Hey all! This is going to be the last chapter in the story, and then an epilogue will follow…I'm planning on starting another EC story, except this time its going to be more angsty and different circumstances. Thanks for the fantastic reviews, couldn't have done it without you! :o)
"There's my beautiful girl!" Natalia's dad boomed as Natalia made her way shyly into the reception room after the wedding. "All married and glowing!" he wrapped his arms around his daughter and hugged her tightly while Ryan respectfully watched.
"Darling" Natalia's mother pressed a kiss to Ryan's clean shaven face. "Congratulations"
"Thank you, Mrs. Boa Vista"
"Don't be silly, Ryan! Call me mama now" she instructed, wagging a finger at his face.
"The bride and her father would like to share a dance" the DJ announced, putting on a slow ballad as Natalia and her dad took the floor.
"Natalia looks beautiful" Calleigh commented to Eric as he put an arm around her waist and scooted her closer.
"She does" Eric agreed amiably, combing some of Calleigh's curls back. "You look nice with curly hair"
"Thanks, babe" Calleigh said, leaning against his shoulder. "Where'd Marisol get to?"
"She's slewing half-Spanish half-English orders at all the other kids" Eric laughed, pointing in the direction where a blonde haired, green eyed 3 year old Marisol was bossily instructing the smaller children.
"She's totally my child" Calleigh laughed. "Except for her curly hair…I know mine's artificial, but where on earth did she get curly hair from?"
"I had curly hair when I was a baby" Eric commented. "Maybe it'll fall out and grow back straight"
"I hope not" Calleigh murmured. "She looks cute the way she is"
"She's a cutie, that's true" Eric agreed. "Let's go over and congratulate those two" Calleigh nodded and followed Eric across the wooden dance floor towards Natalia and Ryan.
"So, you two are stuck together for eternity. What a great day" Eric greeted.
"Thanks for the encouragement, best man" Ryan said, his eyes never leaving Natalia's form.
"Oh you know I love you guys…when am I giving my speech?"
"Soon, hopefully. After my dad stops shimmying with every woman in the room" Ryan laughed.
After Eric made his speech, the dance floor opened up and everyone made their way to the floor, champagne flutes in hand.
"Can I get you some champagne?" Eric asked Calleigh as he led her to the dance floor.
"Nah, I'm good" Calleigh said, leaning her head against his chest.
"Sure? It's the good stuff!" Eric prodded, feeling a smile form against his chest.
"Eric, I can't drink" Calleigh murmured as the waltz started.
"Now Miss Duquesne, I know exactly how old you are" Eric teased. "Don't try to pull the wool over my eyes"
"Eric" Calleigh whispered, reaching up to look him right in the eyes. "I can't drink because I'm pregnant"
"What?" Eric stopped, the world around him still spinning. "Really?"
"Confirmed it yesterday"
"Calleigh, that's SUCH fantastic news" Eric said leaning down to kiss her tenderly. "Wow. How far along are you?"
"A couple of months" Calleigh smiled at the sheer excitement on his face.
"I love you" he mumbled into her hair as they finished off their dance. "You have no idea"
"I love you too" Calleigh answered, her heart beating a little faster as it always did when she and Eric exchanged such words.
--/--
"We made quite a killing, Mrs. Wolfe" Ryan said as they picked their way through wedding presents the morning before they were to depart for their honeymoon.
"We sure did, Mr. Wolfe" Natalia laughed, tossing aside monogrammed towels as she attempted to reach the toaster oven that held her cherished morning bagel.
"You look beautiful" Ryan commented, hugging her tightly and planting a kiss on her curly hair. "Mmmm, and you smell good too!"
"Thanks" Natalia smiled, reaching up to kiss his cheek. "You need to shave, buddy"
"I thought you thought the stubble was sexy?" Ryan formed a wounded expression.
"It is pretty sexy" Natalia admitted.
"But then again, everything looks sexy on me, right?" Ryan waggled his eyebrows at her, making her laugh.
"I didn't know I married such a narcissist" Natalia pointed the butter knife at him. "Now let me enjoy my bagel and stop distracting me with your…Ryan-ness"
"Okay, missus" Ryan laughed, downing a glass of orange juice. "I'm going to check the bags one more time for the locks and identity cards"
"Ryan…" Natalia warned. "You've already checked them three times. They haven't run away, you know"
"Okay, okay" Ryan conceded. "Then I'll just come back and distract you"
"On second thought, go check those bags" Natalia teased.
"I am insulted that you don't wish my presence in the morning" Ryan said in a mock hurt tone, coming over to her and pushing her against the granite counter. His lips began assaulting her neck.
"Ryan…honey…we have a plane we need to catch" she reasoned with him while gritting her teeth to keep her moans in.
"Yeah, in 6 hours" Ryan murmured. "It's not an international flight; we don't even have to be there until 2 hours before. That gives me about four hours to do with you what I please" Ryan planted a kiss on her cheek. "It involves a lot of you writhing in passion" he added in a low voice.
"Ryan" Natalia protested, but it was useless. Like she was going to say no to that.
