Chapter 17
"Where in the world is Pallas Athena when you need her?"
Chapter 17: Breathing
I am hanging on every word you say
And even if you don't want to speak tonight
That's alright, alright with me
'Cause I want nothing more than
To sit outside heaven's door
And listen to you breathing
That's where I want to be
Lifehouse
"There," Caitlin said, gently pressing the bandage into Eric's head. He had refused to let her bully him into going to the hospital, claiming only a slight headache and some sore ribs. One look at those puppy dog brown eyes had made Caitlin cave. Cursing her own weakness, but relishing the chance to be close to him, she found herself playing makeshift doctor in the back of the CIA van. "You'll go to the doctor first thing when we get back to L.A.?"
"First thing," he promised. "For now, though, we've got some major cleanup to do."
She nodded. "Let's get to it, then we can get home." She started to jump down from the van. Eric's hand circling her wrist stopped her short.
"Caitlin. Why didn't you run?" He asked, looking up at her.
"I couldn't make myself leave you, Eric. Putting myself in danger, that's never bothered me. But seeing someone I care for in harm's way...I had to stay and see for myself that you would be all right." She intertwined her fingers with his. "And because..." she trailed off, shaking her head.
"Caitlin. Please, whatever it is, say it."
She smiled at him, tears sparkling in her eyes. "Because wherever you are, that's where I want to be. It's that simple."
Eric pulled her into his lap, circling his arms around her waist. "Same here, beautiful. Same here." She leaned her head onto his shoulder. He whispered, "You know it would have killed me if he had hurt you."
"I know, and I'm sorry."
He shook his head. "Don't be sorry. It's just that...Caitlin, I...."
"Weiss," Vaughn said, poking his head inside the van. He smirked at the scene in front of him. "Sorry to interrupt."
"We'll talk later," Eric murmured in Caitlin's ear. "What's up, Vaughn?"
"I've contacted the Federales, they're ready to move on SD-3 at your orders. Apparently Saldivar was Valdez's second in command; he's going to help us with reconnaissance."
"OK. Let's head back to Bogota now and get the ball rolling."
Caitlin started to rise, but Weiss held her in place. "And where do you think you're going?" They grinned at each other as the van lurched into movement.
~*~*~
Hours later, Weiss, Caitlin, Vaughn, and Carlos walked out of SD-3. "So all lower-level agents thought they were working for the Colombian government?" Vaughn asked Carlos.
"Correct," Carlos replied.
"All right, so we'll let the Federales debrief the lower-level employees, and the higher execs we'll fly back to L.A. tonight under custody." Weiss turned to Vaughn. "Mike, would you mind if..."
Vaughn held up a hand. "Mr. Devlin," he intoned in a mocking voice, "Agent Weiss had some urgent business to finish up in Bogota and regrettably, won't be flying back to L.A. until tomorrow. Oh, Agent Sinclair? She was exhausted, so I insisted that she go home. She'll be in tomorrow as well. Late tomorrow."
Weiss smiled gratefully at his friend. "What he doesn't know..."
"Won't hurt him," Vaughn finished.
"You're the best, Mike."
"Don't I know it. I'll tell the jet to be back at the Bogota airport at noon tomorrow." Vaughn flashed a dimpled grin at Caitlin and Eric. "Agents Sinclair and Weiss, have a lovely evening, and don't do anything I wouldn't do."
"Speaking of, say hi to Sydney for me," Caitlin cracked.
Vaughn wiggled his eyebrows comically. "Will do. See you tomorrow." He looked at Carlos. "Mr. Saldivar, ready to go?"
"Just a moment, please." Carlos turned to Caitlin. "Miss Sinclair, I would like the chance to explain myself. Could you come see me when you return stateside?"
Caitlin nodded. "Of course." She quickly leaned over and hugged the very surprised Hispanic man. "Thank you," she said to him. She waved as Vaughn and Carlos got in the van and sped off.
Weiss grabbed her hand. "You ready?"
