Gil sat in the chair, just watching Catherine sleep. He liked to watch her. Not just because it meant he could protect her, it meant that he could just…well, watch her. He loved to watch her sleep. She was all curled up, strawberry blonde hair fanned out on the pillow. Her hands were curled up in front of her face.
"Gil?"
He almost jumped out of his skin. "I thought you were asleep."
"You're watching me."
"I'm keeping you awake?"
Catherine rolled over, her eyes on him. "I'm keeping me awake."
He frowned, moving to sit on the side of the bed. "What do you mean?"
"Every time I close my eyes, he's there. He's telling me I'm going to like it, and he's inside me."
Gil took her hand. "I promise, I won't let anyone hurt you, Catherine. He's not here anymore. He's not going to hurt you."
"Gil?"
"Mhm?"
She reached out her hand and hesitantly took his in it. "Stay."
"I'm not going anywhere, Cath."
"I mean…stay. Here." Her eyes connected with his. "Maybe then if I close my eyes, I'll see you."
Gil kicked his shoes off and lay down on the bed, staying as close to the edge as he could. "Only if you're comfortable, Catherine."
Her hand moved to his face, fingers running across his cheek before pulling the hand away and tucking it under herself. "I'm comfortable."
He smiled. "Get some rest, Cath. I'll be here. I promise."
Warrick stared down at Stan Graves, who was staring right back at him, no fear in his eyes.
"You're in big trouble Stan."
"Don't know what you're talking about."
"Your brother raped and tried to kill CSI Willows."
"How would I know what my brother was going to do?"
"Because you've been the officer on scene at a lot of CSI Willows jobs."
"Coincidence."
"We don't believe in that much coincidence," Nick replied.
"I can't help you."
"This is going to bring you conspiracy charges," Warrick began, trying to work on a different tack. "You can help yourself by cooperating now."
Stan folded his arms. "Conspiracy."
"The papers are being prepared."
"What'll you offer me?"
"What are you offering us?"
Stan sighed. "Dale likes Willows."
"And?"
"And when I was on duty or if Ray was on duty, he'd kind of hang around, watching her."
"Watching her?"
"Well, it's not like she's bad on the eyes or anything."
"Did you know what he was going to do?"
"No."
Warrick glared at him. "Are you sure?"
"Look man, he was just there. He always watched her when we were on duty. It wasn't as if he said to me 'Yeah, I'm going to rape her."
"What did he say to you?"
"What do you mean?"
"Come on. Your brother is watching this woman who isn't bad on the eyes and he doesn't once tell you what's on his mind?"
Stan folded his arms. "Such as?"
Nick folded his arms also. "Don't jerk us around, Stan."
"He might have…mentioned…that sometime he'd bag her."
"When?"
"I don't know! Sometime. Before all this crap happened."
"And that didn't worry you?"
Stan arched an eyebrow. "Do you automatically think rape when one of your buddies says he's going to "bag" a woman?"
"My buddies don't usually talk about bagging a woman," Warrick ground out.
"Oh. Is it guys they prefer?"
"You're on thin ice, Stan," Nick growled.
The man sighed. "What'll you give me if I talk?"
"The DA might be willing to bargain. Maybe reduce sentence time." Warrick shrugged. "All depends on what you give us."
Stan looked them in the eye. "Dale wanted her. Really bad. He doesn't like it when he knows a woman is going to turn him down. He could tell just by looking at her." Stan shrugged. "So he took what he wanted."
Dr Phillip Kane looked up as Gil Grissom walked through the door. "Grissom. It's been a while since I've seen you. Not since that last case that you and Catherine consulted with me."
"It has been a while," Gil acknowledged, sitting down in the proffered seat.
"How's Catherine?"
Gil sighed. "I was hoping you'd be able to help me."
"I'll certainly try and do everything I can."
"I want to help her. I want Catherine back."
Phillip looked at him. "I understand that. I'm sure Catherine wants to be herself again. But Grissom, you know as well as I do, that after this, Catherine will never be the same. She'll go back to being herself, but there will always be that part of her, that part of her that you can't erase."
