Brass walked down the hall at CSI to find Glyn. She was in the DNA lab waiting for results from the rape kit, no doubt. As bad as some of his homicides had been over the years, he was glad that he rarely had to work these kinds of cases. He'd seen others do it regularly and understood the toll.

"Hi, Glyn. You ready to eat?" He was standing in the doorway.

She turned and smiled at him. "Yes, I am." She turned back to Wendy, "I'll check back with you after lunch. Thanks Wendy." And she walked toward Brass. "Lead the way."

They walked out of the building and toward his car. As they got in she asked "So, where are we eating?"

"Well, depends on what you like. You're not a vegetarian or something like that are you?"

"You kidding? I just spent the last 15 years in Texas. All that beef….its hard to be a vegetarian down there." She laughed.

Brass pulled into a parking space at his favorite sandwich shop. "This okay?"

"Sure, I trust you. Cops always know where the best food is."

Brass looked over at her and smiled. She was very easy to be with and also very easy on his eyes. Hmmm, he thought to himself, I wonder if…...no, don't go there. "Okay, he said "but first I have this" He shyly handed her a small green gift bag.

"What? Giving me presents, Capt. Brass?" she teased. "Is that in line with departmental regs?" She opened the bag and gently reached inside. It felt soft. Using her fingers, she pulled the object out. It was a tiny little stuffed heart. She looked into Brass's smiling eyes, not knowing what to think of his gift.

"You looked so heartbroken at the hospital" he said. "I...I just thought, well...you know...maybe you need a little re -enforcement." It hadn't occurred to him when he found the thing at the gift shop that hearts usually have a very different meaning.

She favored him with a very warm smile. "What a thoughtful thing to do. Having just moved here, I miss my friends from Dallas. Now I know I have at least one friend here. Thank you, Jim" She leaned over and gently kissed his cheek.

They sat at a table with their food. "Honestly, I hope this is okay, Glyn." Jim was feeling a bit nervous suddenly.

"Yeah. Its funny how you can travel all over the country and go into sandwich shops and order the exact same thing and have it fixed so differently." She sensed his nervousness and was trying to figure out why he was suddenly uncomfortable.

They chatted awhile about Vegas and he shared stories about some of the crazy cases that happen...only in Vegas. Then she began to talk a little about Dallas. As she talked, Jim watched her face. She had the greenest eyes he'd ever seen. They were a perfect match for her auburn hair. He guessed she was about 40, maybe a little older. Lines were beginning to form on her face but except for the laugh lines around her mouth, they were barely noticeable. Her lips were full of natural color and resembled the lips of cherubs. As she talked her expression was very animated. He felt himself being drawn to her…..no, no don't go there….put on the brakes buddy. He realized he hadn't really heard much of what she had said. But he hadn't enjoyed a conversation this much in a very long time. Trouble, he told himself.

For her part, she knew he wasn't hearing much of what she said but he seemed to want her to keep talking. As she talked, she too was studying her companion. She couldn't decide if he looked more like a Jersey mobster or a Marine recruit's worst DI nightmare. He had a square, bulldog kind of face that at the moment was quite friendly. His eyes were kind and gentle but there was a deep sadness in them and the lines on his face betrayed a lifetime of worry and sorrow. She felt that this man had been deeply wounded by people and by life. He seemed to be caught between hopelessness and anticipation. "So, my son is in Arlington and I moved here…." she concluded.

Surprised, Jim asked, "You have a son?"

Now she knew he hadn't been listening because she's mentioned her son several times. "Yes, he's 22 now and just out of school. He's a new recruit with the Arlington PD. Evan was very excited to be hired by that department because he will be able to work the Rangers games." She chuckled a little as she remembered his excitement at the prospect.

"Law enforcement's in the family." Brass smiled at her.

"Wasn't my idea. I just made him promise not to go to work with the more dangerous departments. Since his father's gone, he's all I have in the way of family."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know you'd ever been married til now."

"Yeah, my husband died in an accident a few years ago. It was a very difficult time, as you can imagine, but I made it through and I'm okay now….What about you, Jim? You married?"

Jim's expression changed from inquiry to acrimony. "Am I not a man? And is not a man stupid? I'm a man. So I married. Wife, child, house, everything. The full catastrophe." Jim quipped. Her looked at her bemused face and continued, "Now divorced though."

"Full catastrophe?" Her face was a mixture of surprise and amusement. "Quote Jim Brass or….."

