Author's Note: Got the idea from the lyrics of a Norwegian song called that.
Disclaimer: I don't own CSI: Miami and I don't make any money from it.
Warning: Sex read at own risk.
It wasn't my fault
Eric Delko was sitting in a bar alone, this normally wouldn't occur, but as he and Calleigh had ended it a little while back, he figured he could go out, have a beer and try to forget about it. He was at the moment looking at a beautiful redhead that was sitting by the bar. She seemed alone, so he figured why not go over and try his luck. As thought as done. Seemed her name was Lisa and she had just moved into town.
The two of them stayed there talking for hours and hours until the bar closed. By then they had consumed a huge deal of alcohol and they ended up making out outside the bar. As Eric wasn't the man that said no to anything, he didn't think twice when she suggested they would continue the party at her place.
He paid for a cab and led her inside where their clothes were removed in a hurry and they ended up in his bed. Their kisses grew deeper and more demanding and Eric was saluting her, ready to get to the finish. He wasn't slow when it came to that or to get to the finish along with her.
It was only the next day when he woke up next to her; he remembered that he hadn't used any kind of protection. He sighed assuming she had used it as he slowly got dressed. She woke up smiling at him, wondering if he wanted breakfast or anything, but he declined saying he had to get to work. He however wondered if he was going to call later, she nodded and gave him her number. He thanked her and left.
It was after work that he tried calling, but turned out she had given him a wrong number. Disappointed he considered going to the bar to look for her, but left it be, and as time went by he forgot about her. After all what could he do when she didn't want to be contacted by him.
It was about a month later that Calleigh found him puzzled in the break room. She looked at him with wondering eyes, asking, "Eric, what's the matter?"
"I'm going to be a father," he said.
"Sorry what?" the petite blonde almost spat in shock.
"I'm going to be a father, but none of this was my fault, she played me," he said.
"She who, when?" Calleigh wanted to know, looking at him in disbelief. Had he really replaced her that fast.
"A little over a month ago, I went to this bar and I meet this woman… I asked for her number she gave me a fake one and I haven't heard from her until now," he quickly explained.
"It is nice to know that you replaced me that fast, and why didn't you use protection?" she asked, restraining herself from strangling him.
"You were the one that… and I didn't think that far, I assumed she was," he said with a shrug.
"Clearly not and now you got a bastard, I don't believe this," she said, turned on her heel and walked out of the break room.
"Calleigh, it wasn't my fault, you have to believe me," he called after her, making the whole lab turn their faces.
She turned, snapping, "I don't care, you should have used protection, so as far as I am concerned you are as much to blame."
"You know, I don't see why I should explain myself to you anyways," he said annoyed, walking pass her and towards to the elevator. She stood there fuming looking after him.
"What is going on?" Calleigh heard Natalia ask behind her, and turned.
"Don't you think that idiot managed to knock up a girl by accident, he claims, as he didn't use protection," said Calleigh.
Natalia's eyes widened, as her jaw dropped, as she whispered, "You cannot be serious."
"According to the letter he just received I'm afraid I am," said Calleigh.
"Men!" said Natalia, shaking her head.
"Yeah, I still can't believe he did that, did I really mean that little to him?" she asked, looking at Natalia with questioning eyes.
"I'm sure you didn't," said Natalia in a comforting tone, placing a hand on her arm.
"It doesn't matter, the question is what he will do with that bastard," Calleigh said, her voice filled with hatred. Natalia didn't speak; instead she dragged the petite blonde to the changing room where she closed the door. She opened her closet and took out a bottle which Calleigh could only assume to be alcohol.
"Don't worry I do not drink every day or anything, just for emergencies to calm my nerves I take a sip, not even that. Here," said the brunette and handed her the bottle.
Calleigh took a sip and cursed before sitting down on one of the benches handing the bottle back. Natalia smiled, putting it back in the closet saying, "You'll get through this."
"The thing is I don't know if I can, if he goes through with this or she for that matter," said Calleigh with a sigh.
"Well you can always double the odds and get pregnant as well," said Natalia with a little smile.
"No, besides…"Calleigh looked down, she couldn't believe she was about to tell Natalia what she hadn't told anyone, not even Eric.
"Yes…?" Natalia questioned with worried eyes.
"Even if I wanted to, I can't have children, it's medically impossible," Calleigh confessed.
"Oh Calleigh, I'm so sorry," Natalia whispered with a great deal of sympathy, knowing now that the thing with Eric was even harder for her friend than she first imagined.
"It is what it is, and I guess I shouldn't be upset as we ended it, but still…" she said with a sad sigh.
"Of course you should, he should have waited and been more careful," said Natalia, sitting down next to her and giving her a hug.
