So after this long hell of a break we get a new episode: 'Head Case' and I have to add another chapter to this story to keep the momentum going, or I'll just fall miserably behind. I hope you like it, here's a bit of an explanation to out favourite EC parts of the episode.

Chapter 4

"So, we're waiting on Tripp?" he began.

"We are," she nodded.

Eric had just wanted to begin a simple conversation to ease the moment. Well they were practically sitting in the middle of the streets on their kits. They were also in close proximity to one another. Yet still, how weird.

"You doin' okay?" she asked curiously.

The question asked out of the blue. He meant to start a conversation, but not like this. Certainly he never wanted the attention on him. But he couldn't ignore her, she was just being polite or in another word 'herself'. For a moment he hesitated. One: he couldn't deny it, or she would've known and two: he'd never lie to her, it was just plain bad for their relationship.

"No, not really," Calleigh perked up and listened closely, "I just, found out that Doug was all alone, doesn't have a wife - family."

He really did feel for the suspect, maybe it was because he went through the same thing. Not being able to remember and finding it hard to. It was indeed frustrating. He ceased speaking and sighed.

"You know you're not Doug, right?" she clarified.

"Yeah, I know," he smiled, glancing into the busy street.

"Okay."

She wanted him to know that he wasn't alone and he obviously knew that. He had the lab: Valera and Natalia, Ryan in a way, Horatio, Tara. When he pondered on it, he indeed had a family, including her in front of him. He admired the way that her finger swiped her blonde hair out of her face; a habit of hers that just caught his eye everytime she'd done it. How cute, he blushed slightly.

"Your friendship means alot to me, Calleigh," Eric admitted freely. He, himself, couldn't believe his mouth, of course he was being serious, but he struggled to keep up with his mind. His large brown eyes focused on her, almost demanding a responce. His body nervously waited as she stared into him as if trying to read him page by page.

"I didn't know you thought that way." Now obviously this was a speak-but-don't-think game their minds were playing with them. They weren't interested but the minds wouldn't allow the person to control them any longer. So the double date went on. Her face smiled shyly.

"Well," his face lit up too, "how could you not know that, you read my file." Duh! Eric spoke out this time and it was well thought out. The hesitating turned over to her and she thought about what to say.

"That was an unrelated case, it's important to me to respect your privacy." And just on cue, she'd done it again. Despite the cool breeze, Eric couldn't help but think it was a nervous habit: tucking the hair behind the ear. She felt relieved to an extent and just stared, almost challenging him to challenge her back. She nodded slightly and smiled on, a small dimple formed beside her lips. He nodded too, accepting her explanation. He didn't have a clue what to say and stared back at her it the utmost silence of the honking horn on the road.

"Well whose organizing this picnic?"

Eric couldn't help but laugh at his rememberance of Tripp's joke. He hoped he didn't pick up the conversation he had with Calleigh. He tossed himself onto the king sized bed. The warm sun coming through the sheer curtains hiding the window, adding to his happiness. Yes, he did infact get his condo back, with a warning he didn't want to think about. All he could do was daydream like a school boy who had his first crush. 'A crush on Calleigh,' he thought, tucking his hands under his head, 'crush, Calleigh, ha, I crack myself up.' Eric closed his eyes in true reflection of the moment again, the smile that plastered itself on his face remained there for the longest while.

He finally knew she loved him, not no petty talk or any brush off, just love. He wondered why she couldn't say it, was it that hard, I mean she was Calleigh. Come to think of it, why couldn't he say it in the first place? There was no reason to blame her for not saying it, because he didn't either. So they were on the same level. Both wanting love, finding it hard to do and finding those words hard to say; two peas in a pod, each one waiting on the other to come forward and admit that they're made for each other. One couldn't do without the other...'What's she doing now?'

ECECECECECECECECECEC

"Hey, I was waiting for you," she saw him exit the elevator, "uh, this is the file Horatio wanted."

