Until it is time

by staceycity

This fic is based in Season 9 when all of a sudden, Calleigh and Eric were no longer together without any sort of explanation. This is how I would have liked to see things happen. There might be an epilogue so for the time being I am leaving it in progress. Hope you like it :) Reviews are greatly appreciated!

1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1:

Three months had passed since that dreadful day. It was a few days after Jessie had passed away that Calleigh had decided to put on the breaks, but for Eric it seemed like it had been an entire lifetime and at the same time it was as if it happened yesterday. The pain, the way his heart broke every single time her words echoed in his head, every time he had to go back home to his old apartment, every single time he sees her at work or their eyes connect in a way or another and yet while at work, they had to be professional. There were times when they even had to go out on cases together, be in the same hummer and to say that the tension had been heavy, especially in the first couple of weeks. It was hard. Hard doesn't even begin to describe it.

He was alone at home after a long day at work, sitting on the couch...on the empty couch where few months ago, he had enjoyed plenty of wonderful time, amazing memories with her...watching television, reading a book, just relaxing...making love. He had to close his eyes at the thought and pinch the bridge of his nose before he pressed the can of beer against his lips and finished it. It was his second one already, and Eric had no intention of stopping any time soon. Today marked exactly three months since he walked out of what was becoming their home, and seeing her in the locker room just as he was leaving, coming face to face with her, looking in her eyes, seeing it in her eyes, that she knew what day it was, made him want to drink this night away. He had almost bumped into her as he grabbed his bag and turned to leave, only to find her coming into the locker room for her bag. No words were spoken loudly, but their eyes...their eyes were loud. He could see that she was hurting as well, that she still had feelings for him, that she was conflicted and possibly missed him, he knew all that but it still didn't make it any easier. He just wanted to be able to reach out and hold her, run his fingers through her soft blonde hair, kiss those gorgeous lips of hers. He missed her with every fiber of his being, and the ache and the emptiness he felt since that moment he walked out of their home, was something that just couldn't be replaced unless she comes back to him.

Getting up from the couch, he walked over to the fridge, opened it and pulled another two cans of beer, immediately opening one, he put it against his lips and took a long gulp as he made his way back to sit in the dark by his lonesome, just drowning in his sorrows and getting drunk. His thoughts drifted to that day as he took another gulp...

She had been quiet all through the ride home, hell her mood had been off all day, and Eric was sure the case didn't help. It never did when kids were involved, but something told Eric that her foul mood today, her quietness was due to something else. He had asked her during the day if all was good or if she needed to talk, letting her know that he could tell that something was off, but she kept saying that she was fine, that it is okay or come up with some excuse, and then he figured maybe it was something she simply didn't want to talk about at work, so he figured he would just ask her what was wrong when they get home.

She dropped her stuff on the kitchen counter and walked right into the bedroom. It had taken Eric by surprise. It wasn't something she usually did, no matter how bad the situation was, so this was something new, but it told him that whatever it was, it was bigger than he had been anticipating, so he walked after her to the bedroom to find her sitting on the edge of the bed, her hands gripping the mattress, head down, still in her work clothes.

He knocked first of course, and when she briefly looked up he had made his way inside and sat down next to her, close but not touching. He felt like she needed some space. From what he had no idea yet, but whatever it is, he would help her get through it.

'You wanna talk about it?' he asked her. She slowly lifted her gaze to look up at him, looked in his eyes, and for a moment he thought he saw sadness, but she looked down quicker than he could analyze her without saying anything, so Eric tried again.

'Whatever it is we'll get through it Cal...I am here for you...you can tell me anything' he told her.

Silence again but Eric waited patiently and then 'I need space' she said barely loud enough. She spoke so softly, that Eric wasn't sure if he heard her right.

'What?' he asked and Calleigh closed her eyes and swallowed hard 'I need space' she repeated.

