When Eric woke up in the morning the pillow next to him was vacated and he could hear the shower running. If he knew it would be the last time he would wake up with her in his arms, he would have held on tighter when he slept.

Eric threw back the covers and made his way to the bathroom to brush his teeth.

"Eric?" she called from inside the shower.

"Just brushing my teeth. I'll get out of here in a minute," he called as he put the toothpaste on the electric toothbrush he left here.

The white shower curtain around the claw foot bathtub was not exactly opaque and he could see her slender figure as she ran the bath loofa over her body. Eric was doing his best not to watch her but she wasn't exactly making it easy.

"Oh, okay," she said, unsure. "Do you have enough time to get back your house before work?"

Eric looked at his watch, "What time are we supposed to be back at?"

"Eight," she said. "What time is it now?"

"Seven fifteen," he replied, rinsing his mouth.

Calleigh rinsed her body in the shower and shut off the water. Eric held out a towel for her and she wrapped it around her body before stepping out of the tub.

"Are you going to have time?" she asked, looking up at him.

Eric closed his eyes at the scent of her, freshly showered. He wanted to respect her but she was making it difficult. When he told her she blushed and walked out of the bathroom.

"Cold shower would be good," he said under his breath and turned the cold water nozzle on. Fifteen minutes under the cool water was all it took to calm his body down.

When he stepped out of the shower there was a cup of coffee waiting for him. Clothes from his overnight bag were laid out for him. As he towelled himself off he noticed she had laid everything out for him with the same precision she laid out evidence when they were working a case. She had placed his deodorant, cologne and hair gel next to the cup of coffee. Picking up his boxers he noticed the clothes smelled of her laundry detergent and the pale blue dress shirt he left at her apartment was even ironed for him. Eric felt his chest tighten.

The domestic situation would only last until they left the apartment. She would put on a veil over her emotions and the care she showed toward him wouldn't extend past friendship.

When he emerged from the bathroom Calleigh was blow-drying her hair. She smiled at him briefly and set down the blow-dryer next to her nightstand. Eric sat on her bed with his coffee, watching her get ready.

"Your hair looks nice," he commented. It wasn't often she wore her hair down and anytime she did Eric made a note of telling her. "You look nice."

Calleigh looked over her shoulder as tucked her shirt into her trousers. "Thank-you."

"Almost ready?" he asked.

"If you want something to eat before we go-"

"It's okay, I'll pick up something on the way," he interrupted. "I'm not very hungry."

"Me either," she replied, hooking her gun and badge onto the belt of her pants.

Eric took his overnight bag and coffee cup as he followed her out of the bedroom and to the door. The living room had been tidied and their dishes from last night were sitting on the counter for her to wash when she got home.

Calleigh tugged on his shirt. "Hey."

Eric looked down at her, noticing tears in her eyes. On one hand, he was dying inside he had to leave her apartment but on the other hand, he was glad to see this was hard for her too. He dropped his bag and set his coffee next to hers on the hall table. Pulling her into his arms, he held her small frame as she held back tears.

Standing in her foyer, they held one another tightly, the last time as lovers. Every other girl Eric had dated had ended things with a roll of their eyes as they realised it was nothing more than a fling with the occasional dinner or Sunday brunch. If ever the woman could make him settle down, Calleigh Duquesne would be that woman for Eric Delko.

Calleigh looked up into his dark brown eyes, putting her right hand on the back of his neck and pulling his lips down to hers. She slid her tongue into his mouth and kissed him softly. Her left hand gripped his shirt as she pushed him against the door and deepened the kiss.

There was no mask of the evening to this kiss or alcohol to explain her actions. It was a kiss of need and Eric responded, one hand in her hair and the other on her lower back. She slid her left hand around to his back as his arousal pressed into her stomach. She pressed herself against him harder, dragging her nails down his back and she moaned softly into his mouth.

Eric squeezed the flesh of her backside and growled as pushed her against the door. As he kissed her neck, Calleigh sighed and ran her fingers through his hair.

"We're going to be late," he whispered in her ear and bit the lobe.

"I know," she sighed.

It would be all too tempting to go back on what she had said last night as he kissed along her jawline and down her neck. It was very tempting to give in and spend one last morning with him. A simple phone call would be enough to extend her morning but she knew it would just be prolonging the hurt she was feeling right now. Calleigh kissed him again, hungry and needy. If only she could prolong the morning, she might be able to put off the painful feeling of coming home alone. The smell of Eric in her apartment, the way she smelled after they made love. Their pheremones together, Calleigh understood from chemistry and biology, mixed to create a scent she wanted to bottle.

This was so much easier when I was mad at him, she thought as she pressed her hips against his. Why couldn't I have only been using him? Why did I have to fall for him?

As she slid her tongue into his mouth Eric growled. He couldn't get enough of the velvety soft feeling of her tongue against his. For all the women he hooked up with before they were anything, Eric never tasted anything sweeter. Even in the morning, when a woman was supposed to be at her worst, she looked and tasted amazing. As he kissed her neck and breathed in the sweet, vanilla taste of her skin, he could feel themselves getting close to the brink and wanted to push them farther. If he could push it farther, they wouldn't have to leave here.

You fell in love, you idiot, Eric thought. And you lost her.

She bit her lip as pushed on his chest. "Stop."

"Are you okay?" he asked as he took a small step back.

Calleigh closed her eyes and turned her head away from him. "I'm sorry."

Eric tugged on her shoulder and Calleigh shook her head, reluctantly.

"Hey," he said as he pulled on both her arms. "Come here."

She gave in and stepped into his arms. Eric held one arm across her upper back and the other rubbed soothingly.

"Am I still a man if I tell you I'm sad?" he admitted.

"Your manhood is intact," she whispered. "I'm sad too."

Eric kissed the top of her head and she let out a breath as he stepped away from her. "Just promise me we'll still be friends."

"I promise," she said looking up at him.

Eric realised this might prove to be more difficult than he thought. It was going to be hard for him not to kiss her when they were alone. It was going to be even more difficult for him not to touch her.

"We should go," he said as he gathered up his things, avoiding her gaze. "Ryan will have the case solved before we get there."

Calleigh didn't notice him avoiding looking at her because she was avoiding looking at him. Eric put Calleigh's camera in his overnight bag as she donned her jacket and purse. As they walked down her hall Eric's hand moved to her lower back several times and he pulled it away each time. Calleigh's body continually guided herself closer to him and she had to think for the first time about something that was secondary nature.

As they passed the side table where they kissed that summer, Calleigh smiled to herself. Eric caught her grin and smiled also. On the stairs he remembered the afternoon they argued and then nearly made up in public.

Breaking up was a minefeild of memories and they would have to tread lightly.