Chapter 7
Wednesday June 2nd, 2010
1516 La Porte Court
Henderson, Nevada
4:15 p.m.
After Catherine had talked with Nick and Sara, and tried on numerous occasions to talk with Liz, to no avail, as Liz seemed adept at avoiding her, so Sara came up with a plan. If they, as a group of friends, were going to move on, they needed to get everything, everything, out in the open. Get it out of the way so they could continue on with the future.
And so the idea of a group dinner came into existence, and so, finally after over a week of planning, they had everyone at hers and Warrick's, she having made dinner rather than this counting as one of the guy's night's to cook, and everyone, from Jim and Sophia, down to Lindsey as she waited for Ricky to come pick her up for the movie they were going to, was gathered in the living room as she moved around the kitchen working on final touches. And shooing Liz and the other girls out of the kitchen every few minutes.
Which reminded her; before Lindsey left they needed to give her the new charm for her bracelet...something they'd started when she and the team won their first competition. She and Warrick had been roaming the mall and seen a delicate gold charm bracelet, with a single charm of a pom pom. Each subsequent competition they had given her a new one; and as, once again, Lindsey and the girls, and boys, had won the nationals.
Catching Warrick's eye she waved him in to the kitchen and after a few whispered words he went to grab the card and package as she called Lindsey in to get help with setting the table so he could let everyone sign the card.
Smiling when she saw the all clear sign from Warrick she sent the girl back out to the front room before turning back to check on the two lasagnas. Lindsey had made the meat one that afternoon while she was sleeping and thus got out of seeing any meat in her kitchen.
Pulling them out she smiled as Lindsey thanked everyone for the card and began reading the various notes aloud, laughing when Greg's announced she was going to change the world, one cheerleading competition at a time. Setting the lasagnas on the stove, Sara pulled off the oven mitts before turning and leaning against the wall so she could watch as Lindsey opened her present.
"Oh wow! You guys found a little cheerleader," Lindsey laughed as she held up the charm. "Thank you," she continued as she rose and gave Warrick a hug before heading towards Sara, who smiled before hugging her.
Stepping back she grabbed the jeweler's tool before handing it to her. "Have fun," Sara smiled.
"Always," Lindsey laughed as she went back and slipped her bracelet off as she searched for the right spot among the other cheerleading charms, and other charms marking special moments.
Moments after Lindsey had placed the charm and placed the bracelet back on her wrist, as she was showing it to Liz, the doorbell rang and she grinned from ear to ear. Warrick beat her to the door and opened it before looking up and down at the person on the doorstep. "Just how fancy is this movie?" he asked with a smirk.
"It's the re-showing of Julia Robert's and Dennis Quaid's Something to Talk About at the old theater," came the answer as Warrick stepped back and Ricardo Serrano came in, bearing a bouquet of pink roses he presented Lindsey with.
A few minutes later the roses were in a vase on the mantle in the family room, and Lindsey and Ricky were walking to his car as Sara brought food out to the table and Catherine just shook her head.
"Not half bad is he?" Sara asked suddenly from behind her.
"No, he's not," Catherine smiled. "I just can't believe my daughter has a steady boyfriend...I suddenly feel very old."
"Imagine how I feel, I'm how many years younger than you," Sara teased. "Dinner is ready everyone," she continued to the room at large.
"Alright Sara, spit it out. What's the real reason behind this dinner?" questioned Nick as everyone settled themselves at the dining room table.
"Well, I have a theory,." Sara began as she stabbed a piece of lettuce. "If we're ever going to be in the same room without any sort of tension, that is any not related to romantic tension, we need to clear the air," Sara continued before taking a bite.
"And considering we have enough romantic tension with this group..." Greg drew out before Mia smacked his head.
"Ignore my idiot fiancé," she added before taking a drink.
"Done," half the room chorused.
"Anyway, so I figured...if we manage it in one instance, it is done and over with," she shrugged
"So that's why you talked Jim into taking lunch at this time and me into not sleeping," Sophia mused.
