Pictures of Marg's finale were posted on CSI Files that made their way over to the Jim Brass Fansite Forum. So this is in a way one of those "blame it on Beaujolais" stories. There is one pic where Brass and Catherine are embracing and it jsut begs for something to be done. So the little worms got to turning in my head and...well, here it is. I hope you enjoy. As always, comments are most welcome.

New Year's 2013

He felt her before he saw her. It made no sense, that he should feel her; she'd left almost a year ago. But sensible or not, he felt her. Lifting his eyes from the file on his desk, Jim Brass scanned the hallway on the other side of his glass wall until he saw her standing just in the edge of his view. The smile that had begun to creep into his features died before it bloomed; she was nervous, timid even.

Rising, he stepped around his desk and moved in her direction. Awkwardly she moved to meet him. Again it made no sense to Jim. Catherine Willows was never awkward, always graceful in her movements.

They met in his doorway and he backed up a few steps before engulfing her in a hug. He felt her awkwardness melt away but he was still confused. "It's good to see you," he said eagerly, perhaps a little too eagerly he realized. She smiled up at him, that beautiful glowing smile of hers that had warmed him for years and he was effectively reminded of just how much he had missed her.

"You too," she cooed.

"So what brings you back here? I thought you were busy showing those fatheads in D.C. how things are really done." Her chuckle made him happier than he'd been since she left.

"Came home for the holidays," she replied. "Spent most of the time with Lindsey and Mom. But I missed everybody here so I thought I'd come check in, see if you are behaving yourself."

"Me?" Jim queried. "You know better…" he teased. "You been over to CSI yet? I know they'd be thrilled to see you."

"Yeah…just left there. Everybody was happy to see me…even Russell."

Jim nodded. He knew he was smiling like an idiot by now, but he was so damned happy to see her he couldn't help it. "Nicky really misses you…"

"And I miss him…and Greg. And oddly enough, even Hodges." They both laughed. "But I realized something…."

His eyebrow lifted as he looked at her quizzically. "Yeah?"

"I missed you the most," she said softly.

Suddenly Jim felt his insides turn to mush and his eyes began to water, which made no sense because his mouth was very dry. "You…"

"I've missed everyone but…being away made me realize something…" Jim watched her; almost afraid to think what his heart was hoping she might have on her mind. "…we had something Jim, you and I. It was right there under our noses but neither of us seemed to see it. For years I was looking all around for it and there it was in front of me."

His heart was pounding in his head even though his lungs didn't seem to be working. "I saw it, Catherine," he said softly. "But I knew you didn't…or did but didn't want it. Letting you leave like that was tough. But you needed it, to get away…start over."

"No," she shook her head, "not to start over; to see more clearly. I came back for the holidays but…"

Jim watched her hesitate, understood her uncertainty. "But what, Catherine?"

"I need to know…if…" she took a breath, "if you could…if we could…" she faltered, unable to give voice to her hope.

Wrapping her in another hug, Jim held her tightly. "Say it, Catherine," he prodded gently. "Tell me what you are thinking…what you want from me." Swallowing, he nearly choked on his words. "I need to hear you say it."

"Do you think we could … that maybe we…might …have a future…together?"

Releasing her enough to look into her eyes, he lost himself in them. They simply stood there gazing at one another; years of unrecognized emotions revealing themselves through two sets of blue eyes, until she curled back into his arms. "Why don't I take you home?" he asked.

Burrowing deeper into his chest, she smiled. "I'm already there."