A/N: Sorry for the short and delayed chapter. I just finished with finals a day or two ago. Yay me! Anyway, more to come within the week...


Greg woke to the sounds of the television playing in the break room. He rubbed his eyes gingerly as he swung his legs over the couch and propped himself up.

"You're awake," Warrick said, looking surprised as he looked over at the younger man. "Sorry. I wanted to watch the news."

Greg flickered his eyes toward the television screen. The photo Catherine usually brandished on her lab badge was now alongside Howard Dulhomme's police mug on the television.

"Information was leaked to the media?"

"Ecklie," Warrick said, not able to keep the venom out of his voice. He sighed and shook his head. "You just missed the press conference. I don't know if this was a good idea, but I guess he's thinking of Catherine. The sooner someone phones in information, the sooner we can find her."

Greg nodded wearily, still rubbing his eyes. "Has anyone notified her family?"

Warrick paused. "I think Grissom is calling her sister. I don't know if she'll tell Lindsey or not." Warrick stood. "You can go back to sleep. I don't think I can watch anymore of this."

Greg shook his head and looked at his watch. "No thanks. I've been here for over five hours. I can't believe I slept that long."

"We're all tired man," Warrick said.

"You should get some rest." As soon asthe words leftGreg's mouth, Warrick halted at the door. He turned and his eyes seared into Greg's.

"I can't rest Greg."

Greg took in Warrick's tired appearance. "You won't do Catherine any good like this."

"I don't think I can do her any good regardless."

Greg let the comment sit for a moment before saying, "She's going to be ok Warrick."

"We keep telling ourselves that," Warrick said, his tone matter-of-fact. He slipped out of the break room.

"She will be fine," Greg said to an empty room. "Won't she?"


James Dulhomme was let go. They had nothing to hold him. Nothing to prove he had anything to do with Catherine's disappearance. Nothing but evidence that this man had invaded Catherine's life. He had followed her, taken her photos, and watched her during her most intimate momentsand now they couldn't do a damn thing about it. Nick angrily shoved the photos back insidethe manilla envelope. He stared hard at the envelope and his thoughtsinvoluntarily touched upon Nigel Crane.

After Nigel Crane had been in his home, Nick had tried to scrub away any evidence that the man had existed. He went through his home, inch by inch, cleansing anything he may have touched or used. He repainted the walls, rearranged the furniture. He even threw away everything in the refrigerator, fearing that Crane may have eaten or drank from something in it. But despite all his efforts, the ghost of Crane remained; hanging over him every time he came home from a particularly rough night at work. Hanging over him, every time he went to bed or spent the evening alone in his apartment. Eventually he moved, but the ghost never left him. He was sure if Catherine died, he would have another ghost haunting him.

He felt a hand on his shoulder, and he turned to find Sara with a comforting smile on her face.

"Hey. You ok? You've been in here awhile," she said, gesturing to the interrogation room around them.

He nodded mutely, but when her gaze hit his hands, he looked down and realized that they were shaking. He put the manilla envelope down. Unexpectantly, Sara took his hands and held them in hers, calming them.

"Grissom's ordered us home. We can't do anything right now."

Nick barked out a laugh. "What are we going to do at home?"

"Sleep. Rest." Sara sighed. "I think we need fresh eyes. Tonight will be better, once we can think things through. Madsen said he'd brief us on Dulhomme's profile. Maybe we can gain some insight."

"Where is Madsen?"

"Doing what we should be doing - getting rest."

Nick's hands were still within Sara's and he stared down at them. She pulled away, blushing slightly under his scrutiny. He looked up at her, his eyes burning brightly into hers. "I can't do anything until Catherine is found. What if, because we don't act fast enough, he kills her? What if tomorrow morning she's one of those bodies out on that slab in the morgue? Just waiting for us to gather the evidence. Just waiting for us to find out how and when she died? And what if it's all because we couldn't keep James Dulhomme here? Couldn't get him to tell us where his brother took her? Couldn't get him to tell us what he's planning on doing to her?"

Sara, surprising herself in the process, pulled Nick towards her and enveloped him in a hug, shushing him. "It's going to be all right Nick. I know you don't think so now, but I know she's going to be ok."

Nick was surprised at the gentleness of her voice. It was so unlike Sara to offer comfort. It was more like Catherine. "Sara, how can you be so sure?"

Sara smiled, even though Nick couldn't see her face. "Because she's got the best CSIs in the U.S. investigating her case. And because Catherine is the toughest bitch I know. She won't let him take her down Nick. I know it."

Nick laughed, despite the wetness that was forming from his eyes. Sara continued to hug him tightly, and Nick breathed in her scent deeply, imagining, just for a moment, that Sara was his girl, Catherine was back home, playing with Lindsey, and there were no more Cranes and Dulhommes wandering the streets. For Nick, everything was right with the world, even if it was for just for a moment.