Nick, Catherine, and Greg arrived directly back at CSI HQ again. As they walked in, Greg apparently felt the need to shout, "We're baaack!!" Catherine turned her head to glare at him. "What?" he mouthed, not seeing what was wrong with making a big deal out of himself.

"Wonder where Grissom is," Nick mused, ignoring Greg and Catherine's 'conversation.'

"I have to tell him I'm going back to Harry and Sirius anyway, I'll look for him." Catherine offered, already moving faster than the rest of her team down the hallway. If she knew Grissom, which she did fairly well, he would be in his office, dealing with a migraine or happy for some new evidence.

Sure enough, as she looked into Grissom's office door, he was sitting at his desk rubbing his temples, eyes scrunched up and glasses left to be forgotten on the desk. She quietly knocked, letting Grissom know she was there before she started talking. He looked up, and Catherine continued into his office.

"The woods don't match." He said bitterly. Catherine silently celebrated. "We need some other suspect now. But I still have my money on Sirius or Harry or both of them."

Catherine's excitement deflated a little; she thought Grissom would be better about Sirius and Harry now that the woods didn't match. Apparently not…

"Speaking of them…" Catherine began, nervously. "I kinda need to go back to them…I need to learn at least some spells, and how to control magic…"

Grissom loudly stood up from his desk, furious. "No. You're not going back there. If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times, they. Are. Our. Suspects."

"Griss, they couldn't have done it. After what Sirius has been through, or at least what I've heard about it, I don't think he'd be brave enough to kill a fly. Nonetheless, he is very brave, but…you know what I mean…"

"Regardless of what we think about them they are still suspects. You, of all people, Catherine, would be the person I would least suspect to get emotionally involved in a case."

With this, Catherine stopped. How 'emotionally involved' does he think I am?! I just…this is just my opinion!

"Look, I'm going back, okay? I need this, and it could help with the case. I don't know what exactly is peeving you off about this…but I'm going back."

"Even if I fire you for it?"

Catherine stopped again, but this time it was with fear. Grissom had never threatened to fire anyone, no more than jokingly. If he was actually going to fire her…

"I-I don't ca-care." She stuttered, trying not to show the over-flowing fear in her, but drastically failing.

"Look, Catherine, make the decision now. If you go, I'll be forced to fire you. Because they are still suspects."

"I'm going."

"Alright, Catherine, I'm sorry to say this…but you're fired."

Catherine stood, dumbstruck, her eyes plastered to Grissom's calm face. She was waiting for Grissom to laugh at her and just take it back. But minute after minute passed…and he didn't say anything. The only sounds in the room were of Grissom's breathing and typing from the surrounding offices.

"Catherine? Did you not—"

Catherine held up her hand, interrupting her ex-boss. "I heard you. I'm fired. I get it. Here."

Catherine shrugged out of her vest, pulled her company cell phone out of her pocket, and tipped her ball cap off her head. Holding these three items in her outstretched hands, she stared at them for a second, silently making one wish. I wish this was all just a dream…

But, as Grissom carefully picked the three items out of Catherine's hands, it was clear this was real. After all her hard years as a Las Vegas CSI, Catherine Willows had been fired.

"I'm sorry Catherine." Grissom said, sitting straight back into his computer chair.

"Save it, Gil." Catherine held her hand up again. "I'm still helping on the case, whether you like it or not. And I know you'll re-hire me when this is all done and over with."

Catherine turned on her heels and walked out of Grissom's office, not letting another word out of her ex-boss' mouth.

"Oh, hey Cath!" Greg interrupted her inner misery as soon as she stepped out.

"Hey, Greggo…" she greeted, her inner misery now setting in on her voice.

"How'd it go?"

"Well…Griss fired me."

Greg stopped, shocked, just as Catherine had been when Grissom started to threaten her. Nick walked up on Greg, looking confused when he saw Greg's face.

"What's up?" he asked, still staring over the two of his teammates.

