Title: Follow Your Heart

Author: lildreamer

Rating: K+

Pairings: Hint of GSR. Mostly Grillows.

Spoilers: Tiny one for S6 finale

Summary: When secrets start coming out, so do the feelings.

Disclaimer: I do not own CSI or any of its characters. They belong to Carol Mendelsohn and Jerry "CSI" Bruckheimer.

All right people, on with the story…

"You!" Catherine burst into Grissom's office, pointing an accusatory finger at him. "You did this!"

Grissom looked up from the paperwork he was trying to do and pulled off his glasses, his brow furrowed. "What are you talking about?"

"Why did Sara just take over my case?" she asked, hands on her hips, waiting for an answer.

Oh, that. "I just thought I'd let her take over the on-site investigation," he explained. "Let you work here in a coordination role."

Catherine felt her face flush. "This is my case! You can't just remove me!"

Grissom's eyebrows went up. "Did I say remove? I don't remember using that word. And if you haven't noticed in your years with the lab, we juggle investigators quite frequently for a number of reasons."

Catherine folded her arms across her chest. "Oh, really? Like what?" she challenged, looking him square in the eye.

His mouth opened and closed several times but he couldn't form any words.

She scowled at him, arching an eyebrow. "You don't have one, do you?"

He shook his head, succumbing to the truth. He didn't have a reason for what he did. At least, not a very good one.

"I should've known…Since when did you start playing favorites?"

"What? I never said—"

"Oh, please. Enough with the innocent crap. I know about you and Sara."

The color instantly drained from his face. She'd called his bluff.

"I went to your house the other day," Catherine explained. "I wanted to update you on the case we were working on. I tried calling, but you weren't answering any of your phones. So, I decided I'd tell you in person. But when I got there—I don't know what's worse: You deliberately ignoring my calls or finding you with her. I cannot believe you would…"

He was quick to defend himself. "Oh, look who's talking! I've seen the way you and Warrick look at each other. And I wouldn't be surprised if the two of you were up to something. You have your secrets and I have mine."

Catherine just stared at him, her eyes misted with tears.

Grissom saw the look on her face and immediately regretted what he had just blurted out. "No, that didn't come out like I—"

"Is that what you think?" she said, trying to ignore the knot in her throat. "That's what you think. You think I would sink to that level. You have the audacity to sit there and accuse me of having some sort of secret relationship with a married man."

"That's not what I meant. I just--"

"I'm not you…"

"I'm sorry...I never should've—"

"I'm sorry doesn't cut it." she interrupted, her anger showing. "You lied, Gil!" He could almost feel the hurt and disappointment in her voice. "You lied to Ecklie! You lied to your team!" Her eyes filled with tears. "You lied to me...and like an idiot, I believed you."

"Cath, I can explain." His eyes pleaded with hers.

She held up her hand to stop him. "Forget it. I don't want to hear it. I'm through covering for your mistakes."

"What?"

"I'm not gonna tell anyone about what I saw. But if they find out somehow...you're on your own."

Grissom was way past hurt and angry. He was seething. And he was afraid he would do something that he would regret, so he did the only thing he could think of.

"Leave, Catherine," he said through gritted teeth.

"Excuse me?" Catherine was incredulous.

"And this time, don't come back."

"You don't mean that…"

"Get out!" He practically yelled at her, his words coming out sharper than he had intended.

"Fine." Catherine stood from her seat and turned to leave. "What happened to you? You used to be a good and decent man. And you genuinely cared about your team. But…you've changed. I—I don't know you anymore. What happened to the Gil I used to know?"

He remained silent. He seemed to have run out of answers.

She shook her head sadly as she made her way out of his office. "Goodbye, Gil…"

As he watched her retreating figure disappear down the hallway, the reality of what had just happened hit him like a ton of bricks. He'd just lost one of his closest friends. All because of his own selfishness. And to make matters worse, he'd lied about it. Lied about everything. What had happened to the Gil she used to know? A single tear slid silently down his cheek.

"What have I done?"