Catherine Willows entered the dark room hesitantly. Sara had told her that Grissom was still in the office, but the room looked empty to her. She left the file she'd brought on the desk and turned to leave when she heard a soft sound. Halting mid-stride, she listened carefully.

There it was again. What was it? Looking around, she tried to localize what she'd heard and was about to give up when she saw a something in a corner of the room.

"Gris?"

There was no response but Cath continued towards the figure. "Gil?" When she was close enough, she could see that is was Grissom but, as far as she could tell, he was asleep. He was curled up against the wall with his neck in a slightly awkward angle.

That's an extremely uncomfortable position to sleep in, she thought before silently retracing her steps and exiting the room. After contemplating a thought for a moment she decided to go and fetch the blanket she had in her car. If Gil was going to sleep, there was no reason for him to freeze in the air-conditioned room, Catherine reasoned.

As she returned with the blanket, she saw Nick reaching for Grissom's office door, and called out for him to stop.

Stokes raised his eyebrows, but lowered his hand from the handle. "The boss in there?"

"Nick," she said, "can you do me a favor?"

"You'll owe me one," he insisted.

"Nice try. Consider this one of those that you owe me," Cath retorted, smiling at his reaction. He really should know her by now; she never forgot a favor. "Listen, could you just come back with that a little later?"

"Why? He sick?"

"No... just, could you?" Catherine didn't want to reveal just why the boss' office was off limits at the moment. Not that the guy would spread it around but if Gris ever found out... well, he'd be less than pleased and more than a little embarrassed. But Cath knew he'd been having a rough time lately and, since there were no major cases going on today, she didn't really see a reason he shouldn't be allowed to take a thirty-minute nap, even if it was in the middle of his shift.

Nick frowned a little, finding the mysteriousness of Cath's evasive answer odd but, thanks to the determination in her eyes and her well-known stubbornness, he relented. "Okay, whatever you say. But can you tell him that, when he's available, I've got that follow-up on the McKenzie case?"

"I will, thanks."

"Alright, well... I guess I'll see you later then."

Cath barely nodded in response, her thoughts already focused on quietly opening the door to Gil's office. Once inside, she closed the door behind her, unwrapped the blanket and she gently covered Gil with it. She was just about to leave again, when he woke up.

"Sorry, didn't mean to wake you," Willows said apologetically.

"I fell asleep?"

"Yeah. Come on, now that you're awake, you might as well get a better position."

Grissom disagreed, "I have to get back to work."

He was starting to get up when his red haired friend placed a hand on his shoulder, "You're not going anywhere, you need to rest."

"Catherine--"

"Just for an hour. If anything comes up I'll come and wake you up. Besides," Cath added, seeing that Gil wasn't entirely convinced yet, "you've been up almost 26 hours and, at the moment it's quiet. I suggest you take advantage of that."

He knew there was no reason for him to keep on arguing; thought her words said 'suggest' she really didn't mean it to be taken as one. And her hardheaded nature would not let him win this round. He settled down and found a comfortable position on the hard floor. Never did I imagine that a hard and cold floor would sound appealing, he thought.

When he was laying next to her, Cath unconsciously brushed away a stubborn lock of hair from his forehead and was slightly startled when Grissom took her hand.

"You know, you should rest, too," he pointed out.

She shook her head no and was about to say something when he raised his hand and pressed a finger on her lips.

"An hour, that's all I ask."

Cath sighed in resignation, knowing that she was trapped. Just like him to use my own words against me, she thought, but couldn't quite manage getting angry with him. Instead she nodded her head and rose to her feet.

"Where are you going?"

"To my office, to get rest--" she started.

"Why not stay here," Gil suggested. "The floor is just as hard there as it is here," he added, seeing her raised eyebrows. "And I know this happens to be your blanket so..."

Mulling over the situation for a minute, Cath finally decided to give in. No real reason why not. As long as you keep your fantasies firmly away from your thoughts, she added to herself silently. Kicking her shoes off, she laid down next to him, under the blanket he was now holding up.

When Gris woke a half an hour later, he was less than surprised to see Cath next to him, but a little more than shocked at what she was doing. A brief glance at her face told him she was still asleep and dreaming. Must be one hell of a dream, he thought and gingerly raised his hand to move hers from his chest.

The action didn't result in what he had planned, as she wouldn't let go of his hand and instead started to fondle his arm and upper chest.

He couldn't believe this was happening. Yes, he would be the first to admit, although only to himself, that it was not uncommon for him to entertain those sort of thoughts about the woman next to him. However, to have her rub herself against him while completely being unaware of it... Gil thought he should wake her, but she would be embarrassed and he didn't want her to feel that way. If she was having this sort of dreams about someone he surely wasn't supposed to know about it, right?

Trying to maneuver himself away from her embrace, Gil felt her hand wandering lower. Okay, this is getting out hand, he thought to himself silently.

Casting another glance at her face, Gil stopped to admire her delicate features. Her face was peaceful and content, so unlike what he was used to seeing. When working, she would wear a concentrated look on her face. Very often, he could see her shaking her head in wonder of the case they were working on. He let himself enjoy the chance to see her this way. He'd always thought she was beautiful. Not necessarily in the classical way, but in a very personal kind of way that made him more attracted to her than to anyone else he'd know.

Her moan stirred him from his thoughts and he made sure she had not been awakened by his sudden movements. Something caught his attention, though.

"Oh, Gil..."

Had she just...

"Oh yess, mmm..."

The world stopped and time with it. Cath was dreaming of him?

He forced himself not to respond to her touches, but it was proving increasingly difficult. He was going to lose the battle soon if he didn't get away from her, and he desperately didn't want to lose control like this. He knew he'd have to wake her and risk embarrassing them both, but the alternative was, well, worse.