"Yup," Sara nodded. "Sorry, know how much you need your sleep," she added as Sophia just rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, yeah, this from the queen of not sleeping. Sure you're sorry, you just want to get the rest of us living in your scary little kingdom." Sophia teased.
"Yes, it's my evil plan. Once I have you in the cycle, you'll be trapped forever and we can solve all the crimes in the world in a matter of weeks."
"Scary plot there, Sunshine," Jim smirked.
"I know...I'm not exactly at the top of my game. Too much sleep lately. My brain's not awake. I blame him," she added as she pointed at Warrick with her fork.
"Hey, you're the one who went on the date when I asked. You can't blame me for anything that has occurred as a result," Warrick countered with a smile.
"Damn, so I can't blame you for my getting totally confused in wedding plans," Sara sighed. "Oh well, maybe I should just go with a nice Jewish wedding as payback on you," she smirked.
"Hey, fine by me. I'm just not into wearing a tallit. No offence to the culture and religion of Judaism, but some how I don't imagine I'd look good in a robe."
Sara laughed as she sat back. "That's a Kitel, Love. A Tallit is the prayer shawl," she giggled. "God, my poor Bubbeh would drop dead if she was at my wedding and my husband was confusing the proper garments."
"I personally can't picture Warrick here in a yamaka," mused Liz. "How in the world would we get it to stay on that hair of his? Nothing against your hair Warrick, just being realistic here."
"Bubbeh?" Nick asked at the same time, as Sara giggled over Liz's comment.
"Sadly, I think I have to wear a yamaka regardless if she wants any part of a Jewish ceremony," Warrick sighed.
"Guess we better stock up on hair pins and hair spray then," giggled Liz.
"Don't worry, that's what thread and bobby pins are for, to get it to stay," Sara finally spoke as she caught her breath. "And Bubbeh is my grandmother. Amazing really, nearly two decades of not following my faith, once I start up again, even in small doses, my Yiddish just slips in my mindset," she shrugged before smiling. "Fortunately for Warrick, Bubbeh Rebekah's been gone for years."
"Should I have been worried about what your grandparents would have thought of me?" Warrick asked with a smile.
"Well, they would have loved you, except the fact that you aren't a nice Jewish boy, or the son of the Rabbi," Sara smiled. "You remember Fiddler on the Roof...yeah my grandmother was the matchmaker."
"Scary," Greg shuddered.
"Hey, watch what you say about my Bubbeh," Sara countered. "Hate to break it to you, but at one time I was to take over as community matchmaker."
"Now, that is scary," laughed Jim.
Sara looked over at him and raised an eyebrow. "What? I would have had you and Katrina married years before you actually tied the knot."
"Really? So, how would you have paired everyone up at this table?" Jim countered.
"Hmm," Sara sat back as she thought. "Well Archie definitely would have ended up with Lai and Jacqui with Mark. They're perfect for each other. Bobby would have ended up with Carolyn. And Dave would have married Danielle like he did..." she began.
"What about me?" Greg asked
Sara looked over at him before shrugging. "Bubbeh would have declared you unmatchable."
"What?" he asked as his mouth dropped open.
"So, who would your Bubbeh have matched me with?" Mia asked with a smile.
"Hmm... in our group?"
"Yeah."
Sara looked around before frowning slightly. "Warrick."
"Well, thank God your grandmother didn't arrange our marriages," Mia laughed and Warrick nodded.
"What about Liz?" Jacqui asked.
Sara looked over at Liz before smiling. "Nick actually," she answered.
Liz, who had been taking a drink at the time of Sara's answer, started choking on it. "What?" she squeaked when she was able to breathe again, sharing a quick glance with Nick across the table before turning her gaze back to Sara.
Sara tilted her head as she looked at her. "Well, based on the rules of matchmaking, of everyone in the group you and Nick are the best match for each other," she explained as she studied Liz.
