The Miami Sofitel (13/15?)
Title: The Miami Sofitel (13/15?)
Author: SomewhereApart
Fandom: CSI: Miami
Characters: Eric/Calleigh
Rating: PG
Summary: After the events of "The Deluca Motel," Calliegh gives Eric an upgrade.
Chapter One | Chapter Two | Chapter Three | Chapter Four | Chapter Five | Chapter Six | Chapter Seven | Chapter Eight | Chapter Nine | Chapter Ten | Chapter Eleven | Chapter Twelve
Eric couldn’t concentrate. He was supposed to be comparing prints from this morning’s crime scene, but he couldn’t make sense of the arches and whorls. He was too caught up in his brain, too caught up in Calleigh and the argument they’d had. He’d been waffling all morning between being pissed and feeling guilty, so by three in the afternoon, his brain had pretty much been fried to useless mush. Guilty had held over the morning until he’d gotten to work and realized that she wasn’t there. Then he’d been irritated. When he got back from his call-out and discovered that she had gone straight to the day’s second call-out without stepping foot into the lab, he upgraded to pissed. She’d made such a big deal about needing to get out, about being on time for work, and he’d known it was a front for something deeper, something more frantic, but that didn’t mean it couldn’t irk him that she was a whopping two hours late for work after. Was it too much trouble to even pretend her excuses held water?
And then they’d avoided each other all day, which frankly came as no surprise, but it had made him irritable and edgy. He’d snapped at Natalia more than once while they processed their scene, and now she was steering clear of him too. Which was fine. Better, probably. Apparently he was just toxic today.
With a thunk and a heavy sigh, Eric set down his magnifying glass and tipped his head back, pinching the headache between his eyes. Now he was pissed again. Pissed and scowling and generally grumpy. And to think, this time yesterday, he’d been anticipating a romantic dinner and some hot tub hanky panky. Oh how a day - or more specifically, an awful morning - could change things.
As if things couldn’t get any worse, he caught sight of Calleigh rounding the corner. Rather than get caught staring, he hunched over his prints again, studying them but not still seeing a damned thing. The last thing he expected to hear was the click-clack of her heels on the floor as she entered the room, her perfume wafting to him a moment later as she came to a stop about a foot away. He watched out of the corner of his eye as she leaned against the evidence table, trying for casual and failing. Well, at least it was a small comfort to know that she was as thrown today as he was. He didn’t look up, and for a long minute she didn’t say anything, just stood there fidgeting. When she finally found her voice, it was soft, tentative.
“Eric.” He set his magnifying glass down again, lifted his gaze to find her looking nervous and uncomfortable. “Hey,” she tried for a smile, but it wasn’t very convincing.
“Hey,” he replied, and flicking his gaze back to the prints for a moment as he told her, “Your bag is in my car.”
He watched her falter slightly, and frown. “What?”
“You said you didn’t want to sleep at the hotel tonight, so I packed your stuff. It’s in my car.” He was self-aware enough to know he was being cold, and Calleigh-aware enough to know she was trying to let it roll off her back. And failing.
“Oh. Okay.” She fiddled with the end of her sleeve, glanced down at her hands, and it was so un-Calleigh that he felt a stab of guilt. She really was upset… Sucking in a deep breath, she continued, “Can we… talk?”
“Here?” he questioned.
“Just… y’know, for a minute.”
He echoed her breath and nodded, finally giving her his full attention. “Sure. Where do you want to start?”
“With an apology.”
He scoffed, shook his head, and while he’d spent half the morning rehearsing his apology, the idea that she’d demand one from him irked him enough to reconsider.
“No, Eric,” she shook her head, settled a hand on his arm, drawing it back almost immediately when she knew she had his attention. “From me. I’m sorry. I was upset this morning, and I shouldn’t have taken that out on you.”
“I don’t know what you were upset about in the first place,” he sighed, before backtracking, “No, actually, I do know what. I just don’t know why.”
“I probably shouldn’t have been. I just… I’m still adjusting. This, us… it all happened really fast.”
