Came Here To Forget

by Nascar3L

A new character starts at CSI and this is his story. All Characters, but the focus of this story will be a developing relationship between the OC/Catherine. We know Catherine's track record isn't great and neither is the OC's, will they be able to make something great? Some storylines from the show are used as a basis but they have been tweaked for the purpose of this fic.

18. Chapter 18

Mark drives to the Bunkhouse Saloon; he parks his Jeep and walks toward the door. Mark opens the door to the bar and walks towards the stage where he sees the band gathered. He sits his guitar down and says, "Hey guys long time no see."

Bobby turns around and immediately hugs him and says, "Good to see you man! I'm so glad you could come."

Jerry hugs Mark next and is so excited that he lifts Mark off the ground and yells, "Marky Mark!"

Rick hugs Mark and says, "Great to see you!"

Mark says, "I've missed you guys a lot too. I'm excited to play with you again."

All of a sudden Mark hears a voice behind him, he turns around to see Steph.

Steph hands Mark a drink and says, "You still drink Dr. Pepper and Southern Comfort right, Marky?"

Mark takes the drink and says, "Yes, and thank you. How have you been?"

Steph responds, "Same shit different day. How's everything going for you? I hear you finally got the job you wanted."

Mark says, "Yeah I loved the lab in Ohio but it was just too limited. Here I will investigate a little bit of everything. The people here are great too. In fact, I need to find the manager I want to reserve a really large table for tomorrow night."

Bobby walks towards him and says, "Follow me, Matt is over here, I'll introduce you."

Mark and Bobby walk past the bar and go into a small office. Bobby says, "Matt I'd like you to meet Mark. This is the special guest for tomorrow night that used to play in the band with us."

Mark and Matt shake hands. Mark says, "Nice to meet you Matt. Can I talk to you about reserving a large table for tomorrow night?"

Matt says, "Yes how many are you thinking?"

Mark says, "Can we do 30 just too be safe?"

Matt responds, "Yes, no problem. Do you want them set up in front of the stage and next to the dance floor?"

Mark nods and replies, "Yeah that should work. By the way do you offer drink discounts to the group with the band?"

Matt says, "Not normally but Bobby here is a good friend and I hear you work for the LVPD so I assume a lot of the guests work there as well?"

Mark nods again and says, "Yeah the majority of them will be colleagues."

Matt says, "I like staying on the good side of the LVPD, you guys can have the discount no problem."

Mark shakes Matt's hand and says, "Thanks much appreciated."

Mark and Bobby walk out of the office and back towards the stage. Bobby says, "We'll hash out the set list soon. If you don't mind, I'd like to take this old school and have you be the main singer tomorrow."

Mark shrugs and says, "I hope I don't disappoint you, I haven't practiced that much over the years."

Bobby says, "You had raw natural talent, you don't lose that."

Mark and Bobby sit down at the table with the others. The venue brought out several appetizers for them to share. Mark sends a quick text.

Mark: Catherine the alcohol and food will be discounted; Matt the manager loves the fine individuals at the LVPD. There is a table of 30 reserved; it will be in front of the stage and next to the dance floor. Pass it on.

Catherine: Great! Btw Greg was released today and will be there!

Mark: Awesome. I'll call you later.

Steph leans over and says, "Who are you texting?"

Mark says, "My girlfriend, Catherine. We work together. You'll like her. I was texting her the info because a lot of people from work want to come."

Steph says, "Oh yeah, sounds cool."

Mark says, "Yeah it is. For the first time in a long time I think I'm really happy in a relationship."

Steph chuckles in a flirtatious way and asks, "Does that mean I'm forgiven?"

Mark says, "You were never not forgiven. I just needed my time and space. It hurt when you didn't love me back I'm not going to lie about that. But I mean how you feel is how you feel. I'd rather it went down the way it did than you pretending to love me for years and it ending like a train wreck. This way I think we salvaged a lot."