"The rules of matchmaking?" wondered Nick curiously. "What makes us the best match for each other?"
"Ahh, well that I can not share. The rules are only passed down to Jacob women," Sara answered with a shrug. /-/Shit!/-/
"Well if you can't tell us that, then can you at least tell us who you'd pair Catherine with?" wondered Nick
"In the group in this room?"
"Yes," replied Nick. "That was the how this whole thing started. Jim wanted to know how you'd pair up everyone at the table."
"Actually..." Sara began with a frown. "No one."
"Should I be worried, or thankful that there is no one at this table that Sara would match me with?" Catherine mused before taking a drink of her water.
"Calleigh thinks she'd be good with Horatio actually," commented Liz.
Sara stopped and thought over what she knew of Horatio Caine. "That...actually that would be a match Bubbeh would make."
"You know Calleigh? Calleigh Duquesne?" questioned Catherine.
"Yes I do. It's actually how I first met you Catherine," replied Liz tightly.
"You met me because of Calleigh?"
"Yes Catherine, I first met you when I went to see my friend Calleigh and it's because of you I almost continued on to San Francisco and didn't come to see Warrick at all," Liz told her.
"And why is that?" wondered Catherine.
"Because when I met you, the way you treated a total stranger there to visit her friend made me believe that I was destined to always be thought of the same way, regardless of the city or the lab. Why should I waste my time coming to see Warrick when I was almost guaranteed to face the same stereotypes that I had been facing my whole life? It was only because Calleigh assured me that Warrick was not like the others that I even decided to come at all," explained Liz.
"I don't remember this meeting you keep referring to," commented Catherine.
"You may not but I do and I'd honestly thought I'd put it and you behind me until you showed up here a number of weeks ago," replied Liz.
"So what happened?" wondered Nick curiously.
"Well as I said, I was there to see Calleigh…"
Liz was standing in the reception area of the Miami-Dade Criminalistics Bureau waiting for her friend Calleigh Duquesne. She was feeling rather out of place and was cursing her decision not to change after the try outs, so here she was standing in reception in a tank top, spandex shorts and her running shoes with a duffel bag at her feet that had a pass on it for Dolphin Stadium. Her long blonde hair was tied up in a ponytail and she had sunglasses perched on the top of her head. She wasn't uncomfortable because of what she was wearing but because of the looks she kept getting from some of the people that passed by her. She was getting leers and suggestive looks and comments from the men and disapproving looks from the women. Regardless of who was looking at her and what they were thinking, they all saw the same thing. They saw the pretty young out going bubbly blonde, not the quiet reserved brain that the pretty exterior was hiding.
"Can I help you?" someone asked coldly from behind Liz.
Liz turned around and came face to face with a woman about an inch shorter than her, with strawberry blonde hair. She looked to be in her mid-forties. The most disturbing thing for Liz were the woman's eyes. They were a green-blue color but they were ice cold causing Liz to flinch back from the woman. "I'm a…waiting for someone," Liz replied a little nervously causing her accent to thicken slightly more than it normally was.
And who might this someone be?" demanded Catherine.
"My sister Calleigh Duquesne," replied Liz.
"Calleigh doesn't have a sister," snapped Catherine growing impatient. "If you don't tell me the truth soon I'll have you escorted off the premises.
"I am telling you the truth," snapped Liz. "Calleigh is my sorority sister and I'm here to see her. My name's Elizabeth Fabrey," Liz said holding out her hand
"Her sorority sister?" repeated Catherine with disdain glancing down at Liz's extended hand before returning her gaze to Liz's face, not once raising her hand
"Yes," replied Liz dropping her hand back down to her side, not liking the tone Catherine had used nor the look she was now getting that was telling Liz exactly what Catherine thought of her and it was not very flattering. "Calleigh and I went to Tulane together. I was in town so I thought I would stop by and see her."
