I'm not very good at angst, especially EC angst, because I tend to rant, but that's okay. I just wanted to get this out before tomorrow. Reviews are like gold to me!

Eric sighed as he pulled into the driveway of his house-alone. Calleigh had left him at work without a word of goodbye, and he assumed she was at her own house. He had a good hunch as to why she was acting so cold to him, and he decided that leaving her alone for a few hours would be the best plan of action.

He sighed again as he stared at the garage door in front of him. It had been a month since he stepped foot in this place he used to call home, but given the new situation, he was sure it was safe enough to maybe grab the pair of shoes he was looking everywhere for and his sky blue polo, Calleigh's favorite. Eric grabbed his phone and checked to make sure she had not called him back after receiving his voice message claiming he was stopping by his house and would be back later with some Chinese and ice cream.

She hadn't.

He moaned tiredly and placed his elbows on the steering wheel, throwing his face into his hands. Eric desperately wanted to talk to her; explain to her the whole situation. How could he do that, though, when (one) she wouldn't even look at him, much less talk to him, and (two) he literally couldn't tell her. Knowing sitting there feeling sorry for himself wasn't going to get anything accomplished, he jerked the door open and slammed it behind him. He was tired enough as it was, and he could sense a long night on the couch to be in his near future. He wanted to get in, and get out.

The first thing Eric noticed as he passed the blind-covered window was that the lights were on; that much was obvious. His heartbeat began to quicken as he crept towards the front door, turning the key as quietly as he could, opening the door and wincing at the soft creak it made. As he stepped past the foyer and into the living room, the next (and most startling thing) he saw was not the Russian gangster he had been expecting, but Calleigh, sitting there on his couch.

She was just sitting there, hands folded on her lap, eyes downcast, staring at the wooden floors. She hadn't so much as lifted her gaze when he opened the door; she knew it was him, having received his message an hour ago. But now, as he stood there, staring at her, she knew it was time to acknowledge his presence.

Both winced as their eyes met each others; Eric, because hers were rimmed with red, Calleigh because of his expression, a mixture of inquisition and anger. Eric was the first to break the silence.

"Cal, what are you doing here?" he asked, his voice calm, but she could hear the irritation behind it. "It's dangerous for you to even be in this neighborhood, much less this house!"

Calleigh ignored his question. "How could you keep something like that from me?" she retaliated. "You told me this whole Russian mob thing was taken care of!"

He matched her tone when he spoke again. "I was trying to protect you-I am trying to protect you! Why don't you see that?"

She scoffed. "Oh, I don't know, maybe because I have no freaking idea as to what you're protecting me from. Eric, you lied to me! I thought we had clarified that in this relationship we do things together…as a team."

Eric was tired from this argument already. Why couldn't she understand that this was all for her own good, that once this was cleared up things would go back to normal-or as normal as things got in their lives. He wasn't doing this for his father, technically speaking, but the promise that came with his help; if Eric would assist him, Alexander Sharova would disappear from Eric's life…for good.

He was doing this because he loved her.

When his expression softened a little, she felt a carefully held-back tear slip down her cheek. And then another, and then another. The next thing she knew his arms were around her and she was crying silently, with the occasional sniffle and soft gasp for air. She hated that he made her lose her argument, especially when she knew that she would win. Hated that he turned her into a little blond ball of clinginess, all needy and desperate. Hated that she missed him every moment they were apart.

Calleigh gave in to the sudden urge to look at him. Immediately she knew his anger, his frustration, was gone, even through her watery gaze, and replaced by something else. She sighed softly as his hands cupped her face, thumbs wiping tears off her cheeks. He pressed a slow kiss to her forehead, cheek, nose, finally the corner of her mouth.

"I love you."

It slipped out in a breathy whisper before she could stop herself. It was funny, though, she thought; she didn't want to stop herself. She wanted him to know it, before it was too late.

Calleigh felt his breath hitch. "Cal," he breathed, "I…I don't want you to feel obligated to say that. In fact, if you don't mean it, don't say anything, please."

Calleigh could feel the tears behind her eyes. She placed her hands on top of his, placing a kiss on each of his before intertwining their fingers. "Eric, I don't feel obligated to say anything. I mean, obviously I don't want you to feel that either, but I just thought we were both at that poi-"

She was cut off by Eric's lips, which he had planted soundly on hers. Their lips brushed once, twice, three times before Eric pulled back and rested his forehead on hers.

"I love you too, Cal."

Calleigh let out a watery giggle of relief and kissed him again, longer and deeper than the first. This time it was Calleigh who broke away first.

She stared into his chocolate eyes, the window to his soul, and hoped that hers were the same. "God, Eric, I'm so worried about you," she said quietly. "What if something goes wrong? We can't help you if that happens…"

Eric was silent for a minute. "I know what I'm doing Cal." He pressed a soft kiss to her lips. "I'm not going to say it's a risk-free process, but I know what I'm doing, and I know what I am getting myself into."

"And nothing I say is going to change your mind?"

"It's for your own benefit."

She sighed. He was as stubborn as she was at times, but this was no time to be stubborn; it was at time for rationality. What could she possibly gain from him risking his life?

"I trust you," was her reply, short and reassuring.

Eric nodded before kissing her again. "Thank you." Another kiss shared. "Now come on, let's get home."

And as they walked out the front door, hand in hand, both knew that no matter what happened, happens, or will happen, there was always that four-letter word that bonded them, forever, til death did they part.
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Gotta add a little fluff at the end! OMG I cant wait until this final episode, although I did hear that there was going to be a 7.26 called Lieutenant Duquesne. Does anyone know if this is true (cuz I personally don't) but watev. Please give me info if you have it! Oh ya, and thanks for reading!