Truthfully

Nick sat down next to Jenna while Catherine and Greg went outside.

"I know this is going to sound retarded but how you holding up?" Jenna gave him a look.

"Shitty," She adjusted her bed so she could sit up and looked at Nick. "Nick, be honest with me about the case. What's going on, do you know who has Katie or what they want or why? Just tell me what's going on." Nick sighed.

"Greg is gonna kick my ass."

"She's my daughter too, if Greg knows something about the case I should too." Nick got comfortable in the chair and looked her in the eyes.

"We don't know why took her yet or why, but we know what they want. They called and asked for a ransom."

"How much, I'll pay it, I'll sell my bakery just how much do they want for my baby?" Nick had a feeling if he didn't tell her she was going to kick his ass and that Greg was going to kick his ass for telling her.

"They asked for ten million dollars for Katie." Jenna's face lost more color and she shook her head and she bit her tongue.

"She means more to me than that. I just… did they tell you what would happen if they didn't get the money?"

"No, they gave us a seventy two hour time frame to work with though."

"Do you guys think you can find her in time?" Nick went to say something when Grissom poked his head in the door.

"Nick, I need to speak to you." Nick picked up his kit and stepped out into the hallway and Grissom took him down the hall from Jenna's room.

"You have her swab and bite impression?" asked Grissom. Nick handed them over to Grissom and Grissom put them in his case.

"Tate and Ronnie will be reporting directly to you now, Catherine is off the case."

"What? How come?" asked Nick.

"Jenna and Catherine happen to share the same father," said Grissom.

"Whoa, you're telling me that Sam Braun is Jenna's father?"

"Yes I am and because Catherine is related she can't be on the case. I had no choice but to take her off in case Ecklie found out. Don't tell Jenna about Catherine though, that's something Greg and Catherine have to do. I'm going to take these back to the lab. Did you get anything out of her, any description at all?" asked Grissom.

"No, she can't remember what he looked like." Grissom sighed and thought.

"If someone else knew that Jenna was Sam's daughter they could assume that's why she can hand them ten million dollars." Nick shrugged.

"According to Catherine all of Sam's money was tied up in land development."

"Doesn't stop people from thinking what they will. I have to go. Stay here and keep an eye on her in case she remembers anything. Warrick is looking through what was brought back from the hotel and the pajama dump site. Ronnie and Tate are running down some leads about the flowers used has a lure to get in the room. I told them to get a hold of you in case they find anything. I'm taking these back to Wendy, keep an eye on Greg too." Grissom left him in the hallway and Nick shook his head.

Oh man Cat and Jen. Nick went to go back in to her room to talk to her some more when he saw Frankie and Clarissa talking to her. They need to be alone right now. Nick turned to head back down the hall when his phone started to chime at him.

"Stokes."

"Oh Nicky your so fine, your so fine you blow my mind," said Tatum.

"Very funny Tate. What do you have for me?"

"Ronnie and I are thinking about getting a lottery ticket because it is our lucky day. We only hit three flower shops near the casino and found the one we needed. Becky's Flowers three blocks away from the casino, they sell a unique crystal vase, matches what you collected at the hotel. Becky the owner is pulling all receipts for yesterday, cash and credit. But she's pretty sure that only a few people brought the flower mix you're looking for. White rose, pink lilies and baby's breath were what was recovered from the room hopeful the moron paid on credit. Becky has cameras outside but nothing inside though. So hopeful we can get something that way. Archie is having no luck with the casino cams," said Tatum.

"What's the deal with the casino cams?" asked Nick.

"We get a guy coming in with flowers around the time of the kidnapping, but you can't see his face. He hides it behind the flowers. It's like he knows where the cameras are. Nicky I wonder if he worked in the casino or knows someone who does." Nick sighed.

"Ok, get the receipts and videos back to Archie and I'll talk to guys later."

"You're lucky I love you so much Nicky or else I think you were ignoring me. I thought you liked working cases with me," teased Tatum.

"I like it when they don't involve my friend's missing kid."

"We're gonna find her and when we do I expect a steak dinner from you." Nick had to laugh.

"And what makes you think I'm gonna buy you a steak dinner?"

"I know you like red heads, I just happen to be a red head do the math Nick. I'll call you later," Tatum hung up on her end and Nick sighed and he walked back down the hall and saw Jenna and Frankie talking in the room. Frankie took Jenna's hand and they were talking softly. Nick decided to leave them alone and go outside for some fresh air of his own. He almost ran into Clarissa coming back inside.

