Spoilers: After cattle incident and snippets of future episodes
Disclaimer: I own none of these characters. They are the property of Nickelodeon.
Pairings: C/E, snippets of C/W
Chapter ElevenEric walked through what seemed like a mist. It was dark, with a ray of light at what seemed like a darkened corridor. He could hear laughter chiming throughout the corridor, but he couldn't quite figure out whose it was.
"Hello? Anybody there?"
The mist seemed to grow thicker and Eric felt like he had to wade through it like water. "Anyone there?"
"Eric!" Caitlin called, laughing.
Suddenly the mist and darkness faded away and he was standing in a sea of gold with Caitlin. She looked the same as ever -- dark auburn hair, pools of ebony that seemed to draw your gaze forever. "Caitlin! What are you doing in our field? Shouldn't you be with Will? Ya know, riding off into the sunset?"
Caitlin walked towards him, the stalks of wheat brushing against her jeans. Her hands skimming along the heads of wheat. She seemed to walk towards him in slow motion, her eyes fixed upon his. Eric could feel his heart beating faster and harder against his chest. "You know Will isn't the one for me," she whispered, her voice carried along by the gentle breeze that caressed his face.
"I know," he whispered as he held her hand, their fingers entwining.
"Gah," Eric gasped. He surveyed his surroundings.
Nope, no wheat! And no Caitlin. Eric stared down at his hands and shook his head. Just a dream, he thought. Just a dream.
He quietly slipped out of his sleeping bag, which lay parallel to Griffin. Eric heaved a quiet sigh of relief as he leaned against the kitchen counter, looking out at the night sky.
I can't like Caitlin. I can't! Eric rubbed his eyes, his hand cupping his chin. I mean, she's dating Will. He's her type more than I am right? All these thoughts danced though Eric's head. But you like her you dope. And you said it yourself, you'd make a better boyfriend than dangerboy!
Eric wrestled with the thoughts as he poured himself a glass of water. But she's got a boyfriend! You can't make her like you! Can you?
Well she already likes you! Right? He argued with himself like this for a few minutes.
"Ahhh!" a girl's voice quietly screeched. "Eric? What are you doing standing here in the dark?" Caitlin asked.
"Ah, nothing," he replied casually, stumbling back into the counter as he turned around to face her.
"Okay," she replied.
Eric imagined her rolling her eyes as she replied. He couldn't see her eyes, but Eric could tell by the tone of her voice that she was rolling her eyes.
"What are you doing up?" he retorted.
"Couldn't sleep."
"Well, did you have a bad dream?" he asked.
She shook her head. As she leaned against the counter beside him, he could now see her face in the moonlight. "You?"
He shook his head. Eric seriously hoped she couldn't make out the fact that his face flushed at the thought of the dream.
"Hey, Eric?" Caitlin whispered.
"Yeah?"
"I'm glad you're home. I don't think I got the chance to say that. I missed you."
Caitlin shuffled her feet, staring at the floor.
"Same," Eric replied, staring at the opposite wall.
***
Caitlin didn't know what possessed her, but she grabbed Eric's hand and entwined her fingers within his. She felt the heat rush to her face. "Uh, good-night," she whispered as she untangled her hand from his.
"Good-night," his whispered voice called after her.
~~~
Caitlin jumped back into her bed, hoping to chase the coldness of the evening away.
What possessed her? She asked herself again. I don't know, she thought to herself. Why do I need a reason? I missed him, and I told him.
'But holding his hand?' the thought jumped out at her. Caitlin sighed and let the heaviness of the Sandman carry her to sleep.
~~~
Caitlin had been grooming Bandit for a like 10 minutes now.
'Why did I do it?' she thought to herself.
'Because you like him,' a voice kept saying in her head.
"Stop it! I don't like him like that!" she yelled out loud.
"You don't like who like that?" Will laughed as he strolled leading Sinbad by the reigns.
"Oh!" Caitlin jumped, taking a quick breath. "I didn't hear you coming Will."
"I'm guessing that, since you were talking to yourself!" he joked.
"I didn't know we were going riding today?" she quipped.
"It was a spur of the moment kind of thing. I just wanted to see my favorite girl!" he whispered in her ear.
A shiver ran down Caitlin's spine. "Oh."
Caitlin looked at herself. She wasn't dressed for riding. That morning, she had put on a grungy pair of sweats and a long baggy shirt. Not what she usually wore, but the hamper full of dirty clothes wouldn't allow her to dress otherwise. "Well, if you want to go for a ride, you'll have to wait for me to change!" she teased.
