Two hours later, Eric was knocking on Calleigh's door. He couldn't help but scan the perimeter of her building to make sure that no one was lurking about and that everything was in its correct place. There was no answer to his first knock, so Eric tried again. When he didn't hear anything coming from the other side of the door, panic began to rise up inside him. He was sure that Calleigh had said to pick her up in two hours. Why wasn't she answering the door?

Eric was about to knock one more time when he put his hand on the doorknob. To his surprise the door was unlocked and swung open easily. Wishing he had his gun with him, Eric stepped into Calleigh's apartment slowly. He quickly scanned the living room and turned the corner into the kitchen, stepping quietly and desperately trying to find Calleigh.

"Eric!" Calleigh said, walking up behind him.

Eric jumped about three feet with surprise and turned around to face Calleigh, sighing with relief.

"What are you doing?" Calleigh asked.

"God, Calleigh. Don't sneak up on me like that. You didn't answer the door, and then it was open. I thought…"

"Eric. Don't be so dramatic." Calleigh said with a sigh.

"Calleigh, why aren't you taking this guy seriously?" Eric asked. Calleigh could hear the frustration seeping into his voice again. Eric nervously ran his hand across his head and looked back at Calleigh.

"I take him as seriously as any other suspect, Eric. But I will not let him control my life." Calleigh paused and looked at Eric to see if he had heard her. "Now, are you taking me out? Or do I need to go on my own?"

Eric finally looked at Calleigh. Really looked at her.

"Wow." Eric said quietly.

"What?" Calleigh asked him with a questioning glance.

"You look good. Great even. I mean…wow."

Calleigh was wearing a short, flowing black skirt and a green, ruffled halter-top that matched her eyes. Her top was low cut enough to leave little to the imagination and tied around her neck, exposing her bare back to him when she turned around. Calleigh had left her hair wavy and falling down around her face. She smiled mischievously at Eric. Eric wondered if Calleigh had always been this beautiful and he had failed to notice. Something about the way that she smiled at him caught him off guard. Suddenly Eric had the urge to tell Calleigh that they should stay in. He didn't want to take her where there would be other guys, hell, other people around. He couldn't shake that feeling as he stared at Calleigh.

"If you stand around with your mouth hanging open like that, Eric, bugs are going to fly in and find a new home." Calleigh grabbed Eric's hand and pulled him towards the door. "Come on, I want to go."

Eric shook his head, closed his mouth and followed Calleigh out the door.

The club Calleigh picked was relatively new and packed full of people. The lights were low and the music was loud. After they got inside, Eric instinctively grabbed Calleigh's hand and pulled her towards the bar. They ordered drinks and relaxed, having a look around.

"Leave it to you to want to go to the only club with bubbles!" Eric said into Calleigh's ear.

Calleigh shivered slightly at the sensation of Eric's lips being so close and his breath brushing her ear.

"I do what I can." Calleigh said with a smile, her southern accent getting thicker with every drink she took. Calleigh looked up at the larger, transparent bubbles that were cascading down all around the club.

Suddenly, Calleigh pulled Eric out onto the dance floor. Eric was completely okay with abandoning his drink for a chance to dance with Calleigh. The way to the dance floor was crowded and Eric, who was following behind Calleigh, placed his hands gently on her hips, guiding her through the mob. Calleigh jumped slightly when Eric's hands came to rest on her hips, but only she could tell. Finally on the dance floor, Eric spun Calleigh around and they began to dance.

Calleigh has gone out with Eric and Speed before, but Eric could never remember dancing this close to Calleigh. Their bodies almost moved in unison and Eric could practically feel Calleigh's breath on his chest – though he did find it comical that he could practically see right over her.

Eric was so caught up watching and enjoying Calleigh that he didn't see another girl practically run up to him through the crowd.

"Eric!"

