Chapter 12

Eric hadn't tried to stop Calleigh from leaving him. He just watched as she walked out his door, and maybe out of his life. He knew it was the right thing to do, the best thing to do—giving her the space she needed—whether he liked it or not. After she was gone, Eric had run Speed's movie on repeat until the early morning sun started to peek through his blinds. Only then did he go to bed.

Every time Delko's phone chirped or buzzed over the weekend, he jumped to check the caller ID, praying it was Calleigh calling. First, it was his sister, then a few of his basketball buddies wondering why he missed the game, then his mother. Monday night rolled around and Natalia called…twice. Eric didn't answer.

Tuesday morning and still no word from Calleigh. Horatio was expecting them back to work that day or the next, and only Eric's sense of duty propelled his fingers toward the keypad of his cell phone, hitting speed dial #1. Honestly, he didn't feel like talking to anyone. Like he could sense the way Eric was feeling, Horatio had picked up on the first ring:

Caine.

H, it's me.

Eric, it's good to hear your voice.

Yeah, um, sorry about that.

Don't worry about it. How are you?

Not…great. Listen, this might take a little longer than we thought. Speedle…Speedle had a lot to say.

And it's more than you and Calleigh can deal with all at once. I understand, Eric.

I'm not sure you do. I mean, I'm not sure we can deal with is at all.

Eric…do you love her?

H—

Eric, I'm not your boss right now. I'm the man who married your sister, and I'm your friend. So be honest with me. Do you love Calleigh?

Yeah, I do.

Then don't give up on her.

She won't talk to me, H. We've made such a mess of things.

Maybe, maybe not. Give her time to sort things out. Call me if you need to talk, and keep me updated about what's going on. But Eric, don't give up. We'll make this work.

We?

Yes, we. This doesn't just affect you and Calleigh. Your friends care about you, Eric.

I know. Thanks, H. I'll call when I know something else.

No rush, Eric. Do what's right for you and Calleigh, and I'll handle the rest.

Okay.

By Friday afternoon, a week after they first opened Speed's mystery package, Eric still hadn't heard from his best friend. Every second the clocked ticked drove him a little closer to insanity. He almost wished Calleigh would call and tell him she never wanted to see him again; at least then he could stop wondering. The not knowing was infuriating him. Eric had finally bitten the bullet and dialed her number, but Cal didn't answer. He fought the urge to hit redial as soon as he hung up.

When he found himself anxiously pacing his living room an hour later, clutching his cell phone in his sweaty hand, Eric decided he needed to get out of the house. Saturday and Sunday were spent playing pick-up games at the gym and running himself into oblivion on the outdoor track.

Monday night came again, but this time Eric wasn't drowning his sorrows in the miserable solitude of his empty condo. The time spent with his friends and family over the last few days had reminded the man that no matter what happened with Calleigh, no matter how much their relationship changed or how badly his heart broke, he'd survive. Calleigh's friendship formed an integral part of his life, but it didn't define him completely. Yes, rationally speaking, he could move on if worse came to worse. He just didn't want to.

Instead of moping, Eric had passed the day babysitting for his sisters. After a boisterous family dinner at his parents' house (where Carmen's scrutinizing gaze didn't miss the slump to her baby's shoulders), Eric came home and collapsed on his couch. God, I'm exhausted. I haven't done a thing all day, and I'm beat. How is that possible?

Babysitting his youngest nieces and nephews was simple: pop in a DVD, scatter the toys, and check for dirty diapers. He'd even managed to call Horatio earlier this morning while the kids napped, not that he had encouraging news. Or any news, for that matter.

Eric rubbed his palms roughly over his eyes and forehead. We're sending that man to an early grave, he thought. Forcing himself off the couch, he headed into the kitchen to clean up before he went to bed. Most of the dishes were already finished, but he didn't want to leave the rest for tomorrow.

Horatio said he'd talked to Calleigh a few days ago, but he wouldn't give Eric any details. 'Just give her time,' the man kept saying. I've given her ten days!

Ten days. Ten days of silence, and wondering, and dreaming. Ten days of hope and despair, and ten days of not caring anymore because it hurt too damn much.

Two weeks, Eric had decided. He would give Calleigh two weeks to think about whatever she needed to think about, and then he would invade her space. His greatest fear was that he would give her too much time. What if she wanted him to come after her? Wanted him to fight harder? Well, he would. If Eric didn't hear from Cal in four more days, he was prepared to chase her to the ends of the earth. And if that didn't work, if she still wouldn't let herself love him, Eric was cutting his losses…for both their sakes.

God, I don't want to do that, he thought with a heavy sigh as his head hit the pillow for the night. He reached up and switched off his bedside lamp and the room descended into darkness, the only light now coming from the full moon, casting its beams on his floor through his open curtains.

This was the time of night Eric hated most. That empty space between waking and sleeping where his brain tried to wind down and decompress from the day. What use is it trying to fall asleep if your brain won't stop? Eric's mind was constantly spinning, and it seemed like his most tortuous thoughts visited him at night because they knew it was the one time he couldn't chase them away.

