Thank-you for all the reviews. I'm planning on only one or two more chapters as any longer and I would have to develope another story line which may as well be a different story. Keep the support coming though. This will be my last post for two weeks as I'm on holiday in Orlando but while I'm there I will try get some writing done use the old fashioned pen and paper.

Diclaimer: I don't own any characters niether do I own the The Dark Knight which is on DVD for this story.

The afternoon light streamed through the pale curtains, casting shadows that highlighted Calleigh's porcelain face. Leaning against the door frame, Eric couldn't help but marvel at Calleigh as she slept in his bed. He was surprised she had had enough energy in that petite body of hers to last until the late afternoon but finally around three, after hours of chatting on the phone or to Eric her eyelids closed and she had nodded off in her wheelchair leaving Eric to carefully carry her to his bed.

"Stop watching me," Calleigh quietly pleaded from the middle of Eric's bed pulling the covers over her head shielding herself from his akward gaze.

"Maybe I would if you weren't so adorable," Eric flirted pushing the line between friends and something more but at this moment he didn't really care.

Calleigh bolted up, throwing the covers back from over head and glared at Eric, "Adorable?" Calleigh questioned, a dangerous glint appearing in her eyes, "I bet your ass that I'm not adorable when I've got a nine mil pointed at your head,"

'No that would be sexy,' Eric thought be decided it would be in his best interest not to say that to her as she probably would shot him, "Okay you win," Eric laughed raising his hands to surrender, "Now, how about some dinner? I got pizza,"

"Don't tease me Eric, " Calleigh warned, her mouth watering at the thought of a delicious pizza, she had hardly eaten in two days and the bits of food she was fed was from the hospital. "What are we really having?"

"I'm not teasing, now let me help you into your chair," but Calleigh shook her head,

"No! I want to walk...well limp," she said swinging her legs over the edge of the bed, pushing herself up onto her good leg,

"Calleigh, your not to put pressure on the wound," Eric said giving Calleigh a hand so she could steady herself,

"Eric, it's like twenty steps to your table, I'm not going to do any more damage in twenty steps,"

"Well, at least let me help you," Calleigh nodded and felt Eric put her arm around his shoulder taking her weight so her wounded leg wouldn't have to.

Dinner was quite, neither spoke in great detail about anything but there was never a need for spoken word when it came to Calleigh and Eric, they both enjoyed the silent companionship, keeping their relationship special and unique.

"Why are you doing this?" Calleigh suddenly blurted out placing her slice of pizza back on her plate. It had been a question that had slowing been niggling at her mind while she had been at Eric's house but had started when she had woken at the hospital.

"Doing what?"

"This! Staying with me at the hospital, allowing me to stay here, becoming my taxi driver, all of this" Calleigh said motioning to their dinner and to his apartment

"I'm doing 'this' because I care Calleigh," Eric said taking her small hands in his large ones, "Because no matter what I've always been able to rely on you especially after my own shooting and therefore, its time for me to return the favour,"

"Eric, don't do this out of obligation," Calleigh said quietly, Eric instantly regretted his choice of words.

"I promise you Cal this isn't out of obligation. It is because I care and the thought of nearly losing something so precious to me was unbearable," Eric replied his words forcing Calleigh to meet his gaze until she became unnerved and averted her eyes and attention went back to her food. But she didn't eat any more, her mind was spinning creating all sorts of thoughts as she pushed her slice of pizza around the plate.

Eric watched her for a while knowing she was analysing their conversation and what had happened in the last couple of days trying to piece together her feelings and emotions. Wondering what was going on.

Well the truth was, Eric had fallen head over heels for the southern blonde and for him the last two days had confirmed his suspicions that he wouldn't be able to live if he couldn't witness her bubbly personality or fall victim to her contagious smile.

"Thank-you." Calleigh said quietly as Eric got up and started clearing the plates away,

"There's no need to thank me Cal, but you need to stop questioning yourself and just follow your instincts," Eric replied before taking the plates into the kitchen and getting himself a glass of wine because instinct told him that he was going to need it tonight.

"So what movie are we going to watch?" Calleigh called from the table,

"Anything you want but no chick flicks," Eric said wiping his hands on a towel,

"Hey, I thought you knew me?" Calleigh laughed quietly trying to get up,

"I do but I know your partial to your chick flicks and Calleigh you'd better sit your ass back on that chair," Eric replied, laughing when he heard her swear and sit down with a thud.

After going through Eric's expansive DVD collection twice they finally settled on watching the first film they had picked up: The Dark Knight mainly because Calleigh thought Christian Bale was hot but also because she had decided Heath Ledger deserved an Oscar for his portrayal of the Joker.

Even though they had both seen it they still jumped when the body hit the mayors window. Calleigh had literally jumped onto Eric's lap grabbing his hand in the process. Eric pretended not to be bothered that Calleigh's small yet prefect body was now pressed against his because he knew that of he thought about their proximity, blood wouldn't just be rushing to his cheeks and he knew that could lead to some fatal discoveries.

Calleigh however, was very conscious of the fact she was now pressed against Eric's muscular body, her sense were hyper sensitive hearing every breath he took, every scent that came from his body, every slight motion his body made against hers and she was blushing profoundly. Thankful for the fact that the only light source came from the tv, Calleigh had to stop herself from looking at Eric knowing that if she did he would know in a secret what she had been trying to keep secret for years.

Lulled by Eric's rhythmic breathing, Calleigh soon found herself asleep her head using his shoulder as a pillow and his body heat as a blanket.

"Calleigh?" Eric whispered quietly

"Mmm"

"How about we get you to bed," he said getting up, lifting her feather light body into his strong arms and carrying her to his bedroom.

"Where are you going to sleep?" Calleigh asked suddenly aware that Eric only had one bedroom meaning one bed that she was currently in.

"I'm going to take the couch," he said lifting back the duvet and placing her on the bed, before tucking her in.

As Eric started to make his way back to the living room, their dinner conversation popped into Calleigh's head. He had said to follow her instincts but the last time she did that she had gotten her heart broken for the first by none other than Jake Berkley. From then she had sworn to herself that she would take any risks without considering the consequences and until now it had saved her a lot of heartache. But she felt Eric was different. Hell Eric was different. He was her best friend, her confident and trustee.

"Stay here Eric," she blurted out causing him to halt in his tracks and turn around confusion written all over his face. "Sleep here...with me. That couch won't do you back any good," she continued trying to give Eric an excuse to stay.

"You sure?" he asked slowly making his way back to his bed allowing Calleigh time to change her mind but she didn't need it. She nodded and pulled back the covers on the other side allowing him to remove his shirt before sliding under the warm comforter.

He was surprised when Calleigh immediately cuddled up to him and rested her blonde head on his chest but not as surprised as she was. Eric set a small kiss on her head as she drifted to sleep but for the pair of them this just wasn't a friendly kiss. It was a sign of things to come.

Please read and review, you must be getting tired of me asking but I feel if I don't you'll forget.