Catherine limped into CSI headquarters an hour late. He had a black eye, a large hand print on her neck that was partly covered by her turtleneck and a swollen and bruised hand.
As she slowly made her way down to Gil Grissom's office she was greeted by Greg who nearly knocked her over trying to escape the break room.
"Hey Cath, your late again." he smiled at her, but when he say her bruised face his smile turned to a frown.
" What happened to you?" He questioned her.
Catherine smiled back at him, hiding her hand behind her back. " I'm okay" she lied.
" Lindsey and I were horsing around and I got the best of her bed post. It doesn't hurt really, but it is rather embarrassing, that's why my hair was situated to suit the cover up."
Greg gave a chuckle and smiled again " Oh well Gil's in his office, waiting for you he gave assignments out already I think you and him or on desk duty tonight anyway."
Greg turned and ran back to lab.
Catherine let out a small sigh of relief that she had gotten away so easy with that little lie.
As she took the next step toward Gil's office her head began to sin and she had to brace the wall to keep from falling.
After a few seconds her head was at a stand still and she continued her agonizing journey to Gil's office.
Gil was sitting at his desk about to dial her number again when she slowly limped into his office and as quick as she could sit down.
"Oh you're here, I was about to send the search party"
Catherine avoided eye contact and replied, " I was.. There were something's… I'm sorry, there is no excuse I was just late it won't happen again." She looked up "so what do you have for me I really want to get down to business."
Gil saw her face when she looked up and stared in shock. " What has he done to you now?" he paused " Does he know about last night"
"No! It wasn't Eddie, Lindsey and I were playing around and I hit the bed post. No big deal I don't even feel it." she sighed when he made a face, she could tell he did not believe her " It's not bothering me, so why is it a bother to you." she snapped annoyed with his staring. " Just ..can we work please" Avoiding the question of what had happened the night before.
"Okay!" Gil sighed in disappointment that she would hide something like this from him. " The others are out in the field and you and I are on desk duty, I have all this paper work to get through by morning and well, we can start with these forms " he handed her some papers and a pen " just read and sign." he smiled and went back to the paper he was working on.
Gil watched out from the top of his glasses as Catherine lifted here hand and tried to pick up the pen, her hand trembled and was far to sore and swollen for her to even think of signing anything tonight.
"You might want to have that checked," he put his paper down and walked out of the room.
Seconds later he came back with ice and placed in on her hand " to get the swelling down" he smiled sympathetically. " So what happened this time"
Catherine focused on her hand " I told you what happened".
Gil sighed and got up from his chair and closed his office door.
"What are you doing?"
Catherine made a face " I told you what happened, what else do you want me to say?"
"How about the truth? Look I know Eddie did this, and lying to me is not going to make him change or make it go away, you got rid of him once Cath you have to do it again, before he loses it all and kills you."
Gil waited for a reply but she refused to speak " You're not leaving me any choice Cath" he handed her and envelope.
"A lawyer I contacted said to give this to you."
Catherine looked up at him as she took the letter and ripped it open.
" What the hell is this" she looked up at him after reading " You have no right, you can't do this! You're not even involved."
Gil slammed his hand down " Damn it Catherine don't you see, Lindsey's school called me today, Lindsey came into school with a black eye. Have you even seen her since you left for work last night"
Catherine shook her head " she was already gone when I got home."
"Well I don't know what happened but Lindsey got a black eye, the principal tried you're cell and you're home but Eddie answered and they know he did it so they couldn't talk to him and they called me."
"And you went and did this, Why" she threw the letter at him " I won't let you take Lindsey from me, you have no right"
"I HAVE EVERY RIGHT" he screamed back "Lindsey is afraid, she loves Eddie but she is afraid, and longer she has to watch him beat you up, the more afraid she is going to be, and if he hit her then I have to do something about it because you won't! The school wanted to call social services and I told them I would handle it. They wanted to put Lindsey in a foster home and I told them I would take her" he paused " You can come to, but if you don't get rid of him then I can't let you see Lindsey."
"I can't belive that you would do this to me. What do you want me to do, I tried getting Eddie to leave it lasted for what a week and he came back, I can't just go home and tell him to leave, that's not how it works." She got up from her chair " I won't let you take her from me, I 'll go get her and we'll leave."
"You can't" he replied " Brass is with me on this " he has already been to the school and taken Lindsey out of class. There is nothing you can do until Eddie is gone, so either you have him arrested and get him out of your life or you let Lindsey go until you figure something out."
"I hate you" she whispered " I HATE YOU" she screamed and ran out of his office.
Gil ran after her " You can come stay with me, the offer still stands,think about it.But until he's out of the picture that's the only way you get near her."