"Sorry," said Nick. She nodded and walked on. Greg was sitting at the table looking at the parking lot. Nick sat down at the table across from Greg.

"Hey G, Tate and Ronnie may have gotten a really good lead about who bought the flowers that we found in hotel suite." Greg nodded and sighed.

"I just want her home. Did Grissom tell you about Jenna and Catherine?"

"Yeah. I think you were right about the world getting smaller and smaller every day," said Nick. Greg gave him the smallest of grins.

"I used to hit on Catherine; I always put her DNA on top of my pile just so she could talk to me before she got busy on a case."

"I thought you always put my DNA on top," joked Nick.

"Only on slow nights. It's just weird you know I work with my sister in law who is kind of being a bitch right now about this."

"How is Catherine taking it?"

"Not well, she's kind of pissed off at her dead father. She wants me not to tell Jenna, but it's a little too late for that, Clarissa is going to tell Jenna the truth. You know Sam set up a trust fund for Jenna after she was born; it has close to ten million in it. Clarissa never touched it while Jenna was growing up. They're gonna get what they want for Katie, hopefully they give her back."

"We're gonna find her, even if I have to work the case by myself until they make me quit the LVPD. We're gonna find her." Greg sighed and shifted in his seat.

"Jenna and I were gonna try for more kids, but if we lose Katie I can't see her wanting to have anymore and I honestly can't see myself wanting anymore kids if we lose Katie. It just hurts too much man, I just keep seeing her in my mind and I hate the thought of her being alone and scared. I just want her home."

"I told Jenna about the ransom demand." Greg glared at him. "She asked about the case and I told her the truth, she isn't mad that you didn't tell her. You should go back upstairs and be with her, she needs you and you need her."

Greg nodded and headed back inside. Nick thought about calling Catherine to see if she was ok, after all they were friends, at one time he had hoped for something more between them. But there were rules that team members couldn't date and he followed them, he wished he hadn't now considering Grissom and Sara had dated. He had a feeling that he blew whatever he and Catherine could of had when he ditched her that night at the club, he had never really forgiven himself for leaving her there.

He sighed and headed back up to Jenna's room, he had been told to keep an eye on her and Greg after all.

"Nick," called out a female voice. Nick turned around to see who it was and his jaw dropped at the sight of her.

"Sara?"

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Where did Mami go?" asked Jenna.

"I don't know she went to talk to one of the staff nurses. Making sure you get the good drugs," said Frankie. Jenna couldn't help it and she gave her older brother a small smile for a second and than she became very serious.

"Part of me hopes that this is a horrible dream from a bad drug trip and when I wake up Katie will be home." Frankie took her hand and gave it a squeeze.

"Hey trust me they're gonna find her. Actually I'm surprised they haven't brought her back yet…you were a holy terror at her age. If she's anything like you those creeps are getting more than what they ever asked for. Like that baby in Baby's Day Out." Jenna wiped her eyes.

"I hope she is. God I don't know what to do Frankie. They want ten million dollars, I don't have ten million dollars and god what are they going to do to her if they don't get it. She's just a baby, she hasn't even started teething and she's barely walking yet." Jenna made herself take deep breaths so she wouldn't have another crying fit. Frankie gave her a hug.

"It's gonna be alright, everything is going to be alright."

"I just want her home."

"I know," said Frankie. The siblings sat in silence for a long while until Clarissa came back in the room, she shut the door and took a seat next to her daughter and gave her a hug.

"You know I love you don't you miele?" her mother pushed back some hair from her face.

"I think you love me more than anyone else." Jenna noticed that her mother looked very sad.

"I do sweetheart, I love you and Frankie more than anything else in the world…I always wanted to protect you two. I just, I never wanted to see you and Frankie hurt."

"I know mom, I feel the same way about Katie." Clarissa shook her head and went to say something else when Greg came into the room and looked at Clarissa, Frankie and Jenna.

"Should I go?" asked Greg and Jenna gave him a look. God it's like he doesn't want to be near me. I tried to stop him from taking Katie; I didn't want this to happen…this isn't my fault!

"No! We need to talk about what we're going to do to get Katie back…I don't know about you but I don't have ten million dollars lying around." Clarissa sighed.

"Honey, I need to tell you something," said Clarissa softly.

"What?" asked Jenna. Clarissa bowed her head and took Jenna's hand.

"I never wanted to hurt you or Frankie or anyone, but you need to know the truth." Greg was frozen in his spot and Frankie and Jenna looked confused about what their mother was telling them.

