Title: Daddy Dearest
Author: LissaMarie
E-mail: [email protected]
Rating: If you can watch the show, you can read this. PG-13, I guess.
Feedback: Please! I like to know how I'm doing.
Disclaimer: All the characters that you may recognize from CSI - Crime Scene Investigation do not belong to me. The other original characters do belong to me.
Author's Note: This is my first CSI fic. I've written fics for The X-Files and JAG before though. I'm going to post this first part and if even one person believes it is worth continuing, I will. Please let me know if I should bother by either reviewing on Fanfiction.Net or sending me feedback by e-mail. I respond whenever possible and welcome new ideas and angles for stories. Thanks! Also, the character of Kaitlyn Grissom and her position at the Crime Lab is completely fictious.
Summary: Our favorite CSI's will learn something new about Grissom.
Daddy Dearest: Part 1
By LissaMarie
August 8, 2002
Catherine Willows walked through the halls of the crime lab in an uncharacteristically upbeat fashion. The night before she and the night-shift supervisor, Gil Grissom, solved a particularly nasty string of murders that had been plaguing the Sin City, and they were finally able to move past it. Well, after the paper work was finished anyway. Still, the killer was behind bars and with the evidence up against him, he would probably never breathe as a free man again.
She approached Grissom's office door and knocked. Without waiting for a response, she entered. Grissom didn't even look up at the interruption.
"Hello, Gil. Earth to Gris," Catherine teased sitting down in a chair across from him.
Grissom looked over to her slowly. "What?"
"Nothing. So what's on the menu tonight?" she asked smiling fondly at him.
"Huh? Oh, um, a shooting on Harmon Ave, an apparent suicide at the Riviera, and a body that was found in an alley off Paradise Rd." Grissom responded in a distant tone.
Catherine noted his attitude. "What's up?"
Grissom stared at her for a few moments as if trying to decide if he should tell her what was on his mind. "The night shift is getting a new pathologist." He handed her a file which she took and opened.
"Kaitlyn Grissom, graduate of Harvard, degrees in criminology, molecular biology, and medicine specializing in Forensics...Wait, Kaitlyn Grissom? Is she related to you?" Catherine looked up at him curiously.
"Yes."
"Niece?" Negative. "Sister?" Negative. "Ex-wife?" Negative with a small smile. "Daughter?" Catherine asked this with a chuckle.
"Yeah."
"Huh?" Catherine stared open mouthed at Grissom processing what he had said. "I didn't know that you had a daughter."
"It�s a long story."
"When do we get to meet her? When does she start?" she questioned still in shock.
"Tonight. In about a half hour. She'll be accompanying you and I down to the Riviera. Let's go down to the break room to give out the cases. She'll meet us there and I'll introduce everyone." He got up and walked out of the office.
Catherine had no choice but to follow.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Everyone sat going over the cases they had been assigned in their mind while waiting for Grissom to dismiss them to be on their way. Not even Sara Sidel, who ordinarily had no problem with ticking the boss off, wanted to say anything that would set him off. He seemed much more tense than usual.
They all looked up when a woman walked into the room. She had long light brown hair, half of which was pulled up in a bun on the back of her head with the rest flowing down her back in loose curls. Her smoky blue eyes radiated intelligence, and her short, thin stature spoke of kindness. The conservative black pantsuit that she wore demanded respect that she might not had been given based on her young appearance. She gave everyone in the room a smile as she walked up to the table.
"Hi, I'm Kaitlyn. It looks like we're going to be working together," she said sitting down.
"Nick Stokes," the man to her right introduced. They shook hands and shared a smile. Nick was absolutely taken by her furtive beauty.
"Warrick Brown,� the African-American man to her other side said.
�I�m Sara Sidel.� The brunette woman reached her hand across the table to Kaitlyn, and she took it.
�And you�re Catherine Willows,� Kaitlyn directed to the woman standing next to her new boss. She smiled brightly at her, and Catherine smirked back.
�So your going to be working with the Doc? What are you doing here? Are you going to be working with us as well?� Nick asked trying not to sound too hopeful. Having a new face like hers could be nice, in his opinion.
�I have a bachelor�s degree in molecular biology and another in criminology which could help me help you guys. I went to medical school after undergrad and specialized in forensic pathology which is what I�ll do with Doc Robbins (Is that the right name?). I�ll be a floater, I guess is what it would be considered. I�ll help everyone out when I�m needed. I don�t think that I could just do autopsies every night. I�d get bored fast. I need the thrill of variety,� Kaitlyn explained with a small smile. Her tone was not that of a person bragging of their accomplishments, but one of a person forced to admit something they�d rather not share. She ignored the expressions of astonishment from the CSI�s in the room and quickly changed the subject.
�Okay, how are we pairing up? What do you want me on?� Kaitlyn asked looking at Grissom.
�Ritalin?� he suggested raising his eyebrows at her.
�Funny, really. Now can we be serious for one second because as a doctor, I can assure you that I don�t have ADHD. Where am I going, and who am I going with?�
�Warrick and Sara are going to a shooting, Nick is going to a body dump site, and you�ll go with Catherine and I to look into a suspicious suicide,� Grissom explained in a way that said that the discussion was over.
�Why don�t I go with Nick since he�ll be alone, and there is a DB. You and Catherine could probably handle a suicide on your own, right?� Kaitlyn proposed as she and the others stood up.
�Okay. Nick, you can show here the ropes. Keep her out of trouble,� Grissom ordered leaving the break room followed by Catherine, Warrick, and Sara. This left Nick and Kaitlyn alone.
Nick turned to her. �I could have handled this own my own. I just want you to know that.�
�Of course you could have,� Kaitlyn teased in a mock-condescending tone.
�Thanks for the faith, Kaitlyn,� Nick joked as they left the room.
�My friends call me Kait.�
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
�Based solely on her appearance, I�d say she�s been dead for at least a week. She wasn�t killed here. She was dumped here after the fact. From the various bruises and scars, I�d say she was in some kind of abusive relationship before she died. It might be directly related,� Kait reported to Nick who was combing the area for clues that he was unlikely to find.
�What makes you believe all of that?� Nick asked carefully as to not offend her.
Kait took it in stride. �There were many bruises and scars on her body that were definitely older than others. Burn marks, cuts, even a hand print and teeth marks on her arm. I had also noticed some blood under her nails.� She handed him a evidence bag with some of the scrapings in it.
�This might be easier than I thought,� Nick smiled as he stood up. �I�ve searched every inch of this ground and have come up with nothing useful. I bagged a few pieces of trash that had what could be either blood or old ketchup on them. They�re in the truck. I seriously doubt we�ll find anything else, but it�ll be easier to see in the morning after all the cops are gone, if that�s okay with you.�
�That�s cool with me. We�ll ship the body to the lab and you can watch me in awe as I astound you with my remarkable skills with a scalpel.�
Nick grinned at her. �What made you come out to Las Vegas?�
�My dad lives out here. I thought it would be nice if he and I could reconnect. I�m staying with him until I can get a place of my own which I�m doing as quickly as I can. He and I are private people, and we�re driving each other nuts,� Kait laughed.