"Calleigh is out on a case right now. There is no telling when she'll be back and when she is she'll be too busy to play catch up so you're wasting your time waiting here for her. Why don't you leave your name and number at the desk and just run along back to whatever flea ridden motel you're staying in and I'll let her know you stopped by," Catherine said crossing her arms over her chest.
"You know what? Don't bother. I can see it was a mistake coming here," commented Liz as she picked up her duffel bag and swung it over her shoulder before brushing past Catherine on her way out of the building.
"If you say so, Sweetheart," mumbled Catherine before turning and continuing on down the hall in the opposite direction to the way that Liz had gone moments before.
Liz went back to her hotel and decided to go for a walk and think things through and try to decide if being a CSI was really worth all the hassles she'd been having to live with on a daily basis or if she should just go back to doing the cheerleading full time. The New Orleans Saints wanted her back full time and she had received calls from the Miami Dolphins, the San Francisco 49ers, the Dallas Cowboys and the Carolina Panthers. She'd already spoken with the Carolina Panthers and after Miami she was on her way to speak with the 49ers before heading to Dallas to speak with the Cowboys.
Liz was so caught up in her thoughts that she never heard her name being called as she passed through her hotel lobby, not until the person grabbed her by the arm and stopped her.
"Liz, honey what is it?" asked Calleigh in concern when she noticed the sadness in her friend's eyes.
"It's nothing," replied Liz quietly.
"It's not nothing, Liz," argued Calleigh. "Come with me."
"Where are we going?"
"Somewhere where we can talk," Calleigh said as she dragged her friend into the hotel restaurant. Once they were seated and their orders taken Calleigh turned back to her friend. "What's going on Liz? Why are you here in Miami?"
"There's nothing going on Cal, really…"
"Liz please. This is me you're talking to. I know you. You don't just suddenly show up unannounced in Miami without a reason. Please tell me what's going on."
Liz waited until after the waitress had placed their orders down in front of them before sighing. "Alright Cal. You're right. I quit."
"You quit?" asked Calleigh in confusion. "Liz tell me you didn't."
"I did. I quit about a week ago. I couldn't take it anymore Cal. You don't know what it's been like since Matt left," sighed Liz in defeat.
"Matt Wilson? The supervisor that convinced you to become a CSI in the first place?" asked Calleigh.
"Yeah. He left about a year and a half ago, shortly after I passed my proficiency. Things were great while he was there. I was actually being given a shot and a chance to learn. He saw past the exterior to the real person underneath this blonde hair," replied Liz as she twisted a few strands of her hair around her finger.
"I take it things went downhill after that," mused Calleigh worriedly.
"That's putting it mildly Cal. After Matt left they brought in this supervisor by the name of Jason MacIverson and with him came his own hand picked team, of which I was not a part. It also doesn't help that we had a new Assistant Director who MacIverson was in cahoots with. I was told in no uncertain terms that if I wanted to advance as a CSI there was only one way to do that and it had nothing to do with my brain," explained Liz.
"Let me guess, it was on your back right?" asked Calleigh sadly.
"Yes. When I refused, I soon found myself with less and less cases to work and I was soon being their gopher and eventually I was back in the DNA lab making less money than I was when I first started out in the DNA lab. It got to the point where just to make ends meet I contacted my old coach with the Saints and started cheering part-time again," replied Liz.
"I realize that the situation was getting worse but something had to have happened Liz to make you suddenly up and quit like you did. It's not like you to do something like that, not without having something else to go to," commented Calliegh.
"I was assaulted by one of the CSIs that work for Jason. He cornered me in the locker room and tried to rape me," replied Liz quietly.
"Oh Liz, I'm sorry. Did you report it?"
"Of course I did but it didn't make any difference. Neither MacIverson nor Assistant Director Jonathan Parker believed me. They said that whatever happened, happened because I wanted it to and that I deserved what I got because I was nothing but a cock tease. I couldn't take it anymore Cal so I quit right then and there."
