Humiliation is Sweet revenge

Humiliation is Sweet Revenge 05a

Author: KhiDax

Pairing: G/C

Rating: NC 17 just to be safe!

Disclaimer: See part 1

Dedication: To my beta AbyKitten, who came through for me again. To Vividlyblue1 Honey you're the best

Summary: What more can they possibly do to him

Archive: You actually want it? Take it just drop me a line as to where

Author's Note: Thought at first this could fit anywhere now I realise it has to be in season three.

When Brass returned things were pretty much as he'd left them. The 'kids' were with Greg in trace and Catherine and Grissom were still in the older CSI's office. Catherine was now sitting behind the desk and Grissom had moved to the opposite side of the room, leaning his shoulder against the wall.

"Any news?" Brass asked as he set the food on the desk. Catherine shook her head. "Damn, my guys are getting fidgety."

"They're getting fidgety?" Grissom snapped bright anger blazing in his eyes as he pushed himself off of the wall and stormed toward the other man.

"Sorry, Gil," Brass atoned, holding both hands up in apology. 'What a stupid thing to say,' he thought to himself. If his men were getting anxious about not being able to evacuate the building or letting the bomb disposal guys do their job, how must Grissom be feeling.

Grissom tried to reign in his temper but it wasn't easy. He knew Brass hadn't meant anything by his remark. The tension must be getting to all of them, not just him. Part of his problem was that he didn't know if he wanted the damn phone to ring or not. Sure he wanted the bombs disarmed and everyone safe but what if they weren't finished with him? He couldn't think of anything else they could do to him now, but that didn't mean they couldn't.

"Let's just eat while we have the time," Catherine startling them both by saying. The waiting was hardest on Gil she knew, but like almost everything else about this damn case it was out of their control.

She sat slowly eating her sandwich not really tasting it and definitely not enjoying it but she knew they all needed to eat, this was going to be a long night even when Grissom's part in things were over. Looking up at Grissom standing there she realised that he was pretending to eat without really taking any sustenance at all.

"Gil, you've got to eat," she told him trying not to get angry with him, "you of all people should know that the drugs are just masking your bodies needs." A chagrined look crept over his face at this. "You can't keep running on empty."

Grissom looked at her, a small hamilemile creeping onto his face, the first she had seen in a while. "Yes, mother." He muttered and started to eat the soup. Each drop was like a lead weight in the pit of his stomach, he really didn't want to eat but he also didn't want an argument with Catherine because he knew she'd win. She usually did.

Catherine sat watching him finally start to eat, she knew there was more going on than he was telling them. For starters there was his hearing. How long had those problems been going on and why hadn't he told her before? Did he think she desert him? Surely he knew her well enough by now to know that nothing could ruin their friendship and thhe'he'd always stand by him. But then he was particularly insecure right now and who could blame him. He had told her before in confidence, and a rare feet of sharing personal information, that he had never really had anyone he could confide in other than his mother. He'd been embarrassed by that, feeling it made him less of a man in her eyes but it had also been the truth. Catherine couldn't help but feel that must have been a very lonely existence. It was also no wonder he had difficulty revealing things to her or any other members of the team.

Then there was the business of who could be behind this insidious matter? They had both been involved in numerous cases over the years where members of the team had been threatened, hell they'd even told Warrick, Sara and Nick not to be surprised by it for it came with the territory, but this was the first time anyone had actually carried out those threats and tried to destroy one of them.

Brass sat watching the couple watch one another, each thinking that no one saw them. They needed time together alone, obvious his food run hadn't given them enough time to talk things through, so he decided to make his excuses and leave. He'd just decided what excuse to use when the cell phone lying on the desk began to ring.

Catherine and Brass both jumped, but Grissom just sat watching the strawberry blonde giving no outward reaction to the summons. 'God he's locked up tight.' Brass thought. Catherine reached out and answered the phone when she realised no one else was going to.

"Yes?" She listened intently for a moment then stated, "you can tell me just as easily he's sitting right beside me." There was the muffled sound of a voice on the other end, then Catherine snapped her fingers pointing at a pad and pen that lay just out of her reach. Brass passed it to her and she began to scribble furiously. When she was finished she asked, "What about the Jordan's?"

Brass looked at her chagrined. Some detective he was he had forgotten all about the family who had been roped into this nightmare by pure chance.

