Chapter 1: Happy Birthday Natalia
"Natalia....Natalia....Natalia!!" Eric Delko, the object of Natalia Boa Vista's thoughts called
"Oh huh? Eric what's up?" she asked.
"I need you to run some DNA on the epithelials I found on my vic's wedding ring. It's a long shot but I'm thinking that when our killer grabbed her, he might have left something behind on her ring." he said
"Ok I'll try and page you with the results." she said smiling
"I'll wait" he said pulling up a chair to the table and watching her every move intensly.
Natalia took a breath to calm herself, but starting. She still couldn't handle when he looked at her like he was. His chocolate brown eyes smoldering, taking in every detail, scanning every nook and cranny. It made her feel like a freshman high school girl with a crush on the senior star football quarterback.
Eric started slowly drumming his fingers on the glass table, while staring at Natalia's hands. Natalia tried to ignore the sound, but unfortunately the annoying, monotone sound crunched on her last nerve.
"DNA takes time you know." she said
"I know" he said smirking he knew what he was doing was getting on her nerves.
"Quit with the noise will you" she said sighing and shaking her head.
"What noise?" he asked.
"The drumming noise you idiot" she said.
"Oh this noise" he said drumming his fingers again
Natalia grumbled and placed her hands over his and stopped him.
"Yes that noise" she said trying her best to ignore the electricity that was shhoting through her from touching him.
She removed her hands and the two stared at each other longingly. At this moment Natalia would have given anything for him to take her in his arms and kiss her. She would have given anything to feel his delicious lips on hers again. However, CODIS had a different idea. Natalia was pulled from her revire when the computer beeped signaling that a matching DNA profile was found.
"Looks like you long shot was a good call" she said
"Really? Who did we get?" Eric asked standing
"A Miguel Mojena" she said "You think he's our killer?"
"Could be. Thanks Natalia" he said tapping her arm slightly and leaving the lab.
Natalia slumped in the chair just behind her and sighed. How he still could have such an affect on her she didn't know.
"You just need to tell him that you still love him." Alexx Woods the ME said walking in and seeing Natalia's flushed state
"Love who?" Natalia asked
"Don't play dumb baby. You know very well I'm talking about Eric" she said
"Alexx I can't. He's with Calliegh, who's my best friend..and I just...I just can't" she said
"Alright baby, it's your call, but my advice is to tell him, you'll feel alot better" the wise and motherly ME told her.
Natalia nodded and nudged her head toward the envelope in Alexx's hands. "Need some DNA run?" she asked
"Nope just a little something for my baby girls birthday" Alexx said handing the envelope to her.
"Oh Alexx you didn't have to " Nat said smiling and blushing slightly.
"Of course I did sweety."Alexx responded.
Natalia smiled and opened her card and then her gift. Removing the steryophome Natalia revealed a musical snow globe that played the tune of "All I Ask of You" from the Phantom of the Opera, her favorite musical. On the inside of the glass globe itself was a minature sized Raoul and Christine embracing each other and staring deeply into the other's eyes, much like she and Eric used to do.
"Thank you Alexx it's beautiful." she said grinning like a chesire cat.
"No problem baby. Now I need to get back to work, but I'll see you tonight at my house for dinner, and that's not a request." Alexx said leaving.
Natalia smiled and turned the key on the bottom of the globe so she could listen to the music. Smiling Natalia put the globe back into it's packaging and bag and took it to her locker.
"Well someone is happy today" Ryan Wolfe said smiling at his friend.
"It's a good day" Natalia said smiling and brushing her bangs out of her eyes.
"Well then let me make it be a better day...happy birthday Nat" he said handing her a small box wrapped in pale pink paper with a dark pink bow
"Thanks Ryan" she said smiling.
Opening the gift she smiled and hugged Ryan.
"Your the greatest" she said
"I knew you wanted the consert tickets so I went and got them for you" he said
"And in the first row. Ok I think this call for lunch" she said
"Can we got to that Italian diner?" he asked chuckling as his stomach rumbled
"Absolutly" she said "I'll meet you down stairs in five minutes" she added.
"See you at your car" Ryan said heading for the elevator.
Natalia about faced and walked back to her locker, however she was not expecting Calliegh and Eric in there making out. She cleared her throat and the two broke apart and moved aside so she could reach her locker. Natalia kept her eyes down cast while the two straightened up.
"Umm happy birthday" Calliegh said handing her a small wraped gift and a card.
"Thanks Calliegh" Nat said looking at the bath and Body Works gift card.
She put both things in her locker and closed it.
"I'll see you two later. Bye" she said and fled the room.
Eric felt a sharp tug of guilt in his heart when he watched Natalia retreat for the locker room. He didn't know why he felt this way. They had broken up three years ago, and yet it was her approval that he worked the hardest for and sought out the most. He also realized that he was most likely going to be the last person to give her a borthday gift. He knew that Horatio was throwing her a mini party at the end of the shift. He had gotten her something she had talked about when they were dating.
Eric was torn from his thoughts by Calliegh.