Calleigh seemed shocked when a pretty girl yelled Eric's name and threw her arms around his neck. To Calleigh it looked like this girl was trying to position her lips close to Eric's. Eric stopped dancing, partly because of the girl hanging off of him and partly because of Calleigh's scowl.

"Whoa!" Eric said, pushing his admirer away a bit. "Uh, hey….."

It was obvious to Calleigh that Eric was trying desperately to remember her name.

"Tracy, you dweeb!" Tracy said with mock irritation punching Eric in the shoulder. She instantly hooked herself to Eric's side and began dancing. Close.

Eric looked at Calleigh. His eyes pleading for help. Eric was used to this sort of thing, though usually he remembered a girl's name. But, with Calleigh around he felt embarrassed. Eric desperately wanted Tracy to disappear and for the night to go on like this had never happened.

Calleigh simply rolled her eyes.

"I'm going to get another drink. Find me when you're…free." Calleigh smiled and walked off the dance floor.

To Eric it seemed like Calleigh found his situation humorous. He sighed and figured that he'd keep Tracy occupied for the next few minutes. Maybe then she'd leave him alone.

A while later, Eric had finally gotten rid of Tracy… and Raquel and Alexis, too. He glanced around the club and realized, when he couldn't immediately find Calleigh, how long it had been. Craning his neck to see around people, Eric first worried that she had left the club, but then, over by the bar, the lights hit on blonde, wavy hair swinging over someone's shoulder.

Eric's eyes focused on Calleigh. He grinned at the sight he saw first – Calleigh waiting all alone for him to come back. Eric's grin, however, turned into a frown when he saw a man standing next to Calleigh. He started to walk over to where Calleigh was, but stopped in his tracks when he saw the next exchange of words between Calleigh and her new friend.

Calleigh had thrown her hands up and then onto the man's chest. Eric could clearly see her say "no" and "stop". The man leaned in closer to Calleigh and she repeated her requests to the man, who in Eric's mind had no intention of complying. Eric suddenly saw red and practically ran over to Calleigh's side.

"Hey man, I think the lady asked you to stop. Back off." Eric snarled at the man, clipping him on the shoulder in the process.

"Whoa!" The guy said as he stumbled backwards a few steps. "I'm not looking for trouble. We were just talking. And I don't remember you being part of our conversation." The man was waving his hand around to show that the conversation included only him and Calleigh, and then he stepped in front of Eric to push him further away from Calleigh.

Eric muscled his way past the man, closer to Calleigh, and was about to tell the guy to get the hell away from her and ask her if she was okay, when Calleigh swatted him on his arm.

"Eric, stop it!" Calleigh drawled. Her thick accent made Eric wonder exactly how much she had had to drink. He counted four empty shot glasses on the table in front of her. "Don't get all Conan the protective barbarian on me! This is my new best friend Marty! Marty's been buying me drinks while you were off being groped."

"I wasn't being….forget it. Cal, how many shots have you had?" Eric felt himself playing the big brother card as he looked down at Calleigh with expectant eyes. Calleigh didn't answer, she simply giggled as she counted her fingers. Eric turned to Marty. "Thanks man, but I think she's had enough."

"No, no, no." Marty insisted, waving his hands drunkenly in the air and then stumbling and reaching for Calleigh's hand. "This sugarplum and I are together. You heard the lady…we're best friends."

Calleigh giggled again and swatted at a bubble, oblivious to the man who was laying claim to her. Eric stepped squarely in front of Marty, stopping him from getting closer to Calleigh by thrusting out his chest. Eric didn't like the way Marty was looking at Calleigh. Who was he kidding? Eric didn't like anything about Marty.

"Back off, man. She's with me." Eric said, lowering his voice. His dark eyes obviously meant business.

"But, Katie and I…" Marty slurred as he considered brushing by Eric.

"Her name's Calleigh. I got her name right, so I get the girl. Get lost." Eric reinforced his words with a "gentle" push to Marty's chest. Marty took the hint and slunk away.