He figured she didn't want to talk at the moment and that she would simply open up when she was ready 'Okay, I'll give you some time for yourself' he started telling her as he got up from the bed but Calleigh grabbed his wrist.

'Eric wait' she told him as she stood up so she could face him. She needed to find some strength to do this. She couldn't be a coward and not even look him in his eyes. She looked directly in his eyes, feeling like every fiber of her being, every small part of her was failing to support her so she swallowed hard again 'I need space...Eric I need some time' she told him and he pulled his hand away from her, like she had suddenly burned him.

'From me?' he asked her frowning, his fingers pointing in his chest and Calleigh nodded as she looked down 'Why? What is this about? Is this still about the missing diamonds case?' he asked her, because it had to be that. Nothing else bad with that magnitude had happened, and even though they had sort of moved on from that time, Eric could always tell that she hadn't fully forgiven him, fully trusted him again, and he couldn't blame her, he did betray her trust but, everything that he did, was to protect her first and foremost and the rest of the team.

'Not just that. I feel claustrophobic' she started telling him, trying with all of her might not to break down. She needed to let it out. Ever since that case, Calleigh felt like her mind and body had focused solemnly on the fact that Eric could have died if she hadn't followed him, and everything else had been pushed aside and then Jessie died, and Calleigh just clung to Eric at first, needing to assure herself that it wasn't Eric who she had lost, but another friend, another colleague, and Eric had hovered as well. The way they had made love that day after they had arrived home, had been full of raw emotion. It had been needy, savage, both of them taking from each other whatever they wanted and needed, and the rest was pushed aside once again, but as the days started to go by, Calleigh was feeling like she couldn't breathe, like she was on this sudden train that wouldn't seem to stop so she could get off or slow down at least. She turned away from him and walked a bit, running a hand through her hair, as her left hand rested on her hip 'It was one thing after another, and after that case, I feel like all my body and mind could do was focus on the fact that I could have lost you once again, that if I hadn't followed you, you would not be here right now...and I...I held onto that, because going through it for the third time was just too much. I needed to hold onto you and the days and weeks went by and then...then Jessie died, and it rocked me, and once again my fear of losing you, of losing you to our job, to anything took the best of me and I needed you but as the days started to go by...I feel like I am not dealing with this well. I caught myself not fully trusting you at times, like the tiniest doubt would cross my mind and I...I can't deal with that. To me...that is foreign language when it comes to you. I had been so focused on the fact that you could have died, that I didn't let myself process the other part of that case, the part where you hurt me with your actions, where you betrayed my trust and I just can't push that aside anymore' she told him and Eric was standing there, listening to her, feeling like his legs are about to betray him and not support him anymore as she went on talking explaining herself 'I need to deal with that so I can trust you completely again, I need to try and understand your actions...and maybe I won't fully understand, but at least I need to give myself time to accept it and move on and like this...I don't think I can do that' she told him, and by now, her eyes were red. The green was bright and shimmering with tears that she was still trying to forbid from spilling and pain, and Eric could hardly look at them, knowing that he was the cause of that.

He was standing on the same spot for a long time, not moving a muscle, like his body had suddenly become a statue in her bedroom. His mind was racing a million miles an hour but his mouth was on a different track and when he opened his mouth to speak, the words that came out where probably completely different than what he really wanted to say 'You're breaking up with me?' he asked her, and Calleigh took a hesitant step closer towards him.

She took his hands in hers and tried to find his eyes. They were dark and broken and they were starting to become red. His face was starting to get pale 'Please don't take it that way' she pleaded and that seemed to get a reaction out of him.

'Then how am I supposed to take it?' he asked her.

'I just need time to mend myself so I can be what you need Eric. I don't want this to be completely over, I don't want this to be over but I don't know how to mend myself while you are with me' she tried to explain. Her eyes were pleading with him, trying to make him see that this was hard for her as well, that she didn't want to lose him, that she was trying to fix whatever she was feeling was wrong, and that is the only way she knew how to do it.