"That'll take time to set up," Catherine stated, then after a few moments she added, "no, no stalling, but this time no witnesses either." She listened again, "Well then just me, you don't need a circus." Brass saw relief spread over her face; they must have acquiest to her suggestion.

The phone call finished and she handed the pad to Brass, "This is all your boys need to disarm the bombs here," she hesitated, shaking her head and glancing at Grissom, "he's got one more thing to do to earn the Jordan's safety."

Jim Brass groaned, what more could the possibly want? Hadn't they done enough to him already? Didn't they know they could humiliate him but it didn't change how anyone here felt for him or respected the man? They had tried very hard but ultimately they had failed, or had they? He looked at Grissom, his control tightly in place giving away nothing of what he was thinking. Why didn't he react? Brass would have been throwing a fit, raging and cursing but Grissom just sat there not moving or talking. But then perhaps after all that had happened the man had nothing left to give, perhaps his emotions were finally overloaded. There was only so much one human being could take. He just hoped that this final demand was not the stroke that broke Gil Grissom.

Catherine watched Brass' reaction to Grissom's lack of response. She had to get the detective out of there before he started asking awkward questions. "Jim can you get one of the boys to see if they can get a hold of a phlebotomist who'll make a house call?" she asked, hoping that would send him on his way.

Brass nodded, maybe now was the time to give them some space. Catherine obviously had everything under control.

Once Brass had left, Catherine touched Grissom's chin, making the man look in her directi"Ha"Has it gone again?" she asked slowly but quietly, she didn't want the bugs they thought had been planted to pick up her words. She wouldn't give them something else to use against him.

He nodded, "That obvious ha?" She smiled back at him wearily, how could he stay so calm about this, but then he'd had more time to come to terms with it than she had. Then she wondered was losing your hearing something you ever came to terms with? "Guess the cat's out of the bag now," he continued, jerking his thumb towards the door and Brass' retreating figure.

Catherine shook her head, "I don't think so," she replied, trying to keep her words clear so he could read her lips, "he seems more concerned about your lack of reaction than what might be causing it."

Grissom gave a rueful smile, glad of the reprieve. He wasn't looking forward to having to own up about his hearing problems to the rest of the team or Brass, he didn't know what the out come would be. Would he be asked to resign or maybe sacked on the spot? He didn't think he'd ever heard of a deaf criminalists, but he didn't know what he would do if he couldn't continue to do this job. He pointed to the phone asking, "Did we get all we needed or have I more hoops to jump through yet?" He tried to mask his true feelings, making light of the situation for her benefit, but she knew him too well for that.

"Don't do that, Gil," she chastised him, "not for my benefit. You have every right to be scared." He shook his head, trying to look away from her, but she stopped him. "Those bastards have sick minds and they've put you through hell, but you're still here, we're still behind you one hundred percent."

Grissom shrugged, and then grimaced. Damn when would he remember not to do that, he didn't want to call attention to the pain he was in, it served no purpose but to add even more tension to the circumstances and things were bad enough. "What did he say, Cath, and no more stalling?"

She shook her head sighing, he could always see right through her, no one else was able to read her as easily as this man and she had never been able to figure out how he did it. She had developed an outward tough skin that most people couldn't break through but he did without effort. "They won't tell us about the Jordan's," she told him, "not until they see how you enjoy the STD tests."

He found that strange, it was just a matter of some blood tests after all, what was the big deal about that? It wasn't as if he hated needles or anything so how would they benefit, what discomfort could they think they would see? Then he blinked as he remembered that one or two of the tests were slightly more complicated than that. And some were downright uncomfortable, sometimes even painful. "I won't parade myself around in front of the team again," he answered, his eyes widening with a trace of mild panic at the thought, "I've done that already, I can't do it again. I don't care what's at stake." He knew as soon as he said it that wasn't true. He wouldn't let a family die for the sake of his vanity or sanity because if they did it would be the end of him.

Catherine gripped his hand as he stood at the side of the ch "Y "You don't have to, it'll just be me and the doctor," she assured him, "no one else required."

He was relieved at first but then his anxiety seemed to start growing again. "Who's idea was that yours or theirs?" he asked his voice tight with emotion.

