PG-13: for reference to rape, and for extreme language... it might be R for some stuff but I'm 85 sure it's PG-13

All Seeing Eyes:

Catherine POV:

How could he? He betrayed me! That bastard. But no one else can know… no one else can figure this out. There's way too much to at risk.

"What do you think? Suffocation?" Grissom's words seem so far off. I don't acknowledge that he's even staring at me until he grabs me by the shoulder.

"Huh?" my voice sounds dull coming out of my throat.

"You all right?" he tilts his head. Grissom never was a people person, but he's always cared.

"Yeah, yeah! I'm fine. What were you saying?" I turn my attention to the woman lying on the ground. She has beautiful, long blonde hair; her eyelids hide deep brown eyes. She was one amazing woman, and had to be brave with that body in Vegas.

"I was just asking what you thought about our Jane Doe," he looks me right in the eyes and I am forced to look away. His gaze always seems to be dissecting you.

"Oh! I would guess a definite suffocation," I answer, my head in far darker places.

"NEVER assume anything for sure… you should know that Cath," looking at me again he goes right down into the depths of my mind, he reads me, but he says nothing.

"Right," I answer blandly, "sorry."

He nods and starts to crawl around on the ground, trying to find anything he can. I naturally gravitate to the opposite end of the room and start to work my way toward him.

My mind is quickly clouded, though, by what happened the night before. But the memories aren't as vivid as earlier, they were easily stronger this morning, but with my mind on the new case, they can't penetrate as deep, something I am extremely thankful for. But then one hits hard.

"Ah," I stutter, accidentally out loud.

"Catherine?"

"I'm fine Gil," I answer, looking at him, but avoiding his eyes again.

He gives a heaving sigh and lets it go.

A few minutes later a pager starts going off. As is natural for all CSIs we both look down. It was his.

"I've gotta go," he simply states and stands up, "and so do you…"

"Why?" I straighten up to meet his eyes.

"We already got a suspect," he answers in a heave.

"Who?" I ask with unease.

"Brass didn't say, but he called me off and warned you to come too. Said he couldn't get through to you," and when I check my pager it's for obvious reasons, the battery died.

We both headed back to the lab where I ran head on into Greg. My mind just can not focus!

"Sorry Greg, just not here today," I apologize on the run.

"It's alright, Cath. Oh! Catherine!" he calls after a pause.

I turn to face him, "Yeah?"

"I got that message and the answer is yes," I get confused at first, but then I thought and figured out he meant my question about trying to get a date to go over some stuff that he "borrowed" from me three months ago. In other words he was setting up to pay me back with a dinner. But, that's Greg for you, he just never seems to get that he will not win me over.

He ran up to me and handed the paper back. I read over the message one more time before depositing it:

Greg,

If you really insist then I am off this Friday. Sound good?

Catherine

My curiosity kept me on track though and I started following Grissom again.

We ended up in the interrogation room when I saw whom they were holding. I recognized him from way back when, back when Eddie and I were just starting out. His name was Josh, and he used to be Eddie's friend, but back then Eddie protected me, and he dropped this guy quick.

His gaze went from Brass, then to Grissom, and then it froze on me. His face contorted into a sick smile. This guy was one like Eddie, he would rather have fun and torture his girls then bother with killing them. What the hell was he here for?

"Well, well, well," he started off in a cold tone, "if it isn't Eddie's new little girl. What's got you here? He rub off on you?"

I ignored him and went to the opposite side of the table and allowed Gil to show off and pull the chair out for me. Big mistake on our part.

"What? Double crossing him?" Josh's voice hit me like an ice cube.

"Shut up," Bass defended us.

"I work here as a CSI and right now YOU are my suspect and you are in deep trouble," I answer, a cold shiver in my voice as well.

"You can't have her in here," he had turned to Brass, using a matter-of-fact tone, "she might just be against me because of our past!"

I use a folder and whisper to Gil, "Can I see you outside?"

His nod was so discrete that I could barely tell he had acknowledged me before he went and stood up, motioning for me to follow and asking, "Could you excuse us?"

