Chapter 5
They took them right away again but this time it was a different nurse and doctor that examined her. Like Nick said it was quick. They took pictures and asked her questions and took her clothes. It was all over in an hour and they were on their way back to the hotel. It was almost three in the morning and she was getting tired again.
Nick and Catherine helped her back up to her room. The hotel staff had moved her stuff into the new room and she went over to the bar and poured herself a small drink. "I don't usually drink before I perform but I think I need this one."
Catherine said, "Why don't you lay down and sleep. The performance isn't until seven tonight and that should give you some time to get some rest."
Nick walked over to her, "Are you sure you want to do this tonight Grace?"
Grace put the glass down and looked at Nick; "If I don't then he wins Nick. I can't let him do that to me."
Nick touched her face, "OK."
"Can you have someone wake me at noon so I can start getting ready?"
"Of course," Catherine said. "Either Nick and I will be here in the hotel room with you and we'll wake you."
"Thank you." She went into the bedroom and pulled out a nightgown. She switched on her player and put a CD in. She never listened to her own music to fall asleep and she put some Bach in. She was asleep in ten minutes.
"Maybe you should call Gris or Brass?" Nick said.
Catherine pulled out her cell phone. She talked to Grissom and got a recap of what Andrew was saying. He was keeping to his story about Grace falling. Greg was testing Grace's clothes but Andrew was saying gave her a hug and that was how his skin cells it got there. The hotel manager never saw him actually doing anything so if they swab from her neck didn't come out then it was going to come down to her word against his.
Catherine and Nick both decided to stay in the room. They were both lost in their thoughts and the time went by slow. At seven they ordered some coffee and Catherine left to go the lab to check on the results. Nick went into the room and sat with Grace. She hadn't moved since the last time he checked on her. She must have been exhausted. He closed his eyes and fell asleep in the chair next to the bed. He heard the door open and looked at the clock, it was almost twelve. He went out and saw Catherine and Sara.
"What's up."
Sara said, "Greg was able to get some DNA from the clippings I took from her nails, it came back positive. It's really going to be hard for him explain that one. There's no way a simple hug can get his skin under her nails."
"Excellent." Nick said.
"She been resting ok?" Catherine said.
"Yeah. I guess I better wake her up." Just then there was a knock on the door. Catherine went to look out and saw John outside. She opened the door for him.
He just looked around and stopped when he saw Nick. "Where's Grace?" He asked.
"We were just getting ready to wake her."
"OK, will you have her call me? The makeup and wardrobe people want to start in an hour. "
"Its over six hours until the performance." Catherine said.
He looked at his watch, "We have shots to take and there are people for her to meet."
"Don't you think that can wait?" Nick asked.
John sighed, "No I don't. She said she didn't want to cancel and that means these things need to be done. I'll be back later to get her but if she needs more time have her call me." He went out the door making a call on his cell phone.
"I'll wake her up." Nick said. He went in to the room and gently shook her awake. "Grace."
Grace came awake slowly, "Hey, is it noon already?"
"Yes,"
"Has John been by yet?" She sat up and rubbed her eyes.
"Yes he just left." Nick said, "He said he needs you in an hour to get ready."
"Ok." She swung her legs around and stood up.
"Do you want something to eat first?" Nick asked as they walked out.
"Yeah I guess I better." She looked up as they went out to the living room, "Hey Catherine. Did you tell Lindsey yet about tonight?"
Catherine smiled, "Yeah I called her and told her. She's going through her closet looking for something to wear."
"Oh don't you have to be there, isn't today her birthday. You don't have to be here with me. You should be with her."
"Don't worry. I told her I'd be home by two."
Grace felt guilty. "You guys don't have to baby sit me. I know you have things to do."
"Ok Grace. I'll see you tonight ok. Call me.."
"If I need anything." Grace finished. She laughed and went over and gave Catherine a hug, "I will I promise."
Catherine and Sara left but Nick stayed. "Why don't we have something to eat then we'll let you get ready." Nick offered.
"Sounds good." She went over to the table and picked up the menu, "Breakfast or lunch?"
"You pick." He said.
"Breakfast." She picked up the phone and called room service. When she finished she pulled out the phone book. "Nick how tall is Lindsey?"
"She's about three and a half feet."
"Small and big?"
"Small like Catherine. Why?"
Grace just smiled and picked up the phone again and dialed. "Hi, My name is Grace Lynn. I'd like to order two dresses and have them delivered in an hour please." She waited for them to transfer her. She ordered two dressed and a seamstress to go with the dresses to make sure they fit. When she hung up she looked at Nick.
"That was very nice." He said.