Gil nodded. "I know that. But she won't go near anyone except me. She won't even have Lindsey in the house."
"Where is she now?"
"The doctors wanted to check her after one week. She's with them now. I asked if she wanted me to stay. She said I could go. I promised I'd be right back."
"Why do you think she trusts you more than anyone? Even her relatives?"
"Because she knows I'd be there for her whenever she needs me."
Phillip nodded. "Have you thought about therapy?"
"We are talking about the same Catherine Willows?"
"But that's the point. She isn't the same Catherine Willows, is she?"
"But I want her to be. And I know she wants to be."
"Grissom, did you ever think that maybe Catherine sees you as confidante. Therapist even?"
Gil's eyes widened. "Me?"
"Well, she's talked to you about what happened, correct?"
Gil nodded.
"What else?"
"She told me about nightmares. She let me help her dress her wounds and get her in and out of the bath the first couple of days. I took her statement. I've been with her 24/7."
"There's your answer," Phillip told him. "She trusts you. She knows that whatever she tells you, stays with you and that you're not going to judge her. So, in essence, for someone like Catherine who doesn't like therapists, she has one in you."
"So, therapist to therapist, what can I do?"
"Healing from something like this is going to take some time. For some women it takes shorter periods of time, some women, they never get over it." Phillip thought for a moment. "Does Lindsey understand what happened to her mother?"
"I don't know if anyone has talked with her about it."
"Before you bring her back into the house, someone needs to explain what happened. Then, perhaps it would be best for Catherine if Lindsey did come back in the house. Children are resilient. Sometimes, they can share that resiliency around."
"I'll do it. I don't think Catherine needs to relive it all over again."
Phillip nodded. "I agree. Basically, Catherine needs to feel as comfortable, secure and loved as possible. What she's been through, she's been stripped of dignity and she's been violated in the worst way possible. And since she trusts you more than anyone, just your presence is healing her."
Gil smiled. "Thanks. I better go and pick her up."
Gil walked into the hospital room, wondering where Catherine was. "Excuse me? I'm looking for Catherine Willows."
The nurse looked up. "Friend or family?"
"Family."
"Ah good. There's a slight problem."
Gil's eyes widened. "What problem? What's the matter?"
"She's not hurt. She just won't leave the cubicle until Gil Grissom arrives."
"I'm Gil Grissom."
"Oh thank goodness. Follow me."
Catherine sat huddled in the cubicle. It was cold. Grissom was supposed to pick her up. He hadn't arrived.
She hated herself. She was stupid, weak and pathetic.
Even Grissom didn't want her.
Why would he?
"Catherine?"
Her eyes widened and she looked up. She knew that voice. "Gil?"
Gil opened the door and came in, closing it behind him. He knelt down in front of her. "Cath…I was worried."
"I'm sorry," she murmured.
"You have nothing to apologise for," Gil said firmly. "It's a bit windy to want to wait outside anyway. I should have known better."
"Thank you for coming."
Gil smiled at her, his hand resting on her cheek. "I'll always be here, Catherine. Always."
"We've been waiting to meet you, Mr. Graves," Nick said, a broad smile on his face.
"God knows why," Dale replied, leaning back in his chair.
"God does know why," Warrick promised him, tipping the chair back on its four legs. "So do you."
"What are you guys on?"
"Adrenalin, Dale. Which is why you're lucky there are two cops posted right outside the door," Nick told him.
"Alright then fellas. How can I help you?"
"Catherine Willows."
Dale thought for a moment. "Oh right. Chick who got done."
Warrick leant down, whispering in Dale's ear. "Be very careful."
"Why don't you guys just tell me what's pissing you off, and I'll try and accommodate to the best of my abilities."
"We want your fingerprints, DNA and confession," Nick said simply.
Dale thought for a moment, then finally nodded. "Okay. But before we talk logistics…I want a lawyer."
Gil settled Catherine in front of the TV. "Okay. Food?" He thought for a moment. "How about a famous Gil omelet?"
Catherine looked up at him. "That'd be nice."
Gil went into the kitchen, feeling chuffed that she was actually eating. Voluntarily.