Calleigh. Eric discovered a long time ago that fighting the visions of her that came to him when his eyes closed was exhausting and futile. If he let his mind wander, let himself dream about her at night, facing her during the day was always easier. The lines between dreams and reality didn't seem so clear these days…Speed's probably somewhere laughing his ass off right now.

Those were the thoughts lingering irritatingly in Eric's mind as he drifted off to sleep.

The clock on his night stand read 3:04. Three o'clock in the morning, and Eric lay sleeping soundly in his bed, olive skin painted silver by the bright moonlight. He looked so peaceful.

What am I doing here? Calleigh asked herself for the umpteenth time since she slid her key into the lock of Eric's front door. Her hands shook when she did it. As stealthily as possible, she'd opened his door, slipped inside, and shut it behind her. Trying not to wake Eric, Calleigh deflty plodded across the living room, past the kitchen and open dining room, past the stairs that led to the office and guest room above, and down the hall to her best friend's bedroom. Moonlight invaded the space from every open window, but Calleigh could have made her way just as easily in the dark, she'd been there so often.

At the end of the hall, she stopped. Eric's bedroom door was open, and she could see his strong form lying motionless ten feet from where she stood. Her mind screamed at her in alarm: What am I doing here? I can still go back! For long minutes, however, the woman simply stood poised on the threshold, watching the man within and thinking about her decision.

The innocence of sleep had stolen over her best friend, but Calleigh could still see the tiredness, the restlessness in his features. She longed to brush the worry from his brow, but she didn't know if she had the right anymore. She wanted that right, though, and she knew what she had to do in order to keep it. Here goes nothing, she thought, taking a deep breath.

Cautiously, hesitantly, Cal pushed Eric's door open the rest of the way, and she stepped inside.

Calleigh kept her eyes on Eric as she quietly set her keys on his dresser and dropped her purse to the floor. Carefully, she kicked off her shoes and began tip-toeing toward Eric, peeling off her sweatshirt and abandoning it at her feet as she went. Wearing nothing but a pair of jogging shorts and a ratty old t-shirt, Calleigh pulled back Eric's down comforter with painstaking care and crawled in beside him. Her first knee barely sank into the bed, but as her weight rested more and more on Eric's mattress, it gave way more and more, and the man showed the first signs of waking up.

At first, Eric thought he was still sleeping. After all, how many times had he fantasized of Calleigh coming to him in the middle of the night? How many times had he felt the weight of her body dipping the mattress beside him, where she belonged? But it was always only a dream.

When the moonlight hit Calleigh just right, Eric woke with a start. Her hair had never shone that vividly before in his dream-world…there was definitely an intruder in his room. In pure reflex, he shot up half-way in his bed and began to fight, even though full consciousness still eluded him.

"Whoa, Eric! It's just me!" Calleigh cried when he grabbed her wrist painfully. His legs were kicking in his sheets, trying to get free so he could properly defend himself. "Calm down, it's just me."

"Calleigh," Eric gasped, head collapsing to his pillow. With one hand still gripping Cal's arm, he clapped the other to his forehead, trying to regain control of his racing heart. The adrenaline pumping in his veins and the sound of Calleigh's voice served to clear the fog of sleep and fear from the man's brain, although Eric still couldn't figure out why his best friend was currently in his bed in the middle of the night, under his blanket, holding him down after frightening him half to death.

"Sorry I scared you," Calleigh whispered sheepishly, relinquishing her hold on him when he finally relaxed. To Eric's shock, Calleigh continued to crawl underneath his covers until she was situated satisfactorily next to him.

"You came back," he murmured quietly, simply.

Calleigh leaned back slightly to lock her stormy, sea-green eyes with Eric's impossible brown ones. Even in the dark, she could see all the different shades—or flavors, she'd decided to call them a long time ago—of chocolate in Eric's eyes. She let herself drown for a minute, then she wrapped her arm around his waist and laid her head on his shoulder. Eric's body moved like smooth honey to accommodate her in his arms, and Cal gave a content, liberated little sigh which made his heart flip cartwheels. God, he's comfy...

"Yeah."

Calleigh was already half-asleep in Eric's arms. He studied her for a long moment, felt the rise and fall of her chest slowing down against him, listened to the cadence of her breathing, and decided this was all he needed from her tonight. Calleigh was letting him in, and everything else—an explanation, a discussion, some kind of conversation longer than five words—paled in importance.

Eric leaned down to place a soft kiss to her forehead. "Tomorrow," he whispered. "Get some sleep."

That's what I'm doing here, Cal reminded herself sleepily, a gentle smile slowly gracing her lips. He always knows what I need. She snuggled deeper into his side and buried her face in the fleshy part of his shoulder. "Thanks, Eric," she breathed, voice low and muffled in the dark. Eric gave her a small squeeze, and she heard him release a long, deep sigh as they settled into each other for the night. Soon, they were both asleep.