Yayyyy I love all the reviews! Thank you all so much for the kind words! There's a little extra Ryan/Natalia fluff in this one. Don't worry, still plenty of Eric/Calleigh!Now for the truth or dare game... I'm looking forward to this haha
"I can't believe I'm doing this," Delko said, rolling his dark eyes as he sat in a circle on the floor with the rest of the CSI team.
"Come on, grumpy-pants, it'll be fun!" Calleigh gave him a wink as she said this.
"Alright, I'll go first," Ryan said, flashing a mischievous grin.
"Oh no you don't!" Calleigh protested. "The birthday boy will."
Eric groaned. "Fine," he groaned, glancing around the circle. "Umm... Frank! Truth or Dare?"
"Oh boy," Frank muttered, shaking his bald head. " This should be good." After considering for a moment, Frank sighed and said, "Dare."
Eric smiled and said, "Great! Take a sharpie and color on some new hair. And a mustache."
Frank sighed as everyone else watched him with expectant eyes. Calleigh got up and retrieved a dark brown sharpie from a drawer.
"Of course you know where everything is at Delko's house," Frank mumbled. He looked around, and. After making sure no one had overheard his comment, he proceeded to uncap the sharpie and begin the process of coloring in some hair onto his head.
"Can I help?" Natalia asked after 10 painful minutes of Frank attempting to cover every spot.
"Bout damn time!" Frank said loudly, throwing down the marker in frustration.
Natalia just laughed and picked it up off the tan rug. Making sure nobody saw the hairdo until she finished, she carefully styled Frank's sharpie hair.
"Voila!" she said, stepping aside to reveal her handiwork. The minute she did so, the rest of the group erupted into laughter. Natalia had not only drawn on hair and a mustache, but also a full beard and sideburns.
After glancing in a mirror, Frank yelled, "Natalia! I look like a middle-aged Justin Geeger!"
The group laughed still harder at this, Alexx wiping tears of laughter from her eyes. "Honey, it's Justin BIEBER. And I do see the resemblance. I love the swish you gave it Natalia!"
After the group had finished with they're laughing and joking, it was Frank's turn.
"Ryan, truth or dare?"
Ryan looked up in surprise. "Oh... Um... Truth?" He said, more of a question than an answer.
"What is your favorite thing about all the people in this room?" Frank asked. He glanced at Natalia as he said this. He knew there was something between the two, even if they didn't yet. He wanted to see what Ryan would say about his special female interest.
"Oh, um... H, you never give up and always do the right thing. Calleigh, you're always optimistic. Eric, you're a great wingman, bro. Frank, you're always blunt and they'll things how they are. Alexx, you're the most caring person I've ever met. Walter, you're always good when I need cheering up! And Natalia..."
Ryan had been on a roll before, but he paused when he came to the beautiful woman sitting next to him. There were so many things he loved about her, how could he pick just one? He debated for a minute, then said, "Natalia, you are the most loyal, true, gorgeous, kick-ass person I've ever met."
Natalia blushed, her caramel eyes looking deep into his crystal blue ones. Rght then, there was a stirring deep inside her, something she'd never felt before. Possessed by some insane urge, she started leaning in.
Ryan felt a tug in his gut, some string pulling him towards Natalia. As he tilted his head toward her, he saw with surprise that she was leaning in too. And at that moment, no one else in the room mattered. It was now or never, and he chose now.
With one swift move Ryan closed he distance between him and Natalia. His whole body superheated as their lips touched, all of his neurons firing at once. His heart pounded and thoughts raced, but all he could think about at that moment was Natalia and the feel of her lips moving against his. When they finally broke apart, they were both breathing hard and locked into each others gazes.
"Well," Horatio said cheerfully, "That escalated quickly."
Ryan and Natalia looked at everyone else in the circle, the spell broken.
"Hey, congrats man. I knew it would happen, I just wasn't sure when you'd get the guts to do it!" Eric said, grinning at his friend.
"Well," Ryan said, his voice cracking at an alarmingly high pitch, "I uh, err... I mean ive really alway liked her... I mean we've both..."
"What are you, a retard?" Frank yelled impatiently.
"Oh. Right. I guess it's my turn." Ryan squeezed Natalia's hand and she squeezed back as they exchanged a special smile.
"Eric, truth or dare?"
"Oh, uh," Delko thought for a minute before saying, "Dare."
