Taking a deep breath, Grissom pushed open the door and walked into the graveyard shift's conference room.  He kept his head bowed to give the impression that he was engrossed in the assignment cards.  Looking up, he stopped.  As usual all eyes were on him, but this time there was something different about his team's gazes.  Had Warrick told them?  No, he dismissed the thought.  Looking back at the cards he could still feel their eyes on him.

            'What you got for us, Gris?'

            Glad for Warrick's prompt, Grissom set about assigning the cases, there were three tonight.

            'Warrick, Nick, suspicious suicide of a police cadet.'  He handed Warrick a card.

            'Right boss.'  Nick read the card over Warrick's shoulder and the pair left.

            'Sara, dead body in a motel room.'  As he handed over the card he avoided the woman's eyes.  Why had she suddenly made a move on him?  They were friends, that was all, and they would never be any more.

            Sara perused the card quickly and looked back at Grissom.  'How d'you get that?'  She asked indicating to his bruise.

            Why couldn't she just leave?  Grissom didn't feel comfortable talking to her any more.  He forced a smile.  'A friend with a short fuse.'  He turned away preventing her asking more questions.  He could feel her standing there and prayed she would leave.

            He headed over to the remaining team member.  'Catherine, you're with me,' the door clicked softly closed behind him and Grissom let out a silent sigh of relief.  'A Jane Doe found stabbed in the park . . .'

            As Catherine picked her way through the dense shrubbery after her supervisor, she still felt slightly annoyed with Sara.  Why did she think it was she who had attacked Grissom?  She had seen the accusation in Sara's eyes, in the way she had looked at her in the conference room.  Grissom hadn't seen, he had had his back to Sara at the time.  She wouldn't hurt him that was the last thing on her mind.

            Her foot caught on an exposed root and suddenly Catherine found herself stumbling forward.  Strong hands caught and steadied her.  Looking up, Catherine fell into Grissom's wonderfully blue eyes and it was all she could do to stop herself leaning forward and kissing him.  She wasn't sure how he would react but there was something in his eyes that suggested he wouldn't mind.

            'Are you okay?'  Genuine concern coloured Grissom's voice.

            Not trusting herself to speak, Catherine could only nod.  The smile that flashed across Grissom's lips was encouraging but Catherine couldn't help feeling the loss as he removed his hands from her arm and waist.

            As Grissom made his way deeper into the shrubbery, Catherine was left to deal with her intertwining feelings of surprise and joy.  Had she really seen that?  Something in his deep blue eyes that she had never witnessed before.  The longing . . .

            'Okay, what've we got?'

            The crouched figure by the sprawled body stood up and turned to greet the two CSIs.  Captain Brass looked as grave as ever but he couldn't resist the opportunity to crack a joke.

            'Well Gil, we have a dead body.'

            'I know that.'  Grissom smiled wryly

            Brass shrugged.  'White female' He began to reel off details as Grissom and Catherine walked around him to inspect the body.  'Probably in her thirties, no identification on her, time of death approximately –'

            'Oh no, Anna!'

            Not used to interruptions, Brass wheeled around and registered the shock on Grissom's face.  'You knew the victim?'

            Grissom continued to look at the lifeless woman but directed his answer at Catherine.  'This is the old friend I met this afternoon.'

            'When was that?'

            'I left her around five-thirty, why?'  Grissom looked up at Brass.

            'Coroner placed the time of death between five and six.'  He returned Grissom's look and added,  'Of course, we can get a more precise time after the autopsy.'

            'Grissom.'  Catherine's voice was soft and caused Grissom to shift his gaze immediately.  'We have to process the scene.'

            Grissom nodded and slowly got to his feet.  Reaching out for his case, he felt a hand on his shoulder and heard Brass' voice in his ear.

            'I think you should sit this one out, Gil.  I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to come with me.'

            Grissom looked over at Catherine.

            'Don't worry,'  She said reassuringly  'The evidence will free you and you'll be back on the case in no time.'  She felt confident of this and even managed a smile to lift his spirits.

            However, as she watched her supervisor being led away, a horrible sinking feeling enveloped her.  Her job had never seemed so important.