VIII - DISCUSSIONS

Nick looked up from the files he was reading when Grissom and Catherine walked into the lounge. Catherine looked - different, somehow. The expression on her face was brittle and shuttered, and it was incongruous when compared to her normally open countenance. She didn't even acknowledge Warrick's greeting.

Nick glanced at Grissom. His expression, normally sphinx-like, was one of barely controlled anger - and hurt? Embarrassment? Nick couldn't quite put his finger on it. But something was obviously going on.

"Nick. I see you're catching yourself up on the files. That's good." Grissom's voice was curt. "We've got another body - Jon Waters, River's morning show partner. Shot in the back of the head. It's pretty obvious by now that we're hunting for the same killer for all three men. Sara - Warrick - see if you can get a list of everyone - contestants, stage hands - everyone - who is involved in this Battle of the Bands thing. It's as good a place as any to start. Nick, you keep reading the files from yesterday. Maybe fresh eyes will catch something the rest of us missed. Catherine - stick with Nick." He paused, and then forced a smile to his lips. "It's good to have you back. Did Greg bring his friend with him?"

"Yes - he's showing him around the lab." Sara responded. She had been sitting by Nick, reading over his shoulder when Grissom and Catherine entered the lounge. She looked at Catherine curiously, before turning back to Grissom. "Did something happen?"

"Yeah - another murder." Grissom snapped. "We don't have time for idle chit-chat. I'll go talk to Greg and his friend. Let's get a move on - we don't have all night!"

Grissom turned and stalked out of the lounge. Sara, Warrick and Nick sat there in stunned silence for a moment.

"What the hell was that all about?" Warrick muttered, as he rose to his feet. "Mobley giving him a hard time about something?" He turned to Catherine, who had poured herself a cup of coffee, and sat down at the table. She was looking blankly at a file sitting in front of her. Warrick looked at Sara, and she shook her head, shrugging.

"C'mon Warrick. Let's go. If we're still here and Grissom walks by, he's gonna have our heads." She looked at Nick, jerking her head towards Catherine - 'Talk to her!' she mouthed at him, as she stood up. Giving his shoulder a quick squeeze, she turned and left with Warrick trailing behind her.

* * * * *

Grissom entered the lab, his expression still grim. 'Get a grip!' he told himself. 'She was only trying to help - you shouldn't have snapped at her like that - or at any one else for that matter.' He forced himself to tamp down on his anger, and actually managed to smile when he saw Greg and his friend. Grissom had always thought Greg's style was a little out there. His hair, on the best of occasions, always looked a little messy, and his clothes! If Grissom didn't know what a brilliant chemist Greg was, he would have thought he was a skateboarder or something. Greg, however, was absolutely tame in comparison to the young man standing next to him.

Wearing a pair of grossly oversized ripped jeans in a violent shade of orange, his hair was spiked out in a multitude of different directions and each spike was a different color. Grissom supposed the young man would have been handsome if he knew how to dress and didn't have multiple piercings, but right now - he looked a little too *alternative* was a good word.

Greg looked up at Grissom, smiling, and quickly made introductions. "Hey Grissom! This is my friend Ray Price. Ray, my boss - Gil Grissom."

Ray held out his hand, smiling. Grissom tried not to stare at the hoop through his upper lip as they shook.

"Pleased to meet you, man."

"Uh - you too. Thanks for coming in." Grissom replied.

"Not a problem. I doubt I'll have anything to tell you, but hey - Rivers was a good guy. I can't believe he was murdered."

Grissom indicated a chair, and Ray sat down. Greg plopped down beside him, grinning. He was having a fun time watching Grissom as he tried not to stare at Ray's hair and hoops.

"Well, we're wondering if there might be some connection to the Battle of the Bands contest. Were any of the competitors who were eliminated overly upset? Was anyone angry with Phillips?"

"Nah, man. It was all cool. We're all a pretty tight knit group, so we all cheer each on."

"Would you mind talking to a couple other CSIs, maybe tell them what you remember about the other bands? We need to get a list of all the competitors."

"That's over 30 bands, man! I don't think I remember them all - you know, the ones that were eliminated early on. I'll try, though." Ray grinned at him. "You should come to the finals. I'm sure most of the bands that competed will be there."

"I don't even know if there will be a final." Grissom interjected. "Not with two judges murdered, along with the main sponsors station manager."

"Two judges?" Ray looked confused. "Who's the other one?"