"Cath. Come on, wake up," he whispered, but only answer he got was another throaty moan from her.

"Cath, you have to wake up now." Gil couldn't give up, so he kept repeating himself over and over.

Finally, she opened her eyes and looked at him. She was looking at him with clear yearning in her eyes and, before Grissom could make a move, she reached for him and pulled him down on her, fastening her lips on his.

Soft lips, yielding, passionate, needing and demanding. Gil was frozen but his resistance was starting to wear off as her hands continued to explore his body. "Cath, we... ohhh, really we can't..."

Catherine whimpered softly and Gris responded by deepening the kiss. His hands came up to tangle in her hair as he explored her mouth fervently, losing himself in her.

Catherine was amazed. Not once had she ever experienced a dream of this intensity. Usually she woke up when things got too heated, leaving her frustrated and aching for more. She thought she had woken when she saw Gil hovering above her, but then the dream had resumed. God, but he felt good. Better than she'd ever dreamed before. She pressed her body against his and heard him moan in response. His hands were exploring her in the same way hers were; seeking new places to touch and please and she wiggled herself closer to him.

It all seemed real to her, almost as if were not a dream. His touches, the feel of his body against hers, her feelings, even the sounds they were making were all clear and un-dreamlike. With sudden clarity, Catherine realized that she was, in fact, not dreaming. She was very much awake. And this really was Gil, not a delusion, and he was responding to her with the same passion and desire she felt for him.

For a fraction of a second, Cath considered stopping him. However she could feel his insistent arousal against her belly even as his hands started to remove her clothes slowly and instead of breaking off the embrace she countered his actions by pulling at his clothes, eager to touch his skin.

Gil made a trail of kisses down her neck and she moaned softly, finally grasping the bottom of his shirt and pulled it over his head. He shivered as the cold air touched his skin.

He rolled them over so that she was the one on top and Cath didn't waste a second in taking advantage of the situation. She unbuttoned her blouse and tossed it aside, leaving her only in her bra.

Gris pried her jeans open while she leaned down so she could kiss him, but the action allowed him to switch positions again and Cath found herself being covered by her soon-to-be lover. He trailed a series of kisses down the side of her jaw and neck, finding a sensitive spot close to her shoulder.

"Oh god, Gil," she moaned. She directed his hand from her waist to the swell of her breast, still covered by the bra.

"This has to go," he said, reaching behind her to unhook it and Cath arched her back to make it easier. Once the offensive article was done away with, Gil paused to admire the view before him, "Beautiful. So beautiful."

He kneaded the soft mounds against his palms and then allowed his hands to fall down, moving back to her thighs and he discarded the jeans she was still wearing. With one hand he reached the juncture between her legs and cupped her through the fabric of her panties. She ground herself to him, pressing herself into his palm, her arousal seeping through the fabric.

"Gil...ohhh... Gil, you're overdressed," she complained and tried to rectify the situation by once again pulling at his clothes. He took pity on her and did quick work of undressing himself, until he too, was wearing nothing but his boxers. He could feel her eyes on him, studying him. He raised his eyes to hers and saw the open admiration in them.

The fingers of her one hand trailed down his chest, all the way to the waistband of his boxers and beyond, while the other reached behind his back and pushed the garment past his hips as far as she could.

He leaned in again and captured her mouth, briefly, teasingly, before moving lower to envelop her nipple with his mouth. One hand molded her other breast, while the other began a slow journey down and under her panties, testing her. He was delighted to notice that she was past being merely ready for him.

"Please..." she implored him and he readily met her unspoken wishes by taking the last piece of clothing off of her.

Cath was squirming underneath him as he held her hips at right angle and positioned himself at her opening. He met her eyes as he entered her, sinking into her torturingly slowly. Cath moaned loudly in pleasure before remembering where they were and that people they worked with were only a few yards away. Gil stilled his movements as she stretched to accommodate him, but then she undulated against him, urging him on. The easy rhythm he established was quickly forgotten, his thrusts gaining momentum and intensity as she writhed beneath him, her nails clawing at his back. She cried out softly with each thrust, her body swaying against him, head trashing from side to side. Cath could feel her release lingering just out of her reach and, locking her legs behind Gil's back, frantically ground her body into his.

The first wave hit her and Catherine was forced to bite her lip to keep from crying out her pleasure as her body convulsed around her lover, her inner muscles gripping him, sending him careening over the edge with her. Cath felt him stiffen against her and, with the warmth of his seed filling her, he whispered her name softly in her ear.

After a moment Catherine spoke, "I wouldn't mind staying like this for a while, but you're crushing me."

"I'm sorry," Gil apologized and started getting up.

She stopped him, laying her hand on his shoulder, "Please don't go yet. Stay."

He looked at her, searching her face for any sign of discomfort, but found none. He then moved back next to her and laid on the floor, pulling her with him and, covered them with the blanket.

The silence between them stretched, as both were thinking about what had just occurred and how it would change things. It was one thing working together as friends, but when a relationship was more intimate than that, the situation immediately got more complicated. Or did it?

"So what do we do now," Gil asked her finally.

"You mean in five minutes, or five days?"

"Well, both actually," he said, trying to find the right words, but then giving up with a frustrated sigh. "You're right, I'm not good with people."

Cath smiled at him gleefully, "I wouldn't say so anymore. I think you've got plenty of good skills I wasn't aware of." Seeing his sheepish expression, she continued, "I know this would complicate things some, but if the boss is okay with it..."

Gil stared at her, astonished. "You mean..."

"You're getting better with people and I thought I'd start training you myself," she answered laughing. "Provided, of course, that no one else gets to touch the goods."

"I think that can be arranged," Grissom said, kissing her again, anxious for the rest of the day to end so he could take her home for more lessons.

The end?