A/N: For creative purposes, let's just pretend that Teri Miller never showed up again after 'Face Lift', okay?
Chapter Three: Let the Fun Begin
Sara and Catherine had disappeared. Greg was furiously playing air guitar with his headphones on. Warrick and Nick were battling it out with the video game console on the TV. And Gil was bored.
He had completely forgotten about the party that was to be held down in the bar, being too wrapped up in the crash-shopping trip and purely enjoying being around Catherine. When had he become so enraptured with the beautiful strawberry blonde? Yes, he'd always loved spending time with her, treasured the moments they now less frequently shared—but now, now, he would make up for their distancing friendship. As long as he kept his growing feelings for her in check, of course. He wasn't going to ruin the friendship they'd built for twenty years.
He hoped.
"Yo, Grissom! Are you coming or not?" Warrick stood at the base of the staircase, waiting for his boss to notice him.
"What?"
"Coming. You. Downstairs—remember? The party?"
Gil sighed and rubbed his temples.
"Alright, alright. Where are Catherine and Sara?"
"Already down there."
"Ah."
Gil pulled on the suit jacket Catherine had picked out for him. She'd set out what he was supposed to wear—he had felt like such a child when she'd done it, but he had to admit that what she'd picked out wasn't half-bad. Jeans, polo, and a blazer were casual enough for the party, but no too dressed up.
"Ready?" Nick asked as Gil reluctantly descended to the main floor.
"Never," Gil sighed.
&----
"Man, you ever seen so many science geeks in one place?"
Glares met Gil, Warrick, Nick and Greg as they entered the hotel bar. Greg held up his hands.
"What? I'm one of you!"
Gil shook his head as the young CSI spotted an attractive waitress and bounded after her.
"Incorrigible," Warrick laughed.
"Naturally. Where are Cath and Sara?" Gil asked, eyes scanning the crowd for any trace of the two women.
"I dunno," Nick replied. "Hey, Grissom, isn't that—?"
"Doctor Grissom!"
Friedrich DaSilva was making quick work of the crowd, pushing through as he escorted a slightly struggling blonde toward Gil. He froze.
"Doctor, I've been wanting to introduce you to this young lady ever since I learned you'd be attending! May I introduce Teri—"
"We've met," Teri Miller snapped. She glanced up at Gil, who had mercifully unfrozen, but who was still a little stunned. Hadn't he escaped this particular mistake a few years ago?
"What?" DaSilva spluttered, "but—well! There you are! It seems I'm a bit too late—incidentally, I had wanted it to be me to introduce you, my dear, to Doctor Grissom! He is quite extraordinary, of course-uncommonly intelligent—"
"Yes, well, it seems that many of us are overrated in this room tonight, Professor DaSilva." Teri gazed coldly at Gil while addressing DaSilva. Gil narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Indeed."
DaSilva, puzzled, opened his mouth, gazing blankly from one to the other. He was but off from making an uncomfortable situation disastrous by Catherine, who chose to appear at Gil's side at that moment. She laid a hand on his arm.
"Gil?" She turned to glance at the two people in front of Gil. "Ah. Teri, how are you?"
DaSilva still looked puzzled.
"A fair bit better than Doctor Grissom, I'm sure."
A small Cheshire smile crept over Catherine's features. Glancing quickly at Warrick and Nick (who stood, masking their confusion behind the pair) she gave them a look that clearly told them not to interrupt.
"Oh, I don't know," Catherine smiled. She ran her hand down Gil's arm and interlaced her fingers with his. He shot her a look over his glasses. What was she up to?
Squeezing his hand reassuringly, she turned back to the now even more stoic Teri.
"I'm quite sure he's doing well," Catherine smiled. "I've got to admit, I'm surprised to see you here, Teri. The hotel is full, isn't it? Why, Gil and I even have to share a bed!"
Teri's eyes hardened and she locked eyes with Gil once again.
"How unfortunate. If you'll excuse me," she turned and made her way stiffly through the crowd, DaSilva behind her.
"Damn, Cath!" Warrick laughed. Catherine grinned.