"Mine, why?" What was wrong with him? She thought she had done her best for him, they had wanted the the team in on it again but she'd talked them out of it. In her deepest thoughts and desires she had always hoped to be the one who got to see so much of him, though under much different circumstance, but that was going to be along time coming if ever, 'Down girl,' she thought, 'keep to the business at hand, no sense letting your hormones get the best of you.' She was angry at herself for letting her mind wander at a time like this. 'What he needs now is a friend, not a threat.'

"You shouldn't put yourself forward like that," he was growing more anxious by the minute, "it might not be safe." He turned away silently cursing himself hoping he hadn't said too much. It wouldn't do to warn them, there wasn't much they could do anyway.


"Gil," she turned to him to face her again and he realised he could hear once more, "what aren't you telling me?"

"Nothing," he snapped, whirling away from her. Why did she always have to be so good at reading him, anyone else would have missed it. God he had to get out of here, this place was just too claustrophobic, but he didn't dare. There was no way to know how his attackers would react to his leaving and the Jordan family's lives were still at stake.

Forgetting he still might not be able to hear her, she stood at his back and stated. "You're hiding something from me Gil Grissom and I want to knhat hat it is right now, damn it"

What was the use of telling her, there wasn't anything that could be done, his attackers had proven that yesterday hadn't they? "Gil, tell me," she demanded, he could almost hear her stamping her foot in frustration even when she didn't.

"It's not important," he lied, hating himself for doing it, but he wouldn't, couldn't face coming clean, "it won't make any difference to what is happening here and now so just forget it."

Maybe it was just his choice of words, or maybe it was because it was Catherine he was lying to, but suddenly she had a glimmer of an idea. "My God," she gasped and he spun around to look at her, hoping she was wrong, "they threatened to do this again, didn't they?" she stated more than asked, staring him right in the eye daring him to lie to her again, "And you're worried they'll think there is something between us and use it against you next time."

He was glad at her choice of words, for that was exactly what he was afraid of. He couldn't live with himself if he ever put Catherine and Lindsey in any danger and he didn't trust these guys not to know all about the other members of his team, so for the time being he couldn't show any feelings for any of them. He only hoped that the cameras hadn't picked up any of Catherine's little touches during the evidence gathering. Fear gripped him anew as the voice's parting words soundn hin his mind, "This is merely the beginning, Mr Grissom, we shall definitely be guesting you again."

He shuddered violently and tears pricked his eyes, he would rather die than go through that sort of torment again.

"Why didn't you tell us from the beginning?" Catherine asked, having stopped in front of him to stem his pacing, "why keep this from us?"

He wiped his eyes, the movement showing his fury at his tears, "What difference would it have made? They've made sure they've covered their tracks," he snapped, "why make the others feel pressured into finding evidence that isn't there?"

She stared at him, why was he talking like this? He knew they'd found foreign DNA. Was he so sure their search for the owner's identity would be futile? 'No,' she mentally berated herself, 'he knows what Warrick and I only suspected, this room is bugged.'


He nodded almost imperceptibly, seeing the realisation dawn in her bright eyes. The fact that his attackers could see his humiliation, see his rapport with his team and Catherine, meant they could also know everything they thought they had found. If they knew for a fact their identity was known they would just go to ground and no one would ever find them. They had to keep what little evidence they had found quiet, or they could be second-guessed. And if what he said was perfectly true and the evidence lead nowhere what was the point?

He could be in a room full of people the next time and the result would be the same. All they had to do was use another innocent family completely unrelated to him or any crime and they held the ace card every time, the thought did nothing to comfort Grissom.

Someone knocked on the door and they both jumped, they'd been so focused on their discussion that all other distractions had ceased to exist. "Come," Grissom called.

Brass opened the door and stuck his head in, "It's all set up," he told them, "the doc will be hear in about two hours maybe a little less."

Catherine nodded her thanks, then asked, "And the bombs?"

"Two down, three to go," he replied, "so far their information has been pretty reliable but the bomb guys are taking no chances."

"I never doubted that it wouldn't be," Grissom stated and he meant it. With one scene left to play out, he didn't believe they would level the building and do themselves out of further enjoyment. He realised that subconsciously he had never been truly worried about the CSI building; it had always been about the Jordans. As long as he was in the building they would leave it in tact, he was their focus and they wouldn't loose him needlessly. But they Jordans, them they could kill with impunity and still have him accessible for more games.

