A few weeks later …

Mark, Catherine, Nancy and Sara decided to spend a night on the town gambling and going wherever the night takes them.

They are walking through the casino past a bar in the MGM when Catherine suddenly stops at an all too familiar voice, "Muggs!"

Catherine closes her eyes and sighs and decides to accept her fate and turn around.

Nancy heard the "Muggs" too but was letting Catherine make the decision of what to do. She knows her sister's relationship with her father is anything but good. Mark and Sara notice that Catherine and Nancy are no longer beside them and turn around to see what happened.

Sam steps closer to Catherine and says, "Muggs, you know you could at least gamble in one of my casinos." Sam noticing the other three standing behind Catherine continues, "I would have even set up something up for your friends and of course Nancy."

Catherine nods and says, "Yeah well I try not to be in debt to you. I have a good idea of what happens to people that are in debt with you."

Sam smirks and responds, "As far as the city of Las Vegas is concerned I am a business man, no charges have ever been brought against me. I actually might have you to thank for that."

Catherine looks at the floor. She's never been happy with her decision to break protocol to find out if Sam was her father as it compromised something that may have once and for all put Sam away.

Sam seeing Catherine's dilemma walks towards the group and says, "Hello Nancy." He turns to Sara and says, "Sara." When he comes to Mark he puts out his hand and says, "Hello. I'm Sam Braun, Catherine's father. Who are you?"

Mark hesitates but takes Sam's hand. He is slightly in shock because of what he knows about Sam, which isn't a lot but none of it has been good for Catherine. Mark clears his throat and responds, "Mark. Mark Anderson. I work with Catherine at CSI. We're also a couple."

Sam turns back to Catherine and says, "Muggs, you can't call an old man and let him know there's a special someone in your life?"

Sara noticing all this tension decides to see if she can break it. She speaks up, "Sam, what are you doing in the MGM? Last time I checked this wasn't one of your casinos."

Sam turns to Sara and responds, "Well no it's not. The owner here is an investor of my new casino the Eclipse."

Nancy asks, "Isn't that what is going where the Rampart is?"

Sam responds, "Yes, it is. You all should come. I'll set 4 tickets aside for you Muggs."

Catherine finally finding her voice again says, "That won't be necessary. Wish I could say it was good to see you Sam but that would be lying." With that Catherine walks off leaving Sam.

The rest of the group nods to Sam and all but Mark quickly follow after Catherine. Mark stays with Sam and looks him right in the eye and finally says, "I don't know all you've done but I know it's not good and that's it's upset Catherine. I know we don't know each other but that won't stop me from asking you to stay away from Catherine."

Sam smiles and says, "Young man, you have no idea who you're dealing with."

Mark doesn't back down he just stares at Sam who eventually turns and leaves. Mark turns around and heads towards a patio bar that they were headed to before all this happened. Mark walks outside and spots Catherine, Nancy and Sara immediately.

Sara sees Mark first and says, "Hey did you get lost?"

Mark simply smiles and takes Catherine in his arms. He eventually asks, "Sweetie do you want to go home?"

Catherine shakes her head and replies, "No there's no reason to let Sam ruin our evening."

However, the rest of the evening everyone noticed that Catherine wasn't her normal bubbly self. Not that the rest of the evening wasn't enjoyable but something was off.

Later at Catherine and Mark's …

Catherine is in the bathroom getting ready for bed and Mark walks in and sits on the side of the tub facing Catherine's back. She knows he's there she can see his reflection in the mirror but she hasn't said anything.

Mark eventually says, "I know the evening wasn't what we thought it was going to be but I'm here if you want to talk."

Catherine sighs and responds, "Mark I love you but I just don't want to talk about it right now."

Mark stands up and walks directly behind Catherine and kisses her shoulder and walks out of the room without a word.

The next day …

Grissom comes into the break room where everyone is waiting on assignments from Catherine. Grissom says, "Nick, Warrick I need you to go to the Tangiers. The implosion party for the destruction of the Rampart was going on there and Sam Braun was shot and killed. There is someone in custody that appears to be an investor. Go and look at it fast. I want to talk to Catherine about this before she gets winds of it."

As Nick and Warrick leave the break room quickly Mark and Sara approach Grissom.

Grissom looks at them and says, "Ok guys I get that you want to hear what going on. Let's go wait in Catherine's office I texted her telling her to meet me there before assignments a few minutes ago."

The three of them leave and walk into Catherine's office.

Catherine looks up and sees all three of them and says, "Oh I thought only Grissom was coming what's up guys?"

Mark shuts the door and the three of them sit down.

