CONSTANT
By The Madhatter
Chapter 1: Betrayal
Disclaimer: You know who CSI belongs to, I don't need to write it all out. :P
Details: Post Inside the Box. Takes place right after Catherine sees Braun about the case, and goes from there.
A/N: I had to write something after the finale of this season. Linkin Park's song, "Somewhere I Belong" and 12 Stones "Let Go" inspired me. If you haven't heard those songs, I strongly suggest you download them. I think it kinda sums up Catherine's feelings to an extent. Grissom's too.
+++
"You gave me my strength to face another day alone I need you now, my friend, more than you know." - "Let Go" by 12 Stones
Catherine Willows, dressed in charcoal gray pants, a black shirt, and a tan jacket, sat across from Sam Braun, listening to his confession. She knew it was against the rules not to interrogate a suspect without a detective present, but she didn't care. Damn the rules to hell. Not too long ago, she revealed to him that she had her blood tested and that seven alleles matched the suspects - his. Sam Braun was indeed Catherine's biological father.
Greg looked sympathetic when he handed her the results. Just in one glance, her suspicions were confirmed. She didn't know whether to laugh or to cry. Suddenly, everything in her life clicked when the results came back. No wonder her father left. No wonder Sam always felt more like a father than anybody else.
As Sam finished his little revelation, Catherine, with tears in her eyes, told him, "It was just a lousy way to find out that you were my father."
After that, she stood up and exited his office. There was no point in staying, staying in the same room as a murderer, her father. The thought of being related to a murderer never crossed her mind. After spending most of her lifetime trying to put those people behind bars, she was related to one that was still free. Not for long, she thought, and pulled out her cell phone.
"Brass, it's Catherine. I found our murderer - Sam Braun."
"You've got to be kidding me. Braun? Are you serious?"
"He just copped. I got it out of him."
"Where are you now?"
"Right outside his office at the Rampart."
"I'll be right over." He paused. "Are you okay, Catherine?"
She wiped her eye, erasing away an imaginary tear. "Yeah, I will be."
With that, she clicked off and waited for Brass. Within ten minutes, he was right outside of Braun's door, with a few uniforms. The three policemen went in and arrested Braun, reading him his rights. Brass, on the other hand, was outside talking with Catherine.
"I'm sorry, Catherine."
"Don't be. Just. just take him away."
Brass looked at her uncertainly. "Are you sure you're gonna be all right? Do you need a ride home?"
She shook her head. "I'll be fine. Thanks, though. Besides, I need to go see Gil."
"Yeah. Where is he, anyway? I've tried reaching him for the past hour or so, but he wouldn't pick up."
Catherine's mind worked quickly, forming an excuse. "He's really busy with paperwork and his bugs. I think someone delivered a new batch for him to process for a case. You know him and his bugs - he never gets away."
He chuckled. "Yeah, I know. Thanks. I'll be sure to put Braun in his place."
"Keep me posted?"
"Will do. Take care, okay?"
Catherine nodded and made her way toward her Tahoe. She made her way to Desert Palm Hospital, where Grissom would be having his surgery. Quickly finding a parking space, she parked and jogged up to the automatic doors, hoping she wouldn't be too late.
"May I help you?" the receptionist asked.
"I need to see Gil Grissom, please?"
"Just give me a moment." The brunette receptionist flipped through the schedule in front of her. Her finger dragged across the paper, searching for Grissom's name. "Mr. Grissom is in room 51 on the second floor. If you hurry, you might be able to catch him before he goes in. It's on your left when you get off the elevator."
"Thank you."
Catherine quickly made her way to his room, but couldn't help feeling guilty. Her reason for seeing him was split. Part of her needed to see a familiar face, someone she trusted. Gil Grissom happened to be one of the few that existed in her life. The recent event with Sam made her feel weak and insecure, almost as if she didn't know where or who she was anymore. She trusted Sam, but he lied to her. The feeling of betrayal ripped her soul into shreds.
The second reason was for Grissom himself. She could tell in an instant that he was nervous about the whole procedure from the start. The way he acted when he told her about his surgery was almost jumpy. It seemed that if a fly landed on his jacket, he would've exploded. His answers to her questions were short and strained, a sure sign of stress or nervousness. Maybe it would help if he saw a familiar face before he went in for some support. Besides, he was there for her in her worst times; it was time to return that gesture.
