Disclaimer - see chapter one

Spoilers - minor for 'The Accused is Entitled'

Chapter Thirteen - Happy New Year?

After completing the work at the police station, the team returned to the lab to find it practically deserted.

"We missed midnight? How did that happen? Surely there were fireworks and things!" Catherine exclaimed looking at the empty rooms and hallways.

"Perhaps you were a little distracted," Horatio teased, gaining another amused glare from Catherine.

"Oh yeah? What exactly were you lot up to at that apartment?" Nick asked, curiously.

"Disproving James Harvey's story," Catherine stated with a smile.

Nick looked to Horatio, his expression told him he wasn't saying anything, so he looked back to Catherine, who was deep in thought, but still smiling. Then he looked to Grissom, also deep in thought, and gazing at Catherine.

"We'll let you two finish up. Sara, Warrick, we'll go tidy the break room. Caine, you wanna see what trouble partying CSIs can cause?"

"I'd love to. My Miami people are so boring."

And they all left, leaving Grissom and Catherine alone in the corridor.

"Do you get the feeling we're being left alone?" Catherine asked, looking around.

"I get the feeling they're trying to get out of doing the paperwork."

Catherine nodded. "Ah." That did seem like a more likely explanation.

They walked into Grissom's office, and sat down. After a short silence, Catherine decided to speak.

"So now can we talk about when you've been jealous?" she asked, knowing it was a risky question, but needing to figure out what had been going on tonight, and hoping this might be a starting point.

"It's still not appropriate."

"It doesn't have to be appropriate, Gil, this is me." His avoidance of the subject unnerved her. Was he avoiding it because he thought she wouldn't like the answer? Had he been jealous of what she thought? What she feared. She decided it was best to be brave and ask, then at least she would know one way or the other. "So, were you jealous when you found out about Sara and Hank?" She tried to sound like her usual breezy self, hiding the nervousness in her voice.

"What?" Grissom was genuinely shocked. "Why would I have been jealous?"

"Oh, come on!"

"Catherine I have no feelings for Sara. You've implied before that I have. How can you think that?"

"Well, we just kinda -"

"We?" Grissom said with further surprise, "You all think I like Sara?"

She was relieved that he seemed so shocked, and was denying it so seriously. But she needed to make sure. "The evidence is there. You brought her in here specifically."

"As I did you."

"You and her have a rapport."

"So do we."

"She always tries to impress you," Catherine looked at him, waiting for his response, and refusing to let herself read between the lines of what he had just said. He just looked back. "You can't say I do that, can you?" Her eyes sparkled as she spoke. She enjoyed teasing him. She'd missed it.

"No. But your evidence only suggests that she might have a slight crush on me. I think you may have misinterpreted it."

"Perhaps you need a new team?"

"My team is fine. I like my team."

"And they like you. Some more than others," Catherine smirked.

"Cath, if you all make jokes about it, it's more likely Sara will think I feel the same. She was my student, she is part of our team. That is it." His tone was serious, and his expression supported it.

"Okay," she mimicked his serious tone. "The Grissom doth protest too much, methinks," she spoke loudly enough to just be heard.

"Catherine!" he didn't shout, but he spoke sharply.

"I'm sorry. I won't make any more jokes. I understand what they could do to your reputation. You're her boss. It wouldn't be appropriate." Her expression was one of sadness and anger, and it cut into Grissom like a knife. He knew where those words had come from, and realised how much pain he had caused her. She had hidden it well over the last year, he'd had no idea.

"I shouldn't have snapped."

"It's okay. I'm used to it," she tried a smile.

"Because I've become a lousy leader and Ecklie is rubbing off on me?"

"I was wound up. Why have you waited so long to confront me on that?" She looked concerned.

"I didn't think you'd meant it."

"But now you do?" Concern turned to shock and confusion.

He looked at her sadly. "You're leaving. I figured the two must be connected."

"Gil, you had your reasons for doing what you did. If she hadn't wound me up so much I would have seen it sooner. I'm not leaving because of y- .. because I no longer have faith in you as our leader."

"Then, why?"

"I haven't said I am leaving. I said I've been offered a job."

"You'll take it."

"Will I?"

Grissom nodded. "I've watched you with him. You two work well together."

"So do we." She mocked.

"You have an unspoken understanding."

"So do we."

"He thinks you're an amazing woman." Catherine smiled. She knew what she was supposed to do. But it wasn't like her to do as was expected. "So do you." She smiled again, her eyes bright.

He tilted his head and raised his eyebrows, the corners of his mouth curling slightly. A non-committal response, however, she knew to read it as affirmation of what she'd said.

"There are reasons for me to go. And there are reasons for me to stay. I just need to figure out if the pull of Miami can overcome the hold of Vegas." She was serious this time.

Grissom nodded. "So you are thinking about it?"

"Yeah. It's very tempting."

Their conversation had slipped into supervisor-team member as they both suppressed their emotions, feeling that holding back was safer.

"Miami is great," Catherine continued. "The landscape, the climate, the people. And being awake when it's light would be good."

"You don't have to go to Miami for that."

"True. But I'd either have to work for Ecklie, or kill him, to get that here."

"Yeah. I see how neither of those options are appealing."

"Sometimes, the second one is. But it's not an advisable course of action." She smiled again, but there was a sadness in her eyes. He saw it, but he couldn't interpret it. Was she sad because she didn't want to leave, but felt she had to? Or did she want to go and she was sad to leave her friends? Or was trying to decide taking its toll on her? He wanted to ask her to stay, but he didn't want to cause her any more confusion. And he didn't want to influence her decision. And he wasn't ready. He wasn't good with little feelings, and these were like a mountain, its peak lost in the clouds. If she did stay, maybe one day, he would tell her. But after seeing how much he had obviously upset her, would it be fair? If she didn't stay, well, he didn't want to think about that.

"Listen, Cath, I-"

She looked at him, hopeful.

"I can finish up here. You go home."

Her hope subsided. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. And go save Caine from them." He laughed slightly. He liked Horatio Caine. They were very similar. He wanted to despise him. He wanted to hate him for wanting Catherine, but he couldn't. He was a nice guy. He would never hurt Catherine. If she chose him, then he would try to be happy for her.

"Hmm. Wouldn't want to send him back to Miami traumatised. I'll see you tomorrow." She rose from her chair, she hoped he would say more, but he didn't. She smiled a goodnight to him and headed for the door.

"Catherine"

This stop-her-in-the-doorway routine was getting old, but she stopped and turned, telling herself that he wasn't going to say what she wanted, but still hoping he would.

"Happy new year."

No. That was not it. Perhaps he didn't feel as she thought. Her options were to ask, or to stop waiting. It was time to choose.

"I hope so," she replied and then she left.

Grissom sat back in his chair and rubbed his head.

TBC .