A/N: Ok so this is my first attempt at an EC fanfiction. I've had many ideas for stories before but never followed through with them. This one just wouldn't leave me alone though so I had to write it.
A very special thanks to MomentarySetback who read this, gave me feedback and basically gave me the courage to actually post it. You are awesome girl! As I said before, this is my first EC fic and I was really nervous to post it. That being said, please review! Any reviews will be greatly appreciated. Good or bad.
* I don't own anything recognizable.*
-Set in early season 6-
The first thing Calleigh noticed when she pulled up to the crime scene was Jake's car parked amongst several squad cars. The second was the other department issued Hummer parked several feet away.
"Please be Natalia or Ryan or anybody else for that matter. Anybody but him." She mumbled to herself as she cut the engine, grabbed her kit, and climbed out.
She smiled at the young cop who held the crime scene tape up for her and headed for the front door. She gazed up at the beautiful two story house, complete with an amazing wrap around porch and sighed. There was even a white picket fence for goodness sakes! It was perfect, or it was until this morning, obviously.
She could vaguely see herself in a house like this. Settling down with someone and maybe even having kids. She could picture them if she tried hard enough. With her eyes closed she let herself imagine that, imagine them. A little girl with blond pigtails and deep sea green eyes and a little boy with dark hair and deep chocolate brown eyes, much like the ones she lost herself in frequently. Both with skin the color of caramel and a pout that would inevitably have her caving in seconds.
Calleigh's eyes popped open as she realized what, or more like whoshe was thinking of. With a frustrated sigh she headed up the stairs. Making her way through the front door, she spotted Alexx in the living room kneeling next to the body of a young girl. Judging by the amount of blood, Calleigh would say she was definitely beaten to death, with what or by who was what she was going to have to figure out.
"Hey Alexx, whatcha got for me?" Calleigh said as she kneeled next to Alexx and took in the sight before her.
"Annie Westland, 29. COD's blunt force trauma." She replied before checking the thermometer. "Liver temp puts TOD at about 6:00 am. I'll know more when I get her back to the morgue." She looked at Calleigh with sad eyes. "That's not all either."
Calleigh gave her a questioning look and opened her mouth but before she could get the words out Alexx was turning the girl onto her back revealing a very noticeable baby bump. Her eyes narrowed and she felt her stomach churning. "How far along?"
"I'm guessing about 5 months, but I'll know for sure at post. Poor baby, well babiesreally." She gave Calleigh a piercing look. "When you find this bastard, save me a piece."
Calleigh nodded, stood and started snapping pictures as Alexx and her crew packed and loaded up the body. She was so caught up in taking the pictures she didn't hear the approaching footsteps until they were right behind her.
"Hey Cal, I'm assuming you talked to Alexx and saw the vic?" She clamped her eyes shut tightly and blinked them back open, turning to greet her partner. Praying the blush she felt creeping up her neck would stop.
"Hey Eric. Yes, I talked to Alexx. Do we have anybody in mind for this at all?"
Before Eric could open his mouth, Calleigh got her answer from behind her. "My money's on the husband, Brandon Westland. Tripp's on his way to his office to talk to him." Jake responded from the doorway.
Calleigh turned as Jake strolled into the living room. "Detective Berkley." She acknowledged before continuing to snap pictures. She sent a silent prayer up that the floor would just open, and she would fall right into the earth, or something, anything, would happen to get her out of this situation.
"Officer Dusquene." She heard him reply before his ringing phone took him from the room once again.
Eric would be lying through his teeth if he said he couldn't feel the tension in the room. Something was definitely up. "Hey Cal, everything ok?" Has asked before snapping on his gloves.
She turned, gave him a pointed look, "Yes." And with her dismissive tone, Eric knew that was the end of it. He knew Calleigh was a private person, and didn't want her business being discussed, but he was genuinely concerned. However considering his opinion on her relationship with Jake maybe it was best if he stay out of it.
"Well," Jake announced, walking back into the room, "Tripp's on his way to PD with Mr. Westland. Apparently he's pretty upset. I'm gonna head over there, is that ok?"
Calleigh looked up and scoffed. Did he really just ask if that was ok? Like she, like they, couldn't handle it without him? "Ok well we'll be here finishing up then." She retorted, with a little more disdain than necessary. "I think we can handle it." At that both Jake and Eric looked at her. Eric's eyebrow arched as he looked between Calleigh, still snapping pictures on the other side of the room now, and Jake glaring at her, waiting for her to look at him.
When she didn't, Jake glanced at Eric before telling her: "Yea I'm sure you guys will be fine. Here. Together. Alone. Huh Calleigh?" At that, she definitely looked at him, well glared would be more like it. Eric knew he should look away, collect some evidence, do something besides watch, but he couldn't tear his eyes away.
