Chapter Two: Walk The Line

Catherine remembered as she gazed at nothing particular, and as his words took her back to a particular moment, after a long case. He almost said the same thing.

Beginning of flashback…

"When's the last time you ate anything?" Gil asked, as he walked towards her. She was leaning against the Tahoe, tired but happy that the case was now over. It seemed like the days had lasted longer than usual.

She took off her sunglasses and gazed up at him. The hot sun beating upon their already worn bodies. "If you count the measly catch and run bagel I had this morning" She suggested, arching her brow and cleaned off both lenses of her sunglasses with her shirt, then replaced them back over her eyes.

Point taken. As much as he could say, he deserved that, and had indeed woken her up at four this morning, after learning of a break in the case. Her sleepy voice that had answered the phone early in the morning, suggested of the pending fatigue of being woken.

He later learned that with the long hours of working, Lindsey had gotten sick and had kept her up until one thirty that morning, which left her with about three hours of sleep to go on for the day. The least he could do now was treat her to a warm meal, and then she could do whatever she wanted. Sleep, perhaps.

"Noted" He put in simply. "Any way you're going to take me up on the offer, or am I going to have to eat alone?"

She looked through her sunglasses and smiled, while adjusting her standing position. "What were you thinking of?"

End of flashback…

Catherine shook her head of the thought. He was watching her, quite carefully, still waiting for an answer. She took in a deep breath, and exhaled. "Don't count the measly bagel" She offered, and walked out of the room.

Nice.

----

"I found this in the upstairs bedroom drawer, looks like whoever was here, trashed the bedroom really well." Warrick spoke as he came down the stairs bearing an envelope addressed to Mr. and Mrs. Jack Malone. "It's a congratulation card, stashed away in what is suppose to be the safety of a drawer" He identified the small card, with a couple ribbons by the words, 'To share in your joy'

Nick took the card slowly from his hand, and opened it. His was mind reading the words before he read them out loud. "We hope your dreams come true. Mac and Eliza." He looked up at Warrick with puzzlement. "So Mr. Malone and his wife we're or are expecting a baby" He asked in a tone that wanted him to confirm which one of the choices it was.

Warrick squinted his eye, to block out the sun that was shooting through the window as he nodded. "Yeah. Looks like they still are"

"Oh?" Nick questioned, looking over the card once more.

"Nothing in the nursery has been touched, or opened." Warrick pointed out. "There are still clothes in bags from the stores with tags on them, and baby clothes that are hanging neatly up in the closet, also with tags on them." He readjusted himself, and prepared himself to continue, until Greg stepped in from the other room.

"I don't get it then." Obviously he had been listening in to the conversation. "No toys were found anywhere else in the house. An empty bassinet, with a folded blanket is in the living room" Greg confirmed Warrick's suspicions. "Yeah but it get's a lot stranger" He answered to their confused looks. "I found a message on the Malone's answering machine, as I was passing by to process the kitchen and the living room" Nick arched a brow, in response to have him continue. Greg exhaled, and then opened up his notepad. "A lady at a number 355-6821 wants a Jenna, who I'm supposing is the wife, to call her in setting up a time for Rhett and her to come over."

"Wait a minute, I thought we decided the guy's name is Jack" Nick folded his arms over one another, "So who is Rhett?"

"That's what it said on the envelope" Warrick answered, and looked back at Greg, who shrugged.

Nick sighed, then turned around and looked around the house. "So the guy is supposedly married, expecting a child" Both Greg and Warrick nodded at his insight. "There was no wedding band on his finger, no pictures around the house of either one of them"

"I found a baby name book on the floor by the dresser, but no woman's clothing, shoes, or even a jewelry case like many woman have, in the room, or the bathroom" Warrick added, finding it all too funny that things weren't adding up here.

"So are they even married?" Nick was starting to add up what clues they did have. "Does she even live here?"

Warrick took in a deep breath. "That's what we need to figure out"

----

Letting Catherine get ahead, he then started to make his way down the stairs, before his phone started to ring, "Grissom" He answered swiftly.

"Gil its Brass. I need you and Sara to head over to this address" He greeted, then gave Gil the address that they should go to, said a few more words, then they both hung up, before Grissom made his way in no rush, back down the stairs and into the kitchen.

He held his closed phone at Sara. "That was Brass. He needs us to head over" He informed her as she stood up.

"Right" She nodded, but he knew she was reluctant to leave. Her hands wrung around the chair, as she turned and left. He watched her leave and turned to Catherine, as he played with his keys that were in his pocket. "Catherine" He exhaled. "I don't think the measly bagel did it for you" He quoted back, pulling the keys out into his hand. And she knew by the way that he had said it, that he remembered that one day, the offer, and concern that he voiced to her after a long case.

