Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine, unfortunately.
Rating: K+ for some mild language
Spoilers: Maybe for Leaving Las Vegas. We won't know until the show airs tonight, will we?
Summary: Grissom's leaving and he has a secret that will change one person's life forever.
Don't Shut Me Out
Gil Grissom packed up what was remaining in his office.
As he set the rest of his books in a box, his team, standing by his door, all stared at him.
He smirked to himself, "Can I help you guys?"
They all shuffled into his office. "So you're really leaving?" Nick asked.
"That's the plan. My flight leaves in 3 hours."
"Well then I guess we should say our goodbyes now. I know how you like to be early to everything," Catherine said. He smirked at her. She knew him too well.
Warrick stepped forward first. "I'm gonna miss you, man," he said as he hugged Grissom. "You're a good CSI, Warrick. Don't forget that." Warrick stepped out of the office and waited for the rest of his co-workers.
Just as Catherine was going to step forward, Nick stepped in front of her. "Oh, sorry Cath. Want to go next?" "No, she doesn't. Nicky, come here," Grissom said. A little pissed, Catherine stepped aside. "Good luck with your new job, Grissom," he hugged his supervisor. "Thank you. I know you'll continue to do good work, Nick." Nick took his place next to Warrick outside the office.
Catherine's plan was to go next, but her plan was ruined when Grissom called Sara next. 'God, I just want to get this over with," Catherine thought to herself.
Grissom hugged Sara, "I'll miss you, Grissom." Grissom smiled and replied with a hint of humor, "I know." It took all the strength Catherine had not to burst with laughter. Sara gave Catherine a mean look as she joined the CSIs at the door.
Greg went in front of Catherine. He gave Grissom a bear hug and almost knocked the wind out of him. "I love you, Grissom," he said, almost in tears. The other CSIs just stared at each other.
"Greg, get off of me," Grissom said, pushing him off.
Greg walked to the door and Warrick punched him. "What was that for?" Greg asked. "For being a dumbass."
Grissom looked at Catherine, expectedly. "What? Is it my turn now? Or are you gonna say goodbye to the janitor now, before me?" Catherine asked. The team knew what was coming.
Nick said, "Gris, we're gonna meet you outside." They walked down the hallway together.
"Catherine, don't be angry." "No, I think I'm going to be. Why are you saying goodbye to me last? Is it because I accidently knocked down one of your stupid jars last week?"
"No, it's not...wait, which jar?"
"That's not the point!"
Grissom extended his arms and pulled her into a big, warm hug. "I'll miss you the most, Cath. You know that," he whispered in her ear, "There's a note on your desk. Read it after I leave." Catherine nodded, "I'll miss you too."
Just as she felt tears forming in her eyes, she spoke, "Now, let's get a move on. We don't want you to be late."
They walked outside to where the others were, with their arms on each other's backs.
Grissom put his box in the SUV and got inside.
As he started up the engine, he looked at his team. They were like his family.
He slowly pressed on the gas pedal and drove out of the parking lot. He looked back and they were all waving goodbye. And that was the end.
"There goes one hell of a supervisor," Nick said.
"Uh huh," Sara agreed.
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Catherine sighed, but then she remembered. "The note!" she yelled and walked back inside the building, to her office.
The rest of them followed her to see what she meant.
She found an envelope on her desk, with "Catherine" scribbled on it. "Is that from Grissom?" Sara asked.
Catherine ignored her stupid question. She slowly opened it.
"Read it out loud, Cath," Greg said. Catherine began to read,
Catherine,
I want you to know that I never intended to hurt you. This is just something I have to do. You must know by now that I'm eternally grateful to have the pleasure to call you not only a collegue, but my best friend. I've watched you go from a young, confused girl to a strong, astounding woman.
Your courage will forever leave an impression on me.
You've been with me through it all, Catherine Willows, and I've been through it with you.
I will never forget you and how you taught me the most essential lessons of my life. You know what I mean.
And I've realized that I'm completely and fully in love with you. I regret the fact that I'm just realizing this now, but maybe, deep down, I knew all along. And you knew it too.
I love you, Cath. Always will.
- Gil Grissom
"Wow," Catherine said, breathless.
"What are you gonna do, Cath?" Nick asked. "I...I don't know, Nicky. I really don't know."
"Well do you love Gris too?" Warrick pipped up.
"I guess I do," she said, sitting down, still shocked.
Nick smiled, "Cath. Love isn't an 'I guess' thing. You know if you love someone or not."
Catherine smiled back and sighed, "I do. I love him."
"Well then what are ya still doing here?" Greg said, throwing her the keys to the Denali, "The Denali will go faster than your car."
"Should I really go?" Catherine said, standing up and playing with the keys in her hand.
"Go get him," Sara said, smiling at her.
Catherine grabbed the letter and started to run to the parking lot when Sara yelled her name.
She paused to turn around.
