Chapter Three:

A/N: The elements for this chapter were: Ballroom dancing competition, an assassin, a kiss, a white dress, and Calleigh and Eric sleep together (not in a sexual way...just sleeping). This is the last chapter. And I enjoyed writing this. I hope you enjoyed reading it. And I apologize; again, for the amount of time I went over my limit.

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Upon arriving at the club, Eric and Calleigh went hurriedly inside, knowing they were already late and Horatio and Frank would be anxiously waiting for them. They did, as expected, fit right into the crowd of dancing, drinking adults that filled the club. They both headed to the bar, as that was where the drop was supposed to take place. No man in black jeans and a yellow t-shirt yet, Calleigh noted.

"Hey, what can I get you?" A bored looking bartender asked.

"Two beers," Calleigh answered quickly. Eric nodded in agreement. The bartender handed them their beers and moved to weight on the next customer. They sat silently at first, drinking them slowly since they were technically still working they didn't want to get too drunk. They wouldn't be any use to Horatio, Ryan or anyone then. But they could both hold one beer easily, especially if they drank it slowly. Calleigh began looking around again. She still didn't see the man they were looking for, but they did see Horatio at the opposite end of the bar trying to fit in to the surrounding scenery. Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she saw a flash of yellow approaching the bar. Eric was turned the other way, so she knew he wouldn't have been able to see it. "Let's go dancing." She suggested, a bright smile on her face. He nodded and offered her his hand as they headed towards the dance floor.

"Did you see something?" Eric wondered.

"Yeah. Flash of yellow heading toward the bar. In case it was him, I decided it would be best if we got out of there for the time being, you know, to minimize our chance of looking suspicious." She explained.

"Yeah." He nodded. "Good thinking. Getting out of there before he noticed you saw him." Calleigh nodded. The song changed from the slower paced one that had been ending at the time that they made their way to the dance floor to a song with a pounding bass and face paced techno beat. They began to move to the beat of the music, as everyone around them did. Eric marveled at the fact that dancing with her like this felt completely natural. If he had been with anyone else from the lab, it would have been awkward, for sure, and uncomfortable. Actually, if it had been anyone else from the lab, he would have made up an excuse like it would look more natural if they danced with other people. It wouldn't make much of a difference. Dancing at a club was dancing at a club.

"What are you thinking about?" She asked, as they continued to move to the beat.

"That it's a good thing this isn't a ballroom dancing competition." He told her with a smirk, making fun of his earlier comment.

"Good thing." Calleigh laughed, loving how at ease they were with each other. Horatio, she noticed, as she was the one facing the bar now out of the pair was watching the man in the yellow shirt like a hawk. "Horatio has his eye on yellow shirt man."

"That's good." Eric nodded. "What is yellow shirt man doing?"

"Other than looking like a deranged assassin?" Calleigh snorted. "Not much. He keeps glancing around nervously. He stares at Horatio for a while sometimes."

"Tripp?" Eric asked.

"I don't see him yet." Calleigh answered.

"That's because I do." Eric told her. "He's over on the other side of the dance floor."

"He's not dancing is he?" Calleigh cringed.

"No." Eric laughed. "He's crowd watching."

"Good." Calleigh sighed. "Yellow shirt man has been staring at Horatio for the last two or three minutes."

"Well, I guess he's figured out Horatio is a cop." Eric shrugged.

"He probably knew all along. He had to take Ryan, he probably saw Horatio around the lab when he was there. He must have been in the lab during the fire drill, to steal Horatio's phone." Calleigh reasoned.

"You're right." Eric nodded, "It's a good thing we weren't there then."

"Yeah." Calleigh nodded. "What time is it?"

"Nine thirty." Eric told her, glancing at his watch. "It's kind of funny isn't it, how easily we can talk, watch suspects, dance… all at the same time."

"It is." Calleigh agreed.

"With anyone else, it'd be awkward." Eric continued, "You know, from the lab."

"Well considering most everyone else from the lab is male…" Calleigh smirked.

"No but Valera, or Laura…" He named two lab techs, "It just wouldn't be this easy."

"Yeah." She nodded, "I agree, and I have most of the lab to choose from, since you know, they're mostly all guys." Eric just laughed.

"You know, I'd kiss you right now if I could." He told her.

"Why can't you?" She wondered, temporarily forgetting their surroundings and the reason they were there.

"Horatio… Tripp… the possible kidnapper who looks like an amateur assassin sitting at the bar… Ryan," He began to name different reasons, all involving work.

"Yeah." She nodded, "But it's the thought that counts."

"And later." He added.

"Later." She echoed. "And Horatio is on the move."

"Damn. But it's only nine thirty!" Eric noted.

"He must have something up his sleeve." Calleigh shrugged, continuing to watch intently. "He's sitting right beside yellow shirt man now."

"Tripp is headed their way." Eric informed her.

"Alright. It looks like they've moved the plan back a half hour." Calleigh commented.

