A/N: Thanks to everyone that has continued to read along. I'm honored.
Sorry for not posting sooner, but I've been having trouble writing these next couple of chapters. But, I now have a week off school, so, fingers crossed, I shall be spending a lot more time writing and posting.
Just as a warning, Catherine's part in this chapter was very difficult to write, as she is such a strong minded character, so, I apologise if she is slightly out of character. Please let me know what you think about her story line so far, so I can figure out whether I take it further or not.
Enjoy.
Take care.
Paige


Chapter seventeen

Catherine and Warrick were now sat in the evidence room, with their gloves on and their kits open.

"Why's he doing this Rick?" Catherine took her gloves off and threw them in the bin at the far corner of the room.

"You worked his case didn't you?" Warrick bagged the letter and too threw his gloves into the bin.

"Yeah. Along with Sara. And as far as I know, she's not getting anything." Catherine walked up to the table and looked down at the note. "I don't understand what I've done to deserve this."

Warrick came up behind her and wiped away a tear that had started to roll down her cheek.

Catherine turned round and threw her arms around him as she let the tears flow freely.

"Shh." Warrick ran his fingers threw her hair. Trying his best to sooth her.

Nick had seated himself back at the table in the break room with his mail. He held a postcard in his hand.

"Hey man." Greg came in and placed himself opposite Nick.

"Hey Greggo." Nick looked up from his hands, briefly glancing at Greg.

"Who's the lucky lady?" Greg gestured towards the postcard in Nick's hand.

"Oh. It's from my mom. She's on vacation in New York." Nick put the card on the top of his pile of mail. "What's up man?"

"Just saw Catherine in the evidence room with Warrick."

"What's she doing in there? She hasn't got a case yet, none of us have." Nick stood, tucking his mail into his pocket.

"She seemed pretty upset. I'm uhm gonna ca..."

"Don't call Grissom or Sara, Greg. Wait until we've spoken to Catherine."

"Okay." Greg walked out the room and headed back to Hodges.

While Grissom was away and Ecklie had ordered him not to work out in the field, he was working along side Hodges and Wendy.

Nick on the other hand, hadn't received his assignment for the shift, and he had already wrapped up the case from his previous one. So, he just sat in the break room with a coffee reading one of the magazines that Sara had left behind her.

After calming down, Catherine handed out the assignments.

Nick worked a solo. A robbery, ten miles south of Vegas.

Catherine teamed herself up with Warrick to work on the strip strangler case.

She put Greg on-call for Nick.

She did all her paperwork and even attempted to phone Grissom after she and Warrick had finished processing the evidence that had turned up at the end of swing shift.

Two hours later

Catherine sat at home, the image of the letter that Adam Trent had sent to her running through her mind.

Warrick sat next to her on the couch. The pair had decided to take off early. Nick and Greg seemed to be handling the lab well, and Catherine just couldn't seem to keep the tears from coming.

Catherine snuggled into Warrick as the tears began to fall once more.

"Shh. Cath come-on. Stop this. You're stronger than this." Warrick pulled her close to him as she continued to allow the tears to flow.

"I'm scared Rick... I wanna get some sleep." Catherine looked up at Warrick and smiled through the slow trickle of tears. "Stay."

"Cath. I-I can't." Warrick bowed his head and stood.

"But. You promised! You said you weren't gonna leave me! I need you Warrick! Don't make me..."

"Make you what, Catherine?" Warrick stood in front of Catherine and starred down at her.