Sara flashed another smile, "I hope it's not too late. Good luck."
Catherine returned the smile and ran to the Denali.
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"I'm sorry, Mr. Grissom, but we have no proof that you reserved a seat on that flight," the airline worker said.
"This is ridiculous," Grissom scoffed, "I reserved that seat months ago."
"Well we could put you on the next flight, which leaves 45 minutes later."
"Fine. Do that."
The worker did as she was told, and put him on the next flight. She handed him his boarding pass.
"Do I just go through security, right though here?" he asked, pointing to the metal detectors.
"Actually, you're going to have to wait here for half an hour. We need people with earlier flights to go through before you."
"That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard in my life," Grissom said, but took his seat.
He got to thinking about Catherine and what her reaction would be when she read his note.
"She probably brushed it off and went back to work," he thought as he watched people go by.
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Catherine was speeding down streets, cutting people off, and getting honked at. But she didn't care. She had to get to Grissom.
Sweat beads rolled down her face as she concentrated on the road. Her breathing became heavy.
But suddenly, she felt a shudder. She knew what was happening. She had just enough gas to pull over to the side of the road. Then the car shut off. "Damn it!" she cursed to herself as she got out of the Denali, "Would it kill them to fill up the tank once in a while?!"
She looked around and whispered to herself, "5 blocks. 5 blocks to the airport."
She looked around. No taxis she could get to easily. No buses. There was only one way she had the possibility of making it. She kicked off her shoes and took a deep breath.
"God, please don't let me collapse," she said, as she began to sprint to the airport.
She didn't bother waiting for signals at crosswalks, she just ran.
The hot pavement burnt her feet, her hair flew everywhere, and sweat was dripping from her face.
Near the 3rd block, she had to slow down. She just couldn't do it anymore.
She pulled out the cell phone she'd managed to hold on to, and tried to call Grissom. No answer. "God damn it, Gil!" she screamed and threw her cell phone at the sidewalk.
She took deep gulps of air. "C'mon, Cath. You made 3, you can do 2 more. Do it...for Grissom." She braced herself and began to run again.
As she ran the 2 remaining blocks with ease, she thought about Grissom. How he'd been gone for an hour, and she missed him. He couldn't leave. She wasn't going to let him.
She finally reached the airport, completely out of breath, and ran inside Grissom's terminal. She looked around. No sign of him. But then she saw a handsome, gray-haired man walking towards security. She ran towards him, screaming his name as best as she could. But he couldn't hear her. He walked right through security, without taking one look back.
"Gil...come back," Catherine said, as her exhausted body collapsed on a cold airport chair. Tears fell from her face and she held her face in her hands. She sat like that for about 2 minutes, until she heard a familiar voice.
"Something wrong?"
Catherine looked up and there he was, as handsome as ever. She smiled, "What are you doing here?"
He used the pad of his thumb to dry her tears, "I could ask you the same thing. I thought I heard you calling my name. You look like hell."
She smiled again, "Flattery will get you no where, Grissom. If you only knew that things I did to get to you."
"Well then my question should be repeated. What are you doing here?" he said, sitting down beside her.
"I came to...and don't laugh. I came to stop you from leaving," she said, embarassed.
"Why?"
Catherine didn't reply.
"Fine, Cath. I don't have time for this. I have a plane to catch." He got up and started to walk away.
"I'm not as strong as you think I am," she called after him.
He turned back around and she stood up. "Of course you are."
Catherine shook her head, "Not when it comes to you."
"What?"
"Gil, I just ran 5 blocks barefoot to stop you from leaving me and-"
He raised an eyebrow, "Leaving you?"
"Vegas, I mean. Leaving Vegas."
He smirked at her.
"What?" she asked with a smile.
"What did you come here to tell me?" he asked, even though he knew the answer.
She didn't say anything.
"Okay. I see. Goodbye Miss Willows." He grabbed his luggage and walked toward security.
"That's not fair! You know this isn't easy for me!" she yelled after him, but he didn't stop.
"Gilbert Grissom, stop walking and come back here!" she yelled.
He knew she meant business when she called him Gilbert. He stopped walking and walked back towards the beautiful blonde.
She pulled his letter out of her pocket, "Is this true?"
"Every single word."
"You know this isn't easy for me to say," Catherine said.
"If it's true, it should be the easiest thing in the world to say," he replied.
She sighed. He was right. As usual.
"Okay," she took a deep breath, "Grissom, I came here to tell you that I love you too."
He smiled and dropped his luggage.
She jumped into his arms. Then she stroked his jaw and slowly placed a soft warm kiss on his lips. They both smiled at each other and beamed with happiness.
"I love you, Gil," Catherine said.
"You have no idea how long I've waited to hear you say that."
"Oh, I might have some clue." He smiled and she pulled away.
"Please, Gil. Don't leave. I need you here, with me."
Grissom grabbed her hand, "Let's go Catherine."
"Go where?"
"Home."
end