"So, what are you going to do now? Are you going to apply at other labs?" wondered Calleigh. She was starting to get an idea of how she might be able to help her friend but needed to know where her head was.
"I've tried Cal. I've been trying to get out of that lab for almost a year now but every time another lab has expressed an interest, I would get black listed by Parker and MacIverson and any possible job is suddenly filled and I'm right back to where I started. I don't think I can take much more of this Cal and after this afternoon I'm not sure I want to. I'm thinking I'll just go back to doing what I'm good at and where I'm wanted. That's actually why I'm in Miami. I had meetings with the Dolphins for the past few days and I'm off to San Francisco tomorrow to meet with the 49ers," explained Liz.
"What happened this afternoon that would turn you off so much?" asked Calleigh in confusion.
"I had a little run in with one of your colleagues and she was less than pleasant to me. Makes me think that no matter what lab I end up in they're all going to be like the one in New Orleans and I can't go through that again Calleigh. I'd rather go back to being a cheerleader full time than put up with the crap I've been dealing with for the past year and a half," sighed Liz in defeat.
"What if I told you that I know of a lab where the people aren't like that?" asked Calleigh.
"I'd tell you that you were dreaming because such a place doesn't exist," answered Liz.
"Listen Liz, I know things haven't been the easiest for you over the years but would you do this for me? Would you at least go and meet with them and then decide?" pleaded Calleigh.
"All right," sighed Liz. "I'll go and meet with this person. Where is this lab?"
"Las Vegas," replied Calleigh as she pulled out a piece of paper and wrote the address of the lab down and the name of the person she should speak to.
"I have a lay over in Vegas on my way to San Francisco. I'll stop by then," agreed Liz.
The two friends spent the rest of the evening catching up on old times and what Calleigh was up to now as well as Liz's meetings with the Saints, the Panthers and the Dolphins.
"I'm here to see Warrick Brown," Liz told the receptionist at the Las Vegas Criminalistics Bureau the following evening. At least this time she felt a little more comfortable in the reception area, not much though given the fact that she had her suitcase with her but at least this time she was dressed in a short sleeve t-shirt and jeans.
"Let me call and find out where he his for you," the receptionist smiled before picking up her phone. After a few moments of conversation she hung up. "He's on his way down now."
A few minutes later a man stepped into the reception area and spotting her came straight to her. "Liz Fabrey?"
"Hello," Liz replied. "Are you Warrick Brown?"
"Yes I am," he smiled. "Would you like some coffee or something? We can go to the break room and talk," he offered.
"Some water would be nice. It was a long flight," commented Liz as she followed Warrick down the hall to the break room.
"Would you like me to take your suitcase?" he offered as they walked.
"Uhm…okay," replied Liz a little hesitantly as she handed the handle of her suitcase over.
"So how was your flight? Other than being long?" he asked as they reached the break room and he let her walk in ahead of him before setting her suitcase down by the table as he walked towards he fridge and grabbed two bottles of water.
"Not bad," Liz said as she stood next to the table, her arms around her protectively. "About as good as a cross country flight could be I guess."
"I can imagine. I remember what it was like to fly from here to Miami when we had a cross-jurisdiction case," he smiled and returned to the table. "Here you go." he continued handing her the water.
"Thanks," replied Liz taking the bottle of water. "I don't even really know why I'm here. I agreed to meet with you because Calleigh said you were different than the others."
"Well, it's nice to hear Calleigh thinks so highly of me," Warrick smiled. "But I hear you're on your way to San Francisco?" he continued as he sat down. "Visiting family?" he asked hoping to get her talking.
"My family's from Charleston, South Carolina actually. I'm on my way to San Francisco to see about a job," answered Liz as she sat down opposite Warrick. "I had a lay over here in Vegas so I agreed to come in. I don't really know why but I did."
"Well, for whatever reason you agreed, it's nice to meet someone Calliegh has praised so highly," Warrick countered carefully. "So, CSI to CSI...what do you think of the job we do?" he asked before taking a drink.
