CSI/NCIS Fic: Starting Over 14/? and 15/?
TITLE: Starting Over 14/?
AUTHOR: 38gnihsurc
RATING: en.sea.xvii overall
PAIRINGS: Gil/Catherine, Catherine/LH, and maybe a few crossover pairings along the way.
WARNINGS: GSR for a while, Lady Heather makes an appearance later (and all that that implies), etc.
DISCLAIMER: I own no one... *sigh*
DISTRIBUTION: Graveshift Archive, crimsonchampagne... Others, ask.
SPOILERS: Season 6 for CSI, Season 2-3 for NCIS
SUMMARY/NOTES: And here's a little bit more for you :)
Catherine had been wrapping up her case report when she heard Gibbs and Director Shepard talking by his desk. Something about the dominion case had caught her attention; she heard the words 'copycat' and 'dead master-at-arms' and 'Las Vegas,' and her stomach tightened.
"Braun."
She looked up and met Gibbs' gaze. "Yeah, Gibbs?"
"We're going to Vegas."
"All of us?"
He nodded. "Yeah. Go home, pack your bags, and figure out what you're going to do with Lindsey."
She stood up to protest, to defend her right to stay in the District, but her legs wobbled. She was afraid to go back to Las Vegas and she was also afraid to admit that fear. Gibbs left the director's side and approached her; he put his hand on her arm and steadied her.
"Cath?"
"Ziva and Tony and Tim worked on the case," Catherine said quietly. "They could---"
"Same M.O., and this guy's credit card check tells me he was at Mistress Victoria's and Lady Heather's. He was on a seventy-two in Vegas," Gibbs explained. "If we need you to go undercover again... or at least guard Lady Heather---"
She groaned. Her friend was her weakness. "I don't know how I can go back there," she admitted.
"With me," Gibbs told her in his gruff, no nonsense voice.
"Lindsey can fly out with me and stay with her grandmother," Catherine mumbled as she thought about the situation. "I'll book our tickets---"
"I'll book 'em," he said. "You go get your daughter out of school and get packed, okay?"
"In a minute," she mumbled as she backed up towards her seat.
"No, now," he pushed, nudging her towards the elevator. Catherine barely had a moment to think to grab her purse and coat before he was dragging her past the bullpen and into the elevator. Once they were alone, on their way to the parking garage, he asked, "Why don't you want to go back there?"
She sighed. "I left my friends and colleagues without a warning," she said, "and we'll be working in their lab, I'm guessing. I... I don't know how I'm going to face them."
"With the truth," Gibbs said quietly.
"So, I should tell them I lost my best friend, the team fell apart, and when my father died, I just couldn't handle it anymore?"
"Yeah."
"You ever have to go back and explain things to people you care about?"
"Yeah," he repeated, putting his hand on her shoulder. "And it was tough at first, but it got better."
She sighed again and closed her eyes. "I don't know how I'm going to do this."
"With style," Gibbs teased.
He escorted her out of the elevator and towards her car. When he was sure they were alone, he wrapped her up in an uncharacteristic embrace. Catherine gasped at first, but she quickly relaxed and returned the hug, while resting her head on his shoulder.
"Anyone who gives you crap will have to deal with me," Gibbs whispered in her ear.
When Catherine lifted her head, she was smiling a little. "Thanks," she whispered back.
"C'mon, it'll be fun... we'll have to keep DiNozzo out of the strip clubs, but other than that, I'm sure it'll be fun," he joked.
Catherine laughed and fished her keys out of her pocket. Her smile lasted until she picked Lindsey up out of school and she had to explain why they were leaving town.
"You're not running again, are you?" Lindsey asked.
The strawberry blonde shook her head. "N-no," she said softly, "but that case Heather was involved in... there's a copycat in Vegas. Killed a Navy guy. So, I have to go, since I was one of the agents involved in that case... and I can't leave you home alone."
"How long will we be in town?" Lindsey asked, her expression brightening.
"Maybe a few days, maybe a week," Catherine replied as she drove them home. "I spoke to your teachers and they said they would e-mail you your homework. So, bring your books with you so you can stay on top of everything."
"Will I get to see Warrick and Gil?"
Catherine held her breath for a moment. "Maybe."
"Awww... Mom!"
"Maybe, Linds," Catherine said, trying to keep the tension out of her voice. "I don't know how much time we'll have... and I don't know if Gil and Warrick will want to see me. So, let's just play it by ear, okay? You can stay with your grandmother or your aunt... you'll be able to see your old friends, Jeremy... and maybe we'll get some time to take in a show."
Lindsey smiled. "Well, Tony will want to see the strip clubs, so I'm sure Gibbs'll give you a couple of days to do something fun. He'll never hear the end of it if Tony didn't get to go to Stripperama."
Catherine laughed despite the knot tightening in her stomach.
They went home and packed bags. Catherine called Gibbs to find out which airport they were flying out of, and then she called her mother and her sister, to make sure one of them could watch Lindsey while she was working. Lily had been overjoyed to hear they were visiting Las Vegas and she couldn't wait to see them. Catherine hoped she'd be able to spend some time with her mother; she didn't want to admit it, but she missed the overbearing firecracker of a woman. Once she finished speaking with her family, she called Lady Heather, to tell her that she would be in Las Vegas because of a case with similarities to the case she had been involved in. She didn't want to alarm the woman, but she wanted her to be aware, and as prepared as she could be.
Heather was concerned, but glad to be informed and glad that she would see Catherine again. The knot in Catherine's stomach loosened slightly.
