A/N: Yes I know the characters are a little OOC but sadly that's the way I like them right now.
Spoilers for episodes 11 'Undercover', 12 'Blinded, and 13 'Sacrifice'
Dedicated to Robyn, also known as LILYandJAMESareCUTE who likes to annoy me until 'her' stories are reality. Yes Robyn I can see you rolling your eyes there. And yes I can hear the 'FINALLY!!'
Disclaimer: Don't own Lie to Me…sadly. Or 'I'd come for you' by Nickelback
Cal Lightman was a strong man. Not much scared him which was a good thing in his line of work. Lie detecting was not for the weak of heart. He was obsessed with suicides, but they didn't scare him. His daughter getting in trouble scared him but that wasn't the worst thing. No the thing that scared him the most was when Gillian Foster got scared. She was the strongest women that he knew and so when she got spooked, he knew something was drastically wrong.
Just one more moment
That's all that's needed
Like wounded soldiers
In need of healing
He had gotten the call at 3 in the morning. Groaning he had reached for the phone and growled his name into it.
"Cal?" Gillian had asked shyly. Cal sat up immediately.
"What's up Gillian?" he asked. He was still worried about her. He could tell that she wasn't getting enough sleep, hadn't since she had almost been abducted and that it had gotten worse since she and Alec had been separated.
"Cal I…I'm scared," she had whispered.
"What do you need luv?" he had asked instantly, already out of bed and searching for the clothes that he had discarded only a few hours before.
"I…I need…you," she had finally admitted.
"I'm already on my way luv," he had promised jogging down the stairs. Emily was at Zoe's so he didn't have to worry about her which meant that getting to Gillian was his only concern.
Time to be honest
This time I'm pleading
Please don't dwell on it
Cause I didn't mean it
Their relationship was anything but normal, Cal thought as he drove through the almost deserted streets. They saw things that other people didn't, but what was jokingly referred to as 'The Line' around the office had never been crossed. Sure he had almost crossed it when he had 'borrowed' Alec's glasses at the restaurant, and then admitted as much to Gillian but, she had reminded him of its existence and he had taken a step back. Well half a step anyway. He had still kept a close eye on her, still protected her in his own way, still been convinced that Alec was cheating, no matter what his best friend or her husband said.
I can't believe I said I'd lay our love on the ground
But it doesn't matter cause I made it up, forgive me now
Everyday I spend away my souls inside out
Gotta be some way that I can make it up to you now, somehow
By now you know that
He pulled his car into Gillian's driveway and almost forgot to lock it before he knocked on the door. It was yanked open almost before his knuckles left the surface by the woman herself. Cal took a second to look at her, really look at her to see what he was dealing with. In that first glance he saw a broken woman. One who was desperately trying to hold herself together despite the rest of her life crumbling around her. Now, at 3:20 am, she held a blanket wrapped around her frail shoulders, and whether it was for warmth or protection Cal wasn't sure. Her eyes were red and puffy, and she had tear tracks down her cheeks. He could see disgust on her face, and shame. Probably from calling him he guessed. She opened her mouth to speak and Cal knew what she was about to say so he got in first.
"I'm not leaving," he said softly. "Not tonight." Gillian closed her mouth and wordlessly stepped aside to allow him to enter with the smallest flicker of relief on her face.
I'd come for you
No-one but you
Yes I'd come for you
But only if you told me to
He followed her through to the kitchen where they sat down on opposite sides of the table.
"What's going on Gill?" he asked, the shortened form of her name slipping out. She didn't reply, just tugged the blanket even tighter around her shoulders. Disgust again, and fear this time.
"Luv, you asked me to come and I'm not going anywhere no matter what you say," Cal told her, hoping that he'd gauged her response correctly. He realised that he had a second later when she burst into tears. He didn't hesitate before walking around the table and pulling her into his embrace.
"It's ok Gill," he murmured. "I've got you." His words only made her sob harder, and clench her fingers around his shirt.
And I'd fight for you
I'd lie it's true
Give my life for you
You know I'd always come for you
It took 15 minutes for Cal to calm Gillian down. 15 minutes where she clung to him like a drowning person will cling to a life preserver. Although, Cal thought as he stroked her hair, she was drowning in a way. She was scared; terrified actually and there was nothing that she could do about it. Her life was collapsing. She wasn't fighting but he could and he damn well would if that's what it took to keep her with him.
I was blindfolded
But now I'm seeing
My mind was closing
Now I'm believing
Cal watched his best friend pull away and wipe her eyes with her sleeve before pulling her blanket back around her.
"Sorry," she whispered. Her words showed on her face.
"You have nothing to be sorry for," he told her firmly, his tone indicating that he was blaming someone else for his wet shirt. Gillian gave him a weak, watery smile.
"You need sleep," Cal continued. "And fast before you pass out." She opened her mouth. "No arguments Gill," he interrupted. "Trust me on this one." She seemed to consider it before she rose gracefully and held her hand out.
"Stay?" she asked shyly. Cal took her hand.
"Always," he promised standing up.
