Sorry. Sorry! Dodges rotten tomatoes and other vegetables being thrown at her I'm so sorry it has taken me this long to update!! I've had complete writers block, and, in the past couple of months, have ventured into the Harry Potter fan fiction world. And I can tell you, it's so huge, it's pretty hard to find your way out! But, I did, and so, to say sorry for my long absence, I leave with an especially long chapter! Enjoy!

He smiled at her once more before he closed the door behind him, leaning heavily against the white walls, letting out a long breath he didn't even know he was holding in. Seeing the sad look behind Gracie's eyes had killed him.

He knew he must have hurt her a lot when he unceremoniously broke up with her over the phone almost a year ago, but he knew that his reasons were justified… He hadn't been comfortable with where the relationship was going, or the speed they were going at.

He liked Gracie a lot, and he still did, but he had panicked, just as he had with two other relationships before Gracie in the last 5 years. He had asked for a transfer to another headquarters and tried to forget Gracie, but it had been virtually impossible with her new status as the face of the FBI.

When his team had been informed of the rescue mission that Gracie and he partner, Sam Fuller, had undertaken to save Cheryl Frasier, Miss United States, and the shows former host, Stan Fields, Eric couldn't stop himself volunteering to head a team to go in as back-up. In his short time at his new headquarters, he had already made a good impression with his new boss, and he had granted permission to form a team, and so Eric drove down to the casino with relatively un-needed speed.

His heart had immediately taken up residence in his throat when he scanned the area to see the two men being taken away by what he guessed were men from another headquarters.

The woman he recognised as Fuller, Gracie's new partner he had seen on the TV with her a few times, was standing nearby Stan Fields, who was addressing several men holding microphones out to him. While Eric couldn't tell what Stan was saying, he guessed from his elaborate gestures that he was giving an overly dramatised account of his and Cheryl's capture and rescue.

When his gaze finally left Stan, he saw Cheryl standing by the water's edge, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders and a man with dark hair standing hesitantly a few metres behind her. His heart stopped.

He couldn't see Gracie anywhere.

He ran over to Cheryl and after casually asking her where Gracie was, she tearfully confessed that Gracie still hadn't come up from the ship after freeing herself and Stan. Eric's eyes widened. That must mean that Gracie had been trapped in the sunken ship for more than several minutes.

He had neatly dived down into the water, frantically swimming in a straight line down to a window in the ship, squeezing his body through the small hole. He saw Gracie's form slumped over a fake cannon, not moving. He moved towards her and put his hand on her shoulder, and she turned slowly, her eyes lit up with hope at the prospect of help.

He could see that her chocolate brown eyes were filled with confusion, but he let go of her and gestured around them, trying to ask her what was wrong. She tugged sharply on the feather boa that was attached to her outfit, and, with a nod, he pushed the heavy cannon off the boa.

He turned to her, to see that her eyes were half closed, and her mouth open slightly, and he knew she must be suffering from the lack of oxygen. He took her warm hand in his own and pulled her gently but firmly through the water to the porthole, letting her swim through first, and then following her.

As they swam back towards the surface, he could feel her slowing down, and guessing that her limbs were seizing up, found himself pulling her through the water as she drifted, almost unconscious. He propelled himself forward as fast as possible, he had to get her back to land before it was too late..

And then he felt the air hit his face, and he knew he had made it. He just hoped that it wasn't too late for Gracie. He tugged her out of the water as he felt her becoming submerged once more, and he saw Fuller and the man he had seen with Cheryl reach over the water to help pull Gracie out of the water as she slipped into unconsciousness. Before she was pulled away from him completely, he managed to say into her ear,

"Hang in there, Hart." His voice sounded gruff, and there was a tremor of worry in it as he saw her being lain down by Fuller and the man. Two paramedics went racing over to her, checking her heartbeat and pulling out medical equipment. As soon as the reporters noticed the rush of activity, the camera's starting flashing and he was lost in the hubbub.

Now, almost two days later, and he had spent all his time at the hospital waiting for Gracie to come round. He really didn't know what to do- his heart was telling him that he loved her with every fibre of his being, but his head was telling him to get of there before he got hurt as he always did.

Usually he let his head prevail in arguments like these (and it was scary how many there were between his head and his heart- he sometimes wondered whether he needed help) but he had seen the pain in Gracie's eyes during their brief conversation a few minutes ago- she was hurting too.

And it was his fault.

His heart ached at what she must have been through due to his actions- how hurt and confused she must have been when he broke up with her out of the blue after several wonderful months of dating. He stood up. For once in his life, he was going to follow his heart. And damn his head to hell if he shouldn't; he didn't care.

He left the cafeteria and marched up the hallways towards the elevator. He spent an uncomfortable few minutes in the small space with an old lady with a walker, who kept smiling toothily at him, her eyebrow raised. He focused his gaze on the top corner of the elevator, tapping his foot, willing the damn thing to go faster.

Finally the doors slid open onto the third floor, and he left the woman with her walker and strode off towards Gracie's room. He spent a few nervous seconds standing outside her room, having doubts about going in.

"Oh, my God!" His heart said, and he started. Ok, this was getting scary now. His heart had it's own voice?! "Just go in, man! You're being stupid! What exactly do you think she's going to say?"

As crazy as it seemed, the voice was right. He took a deep breath and pushed the door open, stepping inside.

"Gracie," He said, his voice sounding alarming high "I'm sorry. I love you."

Oooh, cliff-hanger! Well, sort of. The best I could think of, anyway. Review to find out what happens! And, yes, I do plan to update within months, don't you all go worrying your pretty little heads over that! So, review! And, to sweeten the deal, I am offering, in exchange for review, a declaration of love from which ever Miss Congeniality character you wish. Plus a box of cookies. : )