When Eric turned around, a big grin was spreading over Calleigh's face.

"You get the girl, huh?" Calleigh said sweetly, arching her eyebrows and smiling.

"Damn, straight." Eric took a few steps closer to Calleigh.

Calleigh tried standing up, nearly toppling over in the process. Eric reached in, wrapped his arms around Calleigh's waist and pulled her back into a standing position.

"I want to play with the bubbles, again." Calleigh said with a giggle. "Let's go dance!" Calleigh tried wiggling around Eric, but he held onto her.

"I don't think so, Cal. You can't even stand up straight." Eric chuckled at Calleigh. "How about we head home?"

"No." Calleigh's lips formed a pout. "You spent all that time with….with…your little women and I haven't gotten a chance to dance with you."

Calleigh took a step forward, and tumbled into Eric's arms. Eric didn't know what to think. He had seen Calleigh have a beer or two other times when they had gone out, but Eric was positive he had never seen Calleigh drunk before. Drunk didn't even begin to describe Calleigh at this moment. Eric smiled. He was enjoying drunken Calleigh. It was nice to see her let her guard down a bit.

What Calleigh said next caught Eric's attention.

Calleigh leaned into Eric, resting her chin on his chest and looking straight up into Eric's eyes.

"Do you miss Trixie? Is that it?" Calleigh said, over-exaggerating her pout.

"Her name's Tracy and no." Eric said. He was going to say something else, when he felt a hand snake down his back and rest on his butt.

Calleigh rose up onto her tiptoes, bringing her lips to Eric's ear. Her breath tickled his ear and even though it was warm in the club, Eric felt a slight shiver travel down his body.

"I can be more like Trixie." Calleigh whispered playfully into Eric's ear.

Before Eric could remind Calleigh that the girl's name was Tracy, he felt Calleigh's hands traveling to places below his waist. Eric's mind was having trouble processing what was happening. He had had fantasies about Calleigh, but this was unexpected.

"Calleigh…" Eric moaned, more as a warning. There was part of him screaming that this just wasn't right.

"Be like Trixie." Calleigh said devilishly, a gleam showing in her eyes. "It's my new motto." Calleigh smiled to herself and leaned in, her lips colliding with Eric's.

Eric was taken by surprise, jumping back a little. But Calleigh just kept going, biting Eric's lip playfully.

Finally, Eric pushed her away.

"Wow, Calleigh. I…" Eric stopped, hoping he could put together a complete sentence. "Come, on. Let's go. You're going to end up regretting this tomorrow."

It was taking all the self-control and restraint that Eric had not to push Calleigh up against a wall and kiss her.

Calleigh put one finger in front of his lips.

"Sshh." She whispered. Eric's knees almost buckled, Calleigh's voice was soft, sweet and her heavy accent clung to even the shortest sound. Calleigh reached up to grab Eric's neck and pull him closer for another kiss. Eric was stunned by this turn of events – the room almost seemed to be spinning.

As Calleigh's lips began to connect with Eric's, he felt her hand snake its way down his thigh and back up the inside. His breathing hitched and he looked at Calleigh.

"Calleigh…" Eric said, her name coming out more like a moan.

Eric firmly grabbed both of Calleigh's wrists and held them in front of her, putting some space between their bodies.

"Stop teasing me." Eric smiled and shook his head, not fully believing what he was about to do. "Let's go." He said softly.

Eric released one of Calleigh's wrists, but pulled her out of the club by the other. Calleigh was a bit wobbly, but she made it to he car before passing out. The car ride back to Eric's was quiet. He turned on the radio, breaking the silence, but he couldn't stop thinking about Calleigh.

Eric carried Calleigh into his condo and gently placed her on his bed. When he head made contact with the bed, Calleigh rolled over and curled up around one of Eric's pillows. Staring at Calleigh, Eric ran his hand through his hair and grinned.