AN: Alright here the second chapter, which was harder to write then I thought it would be. I'm dedicating this chapter to DrKerryWeaver who was the first to review this story and I just love reviews.
"Hey Catherine," Warrick said, stepping aside to let her in. She walked into his apartment, and Warrick suppressed his questions of why she was here. She would tell him.
"Can I get you anything," he asked, staying calm and polite. She shook her head. Warrick walked back to the couch to retrieve his cup of water from the coffee table. He turned to her, waiting for her to speak. To explain why she was here.
A moment passed in silence. Catherine gave no indication that she intended to speak at all. The two just stared at each other for a moment in silence. Catherine did eventually speak.
"What's wrong Warrick," she asked. Warrick was taken aback. He wasn't expecting that. He shook his head.
"Don't give me that. I know something's wrong Warrick."
"You mean besides Nick getting buried alive by some insane freak who blew himself up. Beside Nick nearly dieing about a dozen times over," Warrick said. He didn't mean to sound as rude and snappish as it came out. He was just stressed, and thrown on the spot.
"Yes I mean besides that," Catherine said, not missing a beat.
"You mean besides it being my fault," Warrick continued. He was no longer able to look Catherine in the face. He settled for his own feet. Catherine sighed sadly.
"Warrick, it's not your fault," Catherine said. She didn't sound angry, as he expected. If anything, she sounded sad.
"Of course it is," he said without hesitation. His voice was getting quieter. He didn't really want to have this conversation, but he had brought it on himself.
"You weren't the one who kidnapped Nick. You didn't shovel the dirt over him."
"I might as well have," Warrick said, his voice rising now. "I put him in the position for that to happen. It's my fault he was even there that night." All the guilt he was feeling was there. And not just for Nick. The old guilt he felt for Holly Gribbs. And that was old guilt, something that was always there but hadn't quite made itself plain for a while. Years.
Catherine studied him for a moment, again not speaking.
"Your talking about the Holly Gribbs thing too, aren't you," Catherine said but it came out more as a statement then a question.
The Holly Gribbs thing. It amazed Warrick how such a horrible event, such a tragic happening, could be put into a four-word title. The Holly Gribbs thing. The death of a criminalist who didn't make it past her first week at the job. That event, put into a four-word title. Maybe years from now, many years from now, what had happened to Nick would also have a title. A title that gave no justice to the actual event. A title that just masked the actual happenings. Maybe it wouldn't even have a title, because Nick had survived after all. But they would all remember that event, all those that had been there, all those that could remember. Just as anyone who had met Holly Gribbs would remember that event. But when they were all gone it would be nothing, just a four-word title.
"Yeah," Warrick admitted, and didn't say anything else.
Catherine sighed sadly again. "Warrick, we lost Holly, we nearly lost Nick. Neither was your fault. But I'm losing you too," she said.
Warrick looked up at her again. He noticed that she had used the term 'we' when referring to Holly and Nick, but had said 'I' when referring to Warrick himself. He refused to over analyze that. It could've just been a slip of the tongue, it could've meant nothing.
"I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere," Warrick said.
Catherine shook her head and stepped closer. "That's not what I mend Warrick. You're here sure, but your fading. It's like you've drooped off the face of the planet or something."
Warrick opened his mouth to argue, to disagree, but Catherine continued before he got the chance.
"Did you know that Nick moved back with his parents, just for a few weeks? And he still has to sleep with the lights on."
Warrick remained silent for a moment then shook his head. He had seen Nick a few times at the hospital, but that had been earlier. Sense that he sort of dropped out of contact. And not just with nick, with everyone.
"Did you know that Greg still jokes about everything? And he's starting to wear his old goofy t-shirts."
This time Warrick didn't react.
"Did you notice that I leave work exactly on time each day? That-"
"Okay, I get it. I've dropped off the face of the earth," Warrick said.
Catherine shrugged. "I'm just worried about you. You're one step away from self-destructive. I don't need to lose you too," Catherine said. She defiantly sounded sad and upset.
She was close enough that Warrick didn't have to move to wrap his arms around her. He hugged her tightly, realizing how small she was. These realizations didn't occur that often. You tended not to notice height when she was on the job, her personality made sure of that.
"Hey," He said. "Don't worry. You won't lose me."
He felt her smile into his chest.