Disclaimer: I don't own anything, not CSI: Miami, or the characters.
Thanks to my little beta-readers, your inputs are always welcome.
I felt like writing something different, so no NC17 this time at least not for now ;o). This is purely comedy and will be at times OOC so don't shoot me. It was supposed to be a one-shot but as usual more chapters are already written.
If you don't like, don't read :oP. If you did, please take time to leave a review.
With a tired sigh Calleigh entered the break room. The morning had been hell trying to get their hands on the luxurious rental car their victim had last driven. The vehicle was finally at the lab, ready to be processed. Joyous giggles made her turn her head to look curiously at the women gathered on one side of the room. They had been so intent in their observation of something or someone on the other side of the glass panel that her arrival had been totally ignored. She walked towards the coffee machine with a grin and listened to their easy babble.
"You have to admit he is a magnificent beast." Samantha Barrish from AV noted with an admiring tone.
"I certainly wouldn't push him out of bed." Cynthia Wells approved with a giggle.
"Lisa is going to be so mad to have missed that." Maxine Valera noted, referring to the new tech in DNA.
Calleigh shook her head amused by their banter as she poured her coffee. She took a swift slug of the hot beverage and made her way towards her colleagues. After the hassle of the morning she definitely deserved a little pick-me-up. Whoever they were admiring seemed worth their while. When Maxine heard her footsteps behind them, she turned her head and smiled.
"We're getting our own personal peep-show, you can look but you have to promise you won't tell him not to do it again."
At Valera's joke Calleigh marked a pause and frowned wondering why she would act that way. True she was a little up tied at times, but all her friends also knew she loved to have fun. She moved closer to the girls now more than ever determined to find out what the whole excitement was about. As she leaned against the table next to where Natalia was seated, she caught her wink and low laughter. She trailed her gaze to the object of their attention and immediately froze. In the small lab on the other side of the corridor, an apparently angry Eric was stripped down to his tee-shirt and was rummaging though a small bag.
"Oh man the tee-shirt is ruined too. You should so get rid of it." Sam said with feigned annoyance much to the amusement of her friends. "Well at least it's figure hugging. Beggars can't be choosers."
A dark stain which looked suspiciously like motor oil was marring his torso. Calleigh tore her eyes from the vision in front of her and gave her friends a quick appraisal. They were so transfixed by Eric that no one had noticed her not-so-eager behavior. She glanced at him again and shook her head.
How the hell was it possible that he didn't see those eager eyes devouring his every move? Unless of course he enjoyed the attention Calleigh rationalized as she took another sip. If any of those girls thought she would not tell him anything they were dead wrong she decided with a nod. After a short while Eric straightened and with a satisfied grin put the clean garments he had retrieved from the bag on the counter next to him.
"Oh yes. I knew I had been good." Cynthia cried out pumping her fist high in victory.
In one lean movement he discarded the stained tee-shirt showing off his well defined muscles much to the pleasure of the group of women gathered. Appreciative grumbles resonated in the room. Calleigh narrowed her eyes, feeling her fingers tense around her mug.
"Damn I knew I would love the view." Emma from Traces said a huge grin on her face. "Who thought we would get that kind of treat today?"
"I'm sure glad you convinced me to have my coffee break here." Maxine said her eyes fixed on the CSI, not missing on beat of what he was doing.
"It's a shame he has to cover such a body up."
"Why he is doing that here? We have a locker room for that." The sentence was barely out that five pairs of eyes focused on Calleigh. So they could think what they wanted she decided. There was no way she could have kept silent. Not with the level of frustration she was presently experiencing… "What?"
"You're such a spoilsport Calleigh. Can't you just appreciate male beauty when you see it?" Maxine asked.
"Ah damn… And here my dreams are down the drain." Sam sighed with a discouraged slap on her thigh.
"What? Did I miss something?" Cynthia wondered her eyes back on the hot male on the other side of the corridor.
"He has a girlfriend. I saw scratch marks on his back." The AV tech shook her head. "All the good ones are always taken."
The words hit Calleigh like a blow. She felt herself blush furiously and was more than thankful that all the gazes were back on Eric after Sam's exclaim.
"Ah that doesn't mean a thing. Women have a high turnover in his life. Just ask Natalia…" Maxine commented with humor.
"You slept with him?" Sam wondered her eyes for a moment leaving Eric to focus on the redhead.
"Yes I did." Natalia confirmed with an almost shy grin. "But it didn't last very long…"
"When was it?" The young tech looked totally fascinated by the redhead and her friends couldn't help a giggle.
"Over two years ago. It seems like an eternity ago, so much has changed since then." She quickly dismissed.
"Okay I definitely didn't want to ask, but I just have to… How was it?" Sam pushed with a grin.
"It was great, but it only happened twice." Natalia said now very eager to change subject. Somehow it felt weird talking about the short-lived affair with Calleigh present in the room.
"Damn I knew it. Has he had an affair with anyone else in the lab?" Sam wondered eagerly.
"Not that I knew of." Maxine said, her eyes focusing on Calleigh. "But ask Calleigh from all of us she is the one who knows him best."