With that he trailed down the hall, and went out the door. She exhaled and pulled out a seat next to her daughter at the table and sat down. She gazed at nothing in particular, but sat herself in the seat, facing towards her daughter, and watched as Lindsey started to draw an outline of her next drawing, on another piece of paper.

Her other drawing, which Catherine could only see half of, was tucked behind the other paper that she was drawing on now. So much detail went into both pictures, as did her heart and soul. And behind that talent, and those blue eyes, was a girl with a broken past.

"Mommy" Lindsey cried as she held her daughter's hand tightly. Her voice was full of fear and confusion as they walked to the front door in part darkness. The little girl was messily dressed in a beautiful light green shirt, jeans and tennis shoes. Her newly brushed hair was pulled back into a quick ponytail, and her shoelaces were still untied and dragged against the tile as she walked.

And she was fearful because she had been woken up, when she was sure that it wasn't time to get up. But as her pink plaid lamp had been turned on, she saw her mother dressed, and Lindsey was quickly instructed for her little four year old body to get up. While she did, her mother turned quickly and opened her drawer up; pulling out what was probably the first thing she had spotted.

Lindsey stood up, and propped herself up enough so that she could see in the drawer, as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, she called out, "No, that one" She pointed to the green shirt, and without thinking Catherine grabbed it, and threw it on to the bed. If anything, Lindsey would choose what she wanted to wear for this 'midnight ride' "Shirt off" She advised her daughter, then turned back to the drawer, where all of her shirts were still neatly folded. Until now.

Catherine grabbed shirt after shirt, unconcerned with if they had unfolded a bit, as she cast one after the other right by her pillow.

Lindsey's reaction to this as it was still moments later was puzzlement and confusion. It only continued as her mother helped her silently with her shirt, and then opened the next drawer.

"Mommy what are we doing?" She had asked and rubbed into her eye with her fist. Catherine stopped what she was doing and eyed Lindsey, who was dressed in the green shirt, and now pink flowered pants. She couldn't help smile inside, as she arched her brow, and exhaled as her mind came back to her daughter's question.

Really she didn't know what they were doing. There was no real plan, besides the fact that she was angry, and figured that enough was enough. She knew Gil knew, and she would take of that later. For now she would focus on the fact that she had given Eddie one last chance. One. Last. Chance. And he blew it.

She leaned towards her daughter, and lovingly stroked her cheek, and gave her a gentle smile. "We're going for a midnight ride" She answered, hoping desperately in her mind that Lindsey wouldn't ask what that was, because Catherine had just made that name up for the sake that it was almost midnight already, and they needed to get out of the house before Eddie woke up.

The little girl gazed quizzically, and then her expression deepened, as her mouth formed an almost perfect 'o' shape, and her finger traced along the flowers of her comforter. "Oh" her face fell as she concentrated on the texture she was touching, then her face lit up. "Like a adventure?" She asked as Catherine helped her sit up more on the bed, and helped her put on her pants.

"Yes, an adventure" She focused back on buttoning up her pant button. 'If you count that as going to see the grandfather you never see.' Catherine shrugged the thought off, and ran her finger along a stray piece of her blonde hair, and brought it back behind her ear. "Now find your shoes please"

Lindsay sighed and took her mother's answer in stride, as she got off the bed. She walked to the closed closet door and pulled the knob, opening the door quietly as she fumbled through the darkened closet, and pulled out her favorite tennis shoes.

"Here" Lindsey walked back over to her mother who was again pulling out more things out of the drawer. This time she was pulling out underwear and socks from both top drawers. She held out her shoes, turned back around and sat back down on the bed.

-----

Both Gil and Sara were silent as they drove to the address they were given. Their eyes took turns gazing at one another, as they both drew out their feelings in silence. Each had their mind on something different which intensified both of their thoughts.

When they got to the scene, he immediately opened his door, and she opened hers. They both got out, and she opened her mouth, speaking only his name. He gazed at her, but they were only interrupted by Brass' voice.

"Gil, Sara. Not a good day for the Fischer's " He explained as they both shut their doors, and exchanged looks as they followed him closer to a nice looking white brick house. "The mother's sister who lives with them called it in" He called back to them as they walked up the stairs. "She discovered her sister strangled on the bed, her brother-in law bleeding on the floor, her niece in the bathroom tub, and her nephew is nowhere to be found that she could see."

As they stood there for a moment, Sara gazed around the scene. There was of course the occasional yellow 'Do Not Cross' tap, that marked boundary for the crime scene. Police officers guarded around the tape, as concerned onlookers gazed at anything that gave them comfort.

And Brass started walking again, as Gil followed right beside him, while Sara accompanied them, walking a slower pace than both of them, as they walked from the asphalt, to the sidewalk. "The sister is still in the house" He informed them, as they walked up the five stairs that led up to the patio.

