Okay, This has taken me FOREVER!

speedmonkey - I know I said I'd publish it yesterday, but the document upload feature wouldn't work yesterday. Said something about request timed out. So meh. Sorry... it'shere now.

"I never actually said that you are no longer her guardian angel…"

My heart started to beat faster. Is it possible that she just said that? She can't have meant it; surely couldn't be true.

An enormous balloon of happiness began to grow inside me. I almost refused to let it inflate, for fear of it bursting.

Sure enough, Eve's next word was enough to pop the balloon.

"However," she said, her tone serious, "You did make a big mistake. You were very lucky; Calleigh could have been seriously hurt, be it emotionally or physically. And I don't want Calleigh hurt in any way…"

I looked up at Eve, surprised to see a small smile tugging at her lips.

"… even if it's only because if Calleigh is okay, I don't have a depressed Tim to baby-sit."

I couldn't help but laugh. If eve was joking a little, that could only mean that she was about to forgive me my mistake.

"Tim, what happened between Hagen and Calleigh… It should never have. You should have been protecting her. You should never have taken your eyes off her. You should never be away from her. Not even for a second."

She sighed a little.

"But, despite all of this, I'm willing to let you have a second chance. This time, you will never leave her side. You won't abandon her and you won't let Hagen touch her again."

I nodded vigorously.

There were lots of conditions and it seemed that Eve was asking a lot. But to me, this just means that I will be spending more time around Calleigh, which is worth every moment.

"There will be no more chances. You screw this up, you lose it all."

I nodded again. I knew that anyway.

There is no way that I'm going to waste this final chance to help Calleigh, after all she has done for me.

I won't waste this chance.

I can't.

Eve stood up to leave, when a thought struck me.

"Eve? I asked.

She turned around to face me.

"Would you… if another guardian angel made a mistake… would you let them have another chance?"

She seemed to consider the question.

"No. Well, maybe but I doubt it."

For a second, I appreciated how lucky I was to be given the second chance.

"Why did I get a second chance? How come? I'm not exactly special or anything… I never did anything particularly amazing while I was alive… How come I get another try?"

Eve surveyed me with her dark brown eyes. She was choosing her answer carefully.

"Tim, I'm letting you have another chance because…because you love her so much."

-------------------

As soon as Eve left, I headed straight over to Calleigh's apartment.

Eve's message had been pretty clear: Go to Calleigh's apartment. Go directly to Calleigh's apartment. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200.

So I did.

The familiar hallway was lit gently by the setting sun that was streaming through the windows.

I didn't see Calleigh anywhere and started to worry a little.

I looked in the kitchen and the bedroom and the en-suite bathroom.

All empty.

As I headed to the living room, panic was rising in me.

From the hallway, this room looked empty as well, but I tried my hardest to stay calm.

She could have gone out, I told myself.

But why would she have left her bag here? I wondered as I stepped over it.

Once I got inside the living room, my worries were forgotten.

Calleigh was lying on the sofa, sleeping like a baby.

She had obviously come straight in, dropped her things, kicked off her shoes and collapsed, sleeping immediately.

She must have had very little sleep the previous night, I thought bitterly as I remembered the company she had entertained.

Her hair was messy and slightly falling out of the previously flawless bun that it had previously been in; her clothes were creasing a little from being lain on.

I took a step closer and she shifted slightly.

She had taken off her jacket and I noticed that she was shivering slightly.

The air conditioning must be a little too cold.

I found a thin fleece blanket and laid it over her, as if she were in bed.

All I could do after that was watch Calleigh, my Calleigh, sleep.

--------------------

The next day at work, she met Eric in a corridor.

"Hey," she greeted.

"Hey."

Eric looked a little annoyed and slightly disappointed.

"What's up?"

"Oh nothing. Just, I went diving for evidence and then Ryan ran off with my findings to tell H."

Calleigh stopped walking.

"Really?"

Eric nodded glumly.

"I could just…" Eric trailed off when Calleigh gave him a warning look.

"I'll talk to him Eric. It'll be easier that way, okay?"

Eric didn't answer.

"Okay?"

This time, Eric nodded and said "Thanks Cal."

"No problem. Just stay out of his way for a while."

Eric grinned cheekily and left.

--------------------

Calleigh read the printout that had just been sent from Tox.

With a slight grin; she was obviously pleased with the results; she picked up the phone and was punching in the number for Ryan's pager.

Just before she pressed the send button, she had an afterthought.

She pressed cancel and went back to the test she had been running.

The Tox results lay on the desk next to her and they stayed there for the next half hour until Ryan came in.

When he saw the results, his face fell.

"You were going to tell me right?"

"About the Tox report? Of course. We always include each other."

That's it Calleigh. Put him in his pace.

"Delko told you."

"This lab is like high school. Gossip travels fast."

Ryan left, looking slightly disgruntled.

Calleigh looked satisfied.

And so was I.

What Ryan did was out of order.

He should have waited for Delko.

He really should have.

--------------------

A few hours later, Calleigh and Ryan were out in the field, looking for evidence on a parked car.

A Rolls Royce, no less.

"I got something,"Ryan muttered suddenly.

He took a couple of photos, showing that he does know something about being a CSI.

Not too good with the CSI ethics, but he can work on that.

Calleigh took a swab of the grey sludge that Ryan had seen.

"It's textured. It's all coming together."

"You're not going to tell me?"

Calleigh flashed him her widest, most flirtatious grin.

"And have you run to Horatio with it? Forget about it!"

Calleigh left and Ryan looked a little annoyed.

I followed Calleigh, but paused to slap Ryan in the back.

He won't have felt it, but it's the thought that counts. Right?