I do apologize for taking so long to get this chapter up. I was stupid enough to NOT send this chapter to my betas before I went out of town, so obviously they couldn't look it over until I got back. However, I did send them chapter 10 today, so hopefully I'll be able to post that sometime next week!


She fell asleep half way through the movie. She looks so sweet and peaceful, but if I let her sleep, she'll be sore in the morning. I sat up carefully, doing my best not to disturb her.

"Cal," I whispered quietly, as I knelt down beside the couch. She just reached for me, and curled up against my chest. I couldn't bring myself to wake her again. She's been through so much in the last 24 hours. She just needs to rest.

I picked her up and enjoyed the feel of her snuggling in against me. I walked quietly to the guest room and put her down on the bed. I pulled the covers over her body from the other side of the bed and kissed her cheek before leaving the room. I found another pair of jeans Isa had left, and another one of my shirts and left them on the dresser for her. I'll take her by the house tomorrow, but at least she'll have something fresh to wear in the morning.

I closed the door behind myself and glanced at the clock. It was 10:23 PM. I was getting tired, but I wanted to get a few things done before I went to bed. I picked up our glasses from the living room and put them in the sink. Next I looked in the refrigerator, thinking about breakfast. I quickly spotted the flat of strawberries I had bought off one of the guys on the corner a few days ago. I grabbed a pint of sour cream and added about a quarter cup of sugar. Maybe it was closer to a third of a cup, I'm not sure. Whatever it was, it tasted great when I sampled it. I always love strawberries dipped in this mixture. It's one of my favorite light breakfasts.

Next I grabbed a few eggs, a carton of milk, and some ground cinnamon and nutmeg. I cracked a few eggs in a bowl, poured in a bit of milk, sprinkled a little bit of the spices on top, a spoonful of the sugar that was still sitting out, and I beat it all together with a fork. I poured it into a storage bowl and put it in the refrigerator. I put the ingredients away, and washed up the dishes. I dried them and put them away, wiped down the counter and looked at the kitchen. I'm not usually quite this…domestic, but I want to impress Calleigh. Who am I kidding? She's not going to be fooled into thinking this is the real me, but I can still give her a good meal. It'll be easy to throw everything together tomorrow morning.

I went to my room and shut the door. I stripped down and went to the bathroom to take a shower. I found the shirt Calleigh hadn't worn folded nicely on the counter. I looked at it and smiled before stepping into the shower. I was starting to feel tired so I washed quickly, stopping only briefly to allow the spray to beat some of the tension out of my shoulders. I dried off and walked into the bedroom. I pulled on fresh boxers and slid in between the cool sheets. I was asleep almost as soon as my head hit the pillow.

My sleep was broken a few hours later when I heard a sharp cry. I sat up quickly, I listened, but I didn't hear anything else. I grabbed a t-shirt and opened the door to check on Calleigh anyway. I pressed my ear against the door of her bedroom and heard gentle sobs. I knocked gently before entering.

"Oh, Calleigh, what's wrong?" I said as I sat on the bed and drew her against my chest. She just sobbed. "Calleigh, Calleigh, it's okay, Querida," I murmured. "It's okay. I'm here, Querida, everything's going to be okay." She pulled me closer and sobbed harder. Great, I thought to myself, what did I do?

"Thank you," She said as she continued to cry.

"What's wrong, Sweetheart?" I asked, wishing there was something I could do to take away this pain. I don't mind the wet shoulder, but I wish she didn't have to hurt like this. It makes me wonder how often she shakes things off and cries alone at night.

"It's just a nightmare," she said.

"You wanna tell me about it?" I asked gently, rubbing circles on her back.

"He kidnapped me. I could see him again. You were there. In the warehouse. When you pulled the gun on him, he pulled his on me. You rushed him, and he – " She took a deep breath and shuddered. "He shot you. You were coughing blood as you bled out, and then he pointed the gun at my head and told me I couldn't help you. I had to watch you die." I pulled her tighter against me.

"Oh, Calleigh, sweetheart. I'm sorry, Querida. It's okay. We're both here, safe and sound." She started crying again. I'm starting to get seriously worried about her. I've never seen her cry this much. This just isn't like her. "It's just a dream, Cal."

"I know, Eric. It just seemed so real. I could feel the blood draining from your body, hear your gasps for breath, see the pain in your eyes, and there wasn't a single thing I could do. You were dying, and I couldn't stop it."

"Look at me," I said firmly, pulling back a little. "I'm fine. No blood, no pain, I'm not dying, Calleigh. You're gonna be stuck with me for a long time." Her tears subsided a little bit as she laughed weakly.

"Will you stay with me?" she asked.

"Of course," I answered. I pulled back the covers for her, and she slid under the covers and scooted over. I climbed in on top of the sheet and pulled her close. She laid her head on my chest. It felt so sweet. I'm so grateful she's okay. The fact that she's here next to me is a miracle. Two miracles. One that's she's alive, and second that she's letting me comfort her. She let out a few more shuddering breaths, but before long her breathing evened out, and it didn't take long for me to follow. This time there were no nightmares, nothing but sweet, refreshing sleep.


A/N Please review. Bonus points for telling me what Eric is making with the egg mixture. Like I said, I'll try to get the chapter up sometime next week. Then I'll be out of town the following week. . .however, if you comment, I might write faster and get one more finished before I leave. We shall see...

BTW, in case you didn't know, "Querida" is a Spanish term of endearment. It means beloved, or desired.