Disclaimer: CSI and the song used is not mine

Spoilers: None

a/n: whew! at last, the last chapter! I am never going to write anything this long ever again. Thanks for all the feedbacks and to those who patiently bear with me through this fic, here's the last chapter, the song used here is 'Have you ever' by S Club. and it's not in POV's style

Chapter twenty-six: Love and lost

Sometimes it's wrong to walk away

Though you think it's over
Knowing there's so much more to say

"Catherine – "

"Babe!!" The man who enthusiastically entered the autopsy room interrupted doc Robbins. "What is it?" Catherine asked. "Look at this. What do you think?", "I think wherever this drops of blood came from is different from where this other one" said Catherine as she studied the two pictures given to her by Warrick, "Yes!", "You finally solved the puzzle", Catherine concluded

"Thanks to you"

"Me?"

"You inspire me!"

"Whatever. Go back to work. We'll flirt later" Catherine whispered in a husky voice. Warrick smirked at her and gave her a quick kiss on the lips before heading out.

"So, Doc, what were you going to tell me?" Catherine gave her attention back to Doc Robbins. "Never mind", "Are you sure?", "I kinda forgot"

"You forgot?" Catherine raised an eyebrow not buying the coroner's excuse, "I'll tell you when I remember", "If that's the way you want it".

Doc Robbins watched as Catherine left the room. He sighed and sat back, he was going to tell her what he learned about Grissom when Warrick came, it was then that he realized, that if he tells her, it still won't be a happily ever after thing.

Grissom has his reasons, and he understands his reasons, it is irrational – true, but it's human.

He also realized that he has not seen Catherine this happy for a very long time. She has moved on, and he is in no position to hold her back. He also saw how much Warrick loved Catherine, Warrick has always loved Catherine, and the least he could do is be happy for all of them. This is the path they all chose to go.

If he tells Catherine, what would he expect her to do? Run back to his friend Grissom and leave Warrick and everything she tried to move on from, behind?

"Sometimes, the hardest thing to do is to do nothing" he muttered

"What did you say doc?"

"Oh, nothing David. Why don't you just help me with these."

Suddenly the moment's gone
and all your dreams are upside down
and you just wanna change

The way the world goes round

Ever since she came they've had this thing between them. True, they started at the wrong end of the road; they seem to be always bickering for their perspectives seem to always clash.

She fell in love with Grissom – or at least she thought she did. Her admiration and respect for the man was what triggered for her to have that feeling, but then she realized, she didn't love him, its just infatuation. And this is what has blinded her for realizing whom it is she really feels love for.

And for the second time around she lost a man from her.

But what can she do, she realized her feelings for him a minute too late. She's been struggling to fight it, but it was of no use, when she was ready to face the facts it was too late.

Catherine was heartbroken, and of course he came like a knight in shining armor for Catherine. It was painful at that time, to watch them always together, but she isn't that selfish and though people might see her a little childish at times, she knew how it is to be burned. All the while she tried to help Catherine, and so did he – the man she loves. She and the man she loves tried to help Catherine, truthfully, all of them did, but it was only her and that man knew what really happened.

She was there as a friend, it was unknown to her that HE was there for something more. She has suspected it, but she blinded herself. Now there's nothing left to do but try to be happy for the couple walking towards the car holding hand in hand.

How she wished it was her

She could have told him a number of times before, all the chance she needed was given to her but she didn't take it, now all chances are gone.

The woman was suddenly broken up from her reverie by a rather too enthusiastic voice with a Texan accent.

"Hey Sara!"

"Hi Nick"

"Have you seen Warrick?" before Sara could answer, Nick spotted Warrick jumping in the car with Catherine.

"Oh well, they're leaving, you wanna join me and Greg for breakfast?"

"Yea. Sure"

Tell me, have you ever loved and lost somebody
Wished there was a chance to say I'm sorry

Can't you see, that's the way I feel about you and me, Baby

"Hello?"

"Hey, did I wake you?"

"Gil?!"

"Yea, it's me"

"I've been wondering when you'll call"

"Sorry, I've been ... busy"

"It's okay, I understand. So how's Catherine?"

"She's okay. She's very happy actually"

"I am so glad for you guys!"

"Angela I'm on my way back there"

"Oh really! Is Catherine coming with you?"

"No"

"Why not? Wouldn't she be here to help you through?"

"She doesn't know"

"What!"

"I didn't have a chance to tell her"

"Gil, what are you saying – "

"I'm letting her go"

"You're nuts"

"Maybe so, but she's happier without me"

"And you?"

"I'll be fine"

"Gil – "

"Don't worry about me. I'll see you soon."