I finally know just what it means to let someone in
To see the side of me that no-one does or ever will
So if you're ever lost and find yourself all alone
I'd search forever just to bring you home
Here and now it's a vow
By now you know that
Gillian led him to her bedroom, her hand clutching at his desperately. She stopped halfway turning around as if to tell him that if he wanted to leave then he could. If it had been anyone else, Cal thought, then he might have taken her up on that offer. But it was Gillian, and he could see the fear etched on her face so instead of saying anything he squeezed her hand just enough to reassure her that he wasn't leaving. She smiled at him slightly before resuming the walk down the hall.
I'd come for you
No-one but you
Yes I'd come for you
But only if you told me to
By the time they reached her bedroom Gillian was shaking. She tugged him in before letting go of his hand. She bit her lip and Cal suppressed a smile at how much she looked like a nervous child.
"Want me to turn around luv?" he asked her. Gillian shook her head vigorously and in one movement dropped the blanket and slid into the bed before tugging the covers over herself. Cal smiled softly at her.
"Ok luv?" he asked. Gillian nodded.
And I'd fight for you
I'd lie it's true
Give my life for you
You know I'd always come for you
She patted the bed next to her.
"Please?" she asked giving him her best puppy-dog eyes. Cal rolled his own eyes. She always used them and it was why he found it hard to refuse her anything. He swore that she knew how they affected him and so no matter how much he might tease her he never outright refused her. The sugar, the fact that she was a packrat, he never said no.
You know I'll always come for you
He lay down beside her and she snuggled up against him. He hesitated for a second before wrapping his arm around her thin waist. In addition to not sleeping she'd obviously stopped eating as well. He would talk to her about that tomorrow, he promised himself. He could always threaten to implement a no sugar policy if it came to that. Glancing over at her face he wasn't surprised to note that she was asleep. She'd been close to collapsing these past few days and if him being here gave her an hour or two of respite then he would stay as long as she needed him.
No matter what gets in my way
As long as there's still life in me
No matter what remember
You know I'll always come for you
He must have dropped off to sleep at some point because his phone woke him up for the second time that morning. He just missed the call because sometime during the night the two of them had shifted so that her head was on his chest and her arm was thrown carelessly across his stomach while he had wrapped his arms around her, keeping her close to his body. He gently untangled them and, grabbing his phone, went out to the hall to see what required his attention at…9:30? Well it wasn't surprising since neither of them had gotten home until 11 the previous night.
Yes I'd come for you
No-one but you
Yes I'd come for you
But only if you told me to
It turned out to be Torres, wanting to know where both of them were. He brushed her off, told her that Gillian might be taking a personal day and that he'd be there soon before hanging up on her.
"That was kinda rude don't you think?" came the soft voice from behind him. Turning around he saw Gillian standing there, hair tousled from sleep with the familiar twinkle in her eyes that had been missing for what felt like forever. On impulse he shot an impish grin at her.
"Which part?" Cal asked. "Hanging up on her?" Gillian did smile at him then, and it wasn't the reserved smile that had been there for so long but the whole 'You're an idiot and you're still the most adorable creature around' smile that reached her eyes.
"The hanging up on her and telling her that I might be skipping work without asking me part?" she suggested. He grinned back at her.
"I thought you were still asleep," he defended himself. She shook her head.
"You woke me up when you got up," she explained.
And I'd fight for you
I'd lie it's true
Give my life for you
You know I'd always come for you
"Well since you are awake, why don't you take the day?" he offered. "Just relax for once, not worry about anyone other than yourself?"
"Nah thanks," she said. "Knowing you, you'd probably get yourself arrested by the FBI and then annoy them enough to shoot you as soon as you walk out of my door." Cal shrugged. She was probably right. His stupider ideas always seemed to come when she wasn't around. Take the idea of turning the table in the Cube over in front of Jenkins and almost getting himself kicked out of his own interrogation room for example. That hadn't been part of the plan.
No matter what gets in my way
As long as there's still life in me
No matter what remember
You know I'll always come for you
"Breakfast then," he suggested. "My treat. Whatever you want." She looked at him.
"You're kidding me right?" she asked. "You never give me anything I want." He shrugged and looked at the floor.
"Fine," she groaned. "Give me half an hour to make myself feel human alright?" He looked at her and grinned again.
"I'm gonna head home and change myself," he admitted. "I'll pick you up in an hour." Gillian walked him to the door.
"Hey Cal?" she called as he was almost to his car. He turned around and raised an eyebrow.
"Thanks," she said. "For everything." He nodded.
"Anytime luv," he promised. She shut the door and Cal stepped in to the drivers seat.
I'd crawl across this world for you
Do anything you want me to
No matter what remember
You know I'll always come for you
He smiled to himself when Emily's current favourite song came onto the radio as he pulled out of the driveway. Yeah it summed up his and Gillian's relationship perfectly. He'd always come for her.
You know I'll always come for you
A/N: No I'm not an idiot who doesn't know how to spell 'love' but when it's Cal's accent then to me 'luv' sounds right. If people want it then I might consider doing a companion piece to this for Gillian's point of view. Please review!