"Thanks," he took it and turned to leave. Then somehow felt like he had to turn back. About to leave herself, she nocticed him facing her again. She waited. "About what happened earlier, I didn't mean to put you on the spot." She thought it was sweet and silly of him to apologise for that.

"Forget it," she smiled her words shrugging her shoulders in the process.

"What if I don't want to?" he began again. This one sentense brought up the moment's lost words. 'What if he didn't want to? Oh please!' she found herself thinking, 'If you got something to say just say it.' She had waited too long for this, but it wasn't coming easy for him or for her. Calleigh found it very childish that he possibly couldn't speak his mind. If he wanted this relationship to work, he had to speak up and tell her. It frustrated her.

"Eric, I am so confused... What do you want?" she laid down the carpet, all he had to do was walk on it. She waited again, giving him another chance yet to speak his mind. But it wasn't coming. Her stare was as intense as his: hers confused and his hesitant and afraid. In all honesty, he looked like a lost puppy. Crying at his owner's feet for a scrap of food, wanting to be held and cared for. She was there for him of course, but he needed to show that he was even more. That moment right there felt meaningless without his word, his opinion, his choice. His mind had shut off right then and his facial expression froze. He made an attempt to shake it off and speak but she got ahead of him.

"You're gonna have to tell me, because until I actually hear you say the words, I don't even know if you believe it yourself."

It was clear to even the floor upon which they stood, what those words were. She was right, maybe he didn't know if he believed in their love. He understood her point of view, where she was standing and where she was coming from. To her those little words with their big meanings, meant alot to her. He kept on staring at her face as if she said nothing, but heard something.

"Do you know what I'm saying?" she asked with a squint, wondering if he caught her drift. Then without warning took off into the distance. Soon he noticed persons in the lab walking about and talking and their footsteps. He blinked and headed to the elevator, pressing its botton.

"Yeah, I do," he whispered sadly.

Calleigh seated herself around her small glass table. The hot cup of coffee heating her pale hands then creating a sweat on the table as when she placed it down. What she said haunted her. She was confused, check, she wanted to hear those words, check, she wanted a sensible responce from him, check, she had to come down on him like that, blank. 'I had to voice my opinion,' she thought, trying to defend herself.

'You didn't have to freak him out like that.'

'True, but Eric's a big guy, I mean seriously he could've said something, at least,'

'Those words, ha! You couldn't have said them yourself'

'I could, but'

'Mhm, Calleigh Duquesne, doesn't have the guts to say I looove you'

'I do'

'But what? Instead you make him feel guilty.'

'Guilty, 'bout what?' Calleigh waited on her conscience to reply and grasped the steaming mug with both hands. 'Hello?'

'Don't you realize that you're producing the questions AND the answers in this conversation, what do you need me for, what do you need you for, I should say'

'It's working, just tell me what I should do, you ARE my second hand thought'

'Yeah, I am... Okay, Eric is really finding it hard to express himself...'

'Yeah, but everytime we talk, it's the same old thing, I try to hint him you know, but...'

'Don't talk, if you hadn't realized, I'm your mind I know everything about you and I remember the last few times you've hinted him. Obviously, your way of trying to say I love you isn't working.'

'Hey!'

'I'm just saying that, what you said to him about those words has got him thinking.'

'You think so?'

'Duh! Didn't you see the look on his face?'

'The look on his face said I don't know what I'm talking about' Calleigh lifted the mug in a haste allowing the coffee to flash out and spill on her arm. "Ow!" she screamed.

'Good. I know you didn't mean that, not only do you talk without thinking, you think without thinking.'

'Okay, I was hard on him, you're right, I get it.'

'I knew you'd come to your senses, although you did get some sense into him'

'I knew you could agree with me on something.'

'I am a part of you, aren't I?'

'Yeah, I can't do without you.'

'Or Eric for that matter'

'Oh stop it'

'Just don't wait too long to tell him those words.'

"I won't." She sipped from the cup.

This is the second time I've tried the 'talking to yourself' thing. I found it funny to write. LOL!