'What I need is you Cal but fine' he said, his face hard and without expression like he had suddenly grown cold 'But don't think for a second that I am going to give up on us Calleigh, because I never will' he told her, and tears streamed down her face. He closed the little distance there was between them as he placed his forehead against hers, his hands cupping her face 'I love you Calleigh...I always have loved you and I always will love you' he told her and with that he crushed his lips hard against hers and Calleigh sobbed against his mouth as she grabbed his shirt and held onto him for dear life, while their tongues battled each other and then when the kiss was broken she burst into tears and Eric wrapped his arms around her, one hand cupping the back of her head while the other one wrapped around her back as she laid her head above his heart listening to it, arms wrapped around his waist as she cried her heart out into his chest, his own tears wetting the top of her head. They stayed like that for the longest time, and when it was finally time to pull apart, they stayed close, faces close enough to feel each other's breath and then he kissed her forehead, his lips lingering there for the longest time, feeling his lips trembling against her skin as she closed her eyes locking this memory away in her heart and mind and when he pulled away, he kissed her lips one more time and took a step back...no longer touching as their eyes remained glued on each other.

'Whenever you're ready Cal...I'll be right there waiting for you' he told her and Calleigh pressed her lips together 'I love you' he told her.

'I love you too Eric' she told him and with that he turned around and walked out of her room, walked out of her apartment, and as the door closed, she fell to her knees crying her heart out while Eric was on the floor with his back against the door feeling completely destroyed.

Three months have passed, and Eric was still waiting. Things were not as bad as they were after they broke up or put on the breaks or whatever she wanted to call it. She had taken two days off from work after that, feeling too destroyed and exposed to face him again just hours after, and Eric had found himself in a state he never had before. He wanted to text her, call her, check how she was doing, but he couldn't, because they were not together anymore, and she was breaking up because she needed space, so Eric vowed that no matter how much he ached to reach out to her, he wouldn't do it unless she wanted him to.

Seeing each other at work again after that night had been full of tension. It had been so obvious that something had happened between them, that the whole team had figured out that they had split up, and as good friends they had tried to give both of them the support that they needed, but both of them wouldn't talk. With Calleigh it was no surprise. She was not one to talk especially about her private life, and if there was one person on the face of the earth that she always turned to, well that was Eric, but Eric was the issue at the moment so Calleigh literally had no one. The walls were up as high as they could be and after a day or two she was back to the old Calleigh at work...all work and professionalism and nothing else, but they all knew that it was a coping mechanism, so they tried go along with her as smoothly as possible, not pry or anything of the sort. Sometimes, Natalia would let her know that if she ever wanted to talk, she was there for her and Calleigh would smile and thank her but that was that and she never did approach Nat.

Eric on the other hand, had to work on his temper and mood swings, the coming in late and the drinking. He wasn't getting drunk all the time that he would get himself hooked up, because the last thing that he wanted was to become an alcoholic like her father, because that would definitely be the end of them then, but with Eric it was always an open book. Everyone could tell when he was having a bad day, when it was best to just stay away, especially Ryan. The less he opens his mouth when Eric is around, the better for him and everyone else in a twenty-five mile radius.

Three months had passed and things were starting to ease a bit, not every time but sometimes. In the past months, they had managed to avoid working on cases together but today they had no choice but to face the music, and if she was completely honest, it was about time. Calleigh had to go and find him and let him know that they needed to go in search of a missing bullet. She found him crouched forward on a stool trying to look for anything in the photos she had taken earlier. She could see him through the glass doors and Calleigh was sure he could hear her stilettos approaching, but he didn't lift up his head, so she took a deep breath and braced herself.

'Hey' she said as she knocked on the glass door and entered the room but made sure to keep her distance, a touch of her smile on her face.

'Hi' Eric replied lifting his head from the magnetic lens.

'We emm...we need to go back to the original crime scene. We have a missing bullet' she informed him.

'Oh okay. I'll pack everything up and lock them back and I meet you at the hummer?' he asked her.