Grace blushed, "Well she's been very nice to me."
There was a knock on the door and Nick went and let the waiter in. Grace signed for the meal and they sat down to eat.
"Grace. I know I said earlier that piano wasn't my thing but I'd really like to watch you play tonight."
Grace smiled and took his hand, "really?"
He smiled back "Yeah really."
"I'd like that a lot." She said. "I'll make sure there's a ticket for you."
"Good."
They finished eating and there was another knock at the door. Nick went to answer and saw John there with two people and a large rolling cart.
John came in and looked at Grace, "Ready?"
"Yes, would you give me a minute." She went and took Nick's hand and pulled him onto the balcony. "I wanted to say goodbye without prying eyes."
Nick smiled and cupped her face. "I like that." He looked in her eyes and leaned down to kiss her.
Grace wound her arms around his neck and leaned into his kiss. She felt his arms around her and it felt so good, felt so safe.
Reluctantly Nick pulled back and looked at her. He brushed her hair out of her eyes, "We'll finish this later." He whispered.
She put her mouth next to his ear; "I'm looking forward to it." She whispered back.
Nick laughed and went out of the room. He stopped to talk to the two officers outside her door and left to go home and find his good suit.
Grace took a minute and finally went out to the room. John was pacing back and forth and the two others were standing there watching him.
"Finally." He looked at his watch; "I'll be back in two hours." He looked at the other two, "I expect her to be ready." He looked back at Grace, "You OK?" She nodded at him "You're sure you don't want to cancel?" She just looked at him and he sighed and went out the door without another word.
Grace looked at the makeup people, "What's first."
Two hours later she was sitting at the table in the dressing room behind the stage. The make up artist had done wonders and you couldn't see any bruises. John had ordered a new dress, one with long sleeves, and it fit perfectly. They would be taking pictures on the stage with the piano first. She hated these staged pictures. She liked the ones where she was actually playing better.
John came in the room and looked at her. He could never get over how she was transformed before a performance. He always employed the best and they always came through. "Ready?"
"Yes." She gathered up the long skirt and stood up. John had turned and walked out and she followed, "John."
"Yes," he said without turning.
"How long are you going to be mad at me for going to see him?" she asked.
John looked at his watch, "Not much longer."
Grace laughed and grabbed his hand and followed him onto the stage.
They took them right away again but this time it was a different nurse and doctor that examined her. Like Nick said it was quick. They took pictures and asked her questions and took her clothes. It was all over in an hour and they were on their way back to the hotel. It was almost three in the morning and she was getting tired again.
Nick and Catherine helped her back up to her room. The hotel staff had moved her stuff into the new room and she went over to the bar and poured herself a small drink. "I don't usually drink before I perform but I think I need this one."
Catherine said, "Why don't you lay down and sleep. The performance isn't until seven tonight and that should give you some time to get some rest."
Nick walked over to her, "Are you sure you want to do this tonight Grace?"
Grace put the glass down and looked at Nick; "If I don't then he wins Nick. I can't let him do that to me."
Nick touched her face, "OK."
"Can you have someone wake me at noon so I can start getting ready?"
"Of course," Catherine said. "Either Nick and I will be here in the hotel room with you and we'll wake you."
"Thank you." She went into the bedroom and pulled out a nightgown. She switched on her player and put a CD in. She never listened to her own music to fall asleep and she put some Bach in. She was asleep in ten minutes.
"Maybe you should call Gris or Brass?" Nick said.
Catherine pulled out her cell phone. She talked to Grissom and got a recap of what Andrew was saying. He was keeping to his story about Grace falling. Greg was testing Grace's clothes but Andrew was saying gave her a hug and that was how his skin cells it got there. The hotel manager never saw him actually doing anything so if they swab from her neck didn't come out then it was going to come down to her word against his.
Catherine and Nick both decided to stay in the room. They were both lost in their thoughts and the time went by slow. At seven they ordered some coffee and Catherine left to go the lab to check on the results. Nick went into the room and sat with Grace. She hadn't moved since the last time he checked on her. She must have been exhausted. He closed his eyes and fell asleep in the chair next to the bed. He heard the door open and looked at the clock, it was almost twelve. He went out and saw Catherine and Sara.
"What's up."
Sara said, "Greg was able to get some DNA from the clippings I took from her nails, it came back positive. It's really going to be hard for him explain that one. There's no way a simple hug can get his skin under her nails."
"Excellent." Nick said.
"She been resting ok?" Catherine said.
"Yeah. I guess I better wake her up." Just then there was a knock on the door. Catherine went to look out and saw John outside. She opened the door for him.