"What? I don't know a thing." The blonde defensively countered. "Why would you think otherwise?" She looked down at her wristwatch to hide her embarrassment. "Damn I'm late, I have to see Horatio."
Without another word or a look back she rushed out of the break room.
"What has gotten into her? I just meant they have been friends for years now. If he were to confide in anyone here it would be her." Maxine noted, slowly shaking her head.
"Yeah it's even weirder when you know that H is due in Court the whole morning to testify against a drug baron." Natalia grinned as the blonde's actions seemed to confirm her suspicions.
"So you think they might…" As she spoke Cynthia mimicked two people kissing with her fingers.
"I know nothing for sure. But Eric sure likes her and he wasn't too happy while Jake Berkerley was around." The CSI recalled. "He is a lot more relaxed and happy since that guy is out of the picture."
"That would definitely be an explanation why she wasn't happy about him showing a little too much skin." Emma commented finding Calleigh's behavior suddenly so very logical. "I certainly wouldn't want my boyfriend stripping in front of my female colleagues."
"Not that he notices us anyway…" Cynthia noted as she sadly stared at Eric who was processing the evidence he had gathered at a crime scene.
"That's not stripping. He still had his pants on." Sam noted a little sullenly. "I just think Calleigh is being unfair. I mean she gets to see him naked every day…"
"Yeah…" Emma nodded her eyes focused on the man in front of her.
"Okay when exactly did we jump from suspicions to certainties?" Maxine wondered. "Aren't you guys taking that theory a little too seriously? There is no evidence what's so ever that those two are or were intimate…"
"Well she was a little flushed when she left." Natalia chuckled remembering how their friend had carefully avoided any eye contact before leaving.
"Well I kind of have to agree with Max, it still doesn't mean they sleep together." Cynthia said suddenly boosted by the prospect of a still single Eric Delko.
"Maybe she just enjoyed the view a little too much and Calleigh being Calleigh, she decided to retreat before we could see how much she had liked what she saw…" Maxine offered.
"Cal is not the last one to show her appreciation when male bodies are displayed." Natalia countered. This was too good gossip to have it discarded so quickly.
"Yeah but this is a guy she knows as a friend, he is almost like a brother to her… I'm sure she would blush if Ryan or any other guy she has known for years would suddenly strip in front of her."
"Maybe…" Emma agreed half-heartedly, as she tried to picture herself in Calleigh's position.
"Calleigh doesn't see Eric as a brother…" Natalia argued, clearly annoyed by her friend's improbable scenario. "And he definitely doesn't have brotherly feelings for her. I could tell that from day one. She might play big sister to Ryan, but not Eric. And you should just see the way she looks at the gals who eye him a little too long."
"You mean like recently?"
"I mean like ever. Maybe instead on focusing on the hot guy there you should have paid her a little more attention. I for one watched. Believe me she was not happy." She said with a sneer.
"Well that's just how you interpret things." Maxine said insisting on the 'you'. "I want facts."
"I don't have them. It's just the way they behave when they are together that makes me think this goes beyond friendship." Natalia shrugged, trying to remember a precise occurrence. "Okay so once I saw as Calleigh kissed his cheek."
"Well a peck is a real sign of underlying passion." Maxine mocked.
"But it wasn't a peck. She cupped his face and did it very slowly." The redhead recalled. "You should have seen his expression afterwards. And the way he played it down when I asked what had happened, that was a dead giveaway."
"So maybe he has a crush on her, but it still doesn't mean that the feeling is mutual." Maxine shook her head clearly not convinced. "And even if it was, you know Calleigh. She would never date another CSI."
"Well that's a good point." Natalia admitted in defeat. "Stetler made her life hell when she was dating Berkerley. I can't imagine how he would be on their backs if two CSIs started dating…"
"But then that could be the reason why they would keep it a secret from everyone, even their closest friends…" Emma noted with a dreamy smile. "Imagine a love story between two people who can't be together…"
"Okay you should stop reading romance novels." Cynthia laughed rolling her eyes. "You definitely lost touch with reality."
"Well I don't know for you, but my break is over. I have miles of evidence to view if I don't want to get in trouble." Sam sighed with a pout. "Do you think Calleigh will tell him not to do it again?"
"You can bet on it." Maxine stood up and made her way to the sink to wash her mug.
"Even if there is nothing going on between the two of them?" Emma wondered surprised.
"Probably…" Natalia confirmed and she couldn't help a laugh when she saw the dejected expression on the girl's face. "You know I think one of us should test Maxine's theory."
"What do you mean with that?" Sam turned around and looked at the CSI, who was leaning against the table her arms crossed in front of her.
"We should see how she reacts if another guy was to strip…"
"Ah yes." Cynthia approved with a happy exclamation.
"Yeah, but who and how?" Maxine wondered.
"Why not Ryan?" Natalia offered and the women nodded in agreement. "Give me a week or so and I'll work out a plan. He loves to show off, I doubt we'll have problems getting him to lose his shirt."
"Oh I certainly wouldn't mind seeing him strip." Sam said, her eyes shining mischievously. "Damn I love working here."
On a last giggle they parted heading towards their respective labs.