Chapter 5: Are We Ok
The next morning just about everything was back to normal, when he exited the elevator Eric fully grasped how much he would miss the lab and everyone here if he couldn't be there anymore.
"Eric, it's good to have you back." said Horatio as Eric approached him.
"It's good to be back." said Eric grinning. "Hey H, thanks for bringing my car to Calleigh's last night."
"Not a problem." said Horatio. "How is everything going there?"
"Good, really good," said Eric as he got a text on his cell phone. "Call out Star Island, gunshot victim. I'll find Calleigh and we'll head out there."
"Ok looks like she just got in." said Horatio nodding toward the elevator as the Calleigh walked out.
"Hey we got a homicide, Star Island want to drive there together?" asked Eric trying to keep his voice professional (not an easy task).
"Sure see you out there Horatio?" asked Calleigh noticing something odd about Eric knuckles and making a mental to ask him about it.
"You will ma'am." said Horatio as they walked away.
"Eric what happened to your hand?" asked Calleigh when they got into Eric's hummer.
"Oh, um must have happened when I punched Sherova yesterday." said Eric realizing for the first time that had injured it,
"Eric that doesn't look good let me see."
"Cal I'm fine." said Eric trying to avoid the inevitable.
"Oh, don't be a baby." said Calleigh taking his hand to look at it. "I'm not a doctor but I don't think that's from just punch, what happened to cause this I didn't notice it last night?"
"Probably because I didn't have it before I left your place." said Eric knowing she wouldn't be letting this go. "When I got home there was someone there to see me."
"Was if your father?" asked Calleigh worriedly. "Eric please, tell me you didn't."
"No it wasn't Sherova." said Eric thinking that might have been a better scenario. "It was Jake."
"Jake? Jake Berkley?" asked her emerald green eyes widening. "I didn't even know he was back in Miami, what happened."
"He gave me a warning." said Eric air quoting with his left hand.
"What kind of warning?" said Calleigh concernedly
"The kind that goes 'stay away from Calleigh'." said Eric rolling his eyes. "I told him I will, the day Hell freezes over."
"And knowing Jake I doubt he took that well." Said Calleigh sighing. "Is that what caused the fight?"
"No, he decided it would be smart to bring up my almost deportation, and then suggested I make it a habit of hiding behind H." said Eric."Punched him then pinned him to the wall that's it I promise."
"Unbelievable, this is the first thing that he does when he comes back." said Calleigh looking out the window wondering why this was happening.
"Look, Cal, I didn't mean to upset you." said Eric placing his hand on hers. "It's just you've always told me the truth and especially now you deserve the same back."
"No, Eric I'm glad you told me." said Calleigh closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, opening her door to go start processing the scene. "Come on, let's get back to work."
"Cal, wait for a second." said Eric grabbing his kit and stopping her while out of ear shot of everyone else. "Are we okay? I mean I never did get what happened with you and Jake when he left that last time."
"He managed to give us the Crypt Kings guns then ATF decided to put him ice for a while." said Calleigh avoiding eye contact with Eric. "Last I saw him, he asked me to wait for him."
"What did you tell him?" asked Eric reluctantly. "Did you agree?"
"No I didn't." said Calleigh."Eric I'm so sorry I would understand if my history's to much for you if you'd want to break things off."
"Yeah, you're not getting rid of me that easy." said Eric putting his hand on Calleigh's shoulder. "You said last night, that my past didn't matter to you, well I'll tell you right now yours doesn't matter to me, I meant it when I said I loved you."
"Hey, you guys coming in or what?" asked Ryan from the front door. "It's a big area to Process by myself."
"We're coming Ryan." said Calleigh then whispered so that only Eric could hear. "We'll talk about this later, ok?"
"Ok."
Hmm now if I wasn't the one writing this thing I'd think things were going to be smooth sailing HA, now that's a laugh. Next time Calleigh and Jake talk face to face for the first time in months what's gonna happen? stay tuned to find out.