"Name all the girls you've hooked up with at a club this month." Ryan said, grinning. "Last year when I asked it was like 27 girls!"
Eric looked uncomfortable as he fiddled with his hands. He bit his lip and then gently released it. "That would be, ah, none."
Everybody laughed at this.
"Yeah right!" Natalia said. "It must be an even higher number this year!"
Delko rolled his eyes. "I'm serious guys! I haven't hooked up with any girls at any clubs."
"Maybe he's saying he's found someone," Horatio said, intuitive as always.
"What? No," Walter said, throwing a not-so-subtle glance in Calleigh's direction. "The famous ladies man is finally settling down? Who is it?"
"Alright maybe there is someone special," Eric admitted, "But it's my turn anyways! Walter, truth or dare?"
Walter rolled his eyes at the change of subject, but didn't comment. He thought apprehensively for a moment, then decided, "Dare."
Eric leaned across the circle to whisper his dare in Walter's ear. As he spoke Walter looked scandalized and said, "Oh no, man. No way."
"Sorry buddy, you gotta do it!" Eric said, not looking the least bit apologetic.
Walter clamored to his feet and walked to the computer, blocking the screen until a web page came up. He clicked on a link and then sighed, pressed play, and turned around.
"All the single ladies, all the single ladies," Walter sang along with the music blaring out of the speakers, horribly off pitch. He started doing the dance unenthusiastically.
As Eric looked around the room, all the CSIs were laughing so hard that tears were streaking down the face of every one. Calleigh looked at him and said, "Eric Delko, you are my hero."
Walter danced and sang along diligently until the end, when he closed out the window on he computer and flopped down on the floor. "That was humiliating," he said, glaring and Delko.
Eric was still laughing too hard to respond.
"Ugh, alright! My turn," Walter announced. "Calleigh," he said, smiling at the anxious southern belle. "Truth or dare?"
"Dare," said Calleigh, her emerald green eyes sparkling as she did so.
Walter thought for a moment. This was his chance! If he could just figure out if anything was going on between Calleigh and Delko.
"Ah! I dare you to truthfully answer every question I ask you about your love life." Walter said with an impish grin.
Calleigh paled slightly. Worry seeped into her eyes for moment, but quickly dissipated as she said, "Fine. But you can only ask three."
Walter nodded. "For my first question! You've dated Jake Berkeley and John Hagen, correct?"
Calleigh winced at the question, overwhelmed by the sudden rush of memories.
"Wait that wasn't my question though. My question is why did you break up with them?"
Calleigh sighed, reluctant to open up and spill about her love life. "Well, um, John was being kind of a jerk in general, but Eric told me he wanted to withhold evidence from my dad's case and that was the last straw. With Jake... Well he was just always undercover. He used it as an excuse for everything! He let me down way too many time. Plus, he was just so horrible to Eric. He always ridiculed his technique, made fun of him... And he said it was just that Eric reminded of a guy from what? A guy from the and he was undercover with! I mean he was just totally being..."
Calleigh broke off as she realized she was rambling. She blinked a few times and took a deep breath to calm herself before saying "All right, next question."
"Interesting how both of those stories have someone in common," Frank commented.
Everyone laughed as Walter gazed around thoughtfully. True to his CSI's eye for detail, he noticed the fashionable afghan draped over the couch, along with the rest of the immaculately decorated room. There were lace curtains on a small window over the sink in the kitchen, and everything looked organized and in place. This was definitely not a bachelor pad.
Walter smirked as he asked his next question, knowing it would cost him but not caring in the slightest.
"Calleigh?" Walter asked in his nicest voice.
Calleigh avoided eye contact and answered with an anxious sounding, "Yes?"
"What are your relations with this apartment?"
Calleigh looked up quickly, her mind grasping for an answer. "I'm, uh, not sure I understand the question."
"I think you do," Walter said with a mischievous smile.
Picking at the carpet, Calleigh mumbled something unintelligible.
"Oh, I'm sorry Cal not all of us heard that. What did you say?"
Calleigh's eyes me Eric's, who exhaled and nodded. His consent given, Calleigh said in a louder voice, "I live here."
This announcement was met with a few gasps and many smiles.
"Congratulations," Horatio said with his signature tilt of the head and warm smile.
Eric and Calleigh were both grinning, happy to let the secret out. Eric wrapped his arm around her shoulder and kissed her cheek, making Calleigh blush.
"So, why do you live here Calleigh?" Walter asked.
