Sighing heavily, Calleigh Duquesne sat back and rubbed her eyes. An hour of trying to match striations from different bullets was taking its toll on her.
"Knock, Knock," came a voice from the doorway to the lab. Calleigh turned and smiled at her boss.
"Hey Horatio, almost done with the Sanders' case. It looks like it is the brother after all. If Maxine can match the DNA, we've got the case locked."
"Thank you Calleigh," he replied with his usual monotone as he came to sit next her, "but that's not what I'm here about." Calleigh quirked and eyebrow at him, prompting him to continue.
"I'm here about you and Eric." Calleigh's cheeks matched her crimson shirt as she rushed to explain, "Eric and are just friends, honest H!"
"That, ma'am, is what I'm worried about."
"What?" calleigh faltered. How could that be a problem? Sure they had been getting closer lately, but she wasn't about to make the same mistake with Eric that she had with Jake. Even if Eric would switch to the night shift.
A smile played on Horatio's lips as he watched Calleigh look befuddled.
"You and Eric have a special bond," he held up a hand to silence her protests, "and I think it's beneficial to the team. I don't want you to feel any pressure, but I also don't want you to miss out on something."
Calleigh saw a far-off look in his eyes. His voice wavered a tiny bit, "Mari sol, she was amazing and I would give anything to have her back again. Don't lose out on love because of fear. You never know when it'll be too late." Finding her hands very interesting, Calleigh was silent because in the end she knew he was right. She heard him get up and walk towards the door. He paused, adding, "Just think about it," before walking back towards the solitude of his office.
Calleigh sat, lost in thought for a few more minutes until a tan hand flickered in front of her eyes. Startled, she looked up into the brown orbs she always seemed to get lost in.
"Hey Cal, you ok? You look like you're thinking too hard," Eric Delko chuckled at their private joke. Flashing him her signature smile, Calleigh replied, "Actually Eric, there's something we should talk about" before shutting the door to the rest of the curious eyes.
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What'd ya think? Yay hiphuggers!
