Title: Breaking Point

Chapter: 2/?

See part one for disclaimers and notes

Calleigh ran blindly through the building, tears streaming unheeded down her cheeks. Her forward momentum was suddenly stopped when she ran full speed into a warm, male body. Strong arms automatically closed around her and she gave herself up to the comfort she always felt in Eric's presence.

"Hey," he said, gently rocking her in his arms. "What's the matter, Cal? What happened?"

She sniffed, wiped her eyes and stepped back, squaring her shoulders. "Nothing, Eric. I'm fine, honestly."

He didn't believe her for a second, Calleigh had never been able to lie to him but he let it go. Eric gently tipped her chin up and forced her to look at him. "You sure?"

Calleigh gave him a patently fake smile and nodded. "I'm sure. Is it okay if we skip lunch? I just remembered I have some tests I need to run. I promise I'll eat something."

"Sure," Eric agreed half-heartedly. Calleigh reached up and kissed him lightly on the cheek before walking away. Eric watched her go for a moment, and then looked thoughtfully in the direction of the locker room. When she had gone in there, Calleigh had been happy. She was laughing and teasing him. But now, not even 10 minutes later, she was crying her eyes out and looked like her favorite puppy had been run over.

Eric walked in the direction of the locker room, fully intending to start yelling at whoever had upset his friend but he stopped with his hand on the handle. There was only one person he knew of who had such a hold on Calleigh's emotions that he could make her cry and Eric wasn't sure if he wanted to get in the middle of whatever was going on between Calleigh and Horatio, no matter how much he cared about her.

And he did love her, had done from the first day he had walked in and found her cursing at the coffee machine in the break room. Even though he knew it wasn't a good idea to get involved with people he worked with, he had entertained a brief notion of asking her out. That had lasted for about 20 minutes and then Horatio had strode into the room and Eric knew there was no hope for him or anybody else with the blonde bombshell. That first moment of eye contact between the diminutive ballistics expert and the serious Lieutenant had told him everything he needed to know and the intervening years had only confirmed it.

Now, it looked like everything was going to fall apart before it had begun and Eric resolved to do something about it. He had watched them dance around each other for 3 long years and he had just about had enough.

Eric opened the door, walked in and quietly closed it behind him. He looked at Horatio and sighed. By the looks of it, whatever had happened had been big. Horatio was slumped on one of the benches, fully dressed apart from the tie that was clasped loosely in his hands and he was staring at a spot on the floor without really seeing it.

Eric walked over and sat beside his friend and boss. Neither man spoke for a few minutes and then Horatio broke the silence without looking up. "How's Calleigh?" he asked quietly.

Eric shrugged. "Knowing her, she's probably taking it out on some poor defenseless target down at the firing range." Both men smiled at that, the whole department knew she had a habit of going to the firing range whenever there was something on her mind.

Horatio sighed and went back to staring at the floor. "I love her, you know," he suddenly said so quietly that Eric almost didn't hear him.

"I know," Eric said, equally quietly.

Horatio looked up at the younger man in shock for a moment and then his expression softened. "You love her as well," he said.

Eric smiled wryly. "I know," he admitted.

"Does Calleigh know?" Horatio asked.

"That I love her, yes. That you love her, no. Although I don't know why not, seeing as everybody else does."

"Everybody knows?" Horatio asked incredulously

Eric nodded and Horatio groaned and sank his head into his hands. Eric sighed and patted his shoulder. "Look, H," he said quietly. "Tell me to mind my own business if you like, but it might help to talk about whatever happened between you two."

Horatio was silent for so long that Eric thought he wasn't going to answer. He was just about to get up and leave Horatio to his misery when the older man spoke softly. "I kissed her."

"That's great!" Eric exclaimed and then saw the look on Horatio's face, and paused. "That's not great?"

"Not if you count great as Calleigh bursting into tears and then running away from me."

"She's scared, Horatio," Eric said quietly.

Horatio almost exploded off the bench and began angrily pacing around the small room. "She's scared?" he asked incredulously. "How do you think I feel? Do you have any idea how long it's been since I felt for anyone even a fraction of what I feel for her? She's in my mind and my heart and soul and I've tried everything to get her out but nothing works. What has she got to be scared of? She has to know that I would never hurt her."

"Not physically, no," Eric agreed. "It's her heart she's worried about. You have the power to hurt her more than any other person on this planet and she's not willing to risk it. Not yet, anyway."

Horatio sighed and slumped dejectedly back onto the bench. "So what do I do?" he asked.

"Give her time. She does love you, Horatio; she just needs to come to terms with the fact that you feel the same way. Back off a little, but at the same time, let her know that this thing between the two of you isn't going to go away."

Horatio suddenly laughed. "What's so funny?" Eric asked suspiciously.

"I just never thought you would be the one to give me advice on any possible relationship with Calleigh."

Eric sighed. "Look Horatio, I'm not going to lie to you. I'm in love with Calleigh and I have been for a long time. But as much as she loves me, she's in love with you and that's all there is to it."

"You're a good friend, Eric."

Eric grinned. "Does this mean I get the rest of the week off?" he asked.

Horatio laughed. "Don't push it."

The two men sank back into silence for a moment and then Horatio stood up. "I should get back to work," he said.

Eric glanced at his watch. "Look, H, I doubt if you've eaten anything all day and we're pretty quiet at the moment. Why don't you go take a long walk and get something to eat? I'll stay here and if anything comes up, I'll page you."

Horatio thought about it for a moment and then smiled. "You know, that sounds like a good idea. You'll page me if anything comes up?"

Eric nodded as he stood up and made to leave the room. "Absolutely." He was just about to open the door when he realized something. "H, when I came in here earlier, how did you know I'd seen Calleigh?"

"Where else would she go?" Horatio asked and then smiled. "Besides, I could smell her perfume on your shirt."

Eric lifted his collar and sniffed it. "Huh, I guess I never noticed before just how much that scent she wears clings to your clothes." He turned to leave, opened the door and then stopped. "Horatio," he said seriously, without turning around. "I don't have to give you the usual warnings about hurting her, do I?"

"Understood," Horatio said and Eric could almost hear the smile in his voice and he was smiling himself as he walked out of the locker room and closed the door behind him before calling Speed to let him know he was having lunch alone.