Calleigh held on to her, crying softly into her shoulder. Why did he have to go and do this when he knew the risks? She always wanted to start something with him, but in the end she realized he wasn't the right guy. Still this was a hard hit for her.
On the outside of the crime lab Eric was calling the mother of his child saying, "Lisa, if that is in fact your real name. You can't just have fun, give me a wrong number and drop a bomb on me like that."
"I was not the only one that had fun, and I know it is yours, so you have half the responsibility for it," said Lisa.
"What the heck do you expect me to do, drop everything, get involved with you and raise it?" Eric almost spat.
"I want you to take responsibility for your actions, either you do it voluntary or I go through the court," she said.
"Don't you dare, this is not my problem," said Eric and hung up in anger. He turned to face Horatio that looked at him with wondering eyes.
"Women!" said Eric frustrated to his boss.
"What did you do this time?" asked Horatio, sighing.
"I meet a girl... and now she claims to be pregnant with my child," said Eric, still annoyed.
"And you want nothing to do with it?" Horatio looked at him with shocked eyes.
"And just how do you suggest I raise a child with the hours I work?" Eric asked.
"You are to call her back and come to some kind of agreement, you cannot abandon your child because of the situation," the older man said.
Eric was about to say something regarding Kyle, but chose to stop, he of course knew the redhead was right in what he said. Sighing he called Lisa to arrange a meeting.
Horatio went inside the lab, surprised to see that not Calleigh or Natalia was anywhere around. He looked at Ryan bent over the microscope in the lab, and asked, "Have you seen Calleigh or Natalia?"
"Wardrobe," he said without looking up.
Horatio nodded and proceeded in that direction, hearing soft sobs coming from inside. Out of worry he slowly opened the door, only to find Natalia comforting Calleigh, which seemed crushed. Horatio's heart were aching for the petite blonde, but he let the ladies be, figuring Natalia had it under control.
It was a couple of months later and Calleigh was on her way back from the crime scene, when her phone rang. She somehow managed to get it out of her pocket and answered, "Duquesne."
"Hey, it's me, I was wondering would it be too much trouble to stop by the coffee shop down the street and bring me something fresh?" Natalia asked.
"Of course not, anyone else want something?" Calleigh asked, more to be polite than anything else.
"Ryan a caramel Frappuccino," said Natalia.
"And you?" Calleigh asked her.
"Surprise me," said Natalia with a small laugh.
"I will, I'm here," said Calleigh, hanging up and making sure her car was properly locked before she went in to get the coffee. As soon as she had parked the car she carried the evidence in one hand and the coffee tray in the other. She sighed pushing the elevator button.
Once she reached her floor she slowly got out and walked towards the DNA lab where Ryan and Natalia were waiting. As she handed the coffee over Natalia gave her a thankful smile as she hadn't slept well that night due to being ill, and was on the edge of falling asleep over her lab table.
"You want me to take over a little while for you so you can rest?" Calleigh asked her, looking at her with worried eyes, as the brunette looked rather pale.
"No, I couldn't…" Natalia said with a heavy sigh.
"Go, I can always ask Eric to take a little extra, where is he anyways?" Calleigh said, ordering Natalia to go on the couch in Horatio's office. She knew him to not be back for another couple of hours.
"Think he said something about he had to go and see Lisa," said Ryan with a shrug, as Natalia slowly left them.
"Again," said Calleigh, rolling her teal green eyes lightly. It wasn't the first time Eric was found running to tend to her needs. Had he at least had feelings for her she would have understood, but sadly it didn't seem that way. Or the other way around. Calleigh usually left it be, only this time she needed him back at the lab, after all he was supposed to be working. After all she was like Horatio his boss, so she took her phone out of her pocket and dialed him.
He answered a moment later saying, "It's Eric."
"Where are you?" Calleigh asked, her hand gripping a bit more tightly around her coffee cup in annoyance.
"Lisa was having some trouble, and…" He started, when Calleigh interrupted, "I don't care if she was having a craving of some sort, or a sore back or whatever else. You are supposed to be here working, and I need you here, the labs needs you, so I would suggest you get back here now."
"Calleigh, be reasonable, it's not that easy," he tried.
"Do you wish to lose your job," she said.
"Of course not, but…" he said.
"Then get your ass over here, tend to her in your breaks or your free time, unless it's time for delivery or something serious. You have fifteen minutes to get here," said Calleigh and hung up. Without noticing she had crushed the cup she was holding and the coffee was now on the floor. She sighed heavily, looking at Ryan, which quickly said, "I got it, just do what you need to do."
"Are you sure, I'll gladly help out with Natalia's load, but I need to take a look at some economic issues Horatio told me to look at, and a knife first," she said with a heavy sigh, looking at a box.