Before Catherine knew it, she was already in front of his door. She stared at him for a few moments, wondering what he was thinking about, before making herself known.
She cleared her throat. "Hey."
His head shot to her direction, startled. "What're you doing here?"
She offered him a smile. "I just wanted to see you. And I didn't want you to go in without wishing you good luck."
She could've sworn she saw his lips twitch upward as he stood up and walked up to her. "Thank you. for being here."
Looking up into those bright blue eyes, all feelings of guilt and selfishness vanished. He was sincere. Grissom wasn't lying. She smiled and gave him an encouraging look before hugging him. For some odd reason, being in his arms for a brief second brought a sense of comfort, a sense of security. Catherine felt safe with him, invincible almost. It was a rare feeling, and she loved it.
They broke apart. Catherine looked at him again, smiling at the embarrassed, lopsided grin he had on his face. Unfortunately, it disappeared just as quickly as it came.
"I don't need that," he told the nurse with the wheelchair.
Catherine watched as he walked off, grinning at the revealing gown. She shook her head. Grissom was still the same; he didn't want to seem weak. She stood there for a few moments longer than necessary, thinking of what just happened.
Gil Grissom would never know the extent of the strength he gave her in that hug.
The sound of her phone ringing brought her out of reverie. Damn, she cursed silently. "Willows."
"Brass here. We're interrogating him now."
"Thanks. I'll be right over."
Catherine found herself standing behind the two-way mirror, watching the interrogation of her newly acquainted father. He told Brass everything that he told Catherine, excluding the fact that he was Catherine's father. She stared intently at the man, almost loathing him. Part of her hated him for killing someone and being her biological father, yet the other couldn't be mad at him. She found herself still loving him.
Brass entered the observation room with a manila folder in hand. "Did everything Braun say match up with your version?"
She nodded. "Everything."
"Good. Thanks for your work on this. I'm just sorry it had to end this way."
"Me too, Jim. Me too."
By The Madhatter
Chapter 1: Betrayal
Disclaimer: You know who CSI belongs to, I don't need to write it all out. :P
Details: Post Inside the Box. Takes place right after Catherine sees Braun about the case, and goes from there.
A/N: I had to write something after the finale of this season. Linkin Park's song, "Somewhere I Belong" and 12 Stones "Let Go" inspired me. If you haven't heard those songs, I strongly suggest you download them. I think it kinda sums up Catherine's feelings to an extent. Grissom's too.
+++
"You gave me my strength to face another day alone I need you now, my friend, more than you know." - "Let Go" by 12 Stones
Catherine Willows, dressed in charcoal gray pants, a black shirt, and a tan jacket, sat across from Sam Braun, listening to his confession. She knew it was against the rules not to interrogate a suspect without a detective present, but she didn't care. Damn the rules to hell. Not too long ago, she revealed to him that she had her blood tested and that seven alleles matched the suspects - his. Sam Braun was indeed Catherine's biological father.
Greg looked sympathetic when he handed her the results. Just in one glance, her suspicions were confirmed. She didn't know whether to laugh or to cry. Suddenly, everything in her life clicked when the results came back. No wonder her father left. No wonder Sam always felt more like a father than anybody else.
As Sam finished his little revelation, Catherine, with tears in her eyes, told him, "It was just a lousy way to find out that you were my father."
After that, she stood up and exited his office. There was no point in staying, staying in the same room as a murderer, her father. The thought of being related to a murderer never crossed her mind. After spending most of her lifetime trying to put those people behind bars, she was related to one that was still free. Not for long, she thought, and pulled out her cell phone.
"Brass, it's Catherine. I found our murderer - Sam Braun."
"You've got to be kidding me. Braun? Are you serious?"
"He just copped. I got it out of him."
"Where are you now?"
"Right outside his office at the Rampart."
"I'll be right over." He paused. "Are you okay, Catherine?"
She wiped her eye, erasing away an imaginary tear. "Yeah, I will be."
