The Pain of Those Left Behind.
Spoilers: Dispo Day, Killer Date, Lost Son, ect.
Pairings: Eric/Calleigh, and they got busy...
Inspirations/dedications: This for the victims and friends and familes who loved them. The pain of losing a loved one is unbareable.
To L. M.T. A., We love continue to love you, and I take on your prayers.
To Grandpa, there's always a tamale in the fridge for you.
To Grandpa M. I wish I knew you better, but I still love you.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
A/N: This is a pretty angsty Eric story. Stay away if you are looking for full fluff. Lyrics by Linkin Park, Breaking the Habit.
IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiI
Shots fired. Total chaos. People were everywere. Women screaming, grown men begging God for the gun to stop firing.
Strangely, Eric Delko felt like he had been here before. It was all to fimiliar for him.
His best friend. Lying on the ground, blood staining the sheet that had been placed over his dead body.
Eric knew he couldn't disturb the scene. But the tug of his heart informed him that he needed to see his best friend for the last time, before the funeral and autopsy would take place.
As he pulled back the sheet, he noticed something different about his friend. The dark brown, curly hair that was suppose to be there wasn't. It was blonde. Long and blonde.
He pulled the sheet back further, to relveal something more painful. It wasn't the body of Tim Speedle that had taken one to the chest. It was his wife's body- Calleigh.
"NOOO!" He screamed. "No way this is happening!" His mind and every nerve in his body screamed over and over again. "NOOOOO."
IiIiIiI
Memories consume
Like opening the wound
I'm picking me apart again
You all assume
I'm safe here in my room
IiIiIiI
"Eric! What's wrong! Eric? Wake up!" The frantic voice of Calleigh Duquesne rang through out their small bedroom. "You're having a nightmare! Wake up!"
"Call..." he trailed off. He wrapped an arm around her. Holding her close, protecting her from the the nightmare that replayed itself over and over in his head.
IiIiIiI
Clutching my cure
I tightly lock the door
I try to catch my breath again
I hurt much more
Than anytime before
I had no options left again
IiIiIiI
"Are you OK darlin'?" She asked. Her head was tucked under his chin, as he clung on to her.
Eric felt like a two-year old, clinging to his mother after he had seen a clown at a circus. "I...I... am." He lied, regaining his posture.
"You don't look OK, Baby." She raised her hand to gently stroke his head.
"It was just a bad dream." He said, trying to reassure her.
"It was about Speed, wasn't it?" She pulled out of his protective embrace.
"Yeah." He sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Only it was worse."
Calleigh's green eyes grew wide. "How could it be any worse?"
Eric felt like someone stabbed him in the gut. "I..." He couldn't meet her gaze." I can't tell you."
"Eric, please. You need to get this off of your chest." She made him look at her "You just came back from the shrink, I don't want to hear you complain about going back again, and so help me God I will make you go back if don't tell me." She demanded.
Eric looked down, breaking the eye contact she made them share,"It was exaclty how Tim died..." He paused, "Only when I pulled back the sheet, you were laying there instead of Speed.."
"Oh... Eric.. I'm so, so, sorry." She put her arms around him.
"It's OK. I feel better that I told you about it, than bottling it up inside waiting for it to explode."
She smiled sypathetically."I'm glad you told me, too."
"Mommy? Daddy?" A small voice called out from their doorway.
"Oh, baby! Come here!" Calleigh said.
A little girl of about three, scampered onto their bed, crawling into her father's lap.
"You're suppose to be asleep little missy." Calleigh scolded.
"You guys were to loud." She wined.
Eric smiled at his little daughter. She was adorable. At three years old, Anna Maria, had his dark hair and Calleigh's green eyes.
He was glad she came. She seamed to always sense when her parents were in turmoil.
Anna Maria played with her footie pajamas, the pictures of Darth Vader crinkling as she pulled at the fabric. Even though they were boy's PJs she couldn't care less. All that mattered to her is the 'Star Wars' logo printed under Vader's mask.
Eric watched his little girl. He had been the one who got her hooked on Star Wars.
"Can I sleep with you tonight?" She looked up at Calleigh and Eric with a pleading look.
Their hearts always melted when she did that.
"Sure. Just try not kick Daddy like you did last night. OK?" Eric said, somewhat embarassed.
Calleigh cackled.
He shot her a warning look.
"OK, Daddy." She nodded, then curled up between Eric and Calleigh. Letting out one final sigh of victiory, she drifted to sleep.
Eric looked at her, resting peacefully. "I would kill myself if anything happened to you two..." Eric said to Calleigh.
"Nothing will." She patted him on the cheek."Let's go to sleep."
He nodded in a agreement. He glanced at the clack on the nightstand. It read 4:13.
Eric looked up at the ceiling. He closed his eyes. No longer dreaming about the monsters that could harm his family.
Only imaginary light filled his dreams.
IiIiIiI
Next Day
IiIiIiI
"Eric." Horatio Caine, his boss, approached him.
"Yeah H." He responded, taking his mind off the clothes he had been processing for an on-going case.
He took of his sunglasses."There's been a shooting..."
Eric stopped.
His heart beat faster and faster, almost as if it was trying to escape from his chest.
He turned around to face Horatio. "No, Oh God no! Tell it's not Calleigh! Please! God! Tell me it's not Calleigh! Damnit!" He shouted hitting the desk with is fists.
Horatio looked down. "The ambulance took her away. " He looked up. "It doesn't look good."
"Where?"
"Eric, calm down. I don't need one of my best CSIs getting killed in a crash."
"Where!" He demanded.
"I'll take you." Horatio slipped his sunglasses back on,"Alexx is already there."
"We have to get Anna Maria..." He ran for the lab door.
"Eric, wait!"
Eric turned, Horatio could see his eyes water. "Alexx has her."
Eric nodded and ran out the door, making his way to one of the Hummers.
Horatio had no choice but to run after him, in attemps to keep him from driving off by himself. However, much to his surprise, Eric was waiting the driver's seat, with the motor running.
"Come on H," He gritted his teeth. "We don't have all day."
(EC)(EC)(EC)(EC)
Well how was it? Let me know!
I'll have a new chapter sometime (hopefully) soon.