"Thanks for keeping us posted, Jim," he heard Catherine say and then the door closed. She touched his arm to attract his attention, he seemed so distant just now and she didn't like it. "We've got a couple of hours, why don't you try to get some sleep?" He started to refuse, but she stalled him, she could see the fatigue in his face and knew the drugs were starting to wear off. "Lie on your side facing the back of the couch, that way you won't accidentally make contact with any of your sore spots and I'll sit close by watching your back." He could see she meant that literally.

"I don't think I could sleep," he countered, sighing, he would love to just be able to close his eyes even for a minute. But he was afraid of what might be waiting for him in his dreams and too ashamed to admit it.

She walked him over to the couch, knowing why he was so reluctant, but she took the decision out of his hands. She would be there to help if anything happened. "It's all right, Gil," she said, helping him settle on his side with the least bit of hurt, "I'm staying right here, you'll be fine. I'll take care of you." He began to wonder if she had managed to slip something into his soup without him knowing, because no sooner had he laid his head down than he began to fall asleep.

Catherine sat on the floor watching him, hoping he would be able to get some rest, the man was out on his feet and no one could continue to operate like that. For a long time he was completely still and the rest seemed to be working, she could see his muscles begin to untense and relax. She'd known what he was afraid of and didn't blame him. No one liked nightmares, and those based in reality were even harder to banish once you awoke. All too soon his peaceful sleep changed, he began to jerk and whimper, curling in on himself. She waited for a few moments, hoping that this would pass and he would find more peace, but when he began to cry out she risked wakening him. She spoke to him softly and gently, hoping to disturb his sleep just enough to jolt him out of the nightmare and into more pleasant dreams. Her mere touch, however, startled him awake. She saw the confusion, fear and pain as he struggled to take in his surroundings. He swung himself round into a sitting position and then rose almost immediately.


"It's no use, Catherine," he said, trying to hide the emotion in his voice and that almost broke her hear, "I can't, as soon as I close my eyes I'm back there, I can't handle that now." Catherine swallowed a sob, she hated seeing him struggling to gain his usual composure and failing, but it hurt her more that he felt he had to with her. Just this once she wished she could banish his nightmares as easily as she did Lindsey's but she knew that was too much to hope for.

The silence that ensued was stifling. It was clear he didn't want to talk about it and for once in her life Catherine didn't know how to get him to open up. He was hurting and he handled that by burying it. Sooner or later he would have to talk it out, but now did not seem the time to pressure him so she held her piece.

About an hour later there was a knock on the door, Jim Brass entered followed by a woman with greying hair, sparkling grey eyes and an air of authority. This woman was clearly used to being obeyed immediately, and Catherine doubted she was any mere Phlebotomist.

"Catherine Willows, Gil Grissom," Jim stated making the introductions, "this is Doctor Samantha Evering."

Catherine nodded a greeting and glanced over at Grissom, she'd never seen him try to blend into the background like that before, but that was exactly what he was doing now. He knew very well what this woman was here for and he didn't like it. He didn't like it at all. Catherine was surprised by his reaction; surely this was just a matter of some blood work? That was after all why she had volunteered to be the witness, but then she hadn't really familiarised herself with this area of medicine. Maybe she should have, then she would've have know what was worrying her friend and why his attackers were so keen to witness these tests.

"Shall we start with the routine blood work, Mr Grissom?" Doctor Evering suggested, "one of your co workers called me and explained the basics of the situation," she began, adding hastily when she saw his concern, "he hoped I might be able to recommend someone, but given the circumstances I felt it would be more prudent if I attended you myself."

Grissom didn't answer just walked reluctantly over to the doctor, removing his jacket as he went. He couldn't help but wonder who had called and just how much this doctor had been told. Standing beside her he raised his arm and held it out for the tourniquet so she could begin.

Catherine had no such inhibitions, however, "You said one of our colleagues called you, who?"

Grissom didn't know if she was really curious or just trying to provide a distraction. Knowing Catherine it was probably both.

The doctor motioned for Grissom to take a seat, "I'd rather stand," he answered awkwardly, undeterred the doctor merely nodded and speaking to Catherine, began to take the first of her blood samples. "Yes, young Greg Saunders gave me a call."

Grissom and Catherine were both surprised, though Catherine privately thought she shouldn't have been. It was just like Greg to know the very person to call and do it to help Grissom, the older CSI was probably the only one who didn't realise that Greg all but idolised the man and his work.