Once her phone calls were finished, she called for Lindsey and struggled to get her suitcase down the stairs and to the foyer. Lindsey took some time, since she had to take her school books as well as her laptop, and once they were finally in the car on the way to the airport, Catherine turned and looked at her daughter.
"This is why we can't have a dog."
"Mooooom."
Catherine smiled. "We'll talk about it when we get back," she promised, patting her daughter's knee as she drove.
&&&&
Ziva stretched her arms over her head and groaned as she worked the kinks out of her spine as they waited for the rest of their bags. Catherine smiled as she listened to the darker woman complain about the person she had shared the row with, and then she almost laughed as Lindsey reminded her that she could have had her seat; Ziva snorted and said that the air marshall probably would have had to kill one or both of them if they had been sitting together.
Gibbs put his hand on Catherine's shoulder, startling her from her thoughts. "You ready?"
"Hardly."
He smiled and rubbed her back gently. "Remember," he said, "they have to deal with me if they give you any trouble. We're federal agents."
She smiled a bit. "Yeah."
Tony and Ziva, followed by Lindsey, walked towards them. Gibbs looked at them. "We all set?"
"Yeah, Boss," Tony replied. "Too bad McGee's missing out on all of this," he said as they looked around the airport and saw the advertisements for casinos and strip clubs. "Poor guy, stuck in the lab with Abby."
Ziva chuckled. "I do not think they'll mind so much," she commented as they walked towards the exit.
"They're still... really?"
"Occasionally," she purred.
"Huh. Wow."
Catherine chuckled and shook her head slightly. Gibbs held a door open for her and Lindsey to walk through, before he followed them outside, where two Cadillac limousines were waiting along the curb.
"Ms. Braun?"
She blinked and looked towards the driver who had spoken. "Yes?"
"Ms. Flynn sent us to take you to the Rampart. Cars will be waiting for you at Valet."
Catherine smiled, forgetting that her grandmother had been given Sam's empire. She was a nice woman, but she was almost as Old Vegas as he was, and she would hold her own against the other casino moguls.
"All right!" Tony exclaimed excitedly.
Gibbs sighed, and waited for Catherine and Lindsey to get into the first limousine. Once they were leaving the airport, he said, "You'd think we dropped Tony off in heaven or something."
"Gibbs, this is his version of heaven," Catherine pointed out. "Gambling, strippers, a city that never sleeps... celebrities, hot girls, flashy cars... this is Tony's mind on a larger scale."
"Oh good grief," Gibbs muttered.
Catherine chuckled and brushed her hair out of her face as she watched the city come into view. "Feels like we never left, doesn't it, Linds?"
"A little bit, yeah," Lindsey replied, smiling at her mother. "Do I get to stay with Nana in the Rampart?"
"You do," Catherine murmured, reaching out and rubbing her daughter's arm. "She's got the penthouse on top. You'll have a security agent and a driver, but other than that, you'll be on your own when you're not with Nana."
"Awesome! I can't wait to call April and tell her!"
Gibbs smiled at Catherine. "Your mother owns the casinos now?" he asked.
Catherine nodded. "Sam always said he was going to do right by my mother this time. He left everything to both of us. I don't have an interest in the casinos or hotels, but my mother wanted to keep them. For the family, as screwed up as we are. So, she's the boss lady now." She tilted her head. "The guard is just a precaution. When you're worth millions, you have to be careful."
"I can understand that," Gibbs admitted.
As the Strip came into view, Catherine stiffened. Gibbs reached across the seat and put his hand on her knee. "It's gonna be fine."
"I think I've been hanging around Ziva too long," Catherine muttered, "because I just caught myself thinking 'if I was properly armed, I'd feel better.'"
Gibbs tipped his head back and laughed. Lindsey looked nervous, but when she saw Gibbs happy and amused, she smiled, too. Catherine shook her head and chuckled under her breath. But, she wasn't relaxed or happy or amused. She was worried and tense and very afraid of what was going to happen when she walked into the criminalistics lab in which she used to work.
TITLE: Starting Over 15/?
AUTHOR: 38gnihsurc
RATING: en.sea.xvii overall
PAIRINGS: Gil/Catherine, Catherine/LH, and maybe a few crossover pairings along the way.
WARNINGS: GSR for a while, Lady Heather makes an appearance later (and all that that implies), etc.
DISCLAIMER: I own no one... *sigh*
DISTRIBUTION: Graveshift Archive, crimsonchampagne... Others, ask.
SPOILERS: Season 6 for CSI, Season 2-3 for NCIS
SUMMARY/NOTES: And here's a little bit more for you :)
"When are the NCIS agents coming in?" Sara asked as she, Nick, and Gil looked over the evidence they had gathered in the past shift.
"Fallon's the closet base, and it's still pretty far away," Nick pointed out. "They'd have to fly in."
Gil shook his head. "They're coming in from D.C," he explained. When the younger CSI's looked at him, he continued his explanation. "The agents there wrapped up a case with similarities and the victim in ours could have been involved in their cases, somehow. So they're flying in today to work in conjunction with us."
"In conjunction?" Nick asked. "That doesn't sound like federal agents to me."
"I suspect their definition of 'in conjunction' is different than the actual definition," Gil replied in a wry tone of voice.