"Yeah." Caitlin glanced back toward the SD-3 building. SD-3 agents were still being filed out, their hands cuffed behind their backs. "We did it, David," she whispered to herself. Sydney had been right. Revenge wasn't worth it, but justice sure did feel good. Smiling, she asked Eric, "Are you okay to walk?"
He motioned with his left hand to the sky, splashed orange and red by the setting sun. "With this view? You bet."
Hand in hand, they walked down the street into the horizon.
~*~*~
Eric unlocked the door to the hotel room and pushed it open. Caitlin sighed and flopped on the bed. "Ahh."
He smiled at the sight and tossed his keys on the nightstand. "Tired?"
She crossed her hands behind her head and slid her knees up so he could sit on the edge of the bed. "Not really. I'm just relieved that this is over. It's a big weight off my shoulders." She smiled, closing her eyes. "Ever get those days where you think, 'if only I'd listened when Mom told me to be a teacher'?"
"For me it was a standup comedian, but I know what you mean." He leaned down to take off his shoes. "For what it's worth, you know you're good at what you do. Everybody knows it; that's why Devlin wanted you on this op. And look what you did. You took down an entire rogue organization, Caitlin." Once he finished with his shoes, he took Caitlin's feet into his lap and started untying her laces.
"Well, I had lots and lots of help." She watched bemusedly as he removed both her shoes and began softly rubbing her feet. "Just out of curiosity, what are you doing?"
"Taking care of you," he replied.
"Yeah, but I should be taking care of you." She shivered as his thumb pressed into the arch of her foot.
He laughed mischievously. "Ticklish?"
"No," she lied, her eyes giving her away.
"Oh really?" He dropped her foot and dug his fingers into her sides, causing her to convulse in giggles.
"Eric!" Caitlin shrieked. She retaliated by giving him the same treatment.
"Say uncle!" he ordered, laughing wholeheartedly. He figured that after the day they'd had, a little fun couldn't hurt anything.
"What are you, nine? Never!" Her hands stilled when Eric winced in pain. Shoot. She'd forgotten about his ribs. "You okay?"
Eric nodded, shaking off the brief pain. "I'll live."
"Here." She kissed her fingers and brushed her hand against his side. "All better."
"Now who's nine?" He carefully stretched out next to her, propping himself up on his elbow. "And if you're gonna kiss it better, this is more what I had in mind," he said, touching his lips to hers. "Hey, need to ask you a question."
"Anything."
"Did you mean what you said the other day? About...loving me?" He inwardly held his breath.
She nodded. "That wasn't exactly how or when I had planned to say it, but I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it with all my heart. You coming into my life was a total surprise to me, Eric. But I wouldn't change that, or you, for anything." She leaned into his hand stroking her cheek. "I love you. Nothing will change that."
He took a deep breath. "I'm supposed to follow a declaration like that?"
"Eric, you don't have to say anything."
"No. I want to. I've wanted to for weeks. Caitlin, I..." he paused. "You'll have to bear with me, I've never said this to anyone else. It's just that...I wasn't sure I'd ever find you. I had no idea if I'd ever get to this point, where I'd hear the words 'I love you' from someone that I loved so much." He swallowed nervously. "And I do, Caitlin. I love you. You are everything in this world to me." He leaned over her, their foreheads touching. His eyes squeezed shut, he breathed, "I almost lost my everything today."
She inhaled sharply at his words. "Oh, Eric. I'm still here. I'm still here." They kissed sweetly. Eric's hands dipped under Caitlin's shirt, caressing the smooth skin underneath. Caitlin sat up and raised her arms above her head, allowing him to run his hands up her torso and slip the shirt off. She tossed it aside and reached for the buttons on his shirt, lightly kissing his neck. She opened the shirt to reveal the large yellowish bruise on his stomach. "Eric," she gasped. "Are you sure you're okay for this?"
