"Dance. This is the way they would love if they knew how misery loved me."

Nick Stokes prodded the crumpled piece of paper slightly before taking a picture of it from it's position on the floor. Stepping back he looked at the body of the girl handing from the basketball hoop and shook his head. Nick walked over to the rest of the CSI team where Greg was consoling a young teenage girl and signaled David, the coroner, that he was done.

"Shh. It's ok. I know," Greg Sanders said softly trying to calm the girl who was crying on his shoulder.

The girl raised her head and looked up at him and managed a smile. Turning around she acknowledged Nick.

"Hey Nicky," came her voice sounding slightly defeated and hoarse from too much crying.

"Hey Kace," said offering a comforting smile but in his mind he was thinking, 'Poor kid. This is just too much.'

Nick's Thoughts

Not ten minutes after I arrived at HQ this morning Grissom came rushing into the break room where the graveyard shift sat. All I remember him saying was that there was a death that had occurred at Durango High School. The first thing that came to my mind was "Dear God, please let Kacey not be involved." But then that's probably what every one thought. The look on Greg's face would have been funny if the matter hadn't been so serious and close to home. We all know Kacey is like the little sister he never had. Anyway Greg lead us out of HQ. He was the first to arrive at DHS with the rest of us not far behind. Our fear soon subsided when we saw that little 'Clandestine Industries' hoodie clad figure with the brown and acid green hair, sitting on the bench.

Greg's Thoughts

I swear when Grissom came in this morning saying that a death had happened at Kacey's school, my heart must have skipped several beats. I ran out of the break room and down the hall getting stares from everyone as I sped out of HQ and into the parking lot. Behind me I could hear the footsteps of the rest of the shift but I didn't slow down. Not once. Not until I had parked my Denali in the DHS parking lot. I heard Grissom and Nick's SUV's come to a stop shortly after mine. But by that time I was already running towards the school's front entrance. As I came upon the benches I saw, well actually I heard before I saw, and figure on the benches crying. Once I saw the acid green streaks in the hair I let out a breath I apparently had been holding and wasn't aware of.

"Hello Kacey," Det. Jim Brass said as he walked up to the group.

Kacey in return offered a half-hearted wave. Brass just nodded.

"Ok. Kacey, why don't you go on back to the station with Officer Straton. Ok? Good girl."

Brass waited until Kacey was gone before he spoke to the Grissom's team.

"This is what I got from the principal; The vic's name is Anaheim Evie Schreiber and is apparently an A+ student. She and Kacey have been best friends since Kacey moved here some years ago. Anaheim was on the volleyball team, school newspaper, and drama club."

Nick tilted his head slightly, "Possibly suicide? Bad home life? Unhappy at all?"

Brass shook his head.

"That's what I thought but her sister said that she also got on well with her teachers and most of her peers and had a great home life."

Grissom nodded and looked around.

"Ok then. Greg ask around with some of the teachers. See if they ever witnessed any spats between Anaheim and other students. Catherine and Sara, you two head back to HQ and see if you can talk to Kacey. She might be in shock. If so you know the psychiatrist's number. Warrick, you and Nick scope out the top part of the gym," Grissom said motioning to the walkway above the bleachers. Jim and I'll look around down here on the floor."

"Right."

Kacey walked around CSI HQ like she was in a stupor. She may have been there physically but definitely not mentally. Officer Straton had escorted her in because she had began to cry just as they passed 'Stratosphere Las Vegas'. He had had to walk behind her with his hands placed on her shoulders to guide her into the reception area where Judy had waved at her but all Kacey could do was look back at her blankly. So now here she was wandering through the halls like she was lost. She could have swore she heard Hodges say something to her but she wouldn't stake her life on it. Finally she stopped outside of Grissom's office and sat in the floor. Drawing her knees up to her chest as best she could she rester her head on her arms and just sat there, not exactly sure what to do.
At that moment on the other side of the building Catherine Willows and Sara Sidle walked in the front doors.

"Hey Judy," Catherine said, "Has Kacey came in yet?"

"Oh hi Mrs. Willows. Yes she went that way, "Judy offered pointing in the direction of the labs.

"Thanks, Judy. Come on Sara."

After asking several lab technicians including Hodges the two women found the teenage girl lying in a fetal position facing the wall.

"Oh dear," Catherine said looking at Sara who was staring at Kacey while her mouth hung open.

Closing her mouth Sara walked over to the girl, followed by Catherine, and got on her knees.

"Kacey?" She asked softly putting her hand on Kacey's shoulder and rolling her slowly onto her back.

"Hmm," came Kacey's reply whilst staring at the ceiling.

"Hi Kace. It's Sara. Remember? I don't think we sw each other at the high school."

Kacey mumbled something softly.

"What was that honey?" Catherine asked leaning forward slightly.

Kacey mumbled again . This time it was slightly clearer.

"Anaheim."

"Yes, Kacey," Sara said after sharing a glance with the red head woman beside her.

"Dead. Hanging. Gross." Kacey said stuttering slightly.

"Here, wait a minute Kacey. Sara help me taker her into the break room," Catherine said helping the teenager up. Shortly after that, Kacey Johnson was sitting at the round table with a steaming cup of Greg's precious Blue Hawaiian coffee in front of her.

"You sure Greg won't mind Sar?"

"Cath, it's Kacey who's drinking it," came the younger woman's reply.

"True," Catherine said turning back to Kacey.

"Ok Kacey. You were saying something about Anaheim. Were you the first to see her in her uh, current condition?"

Kacey nodded slightly and spoke in a small voice very un-Kacey like.

"It was horrible. My friend Patrick drove me to school and we got there early so I cut through the gym this morning to go the girls locker room because I had left my notebook in there on Friday. And they leave the gym unlocked for some reason. Well the wind was blowing unbelievably hard and it was so cold. It being December and you know how the lows in the early morning are at least in the 30's."

Both women nodded as Kacey took a sip of her coffee. Trying to calm herself she took a deep breath before she continued.

"So I ran up the stone walk up to the door and pushed on it. Honestly I wish I had been listening to my new Fall Out Boy cd and been oblivious to everything around me. But I wasn't and what I saw was..."

"Anaheim Schreiber hanging from the basketball hoop," Sarah finished for the girl.

Kacey nodded as several tears leaked out of her eye. Quickly she wiped them away and looked at the women in front of her. The look on her face pitiful and her voice pained.

"I lost my daddy a year ago, my mom three months ago, and now my best friend," she took a sip of coffee, " Please do your best to find her killer. Please."