Natural Progressions

Disclaimer: Mine no! CBS, Anthony Zuiker et al Yes! Pity :o( "Don't Be Stupid (You Know I Love You)" belongs to Shania Twain.
Author's Note: Blame Billy, Marg and Shania for these little pieces. They keep Acting these out in my head! Have only seen up to LHB so don't Know how accurate I am on some things so please be kind!
Feedback: Please it's what keeps me writing E-mail: KesNaya@aol.com
Archive: If anyone could possibly want one of mine they can take it! Just let me Know where you put it so I can visit.
Dedication: To Aby as always and you certainly know why girl! To VividlyBlue for Reading all my crap no matter how bad or sick! LOL


Chapter 19: Don't Be Stupid (You Know I Love You)

"Catherine!" Grissom exclaimed staring at his lover in astonishment, "how can you even think that?"

Catherine Willows sat on the couch in Gil Grissom's office feeling rather small and stupid. "Come on, Gil," she replied defensively, "I've seen the way she looks at you." She knew she was being paranoid but after all the upsets lately she couldn't stop panicking.

"You can be so smart and incisive sometimes," Gil said exasperatedly, "and so idiotically blind and stupid at others." Even though there was a hint of laughter in his voice the comment still rankled. "She happens to be stepping out with Warrick!"

It was her turn to laugh and berate him. "Stepping out, Gil?" she chuckled, her equilibrium beginning to settle, "people will be saying you're showing your age if you keep using outdated phrases like that."

He smiled at her. "At least it brought a smile to your face," he told her, sitting down beside her and taking her hands in his, "and even if you were right and Sara was interested in me, I'm spoken for, remember?" and he kissed her until they were both breathless.

Don't be stupid -you know I love you
Don't be ridiculous -you know I need you
Don't be absurd -you know I want you
Don't be impossible

Someone cleared their throat and then a voice murmured, "Sickening isn't it?"

"Yeah," a different voice answered, "you'd think with all the hotels in Vegas they could at least get a room, or even wait till they got home."

Catherine chuckled as she watched Grissom lean away from her and glare at the two young men filling the office doorway. She was extremely pleased that he made no move to let go of her.

"You wanted something?" he asked in his usual cool manner. It was great to see that being discovered no longer flustered or embarrassed him.

"DNA confirms your theory," Greg informed him, trying to hide a smile. He was never too sure just how far they could push the night shift supervisor before he would retaliate. At least he was much easier to get along with than Conrad Ecklie, Greg shuddered at the thought. That man was a boil on the butt of humanity.

"Okay, there, Greg?" Nick Stokes asked, resting a hand on the younger man's shoulder as he noticed his abrupt change of mood.

Greg smiled, he liked the fact that Nick could read him so well and that he was being included more with the graveyard shift. "Bad visuals," he answered cryptically. When he saw the Texan glance at Grissom and Catherine he hastily added, "Not to do with anyone present," and he felt his friend relax at the same time he heard Catherine chuckle.

Grissom cleared his throat, "You were say something about DNA?" he asked, pulling everything back to the case. Well, she couldn't be annoyed at that, it was during working hours after all and they'd agreed private should be kept to private time.

"Yup," Greg answered cheerfully, "DNA has family characteristics." He could look so chirpy sometimes and it made him seem even younger than he was. "One brother dead in the morgue, two under suspicion, but I need a sample from both to compare."

"And that would be our cue to call Brass," Catherine said, just as Grissom was going to make the same observation. He quickly closed his mouth and smiled at her instead. He loved it when they were on the same wavelength which seemed to be ninety percent of the time now.

"Already contacted him," Nick told them, pleased to be one jump a head of his boss for a change. It wasn't very often any of them managed to pre-empt him, but twice in one night? This was getting interesting. "We've to meet him on the Strip."

Grissom closed his eyes for a moment and sighed heavily. The two Jessop brothers were locals, native Las Vegans; didn't anyone go home at night anymore? He hoped it would be a simple case of two swabs and gone, but given the size of the casinos on the Strip, he decided to take all the team with him just in case, he told Nick so. The Texan didn't move.

"And you're still standing there, why?" Grissom asked a touch of sarcasm in his voice, he still hadn't taken his arm from around Catherine, however.

"Oh, right," Nick answered, a smile spreading over his face. "I'll go nab Warrick and Sara. Brass asked us to pick up the warrants on the way, do you want to or..."

"You can do that," Catherine answered, waving her hand to indicate he and Greg should leave, "we'll meet you at the casino, and close the door behind you."

Both men left on cue, chuckling as they went.

Raising his eyebrows and smiling at the same time, Grissom asked, "You had something planned?" He knew exactly what she was up to.

"Well, it'll take them at least half an hour to get the warrant and then another fifteen minutes to get to the Strip," she reminded him, "that's a lot more time than it will take us," and she kissed him before he could mount any objection.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Catherine was surprised when Grissom decided she should drive as they made their way to the Tahoe. He knew what sort of mood she was in tonight. With the way her hands had been wandering in his office, he wanted to play it safe and make sure they met Brass and the others in one piece, not smeared all over the road.

"You do know where we're going?" he asked her; realising that Nick hadn't actually mentioned which casino the brothers had been sent at.

Nodding her head, Catherine gave him a sly look, "I called Warrick while you were in the john." He knew why she'd chosen the lanky Las Vegan. Warrick was far less likely to asked awkward question, or at least not on the phone anyway.

"Why did you suddenly think there could be something between Sara and I?" Grissom asked surprising her. She'd hope he'd forgotten about their earlier conversation, how could she have been so stupid. Although he could be quite the absentminded professor at times, it was never about the important stuff. And if it was something that intrigued him he had a memory like a steal trap.

"I don't know," she answered hesitantly, shrugging her shoulders. "After all the crap I put you thorough with Lady Heather and the blackmail business, I guess I'm feeling slightly paranoid."

Placing a hand on her arm, he assured her, "After everything Eddie put you through I'm not surprised you thought the worst," she glanced at him and saw a rueful smile tugging at his lips, "but now I've finally got you, there's no need to worry," he leant over and kissed her cheek, "I'm strictly a one woman man, and you're the only woman I want or need."

Catherine smiled; she could be such an idiot at times.

I'm mad about you
Can't live without you
I'm crazy 'bout you
So don't be stupid -you know I love you

They reached the Strip without any problems and hooked up with Brass and the others. Typically, as the police officers started into the building the Jessop brothers saw them. A look of blind panic flashed across the face of the younger one and he darted further into the building.

"Dammit!" Brass exclaimed, "guess he's our boy."

Leaving Nick and Sara to watch over Larry Jessop, Brass told the other three criminalists to stand guard with two of his officers while the rest of them searched the casino, "Just in case he doubles back behind us," he told them.

People were watching to see what all the commotion was about and the entrance started to get rather crowded. Seeing this, the two officers moved to disperse the on lookers, just in time for Danny Jessop to make his bid for freedom.

Catherine got knocked to the sidewalk in the rush, but Warrick and Grissom managed to grab the fleeing man.

"You all right?" Grissom asked anxiously, watching a police officer help his lover to her feet.

"Fine," she assured him, embarrassment colouring her face.

Brass then appeared and moved to cuff the struggling suspect. In a last titanic effort Danny lashed out, pushing Warrick in one direction and Grissom in the other, but Brass and one of the officers managed to recapture the fugitive.

Staggering backwards and watching Warrick land on his ass, Grissom was rather proud of himself for managing to remain on his feet. He looked over at Catherine, seeing shock and fear spring into her eyes.

"Gil!" she screamed, "look out!"

There was an instant of pain; a sensation of flying and then darkness engulfed him