So, for the sake of this fic, Jake and the case of the Crypt Kings happens after Eric got shot and not before.
Chapter 1:
Calleigh had just stepped out of the shower after a very odd and off day at work. To say that this day couldn't get anymore stranger than it had was an understatement. First with the accident in the glades and then the whole Crypt Kings case and Jake showing up after God knows how long. Well she knew exactly how long...since college, and even though all these years had passed, he still looked to have that smug look he always wore. The confidence he had in him knowing she still harbored some feelings towards him was so obvious, it almost made her mad. He could see the shock in her eyes when she saw him. At first it was like seeing a ghost from the past but then, by the end of the day, she had smiled at him and Jake couldn't help but feel hopeful that they could pick up where they left off. He was that smug and she knew it. She could see it in his eyes. She had managed to escape from MDPD without bumping into him though, trying to avoid any form of questions such encounter would bring.
She was still in her underwear when the doorbell rang. Thinking it was Eric, because he always showed up after an incident like the one she had this morning, she grabbed her silky black robe, put it on and went to open the door. She felt that comfortable around him, that she would stay in her robe without feeling like he was eyeing her up. Well truth be told, lately she had caught him many times staring at her, but so did he, and they would just smile at each other, stay in that moment for a few seconds and then continue as if nothing happened. She knew though that Eric would never just try and touch her. There weren't any kind of threats like those from him. He respected her too much and Calleigh knew it. Jake on the other hand would not be so respectful. She was sure that given half a chance he would take it and she would be in trouble, because despite how their relationship had ended all those years ago, she still had feelings for him and she knew it, and probably Jake knew it too.
Pulling the door open, she was met by two hands grabbing her face and lips pressing hard against her mouth. It took her a moment to realize what was happening and another moment to realize that whoever was kissing her was not Eric. Sure she had never kissed him like that before, but she knew what his lips looked like, and as she kissed the stranger, she could tell that the lips were thin not full like Eric's, and they were familiar...the kiss was familiar...and then she realized who it must be and Calleigh broke the kiss, pushing at him from his chest. Her mouth was wide open, her eyes flashing anger and disbelief as she crossed her arms across her chest.
'What the hell do you think you're doing?' She asked him 'And how the hell did you find out where I live?' She asked pissed off. It had been a long day and Calleigh was not in the mood for this. That was why she had practically ran out of MDPD because she was not in the mood to face him. There were too many feelings which haven't been analyzed yet, with everything that happened during the day and with Jake, the day had been a mess and thus Calleigh was a mess on the inside even if she had managed to put on the perfect mask for almost everybody at the lab. Everybody except one, she was sure of that.
'I'm a detective Calleigh, of course I found out' he replied. She rolled her eyes at him and huffed annoyed 'Well...are you going to invite me in or are we going to keep talking out here?' he asked her with that stupid smile.
She sighed heavily and stepped out of the way 'Make it quick' she told him before pushing the door to a close with a loud bang, which almost made Jake jump...almost.
'Aaa you still remember how I like it...nice' he said with a chuckle. Calleigh felt her cheeks turning red at that comment. Of course he would make that comment otherwise she would think he is not the same person. Idiot. She arranged her robe, made sure nothing was visible and crossed her arms again.
'Can you not be a jerk Jake?' she asked 'You know very well that was not what I was talking about' she told him 'Now...what do you want? It's been a long day and I'm not in the mood' she continued. His eyes were scanning the place, searching for anything that she could possibly have that reminded her of him, but instead his eyes caught the couple of photos she had stuck against the fridge, with one person appearing in all the bloody photos, giving him the perfect hint, that he could possibly have someone challenging him.
'You Cal...I want you' he started telling her as he took a step closer towards her.
Well there it was. She wasn't sure if it had been on his mind since he saw her again or not, but she couldn't have expected anything else from him. 'Are you serious? What do you expect me to run into your arms and forget about everything that happened?' She asked him 'I knew you were smug but this...this is a new level' she told him 'Forget it Jake...it's not happening' she told him as she turned to grab something to drink.
