze that the information wasn't new to him. "I – I know the doctor told you."

She'd known as soon as he sat down at her bedside – he hadn't said anything, but it was right there in his eyes. He knew. He knew, and it had been an epic battle not to say anything then, but somehow, he'd managed to hold his silence, despite the fact that his anger and concern had clearly increased a thousand-fold from when he'd first heard what Calleigh had done.

"Yeah." And just like that, with a simple acknowledgment of the life within her, it was as though any remnants of anger were gone from his body, replaced entirely by the overpowering desire to have her in his arms. To protect her. Protect the baby. With that, he finally allowed his feet to guide him to her, his steps falling softly on the carpet until he found himself behind her, close enough to catch the scent of her shampoo. "He told me."

"You want to know why I didn't tell you."

It wasn't a question, and Eric ducked his head, feeling his lips finally quirk upward in a slight smile. His hands found her hips, fingers splaying gently over them as he drew her back against his chest, tucking the top of her head beneath his chin. "Like I said ages ago…you always did know how to read me."

With a deep sigh, Calleigh gave a half-shrug, her eyes drifting downward as Eric's arms encircled her completely. His fingers clasped together just above her stomach, just above where their child – their child – grew inside of her. She smiled softly then, knowing exactly where Eric's thoughts had led – eventually, after all, he was still concerned about her well-being – when the doctor had allowed that minor detail to slip. "I didn't say anything because…well, because I just found out. Over the weekend." She paused, and then on instinct covered his hands with hers, shivering slightly at the contrast. "You were still in Tampa; it wasn't exactly the kind of thing I wanted to tell you on the phone." Finding it suddenly hard to breathe due to the lump of emotion in her throat that simply refused to be dispelled, Calleigh swallowed hard, feeling Eric shift behind her. "I wish I had gotten to tell you, though…"

"I wish it would've been you, too," Eric breathed, pressing a kiss to her temple. "Would've sounded prettier…" At that, Calleigh let out a soft giggle, the sound effectively diminishing some of the remaining tension – after all, she had risked not only her life, but their baby's as well, and Calleigh wasn't sure the full impact of that had settled in yet. There would be anger; there would be consequences. But right now…there was this, and it was all they needed. "How far?" Eric asked after a moment, and if Calleigh wasn't mistaken, she would swear that the predominant emotion in his voice at this point was awe – awe toward the life they'd created together; awe toward the life that had already faced and conquered its first – hopefully last, however unrealistic the hope might be in life - brush with death.

For a moment, there was silence as Calleigh once more checked the math in her head. She hadn't had time to go to a prenatal appointment yet – appointment was made, but she really wanted Eric there – so the basis of her assumption lay within the signs she'd noticed, either before or after the positive test. "I – I think I'm around eight weeks, maybe?" she continued. "I wasn't paying attention – I honestly couldn't tell you if I'd skipped…but I started noticing other little things over the, uh, past few weeks or so. Things that just made me wonder, but I – I didn't want you to know yet. Just in case."

"Just in case you were pregnant, and I decided to back out?" Not that there was ever any chance of that, though.

Calleigh shook her head, chuckling softly. "No. Just in case you got excited for no reason." She exhaled deeply and gently turned herself in his arms, coming face to face with him for the first time. "I know how much – how much family means to you, and I didn't want to…promise it to you and then wrench it away because it had never really been there in the first place, you know?" She smiled, laying her palms at his hips. "I'm glad you know now, though – I don't like not being able to share it with you."

If ever he'd had any doubt as to the depth of his feelings for her, her quiet declarations there dispersed them completely. Her thoughtfulness touched him, and beyond that was what he could see in her eyes now that she faced him. She wanted a family with him. It might not have been planned at this very moment, and Eric had had plans to put a ring on her finger and make her his forever before starting a family, but he couldn't say there was really anything he'd change about the way it had happened. Calleigh was alive, and she was going to make him a father…

Those thoughts brought a darker depth back to the forefront of Eric's mind, drawing back all the emotion, the fear, the utter agony that had filled him just the day before. She'd been so close to the end. He'd been so close to never getting this chance with her. And that affected him dearly; shook him to the very core. Eyes serious, he brought his palms to her cheeks, gently cupping her face and relishing in the warmth of life that he felt beneath his very fingertips – and that seemed to hit the point even further home. "You can't do this anymore, Cal," Eric whispered, his words a heavy plea rather than a simple declaration. "You can't."