"Mami what's going on?" asked Frankie. Clarissa seemed to realize that dragging this out was only making things harder on both her children.

"After your father died Frankie I was with someone else…that someone else is your father Jenna." Frankie just looked at Clarissa blankly and Jenna's face went even paler than before and she shook her head. Greg felt his heart break for Jenna and he finally went over to her bedside by Frankie.

"What the hell!" snapped Frankie. Clarissa held her hands up.

"Figlio let me explain."

"Why? Why are you telling us this now? My baby is missing and you decide that now is the time to tell me this," Jenna lost her thought and it came back to her. "Who? Who is my father than and just why now? Of all the times you could have told us why now?!" snapped Jenna.

"He left you money…enough for Katie's ransom. That's why I'm telling you now. I'm so sorry miele," she went to touch Jenna and Jenna shirked away from it.

"I want to know who?" asked Jenna.

"Yeah I would like to know who to!" snapped Frankie. "You were good enough to sleep with, but not good enough to take care of after the fact!"

"It was a mistake," said Clarissa.

"So I'm a mistake, that's good to know," muttered Jenna. Greg was wondering why he hadn't tried to talk Clarissa into waiting until after they got Katie back. This was just hurting her more than she deserved. He put his hand on her shoulder and felt how tense she was through the gown.

"No what I did was a mistake, you were the only good thing to come out of it. I was so happy to have you." Frankie just glared at his mother.

"Who is he?" Clarissa just looked at him defeated.

"Sam Braun he's her father Frankie." Both her children looked like they had been stabbed in the gut. Jenna let out a bitter laugh and Frankie headed for the door

"I need to get out of here for a while," he stopped at the door and glared at his mother again. "It's a good thing that Papà is dead…this would have killed him!" He opened the door, walked out and slammed the door behind him.

"Jenna, I'm sorry that you had to find out like this, but…we have the ransom for Katie now. We're going to bring her home." Jenna just eyed her mother.

"Please just leave me alone right now." Clarissa looked near tears and went to speak to Jenna again when Jenna cut her off. "I really just need you to go away and leave me alone right now!" Clarissa nodded and headed out the room. She stopped in the doorway.

"I still love you very much." She shut the door behind her and Greg sat down on Jenna's bed and looked at her. She looked up him and she seemed to be upset beyond words. Greg took both her hands in his and looked at her.

"Talk to me please." She shook her head and he bit back a groan. He hated seeing her like this and he was powerless to fix it for her. She put her head in his chest and he ran a hand through her hair.

"I don't want to talk about Sam and my mother right now, I wanna talk about getting Katie home. Ok Greg." He nodded and she pulled away from him so she could look him in the eyes.

"We don't know how to get a hold of who took Katie, but we have the money to get her back and we will. I promise," said Greg. Jenna looked down at the sheets on the bed.

"You don't blame me for this do you?" Greg made her look at him, he was shocked that she would think that for a second.

"Why would I blame you?"

"I was right there and I didn't protect her from whoever took her and now she's missing and with god knows who and where. I just want her back and I'm scared to think that she might not be ok and…you've been on cases where people have lost kids haven't you?"

"A few," answered Greg.

"The parents, they don't stay together afterward. When I was little, a kid up the street drowned in a pool and his parents didn't stay together after it happened. She blamed the father for not watching him while the kid was playing in the pool. He was right there and he let his son die, I was right there and I let Katie get taken from us. I'm so sorry Greg." She put her face in her hands and started crying again; Greg pulled her into a hug and held her tight.

"Listen to me; I can't speak for the parents who break up after they lose a kid. But this isn't your fault, I love you and I have no intention of leaving you ever. I know you and I know you fought back and tried to stop Katie from being taken. If you can't take my word as your husband, take my word as a CSI. Look at your hands." Jenna looked down at her hands and they were covered in bruises and cuts and she had broken at least three of her nails.

"We call those defensive wounds. A person gets them when they fight back against an attacker. The more wounds, the harder the person fought back. Your hands are covered in wounds Jen, you fought back. Whoever did this, you didn't make it easy for them." Greg hoped that she believed him, she went to say something to him when the door to there room opened up. Greg and Jenna were surprised to see Ecklie and another man standing in the doorway.

"Yes?" asked Greg leery. He wasn't on the clock and he wondered how much control he would have to keep on his temper if Ecklie started acting like an ass with Jenna.

"We were wondering if we could speak to you and Jenna about Katie and her disappearance?" asked Ecklie. "This is Leo Milhow he does public relations for the lab." The other man nodded and came into the room without waiting for Greg and Jenna to answer. He took a seat next to Jenna and looked at her.