Steph smiles and says, "I've missed you a lot. We had some good times didn't we? I'm so glad it's not going to be awkward. Playing with you in the band are some of my best memories."

Mark smiles back and says, "Yeah we had some good times. I'm glad it won't be awkward either. I was thinking of some duets we can do tomorrow. Help me remember if I forgot anything but we always did Don't You Want Me by Human League, Leather and Lace by Stevie Nicks and Don Henley and Stop Draggin' My Heart Around by Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty right?"

Steph thinks for a moment and says, "That sounds right. We never really did duets after you left. Mine and Bobby's voices didn't go together quite like ours did."

Mark looks at Bobby and asks, "How long are we playing?"

Bobby answers, "We're scheduled from 9 – 12:30. So I figured we'd do 3 one hour sets with 10 minute breaks."

Mark says, "That sounds good. Are there any special songs you want to do?"

Bobby says, "Well I kinda thought we could open with The Boys Are Back in Town by Thin Lizzy as a way to re-introduce you."

Mark gets out his notebook that his used to use to write set lists on and starts jotting down ideas. Mark says, "Hey there are two songs I'd like to try Porn Star Dancing and Casual Sex by My Darkest Days."

Bobby laughs and responds, "Already ahead of you man. We'll run through them a few times but I'm sure you'll get them quick."

About an hour later they have the set list hammered out.

Set 1

The Boys Are Back in Town – Thin Lizzy (Bobby)

Jessie's Girl – Rick Springfield (Mark)

Don't You Want Me – The Human League (Mark and Steph)

Hysteria – Def Leppard (Mark)

Love Bites – Def Leppard (Mark)

We Built This City – Starship (Mark, Bobby, and Steph)

Hold on Loosely - .38 Special (Mark)

Porn Star Dancing – My Darkest Days (Mark, Bobby, Steph, Rick)

Casual Sex – My Darkest Days (Mark)

All I Want – Toad the Wet Sprocket (Mark)

Leather and Lace – Stevie Nicks and Don Henley (Mark and Steph)

Stop Draggin' My Heart Around – Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty (Mark and Steph)

She Talks to Angels – Black Crowes (Mark)

Brass in Pocket – The Pretenders (Steph)

Love Is a Battlefield – Pat Benatar (Steph)

Set 2

Edge of A Broken Heart – Vixen (Steph)

Ah! Leah! – Donnie Iris (Mark)

I Hate Myself for Loving You – Joan Jett (Steph)

Drive – The Cars (Bobby)

I Want to Come Over – Melissa Etheridge (Steph)

Take On Me – A-Ha (Bobby)

Listen to Her Heart – Tom Petty (Mark)

Don't Do Me Like That – Tom Petty (Mark)

Hey Jealousy – Gin Blossoms (Mark)

Juke Box Hero – Foreigner (Mark)

Urgent – Foreigner (Mark)

Feels Like the First Time – Foreigner (Mark)

Don't Treat Me Bad – FireHouse (Mark and Bobby)

Hole Hearted – Extreme (Mark and Bobby)

Just What I Needed – Faber Drive (Mark and Bobby)

Set 3

Two Tickets to Paradise – Eddie Money (Mark)

Take Me Home Tonight – Eddie Money (Mark)

Best of My Love – The Eagles (Mark)

If You Want My Love – Cheap Trick (Bobby)

Surrender – Cheap Trick (Bobby)

I'm Not Over – Carolina Liar (Mark)

The Chemicals Between Us – Bush (Bobby)

Run To You – Bryan Adams (Mark)

Summer of '69 – Bryan Adams (Mark)

Ironic – Alanis Morissette (Steph)

The Chain – Fleetwood Mac (Mark, Bobby, Steph, Rick)

Little Lies – Fleetwood Mac (Steph)

Separate Ways – Journey (Mark)

Normal Life – July for Kings (Mark)

Closing Time – Semisonic (Mark)

About 7 they are done with practice and putting up their gear. Mark asks, "Bobby why do I feel like I'm singing most of our set list?"