"Ok Jake you know what? I need to talk to you. Now. Outside. Alone." She mocked before sitting her camera down and storming out the front door. Jake shot Eric another glance before quickly following her.
Eric stood rooted to the same spot. What the hell was that about? What had Jake meant by that? Him and Calleigh, here, together, alone? Did he think something was going on, or would go on if he weren't there? Was he crazy? Besides the fact that Calleigh didn't like him like that, she had made that very clear, Calleigh would never cheat on anybody she was with. Eric knew that. He knew Calleigh. And he would think that Jake would know that too. Well, he should anyway.
Outside was anything but quiet at that moment. "JAKE WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT,HUH?" Calleigh shouted, hands planted firmly on her hips, eyes boring into him.
"Ha Calleigh. You have the nerve to upset about what I said? Really?"
"Yes Jake, really. Because what happened last night is between us. It's not something I want to talk about at work. At a crime scene. With Eric standing ten feet away."
"So you don'twant Delko around then? Well you could have fooled me."
"Jake stop. We'll talk about this later. I have to get back in there and finish processing the scene and you have to meet Frank at PD." She pleaded with her eyes for him to drop it, at least for now.
"Yea fine. I'll see you later." And with that he was in his car and gone, leaving Calleigh to face what she knew would be a very questioning Eric.
Calleigh gave herself a minute before going back in. She looked up at the perfect house for the second time that day, letting her mind drift to the images she had conjured up and before she could stop herself, remembering what had happened the night before….
Reclining back on the couch, Calleigh allowed him to shower her neck and jaw with sweet kisses. Kisses that started out sweet but were soon becoming very heated. She sighed as she laid her head on a throw pillow and his kisses traveled lower, his hands skimming under her top and sliding up.
With her eyes closed she allowed herself to enjoy the sweet torment and gasped when she felt his teeth nip her pulse and then sooth it with his tongue. Even with her eyes closed she could clearly see him in her mind. Smiling at her. Looking at her like she was the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on. She loved when he looked at her like that. Truth be told she loved everything about him.
Calleigh was so caught up in her thoughts that the suckling kiss he planted below her ear had her calling out to him, for him…
"God. Eric…."
At the sound of her own voice and the words that had tumbled from her lips, her eyes shot open. The sweet torment stopped and she was immediately looking into his eyes. His irate eyes boring into her.
"Jake…." The excuses and apologies died on her lips as he hastily stood, running his hands through his hair. Hands on his hips, he began to pace in front of the couch.
"Calleigh. Calleigh what the hell?" He was yelling, and rightfully so, Calleigh thought.
"Jake listen. I'm sorry."
"Calleigh how can you say that? You said another man's name. And not just any man's name, but hisname. Of all people. Jesus Calleigh. You know how I feel about him. Him and you. I guess I shouldn't be surprised though right? I should have seen this coming I guess."
"Jake, just listen to me.." Calleigh was standing now too, trying to stop him, make him listen.
"Are you screwing him?" As soon as the words left his mouth, Calleigh's hand connected with his face.
"Are you serious? Jake, what the hell? You know what? Just get out! NOW!"
"Fine by me Calleigh, why would I want to stay anyway? Obviously it's not me you want." With that he was gone, slamming the front door behind him.
Twelve hours, one confession and one draining conversation with Jake later, Calleigh sat in her car outside of Eric's condo. She wanted, no needed to talk to him.
They closed the case, finding out that the husband did indeed kill Annie and their unborn child. Apparently he was in deep with some loan sharks, had a really bad gambling problem and Annie had a nice life insurance policy.
"I guess it was enough to kill his wife andunborn child for." Calleigh thought to herself. Everyone had been greatly disgusted with the case and the guilty husband, but at least they had figured out what had happened and Brandon Westland would be in jail for a long time coming.
Laying her head back against the headrest, Calleigh let her thoughts drift to the conversation she had with Jake, after closing the case and leaving work for the night….
"Jake listen. I can't say I'm sorry enough. You know I would never cheat on you. You know that's not the kind of person I am. But I don't know what to say about last night. Truth be told Jake, I do have feelings for Eric and I guess I can't ignore them anymore. I never meant to hurt you though. I'm sorry things happened this way." Calleigh looked into Jake's eyes as he sat across from her in the small diner.
"Wow . I'm sorry too. I know you would never do anything like that, I was just upset and angry and I can't believe I said that to you. I know better than to think that."
"It's ok Jake. You were angry. You had every right to be."
"Yea…So where do we go from here Calleigh?"
She had felt bad. She still felt bad. She had certainly never meant for anything like this to ever happen. But she couldn't deny her feelings anymore. And if she was telling the truth, she had been thinking about Eric a lot lately. This morning's daydream was just one of many over the recent months. Of course she had only talked to Eric about the case for the rest of the day, so he had no idea about any of this. And that's why she was here. Sitting in her car outside of his condo. Trying to gather the courage to go to him, talk to him.
