Grissom was asleep on the couch as Catherine moved to her kitchen. He was so exhausted that she had asked Brass to pick up Sara from the airport. She had just started coffee when she heard the front door open.

Catherine came out of the kitchen with a finger over her lips. Brass and Sara heeded her warning and they spoke softly.

"Grissoms asleep on the couch."

"He can't hear Catherine."

"Oh, but he can some. You've been away too long. His hearing is slowly returning. He just got back from the doctor. They fitted him with a special hearing aid to pick up the frequencys that he can't hear yet."

"Are you kidding?" Sara smiled.

Catherine shook her head. "And his companion is sleeping with him."

Sara gave a confused look as Catherine pointed to the living room. Sara and Brass made their way to the front room but stopped when they saw him.

Grissom was laying on his back, both arms crossed over his chest and his legs crossed. It almost looked posed. It put a smile on both of their faces.

"He had refused to sleep until you were back."

"How did you get him to sleep?" Brass asked.

"I slipped him a mickey."

Sara gigled. Then she noticed the dog sleeping on the floor next to the sofa. She turned and looked at Catherine and Jim.

"Nick picked him out and we all pitched in. He is supposed to be yours, but I don't think you will be able to get him away from Gil. They have really bonded the last few days."

Catherine motioned for them to join her in the kitchen. They sat enjoying their coffee when they heard a moan. Sara smiled and left the two of them to rouse Grissom.

She kneeled next to him running her fingers through his hair. He opened his eyes and blinked rapidly to clear them from the fogginess of sleep.

"Your back."

"Yeah."

"I'm sorry I had to cut your visit short."

"It's ok. Brass filled me in. Do you know yet who broke in?"

"I know it was Ecklie. But I can't prove it."

"Why is he doing this?"

"I'm guessing he's got some bad skeletons in his closet that he doesn't want to let out. And he knows I'm digging into his past. The address I had written down of where you were staying was gone. I was afraid he would come after you."

"I'm fine Griss." She leaned forward and kissed him gently. "So, no dog hun?"

"Not my idea. But he's growing on me. His name is Zeke and he's 2 years old."

"He's beautiful." she said as she stroked the long soft hair. "Catherine told me that you can hear more."

"Yeah. Slowly but surely."

Catherine took Sara to retrieve some clothes. The house was still being guarded by an officer. Catherine followed her to back to the bedroom. She looked around as Sara opened the top drawer of the large oak dresser. Catherine noticed something wasn't right as she saw Sara digging through her underwear.

"Sara, what's wrong?"

"It's gone."

"What's gone?"

"Grissoms back up. He kept it here in the drawer. Please tell me he has it or that one of you guys have it."

"No. Grissom kept a back up?"

"I know it sounds weird but he bought it for me after I was fired."

"So who's the gun registered to?"

"Grissom."

"Ok, where is the licence for it?"

"I don't know."

Catherine was quickly on the phone to Brass.

Sara grabbed her things and they drove back to Catherine's house. She beat Catherine through the door in search of Gil. He was at the dining room table with papers and files laid about.

"Gil!" She ran up to him and he quickly embraced her. "The gun's gone. Please tell me you have it."

"No. Are you sure?"

"Positive. Catherine needs to know where the licence is for it."

"It's in the safe."

She released all the air her body possessed in one long sigh.

"Sara, when I bought the gun I took it to the lab. I had Bobby enter a bullet into IBIS. So if it's used in a crime, it's already in the system."

"You think of everything don't you."

Catherine joined them and began to go over the files. Sara noticed that they were about Ecklie and she turned to leave but Grissoms arm stopped her.

"Do you still want to help?"

She smiled and sat down. "So what do you guys have?"

Catherine smiled as Grissom began.

"So far just proof of the money he skimmed. He's been fired. That's why I'm concerned. He's in the wind. Conrad's smarter than we might have anticipated. The sheriff want's to burry him, so we need more."

"Can't he be arrested on what you have?"