"Not like I have anywhere else to go!" he yelled.

I left the room first and he followed, closing the door tightly behind. I was headed to my office when he stopped me, "Cath."

I turned and he motioned to his office, right across the hall. I nodded and followed him in.

He closed the door and immediately turned to me. "What is it?"

"I can't work with him. He's right," his eyes widened. "What?"

"You never have said anything like that before. You NEVER once admitted that you couldn't do something, I always respected it, even when you disobeyed me," I had never heard HIM talk like that.

"It's nothing, I just can't. Him and I have a past together," I answer, looking away.

There's a silence in the room and look back to him, realizing that he's staring at my arm, "What?" but before he answers I realize my sleeve has rolled slightly, revealing a large bruise on my wrist.

"Was it Eddie?" did he even have to ask?

He moves to me and rolls the sleeve the rest of the way, and I don't protest. He sees the scars, the bruises, the obviously impossible to hide problem.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he looks hurt.

"I don't want to take more time off because I can't handle a small personal problem," I answer, and it's mostly true. I also didn't want to admit that I couldn't control that problem.

"Catherine, this isn't a small problem," he looked to me with a soft gaze, one that was too full of care to be Grissom's.

"It's nothing, he just was a little annoyed yesterday when he came home, and Lindsay's with my sister, so as long as she's safe I'm alright too."

He didn't make much of a move; he just softly grabbed my hand, enough of a move to make me feel worse though.

"Gil, I mean it, I want to keep up work, but this guy… well, he and Eddie were always good friends," I couldn't stand working anywhere near the scum.

"Then I'll transfer you, but I would really feel better if you take tonight off," he looked so sure.

"But I have tomorrow night off too," I protested.

"I know, it will be a pre-weekend get away," he smiled.

"Gil..." he cuts me off by holding up his hand, a silencing maneuver that only works for him.

I obey and walk out the door. I look back to see him walk out himself and head back to the interrogation room.

On the way out I, once again, run into Greg.

"Hey, I thought you were on with Grissom, on that strangler case," he pointed out.

"Aw, he'll be alright without me," I answer.

"So we still on tomorrow?" of course I couldn't tell him no.

"We're still on Greg," I reassured him with a smile and walked to my car.

Arriving home meant two things. The first was that Eddie would have another whack at me, if he even cared enough to show. The second meant seeing Lindsay's smiling face. The second one was the one thing that kept me going towards my house, and not running, disappearing, like I have so many times before.

The drive way seemed increasingly long today. Haunting memories crept in at seeing the house take shape before me. The next object I noticed was Eddie's car. Suddenly running looked so much nicer.

I pulled up and stopped the car. The outside door opened, and through the screen I saw Eddie, with Lindsay patiently by his knees, wearing a smile from ear to ear.

I put on my best smile and approached the house, fear building in my racing heart.

"So Catherine," Eddie's voice had a hint of menace in it, which he rarely allowed to show in front of Lindsay, "why are you home so early?"

"My boss gave me the day off," my voice was scarily calm, even to him.

"You told him!" he automatically accused, "You used me as a way to get a few days off!"

"No Eddie! Grissom knew I had tomorrow off already, saw how exhausted I looked, which was no surprise to either of us since that case was closed Tuesday, and sent me home!" I found myself lying to two people.

"You expect me to believe that?" with a quick glance to Lindsay I got him to drop the fight for now.

"So, hunny, how was your day?" using my last strength, I painfully swooped her into my arms. If it was possible her smile widened.

"I made you something at school in art today!" she wriggled free of my grasp and ran to the kitchen, Eddie and I at her feet.

She looked back at us and handed me a picture of a flower, a wonderland type flower too. Its petals were hot pink, and the center was almost a highlighter yellow. It looked like something that would spawn from the free mind of a child, something that I cherished, and wished would return to me.

"It's wonderful! I'll take it into work and show everyone!" my voice betrayed my thoughts. But that's all I do now, betray and hide.