"Ugh, isn't that enough questions?" She said, sounding exasperated but grinning at he same time.
"Absolutely not, I still have one more question!" Walter said insistently.
"Ugh! Because I am in love with Eric, all right?" The words came tumbling out of Calleigh's mouth before she could stop them, but then she realized she didn't want to. Never before had a sentence sounded so right coming out of her mouth.
Her proclamation received slack-jawed gaping and confused blinks. But Eric only smiled. They had no idea how long ago they had said those words to each other. It seemed like ages ago when they admitted their feelings, but sharing them with everyone made it all the more special.
He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and kissed her cheek. "I love you too."
Across the circle, Alexx was fighting back ears of happiness. For years she had watched the two dance around each other, always exchanging flirty smiles and adoring looks but never admitting their feelings.
It had been torture, stopping herself from meddling. She told herself if it was meant to be it would happen in it's own, but that didn't stop the temptation to go up and shake some sense into the two of them.
And now, watching them, she was becoming overwhelmed at the sight. The way Ri looked at Calleigh made up for all the waiting. He looked at her with such adoration it was like she was the only girl on the planet that mattered.
"Pay up!" Ryan said to Natalia and Walter. "I want my forty bucks!"
With much grumbling and complaining, Walter and Natalia each handed over a twenty to both Ryan and Frank.
"Just out of curiosity, how long has his been going on?" Natalia asked.
"Oh... A year and a half." Calleigh said.
"What? And you never told me?" Natalia gasped, looking insulted.
"Oh come on, you know me! I never say anything abut my love. But it's finally out now," Calleigh said happily, "Plus it's my turn! But since it's late, I'm going to go ahead and dare both Horatio and Alexx."
Everyone nodded, excited to see what the devious bullet girl would come up with.
"All you have to do is... don't laugh!" Calleigh said, looking excited. "All of us are going to take one turn each to make you laugh, and if you laugh, you get a special punishment." She lauded down the words with a smile that made both adults nervous.
Walter went first, doing a monkey imitation. The corners of Horatio's mouth twitched, and Alexx's eyes got rounder and rounder with the effort.
Ryan and Natalia teamed up to go next.
Both looked nervous, but were grinning ear to ear. Ryan looked to Natalia and said "Alright BV, gimme a beat!"
And with that, she started beatboxing. Ryan let her be in the spotlight for a moment, then jumped in and started rapping, "Started from the bottom now we here!"
Everyone was rolling around on the floor laughing, save for Alexx and Horatio. Ryan wrapped he whole song, and Natalia even joined in at one point. Soon everyone was singing along.
Towards the end of the song, Natalia backed up all the way into the hallway. As Ryan rapped the last few lines, she ran into the room. As she neared Ryan, he squatted down until she jumped. Then he wrapped his hands around her waist and lifted her high into the air.
"... Damn..." Eric said as Ryan gently set Natalia down on the groun. "Where'd you learn to do the move from Dirty Dancing Wolfe?"
"I, um... Trained my dog to do that," Ryan said, looking at his feet.
For Alexx, this was too much. She burst out laughing, hunched over and clutched a table to keep from falling.
"We have a winner!" Calleigh announced, pointing to Horatio. "Now Alexx, just stay there."
She jogged into the kitchen and rummaged around in the fridge. When she returned, she was hiding something in the palm of her hand. She walked behind Alexx and reached a hand above her head.
Then, she cracked the egg she was holding onto Alexx's head. The ex- medical examiner screeched and tried to comb out the egg from her hair, yelling, "Calleigh Duquesne, you know I just got this weave yesterday!"
Now even Horatio was laughing. The whole group was rolling around on the floor.
Once the laughter had subsided, Eric said, "Alright, this really has been the best birthday ever, but it's late and I'm tired. So-"
"Wait!" Calleigh yelled. "We still have to open presents!"
Everyone agreed. Horatio gave his gift first, a navy blue hoodie that was monogrammed with CSI on the front and his name on the back. (Ryan suggested the CSI could also stand for Calleigh Sexiness Inspector.)
Alexx had gotten Delko a framed photo of him and Calleigh. It was from the CSI beach picnic last year. Eric had Calleigh hoisted over his shoulder and was marching into the waves, grinning like he couldn't care less that he was going to get shot at for what he was about to do.
