Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to CSI.

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Chapter 2

Grissom and Catherine went back to Ecklie's office and made it perfectly clear how the evening would pan out. Cocktails were first and while Ecklie wanted them there, the two disagreed. Too many people and too many circumstances in which Diane would expect public displays of affection. Instead, Catherine and Grissom would sneak into the dining area after cocktail hour was over and get to a table where Conrad and Diane would be sitting.

Stipulations included that the table be in an area with an obstructed view of the podium, be right next to an exit, and the other two seats of the 6-person table must be "saved" for a couple who would never show up.

And, under no circumstances, would Diane be allowed to vocalize the fact that Grissom and Catherine were a couple. No sharing, no outbursts of emotions. Catherine suggested that Ecklie tell his wife she is privy to a very tight-lipped secret that only she and her husband knew.

"That is frosting on a cake for a woman," Catherine said.

As far as PDAs go, it would follow in the same vein as a tightly chaperoned junior high dance – minimal touching and only in innocent areas.

Ecklie left to join his wife in the car. Grissom and Catherine would meet them in about 45 minutes for the dinner portion of the evening.

"Come on," Catherine said to Grissom. "Let's get this date started right. You need to pay for some drinks if you plan to get some tonight."

Catherine laughed and swatted a surprised Grissom on his butt.

He sighed. It was going to be a long evening.

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"OK, are you ready?"

Grissom sighed. "Yeah. Let's go."

Catherine and Grissom stood in the hotel lobby and waited in the back until they spotted Conrad and Diane. Once those two entered, Catherine and Grissom stealthily followed several people. They made it to Conrad's table without suspicions from other partiers.

Diane's face lit up as she saw the couple approach the table. Oh God, Grissom thought, she's filled with glee.

He was right.

"Oh, just look at you two! You're adorable!" Diane grabbed her husband's hand trying to get him to agree. He just put his arm around her and whispered the "remember not to make a scene" lecture he gave her in the car.

Diane smiled and mouthed a sentence to the "couple." Although Catherine had no idea what Diane said, she offered a "smile/nod" in her direction.

Grissom cursed under his breath, wishing for the first time in his life that he did not know how to read lips. No, Grissom thought, Catherine is NOT better for me than Sara.

Grissom could have done it. He could have busted Ecklie right there. And, oh, he would have enjoyed it. But he recalled two things. First, the last stipulation: that this was a one-time event. There would no future "dates," no coincidental run-ins. No sequels.

And second: Catherine's reasoning that Ecklie would be more likely to be lenient towards Sara if she wished to return to the lab. For those two reasons, and those alone, Grissom could stomach one evening.

At the table Catherine sat between Grissom and Ecklie and there were two empty seats between Diane and Grissom. Catherine surmised that was where the 2-ton gorilla would be sitting for the rest of the evening if somebody didn't try to break the freakin' tension. Seeing that Grissom was frozen, Catherine figured it would be up to her, as usual.

"So Diane, where did you get that dress," Catherine said twisting her hair with her left hand and reaching for Grissom's hand on the table with her right.

That movement jostled Grissom from his stupor to perform the "intimacy dance" Catherine developed before she and Grissom arrived at the dinner.

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Before reaching the hotel where the dinner would be held, Catherine and Grissom sat at a hotel bar across the street.

"First I'll put my hand on yours. It stays there for a short while…"

"How long?" Grissom interrupted.

"What do you mean, 'How long?' Jesus, Gil, I know you're dense, but figure it out," Catherine said.

"Right," Grissom said. "So, you think 12 seconds?"

Catherine rubbed her forehead as she finished off her screwdriver. "Fine, 12 seconds, but if you start looking down at your watch at the same time, Diane might figure out this is an act."

"Right," Grissom agreed.

"You're going to count it in your head, aren't you, genius?"

"No," Grissom said. "Well, … I was. Yes."

"Then don't move your lips, Romeo," Catherine said, and she explained the rest of the dance. After the "hands on the table" deal, Grissom should move his hand under the table as if to put his hand on her thigh. But he would put his hand on the edge of her chair and move his arm slightly back and forth as if he were stroking her thigh.

"Why don't I just put my hand on my thigh under the table and stroke my own leg?" Grissom asked.

"Because then it will look like you're jacking off."

"Oh, right. I don't want that."

"Neither do I," Catherine agreed. "You really do suck at this."

Grissom said nothing. But, yeah, she was right.

After doing that for a short time ("Yes, Gil, about 12 seconds again is fine"), he should put his arm across the back of her chair and at that time she would do the "chair stroke" on Grissom's chair. Grissom would put his hand back on the table and the dance could start again when Catherine would place her hand on top of Grissom's.

"Got it?" Catherine asked and Grissom nodded. "Great. Get me another drink and we'll get going."

"You're on shift tonight," Grissom warned.

"Trust me, what we are about to face will sober me up quick. Until then, loverboy, get me a freakin' drink."

Grissom did not argue with his date.

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He tried not to be mechanical with his movements, but Grissom probably looked mechanical because he felt like Diane was staring at him the entire evening. When Diane leaned over to talk to Ecklie, Catherine took that moment to coach Grissom some more.

"Stop counting in your head and try to smile, you dope."

"Is the tension showing?" he whispered back.

Catherine looked at him, let out a giggle and smacked his cheek a couple of times with her hand, and said, out loud for only her table mates to hear, "Gil, of course."

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TBC