"Zorba," he finished. "Uhh….she didn't like my profession, well….the hours really. I kind of overdid it and wasn't around much. She got tired of waiting around and found entertainment elsewhere." Forlornness overtook his expression. It was obviously still a painful subject for him.

"I'm sorry Jim. I didn't mean to pry."

"Ancient history. That was back in New Jersey. I moved out here some time ago and my life is here now." He seemed to brighten a little.

"Guess I'd better get back to the lab before I get fired." she sighed.

"Oh, Gil wouldn't fire you. He used to work for me, so I know how to pull his stings." teased Jim.

As they headed back to CSI, Glyn was careful to keep the conversation light. She didn't want to rekindle sadness in his eyes. Jim was more relaxed than he had been earlier. Well, now she knows part of my sorry assed history, he thought. Maybe she doesn't think I'm too much of an ogre. Maybe….yeah , go ahead and think it. Maybe there is hope. Just maybe…. Yeah...right.

Grissom had finished going over the bodies at the scene and needed to get away from it. He found Nick, "You and Greg finish here and I'll see you back at the lab. Be sure the press doesn't get too close. I just saw the first reporter over by the tape. Oh, O'Brien got here a few minutes ago. He's talking to the witnesses now. He's the detective on this one."

"Okay, Greg and I are almost done here anyway. I'll talk to O'Brien before heading back."

Grissom headed for his truck. As he climbed in behind the wheel, he felt a surge of relief. He couldn't get away from here fast enough.

Wendy had confirmed little Sara's story with the DNA results. Glyn was on the phone with Detective Cavaliere explaining the results. He had brought Kyle Morris into the station and now the serious interrogation would begin.

"You want to be there?" he asked Glyn.

"No, I think you have everything you need. Has Child Services taken Sara into custody yet?"

"She's staying at the hospital overnight. That will give them time to place her. They aren't going to let her go back to her grandparent's house. There is another son living in the house also."

Glyn was glad to hear that Sara wouldn't be going back to the same house but hoped the child wouldn't end up in the system. "No other relatives?"

"Child Services can't find any. There's no information on her mother's family and her father was the oldest of the Morris kids. No other aunts or uncles. The poor kid has had a tough life...losing her parents and twin in that car accident and then living in a house with an abusive uncle."

"Yeah, maybe a miracle will happen and she'll catch a break. Well, okay then Cavaliere, let me know how it goes."

"Sure. And thanks."

Glyn really hoped there would be other relatives to take the child. She walked down the hall to find a quiet place to sit down and begin her report.

Grissom looked like a dangerous storm cloud as he walked into the lab. Everything about him was dark. Judy, the first to see him, hesitated before greeting him. He nodded in her direction and kept walking. Catherine spotted him as he turned the corner and went into his office. She saw the gloom in his face and intuitively knew the source. Following him inside, she closed his door.

"You don't look so good." she stated.

Grissom looked up and she could see that he was barely holding onto his emotions. And I've called him a robot for years, she thought. Well, still waters run deep they say.

"Ahhh, Cath. I...ah...it was a bad scene."

"A car accident, right?"

"Yeah...three vics. Hit and run…" his voice trailed off.

"Reminded you of Sara...under that car, right?"

He knew she wasn't going to leave it alone but he thought he'd try to deter her. "This was different. It was just really bad….blood and body parts and all."

"Yeah…..right….. Jeez, Gil, you've been at the grizzliest scenes imaginable and never blinked an eye. There's more to it…."

"Really, Cath, I'm okay."

Hmmmm, time to bring out the artillary , she thought. Here goes….

"Give sorrow words; the grief that does not speak,
Whispers the o'er-fraught heart and bids it break"

Grissom looked up as she spoke and his jaw fell open. "I'm ...stunned…." he uttered.

Catherine looked at his shocked expression. Anything was better than the dark gloom that was there just seconds ago. "Hey, you're not the only one that can read Shakespeare." she shrugged.

"Yeah, but you always look at me funny and roll your eyes when I quote the Bard. I didn't think you appreciated it."

"I decided that there must be something to the old guy since you are always rambling on with his stuff. So I read some. A bit stuffy….all that Old English …. And half of it makes no sense to me but, what the hell; some of it is pretty good." It was working. The clouds were beginning to recede from his eyes and his body was beginning to relax.

"Catherine," he began softly…. "It overwhelmed me. I could hear her voice from under the car and feels her muddy grip. It was like I was reliving it. I'd been kind of...numb the last few days and then, out there all the pain just came flooding back. Life is so empty without her but I can't keep looking for her to come through the door….or listening for her voice. I can't live like this. I feel like insanity is creeping in on me and I'm lost to it."

