"Calleigh?" Eric called out as he walked into his condo.

"Back here." Calleigh's voice rang out from Eric's bedroom.

Eric's heart skipped a beat involuntarily as he thought about where she was.

"Hey." Calleigh said cheerfully as she emerged into the living room. He hair was wet and pulled into a sloppy ponytail. She was barefoot and had on jeans and a tank top. "I wanted to take a shower before you came home. I went for a run on the beach and I felt…"

Calleigh stopped before finishing her thought. She could tell by the look on Eric's face that he disapproved of her leaving his house. Eric was about to say so, when Calleigh cut him off.

"Eric Delko, don't say it."

"Say what?" Eric asked, attempting to sound like Calleigh hadn't just read his mind.

"Don't you dare tell me that it was dangerous to go out for a run. I'm not a child. I don't need you or anyone else telling me what to do."

Eric could tell from the tone of Calleigh's voice how defensive she was getting, and while he wanted to point out that there was a murderer stalking her, he decided to drop the conversation. This was done almost unwillingly as Eric took time to smell the aromas in his apartment.

Calleigh watched Eric's emotions change. She smiled as Eric relaxed and suddenly focused on the smells coming from the kitchen. Leave it to a guy to be swayed by his stomach, Calleigh thought with a chuckle.

"God, Calleigh. What smells?" Eric asked. The minute Eric closed his mouth he realized he should have add so good to the end of his question.

"Well, if you're going to be like that, you can go back to work." Calleigh said, punching Eric in the arm.

Eric caught Calleigh's hand and held it for a moment in his. Calleigh jumped a little at the contact, smiled and pulled away after a few seconds.

Calleigh sighed, laughed and smiled all at the same time. "Go sit down." Calleigh directed, motioning to a chair.

"What did you make me?" Eric asked, his eyes wide with anticipation.

"I made us quiche, chicken salad, fruit and dessert." Calleigh said, her smile proving her pride in her creation.

As Calleigh set the food down on the table, Eric sat motionless, simply looking from the food to Calleigh and back to the food again.

"You're trying to drive me crazy aren't you?" Eric said. Eric dropped his head to his hands and ran them over his temples. He head meant for those words to stay in his head. A broad, embarrassed smile spread across his face as he looked up to see Calleigh's reaction. She was staring at him. Smiling.

"Is it working?" She asked coyly.

Eric decided to ignore the question, not wanting to admit that everything Calleigh did drove him crazy in one way or another.

"Where did this come from?" Eric asked. He was hoping that Calleigh hadn't spent her morning our shopping.

"Well, Eric, some people simply look in the refrigerator and find food there." Calleigh replied, Eric picked up on the sarcasm in her voice and knew that it was playfully meant for him.

"You found this in my fridge?" Eric was shocked to say the least. It had been days, possibly even over a week since he had been to the store to buy food. And even if he had been to the store lately, the food he was looking at wasn't something you would find in his condo.

"Well, it's not like I opened your refrigerator and a quiche just jumped in to my hands. I had to make it." Calleigh shook her head in humored disbelief. She kept talking before Eric could start. "And, yes, before you say anything I can cook. I am a very good cook for your information. Just don't get used to it."

"I'm not complaining." Eric said, putting his hands up in front of his to prove his point.

By the time lunch was finished, Eric and Calleigh had fallen into quiet conversations about inconsequential things. They were both enjoying the other's company. Calleigh noticed that Eric had finished and got up from the table to clear their plates. Watching Calleigh take the plates to the sink, Eric found his legs moving and himself getting up and following Calleigh into the kitchen. As Eric came up in back of her, Calleigh dropped the plates into the sink, turned around and stared at Eric.

Before he really knew what he was doing and before Calleigh could figure out what was going on, Eric put his hands on Calleigh's hips and pulled her closer. He leaned in slightly; as he brought his face closer to hers he kissed her gently. Eric could feel Calleigh's body lean into his and he leaned in for another, more intense kiss. Calleigh knew what was coming, and letting her mind win over what her body wanted, she gently put a hand on Eric's chest to stop him from coming closer.

