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.

31. Chapter 31

Two weeks later …

It's a Saturday and Mark and Sara have the night off. They have been working on the screened in porch at Catherine's since about noon. All of the wall structures are up, they are working on the roof, after that they are going to install the screens.

Catherine comes out and says, "Wow you guys are moving right along."

Sara says, "Well with my construction experience and Mark's awesome plans we make quite a team."

Mark laughs and responds, "Sadly Cath she's kicking my ass. All I did was make these nice drawings."

Catherine asks, "Are you going to be able to get it all done?"

Sara replies, "I think so. Mark here is doubting my awesome electrical skills to hook up the ceiling fan and lights though."

Mark laughs and says, "The way you are showing me up today I will no longer doubt anything you say." Mark standing on the roof points at the screen door they need to put up when the rest of the screens are installed. He asks, "Honey that's the door you wanted right?"

Catherine looks at the door and replies, "Oh yes! I love this door!"

Mark taking a more serious tone asks, "How's Lindsey?"

Catherine nods and replies, "Better I think. Eddie is still running his mouth about you. She really likes you or it wouldn't bother her so much. The few times I've talked to him about it he just wants to argue. Don't worry about it sweetie he'll cool off. He's mostly bark."

Mark says, "Yeah that's mostly what concerns me. It means there's a small chance he's going to try something."

Sara comes up behind Mark and places a hand on his back and says, "Hey Catherine's right. I've seen her go through so many things like this with Eddie; it will blow over, always does. And if he doesn't we'll gang up on him." Sara puts up her dukes at Mark and this brings a smile to his face.

Catherine says, "Hey are you going to come down from there and give me a kiss or am I going to have to come up there and get it?"

Mark smiling climbs down the ladder and places a big kiss on Catherine's lips.

Catherine pulls away and says, "Ew you're all sweaty!"

Mark looks her and says, "Oh really usually you don't complain about it."

Catherine rolls her eyes and says, "That's different we're usually both sweaty."

Sara yells down, "You guys are aware that I can still hear you right?"

Catherine blushes slightly but doesn't comment back to Sara.

Mark asks, "Lindsey still in her room?"

Catherine replies, "Yeah."

Mark asks, "What time do you think we should eat?"

Catherine replies, "Soon."

Mark says, "Ok I'll order some pizzas after you leave."

Catherine looks at her watch and says, "Ok I really have to go." She gives Mark a slow passionate kiss and says, "There's more where that came from when I get home." Catherine yells up at Sara, "See you later."

After Catherine leaves Sara says, "Look I'll finish up this last roof piece, why don't you go check on Linds and see what she wants on her pizza."

Mark nods and asks, "Veggie for you right?"

Sara replies, "You got it! We have beer right?"

Mark gives her a look and sarcastically says, "Please, who are you talking to?"

Mark walks in the house and upstairs towards Lindsey's room. Since Sara came out to Mark they have become fast friends. Mark really enjoys hanging out with her. It's not exactly a replacement for Kerri but it's nice to have someone to turn to when he can't reach Kerri immediately. Kerri called yesterday very disappointed, Elizabeth failed her detective exam and has to wait another 6 months to take it. So it looks like they won't be relocating any time soon, but Kerri said she actually thinks it's a blessing in disguise as she hasn't found a research facility she would like to work in, she actually may have some prospects back in Ohio.

As much as Mark would like to have Kerri and Elizabeth out here, he thinks it's good that maybe they not move out. For the first time Mark is learning things on his own and things are progressing nicely with Catherine. Besides Mark needs an excuse to visit Ohio other than his family. Mark gets a little nostalgic thinking of some of his friends he left in Ohio, but he knows starting over was good for him.

Mark knocks on Lindsey's door.

Lindsey says, "Come in."

Mark opens the door and finds Lindsey in bed on her laptop playing Sims. He smiles he installed on her laptop not long after she got back from Disney Land so she could play it even when Mark wasn't around.

Mark sits on the edge of the bed and asks, "What have you got going on there kiddo? Anything interesting?"

Lindsey shrugs.

Mark asks, "We're gonna order pizza for dinner what do you want on it?"

Lindsey shrugs again.

Mark says, "Hey Linds look at me."

Lindsey looks up at Mark.

Mark rubs the top of her head and says, "Listen, I know you are worried about what your dad said, but don't. I'm not mad at your dad an according to everyone this will blow over."

Lindsey looks up at Mark and asks, "You're not mad at my dad?"

Mark shakes his head.

Lindsey says, "Why not? I'm mad at him."

Mark smiles at her and says, "Well sometimes people get mad or upset for the wrong reasons and it doesn't necessarily make it right to be mad at them."

Lindsey nods and says, "I think I get it."

Mark smiles and asks, "Ok so how about that pizza?"

Lindsey without hesitation says, "Pepperoni."

Mark goes to get up and Lindsey says, "Wait."

Lindsey wraps her arms around Mark to give him and hug. Mark returns the hug and kisses the top of her head.

Mark gets up and as he is walking out the door Lindsey says, "I'll be down in a minute."

Mark picks up his phone in the hallway and orders the pizza.

Sara sees Mark come back outside and asks, "Hey is everything ok you were gone a while?"