With that, she clicked off and waited for Brass. Within ten minutes, he was right outside of Braun's door, with a few uniforms. The three policemen went in and arrested Braun, reading him his rights. Brass, on the other hand, was outside talking with Catherine.
"I'm sorry, Catherine."
"Don't be. Just. just take him away."
Brass looked at her uncertainly. "Are you sure you're gonna be all right? Do you need a ride home?"
She shook her head. "I'll be fine. Thanks, though. Besides, I need to go see Gil."
"Yeah. Where is he, anyway? I've tried reaching him for the past hour or so, but he wouldn't pick up."
Catherine's mind worked quickly, forming an excuse. "He's really busy with paperwork and his bugs. I think someone delivered a new batch for him to process for a case. You know him and his bugs - he never gets away."
He chuckled. "Yeah, I know. Thanks. I'll be sure to put Braun in his place."
"Keep me posted?"
"Will do. Take care, okay?"
Catherine nodded and made her way toward her Tahoe. She made her way to Desert Palm Hospital, where Grissom would be having his surgery. Quickly finding a parking space, she parked and jogged up to the automatic doors, hoping she wouldn't be too late.
"May I help you?" the receptionist asked.
"I need to see Gil Grissom, please?"
"Just give me a moment." The brunette receptionist flipped through the schedule in front of her. Her finger dragged across the paper, searching for Grissom's name. "Mr. Grissom is in room 51 on the second floor. If you hurry, you might be able to catch him before he goes in. It's on your left when you get off the elevator."
"Thank you."
Catherine quickly made her way to his room, but couldn't help feeling guilty. Her reason for seeing him was split. Part of her needed to see a familiar face, someone she trusted. Gil Grissom happened to be one of the few that existed in her life. The recent event with Sam made her feel weak and insecure, almost as if she didn't know where or who she was anymore. She trusted Sam, but he lied to her. The feeling of betrayal ripped her soul into shreds.
The second reason was for Grissom himself. She could tell in an instant that he was nervous about the whole procedure from the start. The way he acted when he told her about his surgery was almost jumpy. It seemed that if a fly landed on his jacket, he would've exploded. His answers to her questions were short and strained, a sure sign of stress or nervousness. Maybe it would help if he saw a familiar face before he went in for some support. Besides, he was there for her in her worst times; it was time to return that gesture.
Before Catherine knew it, she was already in front of his door. She stared at him for a few moments, wondering what he was thinking about, before making herself known.
She cleared her throat. "Hey."
His head shot to her direction, startled. "What're you doing here?"
She offered him a smile. "I just wanted to see you. And I didn't want you to go in without wishing you good luck."
She could've sworn she saw his lips twitch upward as he stood up and walked up to her. "Thank you. for being here."
Looking up into those bright blue eyes, all feelings of guilt and selfishness vanished. He was sincere. Grissom wasn't lying. She smiled and gave him an encouraging look before hugging him. For some odd reason, being in his arms for a brief second brought a sense of comfort, a sense of security. Catherine felt safe with him, invincible almost. It was a rare feeling, and she loved it.
They broke apart. Catherine looked at him again, smiling at the embarrassed, lopsided grin he had on his face. Unfortunately, it disappeared just as quickly as it came.
"I don't need that," he told the nurse with the wheelchair.
Catherine watched as he walked off, grinning at the revealing gown. She shook her head. Grissom was still the same; he didn't want to seem weak. She stood there for a few moments longer than necessary, thinking of what just happened.
Gil Grissom would never know the extent of the strength he gave her in that hug.
The sound of her phone ringing brought her out of reverie. Damn, she cursed silently. "Willows."
"Brass here. We're interrogating him now."
"Thanks. I'll be right over."
Catherine found herself standing behind the two-way mirror, watching the interrogation of her newly acquainted father. He told Brass everything that he told Catherine, excluding the fact that he was Catherine's father. She stared intently at the man, almost loathing him. Part of her hated him for killing someone and being her biological father, yet the other couldn't be mad at him. She found herself still loving him.
Brass entered the observation room with a manila folder in hand. "Did everything Braun say match up with your version?"
She nodded. "Everything."
"Good. Thanks for your work on this. I'm just sorry it had to end this way."
"Me too, Jim. Me too."