He looked over their photographs and the bags of evidence that hadn't been sent to Trace or DNA for analysis. Then, he looked over the reports from those departments that they had been able to obtain so far. He wanted to show the NCIS agents that they were a competent lab; he wanted their lab to hold its own against the federal agency. He had spent an hour in Ecklie's office, listening to the assistant lab director talk about how important it was for them to be able to announce in a press conference that the Las Vegas Crime Lab successfully arrested a murderer, with the assistance of NCIS. Gil did not want to spend another hour in Ecklie's office, listening to him talk about their lab's failure at securing the right for that press conference by being shunned by the federal agency. He decided they would be cooperative and courteous and avail themselves to the resources of the federal government.
Thinking like that made him think of Catherine. He frowned and shifted his weight as he listened to Sara and Nick discuss the case. Catherine would make sure they worked with NCIS. She would be political enough for both of them. She would have been able to advise him and tell him the best ways to keep the confidence of the federal agency.
When he thought he saw Catherine, walking down the hall amid a group of people, he thought his mind was playing tricks on him. He had been thinking about her for whole days and nights; he missed her so much his heart ached sometimes. It was logical to assume that his mind had tricked him into thinking Catherine was in the building.
He blinked and rubbed his eyes, but the group of people had passed by the window and were continuing down the hall.
Ignoring the questions posed by Nick and Sara, he walked past them and out into the hall. He followed the group of people and saw that they were walking into his office. He frowned.
"He never leaves his office."
"Catherine?"
The four people turned around and faced him. Catherine was standing next to a silver haired man, who was next to two younger people, a man and a woman. They were all holding NCIS badges.
"What are you... you're with NCIS now?"
"Hi, Grissom," she said in a calm voice. "This is Special Agent Jethro Gibbs," she said, motioning to the man on her left, "and Special Agents Tony DiNozzo and Ziva David."
"Pleased to meet you," he said, shaking their hands. He stopped at Ziva and smiled. "Ziva is an unusual name," he commented.
"So is Grissom," she replied, smirking. She tilted her head and shook his head. "I'm Mossad. Israeli."
"You're a long way from home," Gil said in reply.
She smiled. "I needed a change of scenery," she said cryptically.
Gil looked at Catherine and wondered if that was what she needed. He wondered why she couldn't tell him that---if all it had been was a need for a change of scenery. "It's nice to see you," he said quietly.
"Yeah," she responded, nodding slightly. "Listen, Gil, Gibbs and I would like to look at the body and have Doctor Robbins send a copy of his autopsy report to our medical examiner in D.C. And while we're doing that, I hoped you could take Tony and Ziva over the physical evidence and the sketch of the scene?"
"Sara and Nick are in one of the layout rooms," Gil replied, trying to meet her eyes and finding that she was avoiding making eye contact with him. "I'll take them down. Al is in the morgue. He should have posted your Master-at-Arms a little while ago."
"Thanks, Gil," she murmured, walking past him. As she passed, she reached out and touched his arm. Before he could return the gesture or say anything else, she was gone and Gibbs was following her out of the room.
&&&&
Doctor Al Robbins greeted Catherine with a warm smile and an open arm. She hugged him, relieved that someone was happy to see her. His affectionate greeting made her feel like being in Las Vegas wouldn't be such a bad event, after all.
"You look good, Catherine," he told her after looking her over. "Being a federal agent agrees with you."
She grinned and chuckled. "I miss the desert, sometimes," she admitted. "And I have to admit, autopsies just aren't the same without you," she added with a teasing wink.
"Same to you," he replied with a grin. "Las Vegas hasn't been the same without you."
She laughed and rubbed his shoulder. "You're shameless, Doc," she scolded in a warm tone. She stepped back and motioned towards Gibbs. "Al Robbins, this is Special Agent Jethro Gibbs. My boss in D.C."
"Nice to meet you, Agent Gibbs," the bearded doctor said with a smile. "I already spoke with Dr. Mallard," he told them. "Nice man... a little chatty... but---" when Catherine cleared her throat, he stopped and then quickly added: "I forwarded my findings onto him, along with the x-rays and toxicology reports."
"Thanks, Doctor Robbins," Gibbs replied. "What've we got here?"
As Al stepped back and started introducing them to Timothy Gerard, Catherine listened but at the same time, she looked around the room and saw that nothing had changed. She felt an ache in her heart and she realised that she had missed the crime lab more than she had been prepared to admit.
She saw some movement out of the corner of her eye and turned her head as Warrick peeked in the window of the door. Catherine's eyes widened and he motioned for her to step outside. After a nod, she touched Gibbs' arm gently and whispered that she was going to step out for a moment. He nodded so she walked away.
"Hey," he said quietly.
"Hi," she whispered. "I... I---"
He put his hand up. "It hurt when you left, Cath," he said in that same quiet voice, "but I can understand why you did. I forgive you."
Catherine felt her eyes start to water. "Warrick, I---"
"Gimme some love," he interrupted, opening his arms. She whimpered and all but melted into him. He kissed the side of her head as he hugged her close. "You doin' okay, Cath?"
"Most of the time," she murmured, hugging him around his neck. "I miss you so much... every day, things happen, and I want to call you and tell you about them... but I was scared that you'd be mad at me for not saying anything."
"I was mad," he admitted, "but I got over it. Things got rough around here for you... so I know why you needed to make a change. And I know you didn't want us to hold you here when you didn't want to stay." He kissed the side of her head again before releasing her. Catherine stepped back reluctantly and looked up into his eyes. She had missed his calm gaze and looking into it again made her want to cry. He was one of her best friends in Las Vegas and having that connection offered again, so easily, was almost too much for her to handle. "When you go back to the capital, you better call me... at least once a week."