"It was childish," she said, "but I've been wanting to do that for such a long time."
"Have you?" Gil quirked an eyebrow. Catherine smirked.
"Why, yes I have. So, shall we get this party started?"
Gil shrugged.
"Or finished, either way."
Catherine shot him a look before pulling him across the floor to the booth Greg and Sara occupied. It was then that Gil had time to appreciate what his best friend was wearing—a black halter-style cocktail dress with matching stilettos, and gold earrings. He loved the way the straps of her shoes laced their way halfway up her calves, accentuating one of her many assets.
"I need a drink," Gil muttered.
"On tequila, comin' right up!"
"Greg!"
&----
The group piled their way into the hotel room, some more gracefully than others. Gil, for his part, remained mostly sober, having only had a screwdriver. But Greg, on the other hand, was bouncing around the room, singing and randomly grabbing the nearest person to perform a quick tango before rallying off again. It had been most disconcerting for Gil to discover the youngest CSI had only had two drinks.
"One tequila, two tequila, three tequila, fa-LOOR!"
"Oh, my God, I'll kill him," Catherine said, watching as Sara was spun across the room and onto the couch. The brunette looked torn between wanting to laugh and wanting to vomit.
"I'm turning in," Gil said.
"I'm with you. Conference at eight." Catherine raised her voice over the four now collapsed on the couch and bed, chatting animatedly. "Night, guys!"
A chorus of 'night' followed Gil and Catherine as they climbed the stairs.
"Right or left?"
"Excuse me?" Gil said, staring at his best friend.
"Side of the bed, Gil," Catherine laughed.
"Oh," Gil smiled as Catherine rifled through some of the shopping bags to produce a pair of pyjamas and a toothbrush.
"Right, Cath. Even you know that."
Catherine raised an eyebrow and headed into the bathroom to change.
When she emerged ten minutes later, it was to Gil already in bed, glasses perched on the end of his nose as he sat engrossed in a book he'd brought with him. He'd thrown on a pair of flannel sleep pants and a t-shirt he'd insisted on buying himself, while she browsed the lingerie section. The combination of Catherine and lingerie was enough to push Gil right over the edge and never question turning back.
Now, though, propped up in bed and reading the book with as much intensity as a four-year-old artist creating a masterpiece with finger paints, Catherine thought he looked absolutely adorable. She smiled as she climbed into the bed next to him, pulling her hair into a loose ponytail.
"Tired?" Gil asked, glancing at her over the rims of his glasses.
"Little bit," Catherine yawned. Gil chuckled and reached over to the side table, placing the book and glasses on it while he switched off the light. The room was bathed in darkness.
"Night, Cath."
Silence, Downstairs, Warrick and Nick had piled into Sara and Greg's room—Catherine could occasionally hear a shout or bursts of laughter coming from the next room. She smiled. They never really got to have fun while on the job. Well, not the kind of fun usually had by men and women their age. It was could to know they could loosen up, enjoy each other's company.
"Hey, Gil?"
"Mm?"
"Are you mad? About before, with Teri?"
Gil turned over to look at her dark form.
"No, why?"
"Well," she said, turning to face him, "it wasn't really my business. I had no right to butt in, and I'm sorry."
"I'm not." Gil could see her face lying on the pillow, her arm tucked underneath. "I need help. I'm glad you showed up when you did. What happened to 'Never doubt, never look back'?"
She smiled.
"Gil, when it comes to you, I question everything."
He smiled.
"Goodnight, Catherine."
"Goodnight, Gil."
A/N: I know, I know, so Teri wasn't exactly canon. But I really wanted Cath to get her little dig in there after Teri left Gil in 'To Halve and to Hold' and after her little performance in 'Face Lift'. Hence why Teri was my mini-version of a bad guy.
Many thanks to my uber insane amount of reviewers (You guys ROCK!). Thanks to: Ace47, Brittney Landray AKA Muggs (Your review so made me smile!), JacobedRose (for two reviews!), Lena, kiara-malfoy, karmine, aaaand Uhm.What.
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