Title: Teach Me
Summary: A little talk, a little thought. Nick seeks Greg's advice about handling the haunting demons. Things between a lab explosion and a premature burial. Post Grave Danger.
A/N: I can't think of anything to torture you by. So just enjoy this chapter :)
Thanks to Fraying for being my beta-reader.
Disclaimer: Don't own CSI and all its characters, whoever owns them, owns them. But it's not me- though I wish.
CHAPTER 5
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Tea was never going to replace the bittersweet elixir of coffee, but the break room was out of the dark drink. All that were left were bags of tea. Catherine didn't care; caffeine was caffeine. Earlier on, she threw the soaked tea bag away before manoeuvring around the place praying people won't see her as a tea drinker, for it came to her as a sort of sin.
Things and thoughts were messing around in her mind, and she needed something to soothe her soul. Since liquor was banned while being on duty, caffeine became her placebo.
She had knocked on Grissom's door, hoping for some company before her shift started knowing that at this time, he wouldn't be doing much but filling out reports.
And she was right. He invited her to one of the seats and she obliged.
"So, how long?"
Catherine was pleased that Grissom had bothered to look up after the question. "I beg your pardon?" he asked.
She was going to go mad if she didn't get her thoughts off her chest. "For a traumatic experience like this to, you know, disappear."
"You mean Nick?"
Well duh. "I'm just wondering if he should be back so early. It all seems pretty raw still, even for me; and I wasn't the one trapped in a Plexiglas state of hell." She took her first drink of the tea and fought hard to avoid gagging on the terrible taste. What in the world made her think tea would be able to replace her favourite?
"Honestly, I wasn't sure if he was going to be back at all."
It was the gospel truth, yet Catherine found it irritating that Grissom would even suggest such a thing. Instead of biting back with some half-witted retort, Catherine convinced herself to continue her sip of tea, only the beverage never touched her lips. She left it at the bottom of her cup, tilting it only slightly to avoid the tea assaulting her taste buds. After all, she only wanted to look busy without having to answer Grissom.
People passed by Grissom's window, casting dull shadows upon the floor. There was one that stood out among the rest.
"How long did it take Greg?" Catherine caught Grissom fix his eyes on the ex-lab technician as he marched across. But it never seemed to register with him; instead, he continued staring out even though the young CSI had long left the scene. It was up to her to bring him out of his trance. "He seems so unfazed by the explosion."
Her plan only worked for a short moment. Grissom had looked like he snapped out of it, only he ignored what she had stated. This time, Catherine left him to his musings; he'll eventually bring himself out when he's ready.
"Greg did take a long time." Grissom finally said. "He just chose not to publicise it."
As if her conscience couldn't take enough guilt from causing the lab explosion and the thought that she handed out Nick's own burial slip was tough to even think about. She didn't want to know what Greg had to go through after the incident. She would rather be ignorant to it. Catherine saw part of Nick's recovery and that was enough for her.
While the rest had stayed behind at the nursery, she and Warrick had travelled with Nick to the hospital and made frantic calls to Nick's parents. The couple rushed to the emergency room looking flustered and yet relieved, but it was far from over. They hadn't seen their son and had to be prepared for the full run through of what went down. It was a story Catherine wished she didn't need to recount for anyone.
The important thing was that Nick was safe. During that night at the ER, she witnessed the Stokes' emotional breakdown as Bill and Jillian held each other for support. Putting herself in their shoes, Catherine didn't know if she could hold on to anybody if Lindsey was the one under the dirt. She could barely keep herself together.
"And Nick?"
His eyebrow arched and took in a deep breath of air. "I don't know."
That was an unacceptable answer. She needed to know that something was going to go right after this. Even if it meant lying to her.
"It's not going to be easy. Just be there for him, no matter what." Grissom advised.
If there was some hidden meaning to what he said, Catherine never got it. Her lips broke apart for her to remark on what he said, though someone had beaten her to the punch.
"Hey, Cath."
The voice was low and rich. Catherine instantly knew who it was without looking at him, but it was common practice for humans to do so. She turned to face him, and Warrick entered the office by half a stride. "Was looking for you. You said you wanted my report first thing when I came in?"
"Right…" Of course, she remembered now what it was that nagged her at the back of her mind. "I need to hand out the worksheets too."
Hopefully, today was going to be an uneventful affair because strolling down the memory lane of emotions was draining enough. Catherine wished she could go back home and curl up in bed with Lindsey. She wasn't done with Grissom though. "You heading out or are you still going to be here a while longer?" she questioned.
Grissom simple replied with his trademark shrug of uncertainty that was mixed with assurance.
"Well, see you later then." Either way, she'll meet with him again.
Together, Warrick and Catherine made their tracks out of his office and trailed off. "You've seen Nick?"
"Yeah." Warrick remained in his walking pace. "He looked fine, said he had a good chat with a wise man. Whatever that meant."
She waved it off. Catherine didn't feel like racking her brain about something she probably wouldn't find out. "If it did him good, I'm not complaining."
"Right. So business as usual?"
Catherine dropped Warrick's report on her desk as she entered and pulled out a slip from under her paperweight. "Just came in." she handed it to him. "You and Nick deal with this and make sure business is good today."
"Yes ma'am." He smirked and did a mock salute before leaving.
Glaring at her cup of tea, Catherine tossed the contents into a half-yellowed plant by her chair and discarded the empty Styrofoam into the trash. "Business as usual." she muttered to no one in particular.
Looking out of her window, she spotted Nick and Warrick standing in the corridor and saw their mouths moving alternately. They shared a laugh, shook their heads, shrugged, and finally moved out of sight.
"Business as usual…"
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To remoob1513, jewelbaby, BabyAlyx96. goblz, ladyjr16 and new creation, thanks for the reviews. ;)
goblz: You reviewed twice, lol, thanks for that and yes, this is a Catherine POV. BTW, you should definitely watch Grave Dangers.
Thanks to everyone else for reading.
-Cheers
Jo