She nodded and smiled, before wiping her cheeks dry. "I will. I promise," she vowed.
"You want to introduce me to your partner in there?"
"Sure," she murmured, "c'mon back in with me."
They reentered the room as Gibbs and Robbins were finishing the autopsy report. Catherine made the introductions between Warrick and Gibbs, and then Warrick went off in search of David---but not before he made Catherine promise that they would get to hang out before she went back to the East Coast.
"Want to go see how Ziva and Tony are making out?" Catherine asked.
He nodded. "Yeah, and then I want you to go see Lady Heather," he told her.
Robbins cleared his throat. "What does Lady Heather have to do with this?" he asked Catherine.
Catherine turned to look at him. "Well, she was involved with the case in Washington," she explained. "She was in town, staying at another... dominion. And the victims were tied to it. So, we want to do a follow up with her, to see if she knew this victim."
"Do you suspect her?"
She shook her head. "Nope. She's just... a valuable source of information on this case."
"Oh. Alright then."
Catherine smiled and squeezed Robbins' arm. "Thanks for bringing us up to speed. Hopefully I'll see you again before I go."
"Maybe we can get the gang together for a nice meal," Robbins suggested.
She laughed at that. "Well, some people won't want to celebrate my return," she reminded him, "but if we can find a few free minutes, I'm up for a drink or two."
"Great. Good luck on your case, guys," he said, before they turned and walked away.
Once they were in the hall, Gibbs put his hand in the small of Catherine's back, against the knife she had hidden at her waist. He leaned in and said, "Being back's not all bad, is it?"
She smiled at him. "No... Warrick and Al were pretty cool about me being back. But, Sara and Nick and Gil... they're not."
"How do you know?"
"Sara hates me and Nick hasn't forgiven me since I was supervisor of the shift... since I shut him out of a case by using reverse forensics to try to catch the suspect," she replied. She sighed. "And Gil... well, he doesn't care much about me at all anymore, so he doesn't care either way."
"I don't think you're completely right about that," he told her. "Some men just don't express themselves very well. We get bottled up."
Catherine looked up at him. "You do, hmm?"
"I do," he admitted.
"About what?" she asked. "I've never seen you have a problem expressing yourself."
Gibbs stopped her by holding her arm. He looked into her eyes. "There are some things I can't exactly say when we're working a case," he told her in a quiet voice.
She felt her heart skip a beat. She smiled and nodded. "I know," she murmured. "It's okay. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas," she reminded him with a teasing grin.
He chuckled quietly. "Alright then," he said before they resumed walking down the hall. "You miss it here?" he asked after a few minutes.
"Sort of... not really."
"Catherine?!"
She turned and saw Greg Sanders standing behind them. He grinned and scooped her up in a hug before she could say anything. Catherine found herself laughing into his shoulder as she hugged him back.
"God, you've grown up," she teased. "All business. You just get out of court?"
"Yeah," he replied as they separated. "I ran into Nick and Sara. They told me you were with the feds. I couldn't believe it!"
"I came back because I missed you," she teased.
"Well I should hope so!" he exclaimed. He hugged her again. "Sorry... it's just... it's just really good to see you," he said as he released her.
She beamed at him. "It's great to see you, too, Greg," she murmured. She stepped back and said, "This is Special Agent Jethro Gibbs... and Gibbs, this is Greg Sanders."
"Nice to meet you, sir," Greg said with a polite smile.
"Likewise, Greg," Gibbs replied.
Greg reached out and playfully punched Catherine's shoulder. "Is Linds in town, too?"
"Yeah, she's staying with my mom," she told him.
"Excellent! I'll have to go over and visit her when I get off shift," he said.
Catherine grinned. "She'd love that, Greg. Really. I'll catch up with you later, okay?"
"Alright. Great," he said, before grinning back at her and walking away.
She ignored the amused grin with which Gibbs was looking at her. After a few feet and one curve in the hallway, he said, "So, you miss it here?"
"Oh, shut up," she muttered, making him laugh quietly.
She dissolved into laughter, too. They were still laughing when they entered into the layout room where Sara and Nick were going over the case file with Ziva and Tony.
Sara arched an eyebrow as she squared her shoulders. "I heard you were back," she said in a cool voice.
Catherine's laughter faded away and she almost said something inappropriate, but Gibbs put his hand on her hip, squeezing gently and in warning. She looked back at Sara and shrugged. "Well, we go where the cases take us, Sara," she said as calmly as she could. She looked at Nick. "Nick, it's nice to see you again."
"You, too, Cath," he said in a quiet voice. He peeked up at her and gave her a small smile. She returned the expression with one of her own and hoped that he would forgive her for leaving and for treating the team the way she did when Keppler worked with them.
"This is Special Agent Jethro Gibbs," she said, motioning to the man at her side. "Gibbs, this is Sara Sidle and Nick Stokes."
"Nice to meet you both," Gibbs said. "DiNozzo, you figure any common links between the victims?"
"A couple," Tony said. He turned his gaze on Catherine. "Braun, you going to see Lady Heather soon?"
She nodded. "Yeah," she replied, "as soon as I hear what Sara and Nick recovered at the scene."
Sara glared at Catherine for a long moment. Gibbs cleared his throat and Catherine knew he was glaring at the brunette because she immediately crumbled and started going over the case file. Catherine exchanged a discrete smirk with Tony and Ziva, and then she focused on the evidence laid out in front of them.