Bobby laughs and replies, "Because you are man, you're back for one night, I'm taking a break. Since you left it's mainly me and Steph."

Bobby looks around and notices Steph at the bar and then leans in and talks low, "You know Steph was pretty torn up when you left the band. I know it affected you but I just want you to know she took it hard too. Honestly I've wondered if she really does love you, she just was too afraid to say anything about it."

Mark says, "Bobby I know where you are going with this and I'm here to tell you I'm more than happy with Catherine. When you meet her you'll understand why she's the one; I'm pretty sure I'm meant to be with for the rest of my life."

Bobby says, "How long have you known Catherine?"

Mark responds, "Since I've been here, so a little over a week."

Bobby shrugs and says, "All I'm saying is you've known Steph for probably 10 years, you've known Catherine a week. There's history there with Steph and that's hard to overcome sometimes."

Mark says, "Look I know you love me and you're just looking out for me but that is part of the problem with Steph there's too much history. And whether or not she loves me now or doesn't isn't going to change my mind, if it was supposed to happen it would have happened a long time ago. I have no history with Catherine but guess what I want to make a history with her and I think that says something. You know how I was in past relationships pretty much non-existent. With Catherine it feels different it's not one person in control it's both of us together. Did I tell you she has a kid?"

Bobby widens his eyes and says, "You're dating someone with a kid, that's something I never thought I'd see, I mean unless you knocked someone up."

Mark says, "Right. Trust me on this Catherine thing. Meet her tomorrow and you'll see. Oh and by the way remember how awesome I told you the sex was with Steph?" Bobby nods. "Doesn't even compare to Catherine." Bobby's jaw drops.

Mark grabs his two guitars and says to everyone, "I'll see you guys tomorrow it was fun."

As Mark is walking out Rick walks over to Bobby and says, "What's with that look on your face?"

Bobby says, "Because Mark just told me something really interesting, but I'm keeping it to myself for now."

In the parking lot Mark is loading his guitars into the back of his Jeep. Mark gets out his phone and dials Kerri.

Kerri answers, "Hey are you done with practice?"

Mark laughs and replies, "Yeah and a bunch of other bullshit."

Kerri asks, "What is that supposed to mean?"

Marks responds a little agitated, "It means most everyone here is still living in the past. Steph halfway apologized for what happened, and I told her it was fine that I'm happy now. And Bobby I'm sure looking out for me while being nostalgic, he was trying to convince me that Steph was all broken up when I left. He thinks she really loves me and is afraid to admit it. I told him that none of that mattered to me anymore." Mark let's out a long sigh.

Kerri says, "Maybe it does."

Mark asks, "What do you mean?"

Kerri says, "Look it's obviously hit a nerve or you wouldn't be so frustrated. Are you sure you don't love Steph anymore?"

Mark replies, "Of course I love her, she was a large part of my life, but like that no. And I can tell you one other thing I love Catherine."

Kerry says, "Have you informed her of this?"

Mark says, "Are you kidding me?! It's been a week I'm not trying to sound like some psycho person."

Kerri laughs and responds, "Unfortunately it can turn you into some psycho person. You know that. Now the other question that needs answered why are you so frustrated with this situation?"

Mark says, "I think it's because I've moved on from that and the band, well at least Bobby doesn't seem to be accepting of that."

Kerri says, "Makes complete sense to me. I remember when Maddie and I had our last blow up nobody seemed to think we were completely over, including you. It had its frustrating points."

Mark says, "Yeah I guess you're right."

Kerri asks, "So are you going to play tomorrow night?"

Mark responds, "Yeah I can't tell you how good it felt to play again."

Kerri asks, "Are you coming home soon?"

Mark says, "I'll be home. I just have to make a stop first, there's someone I need to see again."