New Things

Eric knew that his boss and friend was going to, as he put it, remand him to the lab for a time before sending him out in the field again. He realized the man was only doing it out of concern and maybe it was the best way to ease back into work. He had to admit he felt less anxious about going back to work knowing he wasn't going to be sent straight out into the a crime scene. After three weeks of being in the lab the young man found himself once again confident at work and was looking forward to being out in the field again in another week.

He, Calleigh and their daughter were enjoying their new home immensely. Two-year-old Chloe was over the moon with excitement to have her own backyard. With her own trampoline, swingset and sandbox they could barely get her inside nowadays. The little girl was also now attending daycare for a half day five days a week. Being the bundle of energy she was, Chloe now spent the other half of the day with her aunt Rachel. Eric knew he would never get them to admit it but keeping up with Chloe, or her two cousins for that matter, now was getting to be difficult for his parents. Rachel were only too happy to take care of her niece for part of the day. While she knew her boys and Chloe loved each other and the boys practically viewed Chloe as their little sister she also knew the socialization with other children at daycare was good for Chloe.

A date hadn't been set for Jake's trial. During his arraignment while the clerk was reading the charges Jake shouted "this is bullshit!" and tried to leave the courtroom. Despite being told to control his client, Jake's attorney couldn't. Needless to say this didn't help Jake's chances of getting bail. The defendant had been remanded. Since then that attorney and another following had resigned from the case citing the defendant were too uncooperative. He was now at the end of his funds and now he had to settle for a court-appointed lawyer. None of the team envied this poor soul.

It was next to impossible for a legal aid attorney to drop a client. No matter how difficult he or she were. Each time, setting a date for the trial was delayed to give the attorney to get familiar with the case and file any motions. Both previous attorneys had tried to get the count of attempted murder dismissed, citing the fact within two days the victim were expected to survive so he was never in grave danger of dying. The judge was disgusted and stated that was not all what either medical expert, even the one for the defense had stated. Eric had given the court permission to view his medical records when he was told that Jake might try to use to the level of his injuries to either get charge reduced or be acquitted.

Eric Delko could very well have died whether it was on the scene, en route to the hospital or at the hospital. It just so happened that he were a very lucky man. Horatio had said after all Eric had physically been through he must have "someone watching over him upstairs." Eric wasn't sure if that were true but he was just glad to be alive. Even with all the people who loved her, Eric didn't want to imagine leaving Chloe fatherless.

Calleigh were curious to know if going back to the scene of the crime was going to cause Eric any anxiety. In a few days it was Carlos's, Rachel's husband's birthday. There was a birthday supper at their home planned. Calleigh hoped being on that same portion of street again wouldn't bother Eric. It was a concern of his family's as well. Eric assured them it would not be a problem. However they wanted to rate the reasons, the person who had hit him and sped away was in jail and two, he still could not remember what happened and the chances of him ever doing so were nil, according to doctors. Aside from the fact he couldn't help in his own case, he was fine with not remembering. Chloe had since been told a little about what happened to her dad but not in detail. She reassured that it wouldn't happen again so she would not be afraid anytime she or any of her loved ones had to cross the street. And she wasn't told that across the street from aunt Rachel's was where daddy got "hurted," as she said.

Across town in the Dade-County jail, inmate Jake Berkley was not enjoying his new digs so much. He had been placed in solitary confinement, known as "the hole" to inmates, for attacking two corrections officers with a shank. The two men had received minor injuries though one of them were sent to the hospital. He was expected to be released in a few hours. This side of Jake that had and was beginning to emerge was upsetting to Calleigh. She knew that the break up hadn't been the cause of his behavior, as much as he would love for her to believe that and blame herself. Eric realized this as well. It made him sick with anger at what the man could done to Calleigh if the relationship had gone further. What Jake had done to him didn't matter, he could deal with it. But if Jake had ever harmed Calleigh he would mysteriously disappear and his body would never be found.

Jake were trying to claim that it couldn't be proven that he were the one behind the wheel of the car that hit Eric, the one circumstantial element of the case but if he was, he was not responsible for his actions. The break up with Calleigh had made him 'snap.' Seeing how she had moved on after breaking up with him and seeing her "playing mom to Eric's toddler" had driven him over the edge.

That was if he was driving the car.

There it was again.

"Playing" mom.

If Calleigh had ever wanted to hit anyone for saying it, it was this man. In fact, in comparison she could handle anyone else saying this. But it was something about the words coming out of his mouth that made her want to knock Jake's teeth out.