AUTHOR: 38gnihsurc
RATING: en.sea.xvii overall
PAIRINGS: Gil/Catherine, Catherine/LH, and maybe a few crossover pairings along the way.
WARNINGS: GSR for a while, Lady Heather makes an appearance later (and all that that implies), etc.
DISCLAIMER: I own no one... *sigh*
DISTRIBUTION: Graveshift Archive, crimsonchampagne... Others, ask.
SPOILERS: Season 6 for CSI, Season 2-3 for NCIS
SUMMARY/NOTES: And here's a little bit more for you :)
Catherine had been wrapping up her case report when she heard Gibbs and Director Shepard talking by his desk. Something about the dominion case had caught her attention; she heard the words 'copycat' and 'dead master-at-arms' and 'Las Vegas,' and her stomach tightened.
"Braun."
She looked up and met Gibbs' gaze. "Yeah, Gibbs?"
"We're going to Vegas."
"All of us?"
He nodded. "Yeah. Go home, pack your bags, and figure out what you're going to do with Lindsey."
She stood up to protest, to defend her right to stay in the District, but her legs wobbled. She was afraid to go back to Las Vegas and she was also afraid to admit that fear. Gibbs left the director's side and approached her; he put his hand on her arm and steadied her.
"Cath?"
"Ziva and Tony and Tim worked on the case," Catherine said quietly. "They could---"
"Same M.O., and this guy's credit card check tells me he was at Mistress Victoria's and Lady Heather's. He was on a seventy-two in Vegas," Gibbs explained. "If we need you to go undercover again... or at least guard Lady Heather---"
She groaned. Her friend was her weakness. "I don't know how I can go back there," she admitted.
"With me," Gibbs told her in his gruff, no nonsense voice.
"Lindsey can fly out with me and stay with her grandmother," Catherine mumbled as she thought about the situation. "I'll book our tickets---"
"I'll book 'em," he said. "You go get your daughter out of school and get packed, okay?"
"In a minute," she mumbled as she backed up towards her seat.
"No, now," he pushed, nudging her towards the elevator. Catherine barely had a moment to think to grab her purse and coat before he was dragging her past the bullpen and into the elevator. Once they were alone, on their way to the parking garage, he asked, "Why don't you want to go back there?"
She sighed. "I left my friends and colleagues without a warning," she said, "and we'll be working in their lab, I'm guessing. I... I don't know how I'm going to face them."
"With the truth," Gibbs said quietly.
"So, I should tell them I lost my best friend, the team fell apart, and when my father died, I just couldn't handle it anymore?"
"Yeah."
"You ever have to go back and explain things to people you care about?"
"Yeah," he repeated, putting his hand on her shoulder. "And it was tough at first, but it got better."
She sighed again and closed her eyes. "I don't know how I'm going to do this."
"With style," Gibbs teased.
He escorted her out of the elevator and towards her car. When he was sure they were alone, he wrapped her up in an uncharacteristic embrace. Catherine gasped at first, but she quickly relaxed and returned the hug, while resting her head on his shoulder.
"Anyone who gives you crap will have to deal with me," Gibbs whispered in her ear.
When Catherine lifted her head, she was smiling a little. "Thanks," she whispered back.
"C'mon, it'll be fun... we'll have to keep DiNozzo out of the strip clubs, but other than that, I'm sure it'll be fun," he joked.
Catherine laughed and fished her keys out of her pocket. Her smile lasted until she picked Lindsey up out of school and she had to explain why they were leaving town.
"You're not running again, are you?" Lindsey asked.
The strawberry blonde shook her head. "N-no," she said softly, "but that case Heather was involved in... there's a copycat in Vegas. Killed a Navy guy. So, I have to go, since I was one of the agents involved in that case... and I can't leave you home alone."
"How long will we be in town?" Lindsey asked, her expression brightening.
"Maybe a few days, maybe a week," Catherine replied as she drove them home. "I spoke to your teachers and they said they would e-mail you your homework. So, bring your books with you so you can stay on top of everything."
"Will I get to see Warrick and Gil?"
Catherine held her breath for a moment. "Maybe."
"Awww... Mom!"
"Maybe, Linds," Catherine said, trying to keep the tension out of her voice. "I don't know how much time we'll have... and I don't know if Gil and Warrick will want to see me. So, let's just play it by ear, okay? You can stay with your grandmother or your aunt... you'll be able to see your old friends, Jeremy... and maybe we'll get some time to take in a show."
Lindsey smiled. "Well, Tony will want to see the strip clubs, so I'm sure Gibbs'll give you a couple of days to do something fun. He'll never hear the end of it if Tony didn't get to go to Stripperama."
Catherine laughed despite the knot tightening in her stomach.
They went home and packed bags. Catherine called Gibbs to find out which airport they were flying out of, and then she called her mother and her sister, to make sure one of them could watch Lindsey while she was working. Lily had been overjoyed to hear they were visiting Las Vegas and she couldn't wait to see them. Catherine hoped she'd be able to spend some time with her mother; she didn't want to admit it, but she missed the overbearing firecracker of a woman. Once she finished speaking with her family, she called Lady Heather, to tell her that she would be in Las Vegas because of a case with similarities to the case she had been involved in. She didn't want to alarm the woman, but she wanted her to be aware, and as prepared as she could be.
Heather was concerned, but glad to be informed and glad that she would see Catherine again. The knot in Catherine's stomach loosened slightly.