"Eric I'm going to get back to work I'll see you tonight." she said walking out
"Yeah tonight" Eric said distracted.
Meanwhile Ryan and Natalia were sitting at a table in the diner trying to pick out what to eat.
"What are you getting?" Ryan asked
"Chircken parmesan" Nat said
"Ok I'll get what your getting" he said
Nat giggled and took a sip of her shirley temple while Ryan rolled his eyes.
"I can't believe your drinking in the middle of the day" he teased
"Ryan there is no aolchol in this drink" she said for the hundreth time
"Sure tell me any thing Nat" he said
"Whatever Ryan" she said
They stayed silent for a few moments before Ryan broke the silence asking the question that had been burning inside him for weeks now.
"How do you feel about Calliegh and Eric?" he asked getting the weight of the question off his chest.
Natalia swalloed hard and sat sliently in deep thought.
"I'm ok with it. As long as they are happy I'm happy" she said loong down at the coral colored table cloth.
"Liar" Ryan said "Nat the whole lab knows that you still love Eric"
"I know, but Calliegh's my best freind and I just can't hurt her like that." Natalia said feeling guilty for holding on to her feelings about Eric.
"Don't worry. You know to tell you the truth Nat...I think your way better for Delko anyway." he said smiling, in truth Ryan loves Calliegh and is jealous that Delko got to her first.
"Thanks Ryan" she said.
Afterward the food arrived and they ate in a comfortable silence. After lunch they drove back to the lab and went back to work.
Natalia walked cheerfully back to the DNA lab. The rest of the day went on as usual and at the end of the shift Natalia was getting her things to go to Alexx's house for dinner. As she set off to the elevator Ryan grabed her arms with a crazed look in his eyes.
"Natalia come quickly it's Eric he's hurt! He's in the break room!" Ryan excalimed
Natalia didn't even think twice before she took off for the break room. She dashed in and squeeked as the entire team yelled "Surprise" at the top of their lungs. Natalia blushed and put a hand over her face.
"Ms. Boa Vista" Horatio said handing her a small box.
Opening Natalia saw a new watch. Her first one had gotten lost when she was helping Eric out of the glades after Calliegh shot at him.
"Thank you Horatio" she said and hugged him.
Everyone had pitched in and brought Natalia a cake. After blowing out her candles she cut and served the cake. When giving Eric his piece, the corner piece like her liked, their hands touched and they smiled at each other. Ryan and Alexx gave her a knowing look and she blushed. After the Surprise party Natalia made her way to Alexx's home for dinner. By the end of the night Natalia had made it to her own abode by 10:30 pm.
She walking in the door and kicked off her shoes while putting her keys on the small table next to the door. She turned on the light and screamed when she saw Eric sitting on her couch.
"Talia calm down it's just me" he said chuckling a little at her reation.
"Eric how the hell did you get in my house!?" she asked putting a hand to her chest, taking deep breaths to calm her fast beating heart.
"I used the spare key you gave me. I uh still had it on my key ring and never took it off" he said scratching the back of his head like a nervous school boy with a crush on the hottest girl in school.
"Oh." she said. "Would you like something to drink?" she asked.
"Sure" he said. "Just none of that green stuff" he added teasing and smiling.
"Ha ha Mr. Funny Man." she said shoving a Corona into his chest and then planting herself on her couch and turning on a chick-flick.
"Thanks" he said laughing and sitting next to her on the couch taking away the remote and changing the chanel.
"Hey give that back" she said reaching for the remote
"Umm no. Besides a much better movie is on that I know is your favorite" he said turning on The Phantom of the Opera.
Natalia heard the music and immediately turned her attention to the television screen. Eric laughed at how quickly her attention shifted.
"Shhh" she said quieting his laughter.
Eric stayed quite for the duration of the movie. By the end Natalia had her head on his shoulder and his arms was wrapped around her. Natalia grabed the remote turned off the television stretched and yawned.
"Thanks Eric." she said smiling.
"No problem" he said sitting akwardly on her couch.
"Eric... don't get me wrong I really enjoied tonight, but why did you come over?" she asked
"I forgot to give you your birthday present. I remembered as soon as I got home." he said pulling the velvet blue box out of his pocket and handing it to her.
She opened the box and gasped in awe.
"Eric...Eric I can't execpt this" she said
"Yes you can Talia" he said "You truely have a heart of gold and I just wanted to show you how much I appreciate you being the way you are.You put your life on the line to save mine and I can never thank you enough." He said.
Natalia nodded and hugged him. "Thank you Eric" she said into his ear softly.
Eric involentarily shivered when her warm breath tickled his ear.
"Well I better get going" he said
"I'll see you at work tomorrow." she said.
"Night Talia and happy birthday" he said kissing her on the cheek and leaving.
"Night Eric" she said softly watching him leave.
Once his car was gone she closed her door and locked it. She touched her cheek where Eric's lips had met her soft, tanned, skin and smiled. She looked down at the gold heart necklace and fliped to the back to read the inscription. To the woman with a true heart of gold.
Natalia smiled Eric was right, it was a happy birthday.