With one last deep breath she quickly got out of the car and headed for his building before she lost what little courage she now had. Before she knew it she was in front of his door. She raised her fist and knocked lightly a few times before taking a step back and waiting. She looked at her hands, wringing them together. The waiting was killing her and she suddenly felt panicked. What if he wasn't alone? God, how embarrassing would that be?
But before she could linger on that thought any longer, the door opened and Calleigh's breath caught in her throat. Eric stood before her barefoot, sweatpants riding low on his hips, tank top just tight enough to see the ridges of his sculpted chest. She took a deep breath before meeting his eyes. His very confused eyes.
"Calleigh? Is everything ok?" He was obviously shocked to see her here so late and still in her work clothes, he noticed. The concern was evident in his face and voice.
"Hey Eric. I'm sorry to just drop by like this but I needed to talk to you. But if now's not a good time…." She started to back up but was halted by Eric's hand on her arm and warm, inviting voice.
"No Cal, it's fine. Come on in." He stepped back enough to let her pass and didn't let go of her arm until she was inside and the door was closed. "Do you want something to drink? Eat? Anything?" He asked, leading her to the couch to sit.
"No I'm… I'm good." She sat perched on the end of the couch, hands wringing together in her lap. Eric sat, leaving just enough space between them, and grabbed the remote, hitting the mute button. "So what's up Cal?"
Calleigh looked at Eric and sighed, bringing her hand up to push a fallen piece of hair behind her ear. "I wanted to talk to you. About today. Well about several things actually." She noticed the questioning in Eric's eyes, had seen it there earlier as well. She opened her mouth to continue, but found she didn't actually know where to start. Did she start by telling him that she actually did have feelings for him? That she had been thinking about him a lot, couldn't stop thinking about him, even when she was with Jake? That Jake's outburst today was because she had said his name last night?
"Cal. Calleigh. Helloooo?" Eric was looking at her with a sad smile on his face. "What's wrong? Come on Cal, you can talk to me about anything." She looked at him then, really looked at him and found the courage she needed right there in his eyes.
"Well first of all… I just wanted to say I was sorry about Jake today at the crime scene. We had a fight I guess you could say, last night. Anyway he shouldn't have made a scene like that and I'm sorry. But we uh, well I broke up with him tonight. Earlier tonight. And …." She was finding it hard to actually say it. Eric slid his hand over and took one of hers. He held her tiny hand in his and she suddenly found herself transfixed by the sight.
"I'm sorry, are you ok Cal?" She looked up at him again in awe of how wonderful he was. How did she not see it all along? She knew he didn't like Jake and here he was apologizing because they were over, asking if she was ok when she knew she had hurt him with her decision to be with Jake.
"Yea I'm fine. I'm great actually." Taking a deep breath, she figured it was now or never and decided to just say it before she lost her nerve again. "It was actually a long time coming. I should have broken up with Jake a long time ago. I shouldn't have been with him to begin with actually. I wasn't in love with him, didn't feel for him what I should have, you know what I mean?" When she looked into Eric's eyes again she gasped lightly at the way they had darkened. He had a hopeful look in his eyes now and she couldn't help the curve of her lips upward. She cleared her throat and began again.
"Actually I have feelings for someone else." At her confession she heard a sharp intake of breath and Eric's hold on her hand became tighter.
"Who?" Eric whispered, prompting her to look up at him again. This time she held his gaze as she answered, knowing without a doubt that this was right.
"You." With that one word Eric's eyes took on a whole new shade, a whole new depth that made her shiver. Before she could say anything else, his lips were on hers, soft and sweet just as she thought he'd be. It was perfection. That was the only word Calleigh could use to describe their first kiss. Her eyes closed, she let a small sigh escape her lips before leaning into him further to deepen the kiss. When Eric pulled back slightly, pressing one last kiss to her lips before pulling away completely, she actually whimpered. Eric's laugh forced her eyes open and she smiled shyly as she felt the blush rising in her cheeks.
"Me huh?" He asked earning a nod and smile in return. "Well that's good because I have some feelings for you too." He smiled, ducked his head to kiss her again. This time it was Calleigh who pulled back first.
"Oh yeah? What feelings would those be?" She giggled at the way he tightened his arms around her, gave her a lopsided grin and dove in for another kiss. She knew what those feelings were, she felt them too.
Leaning back into the couch, she briefly remembered the night before and how that had seemingly led to this moment. She decided to tell him about that later because right now she had more pressing matters to attend to. And this time as she laid back, being showered by sweet kisses, she didn't have to close her eyes to see who she really wanted, who should have been there.