Once her phone calls were finished, she called for Lindsey and struggled to get her suitcase down the stairs and to the foyer. Lindsey took some time, since she had to take her school books as well as her laptop, and once they were finally in the car on the way to the airport, Catherine turned and looked at her daughter.
"This is why we can't have a dog."
"Mooooom."
Catherine smiled. "We'll talk about it when we get back," she promised, patting her daughter's knee as she drove.
&&&&
Ziva stretched her arms over her head and groaned as she worked the kinks out of her spine as they waited for the rest of their bags. Catherine smiled as she listened to the darker woman complain about the person she had shared the row with, and then she almost laughed as Lindsey reminded her that she could have had her seat; Ziva snorted and said that the air marshall probably would have had to kill one or both of them if they had been sitting together.
Gibbs put his hand on Catherine's shoulder, startling her from her thoughts. "You ready?"
"Hardly."
He smiled and rubbed her back gently. "Remember," he said, "they have to deal with me if they give you any trouble. We're federal agents."
She smiled a bit. "Yeah."
Tony and Ziva, followed by Lindsey, walked towards them. Gibbs looked at them. "We all set?"
"Yeah, Boss," Tony replied. "Too bad McGee's missing out on all of this," he said as they looked around the airport and saw the advertisements for casinos and strip clubs. "Poor guy, stuck in the lab with Abby."
Ziva chuckled. "I do not think they'll mind so much," she commented as they walked towards the exit.
"They're still... really?"
"Occasionally," she purred.
"Huh. Wow."
Catherine chuckled and shook her head slightly. Gibbs held a door open for her and Lindsey to walk through, before he followed them outside, where two Cadillac limousines were waiting along the curb.
"Ms. Braun?"
She blinked and looked towards the driver who had spoken. "Yes?"
"Ms. Flynn sent us to take you to the Rampart. Cars will be waiting for you at Valet."
Catherine smiled, forgetting that her grandmother had been given Sam's empire. She was a nice woman, but she was almost as Old Vegas as he was, and she would hold her own against the other casino moguls.
"All right!" Tony exclaimed excitedly.
Gibbs sighed, and waited for Catherine and Lindsey to get into the first limousine. Once they were leaving the airport, he said, "You'd think we dropped Tony off in heaven or something."
"Gibbs, this is his version of heaven," Catherine pointed out. "Gambling, strippers, a city that never sleeps... celebrities, hot girls, flashy cars... this is Tony's mind on a larger scale."
"Oh good grief," Gibbs muttered.
Catherine chuckled and brushed her hair out of her face as she watched the city come into view. "Feels like we never left, doesn't it, Linds?"
"A little bit, yeah," Lindsey replied, smiling at her mother. "Do I get to stay with Nana in the Rampart?"
"You do," Catherine murmured, reaching out and rubbing her daughter's arm. "She's got the penthouse on top. You'll have a security agent and a driver, but other than that, you'll be on your own when you're not with Nana."
"Awesome! I can't wait to call April and tell her!"
Gibbs smiled at Catherine. "Your mother owns the casinos now?" he asked.
Catherine nodded. "Sam always said he was going to do right by my mother this time. He left everything to both of us. I don't have an interest in the casinos or hotels, but my mother wanted to keep them. For the family, as screwed up as we are. So, she's the boss lady now." She tilted her head. "The guard is just a precaution. When you're worth millions, you have to be careful."
"I can understand that," Gibbs admitted.
As the Strip came into view, Catherine stiffened. Gibbs reached across the seat and put his hand on her knee. "It's gonna be fine."
"I think I've been hanging around Ziva too long," Catherine muttered, "because I just caught myself thinking 'if I was properly armed, I'd feel better.'"
Gibbs tipped his head back and laughed. Lindsey looked nervous, but when she saw Gibbs happy and amused, she smiled, too. Catherine shook her head and chuckled under her breath. But, she wasn't relaxed or happy or amused. She was worried and tense and very afraid of what was going to happen when she walked into the criminalistics lab in which she used to work.
TITLE: Starting Over 15/?
AUTHOR: 38gnihsurc
RATING: en.sea.xvii overall
PAIRINGS: Gil/Catherine, Catherine/LH, and maybe a few crossover pairings along the way.
WARNINGS: GSR for a while, Lady Heather makes an appearance later (and all that that implies), etc.
DISCLAIMER: I own no one... *sigh*
DISTRIBUTION: Graveshift Archive, crimsonchampagne... Others, ask.
SPOILERS: Season 6 for CSI, Season 2-3 for NCIS
SUMMARY/NOTES: And here's a little bit more for you :)
"When are the NCIS agents coming in?" Sara asked as she, Nick, and Gil looked over the evidence they had gathered in the past shift.
"Fallon's the closet base, and it's still pretty far away," Nick pointed out. "They'd have to fly in."
Gil shook his head. "They're coming in from D.C," he explained. When the younger CSI's looked at him, he continued his explanation. "The agents there wrapped up a case with similarities and the victim in ours could have been involved in their cases, somehow. So they're flying in today to work in conjunction with us."
"In conjunction?" Nick asked. "That doesn't sound like federal agents to me."
"I suspect their definition of 'in conjunction' is different than the actual definition," Gil replied in a wry tone of voice.
