Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to CSI.

A/N: This is a Grillows friendship story, not a love story. It's silly, but I hope you enjoy it. Special thanks to VR Trakowski for her speedy edit and ever-encouraging words. READ HER STUFF! It is da bomb.

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Chapter 1

With only an hour left on his shift, Gil Grissom strode down the halls of the crime lab with his nose in a file. As he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose for the second time, his brisk gait was interrupted by an unwelcome distraction.

"Grissom," Ecklie said as he stopped in front of him. Ecklie hoped to stop Grissom in his tracks, but it didn't work. Grissom merely looked up, said a simple, "Good morning, Conrad," and went around his supervisor.

Conrad stood with his hands on his hips. "Dammit," he swore to himself. "Nothing's easy with this guy."

Ecklie caught up with Grissom and walked with him step for step. "Grissom, I need you to attend John Holburn's retirement party tonight."

Although still engrossed in the file in his hand, Grissom asked, "What for, Conrad? There doesn't seem to be a reason for me to attend."

"I need you to be there. That should be reason enough," Ecklie replied.

Grissom stopped and closed his file.

"Conrad, I have a shift at midnight, and I don't think I have even talked to Holburn since he moved to the communications office seven years ago." Grissom said and gave Ecklie a skeptical look.

"It's important that every office and shift of the crime lab be represented at the event, and that includes the graveyard shift, Grissom. You don't have to be there all night. Just be seen and that should be enough."

Grissom acquiesced. "Fine. I'll be there. Where do I go?"

Ecklie shifted a bit. "You need to come here. It's invitation only, and I don't have yours with me. I'll give it to you tonight. Get here around 6. Suit and tie, no need for formal wear."

Grissom shook his head and left down the hall, concentrating once again on his file. As Grissom briskly moved through the halls again, Ecklie stood in his wake and let out a sigh of relief.

"One down. One to go."

That night, Grissom walked through the halls in his midnight blue suit. He fiddled a bit with his tie. As he made his way toward Ecklie's office, he saw Catherine and gave a double take. The two now walked in the same direction.

"Catherine. Don't you look... overdressed and early for your shift," Grissom said, offering a coy smile.

Catherine didn't return the smile, but looked more perplexed at Grissom's appearance. "Did you have a late court date? What are you doing here looking like that?"

Now Grissom seemed perplexed. They weren't just walking in the same direction. They had the same destination.

"Did Ecklie ask you to attend the Holburn party?"

"Yeah. Said I had to represent the graveyard shift."

"Really?" Grissom said.

They both entered Ecklie's office where Ecklie was nervously pacing and talking on his phone. "I'll be in the car in like," Ecklie looked up at his visitors, "10 minutes. No more. ... Yes, honey. I know you don't like to be late. We won't be. ... They just stepped in my office. ... Yes. OK. You too. Goodbye."

Ecklie tried to smile, but it looked anything but genuine. "You guys look good."

Grissom didn't waste a minute. "Conrad, why did you tell us both we need to be present at the party? I think Catherine is more than capable to represent our shift."

"While I'm not going to disagree with you, Gil, I need both of you to go."

"Why?"

"Again, Grissom, I think my telling you to be there should be reason enough."

"I disagree," Grissom said, temper rising.

Catherine witnessed the pissing match, and before it could go on, she interjected. "Conrad, what is going on? There must be a reason you want us both there." Then Catherine offered a smile and made a remark to lighten the mood. "What, do you and the wife need to have a 'double date'?"

As Catherine lightly laughed at her joke, Conrad's face showed no humor. He looked like he was hiding something, and he wasn't doing a good job because Catherine and Grissom both noticed.

Since Ecklie said nothing, Grissom began to loosen his tie and said, "Goodnight Conrad."

Ecklie flew from behind his desk and yelled, "Grissom don't! Don't go."

Ecklie quickly regained his composure, but Catherine spoke up first. "OK, Conrad, what's going on? How does this somehow involve Diane?"

Upon hearing his wife's name, Conrad moved behind Catherine and Grissom and closed his office door. "I need you two to go together to the event. I would consider it a personal favor, one I would not forget."

Grissom wasn't impressed. "Goodnight Conrad."

"Catherine! Please say something to him."

"Not until you tell us what the hell is going on," Catherine said, hands on her hips.

Conrad took a deep breath and offered a pathetic look.

"Diane is looking forward to seeing you two tonight. ... Seeing you two as a couple."

"WHAT!" exclaimed the "couple" in unison.

"Look, you two may or may not know about my relationship with my wife, but it's been fragile over the last few years," Ecklie confessed. His two confessors looked uncomfortable and uninterested.

"I'm still not understanding what this has to do with us," Catherine said, pointing from herself to Grissom.

"She keeps telling me I don't appreciate her and I don't appreciate love. It goes on and on. ... Well, since I can't seem to satisfy her with personal romantic gestures, I ... made ... one up."

"What did you tell her?" Grissom fumed.

"She always thought you two would make a great couple, so I told her I played Cupid for you two. She was thrilled with me."

Ecklie sported a dopey grin. Catherine looked angry. Grissom looked incredulous.

Ecklie continued, "When she found out about this dinner, she kept hounding me, 'Are Gil and Catherine going to be there?'"

Ecklie noticed he still had not won the couple over.

'I'm not sure how long she's going to buy this. And if she finds out I lied..." Ecklie trailed off and looked at them hoping they would understand.

Again, it didn't seem to be working.

"Listen, if you don't go together tonight, it will have to be dinner at my place for several weekends. Might as well get it over with."

Everyone was silent, until...

"Goodnight Conrad," and Grissom walked out.

"Catherine, please talk to him!"

Catherine reluctantly went after her friend. "Grissom, wait. Maybe we should just stop and talk about this."

Grissom spun around. "Talk about what? Are you crazy? Do you really want to participate in this charade so Ecklie can..."

"Get laid by his wife?"

"I was going to say 'appease' his wife."

"Well, maybe you should see it from my point of view. Who would you rather work with — an Ecklie getting laid or an Ecklie NOT getting laid because YOU wouldn't play a little game?"

"Neither choice is appealing," Grissom retorted. "Catherine, I can't act like we're together. No offense to you, but I ... I just can't. And do you really want to be seen as my 'significant other?'"

Catherine made a face. "You got a point there. OK. We have to establish ground rules with him. ... Look, he said he would see this as a personal favor. If we do this for him, he might help you by being lenient with Sara when she comes back."

Why did she have to say that? Why does she have to make sense? Grissom took a couple of deep breaths.

"Ground rules," he repeated.

"Ground rules," she agreed.

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TBC