“Yeah, it only took the better part of a decade,” he remarked dryly. “Like light speed - reaching deep space.”
She sighed, brushed her hair back and pressed her lips together for a second. “Eric, can you… not? I’m trying to make things right.”
There was that pang of guilt again. He listened to it this time - really listened - and nodded his head. “Sorry. I’m not in the best mood today.”
“Yeah. Me neither.” Her fingers crept over, settling against the edge of his arm, as if she was afraid he’d reject anything further. Not that he could blame her. “Neither of us was very kind to each other this morning, and I just wanted to apologize.”
“I’m sorry, too. I think we both said some things we didn’t mean,” he conceded, reaching for her fingers and lacing them with his. She relaxed a little at the contact, squeezing her fingers gently over his.
“Yeah.” Her gaze dropped to their fingers for a second, but he could tell she wasn’t done. She was working, formulating, trying to find words. And because his world seemed to be slowly settling back onto its axis, he gave her the time she needed. “I didn’t mean everything I said,” she told him finally, and he wondered why it took her so long to essentially repeat what he’d just said. “And I’m sorry that I haven’t been there for you like you were for me.”
“Calleigh…” Eric itched to pull her close, but couldn’t. Too public, and he wasn’t sure she’d let him anyway. “The only time I don’t think about that, about my parents and my birth certificate… I think about it all the time, except when I’m with you. Or when I’m thinking about you. You’re my solace. Just by being in the room, you’re there for me.”
Eric watched as tears welled in her eyes, just before she closed them and pressed her lips together until they turned white. He hadn’t realized it would mean that much to her, but he supposed he should have. He’d felt the same rush of gratitude as they’d fallen asleep last night. Finally, her eyes blinked back open, no more tears. She smiled at him, just a little, and this time he bought it. “Is it alright if I come over tonight?”
Every basic part of Eric screamed a resounding YES, but his brain piped up and reminded him of this morning, of her insisting that she needed space, that she shouldn’t stay. There was no way one little conversation was enough for Calleigh Duquesne to shelve that, no matter how much she may want to mend things. “It’s your hotel room,” he told her, “but... I thought you said you needed space.”
She nodded a little, jerked her shoulder in something vaguely reminiscent of a shrug. “I do,” she agreed. “But I can have space with you there. I’ll take a bath.” She caught herself, glanced to the side quickly before adding, “By myself.”
It sounded like a fair compromise, and he thought he might go up to the gym for a while, give her even more time, more space. So he smiled and told her, “Okay.”
“Okay,” Calleigh confirmed, and though there was still tension in the room, he felt lighter. He felt like he could breathe normally again. They stood there for a minute, not talking, and Eric watched as Calleigh’s lips slowly curved into a sly smile. “I really want to kiss you right now.”
“Glass walls,” he reminded, answering her smile with a smirk of his own.
“Yeah…” She eased her fingers from his slowly. “Later, though?”
“Definitely.”
Fiddling with the edge of the table, she… hovered. There was no other word for the sudden nervous energy pumping from her again. She tucked her hair behind her ear, frowned slightly, and asked him, “We’re okay, right?”
Heart aching with the realization that she’d dropped none of the vulnerability she’d shown him last night, he reached for her hand and gave it a quick, reassuring squeeze. “We will be.”
With a nod, she took a slow breath and glanced at her watch. “I should get back to work.”
“Yeah, me too. I’ll see you tonight.”
“Mmhmm.” She hesitated for just a second, then leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek and pulling away to give him a half-smile before she left the room.
Eric wasn’t dumb enough to think that this morning had been undone, that either of them had been any less wounded by their careless words, or that tonight would be some moony-eyed lovefest. But they’d bandaged the cuts, he supposed, slathered apology on them like a salve and they’d heal over before too long.
Feeling infinitely more settled, Eric turned his attention back to the ten-cards in front of him. Fifteen minutes later, he’d found the match. “Bingo,” he murmured, lifting up the card. “Looks like baby brother is due for another sit-down.”