He worked his arms out of the sleeves and threw the shirt on the floor. Kissing her firmly, he replied, "The question, Sinclair, is if I can go one more night without it. And the answer," he continued, punctuating his words with little kisses along her jaw line, "is an unequivocal no."
"Just checking," she muttered, wrapping her arms around his neck.
They leaned back against the pillows, rolling so Caitlin was underneath Eric. After a few minutes, Caitlin broke away. "Wait." She glanced into his eyes. "I haven't taken my pill in a few weeks."
He winked at her. "Nightstand drawer. Got it covered."
"Figured you were gonna get lucky tonight, Agent Weiss?" she asked, roaming her hands across his back.
"Well, a guy can dream."
Their lips mingled, tongues entwining as the rest of their clothes were quickly shed. They laughed and bantered as they enjoyed discovering each other for the first time. Every touch was new, every kiss was unique and special. And when they had driven each other to the brink of desperation, they both marveled at the beauty that was making love, rather than just having sex.
As dawn's rays filtered through the Venetian blinds, Eric glanced down at Caitlin's sleeping form. Her head rested on his chest, her breathing deep and even. He tried to wrap his brain around all that had happened in the past six weeks. In such a short period of time, he had found the girl that added color and vitality to his life. The girl that made him feel he could do anything. The girl that made him want to give everything. He ran his fingers through her hair, content to lie there and listen to her breathe.
Minutes later, Caitlin's eyes fluttered open. "Hi," she murmured sleepily, stretching against him like a contented cat.
"Hi yourself," he said. He shouldn't have been surprised that she was adorable when she had just woken up, but he was. "Did you ever read The Odyssey in high school?"
She blinked questioningly. "College. Why?"
He rubbed his hand along her bare shoulder. "I was just thinking about the scene where Odysseus and Penelope make love for the first time in twenty years. Remember? Pallas Athena stops the sun from rising, to give the lovers more time together."
She rolled on top of him, crossing her hands on his chest and resting her chin on them. "I remember. I have to say, I'm surprised that you can make reference to Homer, but I'll go with it."
Eric smirked. "Homer knew what he was talking about. I was just lying here, wondering where in the world is Pallas Athena when you need her?" He grabbed one of her hands, kissing the palm. "What I wouldn't give to make time with you stretch just a little bit longer."
Her blue eyes sparked with laughter. "Damn you, Weiss. Now I'm gonna have to kiss you, morning breath and all."
"Well, if you must, you must."
They kissed long and slow. Caitlin broke away and checked the clock on the bedside table. "Well, we may not have our own Athena, but we've still got four hours until we have to be at the airport." She pulled the covers over both their heads and grinned mischievously at Eric. "I'd say that's time enough for a few more rounds and then a shower. Who knows, maybe we can even try for the Mile High Club on the way home."
"Insatiable woman," Eric growled. "The Agency never trained me for this."
~*~*~
Eric and Caitlin walked into CIA headquarters at around five that evening. As they entered the main lobby, they were greeted by applause from a large group including Vaughn, Ethan, and Devlin.
Vaughn and Ethan walked forward to greet the pair. "Caitlin, good to see you," Ethan said, a huge grin on his face. "Nice work in Colombia."
"Thanks, Ethan. How's the baby?"
If it was possible, his grin got even wider. "She's great."
"Glad to hear it." She smiled at him and shifted her sights on Vaughn. "Vaughn, can I see Carlos Saldivar?"
He nodded. "He's been wanting to see you. Just head down to the end of that hallway, and the guard will let you in. You've already been cleared."
She impulsively gave him a quick hug. "Thanks, Vaughn. For everything."
He patted her back and smiled. "No problem. If you're free tonight, Sydney wants you to come over for dinner."
"Sounds great." Caitlin released him and began to walk away. She turned and said to Weiss, "I'll be back in a little bit." She disappeared down the hallway.
Ethan and Vaughn both crossed their arms across their chests and raised their eyebrows at Weiss. "What?" he barked good-naturedly.