"Waters. Shot in the back of the head sometime after his shift this morning." Grissom's response was grim.

Ray looked shocked. "Jon Waters? Why would anyone want to murder him?"

"That's what we're trying to find out."

* * * * *

Nick put his file down, and walked over to the table Catherine was sitting at, sliding into the seat immediately to her left.

"Cath? What's wrong?"

Catherine shook her head, before looking up at Nick and smiling. "Nothing, Nick. Nothing at all."

Nick would have believed her, if her smile didn't look like it was hurting her. Her eyes were bruised. "Don't give me that Catherine. Something is wrong. What happened?"

Nick's obvious concern for her, coupled with her complete confusion over what had transpired in Grissom's Tahoe, caused tears to well in her eyes.

"Oh Nick. I totally blew it."

"What in the world are you talking about Catherine?"

"I set Grissom up on a blind date." Catherine sighed.

"I take it the date was a disaster?"

Catherine nodded, miserably. "Total disaster. Gil is trying so hard to open up more, and I thought it might take his mind off you and Sara -" Catherine stopped and looked at Nick guiltily. "Not that I'm not happy for the two of you, but Grissom - he's so closed off emotionally, and I know it has to hurt him -"

Nick laid a consoling hand on her arm. "Catherine. Grissom and I talked about this. Don't worry - I think he's accepting it better than you realize."

"Well, that's beside the point, anyways. My friend didn't like him at all - you know Grissom - he's not much of a conversationalist, and -"

"He talked about bugs, right? Maybe a little bit about some of our cases?" Nick sighed. "Poor Grissom!"

"He was embarrassed. And it's my fault. And now he's going to shut himself off again, just when he was starting to open up more!" Catherine looked down at her hands. "And I don't know what to do. I don't know how to help him! I'm so confused!"

Nick studied Catherine intently. Her hands were clenched tightly together, and she was shaking. "Catherine. It can't be that bad," he began. He stopped when he she looked at him, her watery eyes locking with his own. He finally understood. "You're in love with him, aren't you?"

Catherine nodded. "Yes. And I didn't even realize it until tonight. I was so angry at Mandy for embarrassing him, and it just - hit me! In the middle of my pep talk! This is terrible!"

"What's so terrible about it, Catherine?" Nick asked gently. "You've known each other for years."

"But that's the problem - we're just friends."

"Sara and I were just friends, and look where we're at now." Nick sighed. "Catherine, you can't chose who you love. Sometimes, you can love someone and not even realize it, and then something will happen and BOOM! There it is. Grissom is - he's a hard man to get to know. He keeps himself locked up tight, and doesn't reveal a whole lot. But you know him - probably better than any one else here. And I think you'd be good for him."

Catherine started protesting. "But he's - Sara -"

"This has nothing to do with Sara. Sure, he might have been attracted to her, but he never acted on it. And maybe part of the attraction for him was just the fact that she's Sara. He's safe with her, and he didn't need to act on it - he could just admire her from afar because he knew he couldn't have a relationship with her. I honestly don't know. But Catherine - you challenge him. He admires you. He respects you. You're the only one who he really listens too. Do you think any of the rest of us could ever get him to go out on a blind date?" Nick grinned. "There's no way! So, why would he do it for you?"

Catherine just looked at him. Nick smiled again. "And I'll tell you something else, Catherine. I waited for two years before I acted on my feelings for Sara. Part of it was Grissom, and part of it was because I was scared she wouldn't feel the same and I would wreck a good friendship. But you know what? I'm glad I took the chance. It was a relief to tell her, and look were it led me. I'm happier than I've ever been. If I'd never told her, I'd be missing this now."

Nick gripped Catherine's shoulders, shaking her gently. "You have to tell him, Catherine. Maybe nothing will come of it. But maybe something will. Do something for yourself for once - what you want - what you need! - and stop worrying about the rest of us. You deserve to be happy, and so does Grissom. I think he could be happy with you."

Catherine smiled weakly at Nick. "Since when did you start giving such good advice?"

"Since I started listening to yours." Nick's tone was teasing. He leaned forward and kissed Catherine on the forehead, gently wiping her eyes. "I want you to be as happy as I am. Hiding from your feelings is never good, you're always telling me that. So listen to your own advice for a change. Don't hide from this. Embrace it - you never know where it will lead."

Catherine slowly picked up a file. "I'll think about what you've said. Thanks Nicky - you're a good friend."