Disclaimer: CSI isn't mine, but it should belong to Tinuviel Undomiel and Nerwen Aldarion. They know CSI like I know muffins.

A/N: The OC is mine, hands off. I am a lazy little girl, so I need contstant reminders to update. And the more happy reviews I get, the more I update.

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In the break room, Catherine stared at the slip of paper in her hand and bit her lip. "Hey, chief," she tried for cheery, "I was wondering if I might..." She shook her head and pulled a face. Not cheery. Business-like, then. "Grissom, could I have a word? I was wondering if I could..."

"You know talking to yourself is a sign of madness?" Sara said, walking in.

"Yeah, I know." Cath shot back. "But so is interrupting."

"Only if you interrupt yourself." Sara sat down next to Catherine and looked over her shoulder. "Wow! A holiday to Hawaii? How'd you get that?"

Cath sighed and leant back in the chair. "One of those mother-daughter contests that magazines throw. Lindsay begged me to enter something she'd written, so I did." She shook her head and smiled a tight-lipped smile. "And we won."

"Wow." Sara put down her coffee cup and took the letter from Catherine. Her eyes flicked over it. "This is pretty sweet."

Cath stood up and went over to get some coffee. "Only thing is, how do I get Grissom to give me a week off so Lindsay and I can have some mother-daughter time in Hawaii?"

"Easy," Nick Stokes walked in, heading for the fridge, not hearing the whole sentence, "Just tell him you won a trip to Hawaii, and you have to go because it's for this week only." He grinned,

Sara held up Catherine's letter. "She did, and it is."

Nick whistled, impressed. He tossed a frozen burrito into the microwave. "Nice work, Cath."

Catherine sighed. "Yeah. I know." She sipped her coffee, then added more sugar. "A week in Hawaii." She sighed.

"Yeah, just what we all need," Grissom came in, and waved a pile of papers. "Assignments, ladies and gents."

Warrick came up behind Grissom. "Sorry I'm late," he shrugged, "Paperwork bites."

"Well, here's more of it." Grissom said, handing Warrick the top sheet. "Sara and I are on the supposed blackmail-murder case, the land rover in the parking lot. Warrick? I need for you to take this a 420 tonight, old guy dies of a heart-attack. When you're done, you can come back and help me and Sara. Catherine and Nick are investigating a 419 in an apartment downtown. Any questions?"

Catherine put up her hand. "Can I have the week off?"

Grissom stared, then raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

Sara passed Catherine's ticket to Grissom as Catherine said, "I'm going to Hawaii."

Grissom examined the ticket with a frown on his face, then looked up at Catherine. "Why didn't you tell me this beforehand?"

Catherine smiled and shrugged. "Because I didn't know beforehand. They delivered the letter to CSI and I only found out tonight."

Grissom shrugged, the frown lines on his face smoothed themselves out. "Well, there's nothing I can do to stop you. But we will be one short here. And I don't want Nick taking this case alone."

"Hey," Nick protested, "What, you think I can't handle a case by myself? Haven't we been through the 'silk, silk, silk, cows drink water' thing already?"

Warrick grinned. "Easy, brother, let's not offend the cows." Nick gave him 'The Look' while Sara barely hid a smile.

But Grissom shook his head. "It's not that I don't think you're not capable, Nick. It's just that this case... well, you might need a little help." He handed Nick his assignment sheet, and Catherine her ticket. Nick frowned at his paper.

"'A man was killed in his kitchen, no signs of forced entry.' The man's occupation... trophy hunter?" He looked up, and shook his head, a half-smile on his face. "Who kills a trophy hunter?"

"Maybe the animals got revenge." Sara commented dryly.

Nick smiled, and he shook his head at the brunette. "How did I know you were going to say that?"

Warrick smirked. "You think they were cows?"

Catherine interrupted with forced cheeriness. "So, Grissom? Do I have an affirmative to go on a short-notice vacation?"

Grissom sighed, then nodded. "Alright, fine. Do the paperwork, but let Brass know that you'll need someone to replace you for a while." Grissom sighed again. "Let's just hope there's a CSI out there somewhere that wouldn't mind coming to Vegas for a week."

Warrick snorted, "Hell, I would."

Sara smiled. "I did. And I stayed."

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Attn: All CSI labs.

Catherine Willows (Las Vegas, NV) gone on leave. Requesting temporary replacement for one week.

- Las Vegas Crime Lab; via Detective Jim Brass

...

...

...

Attn: CSI Lab, Las Vegas, NV.

I'm game. How soon do you need me?

- VW; reply to Cameron Black, WA

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A/N: I did NOT send Catherine away to Hawaii because I hate her - I think Catherine is cool... no matter how Teflon she is. Catherine deserves a holiday. Hence Hawaii. Reviews give me warm&fuzzies and may make me hurry up and update.