Chapter 2:

Heavy footsteps stalked around outside of Calleigh's bedroom. Calleigh eased her body into a more comfortable position as sunlight crept over her face. She was unaware of the figure on the other side of her bedroom door.

The man opened her door quietly and walked over to her bed. She was beautiful, he'd have to say that. Her blonde hair was tousled wildly on the pillow. The blanket was half on-half off her body and she wore a...at least for this occasion...very revealing tank. He crept forward, walking slowly, taking his time. Only his own breathing and soft footsteps were heard. He wanted to enjoy this moment. Just as he was a few inches from her bed, a smile formed on his face. With his left hand, he touched her cheek, brushing his thumb over her lips. Slowly, he moved in and kissed them.

Calleigh jerked awake as horror crept over her face. God no, she didn't want to go through this. It was possibly one of the worse things that could ever happen to a woman. She raised her arms to try and escape what was happening, she would fight this to the end, but the man grabbed her tiny arms and pulled away from the kiss.

Calleigh stared in her attacker's eyes. For a moment, fear was so evident in them. Her eyes relaxed as soon as she realized who it was. "Eric," she said breathlessly.

Eric smiled and kissed her cheek. "Calleigh...I'm sorry if I scared you. I didn't mean to."

Of course she was scared, but it wasn't the first thing that came to her mind. Other things rested there. "Where have you been? I've been worried about you. I've missed you so much." Tears came to her eyes. She'd never been more happier to see Eric.

He shrugged his shoulders. "I've been around." He stared in her light green eyes and wiped away a stray tear that fell. "Calleigh, I've missed you too. You didn't have to worry." Part of him felt very guilty. He hated to see her cry.

They shared a moment and looked at each other. Eric smiled which caused Calleigh to smile. He opened his mouth to talk. "Calleigh...I love y-"

The rude sound of the alarm blared through Calleigh's bedroom and she was startled awake. She sat up in bed and looked around the empty room. Reality started to settle in that Eric was still missing. Her dream had been so cruel to her and she felt the tears coming. They stung her eyes and for a moment, she allowed herself to cry. It was so out of her character but this was so overwhelming. Goosebumps flared on her body and tears ran down her cheeks. "Eric..." she mumbled quietly. Calleigh finally stopped crying and got up to get ready for the day. Day two, they needed to find Eric as soon as possible.

...

Eric did the best he could in holding on but those torture bastards did just what they implied...they tortured. He was taped to a chair and on top of the swollen jaw and several abrasions, he had a bullet wound in his right shoulder from where he'd been shot yesterday. He knew Calleigh didn't purposely shoot him, there was no way she could have known that he was behind the wheel of the car. It was just possibly one of the worst encounters to have. This wound was working against him. He'd lost so much blood already and the mob used that to their advantage. Eric only tried to protect his father. His head wasn't clear when he risked his life for his father. Maybe he should have listened to Calleigh.

"She has nothing to do with this," Eric tried explaining again. He grimaced as another powerful blow was delivered to his face. He never felt anything like this before. Twelve hours of continuous beating was starting to take its toll.

"We warned you before," the man's voice said. His voice was heavy with accent and bass. "Anyone standing in our way or doesn't do what we say will be taken care of." Then man turned around and spoke Russian to another man.

Agony started to settle within Eric. He would have never called Calleigh if he'd known it would have led to this. He inadvertently put her in danger. He just wanted to protect her. He was just full of wrong choices.

"You should have never gotten involved. Interference is never good and now you will pay." Another hit.

Eric's head fell off to the side weakly.

"This is what you wanted," his attacker said, raising his deep voice. "This is what you'll get." He stared at Eric intimidatingly and as hard as he could, he punched Eric in the stomach.

"Сегодня, смертельный день для некоторых," the man said.

Instant chills ran down Eric's spine. He was a man, but that line instilled so much fear in him. He understood that phrase to mean 'Today, fatal day for some people.' Eric feared for the life of those important to him.

...

"Calleigh," Ryan said for the second time. That was the third time today that Calleigh had been spaced out and he knew something was wrong. "Are you alright?" Of course she wasn't. Of all the questions he could have asked, he asked that one. The entire team was worried about Eric's safety but Calleigh seemed to be taking it much harder.

Calleigh nodded her head and sighed. "I'm just worried about him." It was the first time she'd expressed her emotions out loud and realizing that, she snapped out of her thoughts and looked at Ryan. He seemed to be just as shocked by her response.

Ryan wasn't expecting that. He thought Calleigh was going to take on her normal 'I'm fine' phrase and he'll have to think what could be the problem. Ryan offered a small smile. "We're going to find him." Maybe he should have left it at that but he couldn't stop his inquiring mind. For several months, he had a feeling that Eric and Calleigh could possibly be more than friends. Right now, could have possibly been the wrong time to bring this up, but he needed to know if it was true. He'd come so close to asking Calleigh about it yesterday when he witnessed her and Eric in their little squabble but he didn't. He just needed to know right now. "Is it possible that maybe you and Eric are more than friends?"

The look that Calleigh gave Ryan sent chills to his heart. He knew he shouldn't have brought that up. Calleigh turned her attention to the computer. "Do you have anything to go on that could possibly lead us to Eric?" She ignored the question completely.

Ryan exhaled and looked at the computer screen. He scanned through some photos they'd taken of the car Eric drove. They weren't getting anywhere with them. The only person that could possibly know about Eric's whereabouts was his father and Alex Sharova wasn't talking. "No," Ryan said simply. "And the only person that can possibly help us, isn't talking."

Calleigh let out a puff of air as she grabbed onto the little charm of her necklace. Her mind wasn't thinking. Every thought was jumbled.

A few minutes of awkward silence went by and Calleigh started talking. "I think Eric might be with the Russians. I don't know if he's hurt or not. He called me yesterday about an hour after the car was discovered."

"Well..." Ryan started. "He's alive...at least..." That could have possibly been the wrong thing he's said again but he didn't know what to think or say. Luckily, Calleigh didn't death glare him again. With any luck, Eric's life would be spared. Not likely. He knew first hand at how the Russian mob were. They tortured or killed so that would leave Eric with one or the other.

"Yeah..." Calleigh said. She would be optimistic to the end. Her thoughts were the same as Ryan. She couldn't possibly bare to think something might have happened to Eric. "I need a break." She left the room.

"Okay," Ryan said, watching her leave. He didn't think she heard him and truthfully, he didn't expect her to. Everything was weird and he couldn't wait until all of this was figured out and back to normal.

...

A/N: So, I've been hearing some talks about the season 8 premiere and supposedly the first episode will be called "Eric In The Wind." Personally, I think its too soon to know but it gives me some hope. Also I've used some little pieces of spoilers from that episode...again, I don't know if they're true or not but its what's keeping me going. That spoiler would be the first part with Calleigh in her bedroom.

Next chapter should be really soon. Thanks to everyone who's reviewed & read. Story Alerted and Story favored. That means so much to me.I hope you all enjoyed this chapter as well. :)