The phone on Catherine's desk rings.

"Hello?" she answers.

"Catherine this is Judy."

"What do you need Judy?"

"You've got a visitor. McKenzie Preston is here to see you."

"Thank you Judy, tell her that I'll be right out."

"Ok," Judy hangs up and Catherine grabs her purse.

Catherine finds McKenzie waiting on her at the reception area.

"I thought that you might have forgotten about me," McKenzie admits.

"No, I was just reading case reports. I lost track of time."

"So are you ready?"

"Yes," Catherine nods.

She follows the twenty something to her car. They drive away from the building, and make a beeline for a diner nearby.

"So where have you been?" Catherine asks after the waitress takes their orders.

"Working. I've been really busy with the hose too."

"How's Ryan?"

"My husband? I wouldn't know he was deployed. I haven't heard from him in over a week, but I guess no news is good news."

"I didn't know," Catherine reminds her.

"I know, I should have called you. I should talk to you more often."

"So how is work?"

"Miserable."

"I thought that you liked you job."

"I do, I love being a nurse. I love being in pediatrics, I just hate the hours, and being on call all the time."

"I know, but you'll be able to retire at fifty two."

"I will..."

"But?"

"I'm taking a leave of absence for three months."

"Why? Is something wrong? Are you sick?"

"No, I'm fine. I just... I've always wanted to travel around the world, and I've gotten a really great opportunity to go to central America and work. I'll be immunizing kids there."

"Where in central America?"

"Costa Rica."

"It sounds..."

"Go ahead, say it."

"It sounds like a great opportunity, but you know that Costa Rica is hot, and there are bugs there that are so big they could eat you in one bite," Catherine exaggerates a hair.

"I'll be fine."

"I know..."

"I know that you worry. Why can't you just admit that no matter how old I am you'll always worry about me?"

"Never," she shakes her head.

"And that no matter how old I am I'll always be a baby to you."

"You're not a baby. I know you're an adult, it's just hard to see you so grown up."

"I know," McKenzie nods brushing aside a strand of long, thick, curly auburn hair.

"It's hard to let go."

"I know," she smiles at Catherine with incredibly white teeth, and big brown eyes.

"Did you whiten your teeth?"

"Yes. Am I vain for that?"

"No, you had marks on your teeth from the adhesive from your braces."

"You know my birthday is next week," she reminds her as their salads arrive.

Catherine stares at her salad and dumps dressing over top of it, "I know. How could I forget?"

"I'm going to be twenty six on Tuesday."

"I'll take you to dinner."

"You can't," McKenzie tells her.

"Why not?"

"I'm flying out on Monday."

"Kenz I don't want you to go to Costa Rica," Catherine warns.

"Why not?"

"It's dangerous."

"I'll be fine."

"McKenzie don't go."

"I'm an adult I'll go if I want to, and I do want to."

"I know that I can't stop you, I've never been able to, but I don't want you to go."

"Why? Give me one good reason not to go."

"Because I asked you not to."

"Mom, you can't stop me. Why are we even having this argument I'm twenty six years old I can do what I please."

"I know. I'm sorry...McKenzie I just don't want you to..."

"To what?"

"Why didn't you ever ask me?"

"Ask you what?"

"Your whole life you never asked me about the other piece of the puzzle."

"Is that what we're calling it now?" McKenzie asks.

"Why? Why didn't you ever ask."

"I did."

"When?"

"When I was five years old. I asked you, and you told me that we'd discuss it when I was old enough to know the truth. You promised, but I'm still waiting."

"I... I'm so sorry. I forgot. I didn't know that you were waiting."

"You forgot a lot of things," McKenzie tells her.

"I know that I wasn't the best parent, but I always loved you."

"Mom, I know."

"And I didn't forget your birthday. I never forgot your birthday."

"So why didn't you..."

"Your grandmother wouldn't let me talk to you. She didn't want me to upset you. I sent you a card, I begged her to give it to you, but she wouldn't. I'm sorry that I wasn't there. I wanted to be, but I couldn't."

"I know. I know that you did the best that you could."

Catherine stares at the grown woman across the table from her. "I...I love you."

"So tell me the truth. Why are you so hung up on me not going to Costa Rica?"

"There are some fantasies in your life that you have to let die."

"So I should let this die?"

"No," Catherine shakes her head, "I met your dad at a bar one night."

"Great... I don't need to know all the details."

"He was sweet. He was out celebrating a friend's upcoming marriage. I could tell that he wasn't having much fun, so I went up to him. We started talking and..."

"And nine months later I was born."

"Forty one weeks and three days later I had you."

"And I weighed in at nine pounds three ounces."

"I was never bitter about that."

"Mom you were always bitter about that, but who wouldn't be? That's a huge baby."

"I had a real connection with your dad, but after..."

McKenzie cuts her off, "after the night I was conceived."

"I never thought that I'd see him again. I barely caught his name, but I really liked him a lot."

"It's nice to know that you liked my father."

"He doesn't know about you."

"Of course not. How could he?"

"I could have told him."

"What do you mean you could have told him? You saw him again?"

"Not for several years, but yes."

"Did you bump into him at the super market or something?"

"No," Catherine shakes her head.

"So..."

"Did I mention that Sara is coming back?"

"No, are you changing the subject, or is that relevant somehow?"

"Sara and Grissom got married."

"Your point?"

"Your father was my boss."

"My father was your boss when you were a stripper so I can't go to Costa Rica? What kind of non-linear logic is that?"