I look to the clock and see that it's already 9. "Hey," I mock scold, "isn't it passed your bed time?"

"Daddy said I could stay up and wait until I could show you the flower!" she doesn't understand how much we fight, or she doesn't care, she's still so young.

"And it's amazing, but it's time to get you to bed," with that the two of us went upstairs while Eddie sat in the kitchen, waiting to take the kill.

"Goodnight mommy!" she yells as I close the door.

"Goodnight," a slight pause, "my angel."

I head downstairs knowing the truthfulness of my comment. Without her as a guardian angel I would never be able to face Eddie every time he felt like seeing us.

I walk into the family room and see him on the couch patiently staring at me, in no rush to start the inevitable fight.

Or maybe he does want to hurry, "You told him. You leaked out our personal life to that, that, slut of a boss, you leaked out our personal life to a stupid scientist," does he realize the meaning of the word stupid?

"No," I simply answer, giving no emotion for him to feed on.

"Yes," his voice hissed in my direction.

"No, actually your friend showed up as a suspect before anything else could happen. He admitted that he had hurt our victim and he was brought in for questioning. You know, Josh? He was the one. After realizing that him and I have a past, Grissom let me go and gave me tonight off, and then I had previously planned to take tomorrow off," my explanation had bored him, but mentioning Josh brought a strange spark to his eyes.

"Josh? How is the old bastard?" his questioning put my senses on edge.

"He's about to be put in jail from what I can tell," I answer, fear rising in my voice.

"And you didn't put a good word in for him?" his eyes became a wild cat's eyes and he leapt up from the couch.

"I couldn't, I was shoed out so fast. I thought that you wouldn't like it anyways, the way you kicked him out of the house so fast way back when," I hit a nerve.

"You have no room to talk like that to me!" he slapped me across the face. The shear force of his hand making contact caused me to stumble a few paces back, him advancing caused me to retreat slightly further.

There are three moods that I can find Eddie in: one is happy and carefree, which was around Lindsay mainly, two is sickly happy, when he would do things that hurt me and then say sorry later, or three is the mood where he would kill a person if he had to, and that was what he is right now.

His hands form a tight grip around my collar, causing me to rise to my feet, only to feel him force me against the half-wall behind me. The impact shot pain through the back of my hip and I cried out slightly. He was out for blood, and he would do anything for it.

He swipes me down only to start yelling at me, "You worthless shit. No one would ever care for you. The only thing you have going for you is that you were a stripper. Now you're nothing but worthless trash!"

His anger lasted only fifteen minutes. After that he stormed out of the house, only to go drinking. His last comment to me was, "Have a nice vacation, because I'm not coming back for a while!"

The weekend went by too fast.

Friday's dinner with Greg was the nicest, though I'm sure it will eventually become gossip that the two of us were on a full fire date. After telling him what might happen if Eddie heard about it he was sworn to secrecy.

Saturday and Sunday Lindsay and I did things together; mostly we went to the park.

Sunday night I made sure Lindsay could stay with my sister. There was no telling when Eddie was going to come back, or how drunk he would be when he got here.

I walk into work. It's been a lot easier around the house, a whole weekend where Eddie hadn't been home and no one called to get me on the job.

I walk into my office and see a note on my desk.

Taking quick strides I get to my desk and immediately grab the letter. Here, letters only mean bad news.

It reads:

Catherine,

Bad time I know. First off I hope you had a good time off. Next I would like to request that you come to the interrogation room.

Gil Grissom

I ran the whole way there. What could have happened since I left?

I walk in and see him sitting there, patiently staring into space and waiting for me. He looks up to see me, and stands up.

"Gil?" I question him immediately.

"I was suspended from the case as well, and they want you back on it…" it hit like a rock in my stomach.

"What happened?"

"He insulted you, and he started talking about what has apparently been going on between you and Eddie. I couldn't take it. I beat him into the ground before they could stop me…" he lowered his head, just so he didn't have to look at me.

"Gil," my voice comes out soft.

I turn and march out of the office, leaving him to ponder why. I turn and look over my shoulder and see him sitting again, shame written all over his face.