�What does your father do?� Nick asked opening the car door for her and closing it after she climbed in.
�He�s...a scientist,� was her hesitant response when he got into the driver�s seat. She didn�t want to be known as the boss�s daughter, and she most definitely didn�t want to be treated like that. After she made her place at the crime lab, she�d let everyone know. Until then, she was fine.
�What�s your last name?� Nick asked off-hand.
�Huh?�
�What�s your last name? I don�t think that you mentioned it at the lab.�
Kait sighed wishing that she could have had at least a little longer to establish herself.
TO BE CONTINUED?...
Daddy Dearest: Part 2
By LissaMarie
August 9, 2002
Kait looked at Nick sadly and put her hand out to him as if to have him shake it. "Nick Stokes, I'm Kaitlyn Grissom. It's very nice to meet you."
"Grissom? You're related to Gris?" Nick's eyes widened when he connected the dots. "You're his daughter?"
"Surprise?" Kait tried bringing her hand down into her lap and turning her gaze down to it.
"That's one way of putting it. How did you get this position? Did he help?"
"No. I worked damn hard for this position. Even harder than most to prove that he and I could work together. If anything, he held me back. He and I aren't all that close, and it's pretty awkward. I've earned everything that I have. I plan to make a place for myself here, not have one made for me because I'm the boss's daughter." Kait couldn't help her eyes narrowing on Nick's face as she said all this. She knew he probably didn't deserve her anger. He hadn't exactly made any assumptions, really. At least, he didn't make any overt accusations or outright question her qualifications.
"Down girl," Nick told her putting his hands up in mock surrender. "I didn't mean anything about it. I'm just sort of surprised, I guess. We have to get back to the lab. We can talk more then and you can tell me more about yourself because I'm sure there has to be an interesting story behind all this."
Kait conceded and they were on their way back to the crime lab.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Okay, can we start with this...What is the age gap between you and Gris?" Nick broke the silence that had plagued the autopsy bay since the arrived. The body of the unidentified young woman that had been found in the alley was laid out on the table waiting for Kait to start her examination, but so far she had done nothing except stare at it.
"Are you asking how old my father was when he knocked up my mother?" Kait asked finally looking up and giving him a small grin. She really enjoyed making people uncomfortable.
Nick was unsure how to respond. "Um, I guess I sort of am."
"Sort of?" Her eyes twinkled as he squirmed on his stool.
"What were you staring at before?" Nick changed the subject standing up and walking toward the body. Evidence still needed to be collected, but he was hesitant to do anything before fully understanding Kait's observations from the crime scene. He might have more field experience, but she was the doctor of the two of them.
"Several things. There is no obvious cause of death just from looking at her though she seems to have been badly beaten. None of the injuries that she has could alone cause death. I'm not sure if they could have killed her all together. There's no evidence of rape though the numerous injuries would indicate that the killer had a desire for power...to dominate. The cause of death should be obvious. Someone this violent wouldn't be satisfied with anything less than a violent murder. It just doesn't make any sense."
"Murder rarely does."
Kait looked at the body thoughtfully. "I'm 28 years old. Do the math yourself."
"Okay. So you lived with your mother?" Nick asked, for some reason happy that she was opening up to him.
"Yeah. My mother was older and better capable of caring for me." Kait picked up the nail clippers from her supply tray and went about her duties with the body as she spoke. "She was a professor at my father's college. She was a manipulative woman who was used to getting what she wanted. She wanted a baby. She got a baby. She never even considered who would get hurt in the process. Only thought about herself." Kait gave him a wry look. "Like always."
After taking a second to collect himself, Nick locked eyes with her. "I'm sorry."
Kait's only response was a half-smile.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Wow, 4 siblings...I always wanted a brother or sister, but I can't even imagine having 4 of them," Kait laughed as she search Jane Doe's stomach contents. "Looks like pizza with...sausage and pepperoni." She looked up quickly with a pleading expression on her face. "Are you hungry? I'm now officially starving."
"How can you look through a person's stomach contents and still think about eating?" Nick questioned wide eyed.
"I'd eat while performing an autopsy if it were sanitary. I can eat all the time." Kaitlyn backed away from the examination table and walked over to the refrigerator. After stripping off her gloves, she pulled out an apple and took a bite.
Nick took a peek in the fridge and noted the various petri dishes and tissue samples and grimaced. "That is disgusting. If I had any doubts about you and Gris being related, they'd be gone now."
Kait merely shrugged. "Why don't you tell me more about your family? What's it like growing up with siblings? Did they always nag you about all your girlfriends?"
"It was an experience. I didn't date much growing up, really. They got annoying, especially since I'm the youngest. But everyone also looked out for me for the same reason. We're pretty tight. I'm the only one that left Texas, but I try to visit whenever I can." Nick reclaimed his stool when Kait grabbed another.
"I was never really close to anyone growing up. I didn't have many friends, and after the luster disappeared from motherhood, my mom spent long hours at the office or with dates. I spent a lot of my time at church. The priest and the nuns were always so nice to me. They taught me all sorts of things and listened whenever I needed to talk. I had actually considered becoming a nun for some time." Kait smiled fondly at the memory and spun around on her chair. "Then I saw this man playing tag with his children while his wife watched from a park bench, and I realized that I wanted to have that some day. So I went to Harvard and became a scientist instead. I'm still a pretty strict Catholic though."
"And here you are today." Nick concluded when she stopped spinning around and looked at his face.
"And here I am today."
TO BE CONTINUED...
Daddy Dearest: Part 3
By LissaMarie
August 10-11, 2002
"Dad, I can hold my own. I don't need you trying to look over my shoulder at the office," Kaitlyn told Grissom firmly as she placed a breakfast plate down in front of him. She sat down with her own plate across from him at the dining room table.
"I wasn't trying to look over your shoulder. I know that you are a capable investigator and an excellent scientist," he pacified her while looking at his food as if she would try to poison him.
"A capable investigator?" Kaitlyn asked lifting an eyebrow at him. "Gee, dad, thanks for the faith. It's nice to know that you think I'm 'capable'." She stood up with her plate and dumped it into the sink.
Grissom sucked in a breath. "Kaite, that isn't what I meant. You're an intuitive investigator. I just never thought that it was something that you wanted to do."
"Of course it's something that I've wanted to do. I always liked hearing about the science and techniques you and your team used to catch criminals," Kaitlyn told him honestly. She sat back down at the table and got a goofy grin on her face. "Besides, now you get to have me around all the time, and is there anyone else that you know that can put up with your bugs and weird habits?"
Grissom gave her a half smile and pushed his plate of eggs and sausage between them. Kait grabbed a sausage link and preceded to tell her father all about her first case with the LVPD Crime Lab.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Nick found Kait in the break room that evening. There were several stacks of books surrounding her, and his curiosity got the best of him. He took one from the top of the closest stack and discovered she was reading up on the criminal mind.
"Heavy reading," he said into her ear making her jump.
