Disclaimer: I don't own the show, the characters, or the song. The song belongs to, well, many different artists now but it was originally sang by Peter, Paul and Mary.

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Two months have passed since Grissom and Catherine's talk on her first shift back. Unbeknownst to her team, Catherine is leaving for Kansas City. She leaves her leave of absence form on Grissom's desk, not bothering to wait for his approval. He will not see it until she has already left. Along with the form is a note, telling of her whereabouts and asking him not to worry.

That night, the team takes Greg out for his birthday. They go to a small karaoke bar, ordering enough shots to please a room full of alcoholics.

One by one, starting and ending with Greg, each goes up to embarrass the bar with their less-than-perfect singing skills. Greg starts off with an old favorite, 'Like a Virgin', by Madonna. Following him is Warrick, singing 'Do You Really Want to Make Me Cry', Nick with "McArthur Park' and Sara belting out 'Ring of Fire' by the late, great Johnny Cash.

When Catherine goes to join the humiliation ranks, she chooses a song to encode a message that she hopes the others will notice once she has left.

All my bags are packed,

I'm ready to go

I'm standing here

Outside your door

I hate to wake you up to say goodbye

But the dawn is breaking,

It's early morn

The taxi's waiting,

He's blowin' his horn

Already I'm so lonesome, I could cry

So kiss me and smile for me,

Tell me that you'll wait for me

Hold me like you'll never let me go

Cause I'm leaving on a jet plane

I don't know when I'll be back again

O babe, I hate to go

There's so many times

I've let you down,

So many times I've

Played around

I tell you now,

They don't mean a thing

Every place I go,

I think of you

Every song I sing,

I sing for you

When I come back I'll wear your wedding ring

So kiss me and smile for me

Tell me that you'll wait for me

Hold me like you'll never let me go

Cause I'm leaving on a jet plane

I don't know when I'll be back again

O, babe, I hate to go

Now the time has come to leave you

One more time,

Let me kiss you

Close your eyes,

I'll be on my way

Dream about the ways to come

When I won't have to wait alone

About the time when I don't have to say

Kiss me and smile for me

Tell me that you'll wait for me

Hold me like you'll never let me go

Cause I'm leaving on a jet plane

Leaving on a jet plane

Leaving on a jet plane...

After her ballad, Catherine grabs her purse and slips away, unnoticed.

Four hours later, she boards the plane to take her to Kansas City, where an old friend awaits her arrival. Her timing is perfect, allowing her to leave exactly when she wants to without drawing attention to herself. A quiet exit is all she wants right now.

"Goodbye," she whispers on her way out of the bar. Like she is counting on, everyone is either too drunk or not paying enough attention to her but to the singer, to notice her leaving.

So kiss me and smile for me

Tell me that you'll wait for me

Hold me like you'll never let me go

Cause I'm leaving on a jet plane

Leaving on a jet plane,

Leaving on a jet plane,

Leaving on a jet plane, Catherine whispers on her way out the door.

TBC