He looked over their photographs and the bags of evidence that hadn't been sent to Trace or DNA for analysis. Then, he looked over the reports from those departments that they had been able to obtain so far. He wanted to show the NCIS agents that they were a competent lab; he wanted their lab to hold its own against the federal agency. He had spent an hour in Ecklie's office, listening to the assistant lab director talk about how important it was for them to be able to announce in a press conference that the Las Vegas Crime Lab successfully arrested a murderer, with the assistance of NCIS. Gil did not want to spend another hour in Ecklie's office, listening to him talk about their lab's failure at securing the right for that press conference by being shunned by the federal agency. He decided they would be cooperative and courteous and avail themselves to the resources of the federal government.
Thinking like that made him think of Catherine. He frowned and shifted his weight as he listened to Sara and Nick discuss the case. Catherine would make sure they worked with NCIS. She would be political enough for both of them. She would have been able to advise him and tell him the best ways to keep the confidence of the federal agency.
When he thought he saw Catherine, walking down the hall amid a group of people, he thought his mind was playing tricks on him. He had been thinking about her for whole days and nights; he missed her so much his heart ached sometimes. It was logical to assume that his mind had tricked him into thinking Catherine was in the building.
He blinked and rubbed his eyes, but the group of people had passed by the window and were continuing down the hall.
Ignoring the questions posed by Nick and Sara, he walked past them and out into the hall. He followed the group of people and saw that they were walking into his office. He frowned.
"He never leaves his office."
"Catherine?"
The four people turned around and faced him. Catherine was standing next to a silver haired man, who was next to two younger people, a man and a woman. They were all holding NCIS badges.
"What are you... you're with NCIS now?"
"Hi, Grissom," she said in a calm voice. "This is Special Agent Jethro Gibbs," she said, motioning to the man on her left, "and Special Agents Tony DiNozzo and Ziva David."
"Pleased to meet you," he said, shaking their hands. He stopped at Ziva and smiled. "Ziva is an unusual name," he commented.
"So is Grissom," she replied, smirking. She tilted her head and shook his head. "I'm Mossad. Israeli."
"You're a long way from home," Gil said in reply.
She smiled. "I needed a change of scenery," she said cryptically.
Gil looked at Catherine and wondered if that was what she needed. He wondered why she couldn't tell him that---if all it had been was a need for a change of scenery. "It's nice to see you," he said quietly.
"Yeah," she responded, nodding slightly. "Listen, Gil, Gibbs and I would like to look at the body and have Doctor Robbins send a copy of his autopsy report to our medical examiner in D.C. And while we're doing that, I hoped you could take Tony and Ziva over the physical evidence and the sketch of the scene?"
"Sara and Nick are in one of the layout rooms," Gil replied, trying to meet her eyes and finding that she was avoiding making eye contact with him. "I'll take them down. Al is in the morgue. He should have posted your Master-at-Arms a little while ago."
"Thanks, Gil," she murmured, walking past him. As she passed, she reached out and touched his arm. Before he could return the gesture or say anything else, she was gone and Gibbs was following her out of the room.
&&&&
Doctor Al Robbins greeted Catherine with a warm smile and an open arm. She hugged him, relieved that someone was happy to see her. His affectionate greeting made her feel like being in Las Vegas wouldn't be such a bad event, after all.
"You look good, Catherine," he told her after looking her over. "Being a federal agent agrees with you."
She grinned and chuckled. "I miss the desert, sometimes," she admitted. "And I have to admit, autopsies just aren't the same without you," she added with a teasing wink.
"Same to you," he replied with a grin. "Las Vegas hasn't been the same without you."
She laughed and rubbed his shoulder. "You're shameless, Doc," she scolded in a warm tone. She stepped back and motioned towards Gibbs. "Al Robbins, this is Special Agent Jethro Gibbs. My boss in D.C."
"Nice to meet you, Agent Gibbs," the bearded doctor said with a smile. "I already spoke with Dr. Mallard," he told them. "Nice man... a little chatty... but---" when Catherine cleared her throat, he stopped and then quickly added: "I forwarded my findings onto him, along with the x-rays and toxicology reports."
"Thanks, Doctor Robbins," Gibbs replied. "What've we got here?"
As Al stepped back and started introducing them to Timothy Gerard, Catherine listened but at the same time, she looked around the room and saw that nothing had changed. She felt an ache in her heart and she realised that she had missed the crime lab more than she had been prepared to admit.
She saw some movement out of the corner of her eye and turned her head as Warrick peeked in the window of the door. Catherine's eyes widened and he motioned for her to step outside. After a nod, she touched Gibbs' arm gently and whispered that she was going to step out for a moment. He nodded so she walked away.
"Hey," he said quietly.
"Hi," she whispered. "I... I---"
He put his hand up. "It hurt when you left, Cath," he said in that same quiet voice, "but I can understand why you did. I forgive you."
Catherine felt her eyes start to water. "Warrick, I---"
"Gimme some love," he interrupted, opening his arms. She whimpered and all but melted into him. He kissed the side of her head as he hugged her close. "You doin' okay, Cath?"
"Most of the time," she murmured, hugging him around his neck. "I miss you so much... every day, things happen, and I want to call you and tell you about them... but I was scared that you'd be mad at me for not saying anything."
"I was mad," he admitted, "but I got over it. Things got rough around here for you... so I know why you needed to make a change. And I know you didn't want us to hold you here when you didn't want to stay." He kissed the side of her head again before releasing her. Catherine stepped back reluctantly and looked up into his eyes. She had missed his calm gaze and looking into it again made her want to cry. He was one of her best friends in Las Vegas and having that connection offered again, so easily, was almost too much for her to handle. "When you go back to the capital, you better call me... at least once a week."
