(disclaimer,spoilers and all that fun stuff - see previous chapters)
A/N: thanks for all the reviews! I'm glad you like it.
Chapter two: Extended
The second the shift was over Catherine ran to Grissom's office.
"Gil. We have to talk." She said as she entered his office and closed the door,
"What is it Cath?"
"Well when we decided a time-out we forgot to talk about how long. I mean, we can't be on time out indefinitely, that would be almost like breaking up, unless – "
"No Cath, I'm not breaking up with you" Grissom interrupted her. Catherine started walking towards him, "So...?"
"How about a week?" Grissom suggested
"Too short. A month?"
"Too long"
"Let's meet halfway"
"Two weeks then"
"Okay, two weeks"
Catherine left with relief. She went straight home and went to bed beside her daughter with a contented smile. She really wanted this; she wanted some space so she could spend more time with herself and with her daughter.
A week have passed, and she saw Grissom less and less everyday, he gives the assignments, she does her job, she hands him the paper work and that's about it. She was never paired with him, and she knew why, they both did, and truthfully it is bliss for her.
The two weeks they've talked about has come, time-out is about to come into an end in just an hour.
"I was just going to see you in your office!"
"I was actually looking for you" said Grissom as he bumped to Catherine.
"So, do you want to have breakfast after shift?"
"That would be great"
An hour later.
"So ... how have you been this past two weeks?"
"I enjoyed it much, you?"
"I missed you"
"Oh."
"Cath?"
"Hmm?"
"Are you okay?"
"Well, um. Gil. I. I think I want to extend, would it be okay?"
"What?"
"Well, I'm really enjoying it and yes I do miss you too but I don't think I'm ready yet"
"Okay. How long do you want?"
"Another week?"
"Done."
"You sure?"
"Yea sure, I mean, I was just going to ask you the same thing"
Catherine was relieved, relieved that he agreed and that he too was thinking of the same thing, she didn't want to upset him and right then she has convinced herself that the gloomy look she saw in his eyes a few moments ago was probably just her mind playing tricks on her.
Grissom dropped her home and headed to his townhouse. As he entered inside, he got his vacuum cleaner to dust off all the white, red and pink Rose petals on the floor. He
Grabbed the candles that have been arranged all around his house. He went inside his bathroom and threw a bottle of bubble bath soap on the trash bin; he went inside his bedroom and got rid of the silk bed sheets.
He lied back there. He didn't want an extension, true he wanted a time-out, he needed it, but two weeks was enough for him coz he really misses her, but what can he do? She still needs time and he knows that this won't be permanent, just one more week and everything would be back to how it's supposed to be. That's what he told himself, that's what he hopes for.
Time passed by so quickly and one week has passed ...
"Anybody seen Grissom" Catherine asked as she peeped her head in the break room door.
"He's working with Sara"
"Oh, okay, thanks Nick!"
Catherine tried to look for him, but he's still out in the field so she decided to go home and be with her daughter.
The next shift came and Catherine wondered when Grissom would talk to her about THEM.
"Nick you're going solo tonight, Warrick you're with Catherine, Sara and I would continue on with our case"
Everybody was turning to leave when Catherine turned to Grissom. "Uh, Gil, can we talk?"
The three younger CSI's looked at the two, "What about?"
"Some personal stuff"
"Can't we talk about it later?"
"Of course we can."
With that everybody turned on their heels to leave. It was a busy night and all of them pulled double shifts, Catherine didn't mention about the talk she wanted to have the next day and it seemed to her that it didn't really matter to Grissom, she didn't want to be the one chasing after him so she decided to wait for him to be the one to reach out this time.
A week later...
"Hey Sara what date is it?"
"Twenty-third, why?"
"Oh shit."
Grissom have been so busy with all the work he has to do that he lost track of time, he remembered a week ago when Catherine wanted to talk to him about 'personal stuff', their time-out's over and they still haven't talked.
Two hours later
The shift is over and Grissom was determined to find Catherine to talk to her, he has lost track of the time, the reason behind it beside the point that he has been so busy is because he was so upset with what happened the first time they talked on getting back together. Grissom was just about to stand up when someone knocked on his door.
"Come in"
"Hey"
"Cath! Are you going somewhere?" he asked as he noted how sexy the top Catherine is wearing, not to mention her hair and make-up so beautifully done, not that she's not always this gorgeous in his eyes, it's just that she looked like she was going out for a date, kind of reminded him that one night she had a date with her cheating ex-boyfriend Chris.
"Yea, um Gil, I'm going out on a date"
"A date?!" came Grissom's shocked and dubious voice
"Yep, a date" Catherine muttered
"With who? When? Where? What's his name? Why are you going in a date? Where did you meet him? And what's his name again? I – "
"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Slow down buddy! He's just a friend, he's really nice and he asked me out"
"And you said yes?"
"What was I supposed to say? I'm sorry but I'm in a time-out with my boyfriend so I can't go out with you." Catherine said with sarcasm
"Uh, yes!"
"You know we should really try and taste the waters"
"Taste the what?"
"Taste the waters, it's not like we'd lose anything"
"Are you really saying what I think you're saying?"
"If you think that what I'm saying is that we should try and date other people while we're on a time-out, then yes, that's what I'm saying"
"I can't believe this"
"Oh come on, it'll be fun"
"Well that would be like leading people on"
"It's just one date, we're still on a time-out remember?"
"then why did you have to tell me?"
"Because we're on a time-out, meaning you have the right to know. Don't worry it's just one date, and maybe you should try it yourself"
"What's his name? Where did you meet him? How long have you known him?"
"Shut up Gil. Go home, eat, sleep, and don't forget to take your vitamins"
"So you still get to tell me to do stuff even if we're on a time out?"
"Gil!" came Catherine's exasperated voice
"Alright, alright! Don't forget to provide me with your date's bio-data"
"Whatever!" Catherine turned to leave when Grissom spoke again, "Cath – "
"Gil, we have to taste the waters. Once we get back together, we would be totally sure of everything. I want you to do the same thing too, okay?" with that Catherine opened the door and left, "I'm serious about the bio-data Catherine!" Grissom called out.
Catherine walked down the hall with a smile on her face, and muttered to herself,
"At least I got the reaction I wanted."
TBC