Tonight, I'm Yours Alone
Calleigh groaned, looking at her clock. It was three in he morning, and Emily was crying. "I got it," she said as Eric rolled over in the bed. He muttered something she couldn't understand, and she crawled out of bed. She walked across the hall to the nursery. Emily got quiet, but started to squirm as soon as her mother held her in her arms. "Hey beautiful," Calleigh whispered gently. "What's got you all riled up?' she asked gently. Her daughter continued to squirm, and Calleigh stood up, walking her around the room and softly singing to her. It didn't seem to help much. Suddenly, Calleigh turned as she heard Eric enter the room. She smiled at him, then turned her attention back to her squirming and restless daughter. Suddenly, Calleigh watched in disbelief as Eric carefully took his daughter from Calleigh. She gurgled, but then laid still. Calleigh stifled a laugh to keep from waking her again. Eric got a smug look of victory on his face. He rocked Emily a little more, then put her back in her crib. She was peacefully asleep. Calleigh rolled her eyes as Eric practically pranced back to the bedroom. As she shut the door, he smiled and looked at her. "Like I said before, I can have that effect on women." Calleigh rolled her eyes. "You wish." "i can do more than wish," he said. "But, first, I have to ask you something," Calleigh said, her face turning serious. "Fire away," he said. She seemed to be struggling for the right words, and he could see this was important to her. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She shook her head, then tried again. This time, words escaped her lips.
"Eric, what happened earlier tonight really made me think of how lucky I am to have you. And, I've seen what you give up for me, and all that you do. And... now it's your turn," she said. Suddenly, he got a replay of two nights ago, only, this time, she was initiating the kiss. She felt him start to pull away, and she broke the kiss and started to talk before he could get a word out. "Eric, I can't keep living like this; letting what happened in the past affect the present. I don't want you to ask me if I'm ok, and I don't want you to ask me if I want to stop. Trust me, I'll let you know if it gets too far, but, Eric, unlike what happened when Emily.... was... you know.... anyway, I don't want to do this to forget." She hovered closer to him. "I want to do this to remember," she whispered before she kissed him. "Eric, tonight, none of me belongs to your half-brother. None of me belongs to Jake. Not my body, my thoughts, anything. Tonight, I'm yours alone," she whispered. "I promise." He pushed her back, despite the protests she put up. "Calleigh, I don't want you to do this to please me. I don't want you being hurt." She looked him in the eyes. Her emerald orbs were almost piercing his chocolate brown ones. "Eric, I know it may seem hard to believe, because I'm having problems believing it too. But it'll hurt me more for you not to do this for me. And this is going to hurt. it's going to reopen wounds I'd rather leave untouched, and it'll take me back to the only time I've ever felt that helpless. Where I've ever felt like I had no control whatsoever. And I'm sorry, it may seem selfish, because I know hurting me will probably hurt you too. But, Eric, I'm ready to start my life fresh. With you, with Emily, and without my past. I can't forget unless I have a memory to replace it with. make it this one Eric. Please." He lost himself right then. With the pleading in her voice, and the pure honesty in her words, he caved in. She was the only person in the world he could melt that easily and quickly for. "Are you sure you're ready?' he asked in a whisper, pulling her on top of him. He wanted to give her a sense of control. She was took in a deep breath, then nodded as she leaned in, kissing him.
After what seemed like forever to them both, Eric was silent as he rolled away from Calleigh. He just watched her. She was shaking, which he'd known was going to occur. But giving her a sense of control had seemed to help a bit, and she hadn't shattered into a million pieces. She was staring up at the ceiling, obviously trying to lower her frantic heartbeat. Even in the darkness of the room, he could see a glint of tears brimming in her eyes. But, for the first time in a long time, her eyes looked clear. They looked almost new; like they had new life. He reached over, pulling her close. Taken by surprise, she flinched, but didn't pull away. "Do I want to know what's going through your mind?" he asked softly, trying to help alleviate some of her pain. she didn't turn to face him. Instead, she kept her back on his chest. He gently kissed the back of her neck. he couldn't help but feel, much to his dismay and resentment towards himself, hurt as she practically cowered and shied away from him as he placed his hands on her waist. "I'm sorry," she said to him. "you still don't have to be," he said, placing another kiss along the back of her neck. "It was good in a way," she said softly. "Was it good in a good way?' he asked. "Well, I felt like I could finally let go. To be with you," she said softly. "But...." he added. "It hurt, emotionally. Like I said before it even occurred, it reopened some deep and painful wounds, but it had to be done." She sighed, and he felt her shaking had reduced to an occasional tremble. "It hurt less then last time though," she said. He smiled. He leaned over her, kissing her cheek. "I'm glad," he said softly to her. "At first," she whispered, "It was like him. All over again." Eric was quiet. He'd noticed. She'd tensed and become shaky as soon as he'd started. It had gotten worse, but she hadn't told him to stop. Not until the very end, when it was over, had she begun to even start to calm. "But, in the end," she said. "It was just me and you, like I promised you." She scooted away from him, but, before he could get out his whimper of disapproval, she'd rolled around so she was facing him. Her face was still wet with tears, but her eyes did look clearer. She put on a smile. Eric could tell it was a fake smile, but he played along. "I'm ok Eric. Right now, I feel ok. I can't promise you about tomorrow, or the day after, or the day after. I'll have to take it day by day. But, for now.... I'm ok," she said. This time, her small smile was real. He smiled, gently kissing her back. "Now, Calleigh, I thought we had this resolved," he said. "There is no longer just a 'you'. It is now a 'we'. 'We' will have to take it day by day. Not you, not me, but us. We can do anything baby, and if I have to go to the moon to prove it to you, I will." She closed her eyes. "You don't have to go to the moon," she said softly. "At least not tonight anyway." He smiled, brushing her hair out of her face. He wiped the few remaining tears from her face, then, soon, they'd both fallen asleep together, each pressed tightly against the warmth of their lover.
Author's Note:
Ok, the whole love part of this story is actually hard for me to write. I find it either too.... fake, or i find myself confused because I've never been in the situation that's going on here, and I can't quite wrap my head around how it should sound. Should she be more hesitant, or open? Should he be more persistant about not doing it to not hurt her, or should he do what he's doing because of her. Sorry, if you know me, you know I've NEVER been good at anything that has to do with love. But, i decided to steer away from the violence for a chapter or so and focus more on them building their relationship. Anyway, hope you like, and thanks to heartless1978, elislin, Singingchick18, MsDuquenseDelko, C.H.E.A.R., csimiamilol3, mellischatzi3, zurfer-csimiamifreak-girl, and SheliaLuvsWTR4EVER. Thanks for all the reviews, comments, encouragement, helpful criticism, and support. Just thought I needed to mention all my faithful followers. Please, keep reviewing. You all do such a great job at it. Thanks for reading; more coming hopefully soon!
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