"Hey!" Kait turned around and slapped his leg since it was what she could reach from her position on the floor in the corner of the room. "I didn't hear you come in. I'm just trying to figure out what happened to that gril that we brought in last night. None of it makes sense to me."
"Did you find a cause of death?" Nick questioned sitting down next to her. He didn't understand why she was on the floor instead of using the table, but decided to just go with it.
"There were several different foreign elements in her blood stream. I sent it down to the lab to get a better analysis, but so far, I'm thinking death by poisoning," Kait sighed dropping her book down in her lap and rubbed her eyes.
"Suicide?" Nick suggested.
"She beat herself up, poisoned herself, stripped off her own clothing, and dumped her own body in the alley?" she retorted playfully.
"Or not," he conceded. "'The Evil That Men Do'? Interesting choice of reading material. I personally prefer something a little--"
"I'm not going to sleep with you," Kait interrupted to inform him. She sat back and looked at him carefully. He was attractive--very attractive--which was all the more reason for her to avoid him. She had made it this far and she'd be damned if she loose it all now.
"What made you think that I want to..." Nick started until he noticed her raised eyebrow. "Okay, I admit, the thought had crossed my mind, but believe it or not, I like talking to you and being around you. You're very interesting, and I'd like to get to know you better."
"That's fair enough, I guess. Just keep what I said in mind because it's the truth," Kait told him sternly.
"Can I ask why?" Nick questioned gently, unable to keep himself from doing so.
Instead of answering, Kait pulled a necklace from under her shirt and took it off. Her gaze fell to it for a second before handing it to Nick to see. On a thin gold chain, she had a small, round gold medal.
"What is this?"
"It's a Catholic Saint's medal that my father gave me for my 13th birthday. St. Agnes of Rome. She was born sometime around A.D. 240--or later depending on what you read--in Rome. She was a 13 year old Catholic girl who was ordered to sacrifice to the Pagan gods and lose her virginity. Instead of doing either or marrying one of the many suitors who came to her, she was killed, chastity intact. She's the patron saint of chastity." (AN: This story was researched at http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/sainta05.htm)
"I think I get where this is going. And I respect that," Nick told her. "Hell, I admire that. Right now, I'd really like to ask you to dinner." The last part of what he was saying was rushed, but he knew Kait understood him.
"I don't think so," Kait informed him softly. She sounded almost saddened by the idea. She took her necklace back from Nick and got up to leave the break room. "I'm going down to see how far Greg has gotten with the chemical analysis so far. I'll see you down there?"
"Yeah," he told her with a small smile that disappeared after she left the room. "Right after the bruises on my ego fade."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Hey, Greg-o!" Kait tried to sound cheerful as she entered the lab. She was having trouble with that after turning Nick away so soon. It hardly seemed fair, but she knew in the long run, distance was what was needed.
"Hi, Kait, and before you ask--No, I am not done with the sample that you sent me," Greg Sanders told the newest CSI as she came up behind him.
"I wasn't going to ask. I just wanted to keep you company. I've already done everything that I can to get this girl identified, and I've gone through the little evidence that we have. Frankly I'm bored and would much rather be busy," she admitted sitting down next to him.
"Something on your mind, kid?" Greg asked. He had gotten to know Kaitlyn when she first came to the Crime Lab to discuss getting a job. They had talked for awhile since it was a slow night for Greg and had really hit it off.
"Nothing much, really," she lied.
"Uh, huh. I'm here if you want to talk about it," he told her receiving a thankful grin from Kaitlyn.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Daddy Dearest: Part 4
By LissaMarie
August 12, 2002
"Okay, That was Jim Brass. We have an ID on the dead girl in the morgue. Amanda Reyes, 22. She lived in an apartment near her college campus. She was a student at UNLV--would have graduated next week with a degree in psychology," Kait announced as she hung up her cell. She noticed that Nick had entered the lab while she was on the phone and was thankful that she had something to say. The silence would have been deafening.
"That adds to your puzzle. Would a person educated in the ways of the human mind be able to be manipulated into an abusive relationship?" Nick questioned leaning against the lab table by Greg.
Kait let out an annoyed sigh and jumped out off her stool. "Damn it!"
"Well, if that has you ticked, you're not going to like this," Greg told her as he read the paper that came out of his printer. He got curious looks from both CSI's in the room. "Those fibers and materials you had me analyze from under your victim's nails contained blood as well as cotton and wool. The blood's XX."
"And now our killer's a woman. No one can ever say this job isn't interesting," Kait quipped.
"Now that we know who our vic is, we at least have somewhere to start. Let's see if we can get someone to join us at her place."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"So, new girl's the boss's daughter," Warrick grinned at Nick as they made their way through Amanda Reyes' home. Kaitlyn was with Sara and Brass talking to the neighbors. "That must have come out of left field for you."
"That's one way of putting it. She was adamant about not getting special treatment though," Nick told him as he flipped through a day planner. "I don't know. There's something about her."
"She's hot," Warrick offered.
"Besides that. She's fun to talk to and a good person," Nick informed him. He put the day planner into an evidence bag and turned to his friend.
"And you know this after less than 2 days?"
"We talked a lot," Nick defended. "We talked a lot about a lot of different things that gave me a good look into her personality. I like her, but she doesn't like me. I can honestly say that, that has never happened to me before."
"Right, you're a regular ladies' man," Warrick snorted. He gave Nick a look. "Why don't you just ask her out?"
Nick groaned. "I did. She said no."
"Ouch."
"Want me to talk to her for you?" Warrick pacified as if he were talking to a small child.
Nick threw the evidence bag with the day planner in it at him in return.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"You and Nick seem a little tense around one another," Sara observed as she and Kait compared notes on the neighbors' stories.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Kait lied keeping her gaze down to her notebook. "So the guy in the apartment next door said that he remembered hearing an argument between our vic and a woman he remembers as being 'blonde, curvy, and as hot as Hell' when he saw her leave. He doesn't remember any men ever being in the apartment, but he doesn't 'go that way and wouldn't have noticed'."
"So we know just as much now as we knew before leaving the lab," Sara summarized. "Why don't we go upstairs and see if Nick or Warrick found anything."
"Hopefully, but we still have the campus to visit. Maybe one of her professors or classmates will know something a little less...vague. The neighbor's description matches almost every woman in the city except you and me...and even a few men," Kait chuckled, and Sara joined her.
"Well, this is Vegas."
TO BE CONTINUED...
Daddy Dearest: Part 5
By LissaMarie
August 14, 2002
"So have you heard about Nick and Kaitlyn's case?" Catherine asked as she entered Grissom's office. She sat down across from him at his desk.
"For about 2 hours this morning. She's found out that murderers don't just fit into molds. Her understanding of the criminal mind from her studies is being challenged, and it has her frustrated. This case is fascinating her nevertheless," Gil responded smiling at her. "What are you up to?"
"Paperwork. I never thought that I'd actually want something bad to happen just so that I'd have something to do, but I am so bored," Catherine shook her head with a grin.
