Gil turned over once again, eyes closed and mind racing. He groaned slightly. There was no point fighting it; he couldn't sleep. Turning over onto his back he gave into the demand of his heart. Catherine. Everything Catherine gushed into his mind. His heart swelled with love and that pleasing, restless feeling formed in his stomach.

In Gil Grissom's ordered life everything had a place and fit perfectly in it. He always thought love would come in and mess things up. That concept didn't make sense, not even to him. But that was just something that made him who he was, and didn't need to be analyzed. To his surprise the love he had for Catherine hadn't come in like a tornado. One day it hadn't been there and then the next it was. Well, it was there the whole time, but Gil hadn't noticed it, until it hit him like a two by four between the eyes.

The love was a soft, spring breeze; not too hot, not too cold. It caressed so smoothly and soothed so gently. On it was the sweet scent of blossoming flowers and a promise of renewal that always came with spring. It lifted him up, turned everyday situations into monumentous events. Opaque thoughts became crystal clear; it was something to marvel over and revel in.

Gil got up and walked to the window. He parted the dark curtains and looked upon Las Vegas in springtime. This was the time of year that reminded him of how Las Vegas got its name: the meadows. Desert in spring, a beautiful sight. The parched, brown landscape exploded with vibrant color; purples, yellows, and some red. The scene took him back once again to the woman that had his heart.

A smile appeared on Grissom's face. He had to do it. He walked over to the stereo and rummaged around his collection of classical music. Gil was looking for a specific song. The first time he had ever heard this song it moved him. It spoke to him of Catherine, as if she had inspired it.

Elated when he found it, face lit like a little boy's. Gil put the CD in and selected track two, then stood back to experience the song. The easy music came out of the speakers. The rhythm reminded Grissom of a gospel hymn. The comparison fit because the words were sang from the soul testifying to love.

"Can this be true, tell me can this be real. How can I put into words what I feel. My life was complete, I thought I whole. Why do I feel like I'm losing control. I never thought that love could feel like this. Then you changed my world with just one kiss. How can it be, oh that right here with me. There's an angel, it's a miracle... .Your love is like a river, peaceful and deep. Your soul is like a secret that I never could keep. When I look into your eyes, I know that it's true. God must have spent a little more time on you... .In all of creation, all things great and small. You are the one that surpasses them all. More precious than any diamond or pearl. They broke the mold when you came in this world. And I'm tryin' hard to figure out, just how I ever did without. Oh, the warmth of your smile, the heart of a child. It's deep inside and leaves me purified."

The song had ended and the next began, but Gil wasn't paying attention. His focus wasn't on the happenings of the world outside his window either, even though he continued to stare out. Pleasant, precious memories held his attention.

It was a lazy summer Sunday afternoon, the kind that seems to go on forever. Gil had suddenly found himself wanting to see his favorite girls. Unexpectedly he'd shown up at Catherine's house. Even as he exited his SUV he could hear the music blasting from inside. Slipping inside unnoticed, he'd gotten a rare sight. Catherine and Lindsey were dancing around singing into hair brushes. Gil recognized the song from a movie that Catherine had badgered him in to taking her to; something about a woman who had several fiancés and kept leaving them at the altar literally.

Lindsey had turned slightly, enough to see the front door and spot Grissom. With a quick finger to his lips to indicate silence, Lindsey had kept quiet. He wanted to see how long it took Catherine, who had her back to him, to notice him. The two females mouthed the words.

"And I'm so totally. Wrapped up emotionally. Attracted so physically. Actin' so recklessly. I need you so desperately. Sure as the sky is blue. Yeah. And I'm in so electrically. Charged up kinetically. Actin' erratically. Need you fanatically. You get to me magically. Sure as the sky is blue."

At that moment Gil noticed Catherine begin to turn. The words, "Baby, I love you," were mouthed just as she stood facing him.

Catherine quickly stopped and turned red. She went over and switched off the stereo.

Grissom hadn't moved. He was stunned. In reality he knew Catherine hadn't said, "Baby, I love you," to him but the impact was just the same. His mind was totally blank and his heart had stumbled once, only to begin beating so fast he thought it would surely bust a rib.

Catherine's voice finally broke him out of his daze. To this day Gil couldn't tell you what they had spoken about after that if his life depended on it. Somehow, out of pure automatic response, Grissom had carried on an intelligent conversation. Or at least he thought he had, he hoped.

Gil shook his head at the memory and smiled. That was Catherine. She was the only woman in the world that could turn him from a highly regarded entomologist with two PhDs into a blubbering, sweaty palmed school boy talking to his first crush.