When Calleigh didn't start explaining immediately and instead looked down at Eric's shoes, Eric felt the need to break the silence.

"I'm sorry." Eric said. Calleigh looked up at him and he could tell she was going to ask what he was apologizing for, so he continued. "I'm sorry for kissing you. I understand if it's….unwanted."

Calleigh took a deep breath. "Don't be."

Calleigh's words came as a mild surprise to Eric. He had expected her to throw her walls back up and push him away. Eric smiled and pulled Calleigh a bit closer to him.

"But," Calleigh said. "I worried that….It's just that…I don't want this to happen because of some insane idea that you have where you have to protect everyone in the world."

"Calleigh," Eric said warmly, brushing a piece of hair out of her face and behind her ear, "I can assure you that I don't feel all crazy and protective of you. Okay, well maybe a little, but it's because you mean so much to me. This morning, making pancakes with you, was one of the best mornings of my life. I don't want anything from you, except for you to know how I feel. Trust me."

"I do." Calleigh said. Eric almost didn't hear it.

Calleigh smiled. It was the genuine smile that Calleigh knew had the power to melt Eric's heart and make him go weak in the knees. This time, Calleigh sent her lips crashing into Eric's and her entire body, too. Eric, caught off guard, stumbled back a step, but wrapped his arms around Calleigh so as not to lose her. This kiss wasn't gentle or playful as the others had been, but forceful and aggressive. Eric grabbed the back of Calleigh's thighs in his hands and lifted her onto the counter, Calleigh wrapping her legs around his waist, so that they were closer.

Taking her lips off of Eric's momentarily, Calleigh mumbled, "What about dessert?"

Eric laughed. "I'm okay with this."

Eric and Calleigh were disturbed by Eric's ringing cell phone. They both jumped apart, as if someone had walked in on them, causing Eric to fall off the couch and hit the coffee table with a loud thud.

"Oh my God." Eric groaned. "It's Ryan. I should have been back at the lab close to an hour ago."

Calleigh giggled and played with Eric's hair for a moment. She left Eric to talk to Ryan and got up to walk back into the kitchen, picking up discarded pieces of clothing and look for her tank top. Finally finding it, she slipped it back on and quickly finished the dishes in the sink. Calleigh heard Eric finish his call with Ryan and walked over to him.

Eric rubbed the spot on his arm where he was sure the coffee table would leave a bruise and looked up at Calleigh. He was caught off guard by his shirt hitting him square in the face, with a little more force than he thought Calleigh would have used.

"Hey." Eric protested playfully.

"Well, you're going to need it. Horatio won't let you come back to work without a shirt on. He'll frown at you all day."

"Cute, Cal." Eric got up and walked closer to Calleigh. "Ryan's got a lead in our case. I need to get back." Eric said, more seriously.

"Great." Calleigh said, surprising Eric by turning around and walking away from him. "I'm coming with you."

"No, Cal. I don't think so." Eric protested.

"Eric. I'm fine. I feel much better. Especially considering that I've had such a wonderful doctor." Calleigh said, batting her eyes at Eric.

"Yeah, we should play doctor more often." Eric boasted under his breath, however not low enough that Calleigh couldn't hear him.

"Eric!" Calleigh said, rolling her eyes.

"You still shouldn't come into work." Eric explained. "You're out sick, remember?"

"I'm sure Horatio won't mind, Eric. I've got lots of stuff to run and finish up in ballistics. I would've been down there practically all day if I had gone in. Come on, Eric. No offence, but I'm bored here. I'm going in to play with the guns. You can't stop me." Calleigh walked defiantly away from Eric and slipped on her shoes and grabbed a lightweight jacket to go over her tank top. She knew that she had Eric wrapped around her little finger and that Eric knew that she would drive herself to the lab if he didn't.

"Okay. You win." Eric said with a smile, knowing that he didn't stand a chance in this argument.

"I love it when you say that!" Calleigh said cheerfully, opening the door and waiting for Eric to walk out with her.