"It's a little hard for me to tell quite honestly," sighed Liz. "Considering I've only spent about six months out in the field and my last case was about a year and half ago I don't think I'm qualified to give an answer. I hold a B.S. and a Masters in Biochemistry and have spent most of my time buried in a DNA lab and my foray out into the field was rather short lived." she finished a touch of bitterness entering her voice.
"Why don't they have you in the field?" he asked with a frown. "Unless you prefer being in the lab..." he continued quickly.
"It's the opinion of the Assistant Director and my shift supervisor that I'm not cut out for work in the field because I'm not smart enough and like any good woman, I should know my place. In my case that would be either flat on my back under them and if not there then in the DNA lab processing their evidence," Liz told him with a self-deprecating smile.
Warrick just stared at her in shock for a few moments. "That's crap," he blurted before frowning. "Sorry," he continued quickly. "But that is wrong...very wrong. I'd love to introduce those two to Sara...she'd beat the daylights out of them," he continued shaking his head.
Liz sat there blinking, her mouth opening and closing for a moment before shutting completely. She was shocked. She did not know what to say or how to respond. She had never met a man that treated her in the manner that the one before her was.
"Sorry, I probably just confused the hell out of you," Warrick continued shaking his head. "Sara is a CSI 3 on Nights here, we used to both work nights until I was transferred to Swing a few years ago now. For the most part, she doesn't take crap from anyone, and doesn't let men tell her what to do," he explained with a soft smile. "Have you thought about leaving where you're at? Going somewhere else where you'd be appreciated for your abilities?" he asked after a moment.
"I've tried but I've basically been black listed by the AD and shift supervisor. I quit about a week ago actually." explained Liz, still a little shocked by Warrick's reaction.
Warrick snorted. "I'd like to see that AD of yours reach outside his state. They aren't as powerful as they like to think they are. We had an idiot of one a few years ago, thought he ruled the world. In the end, he ended up on the curb just like the next person who ticked off their boss,." he smirked in remembrance. "You shouldn't give up the job if you like it though." he continued softly.
"I don't want to give it up but I don't have much of a choice," sighed Liz. "By trying to protect myself from my home life I seem to have created an image I can't seem to shake and it's not one that is helping me much at this point in time. All people see when they look at me is the dumb blonde cheerleader who doesn't have a brain in her head. They don't look past that to see that that is nothing more than a protective shield."
"Liz..." Warrick began. "Do you mind if I call you Liz?"
"That or Beth is fine," replied Liz quietly.
"Well which do you prefer?" he asked softly.
"It doesn't matter. I answer to both," Liz shrugged.
"Alright then, for now I'll stick with Liz," he shrugged. "But Liz... ave I seemed to be seeing you just as a dumb blonde cheerleader?"
Liz sat there for a moment before shaking her head. "No. You haven't which to me is quite surprising actually."
"I'm sorry that it is that way," Warrick sighed. "Liz...would you be willing to give it a shot here in Vegas?" he asked after a moment. "I can't be a hundred percent sure, but I can say that the majority of those here will not judge you based on your past or appearance."
"How can you be so sure of that?"
"I'm addicted to gambling," he began after a moment. "Seven years ago my addiction indirectly led to the death of a new CSI. Everyone knew about my problem, and for a number of years, it was held against me by some people in the unit. But there were others who accepted me regardless. And all these years later there are those who would see my record and assume, but at the same time, I have my friends and co-workers who know and don't care. One of those co-workers is even the woman who came to Vegas to investigate my involvement in Holly's death, and she'd be the first to defend me. She'd probably be the first to hit someone for making a comment about it too, if the comment were severe enough."
"So does this mean that there might actually be a job for me here?" wondered Liz quietly, not quite sure if she was reading him correctly.
"Yes it does," he smiled just as a woman walked into the break room, head buried in paperwork and mumbling to herself
"God, the man is a dead man."