"He gave me a few brief but salient details, nothing too specific I assure you, but he was one of my favourite and best students so I couldn't resist helping him," she continued exchanging one vial for another, "in fact I should be rather annoyed with you, Mr Grissom." She looked up at him with an amused expression spreading over her face.

Grissom frowned looking away from his arm, and the blood she was gathering, and staring at the doctor herself. "You should be, why?" he asked confused. He'd never seen this woman before in his life, he was certain of that, so what could she possibly hold against him?

"Yes," the doctor continued," Greg was dithering over which branch of scientific research he wanted to stay in, I'd almost talked him into my lab. That was until he heard of the work of a certain Mr Gil Grissom and nothing would do tha that he find away to work and learn from you."

An amazed look grew on Grissom's face, he had no idea. He knew the young man was becoming an unqualified expert in his field, some of the discoveries he had made for them had been almost miraculous, but he didn't realise he had figured so much in Greg's career.

Catherine merely nodded her head accepting what Doctor Evering said. It didn't surprise her for a minute that Greg would want to work with Grissom, even if the man did make him nervous. There seemed to be only two people who didn't realise what a catch this lab had made when Gil Grissom had decided to join LVPD Crime Lab, Ecklie and the Sheriff and she had not time or respect for either man. Ecklie she could and did ignore, the sheriff she merely humoured, it was the more politic thing to do something Gil tended to forget about.

"Well now, Mr Grissom," the doctor interrupted both of their musings, "I have left the worst to last, as you've no doubt realised."

Grissom drew in a deep breath, nodded his head and sighed, "Which one do you want to do first?" he asked her, not looking at her but through her. Samantha Evering found this very disconcerting, but she supposed she really couldn't blame him. If even half of the little Greg had told her was accurate, there would be considerable damage done to the area she now proposed to examine, the problem was they had to know if any of that damage was permanent. A cursory exam would lay most fears to rest and he could be seen at a proper clinic once this fiasco was over.

"I think we'll do the prostate first, see what they did, shall we?"

He looked shyly at Catherine which, after all they had been through, she still found rather endearing. She didn't think he'd ever lose the need to keep his personal life and his working life strictly separate, which this crime wasn't allowing him to do, and she wasn't sure she wanted him to ever lose that, just as long as there was always a place for her in both.

Sighing he worked at his belt while the doctor suggested they turn his chair to face him and he could use that to support hif. Cf. Catherine went to lock the door, blood tests were one thing but she sure as hell didn't want anyone walking in on this.

For what felt like the hundredth time in the last thirty hours, Grissom felt someone probing his anus. The fact that it was a doctor doing it for medical reasons didn't make it any easier. Not only was he in considerable pain, he was also mortified and he thought having Catherine witness all this made it worse.

Why now when everything had gone all to hell did she have to make her true feelings for him known? Could he trust they were real or was it just pity? He didn't think he could handle it if it was just pity. He had been in love with the woman for years but had never had the courage to tell her and now this. Part of him was sure that Catherine would never state such feelings out of pity, she would have to know that was the one thing that could destroy him mentally and emotionally, he had to hope she was telling the truth, but how could she possibly want him after all this? He just couldn't settle things in his mind. The same thoughts had been chasing around in circles in his head all afternoon and he was getting no closer to settling it. He felt as though his head might explode.

"I don't like what I'm finding here, Mr Grissom," the doctors words brought him back to the here and now with a crash, "now I'm not saying it couldn't be the trauma you've been subjected to, but I'd like to do another test."

Grissom couldn't answer her, he felt paralysed, his own mind wouldn't even function for him and that scared him even more. He just kept staring at Doctor Evering over his shoulder.

Catherine saw the renewed signs of panic on his face and her heart lurched. How much more would he have to go through before he finally broke? And if he did how would she manage to put him back together again? "It's okay, Gil," she told him, walking toward him keeping her voice gentle but strong, "it's just another test, that's all," she continued as he turned his head to face her, "we'll get through this like we've handled the rest of this day, one step at a time."

Doctor Evering was amazed at the effect the younger woman's voice had on the man in front of her. She'd thought he had been about to bolt and she'd had no idea how to reach him or calm him, but Catherine's voice did the trick. Evering got the necessary dish from her kit and performed the test. Catherine could tell from Grissom's face that it had been a lot more than uncomfortable, but how badly it had hurt him she couldn't tell because he wouldn't look at her. "That's fine," Evering said sealing the container, "once this has been tested we'll know everything for certain," she cleared her throat, "do you know what the last test is?"