"You can always help out with the Reyes case. I'm sure they could use a hand. Since the shooting the other night had no casualties and our suicide was just a suicide, there isn't much to do around here, and the case does seem interesting," Grissom told her as he went back to staring at the large tarantula he had in a container on his desk.
"Is that spider really all that fascinating?" Catherine asked annoyed that she had been unable to hold Gil's attention for more than a couple of minutes. Further annoyed that his attention had been taken by a furry orange spider.
"She's a Goliath Bird Eater. The largest species of tarantula in the world. She's from the rainforest of the northern part of South America. She has a leg span of 8 inches and could still get larger. I'd bring her out, but she's irritable at the moment," Grissom informed her. (Spider info from http://www.tarantulas.com/goliath.asp)
"I have to tell you that I'm absolutely broken up about not being able to introduce myself to her properly," Catherine said sarcastically. She leaned close to the glass of the container and was greeted by fangs almost an inch long. "Wicked teeth. Anyway, how are things with you and Kaitlyn?"
"We're still getting used to each other again and doing that in close quarters probably wasn't the smartest thing to do, but overall things have been better than I expected." Gil sat back in his chair and looked at his friend.
"How did you expect it to be?"
Grissom's eyes narrowed a little before he answered as if trying to figure out Catherine's motivation for asking. "She and I were never really close. We had visits, of course, but her mother moved out to DC a few years after she was born. The distance made things difficult. I tried to get closer, but nothing really worked in my favor. I graduated and worked in California for awhile before coming to Vegas. There were still thousands of miles between us. We visited and talked over the phone. Still we really didn't know each other. We have a lot in common which has helped, I guess."
"You expected it to be like you were strangers? You might not have known one another as well as many fathers and daughters, but you're still father and daughter. That's a bond that is beyond what can be explained. It doesn't matter whether or not you were there ever minute of everyday, you still were there for her whenever she asked you to be, right?" Catherine's speech was heartfelt and honest.
Gil nodded. "Thanks, Catherine. You're a good friend, you know that?"
"That's me," Catherine sighed getting up and leaving the office.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"So, Kaitlyn, what's going on between you and Nick?" Warrick asked conversationally. He was driving with her back to the lab while Nick and Sara went down to the UNLV campus.
"First, it's just Kait. Next, absolutely nothing. I've known him less than a couple of days," she responded reading through the day planner Nick had put into evidence. "There's a mention here of a person named Lexi. That could be either a man or woman, I think. Alexandra, Alexa, Alexander...Our victim was supposed to meet with 'Lexi' for lunch Tuesday of last week. We have no way of knowing if they met or not though."
"I found a diary in her bedroom. It's in the backseat if you want to take a look. I didn't get a chance to read through it myself," Warrick told her. "He likes you. Told me when we were in the apartment. He doesn't understand why you won't go out with him. Just have dinner with him, and then decide if he's not your type."
"It has nothing to do with him not being my type. Just the opposite, really. He seems to be a great guy. Just the type of guy I'd want to date if I were the dating type, which I'm not. At least not right now," Kait explained reaching into the backseat to get the diary.
"Well, you are related to Grissom..."
"Nick told you?" Kait's eyebrows raised at that.
"It came up in conversation?" Warrick offered. He looked over at her and smiled.
"Sure it did," Kait sighed. She flipped through the diary to the last entry. "The last date in the journal is Monday of last week."
"So she could have been killed on Tuesday before she got a chance to write another entry," Warrick suggested.
"She didn't write everyday, so Tuesday could have been a day she skipped. It's possible that she skipped days after that too," Kait countered.
"So we still have no timeline."
"There were insects infesting the body at different stages of development. I couldn't tell the ones...hatched, I guess, inside the body from those that came in on their own. I couldn't use that either," Kait admitted. She leaned forward and hit the dashboard. "There has to be something that we're missing! There has to be a clue. There is always a clue."
"If it's somewhere, we'll find it. Sometimes, cases like this one just don't get solved. That's a possibility that you have to prepare yourself for," Warrick said softly.
"I don't accept that," Kait said firmly. She turned her attention back to the books in her lap. Alternating between the planner and diary, she began searching for more names that could help them solve their owner's murder.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Daddy Dearest: Part 6
By LissaMarie
August 14-17, 2002
JUST OVER 15 YEARS EARLIER (KAITLYN'S 13th BIRTHDAY)
"I'm really sorry that I have to run out like this, but this meeting is important. It could have a major impact on my career," Chastity Maurice apologized to her daughter as she hurriedly shuffled papers around in her briefcase.
"I know, mom, but it's my birthday. There's no way you can schedule it for another day?" Kaitlyn asked with pleading eyes.
Chastity's only response was a disapproving stare. "You're older now. You have to understand how important my work is to me."
"More important than me?"
"I will not dignify that with a response. Now I have to go," her mother responded closing her briefcase and leaving the house quickly mumbling under her breath.
Kaitlyn watched her go sadly realizing that her own mother never even said "Happy Birthday" to her.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Kaitlyn's bedroom was tastefully decorated. Her canopy bed with dark red covers was against the wall in the middle with night tables on both sides--Each with a small lamp with shades that matched her bed-set perfectly. On the opposite wall was a wood student desk with papers and pencils situated neatly on it. There were several bookshelves--A couple filled with books while others had candles and statuettes of various saints and angels. On the walls, there was a large painting of St. Mary and smaller icons depicting St. Anne and St. Joan of Arc as well as others.
The room was Kaitlyn's sanctuary. It was her way out of the world. The deep red and low lighting gave the room a dark, but comfortable feel. She looked around her bedroom and touched the gold cross that was on a chain around her neck.
She walked over to the recliner she had set to face her window. Observing the world was easier than living in it. She could see the kids across the street running around after one another, probably playing tag. Candace Miller, the head cheerleader and most popular girl at the local high school, was walking down the street surrounded by a few of her "friends", who in Kaitlyn's opinion were nothing more than mindless drones. Candace and her friends were dedicated to making Kaitlyn's last 3 years of high school a living Hell.
It wasn't Kaitlyn's fault that her mother had her bumped up 2 grades. She hadn't wanted to do that. She had friends before her mother made that decision. After, everyone saw her as a nerd. A kids surrounded by teenagers who dated and giggled. Her old friends didn't want to have anything to do with her, and no one at her school had bothered to get to know her.
Kaitlyn was lonely.
She didn't mean to be, and she didn't want to be...But she was. She had no friends outside of the people at her church, and her mother hardly tried to make time to be with her. He father was on the other side of the continent and might as well be on the other side of the planet. All she wanted was to have a nice birthday, but here she sat alone in her upstairs bedroom looking down at life.
A car pulling in the driveway caught her attention. No one ever came over when her mother wasn't home. Seeing a man climb out of the driver's seat, she jumped up and ran down the stairs.
"Daddy!" Kaitlyn cried as she ran out of the house. She hadn't been expecting him to come. She wrapped her arms around Gil's neck, and he awkwardly hugged her back.
"Happy birthday, Kaite," he whispered in her ear kissing her forehead.
