A/N: This chapter starts a case similar to the events in Lady Heather's Box. A lot of events have been changed to go with this fic. Thanks for those that are still reading and I hope you like where this goes.

A month and half later …

Mark and Nick are driving to a scene. They were working a B&E but everyone was called off of their current cases for what sounds like a double homicide.

Mark is sitting in the passenger seat and turns to Nick and says, "I know I'm probably not your favorite person. I know you and Warrick are really close, but I just hope there are no hard feelings between us."

Nick chuckles and responds, "Mark, don't worry about a thing. I love Warrick like a brother but it's not like you stole Catherine from him. She wasn't his to lose because he never took a damn chance. I told him to say something to her, but no he chose to mope around like a sad little puppy."

Mark says, "Oh wow and here I thought you hated me."

Nick chuckles and in his Southern drawl states, "I don't hate you, but mind your step. You may not have stolen my best friend's girl but Catherine is like family to me, you hurt her and there will be hell to pay."

Mark nods and says, "10-4."

Nick pulls up to the crime scene and says, "Looks like we're first on scene."

Nick and Mark exit the car and walk up to Detective Dominguez.

Nick asks, "What have we got Dominguez?"

Nick and Mark follow the detective through the house and up the stairs to a small office.

Detective Dominguez replies, "Neighbors called in shots fired. We showed up here to find a dead male and a dead female. Neighbors say a lot of people were coming in and out of house at all hours. Thinking maybe a drug deal gone bad."

Nick looks at the male victim and asks, "Mark isn't that Eddie, Catherine's ex?"

Mark replies, "Oh my God."

Sara and Warrick walk in. Sara asks, "Oh my God, what?"

Nick replies, "The male vic it's Eddie, Catherine's ex."

Warrick asks, "Are you serious Nick?" Warrick walks further into the room to investigate and says, "Holy shit this is bad guys."

Sara says, "We can't let Catherine see this."

Warrick asks, "Wasn't that her and Gris pulling up right behind us?"

Mark takes off down the stairs and the others follow. Mark almost collides right into Grissom.

Grissom asks, "Whoa slow down, where's the fire guys?"

Sara says in a serious tone, "Where's Cath? We can't let her go upstairs."

Grissom sighs to emphasize his irritation and says, "Sara, I thought you and Catherine were over this childish stuff."

Mark interjects, "No Boss she's right, the male vic is Eddie."

Grissom understanding the severity of the situation says, "Ok well, Cath definitely is off of the case. I'm going to call in Greg to replace her."

Catherine is about to walk in the door but stops as everyone is gathered at the door. Catherine gives everyone an odd look and asks, "Is the crime scene just at the door?"

Everyone just gives her a look.

Catherine sighs and says, "Well come on guys let me through, I don't want to be here all night."

Mark grabs her shoulders and says, "I'm sorry. I'm afraid you can't pass through."

Sara responds, "Yeah, you should go home and be with Linds. Gris is calling Greg to take you off of the case."

Catherine huffs, "Oh really? Come on Sar I thought we'd moved passed all of this animosity years ago." Catherine tries to get through but Mark won't let her pass.

Catherine sighs and firmly states, "Mark, you really don't want to get in the middle of this! Now let me through!"

Mark says, "We should talk outside."

Catherine relinquishes and says, "Fine!" She turns around and stomps out of the house.

Mark follows Catherine.

Catherine turns around and spits, "There better be a good explanation for all of this! I'm not in the mood! Keep this up and you're sleeping alone tonight!"

Mark just stands in front of Catherine nervously and says, "You can't work the case."

Catherine retorts, "Of course I can and I will! Seriously what the hell is wrong with you?"

Mark says, "The male vic, its Eddie."

Catherine looks at him in disbelief and says, "My God that's really low. I thought you were the mature one between you and Eddie. I know he's not given you an easy time but come on why would you say that?"

Mark sighs and in a sympathetic tone says, "It's true. There's him and an unidentified female upstairs, both shot at close range. The neighbors think the owner was a dealer. Looks like a drug deal gone bad. I'm so sorry. Do you want me to take you home?" Mark goes to console Catherine but she pushes him away.

Catherine looks at him confused and yells, "No! Don't you touch me right now! This joke isn't funny! You know what stay away from me and do not come over after work this evening we're on a break."

Everyone has been watching this unfold. Grissom comes back and says, "I phoned Greg. What's going on?"

Sara speaks up, "Mark is trying to tell Cath about Eddie and she won't believe it. Gris you need to talk to her."

Catherine is walking quickly towards Gris.

Grissom puts his hands out in front of him and forcefully says, "Catherine stop! I know this is hard to believe. But I cannot have you on this case; you're too emotionally involved. I've called Greg to back you up. The best thing you can do right now is go home to Lindsey."

Catherine is fuming and says; "I don't know what is with everyone today! I'm going for a walk!"

Mark goes to follow her but Catherine turns to him pointing a finger and says, "Don't you dare follow me!"