'Sure' she replied with a smile and turned to leave. He watched her, his eyes lingering on her form. He couldn't help himself. She was wearing the red satin blouse and black trousers, taking him back to that moment when they had locked eyes on each other as a piece of glass had punctured her finger. It was some time after he got back to work after the shooting, right when things had started to shift between the two of them. They had taken a ride to the crime scene together that day as well.

Locking the evidence away, he made his way to the hummer where Calleigh was waiting for him. He could see her from the mirror checking herself out in the mirror and fixing her hair. He wanted to tell her that she looked perfect but he bit his tongue, got in and smiled.

'Hey' she smiled 'Shall we go?' she asked and Eric nodded. The ride was silent for the most part and awkward tension was starting to fill the car. She could see him from the corner of her eyes as she drove that he was trying to keep his hand to himself, resting his head on his hand looking out of the window, and Calleigh knew she needed to say something before they reach the location 'How have you been?' she asked him and Eric turned to look at her, almost surprised she spoke.

It was hard being in the same car as her for Eric. Things were a bit different now and Eric wasn't sure how to act. The simple thing that conversation wasn't coming natural was throwing both of them off. Even the fact that he had to keep in mind to keep his hand to himself. Before they had fallen into a relationship, they weren't exactly handsy but it was never the case that Eric needed to keep his hand to himself, and when he made sure he did, it was always because he needed to put a lid on his feelings for her and now they were again in the same car and Eric was anxious for more than just one reason.

'You want the truth?' he asked her as he looked her way.

'Yeah' she replied, glancing his way, both hands on the steering wheel.

Eric sighed heavily and let his hand run over his head 'Sad...lonely...empty' he said as he looked out of the window at nothing at all even though there was plenty to look at 'The worst part is going home to an empty crib. That's when reality really hits hard' he admitted, feeling everything he just told her. She was next to him...so close and yet so far away. He watched her grab the steering wheel harder, pressing her lips together, watched her facial expressions 'What about you?' he asked her.

She turned the corner knowing that they had arrived at the destination, pulled the hummer into park and turned off the engine. Removing her seatbelt, she turned to look at him 'Same as you' she admitted 'The house is so empty without you there. That is the hardest part. Everywhere I look there is something that reminds me of you' she told him. What she didn't tell him was that she had been sleeping in his t-shirts because her heart ached too much for him. She missed him terribly and there were many nights when she ended up crying herself to sleep, and that was definitely not normal. She needed to give herself some time, to process and think about everything that happened, how maybe she could have tackled this issue better without leading to the stupid situation they are in now.

Eric was watching her imagining what it was like to live in that house without her in it. It definitely sucked and as much as it was horrible going back to his old apartment, he was sure it was worse going back home, to the home they once shared together as lovers. He contemplated taking her hand in his, seeing how upset she looked but he held back. The silence seemed to stretch as both of them got lost in their sadness, until Eric finally broke the silence.

'Well...whenever you are ready' he said and Calleigh looked at him not sure if he was referring to being ready to take him back or to get out of the hummer, but at this point, they needed to work the case, so she opened the door and jumped out of it. Grabbing their kits, they made their way into the mall that was temporarily closed due to the ongoing investigation. The shooting happened on the third floor, and with so many people running everywhere to get away from the shooter, anyone could have accidentally kicked any evidence, including the missing bullet, anywhere, so they had closed the whole mall including the perimeter area. Footages were being watched and officers were guarding the area. The shooter had managed to escape and they were still trying to get a hit on anything that would identify the person. So far Wolfe and Walter hadn't managed to get his or her face on any of the cameras. They checked even the bathrooms but nothing. There was something they were missing, so Calleigh had decided it was best to go back to the crime scene.

They were on the third floor, their torches out trying to find the missing bullet. The case was a bit odd. Usually cases like this, involved a lot of shooting, a lot of bullets spent, a lot of injured or dead people. The only injured person was a young mother of three kids, so they are guessing that this shooting is personal, but why would the shooter kill her in a shopping mall? She could have been killed anywhere.