Author: SomewhereApart
Fandom: CSI: Miami
Characters: Eric/Calleigh
Rating: PG
Summary: After the events of "The Deluca Motel," Calliegh gives Eric an upgrade.
Chapter One | Chapter Two | Chapter Three | Chapter Four | Chapter Five | Chapter Six | Chapter Seven | Chapter Eight | Chapter Nine | Chapter Ten | Chapter Eleven | Chapter Twelve
Eric couldn’t concentrate. He was supposed to be comparing prints from this morning’s crime scene, but he couldn’t make sense of the arches and whorls. He was too caught up in his brain, too caught up in Calleigh and the argument they’d had. He’d been waffling all morning between being pissed and feeling guilty, so by three in the afternoon, his brain had pretty much been fried to useless mush. Guilty had held over the morning until he’d gotten to work and realized that she wasn’t there. Then he’d been irritated. When he got back from his call-out and discovered that she had gone straight to the day’s second call-out without stepping foot into the lab, he upgraded to pissed. She’d made such a big deal about needing to get out, about being on time for work, and he’d known it was a front for something deeper, something more frantic, but that didn’t mean it couldn’t irk him that she was a whopping two hours late for work after. Was it too much trouble to even pretend her excuses held water?
And then they’d avoided each other all day, which frankly came as no surprise, but it had made him irritable and edgy. He’d snapped at Natalia more than once while they processed their scene, and now she was steering clear of him too. Which was fine. Better, probably. Apparently he was just toxic today.
With a thunk and a heavy sigh, Eric set down his magnifying glass and tipped his head back, pinching the headache between his eyes. Now he was pissed again. Pissed and scowling and generally grumpy. And to think, this time yesterday, he’d been anticipating a romantic dinner and some hot tub hanky panky. Oh how a day - or more specifically, an awful morning - could change things.
As if things couldn’t get any worse, he caught sight of Calleigh rounding the corner. Rather than get caught staring, he hunched over his prints again, studying them but not still seeing a damned thing. The last thing he expected to hear was the click-clack of her heels on the floor as she entered the room, her perfume wafting to him a moment later as she came to a stop about a foot away. He watched out of the corner of his eye as she leaned against the evidence table, trying for casual and failing. Well, at least it was a small comfort to know that she was as thrown today as he was. He didn’t look up, and for a long minute she didn’t say anything, just stood there fidgeting. When she finally found her voice, it was soft, tentative.
“Eric.” He set his magnifying glass down again, lifted his gaze to find her looking nervous and uncomfortable. “Hey,” she tried for a smile, but it wasn’t very convincing.
“Hey,” he replied, and flicking his gaze back to the prints for a moment as he told her, “Your bag is in my car.”
He watched her falter slightly, and frown. “What?”
“You said you didn’t want to sleep at the hotel tonight, so I packed your stuff. It’s in my car.” He was self-aware enough to know he was being cold, and Calleigh-aware enough to know she was trying to let it roll off her back. And failing.
“Oh. Okay.” She fiddled with the end of her sleeve, glanced down at her hands, and it was so un-Calleigh that he felt a stab of guilt. She really was upset… Sucking in a deep breath, she continued, “Can we… talk?”
“Here?” he questioned.
“Just… y’know, for a minute.”
He echoed her breath and nodded, finally giving her his full attention. “Sure. Where do you want to start?”
“With an apology.”
He scoffed, shook his head, and while he’d spent half the morning rehearsing his apology, the idea that she’d demand one from him irked him enough to reconsider.
“No, Eric,” she shook her head, settled a hand on his arm, drawing it back almost immediately when she knew she had his attention. “From me. I’m sorry. I was upset this morning, and I shouldn’t have taken that out on you.”
“I don’t know what you were upset about in the first place,” he sighed, before backtracking, “No, actually, I do know what. I just don’t know why.”
“I probably shouldn’t have been. I just… I’m still adjusting. This, us… it all happened really fast.”
