Title: Swim Fan

Summary: EricCalleigh. Despite the title this isn't a story about a stalker. Eric and Calleigh meet up at a pool every day for a week. Secrets are exposed and contact is guaranteed. =P R&R pretty please!

Disclaimer: Don't own Eric or Calleigh or Horatio.

Pairing: EricCalleigh

Chapter: 4. Hospitals and Apologies

Eric woke up in a white, clean place that smelled like disinfectant. Immediately it was identified in his mind as a hospital (duh!). He saw someone sitting in the chair next to his bed with her head in her hands. It was a blond woman. Calleigh.

He opened his mouth to say something and she somehow heard his mouth open. Her head lifted and he could see that she had been crying. Her ears were red and she had little 'rivers' down her face. She quickly wiped her eyes and face with the back of her hands.

"How are you? Can I get you anything? Do you want a drink?" Calleigh was half out of her seat as she went into 'hostess' mode, or in her case 'I'm sorry I distracted you while you were swimming and caused you to end up in the hospital' mode.

Eric was a little bewildered but managed to shake his head a 'no'. Calleigh sank back into her chair but still sat on the edge, as if she was ready to do his bidding. To do anything he wanted. Anything. That was the power of guilt.

Of course it wasn't really her fault. Well, not totally. He should have been concentrating on where he'd been going. To Calleigh, though, it looked as if he'd done what he did on purpose so she was totally and utterly guilty.

Eric looked at Calleigh as she sat in the chair, she looked so lost and vulnerable. She looked back at him with an expression that made her look as if she was a little child who had just broken an expensive Ming vase and was about to be punished.

"It's not your fault you know." Eric said quietly to her. This obviously wasn't what Calleigh had expected him to say and her face looked puzzled for a second before slipping back into remorse,

"Of course it's my fault," she drawled, "If I hadn't been there you would've been fine and wouldn't have not concentrated on your swimming."

"Look, I can't say that you being there didn't hurt me and took my mind off swimming for a second but it was my fault that I didn't return my thoughts back to swimming. It was my own fault."

Calleigh looked straight at Eric and he saw the tears in her eyes. He saw the sadness in her eyes and he realised that words would not change her mind in this situation. Words were meaningless in this situation. They were just words, nothing more. Calleigh bent her head and Eric saw a tear drop into her lap.

"Please Calleigh..." Eric started, Calleigh looked up and then wiped her tears away and said,

"What is it Eric?"

"You have to believe that this isn't your fault."

"It isn't yours and I was the only other person around."

"It was my fault."

"No it wasn't Eric. Do you deny that if I hadn't been at the pool you wouldn't be in hospital with six stitches in your head?" Eric fell silent at this and Calleigh said, with a slight tremor in her voice,

"I thought so." There was a knock on the door and it opened to reveal Horatio.

"The doctors said that you would be fine and you're okay to leave..." He looked from Calleigh's red eyes and still fresh tears to Eric's upset expression and asked,

"What's going on with you two?" Eric was the first to look at Horatio, Calleigh just stood up and walked to the window.

"Nothing," Eric said.

"Nothing?" Horatio looked at Calleigh's turned back and asked, "Calleigh?" Calleigh turned and when she did her tears had disappeared and she looked more or less normal because she was also wearing sun glasses.

"Nothing." She said simply and then nodded at Eric and left the room.

Later on Eric rejoined her in the lab where she was trying out the effects of some of the guns that had been found with some of the suspects. Eric tapped her on the shoulder and Calleigh put the gun down and turned around.

Seeing Eric she took off her ear muffs and casually asked,

"What's up?" He silently gave her an envelope and then left. She looked at the envelope he'd pressed into her hands and then her curiosity got the better of her.

She opened it and found a small piece of paper that said,

"Sorry about this whole thing. But you can still come tomorrow, I'll teach you to swim for free." She smiled when she read this, finally they were friends again. It was as if the slate had been wiped clean, now, if they wanted to they could have a relationship but the previous events wouldn't influence it.

Horatio watched Calleigh from the doorway. The way her smile lit up her face was the best thing to watch. She literally beamed, like the clouds parting and the sun shining through on a previously cloudy day. He smiled to himself and then left her to herself. Better to tell her the news later, let her be happy now.

(AN: Hmm, I wonder what the news is? I should know shouldn't I? Well I don't so there, deal with it. This writer has no idea what she's gonna write. Give me some ideas in your reviews pplz. Please?)