Sorry, this chapter took so long. I have been really busy lately. I want to say thanks for the reviews. They really do mean a lot to me. Hope you guys love this chapter. :D

Eric actually dreaded the moment that Josh came into the lab. The man actually stood in the reception area near the elevator, but just like Jake as he got off the elevator and talked to Calleigh then locked lips wth her, Eric was afraid that Josh would do the same.

Calleigh actually said bye to Eric five minutes before Josh came. She hugged him, her arms around his waist and kissed him softly on the cheek. She now stood facing Josh, Layla at her side, looking up at her parents.

The perfect family, Eric thought. He sadly began completing his work.

Calleigh grabbed Layla's hand as Josh pushed the elevator button to take them outside to the parking lot. She refused to let her eyes look back because she knew how she would feel, looking at Eric's sad expression. Eric was a man of many faces. He could charm anyone with his eyes; His lips could always be flirty towards her; and like moments like this, Eric could put on the saddest face and Calleigh didn't want to fall into that.

- - - -


"So CSI Duquesne," Josh said. "How do you like it?"

"It's great, actually," Calleigh said.

"How's daddy's little girl?" Josh asked, turning his attention to Layla.

Calleigh looked at Layla and Layla had a smile on her face. "Fine," Layla answered. She touched her dad's hand and smiled. It was a special kind of bond.

A waiter came over to the table and took their orders.

"So..." Josh started. "I thought that maybe you would want to go back to Louisiana with me. That way we can raise Layla together as a family."

Calleigh's face frowned. "Josh, are you crazy? Do you actually expect me to drop everything that I have built here in Miami to go back to Louisiana?"

"Well yes, for the sake of your daughter," Josh said, trying not to raise his voice and cause a scene in front of the other people in the restaurant.

"This is my career," Calleigh said, lowering her voice. "It's not..."

"So your career comes before your daughter?" Josh said, interrupting Calleigh.

Calleigh looked down at Layla who was looking at her with her green eyes sadly. Josh purposely kept saying 'your daughter' so that Layla would understand what was going on. She couldn't believe he would sit here and do this to her.

"Okay Josh, you came into my life and interrupted it. A week ago, a man came to my door and said that you were dead, so I did the best thing I could do."

Josh's expression lightened a little bit. "Calleigh, I'm sorry about that situation. I just want us to be together and build our future."

"My future is with someone else," Calleigh said. "Me, my daughter and.." Calleigh's mind went back to the lab, when she could practically sense Eric's sadness. "and Eric," she said subconsciously. "This is wrong, and we have to go. I'm sorry." She dropped some money down on the table and grabbed Layla's hand to leave when Josh stopped her.

She turned around and looked at him in his eyes.

"Okay Calleigh, what about my daughter and my rights as her father?"

"You know what Jo-sh-ua." She said his name in syllables. "You invaded my life and now you're trying to rearrange my life. I don't appreciate that. Layla's in my life now and she's going to stay here in Miami with me. You killed yourself, remember." With that said, she turned on her heels and left, leaving Josh standing there.

- - -


It was about 7:00pm when Calleigh came home and put Layla to bed. In the past two hours, her life went downhill. She began thinking about what life would've been like if she stayed in Louisiana and raised Layla with Josh. Calleigh's little town had nothing to offer her. She would've ended up being the 'female cop' forever. Miami had been her opportunity and when she got the call to become a CSI there, she jumped at the chance.

Calleigh watched as Layla slept peacefully with her plush kitten. At the toy store, Layla's eyes first settled on the little gray kitten with a stripe of white on it's face. Layla snuggled it a little more and Calleigh smiled. For almost six years, Layla was only a memory, at least until a week ago when Layla became reality. Calleigh loved Layla more than anything else and she was willing to fight for her. Calleigh stood up and kissed Layla softly on her forehead and headed out the bedroom, not before first turning on the night light.