"There's a dead man in the lab?" Warrick asked with a laugh and the woman looked up before smiling.
"Greg switched my sandwich for his roast beef," she explained shaking her head. "Hello," she continued when she saw Liz.
"Liz Fabrey, this is Sara Sidle, level three from nights. Sara this is Liz Fabrey, she's a friend of Calliegh's and is a CSI out of New Orleans."
"Hi," Liz greeted holding out her hand towards Sara.
"Hello," Sara smiled at her as they shook hands. "Sorry, you come visiting and you get to hear about my plans to kill another CSI."
"I'm trying to convince Liz here to come join us. We have that opening on Swing now that Jamieson is gone," Warrick continued.
"Thank God that man is gone," Sara smiled as she sunk into a chair. "He was a complete ass," she explained to Liz. "So what's your specialty?" she asked curious.
"I hold a Masters degree in biochemistry from Tulane, which is how I know Calleigh," replied Liz. "If that offer still stands Mr. Brown then I'd be more than happy to take it. It will just take me a few weeks to get my stuff moved out here from New Orleans."
"As far as I'm concerned, it still stands. We'll have to go see the Sheriff and the A.D., but I'm pretty sure they're going to take one look at you and see the same thing I did, and they'll extend the offer as well. As for Swing's supervisor...he can accept that he didn't get a say later," Warrick smiled.
"Well, I'll let you two handle Pete and Tony, I'm off to go track down Greggo and ring his neck. Oh and word of warning, never leave your food around him," Sara smiled as she looked at Liz while rising. "See you later," she added before heading back the way she'd come, only for them to hear her yell Greg's name seconds later followed by a 'Come Back Here you Cannibal!'
"I was hired about an hour or two later, moved out here and started my life over. Warrick took me under his wing and became my mentor and because I spent a lot of time with him, I in turn spent a lot of time with Sara and we became best friends. That's also how I got to know Lindsey. One thing you need to realize Catherine is that cheerleading has changed a lot since you were a cheerleader and I didn't intentionally set out to turn Lindsey into one. As I've told you before she was already on the squad when I met her. All I did was offer my assistance and the team was more than happy to have my help and now your daughter captains the national champions. I understand your concerns Catherine, but the choice was Lindsey's to make and she is a smart girl with a good head on her shoulders. She'll make the right choices," Liz finished.
"I know," Catherine answered softly. "I've actually been trying to get you alone to apologize for the last week. Although perhaps it's best I didn't get the chance until you got that off your chest. I'm sorry for being such a bitch that day. Hell I was a bitch a lot back then. And can still be one now."
"But you wouldn't be Catherine without some of that cattiness," Bobby pointed out and she rolled her eyes.
"Maybe now you realize why I've reacted the way that I have every time we've had a run in with each other," commented Liz. "It's been very hard for me to let that part of my past go and when you showed up in the lab that day, everything came crashing back in around me."
"I'm sorry," Catherine whispered.
"Enough about me," Liz said after a small nod in Catherine's direction to let her know that she had heard what Catherine had said. "We know why Nick left so what about you Dr. Grissom? Why did you leave?"
Grissom looked up and they all caught the barely contained frown that briefly graced his features. Before he had a chance to respond though, Greg spoke up. "I don't know why he left."
"Nobody knows why Dr. Grissom left Greg, that's why I asked him," replied Liz rolling her eyes.
"I meant Nick," Greg countered.
"Difference of opinion Greg," Nick told him with a look at Catherine. "Let's just leave it at that shall we?"
"Okay," Greg nodded. "So yeah, Griss why did you leave?" he continued turning to Grissom.
Grissom sighed as he sat back and looked around the table. "I was asked to come to Quantico for my expertise on a case. Ecklie refused to let me go. That was the final straw to break the proverbial camel's back. I went to Quantico and they offered me a position full time after the case,." he explained simply.