"Tripp has the briefcase." Eric told her. The long techno song ended and again, the DJ put on a slow song, which they moved closer to dance to. They switched the way they were standing so they could both see all three of the people they were intently watching without having to commentate. Horatio was talking to yellow shirt man now as Tripp reached them with the briefcase, which he put on the bar. Yellow shirt man looked at it intently before reaching for it. Horatio put a hand on his arm roughly to stop him from doing so. They were talking angrily and animatedly now, and Eric and Calleigh could only wish they were hearing what was going on. Suddenly, out of nowhere, another yellow shirt man appeared with a familiar man in tow.

"Ryan." Calleigh gasped. He looked perfectly fine, at ease even, as he was dragged towards the bar. Calleigh and Eric suddenly made their way to the bar, as they knew they were supposed to do. Moving behind the second yellow shirted man they followed him from a few feet behind until they reached the bar. Calleigh caught Horatio's eye and he made a small nod of his head signaling himself and Tripp to grab the first man who was sitting right beside him, and as the other turned to leave, Eric and Calleigh grabbed him and cuffed him.

"It only takes four." Calleigh smirked at the struggling man. Horatio's plan had indeed worked well. Now that the situation was under control, police officers that had been waiting at the back entrance to the club filed in and took the two handcuffed felons out with them to be transported down to the station.

"You okay man?" Eric was standing beside Ryan.

"I'm…" Ryan began before Horatio cut him off.

"Did you know beforehand?" He asked, receiving confused looks from Calleigh, Eric and Frank, and a surprised look from Ryan.

"No!" He said right away. "H, I would never have gone along with it if I had known…"

"What?" Calleigh was starting to catch on, but was still blatantly confused.

"It was a test." Ryan explained. "At first, I thought I had really been kidnapped. I had gotten caught up with some evidence in the lab. I didn't even realize the time until the fire drill. On my way out, I was grabbed from behind and dragged to a car. It wasn't until we got to our destination that I realized what had actually happened, or well, it was explained to me. I still don't know all the details though. It was actually a lot like what I imagine being kidnapped would feel like. They took away all means of communication, in case I was to call someone and tell them I was all right. I was watched at all times, I just wasn't harmed or threatened at all." Ryan shrugged. "The only threat that was posed was really me hurting myself. The officer who was watching me was planning her wedding, and decided that I could help her. I never want to look at a white dress again. Ever."

"Well, we'll be figuring out exactly what happened and why back at the lab." Horatio said firmly, obviously not pleased with what had happened that day. "It was unnecessary and cost us a day of work. Someone has a lot of explaining to do."

"Yeah." Eric nodded. "When did you figure it out H?"

"The fire drill." Horatio answered.

"But you didn't tell us?" Calleigh asked.

"Well, I figured they might have a ligament reason for doing it. We should humor them." Horatio explained. "But right now, though it was an unnecessary day, it was a tiring and stressing one. I've got people to talk to. You four can go home. You'll find out what happened tomorrow, when I do."

"Okay. See you tomorrow Horatio." Calleigh nodded, not in a mood to argue. Ryan and Eric mumbled similar phrases as they followed Calleigh outside.

"You need a ride home?" Eric asked Ryan. "I'm already driving Calleigh, since I picked her up."

"Have you been drinking?" Ryan asked dubiously.

"I had like, a quarter of a beer Wolfe." Eric rolled his eyes. "Get in the car." They drove Ryan home, hearing weird stories of the day from his perspective on the way. Then, it was over to Calleigh's.

"That was a …" Calleigh began.

"Weird day." Eric finished. "I didn't ever think that was how it turned out. I'm glad though."

"Me too." Calleigh nodded. He pulled up at her house. "Do you want to come up for a coffee or something?" She asked.

"Sure." Eric nodded, parking the car. They headed into the building and to then to Calleigh's place. As soon as she got in, she went to the kitchen to put on a pot of coffee, and then headed back to the living room where Eric was sitting.

"You know," He began, "That outfit does look very good on you."

"Thank you Eric." She smiled, blushing ever so slightly. "Is this a beginning of a conversation similar to the one we had at the club?"

"Maybe," He smiled.

"Because I could save us a lot of time." She walked over to him and promptly gave him a kiss right on the lips. It was meant to be a quick thing, but quickly turned into something more. When they finally pulled away, breathless, they both had smiles on their faces.

"I'm tired." Calleigh announced. Coffee forgotten, she led him to her room where they both laid down on the bed completely content to just stay in each other's presence, and stayed that way until not a conscious mind was left in the room. Falling asleep with Eric beside her, Calleigh decided, was as natural as anything else, and she wasn't sure if she'd ever want to sleep any other way again.

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THE END.

Very late, but not too late. I hope you all enjoyed it, especially Jen! Very ooc, and it sort of reminded me of the first episode of Crossing Jordan that Devan was in, because a similar kidnapping thing went on there. Or Sara with the counterfeit bills and the testing sort of thing. But anyways, please review! Happy Thanksgiving hahah.