Calleigh now sat on the sofa, the lights low, she'd just changed into a black tank that had Fighter written in red letters and black sweat pants, watching TV. Eric was due at her house any minute now. No sooner had Eric crossed her mind, the door bell began ringing. She got up and answered it. Eric appeared in the doorway, carrying a small bag with him.

"Hey," Calleigh said, opening the door wider to allow Eric in. Once he was inside, she closed it. When she turned around, Eric was looking directly at her. It made her blush a little.

"Hey," he said, playfully raising his eyebrows.

Calleigh smiled and Eric sat the bag down on the coffee table. He then pulled Calleigh into a hug, wrapping his arms around her waist.

Calleigh shuddered, but allowed him to have her. For her, Eric's presence was comforting.

Eric hugged Calleigh a little bit longer and then broke away. He heard a tiny moan from her and looked in her eyes. He could tell that she was distant.

"Are you okay?" Eric asked.

"Yeah," Calleigh said, moving over to the sofa and sitting down. "Its just things are going so fast and I just don't know where I'm going or what I'm doing. Just when I have things planned out, something happens."

"Did something happen between you and that guy," Eric asked.

"It's nothing," Calleigh said. "So what do you have in the bag," Calleigh said, changing subjects.

Eric noticed that Calleigh didn't want to talk about that and that she would come around in her own time. "Well in here, I bought fudge chocolate brownies and vanilla ice cream. We can eat like kids," Eric said excitedly.

Calleigh reached over and grabbed the bag but Eric stopped her.

"I'm going to serve you," He said playfully. He locked eyes with Calleigh for a moment and then got up and went to the kitchen and grabbed two plates. He brought brownies, but it wasn't the typical kind. The dessert he brought had come from the bakery and didn't taste anything like a typical brownie. Eric scooped a little ice cream on the side and with both plates in hand, he walked back to the living room.

Calleigh stared at Eric as he walked into the room, carrying the plates, setting it gently on the table. After sitting down, Eric stabbed the brownie with a fork, picking up a nice forkful and slowly putting it into Calleigh's mouth.

Calleigh giggled and looked at Eric. He looked at Calleigh and then looked at her mouth.

"You have a little crumb right there on the side of your lip," he said.

Calleigh lifted her hand towards her mouth to wipe it away, but Eric slowly pulled her and away. He locked eyes with her and leaned in closer to her until he was near her lips. Eric moved slowly, kissing Calleigh on the lips and she kissed him back. Both of them were moving backwards, Calleigh's head hitting the sofa pillow softly and Eric on top of her.

After what seemed like forever, Calleigh sat up and fixed her tank. They didn't do anything major but Eric's lips were amazing. She smiled at the thought and looked at Eric. He also was fixing his clothes. No doubt Eric was the best kisser, Calleigh thought. Definitely better than any other guy she'd been with in the pass, not that she'd been with that many.

"What are you thinking about?" Eric asked, breaking Calleigh from her thoughts.

She was caught off guard and she jumped. Then she laughed. "Nothing much," she said playfully.

Eric smiled then his face got serious. "Calleigh," he said seriously, "I really do love you."

"I really do love you too," Calleigh said.

"And I don't want to lose you to anything and I mean anything," He continued. "So," he shifted his body to the floor and grabbed her hands.

"Oh My God," Calleigh thought silently.

"Will you be my wife?" Eric finished.

So many thoughts started racing through Calleigh's head. Never in a million years did she ever think that she would be married. And her thoughts were only strained this last couple of months when Natalia ended up pregnant and Eric found out about her own child.

"Yes, Eric, YES," Calleigh said happily.

Eric pulled her into a hug and placed a soft kiss on her cheek. They stayed that way for a few until Eric got up to leave so he could be ready for work tomorrow.

They both said they're goodbyes and Calleigh closed her front door, thinking about how she could be the happiest woman in the world right now. She had her daughter, she had Eric and nothing could kill her joy.