Sorry it took so long, I've had lots of GCSE's going on and coursework to do but don't think I'm using that as an excuse. Anyways the second chapter is here...finally.
As Eric walked in the following morning and to his standards early, he noticed that Calleigh was already in and he probably suspected that she had never left. Their current case, was hitting to close to home for her but, it was also effecting him. Eric was seeing yet another side to his co-worker; a softer, more emotional side and in himself had found a new respect for the beautiful blonde.
"Morning Calleigh, coffee?" Eric greeted cheerfully as he walked into the break room heading straight for the coffee and his first caffeine boost of the day
"No thanks, I've already got one" she replied lifting up her warm mug to show Eric as she lifted her head out of her magazine.
"Did you call the sister last night?" he asked pouring his coffee before turning to face Calleigh and leaning against the counter.
"Yeah, she's flying in this morning and coming straight over," Calleigh explained before going back to her magazine.
Eric was about to open his mouth to say something but was interrupted by Ryan who came in demanding his ballistics results, for an open case that he had been working on for the past week, as it was the only evidence that hadn't been processed...even DNA had come back. Calleigh mumbled in Spanish under her breathe but loud enough for Eric to hear and cause him to chuckle, Ryan would have to if he had been listening, however he was so wrapped up in explaining to Calleigh why he needed the evidence that he didn't even noticed that she had left the room until he paused for breath.
Ryan looked helplessly at Eric who just laughed and gave him a sympathetic hand on the shoulder as he left the break room and headed towards ballistics.
Eric watched Calleigh, secretly from the doorway, as she frantically searched for the paperwork and evidence for Ryan's case,
"Would you like some help?" Eric asked daringly stepping into Calleigh's lab. Calleigh immediately stopped rifling through the papers on her desk and turn to Eric, frustration written all over her face.
"If you wouldn't mind," Calleigh said sighing and running a hand through her hair as she looked round trying to think where the missing file could've gone.
Eric came over to stand behind Calleigh waiting for her to finish the thought process before he, too, started to searching for Ryan's case file. However, without knowing it Eric caused her breathe to catch in her throat interrupting her train of thought but then it came to her...Eric had been processing her cases for her last night, or at least trying to help.
"Hey Eric, when you were in here last night, you didn't by any chance process the evidence for Ryan's case as well?" Calleigh asked turning to come face to face with Eric.
Eric paused trying to think what he processed for the petite blonde last night went she had gone to call their victim's sister, and then it clicked.
"I'll be right back," he said smiling as he left Calleigh to catch her breath and tidy her desk back to her high standards.
A couple minutes later Eric return, his infectious smile plastered on his face and case file in hand.
"Calleigh, look what I found," Eric said waving the case file in the air before handing it to Calleigh, who was desperately trying to keep a straight face and pretend she was mad at her colleague who had caused her heart to skip a beat.
"If you hadn't have taken it, there would have been no need to find it," Calleigh replied a smile creeping upon her face.
"If I hadn't have taken Miss Duquesne then the evidence would not have been processed last night especially for you," Eric replied smiling, handing over the case file with completed paperwork.
Calleigh took the file and inspected it to see if Eric was lying which she doubted but she checked just the same.
"Why thank-you Mr. Delko, I can now go give this to Prince Ryan," Calleigh smiled,
"If Ryan is prince, then who is king?" Eric asked his face daring Calleigh to say the name they both thought, Calleigh took a step towards Eric and leaned up to whisper in his ear.
"Now that would be telling," she whispered before stepping round a slightly dazed Eric and leaving ballistics to go find Ryan.
Once Calleigh had taken an ungrateful Ryan his evidence, she got a call from reception saying that Frankee had arrived.
"Eric? Frankee is here," Calleigh said as she popped her head round the corner to the layout room where he and Horatio were discussing a case.
"Okay Cal, I'll just be a minute," Eric replied, Calleigh nodded and disappeared down the corridor.
"H, can we finish this later?" Eric asked, "We've got a sister to questioned before reuniting her with Amy, the little girl from the case yesterday,"
"Go ahead Eric."
Eric rounded the corner to reception and saw Calleigh already had Frankee seated in the glass room across from the desk. He took the small flight of stairs two at a time and softly rapped on the door before opening it.
Calleigh glanced at Eric signalling he could come in before introducing him to Frankee and vice verse . As Eric sat down Frankee didn't waste any time with small talk.
"When can I see my sister?" Frankee asked
"As soon as we've finished here. Now do you know anyone who would want to kill your mother?" Calleigh asked leaning forward slightly in her chair.
"Step-mother," Frankee corrected, "and my father for definite. He has chased Mel and Amy all over the country, trying to hunt them down,"
"Do you know where your father is now?" Eric asked, Frankee shook her head.
"Nope, the last I heard was that he had found Mel and Amy here and was on his way. We never speak though and I'm so busy with school I hardly have time to speak to Amy...I should've called them." Frankee explained
"Frankee listen to me, there was nothing you could've done to prevent this okay? The main thing is Amy is okay but she's going to need your help to get over her loss," Calleigh replied sympathetically.
"I thought once I went to university I would have escaped his grasp but he never truly went away and instead I just felt guilty for leaving Amy alone. I just kept thinking what would happen to her if he got his dirty hands on her," Frankee whispered "Can I see Amy now?"
"Sure we'll just go see if she has arrived yet, if you would like to wait at reception across the hall we'll be back shortly," Calleigh said before getting up and leaving the room followed by Eric.
Please read & review!! x x x ilya