Calleigh swallowed, allowing herself to grow mesmerized by the steady caress of his thumbs at her cheeks. "I know. I know. And I – I still don't even really know why I felt like I had to do this…but like I said, all I could think about was the fact that he was someone's son," she murmured, her voice wavering as she repeated her earlier admission. "And I just kept thinking, what if he was mine? What if there – if there was no one there to save our child?" She pursed her lips, fighting back an entirely new wave of emotion; that fight, however, became utterly impossible when Eric dropped his hands from her cheeks and chose instead to draw her completely into his arms, his embrace almost desperate. One arm wrapped tightly around her back while the other cradled the back of her head, his fingers threading through silky blonde hair – he held onto her as though he dreaded the very moment he would be forced to let go – in his arms, at least, she was safe. He could protect her there, and Calleigh, after the events of the day before, was absolutely willing to grant him that.

Her arms snaked around his neck, and with a gentle shift against him she rested her head against his chest, her ear just above his heart. She wasn't surprised to find that the usually steady beat remained frantic. "I'm usually better than that," she murmured. "I just – I couldn't separate myself, Eric. I couldn't dissociate from the case, and I've never had that problem before. I've always been able to do that – I was the one who told you back on your first day at the lab that you couldn't personalize the cases," she remembered aloud, allowing a small smirk at the memory and the irony it had become. "What is wrong with me, Eric?"

"Absolutely nothing," Eric murmured immediately. For a moment, he allowed the silence to reign, broken only by the occasional sniffle from Calleigh. When he continued, his voice remained soft despite the fact that he wanted to shout the declaration from the highest rooftop in Miami. "You're pregnant."

Calleigh hummed softly. "Changes a lot of things, I guess…"

"I'd say so," Eric replied with a smile, and though Calleigh couldn't see it, she could feel it, could hear it in the words. "Needs to change something else too…" To Calleigh's dismay, Eric pulled away again, wanting to meet her eyes as he spoke. "I want you to promise me something. You are easily the most selfless person I know." He lifted a hand, gently stroking her cheek as he tucked a lock of stray hair behind her ear. "Please, Calleigh. At least for a while…I want you to be more selfish – think about you. Our baby." He paused there, and while Calleigh wondered if she should speak, she knew she couldn't. Right now, her voice had failed her, leaving Eric to continue. "I was so terrified yesterday; you have no idea. I – I thought I was going to lose you forever."

His words were a dagger to her heart, filling her with a fresh pang of guilt. Frightening him had been the last thing she'd ever wanted to do again; he'd been terrified through both her kidnapping and her initial brush with death just a year ago. And she knew the feeling, having felt that same fear during his hospitalization.

"When Horatio called me, when he told me what you – what you'd done, I just…I couldn't believe it," Eric continued, his voice hoarse. "I couldn't believe that you would do that, not after what happened to you before." His hands found hers, clasping their fingers together and gently tugging her closer, just close enough that Eric could brush his lips over her forehead. Once, twice, a third time…when he spoke again, his lips moved against her skin, reluctant he was to pull away. "I was terrified, but I was furious too. That four hour drive from Tampa…I think I made it in under three, because I just – I needed to be here with you."

"I'm glad you did come back…" Calleigh murmured.

"As if staying there was a choice," he muttered. Eric shook his head, then continued. "As angry as I was that you'd risk your life like that, I don't think I've ever been as furious as I was when that doctor inadvertently spilled that about – about the baby. I know you, Cal. I know you're not going to put down your guns and play the paperwork game for nine months…but can you try not to rush into any more burning buildings? Please?"

She sniffled, nodding her head. It was the only answer she could give at the moment. "I'm sorry, Eric…"

"I know…" He smiled, that smile that never failed to convince Calleigh that everything would be okay in the end. With that, Calleigh was back in his arms again, perhaps locked within an embrace much tighter than before, and Calleigh had no complaints about that at all. "I had to think about something I really don't like yesterday," he continued, softly stroking her hair. "The thought of – of having to live without you. And I can't even think of that now – because I can't live without you, Calleigh," he confessed, and though it had wavered to this point, his voice finally broke. "If I lost you, I just – I couldn't do it. You are such a huge part of me now and I can't lose that. I mean, for the longest time, you were the only source of stability in my life…and I just can't imagine having to go on without that. Without you. I am head over heels in love with you, Calleigh. I love you. I love you more than anybody should ever be allowed to love another person, because I know that if something were to ever happen to you, it would kill me."