"Miss. Bianchi I would like to extend my deepest sympathies about your daughter's disappearance." Greg didn't have to say a word about the line of bullshit this guy was feeding them.

"Cut the crap, what do you want?" asked Jenna. "Unless you have Katie or a way to bring her home I'm not in the mood to listen to you pretend to feel sorry for us." Milhow looked embarrassed and he looked to Ecklie who gave Milhow a nod.

"We would like you to agree to do a press conference to answer questions about Katie, hopeful it will bring in more leads and hopeful whoever took her will see the interview and make them realize that Katie belongs to a family and give us more clues and lead us to her."

Jenna looked at Greg and they both frowned. They had dealt with the local press in the past when Greg had been dealing with the inquest and they hadn't been treated fairly and needless to say they were not edger to go there again.

"I don't know…I mean JonBenet's parents were told the same thing and than they were accused of murder and abuse in the press and it got them no where. They never got anywhere with her case, I don't want that with Katie," said Jenna.

"I have to go with Jenna on this. I'm not about to let us be pulled through the mud and not get our daughter back." Milhow looked at them.

"I understand why you two are indecisive about this. But, trust me we are controlling what questions are going to be asked and who is going to be there, no one related to the coverage of Greg's inquest will be there and to be honest we think it's best that only Jenna speak and be seen at the conference," said Milhow. Greg was furious and Jenna just looked shocked.

"He's her father, he should be there," said Jenna.

"I understand that, but because of Greg's position at the lab and what happened almost two years ago we figure it's best that only you be seen in the public eye," said Ecklie.

"You think if they don't see me with Jenna they won't make the connection that she's my daughter too?" asked Greg barely holding back his disgust with this idea.

"Possible, I mean granted your name is on her birth certificate, but you two aren't legally married the press could assume that Jenna is a single parent, the press and those following the story could be more sympatric towards you and more willing to come forward," said Milhow. Jenna looked like she wanted to slap him and Greg was fighting the urge to punch him.

"We need to think about this, just give us a moment alone to talk," said Jenna.

"Of course," said Ecklie. Both the men left the room and Greg slammed the door shut after them.

"Bastards," muttered Greg.

"You really think that if I go and talk to the leeches it could help get Katie home?" asked Jenna.

"I don't know. I mean the more we get the story out in the media, it means less chance of whoever did this to leave Vegas or keep running with her. Maybe someone has seen her and they just don't know it's her." Greg hated to admit it, but maybe talking with the press would actually help. At the same time he didn't like the idea of Jenna having to do this alone.

"That or going more public with it could make them do something stupid and hurt her," said Jenna. "But if you're right and someone has seen her and they don't know she's our baby it could help bring her home." Jenna started biting one of her nails and sighed.

"If you want me to do it I'll do it, but if they ask about you I'm not going to lie. You're her father and you love her just has much as I do and unlike other parents that shall stay nameless you've been a part of her life since day one." Greg gave her a hug.

"I don't want you to do anything that's going to hurt you anymore."

"Greg, if I have to sell my soul to the devil himself I'll do it if that gets her home. Tell them I'll do it." He nodded and went into the hallway to speak with Ecklie and Milhow.

"She'll do the interviews. But she's made it clear that if she's asked about me she's not going to lie," said Greg.

"I had a feeling she would Sanders. We'll set it up for later on this afternoon. Milhow will come back later on get her ready to answer the questions. I promise that this won't be like the inquest, this time they want to help you," said Ecklie. He and Milhow left and Greg went to go back into the room when he heard someone call for him down the hall.

"I told you I would come here for you." No it can't be. He turned around and couldn't help but feel excited at the sight of her.

"Sara?" She shrugged and came towards him.

"Thought you and Jenna could use a friend who wasn't on the case." Greg hugged her the second she got close to him.

"We could really use one."

Notes-Sorry for the long delay, I've been working 40 hour weeks doing data entry and after an eight hour day my hands get a little sore and need a break from typing. I hope to get a chapter up every week though.

Figlio-Italian for son

JonBenet- I was taking a media class that made us attend a lecture given by Michael Tracey, who has worked on the Ramsey case for over ten years (He helped catch John Mark Karr) and explained how unfairly her parents were treated in the media and always made out to be her killers.

After the way Greg was treated in the media after Fannysmackin' I can see them being fearful of being treated the same way.

Thanks for the reviews, adds and alert adds