'You know what' Calleigh started telling him, voice normal now, all feelings from before locked away, as her work mood kicked in 'I'm thinking this could all be a cover up' she suggested and Eric turned to look at her.

'How so?' he asked intrigued with where she was going with this.

'Think about it. Why would anyone who had something personal against our victim, kill her in the middle of a shopping mall with so many witnesses and not shoot at anyone else? I'm thinking maybe it could be a diversion from something else' Calleigh told him.

'Could be. Interesting point' Eric told her. That was when Eric's phone rang, so he pulled his phone out and answered 'Delko' he said into the phone. Calleigh glanced his way but continued searching for the bullet. It had been a through and through and they had been lucky that no one else was killed. She had practically checked the whole floor and nothing. There was no sign of the bullet. From the corner of her eye, she could see Eric approaching so she turned to face him.

'They found something?' she asked him.

'Wolfe just told us to check the bathroom. Apparently they are suspecting that the person changed outfit' he informed her.

'Mm could be. It does make sense' she said.

'Any sign of the bullet?' he asked her as he put his phone back in his pocket.

'No. I checked the whole floor and nothing. Do you mind checking again and I go and check the bathrooms?' she asked him.

'Sure' he replied.

They walked opposite directions as Calleigh made her way into the bathroom while Eric started going through the same floor. It took awhile between checking the bathrooms and going through the floors. There was no telling in which bathroom the suspect had changed or if they left anything behind. The suspect could have also had someone helping him. Eric on the other hand had finished checking the third floor and there was nothing. He found himself staring at the railing and then he thought...what if the bullet had somehow been kicked around and it fell? He walked over towards the railing and looked downstairs. Something shiny caught his eyes, so Eric made his way down the levels of the mall.

Meanwhile, Calleigh had been going through the bins in the bathrooms. She had already checked three bathrooms, but got lucky in the fourth one. Just as she suspected. The suspect had changed clothes on a different level. She grabbed the clothes and put them in the big brown bag she had and made her way out in search of Eric.

'Eric' she called out as she tried to spot him but she didn't see him and Eric didn't reply 'Eric' she yelled a little louder.

'Down here' she heard him say and Calleigh walked over towards the railing in the middle of the mall 'What are you doing?' she asked.

'I found your bullet' he replied showing it off in his glove covered hand, smiling up at her.

Calleigh smiled with relief 'You're my hero' she said.

'What?' he asked shouting.

'I said that's great thanks' Calleigh replied 'I found some clothes as well' she replied.

'That's awesome' he replied 'I'm coming up' he called out.

She waited for him and as her eyes caught sight of him, walking in his grey suit, light pink shirt underneath first two buttons open, looking all Cuban and handsome, she could swear her heart skipped a beat. Their eyes met sharing a moment as he approached obviously Eric being affected in the same way. Walking towards the beautiful blonde that had captured his heart in more ways than one, his eyes couldn't help taking in the way her clothes hugged her curves. How his hands longed to touch those curves, hold her in his arms, run his fingers through her hair as he kissed her, taste those luscious lips and make love to her like they never went their separate ways. He stopped almost too close to her but Calleigh didn't seem to mind. She stayed right where she was, her green orbs fixated on his dark brown ones. Lips slightly parted, hearts thumping loud and hard in their chest. She could feel her heart doing cartwheels inside her chest having Eric this close, their eyes still glued on another and as always the time seemed to have stopped until Calleigh finally broke the spell.

'Let's get these to the lab. If we're lucky, we should get some DNA off them' Calleigh told him.

They did get lucky. Eric had managed to pull out a finger print from the bullet that matched the owner of the clothes Calleigh had found. Case was closed and the arrest was made. It was quite late when their shift was finally over, and Calleigh found herself at her locker the same time she heard another locker from the opposite side close.

