Chapter Two - A Bohemian storm is brewing

We open at Gil Grissom's apartment again, where he is calmly looking over some case files. Bursts of music reverberate around the room and he looks increasingly confused and agitated.

We follow him as he heads up to the next level and raps on the door of Greg Sanders.

The door flings open and Greg is standing there, dressed as a nun. Gil's eyes widen.

"What the hell is going on in here?" Gil asks, feeling slightly uncomfortable.

"We're rehearsing our play. Want to watch?"

Against his better judgement, Gil sits down on a stool.

Greg clears his throat and steps up onto a makeshift hill. "The hills are made with the euphonious symphonies of descant…"

Warrick groans. "I don't think a nun would say that about a hill."

Gil feels that this song sounds slightly familiar. "What about 'the hills are alive with the sound of music'?"

Bobby D brightens up immediately. "The hills are alive with the sound of music? I love it!"

"It's pure genius!" Greg cries, as Warrick and Nick also echo their approval.

Gil raises an eyebrow. "Uh…thanks."

"Do you want a job?" Greg asks.

"I already have one," Gil replied.

"You have to write our play."

Gil looks astonished. "I can't write a show for the French Palace!"

"Why not?" Greg asks.

"Because I'm a crime scene investigator, not a writer."

"Do you believe in beauty?"

Gil wonders if this is a trick question. "Yes."

"Freedom?" Nick asks.

"Yes, of course," Gil nods.

"Truth?" Warrick asks.

"Yes!" Gil replies.

"Love?" Bobby D inquires.

"Love? Above all things I believe in love! Love is like oxygen. Love is a many-splendored thing, love lifts us up where we belong! All you need is love!"

"See? You can't fool us! You are the voice of the Children of the Revolution!" Greg tells him.

"We can't be fooled!" the group cries.

Gil wonders what he has gotten himself into.

********************************************************************************************************


It's evening now, and we're back at the French Palace. Tonight is Catherine's night off, and she wears a slinky red dress, that sparkles in the bright lights of the club. Gil walks in and their eyes lock, as the drums beat and the music begins.

"I've been expecting you," she whispers into his ear.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When it feels like
The world is
On your shoulders
And all of the madness
Has got you goin' crazy

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She moves towards him and their bodies begin moving rhythmically to the music.

His hands fit perfectly to the contours of her body and she presses herself against him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

It's time to get out
Step out into the street
Where all of the action
Is right there at your feet

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Sara is standing off to the side, serving drinks to some of the customers. But her eyes are always on Gil and Catherine. Their bodies are too close together for her liking, and after serving another drink, she decides to talk to Doc Robbins.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Well

I know a place where we can
Dance the whole night away
And it's called the French Palace
Just come with me and we can
Shake your blues right away
You'll be doin' fine
Once the music starts, oh

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*



Doc Robbins is also watching Catherine and Gil dance together, and is not entirely pleased.


While he would adore for Gil to invest some money into the club, he meant for him to be dancing with Sara, not Catherine. She was supposed to appear unavailable. It brought the punters in more.


"Look at the way her hands are on him," Sara hisses.


Catherine's hands slowly slide up Gil's chest, finally resting around his neck.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
To the beat of the
Rhythm of the night
Dance until the morning light
Forget about the
Worries on your mind
We can leave them all behind
To the beat of the
Rhythm of the night..
Ooh the rhythm of the night
Ooh yeah
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Gil's arms encircle her waist, pulling her closer to him as they dance to the rapid beat of the music.

"You're a good dancer, Mr Grissom," Catherine murmurs.

"Only with you it seems," he replies. He twirls her and smiles as they start dancing with her back pressed against his chest. "And call me Gil."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Look out on the street now
The party's just beginning
The music's playing
A celebration's starting

Under the streetlights
The scene is being set
A night for romance
A night you won't forget,

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Now look at them!" Sara hisses.

"I'm not blind," Doc Robbins replies.

"I can see why you're the biggest star here," Gil says, as they dance together.

Her body presses back against him. "I haven't enjoyed myself like this in a while," she admits.

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so Come join the fun
This ain't no time
To be staying home
French Palace is
going on, oh
Tonight is gonna be a night
Like you've never known
We're gonna have a good time
The whole night long, oh

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"This has to be stopped," Sara says. "It's getting out of hand."

Doc Robbins nods. "I'll talk to Catherine."

Catherine and Gil are facing each other again, eyes conveying emotions that their lips are not ready to voice.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

To the beat of the
Rhythm of the night
Dance until the morning light
Forget about the
Worries on your mind
We can leave them all behind
To the beat of the
Rhythm of the night..
Ooh the rhythm of the night
Ooh yeah

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

As the music dies down, the couple parts and Gil escorts Catherine to a seat.

"Can I get you something to drink?"

"Screwdriver, please," Catherine smiles, reluctantly letting go of his hand.

After he goes, Doc Robbins sits in his place.

"Catherine."

"Doc."

"Enjoying yourself?"

Catherine sends him a sharp look. "I'm entertaining, in case you hadn't noticed."

"Oh I had noticed. But remember this: Sara's father holds the deeds to the French Palace. He is spending a fortune on it, but YOU ARE DALLYING WITH THE CSI!"

Catherine rolls her eyes. "I don't think anyone uses the word dallying anymore. Doc."

*************************************************************************************

Meanwhile, at the bar, Gil Grissom has been unfortunate enough to run into Sara, who decides to serve him his drinks.

"Two screwdrivers please, Miss Sidle," he requests.

"Please, call me Sara," she smiles winningly. "Are you enjoying the French Palace?"

Gil's eyes are lingering on Catherine. "It has some irresistible charms."

Sara feels tempted to spit into one of the screwdrivers, but manages to restrain herself.

"Here you go," she says. She waves his money away. "This one is on me."

Gil smiles at her. "Thankyou Mis…Sara. I appreciate it."

*****************************************************************************************************

We now move to Catherine's elephant. Yes, you read this correctly, Catherine lives in an elephant. Not a real one of course, but it certainly looks like one.

It had been a long evening. Gil had kissed her on the cheek tonight. But she had wanted more. Yet she knew she couldn't have more.

She leans against a balustrade, her hands clasped behind her, staring out into the night.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I follow the night
Can't stand the light
When will I begin
To live again?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

She walks a little further along the roof of her elephant, sighing as she does so. This is her life. This has always been her life. And until Gil Grissom came along, she was content.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

One day I'll fly away
Leave all this to yesterday
What more could
Your love do for me?
When will love be
Through with me?
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Falling in love is dangerous in this business. Actually, you're not supposed to do it at all. Maybe she should just forget it. What is it going to do for her anyway? It's not like it will feed her or help her realise her dreams.

But she aches for it.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Why live life from
Dream to dream
And dread the day
When dreaming ends?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


But it is just a dream. Reality is the key to survival. Love is not based in reality. At least not in her world. Not in the world of exotic dancing.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

One day I'll fly away
Leave all this to yesterday
Why live life from
Dream to dream
And dread the day
When dreaming ends?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*


One day, perhaps she won't be dancing anymore. Perhaps then she can entertain thoughts of love.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

One day I'll fly away
Fly, fly away

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


One day.

Part 3