Catherine could drive him nuts, infuriate him beyond belief. More than a few times she had sent him into a cussing tirade where no other words had been spoken but foul ones and the amount would have filled pages. Yet she was the only one that could curb his anger by simply being there. She could offer more support and condolence with a touch than others could with words. Her mere presences sent his heart soaring and her absences plunged it into dark depths.

At times he found their situation bittersweet. He loved her. Truly, hopelessly, helplessly, desperately; as much as a man could. And yet he wouldn't speak the words. That nasty little voice inside his mind would taunt him; always reminding him that there would have to be a true God in heaven for a woman like her to love him. But with a sigh, Gil would remind himself of the mind-blowing, awe-inspiring feeling he experienced and that would be enough. Ah, such sweet torture.

Grissom turned away from the window. He walked to his book shelf and pulled out an old leather bound book. Going to the couch he sat down and opened it. In the middle of it were several typed pages. They held several quotes from Life's Little Treasure Book: On Love. Gil began to flip through all the quotes trying to find his favorite.

"At the touch of love everyone becomes a poet"-Plato. No, that wasn't it.

"A man may be said to love most truly that woman in whose company he can feel drowsy in comfort."-George Jean Nathan. Gil smiled at that one.

"I have spread my dream underneath your feet; Tread softly because you tread on my dream."-William Butler Yeats. Grissom had always enjoyed this particular quote, but it just wasn't the one.

"There is nothing holier in this life of ours than the first consciousness of love-the first fluttering of its silken wings."-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

That one was nice, but still not the one Gil was searching for. Then he flipped the page and his eyes sparkled. He'd found it, the one that fit. The one that he repeated to himself the first time he saw Catherine and nearly every time after that.

"I ne'er was struck before that hour, with love so sudden and so sweet. Her face it bloomed like a sweet flower. And stole my heart away complete."-John Clark.

The quotes were forgotten as Grissom recalled the first time he had seen Catherine. Everything else around him had vanished except for her. There before him stood a woman that left him captivated. He soon learned that she was a fascinating woman, which had a brilliant mind, incredible jest, insatiable appetite for knowledge, with a soft heart, and visible soul.

Gil sighed. He knew that there had been other men that had held her in ways that he never had. At times this caused great discomfort to Gil. He wasn't jealous; he just wanted the whole thing. But during the sleepless days when his mind emptied and his heart filled, he basked in the knowledge that he alone knew certain things about Catherine. Things that Eddie or her best girlfriends didn't know.

Like the fact that Catherine's feet were incredibly sensitive. They had been at her house one day, relaxing after a grueling case. The movie played and Catherine's feet lay across Gil's lap. He unconsciously began to rub them. The sounds Catherine made were pure heaven. Gil was secretly aroused by her little moans and sighs of pleasure. She explained to him that one of her greatest pleasures in the world was having her feet rubbed. Catherine went so far as to wear thick, soft socks so she could pamper her feet and herself at work. She confessed that she'd never told anyone this, especially Eddie. It was a huge weakness and the one delivering the pleasure would surely get whatever he or she asked for from Catherine.

Gil also knew that Catherine's favorite smell in the entire world was freshly cut grass on a cool morning in the middle of summer. Summer nights were Catherine's time of the year. Each and every night there seemed to be magic in the air, she had told him, like anything was possible.

Without hesitation Grissom could name Catherine's favorite book, song, flower, poem, memory, what each scar was from--the ones he was permitted to see and those he couldn't. In short, he knew her inside out.

Grissom set the book aside and went to the shelves once again. Books weren't what he was looking at this time. This time it was the pictures of Catherine.

It had been around this time of year and Catherine was still getting used to being a CSI. She was no longer a rookie, but there were still cases that left a mark. Gil had notice the unusual quietness of Catherine over the past two days. He was determined to see her smile again.

So after the case was completed that night Gil convinced Catherine to leave Lindsey with her grandparents and take a drive with him. The only thing he'd told Catherine was to dress really warm. This bit of information put Cath into suspicious mode. The temperature had been reaching 65 during the day, but she trusted Grissom completely and did as advised.

Their trip left Las Vegas behind and soon they were climbing into the Spring Mountain Range. The sight caused Catherine to gasp in surprise. Snow. All around them was snow. Grissom finally stopped in front of a ski lodge that read: Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort.

Catherine was totally flabbergasted. She stepped out of the vehicle into the powdery fluff. A huge smile exploded onto her face. That was it. Gil was elated. That one smile was worth the entire trip.

Catherine walked to his side of the vehicle. "Why haven't I heard about this before?" She asked.

"It's a well kept secret." Gil informed.

"How high up are we?"

"8,500 feet, give or take." Gil answered.

"This is incredible. Just a short drive away is the heat of the desert and the noise of the strip." Her voice was full of wonder as she continued to look around, taking in everything.

