He cupped her face in his hands, and sighed. Another stolen moment, another secret few minutes. This was so wrong, especially here, now.
They'd slipped away easily enough. She'd gone out as if to use the bathroom, and he'd grabbed a pile of papers off the coffee table and carried them out of the kitchen towards his office. And she'd been waiting for him. he'd hugged her, kissed her and held her. Nothing more.
"We should get back, before anyone…" she said softly.
"I know, I know…" he stroked her long soft hair.
"Eric it's your daughters birthday, you need to go back."
He just nodded and let her go. Without looking at her he went down the hall and slipped back into the kitchen. As he closed the door Natalia walked up to him and kissed his cheek.
"Come on we'll light the candles." She smiled. he nodded but felt his heart tug when Calleigh came back into the kitchen through the same door he had just closed. She caught his eye and then kept walking towards the rest of the small party.
They all smiled, sang and clapped as small Anissa Boa-Vista-Delko, blew out four candles. He father beamed down at her while her mother took photographs. The whole team sat around that evening talking. Calleigh was quiet, like she always was now-a-days at group things. He didn't say much for the evening either. They could both feel the guilt eating away at them, two years on they still felt as bad as when it all started.
Calleigh had been the one to first notice there was something up with Natalia. Eric hadn't even copped it, until she'd told him, four years ago she'd told him she thought she was pregnant. four years ago his life had taken a drastic turn…
He hadn't been able to catch her all day since Cooper opened his big mouth, and when he finally did outside the elevator, she snapped at him immediately. Could she really be that upset about the other women? He wondered
" You and I we weren't exclusive, we said that didn't we" he said secretly terrified he'd just make her worse
"We did I think I said it first actually" she nodded, calming down slightly.
"So Then why all the drama?" he asked
"Eric…" she started
"What?" he said softly.
"Forget it" she shook her head.
"I don't want to forget it you were going to tell me something what?"
"There are just complications ok?" she said, now having second thoughts about telling him at all.
"Complications like what?" he was getting really worried now. She sighed. 'Just tell him'
"I'm late." She finally said.
"For what" he said, she nearly laughed, 'he's such a guy!' she thought
"I'm late" she emphasised.
"Oh my god…" he said. She shook her head and walked away into the elevator. " wait Natalia wait!" he said and pulled the doors open.. then Paula made some comment about using the button instead, Natalia didn't really hear her.
"Talk to me" he said when Paula left pulling Natalia out of the way of everyone else, with him.
"What do you want me to say" she shrugged.
"You can't drop some news on me like that and then run… are you sure about this?" he said. 'He's taking this much better then I imagined.' She thought
"Those home tests don't really work on me and my doctor can't see me until this afternoon" she said.
"Right then after you see him…" he started but she interrupted
"Her"
"Her… then what do we do?" he asked. This time she did laugh.
"What?" he asked
"It's nothing" She shook her head.
"It's something what?" he siad
"It's just nice you said we" she smiled. he stopped for a second. Had she really thought that he wouldn't be there if she really was pregnant.
"Takes two to tango" he shrugged trying to make light of it all.
"Look you know I haven't been with anyone since my divorce" she said.
"I know" he nodded and smiled.
"No I mean anyone" she looked up at him. h could see how scared she was.
"I know I believe you Talia ok" he smiled. "Now look I'd go with you this afternoon but I can't get off this case." He said.
"It's ok no worries." She nodded. Maybe things would be ok.
"Please call me as soon as you know something"
"I promise"
"Ok" he said and she walked away.
That had been one of the scariest days of both of their lives, so far. He remembered waiting that entire day for her to get back. He remembered how hard he had worked to resist the temptation of ringing her. And then she'd finally arrived back at the lab.
"I thought you were gonna call me soon as you…" he started as soon as she got out of the elevator.
"Battery died" she said holding up her phone.
"So…" he asked. She bit her lip.
"I'm pregnant."
So he'd done what he knew was right. What his parents would approve of. He'd asked Natalia to marry him, to become a family. He didn't know at the time it had been the completely wrong thing to do, he'd just known it was best for his baby girl.