"I won't"
"Eric, if you ever hurt her again I'll be all over you."
"I'm sorry for hurting her, it wasn't my intention."
"I know that."
"If I ever hurt her again you can do whatever you want with me and I won't mind."
"You can go now"
"I just want to ask you something."Eric said slowly.
"Shoot."
"I know you and Alexx both thought that me and her together, it was about time, how long do you think we have been in love?"
"Eric, I think you're still in love"Horatio sighed not meeting Eric's eyes.
"She doesn't love me that way. So, how long?"
"It was obvious when you were shot in the head, but before that you had already felt for which other."
"That long hum?"
"Yeah."
"To bad we didn't realized earlier, it would have given us some more time together."
"You realized your feeling, you were just afraid of admitting how you felt, you were both afraid of making the first move, Calleigh, well, she doesn't trust people very easily, and you having all this girlfriends and one night stand thing, I guess she doubt that what you felt was real love."
"So she was scared?"
"Yes, of hurting herself, she has always trusted you with her life, but-"
"She didn't wanted to get hurt, I understand."
"I don't know is why you didn't told her right away, I mean, besides of her being with Jake."
"I tried to, I gave her lots of hints, she understood, I knew she did, she had that understanding look, but she was with Jake and besides, is like you said, it could not be real love."
"Eric, I know you knew it was love, you loved her and you knew it perfectly. So why?"Horatio asked contradicting his usual behavior by wanting to know something about Eric and Calleigh's feelings.
"I was afraid it would ruin our friendship, she's a great friend H, the best I've had, I didn't want to lose her as my friend. I prefer being friends with her than being nothing at all."
"Sure you do."
"So, I'll go now, got prints to analyze."
"O.k."
"We'll be O.K. H, don't worry - closing the door"
"So?"Calleigh asked behind Eric making him jump.
"Cal! Geese, don't do that!"
"Sorry."She apologized with a smile.
"It's o.k."
"So, what did he asked? What did you answered?"
"He asked how we had come to ride the same car and be late, I told him the same as you did."
"He didn't buy it did he?"
"No, not even close. Don't worry though, I told him I wouldn't say, no matter how much he insisted on it."
"Eric!"
"What?"
"You can't say those things to him, he's our boss and he's just trying to protect us."
"I know, but he knows I'll protect you, no matter what so he understood that it was not something bad."
"T-that's... That's sweet actually."
"Is that good or bad?"
"Good."Calleigh answered smiling.
"We should probably go, work to be done."
"Sure."
"Delko! Duquesne!"Rick Stetler shouted getting in the lab making both C.S.I freeze.
"Oh no."Eric complained.
"Rick."
"My office now!"The older man growled.
"Why?"Calleigh asked not moving an inch.
"Don't pretend you don't know! my office now!"
"Rick, this isn't a fair, don't shout."Calleigh said coldly ignoring his orders.
"Duquesne do you want to be fired?"
"No, but I don't want to be deaf either."
Eric coughed trying to disguise his laughs.
"my office now"Rick ordered grabbing Calleigh's arm.
"Let her go!"Eric spat furious as he took a step closer to the I.A officer.
"Calleigh, Eric."Horatio interrupted putting a hand on which one's shoulder to keep them still.
My office both of you. Steler ordered again.
"Let go of my harm immediately. Calleigh said with a deadly glare putting a hand in her gun.
"Rick I suggest you do it"the lieutenant recommended.
"Horatio"
"What are you doing here?"H interrupted again
"They were an hour late today"
"And since when does it has something to do with you?"Calleigh challenged.
"Since I am in charge of this lab behavior"Stetler answered with a smirk.
"What the hell are you talking about?"Eric spat turning to Horatio expecting an answer from his boss.
"Eric, call everyone to my office now."H requested.
"H what's going on?"
"Rick let go of officer Duquesne's harm immediately. Eric just does it please."
"Everyone, like the whole team?"
"Yes."
"Travers, Maxine, all of them?"
"Yes Eric, everyone, now go."
"Will you let go of my harm or do I have to shoot you?"Calleigh askedlooking into Ric's eyes her hand still grabing the gun ready to take a shot.
"Is that a threat?"
"It's a warning."
"Let go of her harm Rick."
Stetler finally dropped Calleigh's harm ignoring her glances.
"H what's going on?"
"We'll talk about it once everyone is here."
"Now then."Ryan Wolfe joked joining His team members sending a wondering look at Rick.
"Wow that was quick."Calleigh commented with her usual smile.
"Delko was furious; it had to be something bad."Wolfe teased with a wave on Eric's direction.
"I wasn't furious Wolfe."The older C.S.I retorted getting closer to Calleigh.
"You were about to bite my head of when I argued."
"There was no reason for you to argue!"Eric spat.
"See, furious."
"Shut up Wolfe!"
"Eric, calm down."Calleigh calmed touching Eric's shoulder.
He held a breath at the contact mixed with the soft eyes that gazed him and expired deeply several times.
"She's the only one who can do it, he's totally in love."Ryan whispered to Valera who had a huge grin.
Eric ignored him completely looking at the green eyes that stared at his brown ones talking with no words.
"Stop the P.D.A you two."Maxine teased.
"Hum?"Eric questioned finally looking away from Calleigh.
"You were all cheesy with those looks."
Calleigh and Eric took a few steps back increasing the space between them blushing lightly.
"So H, what's up?"Calleigh asked keeping her professionalism.
"We'll have some changes around here."
"Does he has something to do with it?"Maxine asked nodding at Stettler her eyes not even bothering to move to the man's figure.
"We better talk in my office."
"o.k."Valera shrugged opening the door and sitting.
"Sit everyone."Horatio said a smile appearing in his feature.
Eric sat with Calleigh sitting next to him almost at the same time both sharing a smile. Alex smiled at them taking the sit next to the blond lady.