Grissom speaks up, "Catherine I just want you to know I sent Nick and Warrick out on a case together."

Catherine chuckles and says, "You didn't have to call a meeting over that Gil."

Grissom replies, "I know. It's more about the case I sent them on. It's Sam … he was shot and killed at the Rampart implosion. One of the investors is in custody. I'm so sorry."

Mark and Sara in unison say, "We're sorry too."

Grissom gets up to leave and says, "Catherine if you need time off I understand."

After Grissom shuts the door Sara gets up and says, "I'll leave you and Mark alone."

Mark gets up and walks around Catherine's desk where she stands and falls into an embrace with him. As she's sobbing he's whispering sweet nothing's in her ear and rubbing her back. He knows no matter the relationship with her father this can't be easy. Mark has an estranged relationship with his own father but he imagines his death would still affect him in some way.

Down the hallway Ecklie stops Grissom and says, "I just heard about Sam Braun. How's Catherine?"

Grissom motions towards her office and Ecklie sees Mark comforting Catherine and says, "For once I'm glad there's an intimate relationship going on with people within the department."

Gil nods and asks, "Are you going soft on us Ecklie?"

Ecklie exhales and responds, "Gil the whole McKeen thing has started to put a lot of things in perspective for me. I reached out to Morgan the other day."

Gil smiles and says, "That's good Conrad."

Ecklie nods and asks, "Remember when we fought all the time?"

Gil replies, "How could I forget."

Ecklie chuckles and says, "Yeah let's try not to do that again."

Gil puts his hand out and Ecklie takes it.

Down the hall Sara ducks into a lab and dials Nancy.

Nancy answers, "Hey lover! This is an early call."

Sara clears her throat and says, "Nancy. Sam's been murdered."

Nancy says, "Oh my God! How?"

Sara sighs and replies, "There aren't a lot of details yet. Grissom sent Nick and Warrick to investigate and said that Sam had been shot during the implosion party and one of the investors is in custody."

Nancy sighs and asks, "How's Cath?"

Sara replies, "I'm not sure I left her with Mark. Are you going to call Lily?"

Nancy gives a long pause and finally says, "Yeah I'll do it."

Sara says, "Hopefully I get out of here at a descent hour. I love you."

Nancy replies, "I love you too."

At Catherine and Mark's …

Mark looks on from Lindsey's doorway as Catherine tells her about Sam. Lindsey and Sam weren't that close but Lindsey still knew he was her grandpa. Either way the loss of her father was only 4 months ago.

Catherine gets up and tucks Lindsey back in bed and kisses her forehead and walks towards Mark and shuts her bedroom door. Catherine walks down the stairs and Mark follows. He doesn't know what to do so he hasn't left her side since they found out. Catherine goes into the kitchen and opens the fridge and just stands there. After a few minutes Mark walks up behind her and shuts the door to the fridge and takes Catherine in his arms.

Catherine pulls away and asks, "Do you want some coffee?"

Mark says, "No thank you though."

Catherine starts the coffee pot for herself while Mark grabs a bottle of water. Once Catherine's coffee is done they sit at the kitchen table.

Catherine sighs and starts, "I really want to know why I'm upset. He was nothing but an ass and a crook."

Mark reaches across the table and takes her hand and responds, "He may have been but he was your father. You know my relationship with my father and I was thinking earlier when he passes I will probably react the same way. It just makes you human."

Catherine says, "I wonder if anyone told Mom."

Mark chimes in, "Nancy did. Sara texted me that."

Catherine rubs her forehead and replies, "Well either way I need to talk to her."

Mark takes sip of his water and says, "Why don't you do that later. You could really use some down time."

Catherine grabs one of Mark's hands and kisses it; and they sit at the kitchen table talking about everything and nothing.

The next day …

Mark goes to Nick's office and finds him filling out paper work. He takes a seat in his office and asks, "What going on with the case?"

Nick sighs and replies, "Pretty much an open and shut case. Which is odd when you think about all that Sam was involved in. I always knew something like this would happen, luck runs out on those guys eventually. I just thought it would be this complicated web. The guy they had in custody, Joe Hirschoff, admitted to everything and the evidence is backing it up. He and his partner Robert invested in the casino and found out that Sam had stolen $20 million."

Mark shakes his head not really sure what to say.

Nick asks, "How's Catherine?"

Mark sighs and says, "She's pretty upset and she seems to be confused as to why. I told her no matter their relationship he's still her father, it's only human that it's going to affect her."

Nick responds, "Yeah I can see that. Don't you have a similar relationship with your father?"

