Title: If You Get There Before I Do
Disclaimer: CSI Characters belong to CBS. The Lyrics are from 'If You Get There Before I Do' sang by Collin Raye. The lyrics I got from an Internet site and as a result are part of the public domain so I haven't broken any rules.
A/N: I've hit a bit of a country mood 'If You Get There Before I Do' has quickly become a fave of mine and this idea just refused to go away. I have noticed my penchant for killing of cast member…I'm sorry.
Dedication: 2 years on and it still doesn't feel quite real. For that real angel up there.
Catherine gave Greg a watery smile as he entered her bedroom, a hot cup of coffee in his hands.
"Drink this okay. Sara and Nick are on their way over now and the rest are meeting us there." Greg said softly as he passed the cup over. Catherine hugged the cup trying to steal its warmth, trying to stop the fine tremor that took over every time she thought about what was going to happen today. Catherine didn't think she could cry any more, she'd given up on the make-up after the second bout of tears that had ruined her mask. That was when Lindsey had called Greg. The teenager quietly entered the room and sat next to her mom wrapping her small arms around Catherine.
"I'm okay honey," Catherine lied hoping to reassure her daughter.
"No you're not. You're sad because of what happened to Uncle Warrick. I'm sad too. It wasn't fair." Lindsey said trying not to cry herself.
"I know it wasn't fair darling." Catherine looked up from her daughter's face to Greg's who was flipping open his cell. Thirty seconds later he flipped it back shut.
"They've just pulled up. Are you ready?" Greg asked holding one hand out for Catherine and the other for Lindsey.
"I don't want to go Greg," Catherine said suddenly looking scared. "I don't want to say goodbye. I just want him back."
Greg looked at Lindsey. "Can you go and tell Aunt Sara and Uncle Nick that we'll be down in a minute Linds?"
"Sure Uncle Greg." Lindsey said as she gave her mom another quick hug before hurrying to do as Greg had asked.
"Cath," Greg knelt own in front o her. "Just because you don't want him to be gone doesn't make it to be true."
"Don't you think I know that."? Catherine snapped at him. "Do you think Id be like this if I thought there'd be even the tiniest possibility that he'd come back to me?"
"You really loved him, didn't you." Greg said softly.
"Yeah, I did." Catherine sighed. "I want all this to be a dream Greggo. I want to wake up and everything to be okay again."
"I know. We all want Warrick back but its not going to happen. So we all have to go to the church, we have to say goodbye to one of our best friends and we have to try and move on. It'll be difficult, there'll be lots of tears, lots of adjustments but we'll get though it as a group, and we'll be stronger and closer for it and one day, hopefully a very long time from now we'll join him where ever he is, kick his butt for doing this to us and live happily ever after." Greg finished pulling Catherine to her feet.
"Do you think he'll wait for us?" Catherine asked, she'd never taken Greg for a spiritual man. A scientist believing in God, wasn't that a contradiction?
"Well maybe me but he'll defiantly wait for you," Greg smiled. "Now shall we get this over with?"
Catherine wiped her eyes and gave Greg a brave smile. "We'd better hurry," she sniffed, "or we'll be late."
"That's my girl," Greg smiled back and kissed her cheek before leading her out of the door.
The drive to the church was quite. Everyone lost in his or her own thoughts. Grissom and Brass had waited outside for the rest of the team to arrive. The crowd was sombre as they made their way to the front of the church.
Tina and Warrick's Grandmother were sat on the same pew. At the sight of Catherine Warrick Grandmother nodded her head in understanding and, to Catherine's surprise, gave her a small smile. She seemed to understand Catherine's predicament. Upon seeing Catherine Tina threw herself into the other woman's arms sobbing almost uncontrollably. After a few minutes Tina's sobs quietened and the service started. Catherine's eyes drifted from the preacher to the photographs of Warrick that had been paced at the front of the church. A picture of Warrick on his own, amusement clear in his eyes, another of the night shift before the split, one of Warrick, Greg, Nick and Grissom, Warrick and his Grandmother and finally one of Warrick and herself laughing at something.
Catherine looked at Tina who was now sat next to her still sniffing occasionally. "Why didn't you put any pictures of you and him up?" She whispered.
"Because I wanted people to see him at his happiest and that was when he was with the people he loved the most. His Grandmother, the team, you." Tina sighed still wiping at stray tears. "Oh don't look at me like that Catherine, I knew when I married him I'd only ever be second best to you."
Catherine was shell-shocked as she tried to focus on Nick as he went up to say a few words. His voice was thick with emotions as he spoke about their friendship ad the bond they had, the good and bad times they'd battled though, the utter devotion Warrick gave to everything he did be it work or a friendship. Finally Nick stepped down tears glittering in his eyes.
Greg patted his back as he returned to his seat before focusing on Sara who was crying into his shoulder. Catherine watched Greg kiss Sara's head softly and felt her heart break again. She'd missed out on all that with Warrick.
A hand touched her and Catherine jumped catching the person's eye she almost thought he'd come back to her but the elderly face that accompanied those eyes told her she was wrong.
"My Grandson loved you very much Ms. Willows, I always hoped to meet you, though under different circumstances. I found this in his things. I hope I am not doing wrong by giving it to you now. I don't know what my boy wrote but it might help and maybe it'll ease some of your heartache." Catherine looked surprised when she was given a thin envelope with her name written across it in Warrick's distinctive handwriting.
Cath,
I'm sorry for not doing this in person and I know the timing couldn't be worse because of Tina but I need you to know that you mean everything to me. I need to know that I can live the fantasy. I need to know that there is some place somewhere where we can be together. If you're not ready for this now then I'll wait for eternity for you and I hope you'll wait for me to. I have these stupid lyrics in my head that say everything I want to say…
If you get there before I do,
Don't give up on me.
I'll meet you when my chores are through,
I don't know how long I'll be.
But I'm not going to let you down,
Darling, wait and see.
And between now and then,
Till I see you again,
I'll be loving you.
Love Me.
Catherine smiled as she wiped fresh tears from her eyes and turned to Warrick Grandmother. "Thank you."
"Are you okay?" Greg asked as they stood to leave, his one arm wrapped around Sara's waist supporting her.
"Yeah," Catherine smiled. "He told me to wait for him."
Well its a totally diffrent story for me...its my first ever slightly suggesing Cath/Warrick fic...and the only one Ive killed him off in..yet lol...Let me know what you think - Lenna