"Go, I'll take care of it, it's okay. I'll tell Walter to take a little as soon as he gets here," Ryan said shushing her out. Calleigh nodded and headed towards Horatio's office.
As Ryan was cleaning up moments later Walter came in and asked, "What's going on?"
"Poor Natalia was ill; by the looks at it she could hardly keep it together so when Call came back with coffee she ordered her to rest. She's sleeping in Horatio's office; I do believe Calleigh is there as well taking care of bills. This mess is due to her crushing a cup while talking to Eric, which is who knows where doing God knows what for Lisa," Ryan answered, throwing the paper towels in the trash.
"Sure Calleigh isn't in there, keeping a watchful eye over her princess? I take it Horatio is at the interrogation still and this thing with Lisa is going too far, don't you think?" said Walter.
"He is. I would agree, I mean I get she's having his child, but still… As for Calleigh and Natalia it wouldn't surprise me as they have become much closer lately, and you should have seen her. Red eyes, stuffy nose and throat I suspect, pale, no wonder Calleigh asked her to rest," said Ryan.
Walter nodded as he said, "Why didn't she just call in sick?"
"Lord knows, so any chance you can take a look of one of her files?" Ryan said as Eric finally appeared. He looked at them and asked, "Where are Natalia and her Royal highness?"
"Natalia is ill, Calleigh told her to rest, she's talking care of bills and then some evidence," Ryan said.
"So she can rest while I have to hurry back here due to that I'm sure," Eric snapped.
"Dude, she's working her ass off, they both are, while you go to tend to that woman during work hours, even you gotto understand that is unacceptable," said Walter.
"And sleeping during work hours is what then," said Eric, turning on his heel and walking with fast steps towards Horatio's office. He assumed them to be there.
"Eric, stop, leave them be," Ryan said, hurrying after to try to stop him, knowing if he walked in there it would mean war for sure.
Eric looked through the glass walls, seeing Calleigh sitting at the desk, rubbing her temple, browsing through some papers, making a note on one of them. Then looking at the screen and plotting something in. He at once could tell she was trouble by the way she was constantly rubbing her temple. On the couch Natalia was sleeping peacefully in a fetal position.
Calleigh stopped, looking at the brunette with worried eyes, before she walked over, kneeling down beside the couch, taking one hand in her own, and whispering something.
Eric was fuming, he wasn't allowed to go and tend to the woman carrying his child, while these two was having no trouble showing their feelings in public. He, like the rest had seen how they slowly had managed to develop over the last two months. Not that the two women hadn't been close to begin with, but now…
The Hispanic man was starting to get feed up by Calleigh and her rules feeling like she didn't live by them herself, so before Ryan could stop him, he stormed in snapping at her, "So I can't see the mother of my child for a little while, while she can sleep at work. Where is the justice in that? You give me hell half the time, while she… She…"
"I beg you to finish that," said Calleigh, her voice cold as ice.
"She gets away with everything," he in the end said.
"She gets away with everything, she gets away with everything! Oh God I hate you so much right now Eric. I will not even start to get into how you knocked up that woman that clearly was of no importance to you. It just shows you haven't changed at all over the years. I have no trouble with you owning up to your responsibilities all I ask is that you do it on your own time. I… we run a business here, trying to solve murders if you even care. At least the Eric Delko I knew did. You used to put your work first, you didn't run off to save a damsel in distress, at least you did it on your breaks. You have to see you can't act like this and I am sure Horatio would agree. And yes she happens to be resting with my permission, her fever is running very high and I was worried about her, not only because she's my coworker, but my friend. I didn't want the evidence to get wrecked because she's in a bad shape, at least she cares enough to show up and stay," Calleigh said.
Natalia that had been woken by their arguing looked at them with very tired eyes. She wanted to speak her case, but fond it best not to do so. In the end she was too ill and tired to do anything but listen.
"Show up and stay, if you had any sense at all you would send her home, for Goodness sake if she is as ill as you say. But oh no, all you care about is work, lord forbid something is more important. You'll rather have her collapse than have her go home as long as it doesn't case you to look bad. She's not a damsel in distress, those days are clearly over. And yes I fucked up big time, but at least I am trying to fix it, and you are right maybe I should have done it on my free time, but unlike you she needed me," he snapped back at her.
"Too far, Eric, too far," they both heard Horatio's voice from the door. They turned to face him. He looked everything but happy as he said, "Calleigh, if you would take Miss Boa Vista home as I think it would be better if she rested there; I need a word with Eric."
Calleigh nodded and carefully helped Natalia up from the couch and out of the office. Horatio looked at Eric that said, "What now, it isn't enough that she grills me, now you are going to start?"