When he returned, he sat the omelet in front of her, and he was even more pleased to see that she devoured the whole lot.
"You're watching me eat," she muttered, as she ate.
"You're very observant."
"Why are you watching me eat?"
"I want to make sure you do it."
When she had finished every bit of it and put the plate down, he waited for a moment.
"Cath. I want to talk to Lindsey."
Her eyes locked onto his for a moment, until she finally registered what he meant.
"No. Absolutely not."
"Catherine. She needs to know. I'm surprised she doesn't know already, because it's been in the papers…"
Catherine's eyes widened and she squeaked. "The papers?"
"It's been sorted, Cath. We won't have anymore trouble from them. But I'm telling Lindsey. She needs to know."
"She's a child."
"She's thirteen."
Catherine tried another tactic. "You'd go and tell her even if I asked you not to?"
"Yes," Gil said simply. "As much as I lo…admire you and as close to me as you are, I would. Because she has to know, Cath."
"I don't want her to be ashamed."
"Catherine, you have been so strong throughout all of this. What happened was not your fault. No one is ashamed of you."
Her eyes raised up to look at him. "I am."
His hands cupped her face. "Cath, no. You have nothing to be ashamed of. Nothing at all."
It was on the tip of her tongue. She could have told him. Could have explained why she did feel ashamed, and why she should.
But she held back.
Catherine turned away. "I don't want to talk about it anymore."
"Not talking about it isn't going to make it go away."
"I know that, Gil. Thank you." She got up. "Talk to Lindsey if you have to." With that, she turned around and went upstairs.
Dale Graves sat back, his lawyer sitting beside him.
"Ready?" Brass asked, turning on the tape.
The lawyer glanced at Graves then back at Brass. "Ready."
"Interview begins with Dale Graves regarding the rape and attempted murder of CSI Catherine Willows."
"UNCLE GIL!"
Gil smiled as Lindsey came running out to meet him.
"How's Mom?"
"She's….she's doing okay. I'm taking real good care of her."
"I want to see her. I miss her."
Gil nodded. "I know, Lindsey. That's why I'm here. I need to talk to you."
"Okay."
Nancy nodded to Gil and gestured towards the living room. "Jeremy and I are going to go out for a while. We'll be back later."
"Thanks, Nancy."
Lindsey waved goodbye to her aunt and her cousin, then followed Gil into the living room, sitting down beside him. "What's going on?"
"Lindsey, you and your mom have talked about sex, right?"
"Yeah. Ages ago. I'm thirteen now, Uncle Gil."
Gil smiled. "That's what your mom said." He sighed. "And you understand that sex is between two willing people, and it's about love."
Lindsey rolled her eyes. "Is this going to be another sex talk?"
"Lindsey, we have to be really serious now, okay. Do you understand what I just told you?"
She nodded. "Yeah. Mom told me that."
"Okay. Well, when your mom was out working, a man came and made her have sex with him."
Lindsey's eyes filled with tears. "She was raped?"
Gil nodded. "Yes. The man hurt her very badly."
"That's why she didn't want me to come home?"
"It's not that, Lindsey. Your mom loves you more than anything. It's just then when she was hurt, she was very sad and she didn't want to make you sad."
"I want to go see her," Lindsey said wiping the tears. "She needs me."
Gil smiled. "I was hoping you'd say that."
Catherine looked up as the door to her room opened. Gil stood there, awkwardly.
"I'm sorry I was mad at you, Gil. I just…"
"It doesn't matter, Cath." He smiled slightly. "I have someone here who wants to see you."
Lindsey's head peeked around the door. "Mommy?"
Catherine's eyes watered up and she held out her arms. "Come here, Linds."
Lindsey ran across the room and got onto the bed, snuggling up to her mother. "I love you, Mom. Everything's going to be okay. Uncle Gil and I will take care of you."
Catherine stroked her daughter's hair and looked up at Gil. "Thank you," she mouthed.
Gil grinned and gently closed the door behind him as he went downstairs.
"Grissom." Gil frowned. "Okay, Warrick. Thank you."