"See you soon"

Have you ever felt your heart was breaking
Looking down the road you should be taking

I should know

Coz I loved and lost the day I let you go

"Hey Doc"

"Oh, hey Jim. What are you doing here? The entire night shift has gone home"

"Yea, I'm on my way home too"

There was something wrong with Doc Robbins, his aura was different, and it wouldn't take a top psychologist, or CSI to notice that. "What's bothering you?" Jim asked

"Grissom." Doc Robbins replied plainly. "You know?" Jim asked not surprised when Doc Robbins nodded his head.

"Jim, how long have you known?"

"I've always suspected something was up, Catherine was his life still is, I'd believe just about anything but him leaving her just like that, no way."

"Gil deserves to be happy"

"He was."

"Catherine has the right to know"

"She had"

"I just can't believe they'll end up this way"

"You know when Grissom and Catherine met, I was there. I was the one who assigned them on their first case together. I was there when she was a rookie, and he'd always want to be the one to 'help' her out. I was there when they had their biggest fight. I was there when Gil wanted to get drunk, he said he just felt like it, and I was amused to how coincidental it was that he wanted to get drunk a few hours after Catherine announced she's getting hitched with Eddie. – "

"And we were both there when he said, 'To hell with everyone, I have to tell Catherine how I feel.' "

A light smile formed across their faces remembering that night, they were drinking in Jim's office a few hours after shift, after solving a very upsetting case. It was a crime of passion, and after all the liquor and the talk they were having, Grissom decided to finally come out of his shell and spill it to Catherine. The next thing they knew they caught the two making out in Grissom's office.

Can't help but think that this is wrong

We should be together
Back in your arms where I belong

Jim Brass and Doc Robbins both went on separate ways but thinking of the same thing nonetheless. They both want their friend Grissom to be happy, but it's not their place to meddle.

Maybe, if they saw that Catherine wanted Grissom back, then maybe they would have told her, but she's got a new life, they can't pull her down. True, Grissom deserves to be happy, but both Catherine and Warrick deserve happiness too.

'Sometimes the hardest thing to do is to do nothing'

Oh how true that is. How true that is.

Now I've finally realized

It was forever that I've found
I'd give it all to change the way the world goes round

"Hey Lindsey!"

"Hey Carla!"

"So, are you and your dad going tomorrow for the father-daughter day?"

"He can't come"

"Oh, shocks, I really wanted to see your dad's cool bugs"

Lindsey just smiled lightly and stood up, she went over the bench a little isolated from everybody, she stayed there and watched her classmates play.

That night

"Linds?"

"Hey Mom!"

"So are you ready for tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow?"

"Isn't it that it's father and daughter day tomorrow?"

Lindsey's eyes widened and an ear to ear grin was formed in her face, "Daddy G's coming!!"

"Uh. No sweetie"

"Oh" Lindsey's big grin turned into a frown, "Linds, baby, you, me and uncle Warrick could go"

"Mom, I can't go to father-daughter day with different dad's every year!"

"Warrick will be there, just as your uncle, or if you want it could just be the two of us"

"It's father-daughter, not mother-daughter, and most specially not mother-daughter-uncle"

"Grissom was your uncle before – "

"Well my friends met him as my dad"

"Linds – "

"Mom, I know that daddy G and you are over, I get it already, and don't worry, I've been in this situation before"

"Lindsey what are you talking about?"

"Things feel like when you and my dad got divorced"

Tell me, have you ever loved and lost somebody
Wished there was a chance to say I'm sorry
Can't you see, that's the way I feel about you and me, Baby

The next day came, and Catherine got an idea. She woke her daughter up and told her they would be going out.

Lindsey was feeling a little awkward at first, since she and her mom are at the mall with her uncle Warrick, but Warrick was able to take that awkwardness away.

"So Linds, what do you say we have an ice-cream eating contest?" Warrick asked the little girl, Lindsey gasped and her eyes popped out, "Really!?"

"You think you can take your uncle Warrick"

"Oh yea!"

All it took was an ice cream to take the awkwardness away, and once again Lindsey was comfortable with him around. Lindsey started treating Warrick the way she does before, and Catherine couldn't help but to be very glad.

True, Lindsey would never see Warrick as a father, like the way she looked at Gil, but at least they get along, and they get to spend times like these together ... she's contented.

"Hey mom, I wanna go to the toy store"

"We'd go there later honey, uncle Warrick is gonna pay for this shirt"

"The toy store is just beside this shop, can I go ahead? Please!"

"Alright, but you stay there okay"

"Okay"

Have you ever felt your heart was breaking
Looking down the road you should be taking
I should know, coz I loved and lost the day I let you go

Grissom went to the mall to buy a gift for Angela. He remembered that Angela is fond of collecting stuff toys so he head to the toy store. When he was there he glanced around and saw a white big bear that he knows Angela would love.

Beside the white bear is a Barbie dollhouse. It's the one that he promised Lindsey the last time they went on the mall, he told her, the next time they come here he'll buy it. But they never had the chance to go out again.