"Eric, we have known each other for some years, in which I have seen you changed for the worse to the better, don't go back to the worse due to this issue. Every coming parent that work, managed to balance both work and their private life, you have to do the same," said Horatio in a calm tone, but serious tone.
"It's not that easy H, I mean she calls a lot and…" said Eric with a sigh.
"Then tell her when you are at work you can only come if it is a matter of life and death or the delivery or you won't have one," said Horatio with a sigh.
"I'll try," he said with a nod, walking towards the door with hanging head, before her turned and asked, "Do you think Natalia will be okay?"
"She's in the best hands, so I will think so, you need to learn when to listen to her and not. I know she is your ex, but here she is still a superior," said Horatio with a sigh.
Eric nodded again, leaving the office, feeling like the biggest fool in her world.
Once Calleigh had gotten Natalia home, she quickly got her to bed, with a wet cloth on her forehead. She let out a groan as Calleigh went into the kitchen to make her something hot to drink. As soon as she was back she asked her, "How are you feeling, dearest?"
"Better now that I'm in bed, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cause trouble and make things worse between you and Eric," she said with a heavy sigh.
"He was going over the line and I would most likely have taken you home in any case," said Calleigh with a heavy sigh.
"He's not right you know, you don't always put your work first," said Natalia in a soft tone, giving her a smile.
"But most of the times," said Calleigh, again sighing.
"Comes with the territory and your nature," said Natalia.
"I just feel so tired some times," she said, laying down to rest next to Natalia, daring to close her eyes. The thing with Eric, work was slowly starting to drain her, leaving her exhausted. Making herself comfortable she slowly fell asleep.
"Calleigh," Natalia whispered, looking at her, lying there peacefully, her chest going up and down, her eyes closed. Asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow, that much she knew.
The brunette sighed, grabbing for her phone, texting Horatio saying she wasn't the only one needing rest and that they both would be back the next morning. She would call if she was still not up for it. She could handle the battle with Calleigh later on if it came.
Horatio looked at the text, shaking his head, knowing he wouldn't make a trouble of it. After all Calleigh had taking on a lot more lately, in troublesome times she usually did. Now was no exception. He figured he would take some tasks of her hands if he could, making it a little easier for her the next day, after all how often did she not do that herself. He figured it was the least he could do, and letting his second in command rest for a change.
Eric was sitting in the break room at the lab, looking at a baby seat. In it was his son, Peter Delko. His mother had left them when he was a little over a week old, saying that it didn't fit her plan in life to have a baby and she wanted nothing to do with either.
Little Peter was now three weeks old and growing fast. Eric used formula to feed him. Every once in a while he even added some honey to it to make it sweater. He looked at his son, thinking that this was not how he ever planned to have a child. He planned to move in together, get married and stay that way for some time yet. Not just knock up some random girl and later be stuck with him. What was he going to tell Peter about his mother if he ever asked.
Eric sighed, hearing happy giggles nearing he break room, Calleigh and Natalia. His, once Calleigh, but never again. Due to Peter, he had screwed up what once could have been something. He once pictured her carry his children. He even planned to try to win her back, then this happened, due to something he claimed wasn't his fault. A little too late he realized it was. He had ended up a single father, due to one drunken night, how stupid could you get.
A little too late he understood it all had been his fault. Peter started to scream, causing Eric to quickly lift him up from the seat, trying to rock him back to sleep, carrying him and the seat towards the elevator. He had a new scene. And until he was old enough to go to kindergarten he would have to come with his dad to work. Horatio had in the end approved to that and Peter's aunts and uncles were more than happy to help him out every once in a while. If it was due to pity or if they actually liked Peter Eric would never know, he was just grateful that they did.
Calleigh and Natalia nodded at them as they passed and Natalia said, "I never once picture him as a father."
"Neither did I until he showed up here with Peter, he is however doing surprisingly well," said Calleigh, her arms wrapped around Natalia's waist from behind, her head leaning against her shoulder.
"What I will never get is how Lisa left them, I could never do that no matter the situation if it was my child," said Natalia.
"Neither could I, but it's her loss, Eric is a great guy, even if we couldn't work it out and now a great father," said Calleigh, nuzzling her neck.
"I agree, he could father one of mine any day," said Natalia with an agreeing nod.
"Oh so you are having children now," said Calleigh with a giggle.
"Maybe someday, one thing at the time, coffee?" she asked.
"Yeah, some day, yes please," said Calleigh letting her go, so she could walk over to the coffee machine to make them a couple of cups.
From not far away Horatio was watching, glad it had worked out with Eric and little Peter, and Natalia and Calleigh. He smiled as he heard one familiar voice say, "Good day, handsome."
"In deed it is, sweetheart, in deed it is," he said, turning to give his sweetheart a hug.
Thank you for reading, feedback is always most welcome :o)