Exams are coming up and it's not easy to write. However, I've just finished watching 10-7 of season 3 and I just felt like adding something to the ending.

Footsteps made their way along the pavement and quickly tapped their way up the few steps. The fresh grass and colorful garden in the front adorned the averaged size house they were planted against. He took a deep breath, clenched his jaw and exhaled before pressing the button. After hearing the sound resonate through the walls he could have sworn she knew who it was. He tilted his head and glanced at the open window where he caught the last bit of the light disappearing.

Yet no answer.

He knocked a couple times, "It's me… I know you're in there. I can see your car."

Eric's hands played around in his pockets as he impatiently waited again. The worrying got worse.

Just then the light reappeared and he saw the silhouette.

"Calleigh…"

"I'm not in the mood right now, Eric, go home. Just leave me alone, please," she ended. The sadness disguised in her tone.

"Calleigh," he began only to notice her shutting the window, "I'm not leaving this doorstep, open the door. I'll stay here all night until you do!" SLAM! He grimaced worriedly at the lights fading again. All he could do was sigh and look away.

He didn't know why, but he felt, ever since he met her, that it was his right to protect her. He was probably just a friend to her like any other, but she was a best friend to him. No matter the circumstance: whether she wanted him to or not, he'd be there…

Suddenly the dim light came on behind the door.

"What do you want, Eric?"

"You can't do this alone, Calleigh…"

"What do you want?" she repeated in a dead tone. It sounded as if her voice was straining while she spoke; too tired to even care what it sounded like.

"I," he took a breath to calm his nerves, "I want you to open the door please."

His eyes crept round the door as she opened it. She was already in her white tank top and slack pajama pants. A sheet of hair concealed her face as she tried to hide it. It didn't help that he stared at her as she tried to.

"Hey, you don't have to hide from me," he stepped closer. She inhaled and brought her face up into view. She realized how worried his eyes were; they held so much comfort in them…

"Eric, please, I'm not in the mood and, it's late…" she began. Eric simply stared at her then to the darkening sky and softened his expression. She bit her lip nervously in embarrassment. Her face deepened in its already pink hue. "Um, thank you for trying to help but, I'm…"

"You're not fine, Calleigh. This isn't you, you're not yourself right now and that's okay," he placed his hand on the door. "The only thing I want right now is to be your friend, so please let me be."

The comfort began to ease over to her from his brown eyes, and she couldn't take it. Her walls started to crash as she lost control of her trembling lips. He pushed through the door and entered slowly. It was neat as ever but the stack of books and lab items in the corner, that were supposed to be in the lab, were out of place. Eric's jaw dropped and he turned to her.

"Calleigh, you…"

But she cracked, her tears spilled over flooding her now beaming red face. She quickly clasped her palms over her mouth to stop her sobs and her eyes squeezed closed. She turned away but somehow ended up surrounded by arms and a hard chest.

The comfort enveloped her like never before. She never realized that this could exist. Such a strong body could offer so much tender love and support… and warmth. But John…

The thought of him just sent her over the edge and she felt every last breath leave her lungs. Now she couldn't care less about how loud her sobs became. She couldn't control it.

"Hey, I got you…" Eric felt her weight being placed on him. He held her securely as he felt her slipping out of control. It was very frightening to see such a strong woman cry like this. He scooped her up and brought her over to the couch. "It's going to be okay," he hushed her while she lay against him in the embrace.

"No – it's not," she sobbed. The rest muffled into his shirt.

"It will be," he held out from his chest by her shoulders. Again she hid beneath her palms but he pried them from her face. "Talk to me – no, look at me. It's okay." He reassured as she attempted to conceal her sweaty face.

"It's – the, it's the, the…"

"Shh, calm down. Breathe," he tucked some hair behind her ear, "just breathe." He got up and rushed into the kitchen. She allowed her body to fall across the couch. He came back with a glass of water and a paper towel. "Here," he handed over the glass.

After finishing half the amount she placed it on the coffee table and dabbed her eyes a little with the paper. The moment was silent for a while as he waited. She soon turned to face him shyly and sucked in a shaky breath.

"The same thing happened to Speedle," started in a small voice.

He scrunched his eye brows together and replied, "Cal., Speed was murdered."

"I know but, it's still the same…" he sat up, really wondering if she was okay, "after the break last year, when I was on the boat with Alexx, my he forgot to charge my mag. light and I said 'I may kill Speedle'… Today, John came to speak to me, and I said, 'I'd love to be friends with you'." Her voice broke and she faced him.

"it's my fault…"

"Hey, no, no." He pulled her against him as a tear rolled down her cheek.

"I killed them," she added grimly.

"Stop that. There's no way you had anything to do with their deaths. Speedle didn't clean his gun and it misfired, someone shot and murdered him…and Hagen, Hagen, you said it yourself, he ran out of options, he did that to himself." Calleigh raised her head off his chest and shook it disbelievingly.

"But if I'd just, made sure that…"

"No, shh. Stop blaming yourself, you can't handle that amount of pressure."

"I could have saved him," she cried, "both of them. If I'd just reminded him to clean the gun then he'd do it! If I told him I loved him then he wouldn't have done it! Eric, they'd still be here, they would be here. It's not fair, Eric, it's not fair!"

"Calleigh," he squeezed her against his chest yet again. Her hazardous screams went deep into his shirt and through his skin. He felt his own tears forming in his eyes and the pain in his throat because he couldn't cry. He couldn't, at least not in front of her right now; he had to keep it together.

"I can't go back, I can't hurt anyone anymore…"

"Shh, shh, you've just gotta think it through. Give yourself some time."

Eric blinked the water out of his eyes and kept holding her tight. He wasn't going to stop trying with her.