Gillian slowly opened her eyes the next day to the light that came through the window of her room. She blinked a couple of times and stretched out to feel her muscles again. As soon as her head turned to the other half of the bed, she noticed it was empty. Just the creased sheets as the sign of somebody sleeping there was left. Maybe he was already at work, this week he had a very important case, or his daughter called him, or maybe sleeping together was just too much. She remembered all about last night, how he came at her house because he was worried, how many strength he used for his fist, how he held her when she was crying, how he gave her his coat and scarf, how guilty he felt knowing she did it to protect Emily, how nervous but also happy he was sleeping with her, how calm he was to relax her, how he made her laugh even in a situation like that, how she felt safe knowing he was with her, next to her. A smiled appeared on her face without even realizing and, when she came back to reality, she decided to get up.

She went to the bathroom and looked at her reflection in the mirror. Even tho she slept so much more compared to the other nights, she still looked tired. Dark circles were visible and her eyes so puffy, she needed more than just a night of good sleeping after all of the past days. Gillian turned cold water on and washed her face multiple time and had a shower. The view of her body covered of bruises wasn't still easy, but she took a deep breath and did what she had to. When she was finisched she put his best friend's shirt back on and headed to the the kitchen. Surprise came all over her features when she saw Cal coocking. From his moviments, it seemed as it was his own house.

Lightman looked up at her and his breath was took away from the view of Foster with just, JUST his shirt on, letting her bare legs being visible. He could swear she noticed the way he looked at her, the hint of arousal that there was everytime he looked at her, but it didn't seemed to bother her, otherwise, it seemed to amuse her.

"Good mornin', love." He said giving her a quick kiss on her cheek, while she was approaching him.

"Morning, Cal. I thought you left." Her hand taking a cookie.

"I wanted to surprise you making breakfast, but you preceded me love." She smiled and sat down on a chair. She was feeling so calm and relaxed in that moment, she was thankful for him doing this for her. Everything was quite, she was just looking at him finisching cooking and stealing sometimes food he was using, making him grin, until she saw the clock.

"Oh my God, Cal we're late for work! Why didn't you wake me up?" Cal let out a little laugh. "What is so funny?"

"It's incredible how you always put work and duties first." Gillian heard the admiration in his words and it was true. He always admired the way she was so responsible, composed and always giving her best in what she did, even when wasn't alright or not in a good mood. "You'll take all the day off, relax, do a bath with candles and all the stuff, eat chocolate and watch some movies, the kinda you always watch...the mushy ones you like." She saw the hint of contempt talking about these movies and this made her giggle. "I'll go at work in the afternoon, just to see if Locker and Torres didn't set the building on fire and slove some things I have to." A smile and a little laugh escaped from her lips. "I'll be back by seven and a restaurant will wait for us."

"How are you to tell me what to do?" He looked at her deeply and saw how she was having fun playing with him. He grinned at her and came closer, so closer.

"Your boss, love." He knew how it bothered her when he called himself her boss. She came even closer to him, their faces were just inches away. She knew this would show all his emotions, he would be weak with her closeness.

"You're not my boss." She said firmly and playfully. They kept starring at each other, untill Gillian broke their closeness.

"Did you for real let Ria and Eli take the control?" She was surprised of that, not because she didn't believe in them, but because he didn't. Actually he does believe in them, just doesn't want to admit it or anyways didn't like to give control to somebody else who isn't him. It made her happy to know he did all of it just for her. He stayed just for her.

"They're smart." She raised an eyebrow at him, more surprised that he was admitting it...specially for Eli. "Can you stop looking at me that way?" There was amuse in his voice and this made her laugh again. Her gaze was now at the breakfast he showed her. She took a bite and then looked back at him. His eyes stock at hers.

"And now what's your excuse for looking at me this way?" Amusement, arousal, admiration, with a hint of sadness were on his face. He waited some seconds not stopping him from starring at her and then replied.

"You look sexy." He didn't really thought about what he was saying, but there wasn't malice in his voice and he knew it didn't irk her.

"What?" She didn't exept him saying something like that at all. It seemed as if he came back to reality and realized what he said, but not regretted it.

