Im back till this one is done, promise:)

Navigating the familiar route to the daycare she kept one eye on the road and the other on her husband; her mind was with him as well. Something had bothered him after seeing Ray, she wasn't sure what it was; he acted as if his confidence was shaken.

He was trying to be himself and to be upbeat but it wasn't working, he couldn't focus. Catherine wasn't sure if was a little bit of shock from actually meeting with the man or if something had been said. Either was a possibility. Still at least Stephanie and Adam hadn't picked up on his attitude yet.

If he hadn't dealt with it enough to talk to her by supper she would ask him. She hoped if he had his time to think he would be able to. She wanted to know more, what the man had said and how he acted. Yet at the same time she wanted to wash her hands of all of it; especially when she looked at her daughter.

In truth all of it could have a greater bearing on her life than any of theirs and it could be good or bad. She wanted it to be good, she wanted Stephanie to know she was loved and precious; if she could she would never let the girl know the rocky start.

Turning into the parking lot she idled the vehicle and let Lou unload the kids. She watched them enter the building; usually it was her dropping them off. It was nice to watch him with the kids, two little bags in one hand with that arm holding Adam to his hip and Stephanie clinging to the other. They entered the glass common room and she could make out Stephanie racing off in the direction of the play area before Lou disappeared to hand Adam to the nursery aid.

A moment later he was back, she pulled back onto the road heading for work now. The silence was suffocating, she could feel Lou watching her; she wanted him to talk. Especially before she started the day.

Nothing whatsoever was going to be accomplished today and she was going to have to sit and grit her teeth all the way through it. The under sheriff, sheriff and director were going to be present along with her for the interviews of her new partner. It was not going to be a fun day.

Parking the truck she stepped out and slipped around her side to go to the front of the building. Lou caught her hand and gave it a squeeze; she returned the gesture. She knew he was focusing in for work and she had to do the same.

Taking her usual path around the front of the building and in past reception down to the back part of the building that had no real purpose beyond her office; the rest of the hall was used as storage. Stashing her purse she slipped back and across to the elevators to go up to the lab and catch some of her old friends going off shift; and get a coffee.

She rode up with a few cops she didn't recognize, but from the furitive glances she guessed they knew who she was. Escaping quickly she slipped down the hall to the break room and the coffee pot. Knowing the pot on the burner would be stale she started a fresh one and went for a round.

She found Nick in what had once been her office, Greg in his old one shared with Grissom and Sara now. But the later two were no where to be found. Wendy waved at her and gestured for her to wait from inside her lab. She had twenty minutes so she tipped her head to the break room and went to get her caffeine kick before it was devoured; she fixed a sweet cup for her spunky friend.

Leaning against the counter she sighed, hopefully Wendy would have something interesting to say. She could use some of the girl's spunk before she dealt with the stiff politicians all day. She wished Lou had been more relaxed this morning; it would have made things easier.

" Hey you, guess what." Wendy came around the corner and skidded to a stop in front of her. Offering the cup she earned a grateful grin as it was accepted. The brunette had ditched her lab coat and grabbed her purse; clearly on her way off shift.

" Please no guessing games, that's all my husband wants to do. I like plain speak, I can understand it easily." Catherine made a sad face, hoping she could just get the news without the dog and pony show; taking another sip of her coffee.

" Ecklie may have been in the lab last night and I may have got some gossip. One of the people you are supposed to interview didn't make it. A Leila Herris? Anyway you are down to three interviews today and your irritating panel is distracted with a hot new case. But well if things go bad today don't get to worried okay?" Wendy grinned at her, she knew there was a riddle behind the words but she would figure it out later; she didn't care if the interviews fell flat if they would let her get back to work.

" Great so now I've only got one woman going for the job, its bad to say but I don't want to be stuck with a guy. Oh well. If there's a hot case how come your heading home? Maxed out your overtime already."

" Naw, my stuff is done; I've handed the lab over to day shift. I'm going to go home but I might be back by lunch. You want me to bring you something? Comfort food to celebrate being done with the bosses?" The girl backed across the room to put her cup in the sink; having downed her sugared cup already.

" Okay, but why are you coming back before shift? Get out of here and stay away until you absolutely have to come back." She rolled her eyes before lifting her cup and downing the rest of hers and followed Wendy to the lift.

" Meh, cuz I can. I also want to be the first to hear all the details from the interviews." The brunette smirked and started to back up.

" Fine but I want details about the new case." Catherine called after her as the doors binged. They were on the ground floor and Wendy was escaping in the direction of the parking lot.

Smiling she walked back to her office to find her bosses hovering; her smile faded fast. Business was about to begin. Slipping in she took her seat directly behind the desk, there were no formalities with greetings; first interview started in five.

Catherine snagged her pen and notepad from the top drawer and dated the top of the page. The busier she looked to her panel the more time she could spend studying the potentials. She knew the questions she wanted to ask, there were only five; the rest she would leave to Ecklie and Attwood.

Her plan was simple and she planned to make it very clear. Her questions were first, after that they could ask what ever they wanted. She wanted to know if her new person would be able to relate, cope, understand, remain objective and nonjudgmental. References, work experience and time would give her the answers she wanted about determination and attention to detail; that was why she wanted to listen more than talk.

Settling in she waited while Ecklie went to locate the first guy. His name was Ryan Drassen, not a local he came from South Carolina; he was willing to relocate immediately. The resume and background looked good, cop gone CSI and then grief counsellor. Now he was looking to shift again, while resiliency didn't look promising he claimed to be a good worker.

Giving him the benefit of the doubt he might not have found his niche yet. As he stepped into the room she immediately noticed the tattoos up his arms; immediately she realized they covered scars. Close to the wrists the jagged lines were uneven and long healed, he had a past that might not be to nice.

It might give him a perspective, much the same as it gave her. The interview passed with out much note, he wasn't memorable and that was both a good and bad thing. Neither Ecklie or Atwood were impressed with him though and for her that was okay.

This time Atwood stood to go and find the next one. The woman was next on the list, Maria Eves. He returned with her and Catherine immediately found herself wanting the woman out of the room. She was not going to be objective when it came to the person she worked with; at least not completely.

She bypassed her questions with a slight nod of her head; the bosses pounced. The more she listened the more she was sure; it was going to be one of the guys.

Maria had an agenda and a pretentious pedestal that she happily sat on and told them how wonderful she would be. Catherine did not agree, though Ecklie didn't seem to mind her to much; she was cut from the same cloth as him. She had a feeling the woman was angling for politics in the future; Catherine was not interested in working with a wannabe politician. She had to deal with several irritating ones who oversaw her already.