Thanks for all your reviews and support since I started this project and thank-you for bearing with me while I've sorted this chapter out. A special thanks to Jenny for all her hard work beta-ing my chapters. For me, I feel this is the last chapter :( So enjoy!

She felt the tears start to pool in her eyes but refused to give her mother the satisfaction of seeing her cry. And for a brief second Calleigh like she was the only person in her world but then she felt Eric tentatively place a hand on her shoulder, giving her support, and Calleigh knew in that small gesture that she wasn't alone.

"Calleigh?" He spoke quietly, and his voice was warm and inviting. He was encouraging his best friend to share her burdens and history with him.

"Outside." Calleigh managed to choke out. She took one last glance at her ailing father and bitch of a mother before hobbling off towards the elevator, hurt.

Truth was though, Calleigh didn't hate her mother, regardless of what she had done and who she had become. Even after years of abuse and being estranged, her love for her mother was sadly unrequited and proved for Calleigh that a mother's love for a child isn't undying unless her mother didn't love her in the first place.

The petite blonde cherished the memories she had of her childhood before Sandra had followed her father down the path which led to the bottom of the bottle. To a time when Sandra still cared for her children and gave them the time of day. But now, her own mother couldn't even look at Calleigh, her only daughter, without anger and blame in her eyes.

They sat side by side on a bench in the hospital's communal garden, in silence. Eric waited for Calleigh to start talking, not wanting to pressure her. This allowed Calleigh to collect her thoughts and decide to finally tell someone else about Joshua.

"He was my older brother," Calleigh sighed, wringing her hands, trying to relieve her nerves.

"Who was?" Eric asked, confused.

"Joshua. He was my best friend, my older brother, the first born child and therefore, my parents favourite child,"

"What happened?"

"One night when I was 16, my parents had gone out to a police function. I remember putting Andrew to bed, reading him his usual bedtime story, then I gave Johnny his night-time feed and put him down for the night, while Josh made us dinner. From that point on things get a little hazy," Calleigh explained, tucking a piece of her hair behind her ears. Eric watched her, knowing this was difficult.

"I remember hearing a noise upstairs while we had dinner, which wasn't very unexpected. I thought maybe Andrew had woken up so I went upstairs to go and put him to sleep again. But then I noticed that the hallway window had been opened, and I knew Andrew wasn't awake. I...don't really remember anything after that, until I woke up in hospital and Joshua was...dead."

"Calleigh...I'm sorry..." Eric whispered. He placed an arm around her and pulled her towards him, like he had done in the back of the ambulance when she had almost been mowed down by those drug dealers on her day off.

"Ever since then it's always been seen as my fault. I guess it was because he was saving me. My dad said if I was a boy then I wouldn't have needed saving. That was one of the defining moments that made me who I am now. After Joshua, I promised myself that no-one I loved would die because I was too weak to take care of myself."

"Never again Calleigh, because I'm not going to let anyone get close enough for you to need saving," Eric whispered. He tenderly kissed her forehead and she nestled closer to him.

They sat that way for what felt like forever. They would've stayed longer if it wasn't for Eric's phone going off.

"H wants me back in the lab," Eric sighed sadly as he read the text. Calleigh looked up at Eric from where she had her head leaning against his chest, her eyes pleading with him not to go.

"Come on, I'll take you back home," Eric said as he helped Calleigh back onto her crutches. "You gonna be alright if I take you home?" he asked, making sure that was what she wanted.

"Yeah, I'll be fine Eric. I don't need saving remember," Calleigh said as they headed towards Eric's car.

"Well if you decide you do, you know I'd drop everything for you. All you gotta do is say 'hey'" Eric said as he opened the passenger door for her. She bit her lip and nodded,

"I know."

Eric couldn't help but worry about Calleigh once he got back to work and she was alone at home.

"Good afternoon. How's Calleigh doing?" Natalia asked, smiling at Eric as he walked into DNA.

"She's good. She should be back soon, which is a relief because she's already bored at home," Eric replied as Natalia handed him the DNA analysis that he had come to get.

"Good, I can't wait to have her back. It's been kinda quiet without her bouncing in and out," Natalia said, watching Eric closely. Something was bothering her ex-boyfriend, yet she couldn't put a finger on it.

"Thanks for this 'talia," he said as he left, his head in the case file. But she didn't notice, she was too busy trying to figure out what was up.

Ryan had to physically jump out of the way as Eric left DNA, oblivious to those around him.

"What's up with Eric?" Ryan asked as he entered DNA.

"Beats me. Why is he here anyway, I thought he took the afternoon off?" The brunette replied, Ryan just shrugged his shoulders.

"I guess H couldn't spare any hands, with Calleigh being out."

"Hmm..."

Calleigh hung up the phone and cried. Not wanting to be alone, the only person she thought of calling was Eric but then again he was at work...working. She couldn't disturb him...could she? He had said any time. She doubted he thought she would've taken him up on his offer so soon.

Calleigh hesitated as she picked up her phone and dialled.

"Calleigh?" Eric answered on the first ring, which was so like him but didn't give Calleigh time to think of her reply. Calleigh didn't answer immediately, trying to control her breathing.

Taking a deep breath and finding her voice, Calleigh whispered, "Hey." She could hear Eric literally drop everything in the background.

"Hey, I'm just leaving now. I'll be there in 20," Eric replied.

"Thanks Eric," Calleigh whispered before she hung up and curled up on her couch. She hugged a pillow, knowing that all she wanted right now was Eric's presence and strength.

Eric couldn't have gotten to Calleigh's any faster even if he flew. He quite literally dropped everything, yelled at Ryan to cover for him and ran to his car. He was determined to keep his word. He was panicking, wondering what had prompted Calleigh to call him. Was it that she remembered what had happened that night? Or if her mother had called, something had upset her? No matter what, Eric was determined to be there.

Once at Calleigh's apartment he jumped out of his car and headed up the stairs towards her apartment. He knocked lightly on the door and waited. When she didn't answer, Eric tried the handle which was unlocked and let himself inside, adrenaline coursing through his veins as he wondered what state his best friend was in.

"Querida?" Eric called as he slowly closed the door behind him.

"Estoy aquí," came a quiet whisper. Eric quickly headed towards the couch where he saw a fragile looking Calleigh. Eric sat down on the couch and pulled her to his side, wrapping his arms tightly around her.

"My dad died," Calleigh murmured, gripping on to Eric's shirt.

"Shit Cal, I'm sorry," Eric replied pressing a kiss to the top of her head. And in that moment Eric realised that he never wanted to let go of the broken girl he held in his arms...ever. For the first time in his life, the often 'hot headed' Cuban felt at peace, like spending all his time with Calleigh was the most natural thing. It was the first time that Eric realised he was in love with the petite blonde who had entered his life nearly 8 years ago, and brightened his every day since.

"Eric...?"

"Hmm?" He stroked her hair absent-mindedly.

"Thank-you."

"Always and forever Cal."

"Always and forever." Calleigh mumbled as she drifted off to sleep clutching onto Eric.

And that's a wrap! Please review, I would like to hear what you thought of the series overall!

P.S. I want to get past the 100 review mark. Gracias!