This is a Cath/Warrick fic written entirely for my friend Vikki. It's her birthday today and I very un-subtly asked her what her dream fic would be. So I tried my best to write something good for her. She's my CSI Buddy (H) so I suppose it's only right this is a CSI fic.

This is my first CSI fic and I'm not totally convinced that I got the Cath's character right, so I apologise for any OOC, and feedback would be much appreciated.

I glance up at the clock in my office and notice, with relief, that my shift is over in a few minutes. Finally, I can get out of here. It's not like I don't like my job (although, I distinctly dislike the mountain of paperwork I'm currently trying to ignore), but sometimes I just really can't wait to go home. Relax and see my daughter. That is if she'll even speak to me. I'm lucky if she surfaces out of her bedroom for food at the moment. 'Teenagers', I sigh.

By the time I've cleared my desk a little, it's time for me to leave. I grab my bag from the back of my chair and shrug on my coat as I head to the door. But I find myself walking around the lab, rather than toward the exit. Very strange.

I try to tell myself that I'm just checking on my colleagues, making sure I'm okay to go home, but I know the real reason. I'm looking for Warrick. Just to say goodbye. I haven't seen him since the beginning of shift, and I just want to see him quickly before I leave. I won't let myself think about it any more than that. I don't think I'd particularly like what I'd find. (You know, that I couldn't possibly go a whole day without seeing him.)

I notice that I've looked round the whole of the crime lab and not seen him. Of course, he could always be in the bathroom. Or maybe he ran out to get something to eat. I could just wait a little while. See if he comes back. My God woman, get a grip! I take a deep breath and calm the fight in my head. He's probably just gone home.

I start to walk toward the exit to the crime lab, when I feel someone watching me. I turn round and see Greg looking at me with a strange expression on his face. Probably because he just saw me have an argument with myself. I turn back round quickly and stride out of the lab.

I rush into work the next day. I'm a little late because I had a row with Lindsay this morning. About her clothes, of all things. I hate arguing with her and it puts me in such a bad mood for work. So, I'm suitably stressed when I finally make it to work.

There's only one thing that could possibly make this day better. I pray Grissom puts me on the same case as Warrick. Working with him makes my day so much easier. Just the thought of it puts a smile on my face as I deposit my bag and the mail I just collected in my office.

My face falls as soon as I make it to the break room. Warrick isn't there. Nick's making some coffee and Greg and Sara are chatting and laughing about something or other. They glance up and wish me "good morning" as they hear me enter. 'Good morning', I laugh sarcastically in my head.

Suddenly the door opens and my head flicks round to look, a little too quickly. It's Grissom. I sigh and drop myself down into a chair on the other side of Greg, and mentally prepare myself for a miserable day.

"Morning everyone. I got an email from Warrick this morning- "My head shoots up and Grissom gives me a strange look. "- he's ill so he won't be in today." At my concerned face, Grissom adds, "Nothing serious. Just a cold."

I don't feel comforted. I know Warrick. He'd never admit to being ill. He could be having a heart attack and he'd assure me he was fine. I feel my eyebrow rise with scepticism. Grissom continues.

"Greg, Sara, you're with me on a 419 on the strip. Catherine and Nick, you've got a decomp in the desert." Grissom handed the case files to Greg and Nick.

My day just got better. Decomp. In the desert. Great. Just what I needed today. I think Nick senses my distress and flashes me a small smile. I force one back and mumble something about getting my kit.

I heave a deep sigh once I'm back in my office. I shove the mail in my desk drawer and grab my case from the cupboard. I try to remind myself why I'm here. I have a job to do. This decomp is, or rather was, a person, with family. Family who need answers. With those thought circulating my mind, and my worries about Lindsay and Warrick forced aside, I head out to meet Nick, shutting my office door behind me.

By the time I return to the office, at the end of shift, I feel about a hundred times worse than I did that morning. The case, and the body, was horrific. CODIS allowed a fairly quick identification and Nick and I solved the case. Though, not before we had dealt with the body, some very hysterical relatives and difficult suspects.

I sit down at my desk once again, and turn my nose up at the smell. I smell of putrefied human flesh. Nice. For the second day running, I just really want to go home. I rub my tired eyes and concentrate on tying up a few loose ends before I leave.

After I've jotted down some notes on the case file, I add that to the ever-growing pile, and reach into my drawer for my mail. I absentmindedly flick through some bills, junk mail and back statements until my eyes catch an envelope with "C. Willows, Las Vegas Crime Lab" scrawled on the front in untidy hand writing.

I turn it over and run my thumb under the flap, before pulling out a piece of white paper from inside. I unfold the paper and my forehead creases in confusion. Written on the page is "22-14-5-5-18-7".

"What the…?" I say aloud. I look back into envelope and see something small inside. I close my fingers around it and realise that it is a photo. No bigger than the ones you get from photo booths.

I pull it out and I feel my head go faint and suddenly I can't breathe. The picture is dark and small but there is no mistaking the face in the photo. His eyes are wide and there is gag across his mouth. Warrick.

A/N: This is basically based on Grave Danger, but as I haven't seen those eps, any specific similarities are pretty much coincidental. Please review! X