Disclosure was never his strong point. He's a good listener; eternally playing the good guy role. He's also willing to listen to other people open up, but not willing to do it himself. Consciously, he's sure it's because of what happened to him as a child, but he doesn't like to dwell on it too much. He likes to think he is fine, and he lives out the majority of his life that way. And he never told anyone - never told anyone except for her.

He often wondered why he chose to tell her. He realizes he could have just clammed up, refused to give her any reasons for his deviant behavior during that case. But now he realizes that he told her because he knew she would always be there for him, just as he would always be there for her.

"You match those fiber strands yet?"

"Positive match," Warrick said as he looked up from his microscope, giving Nick a thumb up.

Nick sighed as he sat down in the chair next to Warrick. "I wish they were all as simple as that. And I can't believe that girl gave you her number!" Nick said, slapping Warrick on the back.

Warrick threw Nick a grin. "You can have it if you want it man. I know she was checking you as well."

Nick shook his head furiously. "No way bro. That traffic cop only had eyes for you."

"Yeah well, I'm not really interested in her."

His brow wrinkled. "Are you not sharing Warrick? Because you know I would share with you. Who's the woman?"

Warrick smiled, choosing instead to focus on bagging the evidence in front of him.

"Oh you are holding out! You know I live through you man," Nick sighed.

Warrick frowned at the comment. "When was the last time you had a date Nick? You got the game. You just got to go out and play."

"You know, what is with you people? Catherine told me the same thing the other day. If I didn't know any better, I'd think you guys were trying to set me up with someone."

"Well- Cath and I were talking about you the other day and we know one other lonely CSI mulling around."

"Lonely CSI- wait, you mean me and Sara?"

"Let the record show that you were the first to say it."

Nick shook his head. "Not a chance."

"What's the problem? She's attractive. You two get along well-"

"I'm not doubting that Warrick. I would date Sara in a heartbeat. There's only one problem."

"And that is?"

"She's totally hung up on Grissom."

Now it was Warrick's turn to sigh. "You can't let that stop you Nick. You know how far Sara is going to get with him."

"No, no I don't."

"C'mon man. It's Grissom. He may have feelings for her, but that man is emotionally stunted. Grissom may be the man, but he can't function in a normal relationship."

"And you know this because Grissom is so open?" Nick asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Let's just say that when Catherine drinks, she sometimes reveals a little too much, if you know what I mean."

Nick smirked at the revelation and was about to comment on it when his cell phone rang.

"Stokes," he said, as he flipped open his phone. As he listened to what Grissom had to say on the other line, all the good humor he had been feeling a moment ago dissipated. His smile faded away and his eyes met Warrick's, who was now looking at him with curiosity and uneasiness.

"Yeah, ok. We'll meet you in the conference room." Nick snapped his cell phone shut and looked at his partner. "That was Grissom."

"What's going on?"

Nick swallowed hard. "It's Catherine."


When Catherine used to dance, she felt no greater power. The way men would look at her- the way they would devour her with their eyes- she loved it because she knew she was the one in control. She was the one who ultimately called the shots. Last year, she believed Howard Delhomme looked at her like those men had all those years ago at the French Palace, but she was wrong. His look wasn't at all like those men who lusted after her; they looked at her with want; she was a desire. Howard's look was one of already possession.

"Hello Catherine. It's been awhile hasn't it? I trust your nap went well?"

She blinked groggily and tested her restraints, finding the knots on her rope expertly tied, almost to the point of pain.

"Last time I saw you Howard, you thought I was a bitch," she said, trying to keep her cool, even though she wanted to scream.

He smiled, that same smile she had seen when she first interrogated him. "Oh, I apologize for that. You see, that was in the heat of the moment. You were just doing your job. I understand that. I respect that."

Catherine laughed. "If you respect me so much, then why do you have me tied to this chair?"

Howard chuckled as he kneeled down in front of her so they were face to face. "Catherine, I may respect you, but I certainly don't trust you. Especially with what you did to me."

"How did you get out Howard?" Catherine asked, tensing up at his close proximity.

He smiled. "I had a little help."

"You weren't the one in my car," Catherine said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Who was it?" she asked.

Howard sat back on his heels. "My brother loves me very much."

Catherine's eyes widened in disbelief.

Howard continued, "He loves me enough to do what I ask him." Howard's eyes traveled to the wall and Catherine followed his view. She gasped when she realized what was covering them.

"How...how long?"

"Since I was put away. He's very good at surveillance you know. He was a private investigator at one time."

Catherine felt sick to her stomach. She turned her head away from the evidence, not wanting to see how her life had been violated. He reached to touch her face and she spat on him instinctively. The smile on his face was frozen as he wiped her spittle off his cheek. "Now that wasn't very nice of you was it?" he said, his tone remaining as even and calm as it was when he first spoke. He stood.

"I wouldn't do that again if I were you." Catherine stared at him, her eyes unblinking. "I don't want to hurt you Catherine, you have to believe me. On the other hand, I also realize there is no greater pain than love. No one knows that better than me."


Warrick, Nick, Greg and Sara sat around the conference table, waiting for Grissom to speak.

"As all of you know by know, Howard Dulhomme escaped three days ago," Grissom said, finally breaking the silence. "Authorities were not alerted until yesterday when the two officers transporting Dulhomme and the other prisoner did not check in. They found the car at a rest area near Baker with both officers in the trunk. Theynever left Nevada."

"Who was the other prisoner?" Nick asked.

"Nathan Blake. He was an accountant with connections to the mob. It's possible that these connections aided Blake and Dulhomme's escape." He leaned forward on the table." Now, this wouldn't concern us, except for the fact Dulhomme took a particular interest in Catherine."

"I'm sorry, but you all are going to have to refresh me on this one," Warrick said. "I wasn't involved in the case and I certainly wasn't privy to this interest Dulhomme had in Catherine."

"Howard Dulhomme was- is prone to obsession with women. He was obsessed with Julie Waters and it killed her, as well as several other victims. During his trial, it was revealed that he was also connected to a case in California. He was being transported there for trial," Grissom replied.

"And exactly how did he become 'obsessed' with Catherine?" Warrick asked, a slight accusatory tone to his voice.

Grissom drew back from the table, slightly taken aback. "It wasn't anyone's fault Warrick. He needed someone to transfer his fixation on and Catherine was the primary investigator. He just happened to choose her." Grissom said.

Sara flashed Grissom a look that did not go unnoticed by Nick who recalled the tension that had existed between all of them over the case. He cleared his throat. "So what are we saying Grissom? That it's possible that Dulhomme is a threat to Catherine now? He may be a nut, but she was just doing her job."

Grissom looked pointedly at Nick. "Has anyone heard from her within the last 24 hours?"

The CSIs all exchanged worried glances with each other, each one shaking their head.

"She's not picking up her phone. Her car isn't at her house. And no one has heard from her." Grissom tried to state the facts objectively, but everyone could sense the concern in his voice. No one wanted to voice what they all were thinking.

"What can we do?" Greg asked, concern etched across his face. "We don't have a victim. The U.S. Marshals are in charge of escaped fugitives."

"We don't even know if Catherine is in any danger," Sara pointed out.

"We don't know that she's not," Brass said as he entered the conference room, looking grimmer than usual. "We found her car."