alrighty, chapter 3 for ya'lls enjoyment

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Chapter Three: Memories
(Sue Me, Chasing Away the Boogey Man, Graveyard Troubles, Coming Home, Family Pillow Fight)

Sue Me

3 months prior to kidnapping

"Sue!" Nick shouted, "Sue! I'm home!"

"Nick Stokes!" his rather obviously southern girlfriend answered, "I have told you not to call me Sue!"

She stomped into the living room, in fake anger. "I swear, I've told ya a dozen times, Nicky."

"Whatever you say, Sue, Darlin' "

"Ooohhh, you are as bull-headed as those longhorn cows from the state you call home!"

"Oh?" said Nick, grabbing her by the waist and pulling her to him. He tucked her scarlet hair behind her ears, "If I remember correctly, Susan, you lived in Texas for awhile..."

"Yeah," said Susan, smirking at him, "But I'm originally from Louisianna. And, I'm not as bullheaded as some people I could mention."

"So I'm a slow learner," said Nick, his face barely inches from hers. "So Sue me."

"You big id-" Nick stopped whatever insult she'd been sure to give him with a kiss.

Present Day.

Nick sat in the lab, waiting as everyone else was... His mind had brought up that memory, since it had been the day he'd decided she was the one for him, beyond any shadow of a doubt. He'd been thinking it for a while. But that was the day he'd known it. And it was really a happy memory. They had many friendly banters like that. Many because of his never ending desire to call her Sue.

He'd eventually stopped, and only called her Sue when he wanted to annoy her, or when something was bothering him. Though she had never stopped calling him Nicky. Then again, he'd never asked her too.

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Chasing Away the Boogey Man

2 months prior to kidnapping.

"Daddy!" little Summer said, bare feet slapping on the hardwood floor of the hallway. She barrelled into her father before he even had time to reply to her. "Daddy, there's something in the closet!"

Grissom knelt down in front of the girl, "aren't you a little old to still be thinking there's something in your closet?" he asked, in a mock-serious tone.

"Maybe," she replied, rocking on her feet, "But there's still something there."

"And you didn't ask your mom to check it out? She's been here," Grissom asked with a sigh.

"Because, she thinks I miss things," said Sara, appearing in the hall. Summer nodded vigorously.

"Alright," said Grissom, "let's go then. But there's nothing there." Before he'd finished, Summer had hold of his hand and was leading him to her room.

A thorough search of the closet was enough to convince her. "See?" Grissom asked, "Nothing there." Summer looked properly ashamed for being so silly, and then went to Sara, for a goodnight hug, and kiss. Then it was Grissom's turn.

"Good night, Sweetie," said Sara, as she turned back to her, and Grissom's room.

"'Night, Mama." Summer replied, climbing into bed, "Night, Daddy."

"Good night, Lady Bug." said Grissom, following Sara, turning out the light.

Present Day

That was the last time she ever asked me to check her room, Grissom thought, staring ahead, I wonder what would have happened if she hadn't stopped, and I had checked for her tonight before work... Would I have really found something? Or did he get in after Sara and I left? It almost made him wish he hadn't told her she was too old to still believe there was something in her room, that she had kept asking him to check... just on the off-chance that he would have found something.

But, "what if" thoughts wouldn't help him and Sara find her. Strange to think that when he'd found out Sara was pregnant, he hadn't been overjoyed... But when Summer'd been born, that had been forgotten... She was his little Lady Bug. And there wasn't anything that he wouldn't have given to get her back.

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Graveyard Troubles

4 months prior to kidnapping

Elizabeth suprised Greg, by showing up at the lab. It was a good natured visit. She got to meet his co-workers, and friends. Even made friends with Summer, who was there because school had closed that day, and Sara had been unable to find a babysitter.

Then she had asked Greg to switch shifts... Thankfully it hadn't been within earshot of the others.

"I... I'll think about it, Beth," Greg told her.

"What's there to think about?" Beth asked, "Either you will or you won't..."

"Beth, it's not that easy. I can't just up and switch. What about my team?"

"You're right..." she sighed, "I'm sorry. I know you're close to your team... But, at least think about it? Please?"

"I will. I'm not promising anything, but I'll think about it."

It was only a matter of hours later that the first in a long string of cop murders was commited, and the promise to think about switch comepletely left Greg Sanders' mind. Elizabeth knew better than to pressure him... Until she got tired of waiting. Then the requests had started again.

Present Day

Greg blocked any and all "what if I had switched" thoughts out of his head. They wouldn't help. He was in the lab, helping Hodges, to keep his mind off things. And so far, they weren't getting anything, from the fingerprints, anyway.