'Eric?' she asked. For some reason, she could always tell it was him. She never understood how, it wasn't like the lockers had different sounds when they closed, but somehow she always knew when it was Eric and when not. Maybe it had nothing to do with the locker, but it had everything to do with the pull there seemed to be between the two adults.

'Calleigh' Eric replied as he made his way over towards her. He watched her close her locker as she adjusted her handbag on her shoulder. She smiled at him and closed the little distance, not too close but close. He was leaning casually against the lockers, hands in his pocket.

'Going to the gym?' she asked him.

'Yeah' he replied 'You going home?' he asked.

'Yeah' she replied somewhat upset. As far as Calleigh was concerned, it would be better to stay in the lab 24/7. The less she was home the better. He could see the hint of sadness in her eyes, and Eric felt it too. He could still hear them talking about how they felt, how it felt to be at home alone, how they both felt. Lonely and empty.

'Well...I guess I...better get going' he told her. The air was starting to feel to heavy, like unspoken words and feelings were starting to fill the space between them, and his hand was starting to ache, needing to get closer to her.

'Okay' she whispered as she gave him a smile. He turned to leave when her words stopped him 'I'm working on it Eric' she told him and Eric turned to look at her.

'I know...I can tell' he replied softly smiling at her.

She hesitated at first but figured there was no harm done in telling him how she felt 'I'll miss you' she admitted.

'I'll miss you too Cal' he told her as he cupped one cheek and let his thumb caress her skin. He watched her close her eyes, clearly enjoying his touch. This was torture. They obviously both still wanted to be together, but he could understand that she was trying to mend things, and Eric respected her. It was tough as hell, but if it got them back together, at this point he would do anything. He let his hand drop then and Calleigh walked into his arms, wrapped her arms around his neck as he wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged each other tightly, both closing their eyes, enjoying feeling their bodies so close. They stood like that for what felt like forever even if it was for only a couple of minutes.

Eric started pulling away then and smiled at her 'Text if you want' he told her, one hand on her cheek and Calleigh nodded with a smile.

'You too' she said and Eric smiled back.

'See you tomorrow Cal' he said and with that he let his hand drop and walked past her and out of the locker room as she watched him disappear in front of her own eyes.

After that, things had started to change...to cool off between them. Who would have thought that all they needed was to talk a bit and things would start to feel better. After they had told each other how they had been feeling, how it was going back home without each other there, working together was becoming more bareable. They were working cases together without feeling like the tension of the world was on them. Smiles were starting to be exchanged and sometimes even texts, especially after a very long hard day at work. They knew that they couldn't just hang out like they used to do after a rough day at work, because that would be too much to expect that nothing happens, and nothing could happen at this point because Calleigh was not in that place yet, but she was getting there, they could both feel it. Even their friends could tell that the tension was evaporating between the two and they were starting to work together like they used to before their relationship had entered into the emotional zone. They were being professional at work and it was making things easier for everyone around them as well as themselves.

They were in the locker room one day after they had closed one of the cases that had dragged on for sometime, so they felt like celebrating and Natalia asked 'Anyone up for some drinks? I think we deserve some celebration today' she said.

'Yeah I'm in' Wolfe immediately replied.

'Yeah me too' added Walter.

'Me three' Calleigh added.

'What's going on?' Eric asked as he entered the locker room, and everyone turned to look at him.

'We're going for some drinks' Calleigh immediately told him 'You coming?' she asked.

There was that split second where everyone held their breath as they watched them but then they watched Eric's smile spread 'Sure. I'm up for a couple of beers tonight' he said smiling at her first then shifted his gaze towards the others.

'Okay. I'll text Frank and Horatio to let them know in case they would like to join us' Wolfe continued.

