"Be good, Jelly. If you don't, I'll come back and kick your ass." Patty laughed. Keats grinned.

"Definitely. I'll even give you an update on the big bad Wolfe." She said as Patty climbed into the taxi. She waved slowly, watching her best friend disappear down the crowded street.

Why are goodbyes so hard? And why the hell do I feel like I'll never see her again?

Keats wiped away a few frustrated tears. It was always like this when she said goodbye to someone. Even though everyone told her that it wouldn't be forever.

The bittersweetness of parting ways allowed Keats to come back to work, and luckily for Keats, the clown case had not been closed yet. Maybe cheering up wouldn't be as hard as the goodbye.

"All the evidence I've seen so far points to Clippo's partner, Zigg." Natalia told Keats. She had handed her the file on the case and brought her up to speed.

"As sleazy as that guy was…and I do mean sleazy…I really don't think it was him." Keats said. Natalia sighed, browsing through the case file.

"How do you know?" She asked. Keats shrugged, feeling stupid that all of her hunches could not stand on their own.

"It doesn't matter how, Keats. Just get me some evidence to prove it." Horatio said, approaching the two women.

Keats turned and flashed him a warm smile. She hugged him quickly, realizing that it probably wouldn't look professional for Lt. Caine to be hugging one of his CSIs.

"It's not like we haven't already exhausted this case, Horatio." Natalia said. Horatio Caine looked at Keats, then turned his gaze to Natalia.

"I have an interesting idea.You two will do reconnaissance work in the field…Good luck, ladies." He slipped on his sunglasses and left them.

Keats sat in the passenger seat of Natalia's car, finding it ironic and incredibly funny that after many weeks of being at odds with one another, they were finally paired on an assignment.

"What are you smiling about?" Natalie wondered, a hint of a smile on her own lips.

"Nothing. Just can't wait to prove you right. That's all." Keats stated. Natalia shook her head, smiling to herself.

"You're a hoot, Keats. But if you're wrong about your hunch, I get the bragging rights for this case. Deal?" Natalia glanced at her mischievously.

Keats nodded, smirking. God, I love my job.

They approached Zigg's apartment and knocked on the door. They were soon met with a woman in a fluffy pink bathrobe and green foam curlers.

"Can I help you?" She asked, taking a drag from her cigarette.

"We're here to ask your husband a few more questions…" Natalia began. Keats stopped her short.

"May I ask you a few questions, Mrs. Zigg?" Keats asked.

"Mrs. Heifman, you boob. And hell no, I won't answer any questions." She growled, attempting to shut the door.

"Don't you know if you refuse to cooperate, the police take notice? If you're innocent and all that, you should show me." Keats held her foot in the door to keep it open.

"Fine."

Twenty minutes later, Keats had all the information she needed to make a conviction. The only thing left to do was connect the physical evidence with Mrs. Heifman's testimony.

"Check it out, Boa Vista. Witnesses contest that Zigg was in his dressing room at the time of the shooting. Clippo was murdered backstage. The only people with that kind of access are the performers and their families."

"Are you saying that Zigg's wife-"

"That's exactly what I'm saying. Take another look at the evidence and you'll know I'm right." Keats crossed her arms over her chest.

"Ugh. You're lucky this time, K.J." Natalia groaned. They shared a look and burst into laughter.

Suddenly a woman rushed into the lab that looked like one of the receptionists.

"Ms. Remington, there's an urgent phone call for you."

Keats listened as her mother began talking. But she never heard a word. She knew immediately what had happened. She could feel it in her bones, in her heart. It was as close to her as Patty had been.

But no more.

Keats bit her lip, listening to her mother drone on and on about the accident and how sorry she was. As if that would make it all better. Keats felt the tears rise again.

Damn my hunches. Why the hell didn't I stop her??? I killed my best friend.

Keats dropped the phone and sank to the ground. She huddled into a corner, weeping silently, rocking back and forth.

"I could have saved her." She whispered to herself. Horatio kneeled beside her, placing a fatherly hand on her shoulder.

"No. There was nothing you could have done, June." He murmured. She clung to him desperately, grateful for his kind words.

"Will you stop looking at me like that, Jelly? Don't be so damn depressed."

"I can't help it. I hate goodbyes." Keats hugged herself, trying to get rid of the cold feeling inside her.

"Listen, kiddo: Goodbye doesn't mean forever." Patty said, pulling Keats close for one last hug.

"So…goodbye for now, Peanut Butter. But just for now." Keats said, smiling through her tears.

"Just for now." Patty repeated.

Keats cried into Horatio's shoulder, her world shattering into thousands of painful pieces.