Gil and Melanie pull into her apartment complex and get out of the car. They smile at each other, and then walk to the door.
"Well, thank you for the ride, and for the place to stay, and for breakfast. I'm glad to meet you."
She extends her hand to him, and he takes it.
"Melanie…"
"Mel."
"Mel, we'll do our best to get back your things."
"I know."
"I want this to work out between us. I'm not certain how to start though."
"We already have started, we just need to work on it…What should I call you?…I mean, it seems odd for me to call you dad, and father is too formal. There's no way I'll call you Grissom, because I can use that last name…"
"Just call me Gil. You weren't raised wit me, so it isn't like it's disrespectful. I'm also uncomfortable being called dad or father."
"Thank you, Gil." The name felt strange coming from her lips.
They are both a little misty eyed and then they hug. They separate, and she goes into the building, and he leaves. She enters her house and jumps, startled. Sara is in her house and is startled too.
"Who are you?"
"Sara Sidle from he crime lab. I'm doing a couple more things as follow up. I'm sorry for frightening you."
"It's ok, I just wasn't expecting someone to be here…It's odd to be a victim of a crime, especially when…"
"When what?"
Melanie notices that her birth certificate has been moved, she raises an eyebrow. Sara looks at her.
"My name was changed the same year I was born…I've never been close to my father…I've written to him to keep in contact…I've always had his picture though…So I've known what he looks like…It's strange to have him investigating my case…"
"Gil Grissom is your father?" Sara asked, somewhat surprised, yet inwardly smiling because she was right.
"Yeah, it's odd though. He told me that the only one of you guys who knew about me was Catherine. It kinda makes me feel like I'm unimportant. I know that he doesn't really know me, but…"
"Don't worry, he cares about you, he's just…distant…from everyone. Try not to take it to heart."
"That's what my mom always said. 'Don't worry about if he cares or not, he cares, he just doesn't show it, it's just his way.' I've always believed her, but I never met him before today…Thank you for listening to me, and for working on my case, it means a lot."
"It's no trouble at all."
They smile at each other uncomfortably, and they nod goodbye and Sara leaves.
Warrick and Catherine reach the hospital amid a sea of worried families in the emergency room. Hospital aides and police are trying to keep families calm, but it isn't working. Cath and Warrick show their ids to a cop to get into the ER.
It is quieter, but they still have to stay out of the way. Catherine collapses onto a bench. Warrick bends down in front of her and puts his hands on her shoulders. She starts to shake and cry.
"Hey, don't worry Cath. Lindsey's a fighter, she takes after you. At least you know where she is, there are probably many parents who are trying to find their kids still."
"I know…I just…I want to help her…and…I don't even know if she'll live."
Catherine completely breaks down, and she leans against Warrick's chest sobbing. He just holds her as she sobs and shakes. A little while later, a doctor comes down the hall and says, "Willows."
"Yes." Catherine said shakily.
"Are you the mother of Lindsey Willows?"
"Yes, how is she, can I see her?"
"She's recovering, come with me."
Warrick helps Catherine up. Then they follow the doctor down a few halls and into a room where Lindsey is lying on a bed asleep. There are monitors hooked up to her and she is pale. Catherine lets go of Warrick and goes over to Lindsey and takes her hand.
"Thank you." Catherine whispered.
"Any time ma'am. I have to go help other worried parents. Some of whom won't be pleased." Then he leaves.
Warrick stands behind Catherine and rubs her back with one hand.
"You ok now Cath?"
"Yeah." She turns around and looks at him. "Thank you."
They gaze into each other's eyes, and draw closer to each other. Slowly, they lean into each other, and their tips draw closer too. Slowly, cautiously their lips meet. They kiss softly and sweetly and then they separate.
"I'm going to stay with Lindsey until she wakes up. You should go to work and cover for me. Ecklie should know where I am too."
"He already knows. When we were in the car, I called Grissom and Sara, but I couldn't get through. So I called Sophia, and she told Grissom, and he'll tell Ecklie. The three of them are already on a case, and everyone else is at the school. So it looks like I'm the only one left…Don't worry about it, I can handle it. If I need help, I'll beg for Sophia, I could probably get Greg too."
Catherine smiles at him. "That's a very roundabout way for Ecklie to find out where I am. Does Grissom know where Greg is?"
Warrick smiles. "Yeah, he called…We should talk later…about us…ok?"
They both smile. "Alright."
They kiss again. Then he heads off to find a ride. She sits down next to Lindsey and holds her hand.
"The lab is in total chaos. We only have one person on swing. Everyone else is assigned. New cases are piling up and you're telling me that Catherine isn't going to help." Ecklie was saying, rather frustrated, to Grissom, who is seated in Ecklie's office.
"Her daughter could have died Conrad, she's where she needs to be. Warrick can handle things Greg and Sophia can help him."
"I know, we just haven't had to deal with this much at once before. Really, Catherine can take as much time off as she needs to. Her daughter needs her. I do understand that, even if half of the CSI's here think I'm a jerk."
He looks at Grissom, kind of expecting him to respond, but he doesn't.
"Well, I won't keep you any longer, thank you for telling me about Catherine."
"You're welcome."
Then Grissom leaves the office. As he walks down the hall, Sara catches up to him.
"Hey Gris, we've got a suspect."
So they take off to go get him.