As the gang arrived at their usual spot, they slid into their usual booth in the corner, and without realizing Calleigh and Eric ended up next to each other. They smiled at each other at the realization and settled in. It felt nice to finally be at this place again where they could easily just hang out and enjoy each other's company without too much feeling into everything. They were both relaxed and thus everyone else was, so much so, that the issue between the two was starting to fade in the background. No one else was starting to think about how Eric and Calleigh were going to react if they ended up next to each other or if they had to work a case together. Everyone was just friends and comfortable with each other these days. Sure the secret glances still happened from time to time and even the way their eyes would lock on each other. Sometimes they even found each other being a support to one another when a case was becoming too much, a hand on the thigh or squeezing a hand just to let each other know they were there for each other. Even getting together as friends for some drinks was starting to happen more often. They were doing it every Friday unless something came up, and they would always go and hang out either at the usual bar or go to a pub for a night with more elegance where they could change into something more appropriate and dress up a bit. There were a couple of times when Eric had to keep his hands in his pockets more than usual so that his hands don't wonder off. There was one particular Friday where they had decided to go to a club instead of a bar, so they had decided that everyone could go home first, shower and change and they could meet up again later. There was this club downtown playing jazz out on a rooftop under the stars, which had just opened, so they decided to go and check it out. They had all been there when Calleigh arrived, and most important, Eric had been there. She had taken a bit longer to get ready but when she finally showed up, Eric thought his heart was going to stop. He watched her approaching wearing a black off the shoulder top, hugging the curves of her breast and then wrapping around her slim waist, a black leather leggings, red stilettos and red lips and dainty gold jewelry. She was quite a sight and Eric's mouth dropped and his heart stopped. Even Ryan and Walter were speechless while Natalia just smiled wickedly, knowing exactly what Calleigh was doing.

'You go girl' she whispered.

'Hey' she said beaming at them as she took note of their reaction and then looked at Eric who was still staring at her with his mouth wide open and Calleigh couldn't help the giggle that escaped her mouth as she smiled at him 'Hi' she said softly, placing one hand on his thigh.

'Hi' he replied back softly finally meeting her eyes, a smile filling his face 'You look...wow' he told her, the reaction on his face and the sound of his voice too obvious that she was having the desired reaction from him. She was testing him, and Eric knew it, vowing to past the test with flying colors.

'Thanks' she replied as she sat down on the empty stool next to him.

Conversations started and the sound of laughter could be heard between the colleagues and friends, although Eric's head seemed to be in space most of the time. He caught himself staring at her, at her figure, directly in her eyes as she held his gaze. He couldn't help but enjoy the wicked smiles and glances she was throwing at him. Things were definitely changing between them, they had been getting good for quite some time now, and Eric knew it was just a matter of time. He just knew it because she never told him that they were off. She just needed some time, and he gave her all the time she needed and now they were friends again. They were dare he thinks it, happy again. They knew that they could be happier together, but they were enjoying this phase as well. The phase where they got comfortable with each other again, tease each other, where they let each other know that they were having an effect on each other, and they were comfortable with it. Enjoying the thrill of having their eyes on each other, how they could easily flirt with one another and as much as they wanted to be together, this phase was healthy. It was healthy because when they had started seeing each other before, they had skipped this phase. Sure they used to have their moments when their eyes used to lock on each other and their hearts would stop beating for a moment or two but they never had these kind of moments when they used to be out with their friends, enjoying each other's company and driving each other's brains crazy like this.

Calleigh had been talking with Natalia for quite some time, when Nat excused herself to go to the ladies room, and Eric sought that opportunity to have Calleigh a bit for himself. She turned around and saw Eric staring at her, half sitting on the stool, so she approached him knowing he was waiting for her. She stopped in front of him, almost between his legs, smiling wickedly with the glass in her hand.

'Have I told you how breath taking you look tonight?' he asked her as one hand settled on her hips, moving slightly up and down.

'Well not sure you have actually' she teased before taking a sip of wine, holding his gaze.