"Just sayin' that you look good in my clothes." Gillian studied him and couldn't help but smile.

"It didn't sound just a look good." He loved when she accepted his tasing her and did it too with him. Their gaze didn't move from the other, until Cal's phone ringed.

"Oi Em, what's up?"

"Nothing, just wanted to tell you that mom got an important case and I guess we'll spend the night together. You happy?"

"The happiest, love. Is it a problem if Gillian stays with us?" He reminded what he told Gillian and didn't want to break the promise, but of course couldn't say to his daughter not to come home.

"No, at all. It'll be fun" He heard how excited she was about that, she always loved to see his father with Gillian.

"Fine, see you later love. Have a good day."

"Bye dad, love ya." He hung up and looked back at his friend. She seemed to have lost the playfulness she had.

"Cal, you don't have to worry about me anymore. It's okay, just enjoy your night with your daughter." He perfectly knew she wasn't okay, he saw all the pain she was still feeling on her face and that time, he didn't want to let go. He didn't even cared about the line anymore, he just wanted to help her the best he could. He wouldn't have believed her while she was saying she was fine, meanwhile her body was telling him otherwise. Not again. He wouldn't have ignored anything anymore.

"What's better than spendin' the night with my two favourite women?" Foster smiled at his words, loving how he didn't put his mask on. Cal noticed the happiness in her face when he called her 'one of his favourite women', but it didn't last long. "What's still the matter, love?"

She kept her eyes at the her hands, took a deep breath and then spoke. "Will you tell Emily all about what happened? After all she's involved even if indirectly, and I think the police will have to ask her if she ever seen him." It was unbelievable the love Gillian felt for Emily, as if she was her own daughter. Cal stayed silent for some seconds thinking and then faced her with concern crossing all over him. Her eyes looked up at him to see it.

"I don't know, love. I really don't." It was incredible how he changed when it was about his daughter, how vulnerable he became. "I know that I would like to know it if a maniac knew everything 'bout me, but at the same time I don't wanna scare her." Foster nodded slighly and brought her gaze back to her hands. She actually didn't know what to do too. She knew teens hated lies, but every sixteen years old girl would be shocked to know a criminal stalked her. She also knew how Cal was scared at the idea of him following her. "What do you think I should do, Gill?" He distracted her from her thoughts and brought her eyes back on him. Lightman has never been a man who often asked opinions in work or personal life, Gillian has always been the only one. He trusted her, professionally and as friends, he trusted her deeply. She knew it and loved that, it made her happy. She has never had a friendship like the one with Lightman.

"Well, as much as I can cover the scars on my arms and shoulders, I can't do it with the one on my cheekbone and since she'll see me tonight, she'll start to make so many questions."

"Guess you're right, love." He sighed deeply and looked at her. She wasn't facing him, sorrow on all her features. He studied her and didn't take much to realize that the imagines of her abuse were stil crossing her mind. He came closer to her and put gently a hand on her shoulder, caressing all over her arm to comfort her and make her look at him. "We'll get through that Gill, I promise you. Just let me help you, love." That time he was the one asking her to take the mask off, he knew she was strong and, as much as they always helped each other, because of the bloody line they kinda felt as they maybe had not to show their emotions too much.

Gillian couldn't say anything for some minutes, her eyes were watery from the truth and love of his words. Soon his arm were around her and her head on his chest, holding each other as they used to do. He breathed in her scent and could feel her heart beating a little bit faster than usual. Nobody said a thing or moved, untill Lightman broke their hug.

"Listen, love, now I have to do somthing importan. Just relax as I said and I'll come take you tonight. Dress in a way I won't forget." She laughed and thought how moments with Cal turned from the most deep, to the most dumb in two seconds.

"You want me to dress 'in a way you won't forget' just for a dinner with your daughter?"

"I always want you to dress in a way I won't forget." She grinned at him, took a deep breath and put on a serious look.

"Cal, I know you want to go to Wallowski to see that man and query him, I want too."

He tilted his head to the side and looked at her, he saw her fear she still had at the thought of him.

"Are you sure, Gill?" She swallowed and then nodded.

"Yes, I am."