This time, it was Calleigh who pulled away from him – it had been a constant back and forth, trying to decide which pressing need was greater: the need for eye contact, or the need to share an embrace. This time it was the eye contact that won out, and Calleigh found herself shivering lightly at the depth of emotion in those deep chocolate eyes, rimmed with red much as she assumed her own were. Her heart clenched as his words settled into her, granting her some mixture of peace and exhilaration; serenity and exuberance. She knew without a doubt that the words were a two-way street, and if she'd doubted it before, she'd no longer doubted it after she'd awoken in the hospital, bustling doctors and nurses running around her, and yet the only person she'd seen had been Eric. Eric, cradling her face, assuring her that she was okay. He may as well have been the only one in the room with her.

Calleigh flicked her tongue over parched lips as she sought out his hand with one of hers; he eagerly returned the small squeeze she gave. "I wanted to say that to you too as soon as I woke up," she admitted, averting her eyes for only a second – the magnetism between their gazes was much too great to ignore. Despite her reddened eyes, she managed a chuckle, reveling in the way he gently brushed a knuckle over her cheek. "But of course I couldn't say anything…" Pausing for a moment, she nodded, almost as to assure herself that her words were true, despite the fact that she already knew that with all of her heart. "I love you, Eric," she whispered, nearly melting to the ground at the smile that touched Eric's lips. "I love you." Hesitating for but a second, she looked down, smiling softly as she brought their connected hands to her still-flat-for-now stomach. "I knew with absolute certainty when I found out about this little one…and rather than scared or upset like I always thought I would be if – if it happened without a plan, I was…I was so happy, Eric. I went out and bought two more tests just to make sure, and after the third gave the same result, I was through the roof and haven't really come back down since. Well, except for all this, I mean."

Eric's eyes were captivated by the sight of their hands together at her tummy; his heart skipped a beat at the sudden vision of her progressing through this pregnancy, growing with his child but still just as beautiful, just as sexy, as she'd always been. "God…we're having a baby," he murmured, allowing the awe to come through in his voice. The dark thoughts still lingered, though – they almost weren't having a baby, because he almost no longer had Calleigh, but as best as he could, Eric forced himself to lock down that corner of his brain. She was before him; she was alive and beautiful and in his arms as she should be, and with that, Eric leaned forward and finally caught her lips in a kiss.

It was slow and unhurried, yet oh so perfect. To Calleigh, it felt almost as though a lifetime had passed since last she'd felt the sweet caress of his lips against hers, though in reality it had been under a week – still too long for her liking, though. She met him kiss for kiss, allowing him to set the pace, though what she really wanted was to kiss him like she'd never kissed him before. The languidity was just as exquisite, though. She had the time to savor every single kiss, every single shivery sensation that passed through her body, every single bolt of electricity that set her body alive. It was all there, all with him, and Calleigh couldn't believe just how close she'd been to losing all of this. The realization left her mumbling those three words against his mouth again, over and over again – she'd never said it before, but now she couldn't say it enough. And Eric responded in kind, taking her cheeks in his palms again as he kissed her, lips meshing and tongues teasing, mouths coming together over and over and over again until Calleigh thought she might collapse with vertigo. When finally they separated, she couldn't breathe, felt a tightness in her chest, but said nothing as she attempted to catch her breath, finding that it took a little longer than usual.

She found herself being led gently to the couch, coaxed gently down to the soft cushions by a suddenly concerned Eric. To her dismay, rather than take a place beside of her and pull her back into his arms again, Eric kneeled on the ground in front of her, taking both her hands in his and gazing up at her with worry in his eyes – she'd thought she'd done a better job than that of hiding her breathlessness – Calleigh said nothing now, though, knowing that Eric would never believe it was just the kiss that had left her struggling for breath. It was returning, slowly but surely, and Calleigh met his gaze, unable not to lose herself in the inviting dark orbs. "You okay?" he asked softly, tenderly caressing the top of her hands with his thumbs.

