A/N: So I got more inspiration for Dame una Noche after 10 months away. I know how I want to end it but I will give you, my readers, a choice at the end of the second to last chapter, which should be another few away but if I don't get inspiration I could dig that out and plan the two alternative endings… One is pretty much what I planned from the beginning with the 'consequence' thing but the other is a 'softer' ending. You'll understand as it comes.

Warnings: Just a bit of fluffiness is all.

Disclaimer: If I owned it I would be a genius or something.

Chapter Seven: Todo de todo (All of everything)

Eric stuck a bag of popcorn in the microwave and pressed a few buttons as Calleigh sat in the living room in front of his television. In spite of being a 'bachelor' he was glad he never got rid of his two-person loveseat for this night would probably have plenty use for it. He placed the DVD he'd chosen into the player as the sound of popcorn popping filled the kitchen, the scent of butter following it in balance. He grabbed a bowl from his pantry and the microwave beeped its message of being finished. He opened it and grabbed out the popcorn and poured it into the bowl. Setting it upon the table he grabbed the remote and sat next to Calleigh with a grin as wide as his face could bear as she nodded her approval of his choice. He pressed play as the main menu came up and displayed the title. "Alright, let's watch this movie." He felt relaxed, if only slightly, knowing she was there next to him. The movie started shortly and he felt himself actually paying attention to the woman on the couch instead of one of his movies. Of course it wasn't one of his favorites but it was one of hers.

Calleigh secretly was surprised that Eric even had this movie much less actually was willing to watch it. Or rather, as she noticed his eyes slowly drift to her own face, allowing her to watch it with him. Was that his true desire, for her to be with him? As she thought of this, the movie held less meaning as its true self and more as a mechanism for Eric. "So that's what he wanted" She allowed herself to think for a moment before a silent look away reminded her that it hurt him to think what could happen. Love, or lust, wasn't a luxury that he could seem to allow himself anymore. She knew the story of the movie. Or any 'romantic' story for that matter. Boy meets girl, boy falls for girl, girl falls for boy and they're happy together. But life was far more complicated than that. Because of life's complications he was afraid of showing his true intent and desires. She didn't seem to know what to say at the moment so she decided not to speak for now.

Eric noticed her silence and fell back further into the couch. Of course it couldn't be just a simple night. No, it had to be complicated by both of their past feelings for one another and the fact that he had to let her go. It was for her own good after all, he'd convinced himself. But it didn't feel right anymore. He wanted more than that. But he just couldn't have it anymore, could he? Or was it worth the risk to ask for more? For her to be back with him, for her to love him? Was that what he wanted or was it more like for it to not have any real consequence? Real life didn't work like that and he knew it well enough but that didn't mean he couldn't want it to.

Calleigh wanted something too, she wanted freedom. Freedom from losing her heart, her love. Somehow things always turned out wrong for her, so very strangely wrong. Why couldn't things turn out to be right like her favorite movies? Why did life become so… Complicated? When did the fine line between pleasure and pain become such a gulf? Black, white, it all bled together in a blinding mix where the distinction didn't exist at all anymore. The definition was so clear in movies and shows, even plays and other such things. Life wasn't like that, even in its most simplistic form nothing ever broke down to such measurable means. She sighed as the main boy and the main girl kissed in the movie and glared slightly as the falsities seem to unravel again. Why'd she ever like this kind of thing? Perhaps it was a dream, something for her to fall willingly into and return to the bitter truth after only a short two or three hours, as if waking into the real world again. It felt so hollow, so empty. And yet she felt satisfied by her company, Eric. "I never realized how cheesy romantic comedies are." She sighed as he nodded quietly, not really answering either way. "I wonder why I never noticed…"

"Probably because you had a good date or something." Eric said plaintively. "I don't know…"

"I think it was because I wanted it to be truth." Calleigh said sadly as she stared at the movie with a glare crossing her eyes for a mere second before grinning at Eric "I don't think I ever had that good of a date to make me like romantic comedies. Just the desire for it to be real life…"

"I would have thought you would…" Eric said as he looked at her with a raised eyebrow "you're so beautiful and smart. Why would you not have?"

"Not all men are confident enough to sit through one. Or desperate enough as it may be." Calleigh said as she saw him blush out of the corner of her eye "not that I think you're desperate. You're far from that."

"No, I'm just stupid in love…" Eric muttered darkly under his breath, regret filling his words.

"You're not stupid Eric. You've never been stupid." Calleigh said softly as she looked at him in earnest, her emerald eyes meeting his dark-chocolate ones. "You sometimes surprise me."

"I… Surprise you? You always surprise me all the time with all your ballistics knowledge. I felt so lost when I listened to you the first time." Eric admitted slightly and smirked. "Sometimes I still feel lost in your eyes."

"I… I never knew…" Calleigh said and it was her turn to blush lightly but she cleared her throat "not that Horatio ever really let us work together much, side by side you know.."

"I think H always knew. Even before I did he could tell. I guess that's his specialty, reading people." Eric said as his smirk widened slightly.

"One of his many." Calleigh agreed at which they both laughed at their common assessment, ignoring the movie completely at this point, it's unchecked credits rolling up the black screen as Eric would normally turn it off at that point. "Sometimes he surprises me with that ability. No matter how much someone tries to lie to him he can always tell." She grinned softly as she laughed again.

"Very good point." Eric said lightly "No one's ever successfully lied to him and gotten away with it for long. Not even us." She laughed at that comment and nodded in silent agreement. "I think when I left it shocked even him." She frowned darkly as an unchecked silence descended upon them as the movie automatically turned off at the end of the credits. "I shouldn't have brought that up, I'm sorry… I ruined our night."

"It's not ruined." Calleigh replied with a soft hug "there's nothing to be sorry for Eric." He smiled somewhat but still seemed upset about his mistake. "Look, it was something that you felt needed to be done. You were willing to sacrifice everything for our team's sake, I find that noble." He looked away as she said 'our team' and not 'my' as he had intended but she didn't seem to notice the slight idiosyncrasy. "I know that you intended to keep us all safe."

"I'm glad you realize that…" Eric said quickly, cutting the rest of his chaotic thoughts short. This is what he wanted most in the world, Calleigh to be his for one night without the consequences. But the consequences always seemed to haunt his actions, all of them. He could never tell her that, never admit the true nature of his desire. Perhaps that hurt him the most…

A/N: Yea, it's another short chapter. I'm having a hard time lengthening them. Like I said, there will be a few more chapters before the end but I'm not sure how much I can write at one time seeing as I am working again.