A/N: Thanks for the reviews, they really encouraged me. This is the last chapter. I hope you enjoyed the story!

IV. Amends

"We need to talk."

"I know." She looked at the ground. "It was a bad idea, wasn't it?"

He nodded. "Tina…"

"No." She shook her head. "Let me explain."

He half-smiled. "It's not your fault, it's mine."

"No, it's not."

They both laughed nervously. "We can't be married, Warrick. It's too weird," she paused, "and- I have something to tell you… I'm in love with someone else." She concluded, and dropped her gaze once more to the floor.

He grinned. "Me too."

Her head snapped up. "How stupid were we?"

"Very." Warrick stepped forward and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Let's go."

-----

The weight of the ring on his finger had felt foreign at first, and now its absence was another concept to get used to. He smiled faintly as he walked into work towards the locker room, hoping he would find a certain strawberry-blonde along the way.

When he didn't, he wandered into the break room and when she wasn't there either, or in her office, he strode to Grissom's. "Hey, Griss, where's Catherine?"

Grissom eyed him suspiciously.

"I need to talk to her" was his explanation, feeling self-conscious with his boss's intense blue gaze boring into him.

Grissom's face remained serene, not revealing a thing. "She took the day off."

Warrick closed his eyes, a mere sign of his frustration. "Thanks. I guess I'll talk to her tomorrow, then." He'd call her later, but he wasn't about to divulge that fact to the entomologist in front of him. He turned on one heel and was in the doorway when Grissom's voice stopped him.

"I'm not stupid, Warrick."

The dark-skinned CSI grimaced and turned around. "I didn't mean to-"

Grissom held up a hand, chuckling softly. "Go to her, Warrick. It's a slow night; we'll be fine."

With a short nod of thanks, the younger man fairly ran out the door and out to his vehicle.

-----

Chicken, an inner voice taunted her.

Catherine frowned and scrubbed her head vigorously, ridding her hair of the shampoo. Quickly rinsing and conditioning it, she stepped out of the shower and dressed in worn black jeans and a v-neck tee-shirt. She was halfway done drying her hair when the doorbell rang.

"Warrick."

He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

Her gaze drifted to the floor, and on the way down spotted his bare ring finger. Her head snapped back up to meet his eyes, and the love in them startled her.

She lifted her hand to run it through her still-wet hair and he caught it in his, interlacing their fingers.

"I'm sorry." The words were spoken with clear sincerity and nothing else.

He gazed at her, content to memorize the details of her face; the curve of her neck, the outline of her lips, her clear cerulean eyes.

She dropped her eyes to the floor, and he put his hand under her chin, running his thumb along her jaw line. Her lips parted, and she took a wavering breath. "I know."

The vulnerability in her expression did him in. He stepped forward and pulled her into his arms, hugging her as if he would never let go. She drew back slightly to study his face, knowing she wanted to remember this moment for the rest of her life.

"I love you, Cath."

"I know."

He kissed her then.