They arrive at the Gem Garden and the waitress comes up to them to seat them in Eric's favorite booth. "Good afternoon. My name is Alana. What can I get you to drink?"
Eric smiles, puts his finger on Cal's mouth and says, 'I want the house champagne. I just asked my best friend to be with me as more than a friend."
"Congratulations. I'll bring out some complimentary appetizers with your champagne."
She leaves them and comes back 5 mins later with the champagne and appetizers.
"Here you are," she says while putting it in the middle of both of them.
"Have you decided what you'd like for lunch?"
"Have you Cal? I know I have," he says with his arm around her and that side smile that drives every girl wild.
"Yes I have," she says while putting her menu down and grabs a drink of her champagne.
"OK then I'll begin with you. What can I get you for lunch," she asks Eric smiling.
"I want the Tour of Italy but no side salad," he says while staring at Cal.
"What about you ma'am," she asks after turning to Cal.
"the 5 cheese Ziti Al Forno with Italian dressing on my salad," she says while giving the menu back to Alana.
The waitress smiled, "Sounds great. You'll really like the Ziti. It's one of my favorites."
She walks away and allows them to enjoy their appetizers together.
Eric grabbed the champagne glass and with everything he had been holding inside of him over the last several years he spilled his emotion for her, "Cal thank you for being there for me and everything we've been through in the last couple of years. It means the world to me."
"Well Eric," she said lacing his hand within her own.. "I know that ever since I almost lost you my feeling for you have grown and I want us to be more than just co-workers.. I want to begin dating as a couple. I love you Eric."
Just then the waitress comes back with their food, "here you go. Enjoy your lunches and the rest of your afternoon."
"Thank you," they both say as they slide their napkins on their laps.
Eric puts his arm back around her and some of his angel hair pasta on his fork and says, 'here Cal."
He feeds her the bite and she wipes her mouth with her finger.
He takes her finger and grazes it across his lips to clean it off, "mmm Calleigh that's really good."
Calleigh picks up some of her Ziti and says to him, "here try some of mine."
"Mmm," he says wiping his mouth. "I like yours better."
"So what do you want for dessert after lunch." she asked him with a mischievous look on her face.
"You if that's ok," he gave her that side smile that made her turn bright red every time he's near her.
"Eric," she said laughing while leaning her head back.
"That's not gonna happen this is only our first date."
"But Cal I've been with a lot of women and I realize you're the only woman I want." he says while taking a bite of his chicken.
"Eric," she says while rubbing his back with her finger nails, "Sorry not until the day we're married."
The waitress comes back and says, "are you finished with your lunches?"
"Yes," Eric said as he puts the fork on the plate and Cal does the same thing. "But can you put ours in boxes? We wanna take them home with us."
She takes their plates and comes back with the boxes. "Can I interest you in dessert," she asks them while showing them the dessert tray.
"Yes ma'am," Cal says while eying the chocolate gelato.
"We're both gonna have the chocolate gelato please."
"Nice choice. I like to share that with my husband too," she says while she gives them each another spoon for their dessert. "I'll be back in a few mins with it."
5 mins later she returns with it and leaves them be.
"Here Cal," he says while giving her a big bite.
He slides the dessert in her mouth and she says, "yummy."
She does the same to him but notices his mouth has chocolate all over it, "hey your mouth has chocolate all over it. Lemme get it off."
Before he could grab a napkin she leans over and kisses his lips to get all the chocolate off his mouth, "there much better."
They finish up dessert and pay the waitress.
Calleigh grabs her purse and they walk out of the Gem Garden arms around each other. "Thanks for paying Eric. You didn't have to do that," she says with her arms around his neck.
He puts his arms around her waist and kissed her, "yes I did. I'm a gentleman and that's what gentlemen do."
They drive back to the lab hand in hand and Cal walks into the break room and grabs herself a cup of coffee and sits down, "oh hey Alexx. I didn't see you there."
"OK cut the crap. You're illegally happy. What's up your butt," she asks sitting on the couch next to Cal working on paperwork and drinking a cup of coffee.
"Well," Cal says with a huge smile on her face. "I just had lunch with Eric and told him everything."
"How did he take it," she asks taking a drink of her coffee.
"Him and I are going out as a couple now," she says dropping her coffee cup.
"Now Calleigh baby," Alexx says helping her clean up the cup. "Just make sure you tell Horatio before IAB sticks their nose in where it doesn't belong."
"You're right," she says while throwing away her coffee cup.
