Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous, or conceited, or proud; love is not ill-mannered, or selfish, or irritable; love does not keep a record of wrong; love is not happy with evil, but is happy with the truth. Love never gives up: its faith, hope, and patience never fail.

Chapter 1

Calleigh and Eric were sat at her house watching the TV, not really caring what was on, it was just a distraction to the end of the difficult day they had encountered. They sat close, but not touching, each deep in their own thoughts.

Suddenly the chimes struck 9pm on the clock in Calleigh's hallway reminding them how long they had sat there in their thoughts. Maybe if they had, that evening would have turned out so differently.

Eric had returned to her house seeing the pain caused by the day and wanting to check she was okay or wanted to talk. He knew though that unlike him, she was good at burying away what she really felt and talking about it was not on the top of her list of priorities. He waited patiently though just in case or to provide both of them silent comfort of being there for each other.

Eric was stirred out of his musings when Calleigh quietly spoke "do you want to stay the night?"

"Of course, whatever you need. It's been a long day. However, I just need to visit by my place to check on a few things. Should I get take out?" He replied knowing what he needed to do and that they were in no mood to cook.

"Sounds like a good plan." Calleigh replied standing up to fetch her wallet and passed him some change.

"Thanks, but there is no need" he reminded her taking the money knowing she wouldn't let him pay for her meal and decided not to question it. He placed a hand near her face and pushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear and dipped his head to kiss her cheek. "I won't be gone to long."

"Okay." Calleigh replied feeling the tender touch of his kiss on her cheek and watched him as he headed towards and then out of the door.

She returned to the couch and began flicking through the channels trying to find something to cheer the mood, but was unable to. Defeated, she headed towards the bedroom to get a change of clothes and then headed towards the bathroom for a shower. "maybe this will help" Calleigh thought as stepped into the shower.

Chapter 2

Eric was sat in his car driving away from his apartment after checking his mail and picking up a change of clothes.

"Damn traffic" Eric thought aloud as he was heading towards getting the takeout and saw the line wasn't moving much. He thought about Calleigh waiting for him back at her house and wanted to get back, he had a bad feeling.

He switched the radio on and heard the song The First Time I Saw Your Faceplaying and the lyricsthe first time ever I kissed your mouth, I felt the earth move in my hand,
Like a trembling heart of a captive bird that was there at my command, my love.

The uneasiness Eric was feeling grew stronger and stronger, he swore he could hear Calleigh calling his name. They hadn't been together as a couple that long, but he had instincts as to when he was needed. He put it down to the time they worked crime scenes and had to ensure they kept their wits about them and lookout for each other.

The traffic moved forward slowly and the song continued. He drove to the takeout place and picked up his order he phoned through whilst at his apartment. He had the urge to drive quicker to get back to Calleigh. He had only been away from her for less than an hour, he couldn't believe what a hold she had on his heart. He had never thought it would be this way with any woman, but he was so happy.

He turned into Calleigh's street and saw a truck passing him on the junction heading out. The man driving avoided his gaze as they pulled alongside each other. Eric thought no more about it.

He pulled into the drive behind her car, got the takeout off the passenger seat, stepped out and headed towards the door. He thought it was odd that the lights were off in the living room and couldn't see the glow from the TV. The years of working crime scenes made him alert to the potential dangers.

He slowly opened the door and called her name. Again, he swore he heard her call his name, but this time not so loudly as in the car. "Why would she be calling my name and not come out here?" He wondered out loud as he put the takeout on the counter and went in search of her. "Maybe she is in the bedroom."

"Eric…." Calleigh called faintly before succumbing to the pain she felt and hoping he could hear her.

"Calleigh where are you? I got the takeout, it's waiting in the kitchen I got your favourite." Eric called as he walked through the house.

Chapter 3

Eric reached the bedroom and again found the lights out, but there were signs she had been there and thought he heard a noise from the bathroom, which he headed for.