"It takes time, Gil. Slowly the pain will fade. Have you thought about talking to the company shrink?"

"No, actually you and Jim are the only ones I've been able share any of it with. I can't talk to the quack. It is just too personal to share with a stranger."

She reached over and touched his cheek, looking into his eyes. "Well, you know I'm always available to listen and I'm sure Jim feels the same. We are here for you. Don't try to handle this by yourself. It'll break you and that will break all of us."

"I know….I've never….well, you know...I'm not a people person. Sharing is difficult."

She smiled at him and pinched his cheek. "Okay, I know….well, guess we'd better get back to work…" She began to walk toward the door.

"Hey, Cath….." she turned to look at him quizzically. "Honest men esteem and value nothing so much in this world as a real friend. Such a one is as it were another self, to whom we impart our most secret thoughts, who partakes of our joy, and comforts us in our affliction…."

"Shakespeare?"

"No, from an old fable…." He smiled.

He watched her walk into the hall and then turned his attention to the case. After a few minutes, he heard Greg in the hall and decided to go see how his part of the investigation was going.

"Greg," he called as he entered the hallway. "Is the site cleared?"

"Almost, they were still sweeping debris up when I left. I caught a ride with O'Brien and Nick is coming back with the tow trucks. But I wanted to get started on the paint transfer. The witnesses told O'Brien that they think the speeder was driving a late model BMW. It was a dark color but they weren't sure which color since its night and all."

"Okay, well...let me know when you find out about the transfer."

"Sure thing." Greg headed into Trace and showed Hodges his evidence.

Grissom saw Glyn at the desk in the file room. He poked his head in the door. "How's your case?"

She looked up from her report. "Oh, you're back from your accident. Well, Cavaliere is interrogating the perp right now but I decided to sit it out. He had everything he needed to ask the right questions. It's going to be slam dunk, anyway. The grandmother caught him in the act and the little girl's story is the same as grandma's. And DNA confirms it was the uncle. This is a heartbreaker though….she's an orphan, her parents and twin sister were killed in a car wreck. No other family and Child Services is going to have to put her in Foster Care."

"Those cases are always tough. Sounds like you've covered all the bases though. Maybe a family member will show up…."

"Yeah maybe...Well, I'll try to get this report finished before I leave. I'd like to be able to go home and not think about it."

"Okay, good…..and thanks for taking this one…." He turned and headed back to his office. Good, he thought, she can handle these without loosing perspective.

"Grissom!" he heard O'Brien call him from behind.

"Yeah?" Grissom turned to face the detective.

"I'm headed over to talk to the families. We still haven't gotten an ID on the second male and I'm hoping the family can help. Want to come?"

"No, but take Greg. He's waiting on test results on the paint but he can follow up when he gets back."

"Okay, he can fill you in too."

Grissom's cell rang. It was Doc Robbins. "I finished the autopsies on your vics. Its pretty much what you'd expect. Internal injuries from the impacts. And of course, the one that was literally torn apart. Do you want me to send the report over?"

"Yeah, Doc. Thanks."

Back at his desk, Grissom tried to decide what was next. Nick was still working on the cars but he didn't really want to go near them. Shift was almost over but he hadn't heard back from O'Brien's meeting with the families. Grissom really wanted to go home. Maybe he could just hide in his office awhile longer until the shift ended. He'd never been so anxious to get away from work before. Usually he had to remind himself to go home. That had changed some when he and Sara… 'Sara', his heart ached as he thought of her. His eyes closed and she appeared in his mind. She was smiling….not her sweet Sara smile but an earthy, primal smile. The smile that said to him 'I need you….now.' The smile that awakened a strong, equally primal need deep within him, one that he was feeling even now. He could feel a spark leap into a flame as he thought of their last time together. Since they first got together, Sara had always been capable of creating heat within him with just the simplest touch of her lips or stroke of her hand. The raw intensity of their love making had been beyond anything he had ever imagined possible. But their last night together had been on a new plane. There were no words for what Grissom had felt on that night. His thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a familiar voice at the door.

"Hey, how's your day?" It was Brass at his door. He walked in and continued, "Thought you might be almost finished and we could go get some breakfast or something."

Grissom wondered if Cath had called him. This was an unusual invitation from Jim. But right now, he was grateful for it. "Cath call you?" he asked sarcastically.

"Noooo, is there a reason she should call me?"

"No, not really. Yeah, breakfast sounds good and I need to get away from here for awhile."

He grabbed his jacket and headed out the door with his friend.