Chapter 16

A week of pulling doubles and triples had Warrick dog tired and cranky. All he did was sleep and work, it seemed. No one wanted to collaborate with him, while he was in this state. He was sick of it. He wanted to be with his family.

"Warrick? Are you okay?" Nick finally questioned, catching his cranky friend alone as they arrived for another round of cases.

"No. I'm beginning to hate this job. I used to get up and come to work, looking forward to the challenges they would throw at me. Now, I don't even want to come here. I want to be with my family."

"You are thinking about quitting? Finding another line of work?" Nick questioned as they made their way into the building.

"No. I'm a CSI, it's in my blood. I can handle an occasional double or triple, as we do. It's the fact that, on a normal day, I hardly see my family. I don't want to work the nightshift anymore. I've put it off as long as I can. I've been thinking about it for a while. I've just had all I can take. I'm going to hate to leave the team, but I'm going to see Gil about a transfer to days." Warrick confessed behind the privacy of the elevator doors.

"What if they don't honor the request? Then what?" Nick pondered, hating the idea of losing his best friend as a partner.

"Gemma and I discussed it. If they don't transfer me to days, then I start looking for a new job outside of Vegas."

"Leave Vegas?" Nick gasped. "But, you are Vegas. Born and bred, you've always said."

"Naw, I'm not Vegas. I can be wherever my family is. As long as I've got those three females, I can go anywhere."

"Where would you go?"

"Well, I've got contacts just about everywhere, because of the conventions I've been to. I've had offers from L.A. I won't consider that one; I don't want Gemma and Jess to go back there. They don't need to be around those people again. In my book, the farther we get from Tony's family, the better." Warrick sighed a tired sigh as they made there way into the locker room. It seemed like they had just been there a moment before.

"You still worried about them?" Nick was suddenly concerned. He, in truth, had forgotten all about them. Obviously, Warrick hadn't."

"Nicky, they're the mob. I have the heir's only living child. You think I don't worry about them coming for her? I'm constantly looking over my shoulder. Tony may be dead, and the family in jail, but they won't stay that way. It doesn't mean that their friends and enemies won't be coming for her." Warrick explained as they changed. "Why do you think I'm always packing heat? I take my daughter to the freakin' park, and I have my hand on my gun the whole time."

"I never realized….."Nick felt guilty for not paying close enough attention. He realized that Warrick had every right to be nervous. The family had nearly succeeded in killing Warrick as they tried to get back Jessica back. There was no doubt that Gemma would have been next if they had accomplished that feat.

The two friends finished up and slowly made their way to meet up with the others.

"So, when are you telling Gris?" Nick questioned out of the corner of his mouth as they entered the room where the others had already gathered.

"I think I'll do it today, at the end of shift." Warrick decided, going over to help himself to a cup of coffee.

"Grissom." Warrick said the one word and Gil felt apprehension run over him like cold water on a hot day. He knew something was up. Since he'd just talked to Gemma, he figured that nothing was wrong with her or the girls. Warrick rarely called him Grissom. It was usually Gil or Gris, sometimes when he was feeling playful, Warrick would even call him Dad or Pops. Although he pretended otherwise, and would never admit it, Gil liked it when Warrick called him Dad.

"What's the matter Warrick?" Gil asked, afraid he knew what was coming. He had seen the expression on Warrick's face too many times lately. Warrick Brown had stopped loving his job.

"I'd like to talk with you." Warrick came into the office, shutting the door behind him. "Off the record."

"It's that time….isn't it." Gil questioned with a sigh. His suspicions the younger man's actions confirmed his suspicions.

"I can't keep doing this, Gil. It's nothing against you, but my family is living life without me. Jess is starting school tomorrow. Since we're pulling another double, I won't be able to see her go to the first day. She's having her procedure the following week…I'll be there for that, but it'll screw up my sleeping schedule."

"You've thought this out, and talked to Gemma?" Gil questioned, trying to draw out the conversation.

"I want to see my family, Grissom." Warrick found it hard to breathe as he said this. "Jessica's going to be at school. I'll be sleeping when she's awake. I'm working while she's asleep. Suzie won't even know who I am."

"So…..you're here to ask me to put a word in for you of the Supervisor position on days." Gil concluded. "I would talk to Ecklie about it for you, but…..Catherine is applying for the position once again. I'll have to remain on the fence for this one."

"Supervisor?" Warrick gasped, in shock. "I was just going to discuss getting transferred to days. I would never consider going up against Cath. I'll be happy to work days for her." Warrick shook his head. "I wasn't aiming to get a promotion. I just want to work so I can see my family. I want to actually sleep with my wife in my arms at night."

"Warrick." Gil growled, frowning at the other man. "Don't go there. Your wife happens to be my daughter."

Warrick burst out laughing. "Yeah, but you hooked us up. You can't possible say you didn't consider us getting together when you asked me to take her on the run."

"I'll admit that I wanted her to find someone like you. You're a good man, and I knew you'd always treat a woman right." Gil acknowledged reluctantly. "I just didn't consider you…..actually getting involved with my child……getting her pregnant."

Once again, Warrick let out a loud laugh. "That is usually part of marriage, Gil. Besides, it's not as if she was a virgin or anything. She had a kid already."

"Warrick!" Gil groaned out a pained warning. "I'm serious. Let's not go into this. My main concern was Gemma's safety."

"Gil…..I did right by Gemma. I've told you this before. I did nothing, nothing that would get her pregnant. It wasn't until you sent me to fetch her from Oklahoma…..after I'd proposed. I still didn't get her pregnant until after we were married. I wouldn't dishonor her like that. I love her."

"I know you do. You're a good man. The best husband I could ever wish for her." Gil conceded. "You've been a good father from the very first. You're a much better father than I could have ever wished to be."

Warrick felt a lump growing in his throat as Gil gave him the utmost compliment. "How'd we get on this subject?" He questioned to try to change the atmosphere of the room. "I was merely here to tell you that I'm putting in for a transfer to days and explain that it has nothing to do with you. Instead, we end up talking about my sex life with your daughter."

"Warrick!" Gil snarled, no longer warning him.

"Yeah Dad?" Warrick grinned, his expression bordering on insolence and playfulness.

"Shut the hell up."

TBC…….