Title: Going Home

Rating: well, it's K right now – might change in future chapters

Summary: I present a meeting of the past and the future… anything else would give it all away so that's all you're getting ;-)

Disclaimer: CSI stuff is not mine, this story idea might be… I apologise if it isn't!

Season/Spoilers: Okay, everything happens as it happened up until, and including, the end of Weeping Willows and then it goes AU, so the last few eps of season five didn't happen. All will explain itself eventually.

A/N: Just a little introductory chapter, more to follow soon (muse permitting!)

Chapter One

There was quite a buzz around the crime lab as it prepared for the return of one of its most famous past employees.

Okay, so there was no red carpet, no balloons, no banners. It wasn't so much the lab preparing to welcome him back, but rather it was a mental preparation within each of the staff.

Whilst people had left, and new people started, in the seven years since his departure, every one had heard of Gil Grissom. They knew of his talents; of his entomological expertise; of the fact that, if people were honest, it was he who had got the Vegas crime lab to number two in country. What they didn't know, however, is why he had left. It seemed sudden, and unexplained, and the entire thing was shrouded in mystery. Three teams of CSIs, and they hadn't managed to figure it out.

There was, however, one person who had drawn her own conclusions about why he left, and, to this day, still blamed herself. Despite the assurances he had given her that his relocation was to do with his mother, she couldn't help but feel that she was partly responsible. It all seemed too coincidental.

Now, the woman in question, was pacing her office, forcing herself to take deep, regular breaths and mentally rehearsing her first meeting with a man who used to be closer to her than any other man had ever been allowed. Theirs had never been a physical relationship; it had never been anything more than a friendship – except, maybe, once or twice, in her head; yet he had known more about her, and understood her more, than anyone else – including her husband. It was the ultimate breakdown of the trust and unspoken communication between them that she believed had driven him to move back to California.

There had been a couple of phone calls in the first year, but they had been drifting apart before he left, and the distance between them just grew when it actually became geographical. But, with work and her daughter, life went on. And, clearly, it did the same for him – as he was now head of his crime lab – an interesting career move for someone who was never very politic; but, as he told her, with a laugh, on the phone two days ago, a necessary step when your knees can't take all the crouching and outdoor work anymore - and he has a team of assistants to keep him in check.

She had laughed with him, fully understanding his need for assistance, and wishing that she had as much help as he seemed to. Just into her sixth week as Assistant Director she had already had to deal with cross-contamination in the DNA lab; a lost piece of evidence in a missing person case; a high profile attempted rape; and the resignation of two CSIs (their resignations had been handed to – and likely caused by - Conrad Ecklie before he was promoted – she had to deal with their actual departure).

She had been quite surprised when Ecklie had offered her the position as Assistant Director. It had taken her weeks to convince him to transfer her to the post of day shift supervisor when that had become vacant, and that was when she had been doing the job on the swing shift for two years. She had always thought he still didn't trust her in that role, and that he was constantly waiting for her to fail; just looking for an opportunity to demote her. So, promotion came as quite a shock. Evidently Ecklie had softened in his regard for her.

If you asked other members of the lab, they would tell you that Ecklie had always had a soft spot for her. In fact, seven years ago, there were rumours that the feelings were returned, and that their relationship was not strictly professional. One rumour even went so far as to imply that this was the reason why Grissom left. None of it was ever confirmed – nor denied. Of course, it was never mentioned in earshot of the people it involved.

The phone rang, and Catherine Willows stopped in her well-worn path and eyed the incessant device nervously. After its fifth ring, she hit the loudspeaker button.

"Yes?" she asked, politely.

"Dr Grissom has arrived. Julia's bringing him here now," her assistant told her.

"Thanks, Nat," she smiled, before shutting off the call.

She straightened her jacket and skirt, and fiddled a little with her hair – then asked herself why she was so nervous. They had spoken two days ago, for the first time in six years, and it hadn't been awkward. It had almost been as if the seven years had not passed. Almost. And that was why she was nervous. You can never go back to your past…

But now her past was coming back to her.

TBC…