"I had no idea that you'd be here! I would have done something--cooked something or something," Kaite rambled. She released him and stood back. She knew her father wasn't completely comfortable with emotional displays and usually she wasn't either, but with how she was feeling on her 13th birthday of all days, she couldn't resist wanting to hug her dad.
"I wanted it to be a surprise. It's your birthday. We should go out and do something. Would your mother mind us going to dinner?"
"Who cares?" Kaite said sarcastically opening the passenger side door of the rental car.
"I will once your mother decides to chew out my ass." Despite what he said, he still got into the drivers seat and drove off to see her opening the small jewelry box that had been laying on her seat.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"When can I come to visit you?" Kaitlyn asked fingering the new gold necklace she was wearing as they walked down the cobblestone streets. The simple gift had meant more to her than any of the pricey things her mother had ever bought her. Her father had never truly believed in religion, and that he would respect and think of her devotion to the Catholic Church while looking for her gift showed how well he really did know her though he knew he very little (That does make some kind of wacked-out sense--That's the point.)
"I don't know, Kaite. With school and your mother...It will be difficult to work out. There'd be nothing for you out at my house anyway. It's easier with me just coming out here," Gil explained. As much as he loved his daughter, he would always have trouble connecting with her just as he had trouble connecting to anyone. He never knew what to say or do, and he wasn't sure if he could handle being around her all the time without the opportunity to drop her off at home to regroup. For 13 years, he tried but was never able to be the father she deserved.
"Okay, I guess. I'll warn you though--After I get out of college, I'll be moving to Vegas to be with you. Mother is driving me insane!" They both chuckled. "I'm over the nun idea by the way. You will one day have a son-in-law to bother and grandkids to spoil."
"It's nice to know that I'll have that in the DISTANT future. Try to remember that even though you may not feel it, you are still only 13 years old.," Gil told her seriously.
"I know. I've decided that I'm going to be a scientist. A doctor maybe. Or a psychologist. Or maybe I'll go into molecular biology. Or maybe..." This continued the entire way back to the house until Gil dropped her off at the door. Some of her ideas made him smile, and others made him laugh at loud.
Kaitlyn Samantha's 13th birthday that had seemed to be going so terribly left not a single bad memory in her mind.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Daddy Dearest: Part 7
By LissaMarie
August 18, 2002
**Amanda Elizabeth Reyes, age 22, 64 inches, 120 pounds, multiple contusions over most of the body, scars--both old and new--are numerous on the back and upper arms where they would be undetectable under clothing, teeth marks on the upper right arm, hand imprint on the upper left, burn marks--Cigarette?--on the stomach area, undigested pizza in the stomach, poison in the bloodstream**
"Wait, pizza and poison..." Kait mumbled as she read over her scribbled notes. She jumped out of her chair to pick up an evidence bag full of menus they had picked up at the victim's apartment. She put on gloves before pulling them all out. There was only one for a pizza place. "Giovanni's?"
She pulled out her cell phone and quickly dialed the number Nick had given her earlier. "I figured it out," was all she said when he answered.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Someone poisoned her pizza?" Warrick asked lifting an eyebrow. The conclusion just seemed too...simple.
"Exactly. That's explains the absence of violence. Her abuser, though still a low-life jerk, isn't a murderer. We've been looking in all the wrong places and focusing on the wrong evidence," Kait told them calmly.
"But this is all still theory," Sara reminded them. She looked over at Nick who was listening to Kaitlyn intently and felt an unexplainable pang of regret. He really did like Kait, and there was nothing she could do about it. She had waited too long.
"Of course. But it's enough to at least look into. I'm sure the establishment wouldn't mind letting us look at their delivery log if we tell them that they could help catch a killer. That is if the person in charge isn't our killer," Kait smiled.
"And then we'd have enough circumstantial evidence to get a warrant," Nick finished for her. Everyone smiled at that and got up to leave.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"All you need is the log book? Of course, I'll get it for you. It's a shame--Amanda was such a beautiful girl and smart, too. I never understood why she stayed with that boyfriend of hers. He always treated her bad," Vinnie Giovanni, the owner of the establishment, told Brass as he went back to his office.
"We you here Tuesday evening, Mr. Giovanni?" Kait asked from her place behind Jim.
"No, I was in New Jersey with my mother. She's been sick for awhile, and I've been trying to convince her to move out here so I can take care of her," Vinnie responded. "I can tell you that Tuesday was Jimmy's night to work. Jimmy Marx. He would have definitely delivered to Amanda. I've never seen him turn down the opportunity to see her. He was crazy about her."
"He was in love with her?" Kait questioned intrigued.
"Completely and utterly--almost to the point of pathetic. You don't think he did this, do you? He would never hurt her." Vinnie was firm in his statement.
"I'm a scientist, Mr. Giovanni. I don't think anything that the evidence doesn't support," Kaitlyn replied deliberately avoiding the question.
"Here's the book." Vinnie handed Brass the black spiral notebook. "For the record, I don't believe Jimmy is capable of murder."
"Grazie, il sig. Giovanni e la buona notte (Thank you, Mr. Giovanni, and good night)," Kait said to Vinnie with a perfect Italian accent.
"Abbia una buona notte voi stessi, la sig.na Grissom (Have a good night yourself, Miss Grissom)," Vinnie responded with a smile.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"A Jimmy Marx did delivered a pizza to our victim's apartment Tuesday at 6:15," Nick announced after reading through the notebook.
"And by the condition of the stomach contents, we can safely say she died within an hour of eating pizza," Kait added.
"If someone orders pizza, it's usually because they want to eat it then," Warrick supplied.
"Then with the journal we can narrow down time of death to sometime Tuesday evening," Sara summarized.
"And we can make suspects out of the cook and the delivery boy if either of them know the vic personally," Brass brought up from his perch against the table.
"The delivery boy was in a couple of her classes," Kait smiled.
"Is there anyone that can say he had any ill feelings for her?" Grissom questioned as he entered the room.
Kait turned to her father and grinned. "Just the opposite, actually. The man that runs the shop asked if we'd make a suspect of the boy. He didn't believe he would ever hurt her. He loved her."
"She was in an abusive relationship, correct?" Gill asked. Kait nodded. "He could have thought he was saving her--protecting her."
"I think maybe we should ask Mr. Marx to come speak with us for his own good," Brass smiled.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Daddy Dearest: Part 8
By LissaMarie
August 19-20, 2002
"So he confessed?" Grissom asked. They had brought Jimmy Marx in for questioning toward the beginning of the shift after discovering his connection to the victim the night before. Now he, Warrick, Kait, Nick, Sara, and Catherine were in a diner by the police station eating breakfast--or dinner depending on your interpretation.
Kait nodded. "He said he loved her and only wanted her to be happy. I guess he thought death would make her happy. I wish I could meet a guy sweet enough to murder me." Her last sentence was softened by her grin and chuckle.
"I'll kill you anytime," Warrick offered laughing with her and the rest of the group.