I didn't mean to leave it like that, but I couldn't stand staying in there, unable to take action.

I march straight into Brass' office and stand there, right in his face, "Catherine?" the look on his face is obvious shock.

"I was off that investigation for a reason you know," my voice is harder sounding then I had hoped.

"I need you on that investigation," his answer is simple.

"Why? Can't I switch with Sarah?" my voice shakes.

"Why?"

"I know the suspect just as well, and I'm sure you heard that. I've always been against him, and I find that unfair… you should know that from all the time around Gil that I would be making a terrible decision if I kept this case," my glare was full of ice, but my voice had an uneasy calmness in it.

"Alright, I'll give it to Sarah, but just remember that I'm doing this for the case," he smiled and so did I.

I head back to the interrogation room and find that Grissom has left. I turn and see that he's in his office. I walk up and knock on the door. His gaze lifts to me and he hurries to the door.

I walk in and automatically start the apologies, "Oh Grissom, I'm so sorry! I couldn't bear being on the case, especially without you there, so I just quit it. Sarah took over," I look to his face and see shock. "What? You thought I would stay on the job?"

"There was a deep part in me saying yes," he answered.

We stand in an odd silence. I shift my weight slightly and he automatically asks, "Would you like to come in?"

I nod yes and he moves aside. We head over to his couch that he somehow has transferred to every office that he's been in.

There is still an odd silence between us. I put my hand in the pocket of my coat and feel a piece of paper. I pull it out to reveal the picture of the flower that Lindsay drew. I had forgotten it was in there.

"What's that?" Grissom asks, almost unsure of himself.

"Oh. A picture Lindsay gave me," I hand it over. "She loves flowers," I add as a side note.

"She loves beauty," he answers, becoming himself again.

He hands the picture back and I place it back in my coat pocket.

"Why?" I ask after another long silence.

"Why what?" he looks to me, and I look back into his eyes, and no longer to they have such an extreme distrust.

"Oh," recognizing what I was asking about. "I don't know."

"YOU don't know," my voice a slightly teasing tone.

"I guess I couldn't stand anyone saying stuff about you the way he did," he cares that much about me?

I stretch and listen as my bones pop and crack.

"You're muscles are extremely stiff if you're making that much noise," he points out, "Rough weekend?"

Memories of Thursday night race through me. He reads something on my face and automatically asks, "What happened?"

"I can't tell, I would never live through it," I answer.

"I promise you, no one will find out," he reassures me so deeply.

I take a quick look around to see if anyone could hear. Once I confirm that no one can I turn to him, "It was Thursday night. When I came home the questions started but I bought myself time when I pointed out Lindsay was there. Once I put her to bed he went into a rage. Accusing me of telling what had happened before and saying terrible, untrue things about you. When I denied them and told him about the case he went berserk and hit me. He threw me around a bit before growing bored and leaving. He hasn't returned yet."

By now tears a stinging my eyes. He wraps an arm around my shoulders and instantly I start to cry. His protective hold makes me feel like it's okay to tell him things, like it's okay to let him know what could cost him my life and his.

I allow myself to only cry a little. When I finally can dry my eyes I straighten up, still in his embrace. I look into his eyes, and I do it without having to look away.

"Thank you," I whisper.

He smiles and I hug him tight.

I go to leave, feeling a bit wrong about it all and he follows.

"Catherine," he starts, "when you leave this room, around the others nothing will be spoken of, nothing about any of this... but I want you to promise me that if he ever hurts you again, you will come to me."

"It's a deal," I smile a real smile back at him, one of the few I have ever been able to give to him.

As I open the door Sarah runs up to me, "Catherine! I got the case done! We didn't have the right suspect, but we did bag the guy."

"That's always something good to hear," and right as I said that Grissom's pager and mine went off, and we were sent to our next case, together.

END

a/n: To clear up something you might not understand... the title isn't really EXTREMELY relevant to the story... it's really referring to Catherine's problem that resolves about looking Grissom in the eye... yeah...