Chapter 23
"Gris?" Warrick came into the office holding a paper Judy had just given him as he entered the CSI headquarters. "You wanted to see me Boss?"
"Yes, Come on in and shut the door, Warrick." Grissom took off his glasses and set them on the desk as he watched his son-in-law do as he bid.
"What's up Gris? It can't be good if you're doing this by the book." Warrick waved the offending paper in the air as he eyed Gil suspiciously. "Is this about my request to transfer or have I screwed something up once again?"
"You've done nothing wrong, Warrick." Gil hurried to assure him. "Sit down."
"I think I'd rather stand." Warrick shook his head, his stance indicating that he was expecting some bad news.
"Warrick! Sit your butt down!" Gil barked in such a firm voice that the big man sat down. "Thank you."
"Gil? What is going on?"
"I asked to be the one that did this." Gil began opening the file he'd just been reading.
"Did what? Fire me? Geez-zuz, Gris, all I did was ask to work days!" Warrick interrupted. "Did that cause them to look into my file? They decided that I screwed up too much. That I've taken too much time off. I've pulled too much sick leave…."
"Warrick, Shut up!" Gil finally snapped, unwilling to continue to argue with the hardheaded man. Tossing over the clipboard across the desk, he suggested. "Read it over before you sign. You've got the day shift."
"I do?" Warrick picked up the clipboard. He quickly scanned over the contract. "Gil? This is for the Supervisors position. I didn't apply for that. I told you, I wouldn't go for the position, the job belongs to Catherine."
"I know. It's very admirable of you. The job was offered to Catherine first. She turned it down, and then she suggested you."
"Turned it down?" Warrick repeated dumbly. "Cath? Why?"
"It's not my place to tell you here reasoning." Gil answered reluctantly. "After she turned it down, she promptly gave me her two weeks notice. She's quitting. Next Friday will be her last day….I mean, night as a CSI." Gil didn't like to be the one to make the announcement. This group was too much like a family. Losing one of their own was going to hit them hard.
"I don't understand this."
"All you have to understand is that Catherine won't be taking the job. She doesn't want it. You won't be stepping on her toes, should you chose to accept this. I'm offering this to you."
"Is Ecklie on board with this?" Warrick prodded with a disbelieving frown. "He really has never liked or approved of me."
"Yes, he's agreed to this."
"Even with my record? I've screwed up more times-"
"Warrick. This isn't a trick nor is it a mistake." Gil reiterated. "You made mistakes when you were younger, but you've paid for them. You've grown up. You've shown that you're ready."
Warrick tried to swallow back the huge lump growing in his throat. He really didn't think this day would ever happen.
"Warrick? Are you accepting the position?" Gil probed.
"Yeah Gil." Nodding Warrick picked up the pen, signing the contract. His eyes were blurry with emotion; his chest filled with pride.
"Good." Gil nodded, satisfied as he took the clipboard back "Now, I know you're aware that I gave Catherine an office warming gift of a fetal pig….. I didn't want you to feel left out, so I got you a gift too."
Warrick winced, his eyes going to the disgusting jars lining the shelves of the office. "And, what am I getting?"
"Well….I'm sorry, I don't have another pig for you." Gil smirked as the look of relief passed Warrick's face. "So, I'm giving you Nicky."
"What?" Warrick gasped.
"Nicky. I'm giving you Nicky. I'm transferring him to days to work under you." Gil clarified.
"Did he ask for that?"
"No…but as you said before, he's a family man too. I'm sure he'd rather work days and get to spend his time with his children." Gil looked at Warrick, unsure of Warrick's reticence. He would have thought that Warrick would be ecstatic over getting to work with his best friend.
"Have you run this by him?" Warrick studied the older man's face, seeing his answer in the look of guilt in Gil's face. "Gil….maybe you should run this by him first, before you make this official." Warrick's face darkened with worry. "He may not feel comfortable working for me."
"Rick, he's your best friend. Of course he would love to work with you."
"That's the thing Boss. He won't be working with me. He'll be working for me." Warrick elucidated, sounding heartbreakingly frightened. "I don't want to lose my best friend over this."
"You think….he'll have a problem taking orders from you?" Gil questioned, having never considered that possibility.
"He might. We've been equals for so long. We've been competing for a leg up all these years. With me jumping ahead like that…..I mean, he'll be happy for me because he's my friend…."
"Are you speaking from your own experience? Would you have a problem working for Nick?" Gil quirked an eyebrow up at him, studying Warrick as if he were a new science experiment.
"Maybe." Warrick admitted. "I'm the hard ass of the team…..Of course I'd have a problem….as would Sara." Warrick finally answered.
"And you think Nick might too?"
"Not as likely as Sara or myself, but yeah. It's a possibility. Nick's ambitious. He always has been. He's more ambitious than I am." Warrick grimaced again. "Nick's my best friend. I don't want anything to come between us. Please, discuss it with him before you make it official."
"I'll talk to Nick before I transfer him." Gil agreed, realizing this was just another instance of him not really knowing how people tick. He wondered why he hadn't thought of the possibility of Nick being against this. Nick WAS the ambitious one.
"Talk to him before the word gets out about my promotion." Warrick pleaded.
"Okay. If you see him, send him in here."
"Thanks Boss." Warrick gave him a genuine smile, obviously relieved. "For everything."
"Warrick. This makes it official." Gil pointed to the contract. "I'm not your boss anymore."
"No, you'll always be my boss."
"Hey Boss!" Nick grinned devilishly at Warrick as he joined him at the diner.
"So……you heard." Warrick slid into the booth, eyeing his friend nervously. He tried to determine the other man's reaction. "You okay with this?"
"Jealous as Heck, but…yeah. I'm okay with it, more than okay! I'm proud of you, Bro!" Nick motioned the waitress over. "Just think, next time we go out to celebrate something, we can actually drink without getting funny looks. A regular, Nine-to-five job!"
"Nicky, you think working days will make it a regular job?" Warrick guffawed. "We're still going to be working doubles and triples all of the time. It's just that the work will start at an earlier hour." Warrick grew serious. "You'll be able to work…..for me, Nicky?"
"Yeah. Of course, I can. I'm proud of you. You deserve this." Nick gave his best friend a big smile.
"So do you."
"Yeah, maybe….but you're the better man for the job." Nick shrugged. "You gotta have brass balls to be the boss. I'm a pushover."
"Nicky-" Warrick tried to halt him, but Nick wouldn't let him.
"Be quiet, Rick. I'm spilling my guts here. I am a push over. I'm not good boss material. I've seen you stand up for yourself and for us. You're not afraid to get in someone's face."
"You'll be okay with taking orders from me? You know, yours will be one of the faces I get in."
"Yeah, but I'm not afraid of getting back in your face." Nick grinned. "And, I figure, you'll be giving me the best cases."
"Yeah, Picture that!" Warrick snickered. He was relieved that Nick felt they could work with one another even after a change in his status. Things were definitely looking up.