Slowly, Calleigh offered a nod of her head, playfully tugging at Eric's hands. "I'd be better though if you were up here with me, instead of kneeling on the floor," she said, releasing a hand and bringing it to Eric's face. Gently she cupped his chin, feeling the tickle of his stubble against her palm. "Will you just…lay here with me for awhile?" she asked, mildly sheepish. "Just stay with me."

"Of course," Eric answered immediately, a smile at his lips. Obliging her, he pulled himself onto the couch, pausing once to collect the blanket from the back of it, and again to steal a quick kiss. Quickly, Calleigh was on her back, her head cushioned by the softest pillows as she looked up into Eric's eyes as he lay beside her, propped up on his side, both of them beneath the blanket.

He didn't seem to want to take his eyes off of her, and Calleigh couldn't say she had a problem with that. "I'm sorry I made you drive all the way back from Tampa like that," she murmured after awhile, breaking what had been a companionable silence.

There was genuine apology in her voice, and Eric couldn't help but chuckle. "All of this, and that's what you're worried about?" he remarked quietly, brushing a kiss against her forehead – not the first, and not the last of the day, or even the hour.

Calleigh gave a half-shrug, worrying her lower lip between her teeth. "I know you had to leave work behind, and you're still here…"

"Calleigh, there is no way in hell that I would be anywhere but here right now," he said seriously, tenderly tracing a fingertip along the curve of her jaw. "Don't even question that."

At the depth of conviction in his words, Calleigh could only nod, suddenly floored by the clear devotion in his eyes. He lowered his head, pressing yet another kiss to her forehead. She smiled, closing her eyes as an undeniable feeling of warmth washed over her. "Are you still mad at me?" she drawled softly.

Eric gave a low chuckle. "Yeah. I am." Lowering his head, he pursed his lips against her jaw, dotting a trail of kisses toward her ear. Calleigh giggled softly, tilting her head to offer him better access. "I think I may be bothered by that for awhile," he answered honestly, lifting his eyes back to meet Calleigh's. Beneath the blanket that covered them, Eric sought out her tummy with the palm of his hand; tenderly he nudged his way beneath the fabric that covered her, splaying his fingers over the bare skin of her abdomen, just above where a tiny life, half him and half her, grew almost secretly inside of her. "But it's because I love you and can't stand the thought of losing you…or this little one," he added, gently drumming his fingers over her stomach. "I just don't like when you scare me…"

He shifted beside her, laying his head on the pillow next to hers. "I love you," he murmured again, his breath warm against her cheek.

"I love you, too," Calleigh replied slowly, enjoying the feel of each word, appreciating the deeper meaning they held – they weren't just words she repeated back to him; they reflected the deepest feelings in her heart, and Calleigh found herself wishing she knew of better words to express that, because a simple I love you suddenly didn't feel like enough. For now, though, they would have to do, because she was simply too exhausted, both physically and emotionally, to search for something better.

He kissed her cheek, his lips lingering along her skin as he spoke, his voice a low whisper that elicited a shiver from Calleigh. "I've waited so long to hear you say those words." Calleigh twisted her neck, allowing bright, beautiful emerald to meet deep chocolate brown. In that moment, she almost lost her breath again, though this time not due to any physical obstruction of her airway – this time, it was simply the plethora of emotions in his eyes, none of which Eric attempted to hide. "I am so thankful you're okay…you have no idea…"

Lost for words, Calleigh could do nothing but tilt her head, softly capturing Eric's lips in a tender kiss. It was over much too quickly – Eric wouldn't let it progress as far as the last one had, for fear of aggravating the already precarious situation in her lungs, but for the moment, it was enough. It was all enough – being cuddled on the couch in the arms of the man she loved, carrying his child within her, and knowing he was in this for the long run…that was more than enough.

The circumstances that had brought them here might have been less than desirable – between the two of them, they'd had more hospital stays than Calleigh was comfortable with; they'd both had numerous brushes with death, but in the end, it had all seemed to draw them closer together. Would they be together now if not for all of that? Calleigh couldn't say, but as she closed her eyes, content to rest as per Dr. Delko's orders, she knew there was no reason to linger upon any of that. They were here; they were together, and that was all she really needed to know.

The past had certainly been rocky, and the future would be utterly uncertain until it became the present, but in that moment, none of that really mattered at all. All either of them really needed was right there in that moment, in the here and now. And that was simply enough.