He watched her intrigued, that boyish grin she loved so much never leaving his face 'Well...you have certainly taken my breath away tonight' he admitted and Calleigh smiled 'In fact...I think I might need some space' he told her. Having her this close, he could smell her scent that is uniquely her, her perfume which he recognized was one that he had bought for her, her breasts were practically in his face and her red lips were taunting him. Eric didn't want her for her body although God knows that was part of it, but he wanted her for who she is. Her character, her personality, her brains and everything else that made her her...the most beautiful woman on the planet in his eyes. Having her this close knowing he could not close the little distance between them, was doing things to him, and Eric needed to put some distance between them.

'Of course' she replied smiling as she took a step back. He got up his eyes staring straight into hers, the others completely forgotten about, then he smiled and walked away towards the railing. He let his mind drift away, seeing Calleigh in the outfit that she had on tonight and Eric couldn't help the fantasies that crossed his mind. She looked to damn sexy in those black leather leggings. His hands were aching to touch her. He looked up to see the stars, not that he could see a lot given the amount of lights there were but he could still see some, and Eric couldn't help but wish that they were passed this phase already so he could hold her in his arms and kiss her, run his fingers in her hair like he really wanted to do. He imagined how this night could be if things were a bit better, if she was ready for the two of them to get back together. She was getting closer, he knew that, he could tell. They were starting to flirt now not just hold each other's gaze and that told Eric she was getting there. She was close...almost ready, and he would wait for her because after being with her, there was no other woman but her for him. No other woman would do.

'What was that about?' Natalia asked Calleigh as she watched Eric move away from her.

Calleigh turned to look at her and smiled 'Let's just say he needed some space' she told her and they both laughed but as they turned to look at Eric they could see a brunette lady approaching him. They watched as the gorgeous woman in red slid her hand up his arm and Eric turned to look at her almost in shock. Calleigh watched him, her heart pounding in her chest, not sure if she wanted to see this or not. It was a test that was not planned. Before her, Eric had been a ladies man and Calleigh was sure that he would not have turned the beautiful woman away back then, but what about now? She watched as the woman started sliding her hand up his arm and Eric pushed away from the railing and took a step away from the woman, as he grabbed her hand from the wrist and removed it from his arms. She watched him say something and then he turned away from the brunette and walked back to them. His eyes immediately locked with hers, not surprised at all to find her looking at him. He held her gaze for a moment and then went and slid into the conversation Wolfe and Walter were having. She couldn't help smiling seeing how he had turned the beautiful woman away.

It was about an hour and a half later, when they all decided to head back home, and Eric had stayed silent, walking next to Calleigh as they approached her car.

'You didn't like her?' she asked him, needing to bring the topic up before they leave. They had arrived at her car and Eric didn't say anything until they stopped walking. She stopped next to her car and turned to look at him as Eric stopped in front of her, practically blocking any way out as he put his hands next to her head, resting his palms against her car.

'I was not interested' he told her 'She is not the one I want' he told her looking straight in her eyes.

'Then who do you want?' she asked him keeping eye contact as her hands moved to his chest.

'You Calleigh...I want you and no one else' he told her as he cupped one cheek. She fluttered her eyes at the feeling of his hand on her cheek, his thumb caressing her skin. She was ready for his lips to meet hers as she watched him close the distance between them. She felt him rest his forehead against hers and Calleigh swallowed hard, so ready to lock her lips with him and kiss him, her heart pounding hard in her chest but instead she felt him press his lips against her forehead and Calleigh closed her eyes.

She looked in his eyes then, searching as he looked back into her mesmerizing emerald orbs 'You're not ready Cal' he whispered his thumb caressing her cheek 'I'll be ready when you are' he told her and Calleigh smiled as she watched him kiss her forehead again.

'Thank you' she replied smiling back at him before she cupped one cheek, pushed herself on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against his cheek, enjoying the feel of his stubble against her lips.

'Goodnight Cal' he told her as he watched her climb into her car and close the door 'Text me when you arrive' he told her and Calleigh nodded.

'Goodnight Eric' she told him smiling at him and with that she drove off.