"Cath's fired…" Greg replied with shock still in his voice and showing on his face.

"What?"

"Alright, guys, I get it, it's shocking." Catherine let her head fall, not wanting to hear any more about her recent demotion. "My question is: can either of you two create a portkey back to Harry's house? I need to get back there…"

"I don't know…" the two boys simeoultaneouly said, fingering their wands in their pockets. With the new wave of sadness on Catherine's face Greg piped up, "but I know I can try!"

Catherine smiled; something that hadn't shown in the past half-an-hour at least. "Thanks, Greggo. Can you make my personal cell phone…?"

"Lemme try."

Catherine handed her cell to Greg who tapped his wand to it, shutting his eyes. Within a few seconds his eyes open, a new excitement glimmering in them.

"I-I…I think I got it!" he said excitedly.

"Think, or sure?" Cath nervously laughed.

"Ninety-nine point seven percent sure." Greg grinned, handing her cell phone back to her.

"We've had better odds with catching a serial killer…" Catherine muttered, and Greg's face fell. "But I'll take it!" Greg immediately brightened.

"Thank you guys…" Catherine whispered to each of them. "I'll be back…"

Clutching her cell phone she counted, one…two…three…and was off. In a few seconds, she was standing outside of Harry's house. Moving forward, but not exactly sure how, she stepped up to the front door and knocked.

"It's Catherine…" she said weakly, not bothering to sound as she had. In less than a second, Sirius was opening the door.

"Hey, Cath!" he grinned, but it quickly faltered when he saw the look on Catherine's face. "What's wrong?"

Catherine walked in, next to Sirius, just not wanting to be outside when her emotional barrier broke. Sirius let the door swing closed and gently laid his arm around Catherine.

"What's wrong?" he repeated, only softer.

Catherine took a deep breath, preparing to tell him, with a straight face. "Grissom just fired me. Legally…I'm not a CSI anymore."

Sirius froze, silenced, lost for words. "Why?" he asked, even quieter than his previous question. He, obviously, was trying to keep his emotions down, just as Catherine had been.

"You guys are still suspects in his eyes," Catherine sighed. "Technically, it's against code or whatever to have anything to do with suspects other than questioning. This isn't exactly questioning…"

"Well, is that a good or a bad thing?" Sirius smiled, looking down at Catherine. She, honestly, didn't know. Bad that it got her fired…good…well…'cause Sirius and Harry were her friends.

"Both."

"How is it a bad thing?" Sirius laughed as he walked Catherine into his godson's living room and sat back onto the couch, turning to make sure his eyes were on her.

"It kinda got me fired…" She smiled truthfully, sitting down herself, making sure her eyes were on Sirius. "I take that as a bad thing."

"Why?" Sirius continued the questioning, his eyes having a glint of a profiler, something Catherine had seen on the job many, many times.

"Well, I'm going to miss Greg, Nick, and Warrick." She shrugged. "Grissom, probably, too. I'm used to being challenged every day, and that's not going to happen any more…it's just going to be a lot different than I'm used to without my place as a CSI…but it's not gonna be long before I'm in my place again."

"And why's that?" Sirius asked, amused.

"I only said I'm legally not a CSI." Catherine grinned. "I'm still gonna help with the case. Greg and Nick each have my personal cell number, and I'm pretty sure they're smart enough to tell me anything big if they come across it."

Sirius laughed, a deep, but ringing laugh. Catherine hadn't realized it, but when he laughed he sounded younger, a lot younger than he definitely looked.

"Sirius…how old are you?"

"…fourty-nine. Why?"

Catherine's eyes closed, in disbelief of their closeness of age. "I was…just wondering."

"What about you?"

"Fifty."

Sirius paused, having the same reaction as Catherine. He slowly smiled, but seeing that she didn't have any reaction, he wiped it.

"Well, what do you say we start working on your magic?"

AN: Sorry that I haven't updated in forever!!! I've been working on an OS for a year now…and juggling Fanfiction and an OS is very, very hard…