--/--
"Mama, I want cookie" Marisol sidled up to her mother and tugged on the hem of her shirt.
"Mari, you already had a cookie today" Calleigh said, pulling her daughter into her lap. "And you know daddy said you can only have one a day"
Marisol leaned in close and whispered, "I won't tell". Calleigh laughed at how similar her daughter was to her. She fluttered her eyes at Calleigh and of course, her mother gave in.
"Okay, Mari, but this is the last cookie you're getting for today, okay?" Calleigh said, opening the jar and handing Marisol a cookie.
"Yes ma'am mommy" Marisol grinned at her mother and bit into the cookie.
"Marisol Amber Delko, is that another cookie you're eating?" Eric admonished playfully. "You're going to turn into a cookie monster, baby girl"
"Cookie!" Marisol shrieked, jumping up and down.
"Okay, okay, no need to get hyper" Eric laughed, picking her up and tossing her over his shoulder after she had finished her cookie in record time.
"Yeah, because taking her for a ride slung over your back is going to put her right to sleep" Calleigh rolled her eyes. "Boys"
Eric rolled his eyes back at her, mocking her tone. "Girls" he said as he settled on the couch.
"I's a girl!" Marisol pointed out happily as Eric cuddled her in his lap.
"Yeah, you're daddy's baby girl" Eric said, planting a kiss on her cheek.
"I'm going to go shower, why don't you take Marisol to the grocery store? I made a list, it's on the fridge"
"Okay" Eric agreed and after a quick goodbye kiss, left for the grocery store with Marisol in tow.
Calleigh dialed a familiar number quietly. "Jake? Yeah, they're gone"
--/--
"At least you've calmed down a little" Natalia laughed, patting Ryan on the cheek as they settled into the waiting area of the airport.
"Now that everything's been checked in, yes" Ryan answered, intertwining their fingers. "I'm excited, we both desperately need this"
"We do" Natalia agreed. "And right now, I desperately need coffee; do you want to go get some?"
Ryan and Natalia made their way over to the Starbucks to grab some coffee and promptly returned back to their seats in the waiting lounge.
"My parents love you" Natalia commented. "My mom and I had a long talk the other night and she thinks you're fantastic and really good for me"
"That's good, I'm glad they like me" Ryan laughed. "You know my mother was gushing about how beautiful you were. She couldn't stop talking about how none of my other girlfriends were as beautiful as you are. I can't help but agree" Ryan added, making Natalia blush.
"Other girlfriends? Oh goodness, let me hear about these other girls" Natalia teased.
"Okay, well my favorite one is a girl who's sort of the same height as you, she's got brown eyes just like yours and her hair is the same as yours too…come to think of it, she looks a lot like you"
"You're funny, Ryan Wolfe. Tell me which one you had the longest relationship with" Natalia commanded.
"Talia" Ryan said softly. "You know you're the only one that matters"
"I know, I know" Natalia conceded. "I'm just curious. Who was the first girl you fell in love with?"
"You" Ryan said pointedly, looking at her.
"Now Ryan, don't be silly. How is that possible?" Natalia asked.
"Well in 4th grade I was pretty damn sure I was going to marry this girl named Summer, but that's about it" Ryan teased.
"Seriously though? Just me?"
"Just you" Ryan answered in a serious tone. "I didn't know how amazing it was to be in love with someone until I was with you"
--/--
Calleigh fiddled nervously as she answered the door for Jake. He looked gorgeous as usual: messy hair, a fitted button down that boasted of his muscular body, and dark jeans that made Calleigh bite her lip.
"Well hello there" Jake smiled, sending another wave of shivers all over Calleigh's body.
"Jake…lets just make this short" Calleigh motioned to her living room.
"I wasn't all that surprised to receive your phone call" Jake said. "I hope you've finally come to your senses"
"I have. We can't do this anymore" Calleigh said pointedly.
"Not again, Cal" Jake said. "We were in such a good position"
"Yeah, we were. We were friends. And you ruined that when you started making passes at me, again"
"I love you, Calleigh. I don't intend on hiding that, if that's what you're asking me"
"I'm not, I'm just asking you to leave me alone" Calleigh said. "We can't even be friends anymore"
"Because of Eric" the calmness in Jakes voice made Calleigh's skin crawl.
"Because of you. And because I love Eric and Mari more than anything in the entire world, and they deserve my honesty, and you certainly don't"
"Fine" Jake stood up and looked her in the eyes. "I'll stay away from you. I won't work the same cases as you. I won't look at you, or talk to you, or even mention you to anyone. But Calleigh Duquesne, you cannot stop me from loving you"
"I know" Calleigh whispered. "And I'm sorry. But you're a skeleton in my closet that I'd rather like to get rid of"
"Fair enough. I guess this is goodbye" Jake said. "Give my best to Marisol"
"I guess it is. I wish it could be different, because I know Mari's going to miss Uncle Jake bringing her candy. But it was really starting to wear on Eric"
"I guess I'll have to try and understand that" Jake said, walking out into the sunlight. Calleigh shut the door behind him but instead of relief, a wave of nostalgia and loss hit her square in the chest.
Expect an epilogue up shortly!