"So Alex, missed it up here?"Calleigh teased.
"Oh stop it baby."
Eric chuckled.
"Hey mister, don't laugh at me."Alexx scolded with a wide smile on her lips.
"Sorry Alex, is just too hard to not to do it."
"Alex, Eric."H called in order to stop their talk.
"Sorry H."
"So, what's all this about?"
"Rick."
"I'll be controlling this lab behavior from now on."Stetler said giving a step forward.
"Controlling?"Walter asked confused.
"I say the rules and you follow them, if you don't then there will be consequences."
"You got to be kidding me!"Ryan exclaimed.
"You can't say what we do or we don't do!"Natalia supported
"Go to the hell Stettler!"Eric exclaimed as well.
"I'm not your dog to do what you tell me to!"Walter shouted too.
"You don't have a say on this."
"The hell we don't!"Walter stepped in.
"Fuck off Stettler."Maxine spat crossing her harms.
"Maxine!"Alex scolded.
"What?"The blond shrugged.
"Everyone calm down please."Calleigh interrupted raising an arm.
"But Cal"Eric started sighing when she hold stopped him with a hand and a pleading look.
"What are the rules?"
"No P.D.A"Stetler announced smiling devilish at her and Eric.
"That's it?"
"No. There will be no getting late, no breaks whenever you want..."
"What if we need the break?"Natalia interrupted.
"No more personal matters at work, you can't eat at the lab."He growled ignoring the question.
"No one did that dumbass."Eric muttered crossing his harms smiling guilty at Calleigh's accusative look.
"No cursing or insulting! No fights and you two can't work in the field together"Rick finished pointing at Eric and Calleigh.
"What!?"Eric snapped raising up and clenching his fists.
"That's just stupid."
"What's your decision based on?"Calleigh asked trying to sound as calm as possible.
"You are obviously in a romantic relationship..."
"What!? Are you kidding me? We're not in a romantic relationship."Eric argued.
"Yeah, in case you hadn't noticed I have a fiancé who isn't Eric."Calleigh pointed out.
"Well, you were cheating on him, it's not some-"
"I WAS NOT CHEATING ON HIM!"Calleigh shouted making everyone, especially Eric jump because of both, the loud sound and her reaction.
"Calleigh baby."Alex said calmly.
"SHUT YOUR DIRTY MOUTH BEFORE YOU SAY SOMETHING YOU'LL REGRET!"Calleigh threatened pointing at Stetler furiously.
"Cal, calm down."Eric calmed holding her down. "We're not in a romantic relationship."He repeated firmly.
"But you're in love with her". Rick contested with a cocky smile.
"That's really none of your business."
"Oh, so that's a yes."
"Shut up right now."Eric warned gritting his teeth.
"So what, you were cheating on your dear fiancé and Mr. Casanova here was your lover?"
At that point Calleigh and Eric were both standing in identical positions furious clenched fists and tense jaws.
"You got nothing to do with their personal lives."Ryan defended.
"Yeah, stick to the subject."Natalia supported.
"You'll have to come to all the meetings proposed, no excuses."
"And you'll have to go to the... activity that will be done on next Saturday."H added.
"Activity?"Alex wondered squinting confused.
"All the team members plus Stettler will have to go on a 3 day's camping."Horatio sighed "This is suppose to make the team more united."
"How exactly?"Walter asked.
"There will be a series of games for the effect."
"That's sounds like a kid's camping to me."
"I can't go that day, I have to take care of my nephews."Eric stated quickly.
"I can't either."Calleigh added.
"Why?"
"I have my brother's wedding."
"You have a brother?"Ryan questioned surprised.
"Jame's getting maried?"Eric asked surprised too.
"You knew him?!"Natalia interrupted surprised
"Hey! Wait, you got a brother?"Maxine repeated.
"Yes."
"How come that we didn't know?!"Alexx asked throwing her hands up.
"You never asked."- smiling.
"I can't go to that camping thing."Natalia said a mix of a smile and a frown in her feature.
"Why?"
"I'll not be on the team any more by then."
"What do you mean?"
"I was offered with a job. This is an only time in life thing so I said yes."
"When do you leave?"
"Friday."
"This friday?"
"Next one."
"When were you going to tell us?!"Ryan asked.
"Today actually, I was going to invite you out to tell you."
"Well what about a good bye party?"Maxine questioned.
"A what?"
"You didn't think we're going to let you go without throwing a party did you?"
"Yes, I kind of did."
"Well, you were wrong."
"So, Friday at what? Six?"
"Four at my house."Horatio stated.
"Does that means pool party?"Eric asked exited.
"Yes it does"
"I'm in."The Cuban said immediately with a wide smile earning a roll of Calleigh's eyes.
"Two in."
"Four."
"Actually, we're all in."Alexx concluded smiling.
"Did you hear me at all?"Rick interrupted
"What do you want Stetler?"Eric spat.
"At 4 you're on the clock!"
"I give everyone the afternoon of from 3 o'clock." The lieutenant said.
"You can't do that!" Stetler contradicted.
"Yes I can, you're controlling our behavior inside the lab, but I'm still the boss, you can't tell me what to do."
"You can't just give everyone the day off."
"He's right on that." Alexx agreed her smile fading a bit.
"I stay don't worry."
"Cal!" Eric complained.
"Eric really, is not a big deal."
"Of course it is."
"Calleigh, I'll switch the shifts, we'll have the night shift o.k.?" Horatio offered
"It works for me." Eric said with a nod.
"I don't know."
"Cal please. I mean, it can't hurt right?"
"I guess."
"So you'll come?"
"Eric..."
"Please Cal, please."
" Eric, it's just…"
"Please." He begged
"We'll discuss it latter o.k.?"
"o.k."