A/N: This is my little vindictive response to Weeping Willows. I am so sick how Catherine is being written as constantly having her 'sexual misadventures' get her into trouble, but she never really learns a lesson from it. I'm even more sick of Grissom always being her white knight - I'm starting to hate that character so much that I would love to see her get her butt kicked for being so sexually aggressive and willing ot give it out like no other. Sorry for the long rant, but I'ma little ticked off that I wasted an hour watching Weeping Willows when I could have done something else. (Sorry to anyone that likes Catherine). Here's my social commentary on the current plot lines and how the characters are being written. -Jac
I might consider continuing this story if people like it.
"Okay, so I call her a bitch, and I get suspended. But Catherine threatens to shoot an innocent man, and nothing what so ever happens to her?" Sara asked suspiciously as she finished sorting through the evidence her and Greg brought back to the lab.
"That's kind of the way things have always gone around here," Warrick commented. I was surprised that he wasn't in the least bit upset. I heard him and Catherine fighting about two weeks ago. I knew that she had played the supervisor card one too many times outside of work and the lab. I gave Warrick credit for not lashing out vindictively as Sara and Greg had.
"So the moral of the story is as long as the guy hits on me and I use my feminine wiles, just about anything goes," Sara clarified. She angrily placed her evidence out on the layout table.
"If it's your father, you get an even bigger free pass," Greg sardonically joked, "Oh, blowing up the lab and injuring people only gets you a slap on the wrist."
"I guess I lose out on that front. My father's been dead since I was eleven years old," Sara replied.
"Well, then use sex as your 'get out of jail free' card," Greg replied. I just shook my head. I was determined not be get in on the banter that was quickly getting out of control. Greg and Sara had made it very clear that they would no longer take direction from Catherine. Sara could walk past Catherine without batting an eyelash. Greg avoided her altogether. On days like these, Sara and Greg obviously showed Grissom a little less respect for constantly trying to undo the messes that Catherine had managed to get herself into. I had even heard rumors that Sophia had started 'seeing' the new day shift fingerprint tech because she was sick of competing with Catherine for his undivided attention.
I stood in the middle of this mess that was rapidly unfolding into nothing short of chaos. Catherine had always been good to me. She was always kind and sensitive to the fact that I was indeed the most sensitive person to ever work in this lab. She went easy on me when I screwed up in court or on a case. She was nothing less than motherly to me. I knew that her sensitivity and caring were strictly limited to me and Grissom. Part of me could understand why Greg, Sara, and Warrick were sick of Catherine always needing to be saved from herself, while other people were left to suffer. Sara was a prime example of what neglect and disrespect could do to a person in this job. Catherine always made Sara feel like she was never fast enough, right enough, or good enough. Grissom didn't do anything to diffuse the animosity of the relationship. If anything, Grissom's tendency to be Catherine's white knight fueled the flames.
"So are you guys going out to breakfast with Catherine? I hear she throws a nice pity party," Sara asked. I was thinking about accepting Catherine's invitation only because she looked truly upset that her intuition was a little bit off these last few days. I knew Grissom was guaranteed to be there.
"Girl, I've got someone waiting on me," Warrick replied as if it was ludicrous that he would spend time with Catherine outside the lab.
"So Catherine is okay with this thing that you and Mia have?" Greg asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Does it matter? Catherine can only control things at scenes and in the lab. Everything else is outside of her jurisdiction," Warrick replied.
"Mia is beautiful and smart. Don't you dare screw this one up," Sara cautioned Warrick. I was surprised to see how Greg, Sara, and Warrick had managed to bond in the light of a common enemy. That was the most loyalty that this lab had seen in years. It didn't surprise me, but it didn't make me happy either. I wondered if Grissom even realized what was happening right under his nose.
"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Warrick quipped sarcastically. He never used to be sarcastic like that; Warrick had always been sarcastic in more of a good natured, joking sort of way. I kind of missed that Warrick.
"Sara, want to go bang me so you can do no wrong for the next few weeks?" Greg asked. The old Sara would have looked up and cracked Greg over the head with the nearest hard object, but this new woman looked at him as if she might actually be considering his rude and vulgar proposition.
"You get to talk to Sara like that?" I asked before the proofreader in my brain could tell my mouth to just stay closed.
"It's more respect than I get from Grissom, Catherine, and Ecklie. It's really not hurting anyone, is it?" Sara asked me. I wondered when things had begun to spiral out of control. Grissom used to say that the people were what made this lab so great. I wonder if he saw the metamorphosis that was bringing out the worst in all the people in this lab.
"I'm just kidding, Nick. Don't go all 'Catherine' on me," Greg said in a cynical voice that sent shivers down my spine.
"You guys used to be her friend," I said as I stood up.
"Nick, Catherine isn't anyone's friend. She just uses people until she's done with them. Just wait until she does it to you," Warrick called after me as I walked as far away from them as possible. I ended up walking straight into Catherine.
"Can I talk to you?" I asked her before that damn proofreader in my brain could do his job.
"What's bothering you, Nicky?" she asked as I followed her into her office.
"Do you ever feel like the people around here are changing?" I asked as I sat down.
"Nick, what did Sara say or do this time?" Catherine said as she obviously rolled her eyes.
"No, it's not that. Do you ever feel like this lab isn't special anymore . . . like there isn't a team atmosphere anymore?" I asked again. I began to wonder if I was indeed making a big mistake. Judging from Catherine's willingness to lock horns with Sara, I wondered if Warrick was right.
"Grissom doesn't know how to manage a shift. He doesn't discipline people until it's too late. This 'change' is a good thing. Like anything else, it's going to take a while for things to settle into place," Catherine said as she checked her voice mail messages.
"What about the lack of respect around here?" I asked.
"If Grissom controlled his people better, there wouldn't be a problem," Catherine snipped, "I have work to do, Nick. I'm sure you have some paperwork to turn in."
I left her office wondering when I began to not look forward to going to work anymore. I watched Greg, Sara, and Warrick laugh as they sorted through evidence. I watched Sophia and Grissom argue over something. What was once peaceful had turned into nothing short of a war zone. That was precisely the reason I left Texas. My mother constantly fought with my sisters. My father and my older brother were constantly at each other's throats. I was left standing among the wreckage of what used to be a close family.
I wondered if it was time for me to leave this family.