"Thank you, Warrick. That is so kind of you to say," Kait smiled sweetly. She stood up and stretched. "Well, I'm wired. I'm thinking of going down to the 24 hour pool hall down the street. It'll probably be empty, so anybody willing to come to play me?"
"I'm in. No way I'm going to fall asleep anytime soon," Nick said quickly, but not quickly enough to seem overly-anxious.
"Me, too. Sounds fun," Warrick agreed. He looked to Sara. "How about you? We can't have an odd number."
"What the hell--I'm game," Sara sighed standing up with Kait.
Nick and Warrick did the same. Sara and the guys started walking toward the door, and Kait leaned over the table to her father.
"I'll be in...Whenever. Later!" she kissed his cheek and jogged to catch up with her co-workers.
"Interesting girl," Catherine commented.
"You have no idea."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Nick and me against the two of you," Kait offered chalking her stick (I haven't played pool in so long--Is that what it's called?).
"Fair enough. We break," Warrick negotiated.
"Deal," Nick agreed. He looked around. Kait had been right. They were the only people there which was cool. They got to select the music and didn't have to worry about losing their table.
Kait watched as Warrick went for the break. He got a low ball in the pocket. Lucky shot. She was tapping her nails to the beat of the song that was currently playing. They had all put change into the jukebox, and her song had come up. She started humming to it, but soon found herself softly singing along.
**Like anyone would be
I am flattered by your fascination with me
Like any hot-blooded woman
I have simply wanted an object to crave
But you you're not allowed
You're uninvited
An unfortunate slight
Must be strangely exciting
To watch the stoic squirm
Must be somewhat heartening
To watch shepherd meet shepherd
But you you're not allowed
You're uninvited
An unfortunate slight
Like any uncharted territory
I must seem greatly intriguing
You speak of my love like
You have experienced love like mine before
But this is not allowed
You're uninvited
An unfortunate slight
I don't think you unworthy
I need a moment to deliberate**
("Uninvited" by Alanis Morissette)
Kaitlyn realized that her gaze had steadily locked with Nick's as she sang along with the song. Neither of them had their minds on the game, and Warrick and Sara must had seen that since they had continued the game between themselves.
"I'm going to get going. All of a sudden, I'm really tired. Both the adrenaline or caffeine I've been running on has run out," Kait hastily explained as she put her stick back on the rack and pushed a few strands of her unruly curls out of her face. Should have put it up this morning.
"I'll drive you," Nick offered, and Kait released a breath she hadn't known she was holding. She had ridden into work with her father since it seemed pointless for them to take separate cars to the same place at the same time from the same place, and they had walked down to the pool hall.
Warrick and Sara watched the two leave with different expressions on their faces.
Warrick had a small smile for his friend. It seemed that he was getting what he wanted with Kait.
Sara watched with curiosity and barely concealed pain. She could get over Nick. He was her friend and always would be. She accepted that she couldn't be what he wanted as soon as she saw him admire Kaitlyn. Of course, that didn't mean that it didn't hurt. But she'd get through it.
"Sara, you still playing?" Warrick asked his dark hair co-worker.
Sara looked at the table and realized she had no possible shots. "I think I'll just concede and say you win. There's no way I can get anything in this turn, and once you get up, you'll finish me off."
"Here, I'll help you," Warrick offered gesturing for her to stand in front of him. He held her back against his chest and lined up a bank with his hands over hers on the stick.
It was a perfect shot.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"If I were to ask you out to dinner, what would you say?" Nick asked as they drove along to Grissom's house.
"No," was the short, hesitant response.
"The movies?" Again a 'no'. "How about a brightly lit casino where I know a lot of people will be where you can carry both your cell phone and gun?" Nick finally questioned raising his eyebrows toward her. He knew she liked him and couldn't understand why she wouldn't just agree to spend an evening with him.
"Was that a joke?" Kait frowned--She seriously didn't know.
"Not if it's the only way you'll go out with me," Nick replied without mirth.
Kait turn in her seat to face him. "Why do you want to go out with me?" she questioned after studying his face for a moment.
Nick was stunned by her question. He looked over at her quickly and noticed she had a thoughtful expression on her face as if she really didn't know. "Seriously?"
"That would be nice."
Nick responded without hesitation. "You're beautiful and obviously smart, and you don't overtly display either of those things. You're passionate--I can tell that by how you handled this case. You seem like a very...good person, and I'd like to get to know you better."
Kaitlyn couldn't stop the blush she felt coming to her cheeks. "I go to church tomorrow morning. If you'd like, you can pick me up from there around noon, and we can get some lunch."
"I would like that," Nick told her honestly as he pulled into their boss's driveway. He watched as Kait climbed out an walked up to the door, not leaving until she was safely inside.
Kait closed the front door, and the small smile on her lips became a full fledged grin. She was doing the right thing--Of that she was sure.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Daddy Dearest: Part 9
By LissaMarie
August 20, 2002
"Why won't you come to church with me?" Kaitlyn asked her father as they ate breakfast together. She was dressed in her "Sunday Best" consisting of a light pink flowered skirt that went below her knees and a white blouse.
"I told you that I don't believe in religion," Gil replied firmly. He said it like it was something he had said many times--which he had.
"Sorry. I mean, here I am trying to save your eternal soul--"
"Kaite," her father interrupted.
"Yes, daddy?"
"You're going to be late for church," Gil reminded her in an attempt to end the conversation.
"Fine, I'll drop it. You're always welcome to sit with me if you change your mind," Kait told him standing up and grabbing her purse. She brought her plate out to the kitchen and rinsed it off before putting it in the dishwasher.
"You'll be back around 12?" Gil asked following her.
Kait froze for a moment. "No, actually. I have plans. You didn't have anything in mind for today, did you?"
"Nothing concrete. I just thought maybe we could do something. What are your plans?" Gil questioned making a mental note to cancel the lunch reservations he had made. He cursed himself for assuming that Kait would want to spend the day with him.
"I'm just going out with a friend for lunch and maybe something afterwards," Kait shrugged hoping that it wasn't obvious. Thankfully, her father had very little experience with people on a personal level and didn't suspect anything.
"Maybe next weekend, we can do something?" Grissom suggested offhandedly.
"Hopefully before then, dad," Kait smiled and kissed both his cheeks. She backed out of the kitchen still smiling.
Gil watched her knowing something was up, but he knew better than to push it. Who was he to tell someone they should open up more? He thought about the reservations he had made at a nice restaurant in town and changed his mind about canceling them. He picked up the phone and dialed.
"Hi, Catherine. Are you busy today?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sara woke up in an unfamiliar bed trying to figure out exactly how she had gotten there. She wasn't the type to get drunk and go home with a random stranger, so she can rule that out. She didn't have a headache either, and since she couldn't hold her alcohol all that well, she knew for a fact that she hadn't drank at all the previous night. She recognized the cologne from somewhere...
The everything clicked into place. She and Warrick had stayed at the pool hall for a few hours after Nick and Kait left before getting hungry. He had mentioned trying a vegetarian restaurant that had opened up around his home. They had gone there together and talked the entire time. She was surprised by how much they had in common.
