Even as Catherine walked through her front door later that morning, she couldn't get the smile off her face. She kissed Lindsey as the young girl headed to the bus stop, and then headed upstairs. She peeled off her clothes, threw on a pair of sweatpants and a tank top, and slid under the covers of her bed.

She could still taste him on her lips, feel his arms wrap around her, and the happiness they had poured out to each other. Drawing the sheets around her shoulders, Catherine shuddered. Every inch of her had wanted to protest when she finally pulled away from Grissom and told him that she needed to get home. But he had promised her that they'd get together again. And then he told her he loved her. Tears had come to her eyes.

"I love you too, Gil," she replied, looking up into his eyes. "With all my heart."

Although, part of her felt guilt. She had seen how happy Grissom had been with Sara. The dopey look he had in his eye when they were anywhere near each other in the lab. And now that dopey look in his eye was for her. Everything had changed so quickly.

"Shit." Catherine whispered to herself. She ran her fingers through her hair and inhaled deeply. She lay there for a few moments, cursing to herself and breathing in slowly. After awhile, she just couldn't take it anymore, and snatched up the phone by her bedside table.

She dialed the familiar numbers and waited until his voice picked up. Catherine sighed again. "Gil."

"Catherine." Grissom replied. She picture him with the phone to his ear, grinning wildly. And if she wasn't drowning in guilt for Sara, she would have been, too.

"Gil, I think we need to talk." Catherine told him. "I-just… It feels like you were so, so happy with Sara, and you ended it with her so fast. I mean, you were going to get married, for god's sake. Gil, I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. But I don't want to be another Sara; another person you convince yourself that you love, and at the last second, back out of the relationship. I've been through too many of those. I can't take anymore. So, tell me, Gil. How do I know that when we start seeing each other, right in the middle of it you're not just going to call me into your office and call it quits?"

Grissom listened to her, and remained silent a few moments after she was done. She heard his steady breathing over the phone, letting her know he was still there. "Cath," he began. "I've known you for more than twenty years. We've been best friends, and I've admired you from the very minute I met you. You know how socially deficient I am. I could never bring myself up to tell you that I have wanted to take our relationship to the next level."

Catherine was listening to him very closely. He continued.

"I began seeing Sara to try and get over you, actually. I thought that she could fill the spot in my heart that I had been saving for you. But no matter how hard I tried, she just wasn't the one. And I think both of us knew that for a very long time. Ending our relationship was best for both of us. Both of us knew that the only person that could ever fill that special place in my heart is you."

Grissom heard Catherine inhale sharply. "Catherine? Please, don't cry." He whispered. "Catherine Willows, I know that you've been through a lot. I know that guys have dragged you through things that cause you pain and tears, and I hate them for that. But you need to know that I'm not one of them and the only thing I want to do is to make you and Lindsey very happy because I love both of you. With all my heart."

There was a pause, as Catherine sniffled. "God, Gil…" she said, her voice trembling. "I love you, too. I… I don't want to be hurt anymore."

"Catherine, I swear I will never hurt you as long as I live." Grissom promised.

There was more crying. "I know." She told him.

"Is Lindsey at school?"

"Yeah."

"Catherine, why don't you drive back here. You and I can take the shift off tomorrow, and we can pick Lindsey up after school later." Grissom suggested, happy that her sobs were ceasing.

"Okay." Catherine answered softly. "I love you."

"I love you too."

After that, Catherine hung up the phone and dashed out to her car, not even bothering to change. Quickly, she started up the car and bolted down the driveway. She was definitely sure she was breaking the speed limit, but at the moment she was too eager to be back in Grissom's arms to care.

Jim Brass and Sofia Curtis stood at a hot dog stand on the side of the busy road eating their lunch. They were discussing Miami and how nice it was to be back.

"You know, Sara and Grissom aren't seeing each other anymore." Sofia told Jim.

"Really?" Jim replied, sighing in relief. "Great. I never really liked those two together. If anyone, I always thought that Catherine and him would-"

"That's what Nick said. He thinks that Gil called it all quits to be with her." Sofia interrupted.

Brass smiled. "It'd be about time."

Just then, Catherine Willow's grey Camero zoomed by the hot dog stand. Brass was barely able to identify her by her strawberry blonde hair falling elegantly over her shoulders.

"Holy…" Sofia muttered. "Was that Catherine? She's like, 20 over the speed limit. Should we...?"

"Nah." Brass replied. "We're homicide detectives. I'll put it on radio to let her fly, anyway. Betcha fifty bucks where she's going at that rate anyway. It's all for the better."

Sofia grinned. "Acts of the inevitable. It's about time they were happy."

Brass nodded in agreement. "And I'll betcha fifty more that they won't be showing up for work tomorrow."

The female homicide detective laughed.