The doorbell rang again just as she arrived in the kitchen, and it was like everything happened in slow motion and yet in a heartbeat. She knew at that moment who was at the door, make no mistake, and knowing how things had been changing lately between them, the last thing she wanted to do was hurt him or give him the wrong impression. The situation was delicate enough, but Jake had already opened the door before Calleigh could tell him not to and sure enough Eric was there, stunned to find Jake there.
'Berkeley' he said sourly even if he tried to mark his resentment for the guy. He didn't know him that well, but from what he had heard from Calleigh he didn't like him. The fact that he had hurt her so much, was already enough for Eric to dislike him, and now he was back in her life, just when she finally seemed to be letting her feelings for Eric starting to flourish.
'Delko' he acknowledged both men with alarms and question marks rising. That was when Calleigh showed up and the first thing Eric noticed was that she was in a very short and sexy black robe. He felt like a fool. He didn't think she was this desperate that she would take Jake back the moment she saw him. His mind was racing million miles an hour, and Eric was sure the look on his face said so.
'I'm sorry to interrupt' he said and turned to leave but Calleigh walked past Jake, closed the door and hurried after him. She knew she shouldn't be leaving Jake alone in her house, but think conversation was private, and the last person she wanted to be eavesdropping, was Jake.
'Eric wait' she told him as she grabbed him from his wrist 'This is not how it looks' she tried to tell him and Eric stopped, closed his eyes and turned to look at her.
Things had been growing...happening between them. Nothing really happened physically but emotionally things were starting to shift and both of them had no idea what to do or how to control what was happening, to which they hadn't acknowledged out loud...but it was obvious. Calleigh knew. It was written all over his face...in his eyes. He looked hurt and betrayed and God knows she never wanted to hurt him.
'You don't have to explain anything Cal' he told her. Sure she didn't have to but she wanted to.
'I know...but I need you to understand that this is not what it looks like. I had just finished my shower, the doorbell rang and I grabbed the robe thinking it was you...because I knew you would come. You always do when something like this morning happen' she tried to explain and Calleigh could see his facial expression shift, softening up 'Is that why you came?' She asked.
'Yeah' he replied 'I just wanted to check on you. Make sure you're okay' he told her.
'I'm fine Eric but thanks. I really appreciate you coming' she told him with a smile 'You want to come in?' She asked him.
'No thanks...you have company' he told her sounding more sour then he wanted to. He knew who Jake was. She had talked about him once so Eric knew the extent of their relationship and roughly what happened between them, which also made him realize that now that Jake was back, he had competition or maybe he didn't have a chance at all. It was still early to tell. One thing was sure though...Jake was not wasting any time.
'Eric he's leaving' she told him.
'It's fine Cal. You don't have to get rid of him on my account. I just wanted to make sure you're okay' he told her as he placed his hand on her arm 'I'll see you tomorrow' Eric told her and with that he turned to leave.
'Eric wait' she called out and Eric stopped and turned to look at her, when she walked in his space and wrapped her arms around his waist. He smiled softly and hugged her back, letting his cheek rest on the top of her head. She closed her eyes at the feeling of his lips against her head and sighed happily. No one else ever made her feel so safe and content. If only she could stay like this forever. She never felt like she needed protection but being in his arms made her feel loved and protected, like there was nothing this man won't do for her. She could feel the hardness of his chest under her cheeks, and Calleigh wondered what it would be like to place her hand on his bare chest. These thoughts were strange to her when it comes to Eric, but even though they scared her, because the last thing she wanted to do was ruin their friendship, they also thrilled her, made her heart beat faster.
'Thank you' she told him before she started pulling out of the embrace and Eric smiled at her.
'You're welcome. I see you tomorrow okay?' he told her and with that he turned and headed back to his car. She stood there, watching him leave. She could feel the back of her eyes burning, but damn it she was not going to cry. She was not that kind of woman. She does not cry for men. When he disappeared into the night, she turned around, feeling anger suddenly fill her and made her way inside.