"The sheriff can't find a judge gutsy enough. Remember we are trying to put away a public figure. He's been the Lab Director for several years now. So what ever we find, we need it to be relevant. The DA is going to have to solely rely on the evidence."

They began digging through files. None were aware of the time of day until Lindsey walked in.

"Hey mom I'm home."

The trio looked up then to their watches. Lindsey hugged Catherine then moved over to Grissom.

"Hi uncle Gil." She said as she embrace him.

Sara smiled at the exchange.

"Hi Sara. What are you guys doing?"

"Working. Do you have homework?"

"Yeah, physics. I'm no good at it."

Grissom looked over to Sara.

"I can help you if you want Linds."

"Really. That would be awesome. Let me finish writing my research paper then we'll get started."

"Cool."

Catherine and Grissom were prepareing to go back to the lab. It was 6 in the evening and they wanted to present thier findings to the Sheriff.

"Sara, keep Zeke here with you. And stay in. No going out for a run."

"Fine. Catherine are you paying me to babysit then?"

Lindsey spoke up. "Sorry but I'm not a baby, so the term doesn't apply here."

"Sorry, teen-sit?"

"Be careful. Both of you."

"Yes mother." Lindsey and Sara said in unison.

Grissom gave Sara a quick kiss goodbye and left with Catherine.

They sat silently as the Sheriff read over their reports.

"Ok, I'll go to the DA and see what can be done. But it will have to wait until morning."

"Of course."

"Where's your shadow Gil?"

"He's with Sara."

"Yeah. I want to talk to you about some things. How would you like to be the new Lab Director?"

"I would rather be in the field. But I know someone who is more than qualified."

"Really, who?"

"Catherine Willows."

She turned to look at Grissom, her mouth agape.

"She's more than qualified. If it wasn't' for her I wouldn't even get my personnel evaluations in on time."

"I'll take it into consideration. What about Miss Sidle?"

"She told me she wanted to come back to the lab. But I'll have to ask again. She's a great criminalist."

"Let me know. Thank you for your help."

They all shook hands and left.

"Are you sure you don't want to be Director, I mean, this lab revolves around you to start with."

"Catherine, I don't want to be stuck behind a desk. I'm happy where I am."

The night was slow and everyone was going over unsolved cases. The mood was relaxing when Catherine's phone rang once then quit. She looked at the caller ID.

'Home'

Quickly she redialed the number. The busy signal echoed through her ear. She tried again with the same results. Warrick noticed her distress.

"Catherine. Is everything alright?"

"I don't know."

She rose and headed to Grissoms office constantly redialing her home phone number. Each time the same as the last. Panic began to take her over.

"Grissom."

He looked up over his glasses at hearing the concern in her voice.

"My phone rang from my house, and I've been trying to call back but the phone's off the hook."

"I'll drive."

They ran down the hallway and out to the parking lot. Grissom noticed Brass and yelled at him to follow them.

The tires on both vehicles came to a schreeching halt in front of Catherine's house. They all raced to the front door with guns drawn. Brass nudged the front door open with his elbow and Catherine followed her gun raised. Grissom was last. He was the only one with out a gun.

Signs of a struggle had taken place. Lamps, books, even the couch was tipped over. Brass came out of the hall.

"No one's here."

"Sara and Lindsey were here." Catherine began to call Lindsey's name in search of her.

Grissom followed a small blood trail out the open patio door. He heard Brass calling for uniforms and request Nick, Warrick, and Greg out to the house. He shined his light into the grass hoping to follow the trail of blood. Brass joined him in his search. They followed the blood through the fence into the neighboring yard. It lead them onto the sidewalk of the next street up.

Brass radioed for a car to follow them and within minutes one was following them. Grissom kept his torch on the ground following the evidence. After a few minutes he noticed the source of the blood trail.

"Jesus Christ."

Grissom took off running and Brass quickly followed.

"Zeke!"

The injured dog stopped and laid down waiting for Grissom to catch up.

"Damn Gil. He's been shot."

"The question is, where is he going?"

TBC

Thanks for all your reviews. I have one more chapter planned unless I think of more.