After they ate and got ice cream to eat while they window shopped. Exhaustion had forced them to stop, and he had invited her over to his apartment to watch a movie or two. She had fallen asleep with her head up against his shoulder. She vaguely remembered him carrying her into his bedroom to sleep in his bed.
The thought gave her a warm feeling throughout her body. She sat up and smiled at the sun that was coming through the dark curtains. She got up and walked out into the living room to find Warrick still asleep on the sofa.
He had to be uncomfortable. The couch was at least a foot too short for him, but still he had chosen to give her his bed.
Sara realized that she was getting over Nick Stokes already.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Meggie, I'm sure that you would have enjoyed mass a lot more if you had stayed awake the whole time," Kait teased the 6 year old girl that she had sat next to during the service.
"Megan Samuels beamed at the older girl that was actually paying attention to her. "I enjoyed it just fine. I liked the part where the boy sneezed really loud while Father Mackenzie was talking about being nice to your neighbor. Do you really have to be nice to your neighbor? Mine is really mean. She's always calling me a little brat and telling me to get out of her yard."
"You should be nice to everybody," Kait reminded the girl with a patient smile. She turned to the girl's mother. "Mrs. Samuels, thank you for inviting me to sit with you. I couldn't convince my father to join me today, and this is my first week in town."
"No problem, Kait, and I told you, it's Ashleigh. I'll see you next week. Say bye, Megan."
"Bye, Kait! See you next week!" Megan cheered following her mother down the front steps.
"Bye, Megan," Kait whispered as she walked in the opposite direction. She had called Nick on her cell phone before mass to tell him to pick her up at the coffee shop across the street from the church, and she headed in that direction. She noticed Nick standing by the door right away.
"Hi, I wasn't expecting you to be here yet. It's only 11:30," Kait said as she came up to him.
Nick gave her a smile that was softer than the one he used on most of the women he met. "I figured I'd grab a few cups of coffee before you got here, but then I saw people leaving the church. So I figured I'd wait for you."
"How many cups of coffee have you had so far this morning?" Kait asked grinning at him.
"Four," Nick admitted holding the passenger side car door open for her. "I'll bring you back here after we're done to get your car. Do you have any idea where you want to go for lunch?"
"Let's just drive. We're bound to go by some place that looks good," Kait suggested climbing in. She noticed him admiring her outfit and smoother her skirt down. She knew it was probably the sharp contrast the outfit had with her normal attire of dark, starched suits that had gotten his attnetion, but she still felt uncomfortable under his eye. Men generally didn't check her out. She made it a point to make sure they didn't.
Nick mumbled an apology and went to his side of his car. Normally he wouldn't even think of dating a woman with the limitations that Kait had set, but there was something about her. He didn't mind having to wait a few dates before kissing her goodnight, even though he had never wanted anyone the way he wanted her.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Daddy Dearest: Part 10
By LissaMarie
August 21-22, 2002
"Tell me more about your past and your family," Kait said while eating her Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad.
Nick looked up from his sandwich and thought for a second. "I have 3 older sisters--Macy, Frankie, and Veronica--and an older brother--Michael. There's a 8 year gap between me an my closest sibling, Frankie. I was the late-in-life surprise, I guess. Frankie and I are probably the closest of all my family. She got married when I was 12, and I felt like I had lost my best friend. She comes up to visit with her kids whenever her husband goes out of town on business because she can't stand being in her house without him. My dad died when I was 16, so it was just my mom and me for a couple of years. Then I went to college. I felt guilty about leaving my mom alone, but my sisters are still in the same town. They take care of her. I got into a frat at college which my mother was strongly against, but she agreed not to argue with me about. I graduated with a degree in forensic science and moved to Vegas. What about you?"
"Me? Well, I was born in California. My mother was a professor at my father's university. A lot older than him of course, but my mother didn't really care. She preferred it, I think. She wanted a baby and an older man might have challenged her with his rights more than my father had. She got a job offer in DC when I was 3. I'm not sure whether it was a better job or if she just wanted to put space between my father and I since he had began to visit me more often. Anyway, we moved there. I spent most of my time at school or with tutors until I was about 10 and started going to church on my own. It started out with me just spending my entire Sunday there, but the nuns took me under their wings and would offer me chances to come down during the week. Sometimes to make rosaries with them or visit the sick in the hospital with the priest. For a few years I wanted to be just like them--Give up the material things that my mother thought made up for her not being there for me and devote my life to God--but seeing the people in the hospital made me change my mind. I didn't want to just help them pray...I wanted to help them live. I went to med school and almost had a breakdown during my internship when one of the patients I was with died, so I looked into other specialties. Forensics seemed perfect. I would never have to worry about losing a patient because the only people that would see me are those that were already dead. I would still be able to help people live, just not my patients...I'd give the families closure to move on.
"My dad gave me the idea for my undergrad major. He suggested that I look into a science field besides pre-med because it would give me more depth. I went with Molecular Biology because I was impressed by a professor at Harvard. My dad always told me stories about the cases he was working on, so I was into Criminology. I did a dual major with both. I had promised my dad that after I got out of college, I'd come to where ever it was that he lived. I did my residency in Boston and here I am now," Kait told him not looking up from her plate. She was obviously uncomfortable.
"You always talk about your mother in the past tense," Nick pointed out.
"She and I don't have a relationship anymore. I moved out when I was 16 to go to Harvard--full scholarship. I was a waitress for extra money until I was 18, and I started bartending--better money. I did that all through school. She didn't call me, and I didn't call her. I doubt she even knows where I am now." Kait looked up and met his eyes. "You can get up and leave now if I'm not what you thought I was. I wouldn't hold it against you."
"Now, why exactly would I want to do something like that?" Nick questioned confused.
"Well, you're so close to your family, and I won't even speak to my own mother. We have some seriously conflicting values--"
"And you're a Catholic and my great-grandfather was a Protestant, so it could never work between us," Nick interrupted in a mock-serious tone of voice.
Kait looked at him for a moment before speaking. "Are you making fun of me?"
Nick tried to keep a straight face, but he started to chuckle anyway.
"Hey!" Kait exclaimed hitting his arm before joining in, in his laughter.
Finally able to stop laughing, Nick changed the subject. "Okay, so I still want to know more about you. What is your favorite color?"
"Red."
"Green is so much better," he joked. "Favorite animal?"
"Any kind of dog."
"We agree. Food?"
"Anything that is edible."
"See--We have a lot in common."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"I guess you never came out here to visit your dad?" Nick deduced. He was watching Kait look around at all there was to see in Las Vegas with the eyes of a tourist.
"You guess right. My mother would never allow me to travel across the country without her, and while I was at Harvard and during my residency, I was almost too busy to eat, which says a lot coming from me," Kait told him looking up at one of the grand hotels.
"That must have been tough."
"He came to visit me though. He told me all about Vegas, but it's a lot different seeing it for myself," Kait explained as the walked along next to one another. She was surprised to feel Nick's hand grip hers, and even more surprised to find herself maneuvering her hand to lace her fingers with his.