"That man was good at ruining things, wasn't he," Sara mused.
"That he was," Warrick agreed softly.
"Well, we know what happened to us, what happened to you guys?" Nick asked curious. Even with the friendships forming again, a lot was kept silent about the time after they left.
"They're right, we haven't told them anything. How we had to convince people to come back, or how Ecklie got fired..." Greg agreed
"Or best of all, what happened when Sara and Warrick announced they were dating," Jim countered with a smirk
"Yeah they don't need to know that," Greg argued.
"Don't need to know what?" Catherine asked with a smile.
Sara giggled at the look on Greg's face. /-/Deer in headlights anyone?/-/
"Greggo here passed out when we told the group," Warrick smiled.
"To his credit he had just finished a triple with me and neither of us had eaten in three days, a real meal that is," Sara added with a wink towards Greg.
"Oh I remember that for sure, Warrick, Mia, and Liz yelled at you two for over an hour for not eating," Jim laughed. "Then I got a hold of you..."
"Yes, yes, we all remember that lovely conversation. And you'll notice I never let Greg do that again," Sara pointed out. "Besides, that wasn't my fault. He told me he had eaten. I didn't know I could trust him about as far as I could throw him."
"You weren't eating either," Greg argued.
"And this was an abnormal occurrence since when?" Sara countered. "Besides, I had twizzlers, and chocolate. I had enough sugar in my system to keep me from passing out at least."
"Yeah, yeah, notice that doesn't happen anymore," Greg smirked.
"Yeah, you either," Sara shot back with a smile.
"Nope, I don't eat, she'd kill me," Greg grinned as he looked at his fiancé.
"I told you, you scare the crap out of me again like you did that day and you'd be missing a few not so vital organs," Mia shrugged.
"And I thought my threats were bad," Warrick shook his head.
"Yes, proof once again that women are definitely the scary half of the species. And they know just how to use that ability to their advantage to boss the men in their lives around," Jim laughed.
"Uh Jim, have you forgotten what your wife does for a living?" mused Liz with a smile.
"Nope, she'd be the first to take that as a compliment actually."
"Still a bit strange knowing Brass ended up with the infamous 'Lady Heather'," Greg mused "But what a great pair they make...we have to bring in her on interrogations once in a while..."
"There's an image. Katrina dressed up with a whip walking through the station..." Sophia mused. "I think every criminal would confess if they were guilty or not."
"So, how did Ecklie get fired?" Catherine asked after they stopped laughing at the image.
"Oh it was great," Greg began with a grin. "We had just started, and Warrick was sticking around on a case when Atwater came walking down the hall and went to Ecklie's office."
"I heard Ecklie's yelling all the way down in Trace," Hodges smiled.
"Are you kidding? I heard it at the station," Jim grinned. "God, that day was fantastic. He rode off into the sunset with his tail between his legs. Atwater went up one side of him and down the other for taking his lab and dropping it down as far as he did. One of the few good things Atwater did before he was out."
"Well, that and he made you Director," Sara pointed out.
"Yes, that was a good day in Las Vegas," Jim smiled.
"After that, we got Archie, Bobby, Jacqui, and Mia back," Greg smiled. "Thank God."
"It was nice to be back," Mia smiled. "I missed working with David...but he was working as a CSI by then so," she shrugged as Greg just looked at her in shock.
"Why did you become a CSI anyway?" Nick asked looking over at Hodges.
"Nights was in pitiful condition, just Sara and Greg. I offered to help on a case and got dragged in," he shrugged.
"Well, I hate to do this, but I got to head back. See if they found anything on the Friday strangler," Jim began as he rose.
"Don't worry; we'll take care of your plate," Sara spoke up quickly as he started to reach for the plate.
"Thanks Sunshine. Fantastic dinner and I don't just mean the conversation," he gave her a wink. "Have a good night everyone," he continued to the room as he left.
"So, what other stories can we tell?" Sophia wondered after he was gone.