"Must have been some night," Vaughn replied.
"Don't be an ass."
Vaughn and Ethan exchanged a meaningful look. "So, you're in love with her, huh Weiss?" Ethan asked laughingly. "Eric Weiss, Mr. Bachelor himself, in love. And with a CIA agent, no less."
Eric rolled his eyes. "I'm never gonna live this one down, am I?"
"No freaking way," they replied simultaneously.
~*~*~
Caitlin sat down across the table from Carlos. "Mr. Saldivar. I can't thank you enough for what you did in Colombia."
He smiled at her. "Please. Carlos."
"OK, Carlos. I just wanted to say that...Agent Weiss and I owe you our lives. We wouldn't be here right now if it weren't for you." She paused. "You said you wanted to explain yourself. Would you like to do so now?"
He nodded. "I'm sure you're wondering why I would turn my back on my boss, my agency, like that."
She nodded, an apologetic smile on her face. "If you don't mind telling me."
"Not at all. Miss Sinclair, Caitlin...I owe my change of heart to you and Agent Brandt."
She stiffened at David's name. "What...what do you mean?"
"I worked for Rafael Valdez for 15 years. He was a very powerful man, very charismatic and convincing. Though I've known all along the true purpose of SD-3, I allowed myself to believe Valdez's excuses that our actions were justifiable and reasonable. I believed him when he told me that the benefits would outweigh whatever moral misgivings I might have." He looked at her sympathetically and continued.
"Nearly three months ago, I was running an ordinary file down to Security Section. I passed one of our conference rooms, and was surprised to hear commotion coming from there, as it was almost midnight. I stopped to find out what was happening...and saw Valdez with a gun to your partner's head. I watched him, and you, as he shot Agent Brandt."
Caitlin was shocked. "You were there that night?"
"How do you think you got away?"
Everything clicked in her mind. She remembered that after David had been shot, someone down the hall had yelled for Valdez. He had turned to her, slimily suggested that she stay where she was, and left to see what was the matter. After he was gone, she had frantically searched for a way of escape and had finally settled on breaking the window near the ceiling and hauling herself through. "The employee who called for Valdez, that was you."
He nodded gravely. "I didn't understand Valdez's reasoning for doing what he had done. All I could think about was the look on your face when Agent Brandt was killed. I couldn't let Valdez do the same to you. I had to give you a chance to get away." He took a sip from his water glass. "For weeks afterward, I spent my days in confused thought. Could I really continue to support a man that had so much evil in him? Then Valdez informed me that he had renewed contact with you. In all my confusion, one idea rang true. I was in a position to help you bring him to justice."
He shrugged. "And that's it, really. Everything else just seemed to fall in place. I had seen Agent Weiss's picture in our files, and one day as I was stepping out of SD-3 I spotted him across the street. I kept tabs on where his hotel was, and waited until the right time to give him all the information I could." He smiled warmly at her. "And here we are."
Caitlin grabbed both his hands and squeezed them. "Thank you," she said fiercely.
"No," he countered, "Thank you, Caitlin. Thank you for reminding me that there is something besides success worth fighting for."
~*~*~
Caitlin stood in front of the sink in Sydney and Vaughn's kitchen. She had insisted that she be allowed to do dishes while Sydney put Christian to bed. Her mind still on the conversation with Carlos earlier, she was brought back to the present by Eric's reflection over her shoulder in the window. "So who was on the phone?"
Eric picked up a clean plate and began drying it with a dish towel. "Devlin. He wanted us to know that Saldivar and his family have been granted defector status."
Caitlin breathed a sigh of relief. "It still amazes me that he was willing to risk so much to help us." She leaned her head against his shoulder.
"Kind of restores your faith in the human race again, doesn't it?" he asked, wrapping his arm around her. They both looked at the picture they made in the window's reflection. That day marked the end of something they hadn't been sure they could overcome. It was the end. But for everything they had left to do together, it was only the beginning.
Posted by Carrie on 12:05 PM