Lindsey was looking around the toy store looking for the dollhouse she's been wanting, she asked the lady at the cashier booth who pointed to her where it is, when she got to the place, she saw a man looking at it while holding a big white bear on one arm. There was a smile across her face, she knew exactly who that man is. She's jumped on him from behind numerous times ... numerous times of piggyback riding. "Daddy G!!!"

Grissom spun around to see Lindsey running towards him, the little girl embraced him and he hugged her tightly. "What's the bear for?" Lindsey asked, "Its for a friend" Grissom told her.

"Who are you with?" Grissom asked, "Mom and uncle Warrick is in the other store, uncle Warrick is buying a shirt so I went ahead"

"I see. Do you still want this dollhouse?"

"Are you gonna buy it!!"

"I promised you, didn't I?"

Lindsey was very giddy, she grabbed one of the dollhouses that are sealed inside the box, and Grissom was about to pay for it at the counter when Catherine came.

"Gil!" Catherine was surprise to see him.

"Oh, hi Catherine, hello Warrick" he greeted them nonchalantly

I really wanna hear you say

That you know just how it feels

To have it all and let it slip away,

Can't you see
Even though the moment's gone,

I'm still holding on somehow
wishing I could change

The way the world goes round

"Look mom, daddy G got me a dollhouse!"

"Gil – "

"No, Catherine. I promised her"

Grissom paid for the dollhouse, it was placed inside the paper bag, but before he handed it to Lindsey... "Young lady, I think you have to pay me for this, you can't have everything for free you know."

Warrick quirked an eyebrow, Catherine just smiled and shook her head, Lindsey just giggled for she knew exactly what Grissom meant. Grissom bent down, as Lindsey leaned to kiss him on his right cheek, "This dollhouse is quite expensive ... "Lindsey gave him another kiss on the other cheek. Grissom handed her, her dollhouse and Lindsey embraced him tightly and gave him another kiss, "What was that for?" he asked

"I just missed you".

Grissom chuckled, Lindsey didn't really like showing affection towards him and her mom in public, she said it would make her look like a baby, that's when he realized ... just how much the little girl missed him. And he can't believe he's going to leave her again.

Tell me, have you ever loved and lost somebody
Wished there was a chance to say I'm sorry
Can't you see, that's the way I feel about you and me, Baby

"Okay, well, I'll go ahead" Grissom said as he stood up

"Daddy G, why don't you just go with us? Or I can go with you and you can just drop me home later"

Grissom glanced at Catherine, not entirely surprised to what he saw, so he decided to just back Catherine up. "Linds, I think your mom and uncle Warrick would also like to spend time with you"

"I'm always spending time with them, I rarely see you"

"Lindsey – "

Grissom interrupted Catherine's exasperated voice, "I have a plane to catch. I'm really sorry sweetheart"

"Where are you going?" the words came out of Catherine's mouth before she could stop them.

Catherine walked closer to Grissom, Lindsey walked towards her uncle Warrick, she then decided to entertain her uncle to get his attention away from her mother and daddy G; just to let her mom and daddy G talk. She got her uncle Warrick and her self far enough for them not to hear anything but enough for them to still be visible.

"I'm going to Chicago"

Catherine smirked. She's right all along. "Back to your girlfriend?" came her bitter response

"I've told you before, I'm telling you again. She's not my girlfriend. I never cheated on you. You may not be the first woman in my life, but you're the last. One and only."

Catherine was puzzled, and Grissom could read through her, "She's my friend, she's a doctor, and she's helping me out", before Catherine could reply Warrick called her attention, "Cath!" she glanced at Warrick for a second but quickly turned her attention back to Grissom.

"Gil – "

Grissom was already gone. He was walking away from her, she was about to call out to him again, when she felt Warrick's hands on her shoulder, "Baby, come on let's go".

Catherine reluctantly turned gaze away from Grissom's retreating back.

Grissom and Catherine walked on the two opposite directions.

Have you ever felt your heart was breaking
Looking down the road you should be taking
I should know, coz I loved and lost the day I let

He has one hour till his flight. He's parked across Catherine's house, he watched as Warrick and Catherine got out of the car, Warrick opened the back seat. Lindsey's asleep, so Warrick carried her while Catherine opened the door of the house.

Grissom just sat there and watched them thinking ... that should have been me.

With that in mind, he turned his ignition on and left.

Warrick went inside, Catherine was hesitant from going in. She watched as a car sped by, she didn't know why, but watching that car go is breaking her heart.

"Hey Cath, what are you doing there?"

"Coming!"

Yes I loved and lost the day I let

Yes I loved and lost the day I let you go

End ... ?

a/n2: can't believe I ended this, this way. anyways, this fic is too long to even deserve a sequel. ...

so what do you think? liked it? hated it?