"It's the mirage of Las Vegas' desert." Gil just stood and watched Catherine. His thoughts were interrupted by a voice.

"You folks here to ski?" The nice young man asked.

"No, just to play." Gil stated.

"Okay. If you change your mind, skis are for rent just inside." With that he was gone.

Catherine had caught the exchange between the two men, even though her focus was on the skiers. "We're going to play?" She lifted an eyebrow up. "That is something I thought would never come from you lips, Gil Grissom." Then went back to studying her surroundings.

Before Catherine could react Gil threw a snowball at her. It landed on her shoulder.

Catherine slowly turned around and glared at him, but the twinkle in her eyes said that she was happy. She then scooped up a handful of snow and made her own ball.

Grissom stood still like a good sport. He really thought Catherine didn't have a prayer of hitting him, and wanted to keep the smile on her face so he'd make himself an obvious target. To his total surprise Catherine hit him right square in the chest. This caused Catherine to laugh gleefully. Her laughter was infectious. Soon Gil was laughing too. He then quickly charged after her. She squealed and looked around as if searching for cover. Gil growled and made to pounce on her but stepped to the left at the last moment. Caught off guard Catherine fell backwards. She landed softly in the snow drift and caused it to spray snow into the air around her.

Grissom felt horrible as he walked over to her, concern clearly on his face and in his voice. "Oh, God, Cath, I'm so sorry. Are you okay?" He knelt down next to her.

Catherine couldn't help but laugh. "I'm fine, Gil."

Gil looked relaxed. Then he brushed some snow off her forehead. Their eyes locked and the spark ignited.

Gil sighed at the memory. He'd taken away some very important knowledge that day that he'd do anything to see Catherine smile.

Grissom looked at the clock and knew that it was too late for him to get any sleep. Off to the shower. In there, as he washed his graying curly hair, Gil thought of Catherine again.

Even after all this time his breath still stopped when he entered a room she was in. He tingled inside when she was next to him or touched him; so comfortable about sharing his personal space with her. All the times that he'd looked into her beautiful blue eyes he still got lost in them. Each day his love for her grew stronger and deeper.

The case had been solved with ease that night. Gil had paired himself with Catherine. As they were getting ready to leave, the mood struck him and the words were out of his mouth before he realized what he was doing. "Hey, Cath, feel like taking a drive?"

Catherine flashed him the smile he knew was for him and him alone. "Sure. Are we going up to play in the snow again?" She asked playfully, remembering the adventure.

"No, someplace else." With that they were in the Tahoe and off.

Gil spoke again. "Funny you should mention the ski resort. I was thinking about that before work."

"Huh. That was fun." Catherine smiled.

"Yeah."

"So, where are we going?" She asked.

"Someplace you've never been." Gil informed her.

"Okay." Catherine stated, clearly not convinced.

The two remained silent. Soon Catherine was digging around for a CD. She put in Mozart. Before long Gil had turned onto a dirt road and came to a stop.

It was still dark out since they had finished early. They were parked on a cliff that over looked a little cove of Lake Mead. Up there it was as if they were the only two people in the world.

Gil opened the door and said, "This is it."

Catherine followed suit. Gil surprised her when he climbed onto the hood. His warm smile had her doing the same. Gil leaned against the windshield and directed Catherine to sit between his legs. That way he could hold her in his arms.

All nestled down, Catherine gazed at the picture in front of her. The full moon reflected on the black water. She was a million miles away when she heard Gil's mellow, rich voice in her ear.

"Legend has it that a Cherokee warrior named Lone Wolf made a plea to the Great Spirit on just such a night. An enemy war party had been spotted and the decision had been made that the tribe would send warriors out to meet them. All the signs indicated that Lone Wolf would die the next morning. So he went to the edge of the river where the moon reflected and asked the Great Spirit to watch over his beloved wife Moon Lily. The Great Spirit looked upon this noble warrior and knew of the unique bond he shared with his wife. As was predicted Lone Wolf died. The Great Spirit sent Moon Lily a quick and painless death so she could be with her love. He then made the moon full once every thirty days as a reminder of the pure and true love had by few."

Catherine had tears rolling down her cheeks.

Grissom continued. "No, I'm not going to die, but I wanted to share with you the story that first told me about soul mates. After hearing this legend I didn't believe in soul mates. I didn't think like, Lone Wolf, that the Great Spirit, in making people had fashioned two people from the same soul. That is until I met you. You are my soul mate, Cath. You make me complete."

Catherine had turned and watched Gil speak these words to her. Emotion choked her words, "Oh, Gil." She kissed him with all the love she had for him. "I love you, too." She finally managed to say.

The two kissed again allowing their souls to touch and adding another example to the Cherokee Legend.

The end.