Mark nods and replies, "Yeah. Although I think Catherine's relationship might have been a little better than mine. I know they were barely on speaking terms but my father and I haven't spoken in 9 years. It got me thinking that I would probably be upset if I found out that he died."

Nick nods and asks, "Any chance of you reconciling?"

Mark sighs and responds, "Probably not. The ball has always been left in his court and he's made his choice as far as I'm concerned."

Nick smiles and says, "Well we want you buddy. You're in our family here."

Mark smiles and replies, "Thanks brother."

A month later …

Catherine is starting to get some normalcy back into her life after Sam's death and the funeral. After some thinking she realized come to terms with everything, she's not sure she's to the point of forgiving him just yet. She has to forgive herself first for compromising that investigation years ago. For a while she wondered if Sam had been able to be convicted if he would still be alive. Mark told her she can't dwell on the "what ifs" or it will drive her crazy.

She walks to the mail box to get the mail and she receives a big manila envelope stamped legal across the front. She goes into the house and sits on the couch and opens the envelope. It's a letter from Sam's lawyers he left her a sum of money and his part of the Eclipse. There's also a letter from Sam.

Muggs,

If you're reading this well you know what happened. I know we have had nothing but a tumultuous of a relationship right from the start. All of that is my fault. I should have been honest with you a long time ago that I was your father. It's again my fault that you had to find out the way you did by testing your own DNA against the scarf.

Since Tony's death and Walt's imprisonment you are my only child that I trust with my affairs. I realize you may not want this money or ownership of the Eclipse, but do with either what you wish. Be involved in the casino or be a silent partner and collect the money. I also know that it won't make up for any of the things I've done. If this any way can though it will make me happy. If you don't want it for yourself at least let Lindsey use it to go to college. She's a bright girl and will definitely follow in your footsteps and not Eddie's or mine.

I love you Catherine. I always have and always will. I may not have always been able to show it but it's true. I love your mother too believe it or not, I just seem to have trouble showing it.

Love,

Sam

Catherine walks downstairs into the basement to see Mark. Mark is working on Nick's computer for him.

Catherine says, "So we don't have to worry about putting Lindsey through college anymore."

Mark not looking up from his work responds, "Oh yeah did we get a check from Publisher's Clearing House in the mail?"

Catherine chuckles and says, "No Sam."

Mark looks up from what he's doing and says, "Oh your inheritance?"

Catherine nods and responds, "It's enough to send Lindsey to college, take a few really vacations and maybe buy a bigger house if we choose to do so. Plus, there's a little extra cushion."

Mark looks confused and asks, "What do you mean by extra cushion?"

Catherine says, "He left me his part of the Eclipse. It says I can be a silent partner and collect the money or be as involved as I choose to be. But either way we don't have worry about money."

Mark asks, "How do you feel about all this?"

Catherine sighs and replies, "If I can do something positive with Sam's money I think he'd like that."

Mark reaches out and pulls Catherine to him and gently kisses her temple. He speaks up, "I've been trying to figure out the right words to say since all this happened and I'm still at a loss."

Catherine snuggles into Mark's side and replies, "You don't have to say anything. You've been here and that's what matters. I just have one request."

Mark asks, "What's that?"

Catherine says, "Can you not say anything to the team about the money or the Eclipse?"

Mark a little confused responds, "Of course that's your business."

Catherine says, "I just don't want there to be any issues. I know how a lot of people felt about Sam and I don't want any judgement of me taking the money."

Mark replies, "I doubt there would be. Besides it would be more of a conflict of interest if Sam was still alive. Would look like he was bribing the department, but this is nothing more of an exchange between a father and a daughter."

Catherine says nothing but continues to let Mark hold her.

A/N: The reference to Catherine breaking protocol to test her DNA against Sam's to find out if he is her father is from Assume Nothing.

Sam's death events are somewhat tied to the events in Built to Kill, Part 2. However I changed some of the events such as Catherine not being drugged, Lindsey not being kidnapped, Sam not being shot in Catherine's arms, also how Sam was shot even though it was by the same person.

The inheritance left to Catherine (part of the Eclipse) is mentioned in Wild Life.

I wasn't sure how I wanted Sam introduced into this story but I knew it needed to be done. Catherine had mentioned him early on in the story but he was never officially in the story until now. This needed to be done in my mind for the purpose of this fic but also for a tie in to a potential sequel. I have some ideas for one but don't know when/if it will be written at this point. I did decide when/if it happens a lot of the events from the CSI finale will be included aka Catherine needs to own part of the Eclipse.

Well we are getting closer to the end. I do not have anything written for 49 yet. I have a part of 50 written. As always thanks to those who are reading.