Mark says, "Yeah. Lindsey and I talked out the Eddie situation." Sara starts coming down the ladder and Mark asks, "Is everything done up there?"

Sara says, "Yeah. The screens and the door shouldn't take long at all and we should be able to get the electric done tonight and then just the lights and fan will need hung."

About an hour later Sara, Mark, and Lindsey have eaten. Lindsey goes back into the house while Sara and Mark continue to work on the screened in porch.

Sara looks at Mark and says, "What is going on with you tonight? You seem ultra-giddy and a little nervous."

Mark chuckles and replies, "Well, tonight I have something special planned when Catherine finally comes home. Tonight one month ago is when we first met and you know."

Sara smiles and says, "You are going all out aren't you? The first couple months are pretty important. I have to admit though if I was with Catherine I'd go out of my way all the time, there is just something special about her. I've never been able to figure out exactly what it is but she is definitely pretty special."

Mark jokingly says, "Hey you better not be getting close to me just to move in on my girl!"

Sara laughs and responds, "Don't you know that's been my plan this entire time to separate you from Catherine so I can have her all to myself!"

Mark laughs and asks, "Not to doubt you but how are we going to get this done we're losing light?"

Sara walks to two big floodlights and says, "Not to worry I came prepared!"

About three hours later everything is finished. Sara and Mark are sitting down enjoying a few beers and admiring their work.

Mark says, "I honestly can't believe we finished this in a day."

Sara nods taking a sip of her beer and says, "Yeah it wasn't easy but with our crazy schedules it was worth it."

Mark just nods and drinks his beer.

Sara turns towards Mark and smiles and asks, "So what do you have planned tonight Lover boy?"

Mark laughs and says, "I shall reveal none of my secrets!"

Sara feigns disappointment and says, "Oh come on!"

Mark putting down his beer says, "Hell no! As much as you two talk you'd spill the beans. I like having a few tricks up my sleeves at times."

About 2:30 in the morning Sara leaves and wishes Mark good luck.

Mark sends Catherine a quick text.

Mark: Hey how's your night? Think you might be home early?

Catherine: Working on paperwork now. Hopefully I'll be home by 4am.

Mark: See you then.

Mark goes upstairs and takes a quick shower and gets dressed. On his way back downstairs he checks on Lindsey. Once downstairs Mark springs his one-month anniversary plan into action.

Mark lights candles all around the newly screened in porch. He moves the furniture out of the way and lays a blanket on the floor for a makeshift picnic. He sets up a bucket of ice with three bottles of champagne. Finally, before laying on the blanket and waiting for Catherine he stashes a small wrapped box behind the ice bucket for safekeeping.

A little after 4am Catherine pulls into the driveway and smiles so glad that she's home and Mark's here. She's not sure if he remembers but tonight marks one month since they have been together. Catherine walks in the front door and lays her purse down on the couch. She notices a flickering of light coming from the porch outside. She walks through the kitchen to investigate. Where she discovers Mark waiting with several candles around her newly built screened in porch and a makeshift champagne picnic.

Mark pours her a glass of champagne as she joins him on the blanket.

Mark handing Catherine the glass says, "Happy one-month anniversary sweetheart!"

Catherine somewhat teary-eyed kisses Mark and says, "This is all too much. First you work hard all day building me this beautiful screened in porch and now a romantic champagne picnic."

Mark chuckles and responds, "This is far from over!"

Catherine puts down her champagne glass and starts to passionately kiss Mark. This turns rather heated in a matter of seconds.

An hour later Mark and Catherine are wrapped up on the porch in the picnic blanket.

Mark kissing Catherine's temple jokingly says, "Well I think we properly christened the new porch."

Catherine says, "Yeah maybe we should redo all of the rooms in the house!"

Mark replies, "I so have to quit my job to accomplish that!"

Catherine on a more serious note says, "Thank you for this. I honestly didn't think you'd know it was our one-month anniversary."

Mark untangles himself from Catherine and says, "Oh before I forget." Mark turns around and grabs the wrapped box he hid behind the ice bucket and hands it to Catherine and says, "Open it."

Catherine smiles and opens the package to reveal a necklace with a heart shaped gold pendant with three diamonds in the middle of the heart.

Catherine says, "This is beautiful. You didn't have to!"

Catherine gets up from the blanket and puts on some clothes and says, "I'll be right back."

Catherine returns moments later with a small box, which she hands to Mark and says, "It's not as spectacular as your gift but here."

Mark opens the box to reveal a key and asks, "Is this to the house?"

Catherine says, "Yes. I want you to feel free to use it whenever you like. I mean generally we're always together, but I think you having your own key makes it more official."

Mark puts on his shorts and moves some of porch furniture back where it was. He sits on the glider and Catherine joins him.

Mark says, "This is pretty damn perfect, you know that?"

Catherine snuggles into Mark's side and says, "Yeah, but you know for our one-month anniversary you built me a screened in porch and gave me a necklace, how are you going to top that next month?"

Mark chuckles and responds, "Damn I guess I better start planning."

Catherine laughs into his side and snuggles up against him thinking Mark's right this is pretty damn perfect.