A/N: I'm back! For the next few chapters, the rest of the team will be focused on a little bit.
Thanks to every one that has continued to read and spend time to send in a review. I'm honored. Thanks also to those of you that have added me to your alert and favorites' list.
Enjoy.
Take care.
Paige
Chapter seven
Catherine lay in her bed, staring up at the ceiling, thinking about the day's events. She had not wanted to come home early, but she felt she couldn't hold it together much longer. Memories from her past, working on the strip, started to flood back. She had finally started to break down, when her cell rang.
"Willows."
"Cath, are you okay?"
"I'm good Warrick."
"It's just Ecklie's been asking for you and Grissom." Warrick heard Catherine sigh.
"Tell him if he wants to talk to me then phone."
"He told me that he needs to speak to the whole team, including Sara."
"When?"
"Uhm...tonight."
"Okay. Thanks Warrick."
"Hey Cath."
"Yeah?"
"You wanna talk?"
"I'd love to, but I need to get some rest."
"Meet me at the diner an hour before shift."
"Sure."
"Night Cath."
"Night Warrick."
Why on earth does Ecklie want to talk to the whole team...
Surely he knows that Sara and Grissom have the night off...
God...the under-sheriff...
Grissom lay with Sara, holding her as she slept. He didn't dare close his eyes, in fear she would wake and leave.
Sara curled her body tighter into and ball as Grissom held her through the night. Her last night of University came back to haunt her and she held onto Grissom's shirt.
As long as he's here, I'm safe...
Grissom awoke to Sara's screams.
"Sara, it's only a dream." Grissom pulled Sara into his lap and softly woke her. "It's okay Sara. I'm here."
"Griss..." Sara woke, and wrapped herself around Grissom's neck.
"Sara...are you uhm...okay?"
"I'm fine. Just a dream."
Grissom pulled her up, not letting on that he had seen the fear in her eyes and the tears that rolled down her cheeks.
Sara buried her head into his shoulder and let the tears run freely.
Brown eyes meet blue, as Grissom kissed each of her tears away. Sara pulled herself closer and only wished she didn't start to breakdown.
"It's okay hunni. I'm here." Grissom gently stroked her hair and whispered in her ear. He held her as she started to drift off to sleep.
"Don't leave me Griss."
"I won't. I promise. Now, get some rest, I'll be here when you wake up." Grissom kissed her forehead and watched her as she slept in his lap on the bed.
Catherine met with Warrick, an hour before shift, just as she promised. They sat in their usual place at the diner, waiting for their coffees to arrive before heading of to the lab for the night.
"Spill the beans, Cath." Warrick was sat next to Catherine, starring straight into her sparking blue eyes.
"Uh?" Catherine starred up at Warrick.
"How come you left early last night?"
"It was a hard case. I just ... uhm ... I dunno Warrick. I dunno what happened to me. But, with no Grissom and Sara, and with you guys working on the missing girl, I had to ... uhm ... take the case on the strip. I handed it over to swing when I found out I knew the victim." A few tears managed to escape Catherine's eyes, as she struggled to hold herself together.
Warrick reached over and took her hand it to his, caressing her palm with his fingers. Catherine relied by squeezing his hand and holding it tight.
"Don't worry Cath. Work with me tonight. I'll make sure Grissom pairs us together. Yeah?"
"Yeah." Catherine nodded.
The coffee arrived and they split the bill between them, leaving a little something for the waitress.
The lab was already in full swing when Catherine and Warrick arrived. Archie was reviewing the recording from a swing case that had been passed up. Hodges was sat at his computer typing up a report. Nick and Greg were sat at the table in the break room, coffee cups in hand. Smiles plastered on their faces as they flipped through a magazine that Greg had brought in with him.
"Hey guys. Have either of you seen Grissom and Sara yet?" Catherine and Warrick sat down at the table with their coffee.
"No." Nick looked up from the book. "Haven't seen Ecklie around neither.
"Nope. Thought it was their night off?" Greg closed his magazine and shoved it back in his pocket.
"It was until Ecklie called us all in." Warrick looked from Catherine to both lads and back at Catherine, who seemed to be in her own little world.
"Sara, hunni. Ecklie's just called the whole team in. We've got to go or we'll be late." Grissom sat himself up, not letting go of Sara and brought her up with him.
"Why? I was looking forward to a day in bed." A wide grin appeared on Sara's face.
"Don't know. Come on, we'll grab something from the diner on the way in."
When Sara and Grissom arrived in the break room, the four that already occupied it were in fits of laughter. Obviously, they had been there for a while, and had decided to pour over one of Greg's magazines that he frequented in bringing in when the team had had a hard night before hand.
"Heya Sara, Gris. What took you so long?" Greg was first to notice their presence in the room.
"Stopped off to collect food for everyone." Sara held up a bag full of burgers and heart attack fries.
"Dig in." Grissom took the bag from Sara, gently brushing her hand. He placed it on the table for everyone to reach and headed to his office.
"Gil."