Grissom stood with his back to both women, his head bent, "I know of it," he said in a quiet, shaken voice, "I've never had it done though." It was clear that he didn't like the idea of having to have it done now either.

Evering removed a syringe from her bag and attached what Catherine first thought was a very long needle, but at second glance she realised it was a long slender piece of tubing similar to what was now a days used in place of intravenous needles. "Is that sharp?" she asked, confusion ringing clear in her voice.

"No, no it's not," Evering informed her, "a few years ago it would have to have been an actual needle but now, with the advances of modern science, practices have changed."

Before she could ask the doctor what she intended to do with it, there was a knock on the door, followed by Nick's voice, "Catherine, can I speak to you for a moment?"

She heard a rustling behind her and realised that Grissom was reclothing himself. She checked with him before unlocking the door and stepping outside. "This had better be important, Nicky," she muttered as she went.

Once the door had closed, Evering turned back to her patient. "Shall we proceed, Mr Grissom?"

Gil shook his head, "we have to wait," not sure how he felt about being reprieved, no matter how temporarily.

"Are you stalling me sir?" Evering asked, her eyebrows almost disappearing into her hair. She had thought he would be glad to get this over with and in private.

Looking her straight in the eye Grissom answered her directly. "No, Doctor Evering, I'm not." He sighed, he seemed to be doing that a lot lately, "The perpetrators are still calling the shots and they insist on a witness, Ms Willows made sure she was to be the only one."

"But how would they know any different?" the woman asked, surprised at how calm he suddenly seemed to be or was he? Perhaps resigned would be a better word.

"The room is fully monitored, they made sure to show me before they let me go." And that was the last word he said for some time.Humiliation is Sweet Revenge 5b

Caveats see part 1


Nick saw the anger on Catherine’s face at the interruption, “Sorry,” he said, “but we thought this was important. One of Greg’s finds popped an ID.”

Catherine looked at him, waiting for him to continue, “Well?” she asked, resisting the urge to stat tapping her foot in anger and impatient.

“Dominic Cantanelli,” he stated.

She stood there pronouncing the surname over and over, Nick could almost she her taste it. “That name sounds vaguely familiar, but I don’t know why?” she replied still taxing her brain for a connection.

“Apparently he’s the boss of one of the more connected drug bosses in Nevada,” Nick explained, “but we don’t know his connection to Grissom.” The frustration was darkening his eyes. “Since we can’t send anyone out to question him till we know this family is safe, Warrick, Sara and I are going to go through the bosses old cases and see if we can scare anything up.”

Catherine whistled, “That’s a lot of cases, Nick”

He shrugged, “All we have just now is time,” he replied and headed of to find the others.

Knocking first Catherine went back into the room. “Now, where were we?” she asked and Grissom raised his gaze to stare at her. She couldn’t remember when she’d seen him look worse and it almost made her cry, but now was not the time for tears, they would help no one.

“Ah yes,” she continued, “I was just about to ask you to explain what you were going to do with that?”

Evering looked at the young woman and then at the syringe in her hand, “This is used to collect samples from the base of the urethra, similar to what would happen to a woman during a pap smear,” she answered succinctly.

Catherine smothered a gasp. No wonder they had wanted this done here and it was easily obvious why Grissom had dreaded this woman’s arrival. “Isn’t that painful?” she asked and then felt stupid. God of course it would be.

“Can we save the discussion for later,” Grissom asked, an almost plaintive tone in his voice, “it isn’t gong to get any easier talking about it.”

Both womended ded feeling insensitive. They’d been talking about it as if it was an empirical test that fascinated them forgetting that affect it would have on the man who had to undergo it.

Grissom stood waiting his hands balled into fists. He let out a small-strangled cry as the test began; sweat beading on his upper lip. Catherine walked up and took his right hand in both of hers. “Breathe, Gil” she urged him, “breathe.”

“She’s right,” Evering added, “in through the nose and out through the mouth, it should help take the edge off.”

He did as he was told, clinging tightly to Catherine’s hands not realising he was hurting her. Tears sparked in her eyes, but not for the pain he was causing her, Eddie had done far worse for sheer enjoyment, but for the distress he was in.