"Oh, I don't know. I mean, I don't know if I have an hour to wait around for you to pretty yourself up for me," he deadpanned.
Caitlin hit him on the arm. "Just give me a couple of minutes. The laundry should be dry by now."
***
"Wellll, looky here! Look what the cat dragged in!" Eric smirked, as he walked into the stables.
He had seen Caitlin running out of the building when he and Griff had been fooling around and thinking up ideas to pass the time. Griffin mentioned some rope in the stables and Eric non-chalantly volunteered to get it.
"What do you want?" Will grimaced.
"Oh, I don't know. Don't I have a right to be in here if I want?" Eric asked innocently.
"Whatever! Isn't it kind of creepy just lurking around Caitlin? It's really pathetic if you think about it!" Will scoffed.
"What are you talking about? I just wanted to see what made Caitlin go running out of the stables like the buildings on fire!" he grinned.
Eric didn't like him. Didn't like him at all.
"Well, if you must know, and it will get rid of you. We're going for a ride!" This time Will was smirking.
Eric slowly walked over to Bandit and began stroking his mane. "You act like a jerk to Caitlin and I swear, you'll regret it," Eric threatened.
Will rolled his eyes. "Yeah, like you've a say in what I do or don't do with Caitlin," he hissed.
"And what do you mean by that?" Eric spat.
"Oh, nothing," Will smiled innocently. "Let's just say, that we're a lot closer than you know. And if you think that you'll break us up, by playing the victim…" his voice trailed off.
Eric could guess at what Will was insinuating. It made his heart race at the thought that Caitlin would be naïve enough to do anything with guy! He clenched his free hand into a fist. It was all Eric could do to keep himself from lunging at Will's throat.
"No one needs to play the victim with Caitlin. She has a heart. Something you are lacking," Eric smirked. "And soon enough, she'll figure out that leopard doesn't change his spots."
At that, Eric could tell he had gotten under Will's skin. Eric was always better at this game. He knew exactly how to get under people's skin. It was a talent he prided himself on. Eric had done it to Griffin, and the guy had become his best friend, not something he was looking to do with Will. And he certainly knew how to get under Caitlin's skin, which gave Eric some hope that there might actually be something between the two. He laughed at the thought.
"What are you laughing at?" Will yelled.
"Nothing. Just thinking of how Caitlin found out you were a poser the first time and how she's still smart enough to figure it out the second time!" he said casually.
He had done it. Will was really stoking mad at him now. Eric could read him, like he could read a lot of people, some better than others.
"Why you…" Will growled.
Eric dodged his lunging hands. Easily stepping out of the way, Eric laughed as Will struggled to get up from the loose straw that was scattered across the stable floor. "Oh, what's the matter? Poor baby gonna cry now?" Eric taunted.
As Eric offered his hand to help Will up. Eric knew he shouldn't be teasing the guy this badly, especially since Caitlin would be coming back any second. "Hey, come on. We don't have to be like mortal enemies!" Eric rolled his eyes.
Will slapped his hand away. "Give me a break. Save it for when Caitlin's around," We spat, as he began brushing off the pieces of straw that clung to his jeans.
"Save what for when I'm around?" Caitlin asked, strolling into the stables.
Will rolled his eyes.
Eric began to try to explain. "Look Caitlin…"
But Caitlin wouldn't let him finish. "What happened to you? Why are you covered in straw?" she asked Will, brushing pieces out of his hair.
"What else? Eric came here to start trouble," Will glared at him.
"What?" Eric exclaimed in disbelief. "I didn't do anything. I was looking for some rope because Griffin and I were going to start his first money making production of 'Life on the Edge'," Eric said dramatically, raising his hands up in the air, seeing the name in lights.
Caitlin seemed incredulous at the excuse. "Really?" she sighed.
"Yeah! Even ask Griffin!" Eric exclaimed.
"Ha!" Will blurted out. "You came here to start something and irritate the hell out of me. Which apparently is a talent of yours," he smirked.
Eric let out a deep breath. "Whatever Caitlin. It was your macho boyfriend here, who tried to take my head off. That's why he's got straw all over his clothes."
Caitlin looked sternly at Will. "Is that true?"
Will looked peeved at Caitlin. "Yeah, of course! Cuz I always start trouble, don't I?" Will huffed and stalked away, leading a fidgety Sinbad out of the stables.
Caitlin glared at Eric. "Look what you did!" she grimaced.
Eric watched her stalk away.
"What did I do?" Eric yelled, throwing his hands up in the air.
'Forget her!' he thought and stalked out of the barn. Forgetting about the rope.
