Pinball Wizard
So as you know I have been very nervous to post any of my CSI stories online but in honor of 15 seasons of CSI tonight I decided to take a chance and post one. It's a short one, set in May of 2012 in Washington D.C. where Grissom and Catherine meet for lunch. Feedback is appreciated thanks
She was more than just a little excited to see him. When he called to tell her he would be lecturing to a group of students at a university not far from headquarters he could hear the excitement in her voice.
"We have to meet up for lunch!" she insisted and he could picture her smiling over the phone.
So when he finished lecturing for the morning and he admitted to himself to rushing it so he could hurry and see her, he drove to the little café they had arranged to meet at. He got out of his rental car and searched for her noticing her at a table outside the café, unmistakable from her strawberry blonde hair blowing in the breeze. She spotted him, waved and stood up when he reached her.
"Hey," she said cheerfully reaching out to hug him because that is how much she had missed him.
"You look great," he said noticing her outfit, professional looking for her new job.
"Same to you," she said motioning for him to sit down across from her at the table.
"So how was the lecture?" she asked putting her sunglasses on top of her head to look at him with those sparkly bright blue eyes.
"Not bad," he said "they listened, that much I know, whether they take away anything from it remains to be seen."
"Well they don't know you like we do," she said "always a lesson in what you had to say."
"Yet in all the years we worked together it never bothered you," he said.
"That's because its me Gil," she said "and it was the guys, but us too, we have this chemistry, even now in separate places."
"Chemistry huh?" he said "don't let my wife hear you say that."
But he knew it was true. It was a good chemistry, a friendly one, one he missed in the years of not working with her anymore.
"Sara couldn't come?" Catherine asked now stirring her drink.
"No Russell needed her for a case," Grissom said as a waiter came and took their orders.
"So hows work?" he asked her once the waiter had left.
"It's great," she said perking up at the question"I report to Agent Pratt, he gives me a case or two, sometimes we have to travel but other than that it's good, I get to have Lindsey visit whenever I want."
"She still in school?" he asked and she went off on a proud discussion of Lindsey's accomplishments in college.
Their food arrived shortly after she finished telling him about Lindsey and they paused to eat. He couldn't help but watch her though, how truly genuinely happy she seemed to be. Clearly this job was what she needed despite being away from Vegas. Catherine realized he had been staring at her so she said "What?" scandalized.
"Nothing," he said quickly dropping his gaze to his own plate of food but keeping his smile.
"What!?" she insisted.
"You look happy," he finally said.
"That's because I am happy," she said "gee Gil, we haven't been away from each other that long."
"I was just saying," he said "I'm glad things are working out for you."
"Did you expect me to fail twice?" she asked beginning to pick at her food with less interest now.
"Twice?" he repeated confused "when have you ever failed Cath?"
"Gee lets think," she said with heavy sarcasm "the first sixteen years of my daughters life, being supervisor on grave, doing right by you, keeping track yet cause I can go on."
"Lindsey turned out fabulous just like her mother," he said with pride in his voice "you were a great boss, and doing right by me? Catherine I'm not a saint."
"Well you had me fooled," she said "all those lectures, all those rules at work, about work, Pratt isn't like that, it's just weird I guess to think of how well you trained me and the guys and how this job is just, different. Makes it feel like failure you know?"
"Do you remember that case," he began now "that dead woman in the lake, she died when her boat ran out of gas on the way to see the guy she was having an affair with?"
"Yeah," she said wondering where this was going.
"You told the husband about the affair remember?" he continued "you felt you had to, I didn't, we argued, you said you didn't want to be like me, held up in that condo, doing genius level crosswords, watching Discovery on the big screen with no chance at love or a relationship so it wouldn't slop over into a case?"
Even now twelve years later the recollection of that argument made her blush.
"Yes I remember," she said feeling hot with embarrassment.
"Well your words were going through my head when I asked Sara to marry me," he said when I had the courage to leave the lab, to travel, it was you Catherine, it was always you."
She looked at him with a mixture of confusion and enlightenment.
"You never let me down Cath," he said "if anything I should have strived to be more like you."
"Well thanks," she said finally returning to eating her food. "that means a lot to hear you say that."
They resumed their meal in silence no longer doubtful of themselves.
They finished eating and kept chatting about everything from Lindsey to their jobs to the guys in Vegas and old cases. Grissom watched her light up when they spoke about these things and they ended up staying at the café long after multiple patrons around them had come and gone. Catherine hadn't talked with him like this in ages. She missed it deeply. When a text from Agent Pratt requesting her back to work came through, her heart dropped sadly.
"I have to go," she said "Agent Pratt needs me back,"
"O.K.," he said, sad to see their lunch date end.
As she packed up and reached for the bill he snatched it away from her.
"My treat," he said pulling out his wallet.
"But you're my guest," she said trying to pull the receipt away from him.
"Stubborn as always I see," he said handing the waiter his credit card not even caring what amount was on the receipt.
"Fine," she said letting it go.
"Thank you my dear," he teased her.
Once the bill had been paid, she walked him to his car, trying to stall and stay with him a little longer.
"Need a ride?" he asked her.
"I walked," she said "HQ isn't that far,"
"Are you sure?" he asked.
She leaned on the open passenger window deciding then said "Oh all right," and got in the car.
They hit traffic almost immediately which made her nervous and frustrated. She fidgeted in her seat, playing with the visor, rolling the window up and down and rearranging her purse.
"Relax," he told her "you fidget worse than Sara, here put music on."
He turned on the radio which played two commercials but when the next song started, Catherine sat forward in her seat and turned up the volume.
"I don't know what it is about this song," she said "but I like it."
He listened and heard it was The Who's "Pinball Wizard". As it played, she danced in her seat, making up silly moves then looking at him with a serious face and belting out the words. He smiled and shook his head at her playfulness but then,
"Come on Gil, sing with me," she insisted giving him a "pretty please" look.
So he turned up the volume and sang with her. She tried not to laugh at how off key he was but when he did air drums on the steering wheel she lost it and threw her head back laughing. Traffic started to move but they kept singing as loud as they could. The song ended but she was still dancing in her seat, shaking her head to the music making her hair fly around wildly. When the music faded completely she looked at him, slightly embarrassed now. They had worked together for so long but never belted out songs in the car together. Yet somehow it felt like they always had. She felt tears stinging in her eyes now.
"Hey," he said sensing her emotions "I know its rough, you miss Lindsey and the guys and Vegas, me, but we all love you, you know that?"
"Yeah I do," she said wiping her eyes on her sleeve "it's just not fair, it went by so fast you know?" What if I wasn't ready?"
"You were ready Catherine," he said confidently "I know it, the guys knew it, and when it's their time, we'll be there for them too."
She stared at him in disbelief.
"Wow it really is like old times," she said "you making me feel better with, words."
"I believe it was your words I've been living by," he reminded her "never doubt or look back?"
She gapped at him. How could he remember that after all this time?
"What are you a robot or something?" she asked.
"No just a good listener," he said.
They reached headquarters now and she got out of the car but lingered at the door, leaning on the open passenger window again. Thos sparkly eyes met his again. She gave him a meek smile and said "Thanks Gil."
"Anytime," he said,
There was so much that could be said but nothing more was needed to. She made her way up the steps of her building. He watched her turn back every few seconds to wave to him. He waved back knowing it comforted her somehow. When she disappeared inside, he though about what she had said at the café,
"Chemistry," Yeah we do have a lot of it."