"Calleigh?" he called out again as he stepped towards the bathroom. The door was slightly ajar, but no light coming from it. He opened the door and was horrified by the sight that greeted him.

Calleigh, barely conscious was lying on the floor covered in blood with slithers of broken glass around her. He could see her from the light he had switched on in the bedroom. There was no light in the bathroom, he tried the switch to no avail. He looked up and realized the cause, the lightbulb was smashed and was the cause of the glass on the floor.

"Dear God what has happened?" he thought aloud as he slowly approached her. He checked that she was breathing and her pulse. The amount of blood she was losing from several wounds wasn't a good sign.

He ran out of the room and headed towards the bedroom to get signal on his cell phone. He dialed 911 for an ambulance and police. He then called the number he dreaded to, the number he knew by heart, Horatio's.

He returned to the bathroom and stayed with her and tried to stem some of the bleeding from her wounds using the medical knowledge he had. He had also noticed the robe she was wearing was slightly torn, he tried not to think about whoever was responsible had done to her.

"Calleigh, I'm here. Everything is going to be okay. You have to stay with me. I love you." Eric pleaded with her trying to not let his voice break like he thought his heart was going to. He felt the tears shedding down his face.

"Eric? Where are you?" he heard Horatio call out from the hallway.

"In here H. I need help quickly." Eric replied with concern and urgency in his voice. He heard footsteps approaching. "Don't worry love, they are here" he implored to Calleigh, who had now completely slipped into unconsciousness.

"Eric. What's going on here?" Horatio asked as he carefully approached the horrific sight before him. He took a moment to calm himself. He knew what it looked like and had seen worse, but he didn't want to think it, not one of his team.

"H, I returned home and found her like this. God I don't know how it happened. I was only gone less than an hour." Eric replied sadly looking up into his mentor's eyes and finding the concern there.

"We will work that out, but for now, the paramedics are here to take care of her." Horatio replied stepping to one side to let them through.

"There is so much blood H. I couldn't stand it if something happened to her. I know due to work this is wrong, but I love her." Eric continued with pleading eyes not moving away from Calleigh.

"I know you do. We will discuss that later, but for now she needs you to be strong and let the paramedics take care of her." H implored as he held his hand out to Eric to help him up off the floor. He noticed how Calleigh's blood had seeped into his clothes.

"Thank you." Eric replied softly and watched as the paramedics worked on Calleigh. Eventually they loaded her onto a stretcher and headed towards the waiting ambulance.

"Go and be with her, she will need you." H advised as Eric stood there and watched without the question leaving his lips.

"I will be there for her. I'm not leaving her again." Eric replied and headed out of the door following the paramedics and jumped into the ambulance. He had passed colleagues with who had worked with for so many years, but they let him go without a word, but he knew they were there for him and Calleigh.

The journey to the hospital was only a short journey from her house, but it seemed to last for an eternity to Eric. They had attached a drip to her arm to replace the fluids she was losing. He feared whether she was going to make it. It appeared from what little he had been able to see, that she had stab wounds and an injury to the head. What also concerned him were the apparent injuries to her hands as she appeared to have tried to defend herself and the bruises which were forming on her legs where her nightgown had been torn. He hoped against hope that she hadn't experienced the worst pain a woman could go through.

The ambulance pulled to a stop outside the hospital. The paramedics dived out and opened the doors, lowered the stretcher carefully and headed towards the entrance.

Eric stepped out of the ambulance tiredly. He knew that he was in for a long night, maybe days. All he knew that whatever happened to Calleigh, he was there for her and had to be strong for her. He was going to get her through this or his life would serve no purpose again. She was his life.

"How can I help sir?" the kindly lady asked behind the reception desk.

"My girlfriend has just been brought in and taken to the emergency department." Eric replied after registering she was speaking to him. He felt numb. He spent a few minutes filling in her details then headed to find where she had been taken.