Well, here we are. I added this little chapter to ensure a finality about the series because I really don't think I can take it anywhere else. The 'one-liner music joke' is a little stretched now and I think I should give Ryan a break from his role as comic relief, at least for a little while anyway ;)

This chapter is dedicated to those of you who have followed this series unwaveringly and have ensured that I kept it up :D You guys know who you are.

So, without further ado...second update for today, the final chapter of Acrylic and the final chapter of the series.

Enjoy! x


Chapter Nine


/EC/ Two years later… /EC/

Calleigh smiled as she nudged open the door; the house was quiet. She took a step forwards into the hallway and placed her bag down on the side, looking up when she heard a quiet gurgle. The small figure stumbled towards her and gurgled again as a smile that looked eerily like her own spread across his features. She laughed and bent down to lift him up and drew an Eskimo kiss across his skin.

"How's my little man?"

"Just like his mother," a voice called from the doorway to the lounge. Eric emerged through it and walked towards her. "Perfect," he whispered as he placed a kiss on her cheek.

She flashed him one of those smiles and moved forwards into the lounge where she settled their son on the carpet in front of a pile of his toys. Eric followed her and sat himself on the couch, sighing happily at the sight. The nanny had phoned in sick that morning and Eric's parents had gone on a short vacation and so after a lot of fuss from Calleigh, Eric had volunteered to stay home with little Adam. She'd wanted to stay but Horatio needed her to work on a case and Eric had literally had to force her out of the door; as much as Calleigh loved her job, she loved her son more.

Once Calleigh was satisfied that Adam was happy where she'd placed him, she joined Eric on the sofa and rested her head in his lap. She smiled up at him as he began to stroke her hair and clasped his other hand in hers.

"How was work?" he asked.

"Same as always," she smiled.

Eric nodded and they both looked over as Adam emitted another gurgle as he began to chew on the left foot of his teddy bear. Eric looked down as Calleigh laughed and his mouth settled onto a pout.

"I've already had to wash that today. He managed to get his lunch all over it."

She leveled a mock look of shock at him.

"Since when do you know how to use the washing machine?"

"Funny," he raised his eyebrows. "I hand washed it actually."

Calleigh laughed again and a knowing smile tugged at her mouth. She turned her eyes back to their son and watched as he clapped his hands together and emitted a squeal of delight. Eric followed her gaze and smiled.

"You ever think about trying for another one?"

Calleigh snapped her eyes back to his and raised her eyebrows.

"Eric, the word 'hurts' doesn't even come close to describing the pain of giving birth."

He laughed and leant down to kiss her forehead.

"I know, but it's definitely worth it, don't you think?"

She eyed him carefully before she flashed him one of those smiles and squeezed his hand.

"Well then I guess it's a good thing we don't have to try."

Eric stared blankly at her for a moment, not quite understanding, until realisation crept in and a smile tugged at his mouth.

"When did you -"

"I took a pregnancy test at work this morning. I've been thinking that I might be for a few days now," she looked down at their hands before she raised her eyes back up to Eric. "Test came back positive."

She watched as Eric's smile grew and felt him squeeze her hand back. He shifted his body so that his legs were now on the sofa either side of her and pulled her back into his chest, where his heart was pounding against his skin. He kissed the top of her head and looked back at their son who was slowly picking his way towards the sofa. Calleigh laughed and gently removed her hands from Eric's so that she could pick him up and she carefully sat him down in her lap. Eric's hands found her stomach where he began to caress gently and he laughed when Adam reached out to tug at Calleigh's hair, emitting another gurgle as he did so. Eric smiled; 'he was a very, very lucky man.'


If you have the time, please tell me what your favourite moment of the series was, or things that you particulalry liked so I know what to include in future fics. :D

Thank you for reading.