"Well at least we didn't spend a fortune on the wedding."
Warrick Brown just walked in on his wife, and her so-called ex, kissing passionately. Not the end he had envisioned to the day. He had bent over backwards to get off early from work. Tina had been nagging about how much time he spends on the clock and wanted to make it up to her. It was their 6 month anniversary from their first date, he thought it was the perfect time to show her how special she was to him. He obviously wasn't as special to her.
Warrick turned to walk away when Tina called.
"Warrick! Baby wait!"
She ran toward him, tears welling in her eyes.
"It was just a weak moment. I had been so upset that I had hardly seen you in over a week. I was telling David and he was comforting me. I'm sorry I let it go to that. It'll never happen again," Tina pleaded, clenching Warrick's sleeves.
Warrick eyes were distant. He felt numb. He always thought that he'd deck the guy if he were ever put in this situation. Yet now, there was no anger in him. All he felt was sadness and hurt. Tina's words went right over his head. 'With only two months into the marriage and she had a moment of weakness?' he thought to himself. Tina's begging fell to deaf ears.
"It won't ever happen again… Not to me... Not by you… It's over Tina. Lets not fool ourselves."
Tina shook her head furiously in disagreement as tears streamed down her face. Her ex stepped out of the room, never making eye contact with Warrick. David slid away like the snake he was… Always lurking in the background, dying for the opportunity to strike. He finally got his prey. Warrick just let him walk away as he continued.
"You knew how demanding my job is. You know how dedicated I am to it. You knew this all before we were married. But today I compromised. –Because that's what you do in relationships. I went through hell to surprise you today. The surprised one was me though… It's only been two months that we've been married and you had a moment of weakness? We're supposed to be blindly in love… They call it the honeymoon stage. You can't hack me working now? –Its not gonna get better as time goes on. And with that, neither is your infidelity. You got unfinished business with your ex. Might as well handle it because there's nothing else to say. I'll call you when you can come and get your stuff. Don't bother calling me, I won't answer your calls," Warrick spoke somber.
And with that, Warrick broke free from a desperately crying Tina and walked to the elevators of the hospital, never looking back. He sobs were silenced by the closing of the elevator doors. Warrick let out a sigh as he looked to his watch for the time. "I got out of work for THIS?" he asked himself in disbelief. He exited the hospital and hurriedly got into his Denali. Warrick started the vehicle, flipped on the radio and put the vehicle into reverse. As he began to move out of his parking space, the shine of his wedding ring on the steering wheel caught his eye. Warrick stepped on the brake and pulled the ring off his finger.
"This thing never felt right" he muttered.
He placed the ring in his ashtray and proceeded to make his way first out of the parking spot and then the hospital. The realization of all that had just taken place started to sink in. His heart grew heavy. Warrick knew he wasn't getting any younger and he so desperately wanted to have a family. As much as he loved his job, he still wanted more in life. He couldn't see himself like Grissom. Yet the reality was that no one on the team had a 'normal' personal life. The closest would've been Catherine... Catherine.
How he missed Catherine. Catherine and Lindsey. Warrick absolutely loved Lindsey. What wasn't there to love? Granted, she had been giving Cath a hard time lately but it was to be expected with the job change Cath had. After all, these were also Lindsey's preteen years. A smile slightly formed on his lips. Warrick's mind left his current problems briefly. His thoughts then turned to the fact that since the team got back together, ironically it was also since Catherine discovered he was married, him and Cath hadn't talked. Really talked. After Catherine's confession, he didn't have the heart to discuss Tina around Cath. He didn't really believe Catherine was happy for him at all. It struck Warrick that there was one positive outcome of the recent event, him and Cath could talk again. Or could they?
The 'confession' was something he never came to terms with. It felt better forgotten then to let it permeate his soul. Warrick fought a losing battle in more ways than one. Catherine's words haunted him. It made him question his true feelings for her. She had blindsided him. He knew they cared for each other: They were both caring souls. They had been on the team together for such a long time that it brought them close. Yet Warrick knew his feelings for Catherine weren't equal to his feelings for anyone else on the team. He knew instantly that he couldn't continue to analyze Catherine's confession; it would doom his marriage. His fight to refrain from delving into the can of worms Cath opened was pointless now that his marriage was over. The daily turmoil he had been in over Catherine's confession now was replaced by Tina's betrayal. Well the turmoil quit being a daily occurrence just a week ago... There had been a day or two that Catherine hadn't been around… Something concerning Lindsey.
Warrick's heart weighed him down even more. Lindsey was the greatest influence on his desire to have a family. Not only did he adore her outlook on life and humor, he felt incredible whenever she was around. Lindsey looked up to him and it was clear to all that she idolized him. Yet as much as adored her, he was always quick to set her straight when she strayed from the short and narrow. His heart skipped a beat when he thought of Catherine's absences. He was sure there was nothing serious going on or he would've heard about it, but he didn't like that there was something going on concerning Lindsey and he had no idea what it was. He contemplated paying Catherine a visit. The timing was just so wrong.
Warrick sighed. He suddenly felt so alone. Tina was out of his life and he had basically also thrown Catherine out. His heart ached. His 'happily ever after' was gone. The possibility of having his own family just got further out of reach. He thought back to Tina… He swore things could work with her. He recalls thinking she was a sure bet. "Maybe that's the problem right there… I gambled yet again," he thought to himself. "When will I ever learn? Guess you can take the boy out of the casino but cant take the gambling out of the boy" Warrick decided to take one more risk. One that he had no doubt would pay out. He decided to drop in on Catherine and Lindsey. Nothing else called to him as much as that did in that moment. Warrick's conscience and subconscious had a meeting of the minds, for he had already been driving in their direction.
The radio played Al Green singing a somber tune. It definitely suited his mood.
I can think of younger days
when living for my life
Was everything a man could want to do.
I could never see tomorrow
I was never told about the sorrow.
And
how can you mend a broken heart?
How can you stop the rain from falling down?
Tell me how can you stop
the sun from shining?
What makes the world go round?
And how can you mend
this broken man?
How can a loser ever win?
Somebody please
help me mend my broken heart
and let me live again.
La la la laa la
I can still feel the breeze
that rustles through the trees
And misty memories
of days gone by
But we could never see tomorrow
Can you believe that no one
no one ever told us
about the sorrow.
Sooooo
How can you mend a broken heart? (like mine is)
How can you stop the rain from falling down?
(Baby) How can you stop
that ol sun from shining?
What makes the world go round?
And sometimes I have to say…
Laa laa laa la laa laa
La la la la la la la laa la la
Tell me
help me mend my
my broken heart
I just wanna
I just wanna
I just wanna
I just wanna
I just wanna
Live again
Baby
How can you mend
this broken man?
Yeah
Somebody tell me
How can a loser ever win?
Baby!
Help me mend my
this ol broken heart
I think I (I know I)
I believe I
I feel like I got ta
I feel like I wanna live again.
How can you mend
this broken heart?
Somebody please tell me
How can you stop the rain
from falling down?
Although my clothes are all wet tell me
How can you mend my
Please help me mend my
Broken heart
I think I
I believe I
I gotta feeling that I want to live again…