But, there was still a chance... If they could just find a match... Just find out who the guy was. However unlikely it was, he could still hope. He wanted to find Beth. No matter what. So, hold out hope, he would. Even if Grissom had said it looked like the prints had been planted.

He always had been told he hoped for too much. But this was partially his fault. If he hadn't been so stubborn, Beth would be safe. No... no "if"... no "what if"... Need positive thoughts. We'll find them. They'll be safe. She'll be safe.

It was easier to think, than it was to believe.

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Coming home

24 hours prior to kidnapping

"Hi Dad," said Ellie Brass, in a slightly embarrassed tone, to her father, who sat on the other side of his desk.

"Ellie," he said curtly, "What're you doing here?"

"I came to say that I'm coming home... I'm going to move here, to Vegas, permanently. "

"To do what? The same thing you do in L.A.?"

"Somehow, I knew that's what you'd think, " Ellie spat, "Always asssume the worst, don't you?"

"I didn't used to, Ellie. But after awhile, it got hard not to."

"For your information, Dad, I wasn't planning on it," said Ellie, "And what I really came to say is I'm sorry, okay?"

"For?" Brass asked, perfectly calm.

"For all the shit I've put you through, that's what!... You know, I had hoped that maybe, just maybe, you would be the one person who didn't believe I was nothing more than a whore!... Now I can see that I was wrong to have hoped that..." She stood up abruptly.

"Ellie, wait-"

"I'll be in Vegas the rest of the week, if you even care... Then I'm going back to L.A. to get my things. Here's the address." She threw a piece of paper she dug from her pocket on the desk, turned, and strode out.

Brass sighed. He always managed to mess things up with Ellie, no matter what... He'd have to go see her. That much he knew. But as for when, he didn't know. But it would have to be soon. Before his chance to fix things was gone.

Present day

Like he had when Ellie had stormed out, Brass sighed. She was right, he always did assume the worst. But then, she always did the worst. She'd become just like her mother. Perhaps the only way she was similiar to Brass was in her stubborness. Though, that's the only way she'd be similiar to me... Brass thought, bitterly. As much as he hated to admit it, that note had been right. Ellie wasn't his. But that had never mattered to him, he loved her all the same.

Even when she had done what he saw as ruining her own life.

No... That note was wrong. Ellie was his daughter. It didn't matter if it was biological or not, she was his daughter, and he'd find her.

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Family Pillow Fight

6 months prior to kidnapping

Catherine was stretched out on the couch, enjoying her day off. Warrick was sound asleep in the reclining chair. Not much got done on days off. Work was enough, so what time off they got was spent at home, relaxing, be it through reading, watching TV, or a movie, or just being able to take a nap whenever they wanted to.

The silence in the room was broken by the front door opening. In came seventeen-year-old Lindsay, school books in her arms. She took the load straight to her room, then came back in, "Why does he always fall asleep in that chair, Mom?" she asked, with a head jerk towards her step father.

Catherine did the best version of a shrug she could manage while lying down, "Who knows. You'd think he'd learn his lesson about that thing hurtin' his back if he sleeps there too long."

Lindsay grabbed the pillow that Catherine's feet were resting on, "Think he'll wake up if I chuck this at him?" she asked, then tossed the pillow, hitting Warrick square in the face.

There seemed to be no reaction from him, and Lindsay let out an overly dramatic sigh, "I tried," she said with a shrug, "That man could sleep through a tornado."

As Lindsay turned to head for her room, Catherine saw the pillow sailing through the air again, to hit the girl in the back. "I sleep through anything huh, Kid?" Warrick asked, amused, "I was awake the second you opened the door."

Again the pillow flew through the air, but this time it missed Warrick, and instead hit Catherine, who had been prepared to just go to sleep, and let the two have their fun. But then the pillow hit her. Then it was on.

They spent several minutes, just tossing random pillows at one another, laughing, and having a good time. It had been awhile, since they'd done anything like that... Just had fun together. It stuck in Catherine's mind, because that was the last day they'd done anything like that.

Work, as it always did, had gotten in the way after that.

Present day

The memory of the pillow fight cheered Catherine up some. Enough to allow herself a small smile at least. She glanced at Warrick, who looked as deep in thought as everyone else did. She wondered what memories their minds were dragging up. Were they good ones or bad? Were they helping to deal with the situation, or were they making things worse?

Her's had done both in a way.

"Hey guys," said Greg, poking his head out of the lab, "Got something you should see in here..."

Every head in the room snapped up, "What?" Catherine asked, getting to her feet.

"Just come here," said Greg.

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