He just looked around and stopped when he saw Nick. "Where's Grace?" He asked.
"We were just getting ready to wake her."
"OK, will you have her call me? The makeup and wardrobe people want to start in an hour. "
"Its over six hours until the performance." Catherine said.
He looked at his watch, "We have shots to take and there are people for her to meet."
"Don't you think that can wait?" Nick asked.
John sighed, "No I don't. She said she didn't want to cancel and that means these things need to be done. I'll be back later to get her but if she needs more time have her call me." He went out the door making a call on his cell phone.
"I'll wake her up." Nick said. He went in to the room and gently shook her awake. "Grace."
Grace came awake slowly, "Hey, is it noon already?"
"Yes,"
"Has John been by yet?" She sat up and rubbed her eyes.
"Yes he just left." Nick said, "He said he needs you in an hour to get ready."
"Ok." She swung her legs around and stood up.
"Do you want something to eat first?" Nick asked as they walked out.
"Yeah I guess I better." She looked up as they went out to the living room, "Hey Catherine. Did you tell Lindsey yet about tonight?"
Catherine smiled, "Yeah I called her and told her. She's going through her closet looking for something to wear."
"Oh don't you have to be there, isn't today her birthday. You don't have to be here with me. You should be with her."
"Don't worry. I told her I'd be home by two."
Grace felt guilty. "You guys don't have to baby sit me. I know you have things to do."
"Ok Grace. I'll see you tonight ok. Call me.."
"If I need anything." Grace finished. She laughed and went over and gave Catherine a hug, "I will I promise."
Catherine and Sara left but Nick stayed. "Why don't we have something to eat then we'll let you get ready." Nick offered.
"Sounds good." She went over to the table and picked up the menu, "Breakfast or lunch?"
"You pick." He said.
"Breakfast." She picked up the phone and called room service. When she finished she pulled out the phone book. "Nick how tall is Lindsey?"
"She's about three and a half feet."
"Small and big?"
"Small like Catherine. Why?"
Grace just smiled and picked up the phone again and dialed. "Hi, My name is Grace Lynn. I'd like to order two dresses and have them delivered in an hour please." She waited for them to transfer her. She ordered two dressed and a seamstress to go with the dresses to make sure they fit. When she hung up she looked at Nick.
"That was very nice." He said.
Grace blushed, "Well she's been very nice to me."
There was a knock on the door and Nick went and let the waiter in. Grace signed for the meal and they sat down to eat.
"Grace. I know I said earlier that piano wasn't my thing but I'd really like to watch you play tonight."
Grace smiled and took his hand, "really?"
He smiled back "Yeah really."
"I'd like that a lot." She said. "I'll make sure there's a ticket for you."
"Good."
They finished eating and there was another knock at the door. Nick went to answer and saw John there with two people and a large rolling cart.
John came in and looked at Grace, "Ready?"
"Yes, would you give me a minute." She went and took Nick's hand and pulled him onto the balcony. "I wanted to say goodbye without prying eyes."
Nick smiled and cupped her face. "I like that." He looked in her eyes and leaned down to kiss her.
Grace wound her arms around his neck and leaned into his kiss. She felt his arms around her and it felt so good, felt so safe.
Reluctantly Nick pulled back and looked at her. He brushed her hair out of her eyes, "We'll finish this later." He whispered.
She put her mouth next to his ear; "I'm looking forward to it." She whispered back.
Nick laughed and went out of the room. He stopped to talk to the two officers outside her door and left to go home and find his good suit.
Grace took a minute and finally went out to the room. John was pacing back and forth and the two others were standing there watching him.
"Finally." He looked at his watch; "I'll be back in two hours." He looked at the other two, "I expect her to be ready." He looked back at Grace, "You OK?" She nodded at him "You're sure you don't want to cancel?" She just looked at him and he sighed and went out the door without another word.
Grace looked at the makeup people, "What's first."
Two hours later she was sitting at the table in the dressing room behind the stage. The make up artist had done wonders and you couldn't see any bruises. John had ordered a new dress, one with long sleeves, and it fit perfectly. They would be taking pictures on the stage with the piano first. She hated these staged pictures. She liked the ones where she was actually playing better.
John came in the room and looked at her. He could never get over how she was transformed before a performance. He always employed the best and they always came through. "Ready?"
"Yes." She gathered up the long skirt and stood up. John had turned and walked out and she followed, "John."
"Yes," he said without turning.
"How long are you going to be mad at me for going to see him?" she asked.
John looked at his watch, "Not much longer."
Grace laughed and grabbed his hand and followed him onto the stage.