Calleigh was laughing and yelling at Eric at the same time. The wind had caught her not-dry-for-long hair at the perfect moment, so it was flowing out to the side. They looked like they were the happiest people in Miami.
Eric didn't say anything when he opened the gift, but Alexx didn't care. The look on his face said it all.
Walter and Ryan had teamed up to get Eric a lifetimes supply of Cafe Cubano.
"Sorry Calleigh," Walter said. "I hope he doesn't make you drink too much!"
Natalia presented her gift next, an iPhone case decorated with a fake blood splatter.
"Thanks, Nat, this is awesome!" Eric said with a grin. "I love it."
Calleigh handed him her present last, a plain envelope with his name on the front. When he opened it, the first thing he pulled out was a very long letter that was probably folded a hundred times so it would fit into the envelope. With it was a cheesy card with a bad joke.
"Oh," Calleigh said, her face turning crimson, "You can read the letter, um, later."
After the laughter that followed faded, Eric opened the card. Out fell two rectangular strips of paper. He picked them up and looked at them, then looked at Calleigh in amazement.
"The Caribbean?" he asked, hardly believing it.
Calleigh returned with a brilliant smile and said, "Two weeks, you and me. It's set for a A week from today, but that's negotiable."
Eric threw his arms around Calleigh as their lips met. This was literally his dream come true.
After everyone had given their gifts and said their well wishes for Eric's birthday, everyone took off their separate ways.
Except, of course, for Calleigh and Eric. As they watched their friends drive away, Eric turned to give Calleigh a quick kiss on the cheek. Calleigh laughed and then frowned.
"Hey Eric, isn't Natalia's house that way?" Calleigh asked, pointing the opposite way the CSI was driving.
"Yeah," Eric said with a chuckle, "But I know someone else's house is that way. And based on their little display tonight I'd say they have some unfinished business."
Calleigh laughed and shook her head. "They are so great together."
Eric agreed. "Hey.. Cal?" He took a deep breath, "Come with me."

As they drove, Calleigh rolled the windows down and let the winds sweep through her long hair. The night air was cool against her face as she wondered where on earth Eric was taking her.
After a while, they pulled up to a large white building.
"The hospital?" Calleigh asked, the surprise visible in her voice.
"You'll see," Eric said, his nervous smile standing out in the moonlight. He led her down a hallway lit with candles and up a stairwell decorated with rose petals. Leading her down another hallway, Eric made a sharp turn into a room on the left.
Calleigh was confused, but as they walked into the room she recognized it. She recognized the bed where Eric had lay still as she lowered a crucifix into his hand and shivered. It wasn't necessarily something she wanted to remember.
Eric turned around, taking her hand and giving her an anxious grin.
"Calleigh, I love you with all my heart. I always will. This is the place I realized how much I cared about you. I remember when I got shot and was lying in that bed, and you came in. I was asleep, but I could hear that it was you. I felt you put the cross necklace into my hand, even though your dad got you that necklace the day you turned 18.
"Even though that necklace mattered so much to you, you trusted me with it. And the only thing I was thinking was 'Thank God she came. Of all the people, she's the one I want to see the most." That was when I realized how much you mattered to me. And when I came back to work, you supported me through everything, the good and the bad.
"I know you've been hurt before by other men. Relatives, boyfriends, friends. You chose to let me in in spite of that. I promise you I will never let another man hurt you. I wou die for you, Calleigh, and the best part is I know without asking that you would for me, too.
"Calleigh, you are gorgeous, smart, witty, and strong. I have no idea what I would do without you in my life. So..."
Eric took a deep breath and got don on one knee, pulling a ring box out of his pocket. "Will you marry me?"

Jake was perched in a tree outside, seething. What was this? How could this happen?
He watched in horror as Eric got down on one knee. He had no right! No right to take what was rightfully his!
That didn't matter anymore though. Nothing did. Nothing except Calleigh.
Tomorrow morning, after Calleigh left for her morning jog, he would set his plan into action. He knew Eric left after Calleigh did to go to the gym.
He imagined Calleigh's face as she came home to his surprise. Oh how upset she would be. She would pay for abandoning him, for leaving him behind.
But he would forgive her. Because he loved her and when you love someone that is what you do.
After tomorrow, nothing could get in his way.
3rd chapter up! Sorry for the longer wait, but it's a much longer chapter. I had so much to put into it, hope it's not too long! Tell me what you think, THE MORE YOU REVIEW THE MORE I UPDATE!