"I better tell him now." She goes to leave and says, "thanks Alexx."
Just as Cal leaves the break room she sees H, "hey Horatio. Can I talk to you about something in your office?"
"Sure," he says while they walk to the elevator. They walk past the fingerprints lab and Eric notices them together, 'oh dear,' he thought.
He walked out of the lab and says, "I think I know where you guys are going. I also think I should be apart of this conversation."
H smiles at him, "I agree Eric. Let's go." The three of them walk into the elevator and up to H's office.
They sit down and Calleigh begins while grabbing Eric's hand, "Horatio I know that you have seen how close Eric and I have become in the last couple of years. But we'd like to tell you that we just had our first lunch date as a couple."
H smiled at the happy couple and said, "Congratulations. It's about time you too got together. I'm glad to know such a special couple but thank you for telling me. This way if IAB finds out then I can cover for the two of you."
Eric grabs Calleigh's hand tighter, "I hope Stedtler doesn't find out. I don't wanna lose the girl that I love."
Calleigh turns her head sideways to look at Eric, "you'll never lose me Eric. I know it would devastate you to lose me. Especially because when I almost lost you I went through nothing short of emotional hell. You mean the world to me."
She jumped into his arms and kissed him harder then she's ever done so before.
He wrapped his arms around her and returned the favor and said, "I love you baby."
H sees how happy they are, "Eric, I'm happy for the both of you but Calleigh is like a daughter to me so if anything happens to my 'little girl' you're going to have to answer to me."
Eric sinks down in his chair in embarrassment while holding Calleigh and says, 'yes sir. I'll do everything in my power not to let anything happen to her."
3 months later Eric and Calleigh are in the break room drinking coffee with his arm around her, "hey how do you feel about us moving in together?"
"Eric. This is very sudden. I'd love to but I don't think my dad would like it very much. Especially because he'll think we're moving too fast," she says while moving her hair behind her shoulder, puts her arm around him and her head on his chest.
"Well, let's go over to your dad's and talk to him about it," Eric says while standing up and holding out his hand.
She grabs it stands up and they leave for Kenwall's.
They arrived at her dad house they both looked at each.. Calleigh had a hopeful look on her face. "Now Eric you got to remember that my dad is Old School and he think that his 'Little Lamb Chop' is a good girl."
Eric gave her a smirk, "well he wouldn't have thought that last night," he said as he gave her a hard kiss on lips right when Kenwall opened the door.
Eric stood up and straighten his shirt up some before he extended his hand out for Mr. Duquesne to shake it.
"Daddy," Calleigh says smiling, "you remember my friend Eric from work.."
"Oh yeah the nice young man that help me with a court case a long time ago. Come in and take a seat. So Lamb chop what brings you here?" he asks as they sit down.
"Umm Daddy there is something I have to tell you concerning me and Eric," she says grabbing his hand.
Kenwall sat down and began to listen as Cal poured her heart out, "Daddy. The little something I have to tell you is that Eric and I are not only dating but he asked me to move in with him. I hope you're not upset."
He turned away and said, "Cal I'm not upset. I'm disappointed. I think you're moving too fast."
"Well Daddy it's not like I don't know Eric. We have been working together for almost 8 years and have been dating for at least 2. He and I both compliment each other. What I mean is that he is there for me and I'm there for him when we both need to get away from the things we see on the job everyday."
"I understand lamb chop.. but I just hope you are making the right decision I don't want him to break your heart."
Eric interrupts them somewhat hurt, "Mr Duquesne. I don't mean to be rude but I'd do anything to protect Calleigh from harm and I'd do absolutely anything in my power to make sure she's safe. You're daughter means the world to me and I'm grateful that she has chosen me to be her boyfriend and one day I hope that she will do me the honor of being my wife."
Cal interrupts them, "But Eric I'm no where near ready to marry you. I mean I love you I just think it's too soon for us to be married."
Eric puts his arm around her and says, "that's fine. How long do you want to wait before we get married?"
Cal looks at her dad and says, "Well daddy. How long should I wait? I mean I don't wanna wait too long."
Kenwall smiles at Eric, "well I can see you love my little girl with everything in you. I expect you to wait no less then a year young man."
"Yes sir," Eric says smiling and holding Calleigh tighter.
Eric looks at her in relief, "Thank you. Mr. Duquesne. I appreciate you taking the time to listen to my concerns. I hate to say this though Cal and I had a long day. We're gonna go home and get some sleep."