Mark looks very deflated and confused as Catherine storms off. Sara comes up beside him, puts her hand on his shoulder and says, "Don't worry I'll go after her."

Mark joins the rest of the team and Grissom says, "I know emotions are high but I need you all with me every step of the way on this case."

Sara jogs to catch up with Catherine and says, "Hey. Look I know this seems crazy, but we're just trying to protect you and find out what happened to Eddie. You know you can't work this case you're too involved it could compromise the case. We really want to find out who did this for you but especially for Lindsey."

Catherine is facing away from Sara not saying anything. After a few minutes she says, "Do you know Lindsey was supposed to go with Eddie last night? Lindsey got sick so I let her stay with Nancy. If that hadn't been the case would she have ended up there with Eddie?"

Sara says, "Cath, you know you'll never know that, but Lindsey is safe, that's what you have to focus on."

Catherine sighs and lets out a small chuckle then says, "I'm sorry I over reacted back there. Everyone must think I am crazy. Especially Mark … I just yelled at him like he means nothing to me."

Sara sighs and responds, "Cath no one is judging you, I can't even imagine how hard this is."

Catherine interrupts, "Sar this isn't the hard part. I haven't faced the hard part yet. How am I supposed to tell Lindsey that her father was murdered?"

Sara replies, "All you can do is tell her what happened and hope that we find out who did this. Come on Cath I'll take you home."

Several hours later …

Mark is in the layout room going over the evidence as Sara walks in.

Sara breaks the daze Mark is in and asks, "Hey what have you got?"

Mark looks up at Sara and replies, "Not a lot. I'm trying to figure out the identity of the female vic so I can figure out her connection to Eddie, but I can't seem to focus."

Sara asks, "You're thinking about Cath aren't you?"

Mark sighs and replies, "Yeah I don't really like how we left things. I should have gone after her not you. She probably thinks I'm an asshole just letting her walk away like that."

Sara responds, "Mark, she does not think that. She said when I went after her that she shouldn't have gone off like that. She's just lost right now, trying to figure out how to tell Lindsey that her father was murdered. It's not going to be an easy road. But, I know you're like me and you are going to work around the clock to find out what happened."

Mark says, "Yeah I don't know how much good it will do. I'm not sure we handled that the best way with Cath and she's probably mad at me."

Sara says, "Nope. Nope. I will not let you sit here and take pity on yourself. This is just your first serious relationship thing, it needs handled delicately, but trust me when I say everything will be fine."

After talking to the production company Eddie worked for they found out that the female vic was named Jade Withers, a client of Eddie's. The suspected killer/drug dealer is still on the run.

Mark and Sara are in autopsy with Doc.

Doc says, "Eddie died of a single gunshot wound to the chest, it was a .38. Here's the slug for you."

Sara asks, "Were there any drugs in Eddie's system?"

Doc says, "None that I could find. However, Jade had almost any drug you could name in her system, she was a long time heavy user. She also died of a single gunshot wound to the chest and here's that slug. That's all I have for you. Henry should have a full tox panel for you, but like I said she had almost every drug I've come across in her system."

Mark says, "Thanks, Doc."

Mark and Sara are walking through the lab to see if Henry has the tox panel ready and they were told it wouldn't be ready for several hours.

Sara says, "Mark let's go home and get some rest for a few hours. And when I say go home I mean go home and make up with Catherine, she really shouldn't be alone."

Mark nods and leaves to go to Catherine's.

Mark has been sitting in Catherine's driveway for 15 minutes trying to figure out what to say when he gets inside. All of a sudden his cell phone breaks his thoughts; he reaches in his pocket to see Catherine is calling him.

Mark answers the phone, "Hello?"

Catherine asks, "Are you going to sit in my driveway all night or come in?"

Mark sighs and replies, "I wasn't sure if you wanted me here."

Catherine says, "Look don't worry about what happened. You were just trying to protect me and I was in denial."

Mark says, "But I shouldn't have let Sara go after you, I should have gone after you."

Catherine says, "Maybe but I shouldn't have yelled at you … so I guess we're even."

Mark let's out a sigh.

Catherine says, "Please do not blame yourself. I know I don't have a good track record and neither do you but we're good together trust me. And no one said every step of the way would be easy, we were due for a bump in the road. It's supposed to be challenging otherwise it would be pretty boring. Now get your butt in here and cuddle with me."

Mark smiles and responds, "See you in a few."

Mark gets out of his Jeep and walks into the house and upstairs to Catherine's bedroom.

Catherine puts her finger to her mouth signaling to Mark to be quiet and points to Lindsey asleep in her bed.

Catherine says, "She eventually cried herself to sleep."

Mark reaches out and wraps Catherine in a hug and kisses the crown of her head.

Catherine lets go of Mark and says, "You know there is room for three in the bed. Come on you look beat. You should try to get a few hours before you're called in again."

Catherine lays down on the bed in between Lindsey and Mark and she realizes the two people that mean most to her in the world are right here with her and she never wants to let go.