The third in a series of one-shots based on lines from Fall Out Boy Songs.

Author's Note: Each main character will have a chapter based on a line. I have chosen to write everything in first person…we'll see how it turns out.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Nothing at all. I just like to pretend I do.

Spoilers: Possibly.

Pairings: Catherine & Warrick, suggested pairings Catherine & Grissom, Nick & Sara

Reviews are greatly appreciated.

Warrick

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"The best part of 'believe' is the 'lie'."

'Sophomore Slump or Comeback of the Year'

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I didn't just fall for Catherine. I fell hard. She's amazing. Beautiful, brilliant, graceful, charming, tough, caring, confident…she's everything I've ever wanted in a woman. I am 100% head over heels in love with Catherine Willows.

The problem? She doesn't love me.

Sure, she says she loves me. And I guess she does, to some extent. If she didn't, she wouldn't let me spend night after night (or, rather, day after day) with her.

But she doesn't love me like I love her.

From the moment I met Cath, I've felt an attraction toward her, which I found odd. Sure, she's amazingly gorgeous with a kickin' body, but I usually don't go for women with kids…or women who are older than me.

But the fact that she's six years older than me doesn't matter. And despite her obvious behavioral issues, I love Lindsay too. I know I could never replace her father, or even her beloved "Uncle Gil", but she and I have really grown on each other. I thought Lindsay liking me would help Catherine to feel more secure in our relationship.

So far, it hasn't.

I don't regret for a minute taking our friendship to a romantic level, but I wish we had taken things slower. I mean, after eight years of friendship and flirting I should have at least taken her out for dinner before jumping into bed with her. But, in our defense, alcohol was involved in that life-changing night.

That's right, life-changing. At least, life-changing for me.

I want more than just a sexual relationship with Catherine. I want a life with her. Shocking, huh? Almost any man in the crime lab - heck, almost any man in Vegas – would kill for a chance to have what I have with her. But I've never been a no-strings-attached kind of guy.

That's why I didn't run off immediately after we slept together that first time. Instead, I stayed and made lunch for the two of us. Then, that night I called and offered to pick her up since the battery in her Tahoe was dead. Of course, she wouldn't let me bring her to work; she had Gil drive her instead. She said people might start to talk if they saw us together. She wanted things to remain professional between us while we were working.

Quite frankly, I didn't – and still don't - give a crap who knows about us. I wouldn't mind telling anyone and everyone that I'm with Catherine.

But here we are, a year later, and we are still keeping our relationship a secret.

Sure, people have their suspicions. Gil has never formally said anything to me or Cath, but I can tell he knows we're more than just friends. Everyone else…well, who knows what they think? Gossip has always run rampant through the lab, so they're probably too busy trying to sort out the rumors they've heard.

I want to spend the rest of my life with her. I want a future with her. I've already bought an engagement ring…but I know I can't give it to her yet.

Sometimes when she's lying in my arms, Catherine will list all the reasons why we shouldn't be together. We work together. She's older than me. She doesn't want more children, but someday I'll want a family of my own. I tell her that I don't want anyone else, that she's the only girl for me.

Then she'll roll over and look deep into my eyes. I'll tell her I love her, and she'll say she loves me. I can see the internal conflict in her eyes as she says it, but I'll choose to ignore it. Then she'll kiss me, and I'll try to convince myself to believe what she's saying.

It's what we do. She lies because she knows it's what I want to hear, and I pretend to believe her…because it's what I want to hear.