She found Jake relaxed on her couch, with a beer in his hand. She watched him incredulously take a sip, and Calleigh slammed the door so hard, she thought the door was going to break and fall to the ground.
'Who the hell gave you permission to make yourself at home?' She asked him fuming 'No one gave you the right to open the door and sure as hell no one gave you permission to take a beer from my fridge and relax on my couch with your shoes up' she fumed angrily.
'Chill Cal I was just thirsty' he told her.
'Thirsty? Normal people drink water when they are thirsty not beer' she replied, alarms immediately ringing in her head. The last thing she needed was to get involved with someone who is as alcoholic as her father 'Now get off my couch, grab the beer and get the hell out of my house' she all but screamed, her finger pointing sharply at the door.
Jake removed his shoes off her couch and got off, that stupid grin on his face as he made his way towards her.
'Get out' she said firmly again but Jake just smiled, kissed her lips quickly before she could so much as protest and headed towards the door.
'Damn you're hot when you're bossy' he told her before taking another sip from his beer but Calleigh just slammed the door again after him without saying a word, literally fuming.
How dare he kiss her? How dare he try and waltz back into her life as if nothing happened? How dare he make himself at home? She was so angry at him. Running a hand through her head, down her hair she sighed as she recalled Eric's disappointed look. He had soften up when she hugged him, like his anger had suddenly evaporated but she knew that deep down he had been hurt, and Calleigh couldn't blame him. She would probably act the same way if she ever went to his house and found another woman who she knew he has a history with.
This is what she was always scared about them. She always knew that there were some sort of feelings involved, that for Eric it wasn't just another girl he wanted, that he truly wanted her. He always did. She knew that and deep down Calleigh always knew she wanted him too, but she is too stubborn and hard headed to let any feelings get in the way. She had locked those feelings away, and by time it had gotten easier because they had become really good friends, and it was better being best friends than nothing at all but that was until he was shot in the head though and she almost lost him. She had spent so much time with him then to help him through his recovery, being his support, anything he needed, that feelings started leaking out from both sides. With Eric it was far more obvious. Today it was written all over his face and the last thing she wanted to do was hurt him especially over nothing. Nothing happened but with Jake being there and her being in this particular robe, which happened to be a sexy one, she couldn't blame him for thinking that something was going on, even if he should know her better.
She grabbed her phone and started typing him a message...
'Sorry for today. I hope you believed me when I said that nothing happened. Was really looking forward for some time just us tonight. I needed it after this morning...see you tomorrow xxx'
And with that she pressed sent. It wasn't really like her to follow up on these things, especially were men were involved but this was Eric and he was special to her. She needed to be sure that he understood that nothing happened between her and Jake.
She was walking into her bedroom when her phone beeped a new message and Calleigh smiled knowing it was him.
'I'm free tomorrow if you want' she read and Calleigh smiled and felt herself relax.
'It's a date then ;) ' and she pressed sent again.
Putting her phone on charge, Calleigh removed her robe and got into her bed. She felt like sleeping in just her panties tonight, nothing else. She didn't want anything touching her body. She needed to relax. She knew that Eric would have seen through to her that she had been shaken up this morning, that despite the tough facade she managed to put for the rest of the day, Calleigh was still shaken to her core. She had been pushed in the water, her life had been in danger, evidence had been compromised and Calleigh didn't take that lightly when it happened on her watch.
Her phone beeped again and Calleigh smiled again 'If you need me during the night, just call and I'll come...Good night Cal xxx' and Calleigh smiled.
That's what she lo...liked about Eric. She almost said loved but managed to bite her tongue. He was always so caring and considerate towards her. Smiling back at the phone she started typing...
'Thanks Eric...Good night xxx' and pressed sent.
Setting on the alarm, she let herself settle into bed, hoping the softness of the sheets would pull her into a much needed sleep and the rest she can think about it tomorrow.