She nodded and smiled, before wiping her cheeks dry. "I will. I promise," she vowed.
"You want to introduce me to your partner in there?"
"Sure," she murmured, "c'mon back in with me."
They reentered the room as Gibbs and Robbins were finishing the autopsy report. Catherine made the introductions between Warrick and Gibbs, and then Warrick went off in search of David---but not before he made Catherine promise that they would get to hang out before she went back to the East Coast.
"Want to go see how Ziva and Tony are making out?" Catherine asked.
He nodded. "Yeah, and then I want you to go see Lady Heather," he told her.
Robbins cleared his throat. "What does Lady Heather have to do with this?" he asked Catherine.
Catherine turned to look at him. "Well, she was involved with the case in Washington," she explained. "She was in town, staying at another... dominion. And the victims were tied to it. So, we want to do a follow up with her, to see if she knew this victim."
"Do you suspect her?"
She shook her head. "Nope. She's just... a valuable source of information on this case."
"Oh. Alright then."
Catherine smiled and squeezed Robbins' arm. "Thanks for bringing us up to speed. Hopefully I'll see you again before I go."
"Maybe we can get the gang together for a nice meal," Robbins suggested.
She laughed at that. "Well, some people won't want to celebrate my return," she reminded him, "but if we can find a few free minutes, I'm up for a drink or two."
"Great. Good luck on your case, guys," he said, before they turned and walked away.
Once they were in the hall, Gibbs put his hand in the small of Catherine's back, against the knife she had hidden at her waist. He leaned in and said, "Being back's not all bad, is it?"
She smiled at him. "No... Warrick and Al were pretty cool about me being back. But, Sara and Nick and Gil... they're not."
"How do you know?"
"Sara hates me and Nick hasn't forgiven me since I was supervisor of the shift... since I shut him out of a case by using reverse forensics to try to catch the suspect," she replied. She sighed. "And Gil... well, he doesn't care much about me at all anymore, so he doesn't care either way."
"I don't think you're completely right about that," he told her. "Some men just don't express themselves very well. We get bottled up."
Catherine looked up at him. "You do, hmm?"
"I do," he admitted.
"About what?" she asked. "I've never seen you have a problem expressing yourself."
Gibbs stopped her by holding her arm. He looked into her eyes. "There are some things I can't exactly say when we're working a case," he told her in a quiet voice.
She felt her heart skip a beat. She smiled and nodded. "I know," she murmured. "It's okay. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas," she reminded him with a teasing grin.
He chuckled quietly. "Alright then," he said before they resumed walking down the hall. "You miss it here?" he asked after a few minutes.
"Sort of... not really."
"Catherine?!"
She turned and saw Greg Sanders standing behind them. He grinned and scooped her up in a hug before she could say anything. Catherine found herself laughing into his shoulder as she hugged him back.
"God, you've grown up," she teased. "All business. You just get out of court?"
"Yeah," he replied as they separated. "I ran into Nick and Sara. They told me you were with the feds. I couldn't believe it!"
"I came back because I missed you," she teased.
"Well I should hope so!" he exclaimed. He hugged her again. "Sorry... it's just... it's just really good to see you," he said as he released her.
She beamed at him. "It's great to see you, too, Greg," she murmured. She stepped back and said, "This is Special Agent Jethro Gibbs... and Gibbs, this is Greg Sanders."
"Nice to meet you, sir," Greg said with a polite smile.
"Likewise, Greg," Gibbs replied.
Greg reached out and playfully punched Catherine's shoulder. "Is Linds in town, too?"
"Yeah, she's staying with my mom," she told him.
"Excellent! I'll have to go over and visit her when I get off shift," he said.
Catherine grinned. "She'd love that, Greg. Really. I'll catch up with you later, okay?"
"Alright. Great," he said, before grinning back at her and walking away.
She ignored the amused grin with which Gibbs was looking at her. After a few feet and one curve in the hallway, he said, "So, you miss it here?"
"Oh, shut up," she muttered, making him laugh quietly.
She dissolved into laughter, too. They were still laughing when they entered into the layout room where Sara and Nick were going over the case file with Ziva and Tony.
Sara arched an eyebrow as she squared her shoulders. "I heard you were back," she said in a cool voice.
Catherine's laughter faded away and she almost said something inappropriate, but Gibbs put his hand on her hip, squeezing gently and in warning. She looked back at Sara and shrugged. "Well, we go where the cases take us, Sara," she said as calmly as she could. She looked at Nick. "Nick, it's nice to see you again."
"You, too, Cath," he said in a quiet voice. He peeked up at her and gave her a small smile. She returned the expression with one of her own and hoped that he would forgive her for leaving and for treating the team the way she did when Keppler worked with them.
"This is Special Agent Jethro Gibbs," she said, motioning to the man at her side. "Gibbs, this is Sara Sidle and Nick Stokes."
"Nice to meet you both," Gibbs said. "DiNozzo, you figure any common links between the victims?"
"A couple," Tony said. He turned his gaze on Catherine. "Braun, you going to see Lady Heather soon?"
She nodded. "Yeah," she replied, "as soon as I hear what Sara and Nick recovered at the scene."
Sara glared at Catherine for a long moment. Gibbs cleared his throat and Catherine knew he was glaring at the brunette because she immediately crumbled and started going over the case file. Catherine exchanged a discrete smirk with Tony and Ziva, and then she focused on the evidence laid out in front of them.