Author's Note: Just as an FYI this is the first time I've ever written Caleb, and the first time I've ever written a Caleb, Jack and Erica fic.

Feedback, good or bad, is always welcome.

Chapter 1

"Dorothy!" She heard him as soon as he walked through the Fusion elevator, "What's with that bright light as soon as you walk in?" he asked, holding his hand in front of his face to try to block out the bright, purple and white light, "Stupid idea. You're gonna blind someone and then they're going to sue you." Caleb (Cooney) Courtlandt or whatever name he was going by these days complained.

The woman behind the table sighed and rolled her eyes, "Can't you ever be positive? I've been waiting here forever. The least you could do was tell me I look nice." Erica Kane as she fluffed her hair one last time.

"Dorothy, you look nice. Now let's go." He replied.

She sighed, it was going to be a long night, "Well I don't want to do this anymore than you do. So let's go and get this over with."

"I thought you loved parties..." He said, sarcastically.

"It's not the party that's the problem." She ignoring him and walking right to the elevator.

"Jack, why aren't you ready?" Krystal asked, frustrated with her current love interest. "The launch party for the 'new and improved' Courtlandt Electronics is literally less than fifteen minutes!" She said, handing him his jacket.

He sighed, he knew he'd have to run into Erica. He said he'd always support her, but that was harder than you'd think.

"I'll be there, I just need to finish these last few paragraphs." He said, knowing that she knew he could put that off until morning.

"Fine. I'm going to go finish up, just try to hurry up - please." She said, walking back up the stairs like a teenager who has just been grounded from a party.

*
Eventually Caleb gave up and told Erica to have her little launch party, but without all the 'glam.' Oh that's right, he must have forgotten he was talking to Erica Kane... the Queen of well … anything and everything.

Caleb lent his arm to Erica, knowing they were already late...that's how Erica wanted it to be. Fashionably late.

"Erica!" Ryan exclaimed, "You look beautiful!" He smiled, leaning in to kiss her on the cheek, Caleb's eyes watching every move he made.

"Mmm. Thank you," she smiled, "You look great. Where's Greenlee?" She immediately asked, she wanted to know if she was going to have to put Greenlee in her place... for the sixth time that month.

Ryan laughed, "She's home. She didn't think it'd be appropriate to come."

"Appropriate?" Erica started, Caleb quickly turned her attention elsewhere.

"Let's go check on the cake." Caleb said.

"Well it's good to see you finally showed up!" Opal exclaimed loudly, causing Caleb to roll his eyes. "Fashionably late only works for my best gal pal!"

"Oh Opal, you look... great!" she smiled, keeping her thoughts about Opal's over-the-top style to herself.

"Well, did you see Jackson yet?" She asked, obviously not so subtly hinting that Jack and Erica should be a couple.

"No... actually I, I didn't know that he was coming. I guess he's so busy that can't take the time to RSVP for anything." Okay, so that was a lie... a complete lie. But she couldn't let him know she wanted him here. He needed to chase after her, not the other way around. She took another sip of her drink and willed herself to stop thinking about him.

*
"Oh come on, it'll be fun," Krystal said, knowing Jack was dreading this event.

"Krystal, I'm really swamped with work. Let's just go in, make an appearance and leave. This is unnecessary, I have nothing to do with this side of the business. I just handle the legal paperwork, we shouldn't have to show up." He snarled.

Krystal sighed. Was he really that infatuated with Erica that he couldn't just focus on having a nice night out with her? Sure it was also Erica's launch party, and Erica was going to be there - but for heaven's sake they live in a close vicinity, they were bound to run into each other at one point. They were supposed to be there for Caleb anyway, but of course for some reason Erica had such a hold on Jack, and he was going to focus on her the whole night.

"Listen," she smiled trying to keep the mood light, "if you aren't having any fun within 30 minutes we will leave."

"I'll hold you to that," Jack half-smiled as he lent his arm to Krystal as they walked through the door.