“Yeah, it only took the better part of a decade,” he remarked dryly. “Like light speed - reaching deep space.”
She sighed, brushed her hair back and pressed her lips together for a second. “Eric, can you… not? I’m trying to make things right.”
There was that pang of guilt again. He listened to it this time - really listened - and nodded his head. “Sorry. I’m not in the best mood today.”
“Yeah. Me neither.” Her fingers crept over, settling against the edge of his arm, as if she was afraid he’d reject anything further. Not that he could blame her. “Neither of us was very kind to each other this morning, and I just wanted to apologize.”
“I’m sorry, too. I think we both said some things we didn’t mean,” he conceded, reaching for her fingers and lacing them with his. She relaxed a little at the contact, squeezing her fingers gently over his.
“Yeah.” Her gaze dropped to their fingers for a second, but he could tell she wasn’t done. She was working, formulating, trying to find words. And because his world seemed to be slowly settling back onto its axis, he gave her the time she needed. “I didn’t mean everything I said,” she told him finally, and he wondered why it took her so long to essentially repeat what he’d just said. “And I’m sorry that I haven’t been there for you like you were for me.”
“Calleigh…” Eric itched to pull her close, but couldn’t. Too public, and he wasn’t sure she’d let him anyway. “The only time I don’t think about that, about my parents and my birth certificate… I think about it all the time, except when I’m with you. Or when I’m thinking about you. You’re my solace. Just by being in the room, you’re there for me.”
Eric watched as tears welled in her eyes, just before she closed them and pressed her lips together until they turned white. He hadn’t realized it would mean that much to her, but he supposed he should have. He’d felt the same rush of gratitude as they’d fallen asleep last night. Finally, her eyes blinked back open, no more tears. She smiled at him, just a little, and this time he bought it. “Is it alright if I come over tonight?”
Every basic part of Eric screamed a resounding YES, but his brain piped up and reminded him of this morning, of her insisting that she needed space, that she shouldn’t stay. There was no way one little conversation was enough for Calleigh Duquesne to shelve that, no matter how much she may want to mend things. “It’s your hotel room,” he told her, “but... I thought you said you needed space.”
She nodded a little, jerked her shoulder in something vaguely reminiscent of a shrug. “I do,” she agreed. “But I can have space with you there. I’ll take a bath.” She caught herself, glanced to the side quickly before adding, “By myself.”
It sounded like a fair compromise, and he thought he might go up to the gym for a while, give her even more time, more space. So he smiled and told her, “Okay.”
“Okay,” Calleigh confirmed, and though there was still tension in the room, he felt lighter. He felt like he could breathe normally again. They stood there for a minute, not talking, and Eric watched as Calleigh’s lips slowly curved into a sly smile. “I really want to kiss you right now.”
“Glass walls,” he reminded, answering her smile with a smirk of his own.
“Yeah…” She eased her fingers from his slowly. “Later, though?”
“Definitely.”
Fiddling with the edge of the table, she… hovered. There was no other word for the sudden nervous energy pumping from her again. She tucked her hair behind her ear, frowned slightly, and asked him, “We’re okay, right?”
Heart aching with the realization that she’d dropped none of the vulnerability she’d shown him last night, he reached for her hand and gave it a quick, reassuring squeeze. “We will be.”
With a nod, she took a slow breath and glanced at her watch. “I should get back to work.”
“Yeah, me too. I’ll see you tonight.”
“Mmhmm.” She hesitated for just a second, then leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek and pulling away to give him a half-smile before she left the room.
Eric wasn’t dumb enough to think that this morning had been undone, that either of them had been any less wounded by their careless words, or that tonight would be some moony-eyed lovefest. But they’d bandaged the cuts, he supposed, slathered apology on them like a salve and they’d heal over before too long.
Feeling infinitely more settled, Eric turned his attention back to the ten-cards in front of him. Fifteen minutes later, he’d found the match. “Bingo,” he murmured, lifting up the card. “Looks like baby brother is due for another sit-down.”