“There now,” Evering stated, “that’s all done.” Catherine could hear Grissom’s sigh of relief as he rearranged his clothing. “Most of these test results should be ready by tomorrow, however, you’ll have to wait longer for the Hepatitis C and Aids tests.” She paused looking at each of them in turn, “a positive result for either will be known in twenty to forty-eight hours of course, but a negative one will take five months to prove conclusively. You are aware of that aren’t you Mr Grissom?”

Gil nodded, it was going to be a very long five months he hoped. But maybe now he could finally get out of here. He longed to be on his own, to try and get some grip on all that had happened to him. One more phone call and it should be over, once Brass’ men located the Jordan family and made sure of the safety.

“You’re also aware that you shouldn’t have unprotected sex until you know the full results of all these test I trust?” Evering concluded, she didn’t really feel it had to be said, but in her position she had to be sure.

“That’s hardly going to be a concern, doctor,” he answered tightly, “but thank you for the reminder.”

Samantha Evering packed away all her things and prepared to leave. “Perhaps you would like to see Greg before you go?” Catherine asked her, she was quite prepared to give Grissom some time on his own, but Evering robbed her of the excuse. “No that won’t be necessary,” the doctor, replied, “ I don’t want to disturb him right now and we’ve made dinner arrangements for later this week, but thank you.” She smiled at the younger woman accepting her courtesy. “I believe Captain Brass said he would see me out if you’ll just direct me to his office?”

Catherine took her chance this time and escorted Evering to Brass’ office personally. She didn’t want to be away from Grissom too long, but she knew that everything was beginning to crowd in on him. What she was worried about was him being on his own when the final phone call came in, she didn’t know what sort of parting shots these maniacs might make and she wanted to be there just in case.

Grissom stood looking out the open door of his office, just watching the normal workings of the night going on about him. It seemed difficult to believe that instead of leading the investigation as normal, he was the investigation. He wondered how the ‘kids’ were getting on, but didn’t want to be with anyone right now. He thought of finally being able to go home and realised that he didn’t want to. He didn’t know where he would go, but home at the moment had bad memories and he wasn’t sure he could face them. Was he afraid there might be someone waiting for him? No he didn’t think so, it was too soon. They would probably let him sweat things for a while and then when he least expected it they would pounce again.

The phone rang and as he reached for it Catherine came running back into the office. She looked flushed, she looked worried. He didn’t blame her, he was as well.

“Grissom.” He answered. Catherine studied his face as he made notehey hey were clearly up holding their end of the bargain again. He seemed to be writing directions and she suddenly realised that the family didn’t even stay in Vegas. It would take hours for Brass and his men to get there. They would never have found them.

“Right,” Grissom said. He flushed, “don’t expect me to be holding my breath.” He snapped and then ended the call and threw the phone on the desk. “Do you want to give this to Brass or shall I?” he asked her.

“No needhe rhe replied, taking the note from him she walked to the door. As she reached it an officer appeared, “Take this to Captain Brass personally for me, he should be back in his office in about ten minutes, wait for him.” The man nodded and then left.

“Once this is all settled you are coming home with me.” Catherine told Grissom, not prepared to take no for an answer. “That’s not practical, Catherine and you know it. Lindsey will be there and I don’t want her to see me like this.”

“Lindsey is at my sisters,” Catherine answered, “she’ll take her to school, then she has a sleep over tonight and then will be staying with my sister for the rest of the week. It’s all been arranged.”

Grissom grimaced, he wasn’t sure he wanted this. He could feel his body beginning to respond to the lack of amphetamines in his blood stream. He wasn’t going to be a very nice person to live with for the next week or so until the symptoms settled down some. It was the last thing he wanted anyone to witness.

“Don’t worry, Gil,” she reassured him, “Doctor Evering came well prepared. She has given me some medication that should help with the withdrawals and with the wounds you’ve suffered.” She saw him stiffen, she started to grow angry but buried it. He could take his privacy issues too far. Did he honestly think she was going to let him suffer on his own? He didn’t know her as well as he thought he did.

“Get your stuff together and meet me out front in ten minutes,” she ordered him, “don’t make me coming looking for you now,” she added the warning with a smile.

“Yes, mother,” he replied, knowing she had won again.

TBC…