Rating: MA

Pairing: Eric/Calleigh

DisclaimerNot mine, don't own them, wish I did, but alas I don't so don't sue.

Author's NoteThis fic came from a dream I had. This story is my idea, but it's been beautifully interpreted for me by thisyearslove.

Past Life

Chapter Two

Calleigh waited on Eric's couch with a blanket around
her shoulders and a hot mug of tea between her cool
fingers. From her place in the living room, she could
hear Eric on the phone with their boss. He sounded
livid but was attempting to keep his voice low for
Calleigh's sake.

Looking around Eric's apartment, she noted the potted
spider plant she had given him was still thriving in
its place on the windowsill.

Officer Matthews, who cleared the building, was
currently searching for her assailant and Eric was on
the phone with Horatio. She was thankful it was so
late and Eric would have to wait to find the officers
who allowed the suspect to escape. A cool-down period
was definitely in order.

Processing the warehouse was supposed to be a simple
in and out task. Before leaving to the scene, she
smiled over her shoulder at Eric and told him she'd be
finished in time to help him with his ballistics
evidence. She told him to stop worrying and they'd
process what he found together because he didn't trust
Markham, who was working in the ballistics lab.

Calleigh felt small and foolish, sitting on Eric's
couch. She felt like suddenly her secret was out and
everyone would know in the lab by morning.

Eric walked into the living room and sat gingerly on
the couch, close enough to her that she could smell
his faded cologne and feel the warmth from his body
but not touching her.

"I just got off the phone with H," Eric told her and
she closed her eyes. Eric touched her arm but she
avoided his gaze. "Do you want to tell me what really
happened and why you're in scrubs?"

"What did he say?" she asked, staring into her tea.

Eric let out a breath. "He told me to talk to you
about it."

Calleigh nodded. "I don't know, I was in the
warehouse and suddenly I was down on the floor."

"Did he take your weapon?" Eric asked.

Calleigh held back her tears and nodded.

"Were you scared?" he asked.

She nodded again as a single tear ran down her cheek.
"Yes."

"It's okay," he whispered as he moved closer and
rubbed her arm soothingly.

Calleigh didn't flinch from him as he pulled her
closer and wrapped his arms softly around her. It had
been so long since a man had held her in this way and
she felt truly safe. The security of being with him
allowed her to finally release the tears she had been
holding in and she let out a sob.

Eric couldn't believe what he was witnessing but knew
his friend well enough to know she wouldn't show up at
his apartment if there wasn't something deeper rooted
in why she was afraid.

Memories of what happened were not from a
first-person point of view. She could see herself
waiting outside the warehouse for an officer to escort
her. She leaned against the Hummer and looked around
the darkened alley. Lights from the squad car
illuminated the windows and cement walls of the
surrounding buildings.

With an increase in their case load, Calleigh was the
only CSI who was called out to the scene. Horatio and
Ryan were working on a hit and run of a young couple
on vacation. They were without any possible leads. At
a nearby motel, Eric was processing a room where an
elderly man was stabbed and lying in bed at the ICU.

"Miss Duquesne," Officer Matthews called, motioning
with two fingers to approach him.
"We've cleared the building. You can head up the
stairs to the office now."

Calleigh forced a smile and walked past the young
officer. "Thanks. Who found the body?"

"Homeless guy, local to the area, Pete. He was
looking for a warm place to sleep when he stumbled
across the DB," he replied. "We took him to lock up to
take his statement and he'll be in for the night to
dry out."

"Did you find any ID?" she asked and the officer
shook his head.

The sky cracked and a boom of thunder soon followed.
Calleigh and Officer Matthews looked up to the sky and
he frowned.

"So much for hot Miami summer," he grumbled.

"We're a coastal city," Calleigh said with
reassurance. "You can be grateful you never need snow
boots."

Officer Matthews laughed. "I came to Florida for the
sun!"

"Not at night," she said with a smile.

"I'll be right out here," he said, pointing to his
place at the door. "I cleared a path and marked the
footprints of Pete, my partner and myself. If you need
anything just holler. Medical Examiner will be out to
collect the body in a few hours."

Calleigh took out her flashlight and walked slowly
into the building. There was little disturbance as she
walked toward the office but photographed everything
to be sure. As she made her way to the back office she
found the body of their John Doe.

Kneeling down to a broken bottle, Calleigh
photographed its location. The light from the flash
illuminated the interior of the office and she looked
over her shoulder from her place on the ground.
Calleigh set her camera on top of her open kit and
with her flashlight in hand; she approached the
partition that divided the office, walking carefully
around the body.

As she rounded the corner, Calleigh was knocked into
the wall by a blow to her face. The back of her head
made contact with the wall and she cried out, dropping
her flashlight. The small silver tool rolled across
the dusty floor, pointing its light to the door. Her
ID fell out of her pocket and without thinking, she
moved for her gun. A fist made contact with her jaw
before she could pull it out of its holster and she
fell to the ground.

Calleigh tried to push herself off the ground but was
forced down by a foot to her back. Clawing at the
ground, she cried out as she was crushed against the
ground.

"Stay down, bitch!" he grumbled and took her gun and
ID. He leaned down and put the gun to her temple. The
cold metal pressed against her skin and he let out a
throaty laugh. She could feel the bile rising in her
throat and closed her eyes. "You keep this beauty
loaded?"

A small bag dropped from the canvas coat her
assailant wore and she quickly grabbed it before he
noticed. She received a brutal kick to her ribs and
Calleigh curled up on the ground, clutching her
stomach and turning away from her assailant. She was
kicked once more in her legs before he ran out of the
office, leaving the woman alone, crying in pain.

Moving carefully, she pulled her cell phone from her
coat pocket. She pressed send twice, calling back the
last person she spoke to.

"Caine," replied the voice of her boss.

"Horatio," she managed. "I need help."

At the location of the hit and run, Horatio started
running toward his car. "Calleigh! Where are you?"

"I..I...I..I'm at my scene," she stuttered, holding
back her tears. "I was knocked down."

Two paramedics walked onto the scene five minutes
later and found Calleigh in the same position the
assailant left her in.

"Okay, you're okay," one said as he helped her up.

Her body shook as they put her on a stretcher and she
did her best to keep her eyes shut. If she didn't open
them, she wouldn't have anything to remember. If she
didn't see anything, it didn't happen.