When they walked up, they saw an empty flowered covered swing that swung slightly from the gentle breeze that fell through the growing heat.

While an old worn black mat laid in front of the now open door of the house, a few pair of shoes were shoveled to the side. One pair looked like they were neatly placed down, and the other two were slightly tilted, like they had been purposely knocked over.

They walked closer, and Sara furrowed her brow as she noted a big scratch on one of the tilted pairs of shoes. She had an odd feeling that she couldn't place since, she couldn't yet determine when the scratch had been placed, or by who.

"No forced entry into the house" Gil commented as they stepped onto the foyer wood floor, as he gazed at the screen door that was now propped open by a rock.

No scratches.

Sara looked over at the door, and nodded in agreement; her eyes upon his, until they fell, as they scanned the bottom area, where the step between the patio and into the house. She looked along the metal, up along the frame that held the door, and found a small, but noticeable red spot.

----

"Can I help you?" A young lady with red hair, and no younger than twenty-two, inquired of the two detectives, as they stood at her door.

"Yeah, I'm Nick Stokes, and this is Warrick Brown. We're from the Las Vegas Crime Lab" He introduced as he pulled out his badge, and Warrick quickly did the same. "We were hoping we could ask you a few questions"

She drew in a deep breath, and exhaled. "About the Malone's right?" She opened her door wider as they both gave a combined 'yes' "Come In" Both Nick and Warrick gave an appreciative nod, and stepped in.

From what they could see the house was fairly small, but comfortable. There was white tile on the floor, leading from the front, to the kitchen area. The living room was to the left of them, and sported white carpet, one couch, two blue chairs. Vertically across from the couch, and a piano that sat in the corner wall of the room, underneath a medium sized painting.

She closed the door, and gazed up at them, giving a slight blush. "Please have a seat" She showed them into the living room. "Don't mind the mess"

Warrick and Nick looked around, and small box full of toys of kind, stuffed in, and now they were practically overflowing. As a bunch of stuffed animals were stacked cozily behind the box, which Warrick spotted what she must have been talking about, soon after they all sat down.

Both of them exchanged looks, as she sat down, across from them in one of the chairs. Nick cleared his throat, and turned his attention back to her. "You have kids?"

She smiled gracefully, and nervously pulled back a hair behind her ear. "Yeah" She gazed up at them with her blue eyes. "God's gift from heaven" She chuckled quietly. "Never though I would have two, let alone at the same time"

There it was that smile again.

They had all seen Catherine reveal that same graceful smile, many times. Especially when she talked about her own daughter, Lindsey.

Each were like the other.

----

'Packing my bags this morning
Was the hardest thing to do.
But packing my bags was so easy
Compared to standing outside your
Door right now to say goodbye to you'

Her small feet dangled over, as her mother kneeled and gently helped her put them on, even though Lindsey could put them on herself. But after yawning for the third time, Catherine could tell her abrupt awakening was hard to come by.

"Catherine what are you doing?" Eddie's voice rang out from the frame of the door. His voice was groggy, and confused. She could even perceive the anger rising through his tone, as she stepped in front of Lindsey, and their daughter innocently watched as if this whole thing was a game.

'Falling Eddie. I'm—'

"Mom" Catherine lingered in the dream as she felt her shoulder being shaken, and her thoughts were slowly being brought back around to the present time.

She blinked and exhaled, and his face was gone in a flash. His deep blue eyes that she had fallen in love with the day she had met him, faded. The smell of his cologne that wafted through her senses left her as she blinked again and pulled herself even closer to reality.

Because all she had left now were words.

----

Gil watched intently as Sara poured a drop onto the swab, and instantly it turned a purplish color; a sign that showed them was positive for blood.

"Positive" She confirmed, then snapped the lid shut so the swab was secure, before standing up. She bent her head slightly, as she pulled out a pen, and marked the location on the tube, while he stayed in the same place in the house and looked around, while stealing glances of her, until she met his gaze.

Sara arched her brow and smiled softly, as she twisted the pen with her fingers, then placed it back into her pocket.

It was that same passionate look that left her heart stirring for more.

----

"My kids always felt safe over there" She pointed dolefully in the direction of The Malone's house. "Now, well I don't know" She placed her hands tightly together, and kept them in her lap.

"So your kids did play over there?" Warrick chimed in, still in a daze as he still found himself wondering about the phone call Lindsey had made earlier. The tone in her voice made him wonder if Gil had been able to get through to them. That's why he had called him to go over there in the first place, when neither Nick or himself were able to make it over there.

Warrick knew in a way Gil was more like a father to her. Like the father she never knew, nor ever had growing up.

"Yeah all the time" The lady broke through his thoughts, as she looked from one to the other, still with great confusion in her face.

And he was wondering the same thing, except this time it was for Catherine.