"So, how do you like Las Vegas so far?" Nick questioned.
"It seems to have a lot to offer," Kait replied nervously. They stopped at a street corner, and she turned to Nick noticing he was watching her intently. "Are you going to kiss me because to tell you the truth, I'm getting pretty tired of won--"
Nick's lips coming down on hers efficiently shut her up.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Daddy Dearest: Part 11
By LissaMarie
August 22-23, 2002
NOTE: This part takes place earlier in the day than the last part. It's still morning now, while part 10 took place in the afternoon. I had just wanted to get the Nick/Kait thing out of the way. Sorry for any confusion.
Warrick woke to the aroma of food cooking in his apartment. Confusion was the first thing he felt before he remembered the night before. Sara had stayed over his house after they had hung out together the entire day. He had, had a surprisingly good time with her. He couldn't believe all he had assumed wrong about her.
He sat up and touched his hair, quickly realizing that it wasn't worth the effort. Sleeping on the couch can be hell for your 'do. He went to the bathroom and got himself into some semblance of order and went out to the kitchen.
"Good morning," Sara chirped cheerfully when he entered the room.
The only response her gave was a grunt until he took a sip of the coffee she handed him. "Thanks. How long have you been up?"
"About an hour. You like scrambled eggs?" Sara asked turning back to the pan she had on the stove.
"Yeah."
"Good 'cause they're all I know how to make," Sara grinned at him. She opened a few cabinets before finding the plates and took two out. She put healthy servings of eggs on both plates, and they went over to the kitchen table to eat. (I'm assuming that Sara is a vegetarian that still eats eggs and drinks milk. I'm a vegetarian myself, and I do. That's what I went with.)
"You have a beautiful smile. You should really use it more often," Warrick said suddenly breaking the silence.
Sara looked up sharply. She gazed into his eyes as if trying to figure out if he was serious or not. Seeing no humor there, she gave him a bright smile. "I jsut might try doing that."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"So Kait said she was going out with a friend?" Catherine asked Gil nonchalantly. She was glad that he had called her. Her daughter, Lindsay, was with her father, so Catherine had been at home alone with nothing to do until he invited her out.
"Yeah. She was acting strangely when she said it. It was as if she didn't want me to ask who the friend was," Grissom explained thoughtfully. He was enjoying his time with Catherine even though the plans he had made were originally meant as an opportunity to spend time with his daughter.
Catherine chuckled. "Men!" She elaborated when Gil gave her a quizzical look. "It's because her friend is a man. A girl never wants to tell her father that she's going out with a guy because he insists on meeting him which makes for an awkward situation. I can't even imagine what you would put her date through."
"I wouldn't insist on meeting him. I trust Kaite's judgment. She has a strong values," Grissom argued.
"Please! It is a father's natural reaction to another man in his daughter's life--To try to scare him away. You haven't been able to spend most of Kait's life with her, and the two of you a remaking up for lost time. You don't want to share her with another guy. Tell me I'm wrong," Catherine challenged leaning forward toward him.
Grissom rolled his eyes. "You're right. I do want to get to know her better--She is my daughter--but if she wanted to date, I wouldn't have a problem with it. I want her to be happy above all else."
"You really are a father. I never thought I'd see it," Catherine smiled affectionately.
"Because I get along better with dead bodies than I do with people?" Gil questioned only half kidding.
Catherine thought for a moment before responding. "No. I know you're not as cut off as you let people believe. You feel things even though you tend to hide it. You like being alone, but you always feel lonely. You'd like to have someone with you, but you can't bring yourself to trust that they will always be there. You--"
"What is this--a free psychoanalysis? I know who I am, Cath. Really, I do," Gil interrupted.
Catherine sat and stared at him. Just as he was beginning to feel like one of his bugs in a glass tank, she spoke. "You know I'll always be there, don't you?"
"I think I'm beginning to be able to believe that," Gil admitted. They spent the rest of their meal in silence, just enjoying one another's company.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Daddy Dearest: Part 12
By LissaMarie
August 24, 2002
Kait entered the lab to find Greg staring intently down at a piece of equipment. She walked over to him as quietly as she could and peered over his should.
"Whatcha doing?" she questioned suddenly causing him to jump. She had to back away to avoid being hit by him.
"Damn, Kait! Don't do that," Greg chastised her. He ran his fingers through his already unruly hair and couldn't help the grin he felt coming on. It was nice to have a woman pay some kind of attention to him that wasn't work related.
"Sorry, I'm just bored. That, and I've had to be serious for WAY too long. I mean, heaven forbid I allow my father to see me having fun at work," Kait joked sitting down on a stool.
"Well, you seem to be in a good mood," Greg observed sitting down across from her. She did, in fact, seem to be in unusually high spirits.
"I had a good day," Kait explained vaguely.
"Right, Sundays are the big day for you Catholic people," Greg said mock-seriously with a nod of his head.
"Actually," Kait drew out, "I spent the day with...a friend. It was nice to get out and see more of the city. I'm beginning to really like it here."
"And who is this friend?" Greg asked curiously.
"I was wondering the same thing," Catherine told her as she entered the lab with a file.
"How did you know?" Kait spun around on her chair.
"You father told me," Catherine replied. "So who is he?" She leaned against the table.
"Curiosity killed the cat, Cat," Kait teased reaching for the folder in Catherine's hand. "What's up with this file? It says it was already solved."
"A body was found out in the desert. The detectives that went to the scene seem to think it was related to this case. Which could mean--"
"An innocent man is in prison," Kait finished. "How are we dividing?"
"You and me are reinvestigating this file with Nick, and Warrick, Sara, and Grissom are taking the new crime scene," Catherine explained. "Greg, do you remember the Henderson case? Three murders with excessive post-mortem mutilation of the bodies."
"Hard to forget," Greg grimaced. It was from that point on that he had decided to avoid the bodies as much as possible and just stick to the samples he was sent.
"Good, we might need your help."
"These murders were committed 2 years, but I'm thinking that exhuming the bodies might help us figure this out. I could look at it with a fresh perspective," Kait suggested.
"The families would fight it on religious grounds. All 3 vics were strict Roman Catholics," Greg remembered.
"Well, then, I guess the autopsy photos will have to suffice," Kait shrugged.
"I didn't think you would go for it, as a Catholic yourself," Catherine ventured.
"As a Catholic, I wouldn't even think of desecrating a resting place, but as an investigator and doctor, I have no choice," Kait said. "And to me, this case is now personal, so can we get to it?" She tried to tell herself that her hurry was only because she wanted to find the murderer and that it had nothing to do with wanting to see Nick. She only half believed herself. I'm pathetic.
"Sure, Nick's waiting for us by his truck," Catherine responded following Kait as she walked out of the lab to the parking lot.
The first thing that Catherine noticed after they exited the building was Kait smoothing out her skirt and running her fingers through her hair. She dismissed it because, after all, Kait was a woman and conscious of her appearance in public. It was the looks that went between Kait and Nick that recapture her interest. She smiled to herself.
Gil's going to lose it.
THE END