The rumors and speculations had been bandied about for six days before Catherine heard them. It was surprising, usually she heard much earlier, but she was still reeling from her promotion, found and then lost. Not that she didn’t enjoy working with Grissom again or the others. But still, it was a serious blow to her ego and she was still in the anger phase. She came to work, did her job, went home and didn’t engage in chatter with her coworkers. Maybe after the sting had eased, she’d return to her normal self.

So, while she decided she didn’t give a damn about anyone at work for the time being, this particular topic of conversation piqued her interest. And not because of who it was regarding, exactly, but what it was regarding.

She was inserting her key into the lock of her office door; the only thing she kept from her promotion when she heard Judy and Greg talking as they walked down the corridor. They were talking to quietly for her to make out the words, but whatever it was, it was being debated.

“I’m telling you, he’s in love,” Judy insisted. “It’s the only explanation.”

Greg shrugged his shoulders. “Yeah. But with who? I’ve been in his office and haven’t seen any photos. Obviously he’s got something going on outside of work, but I’ve not heard him talking sweet nothings on the phone. And believe you me, just because I don’t work in the lab, doesn’t mean I don’t still have a place in the gossip line. I hear everything.”

Judy rolled her eyes. Being the new CSI in the ‘family’, Greg was jockeying for room. If he wanted to believe he was still the eyes and ears of the place, let him. She knew better. He was as clueless as the rest of them. Besides, she’d heard it first from Hodges. Not that she was going to reveal that tidbit.

“I’m telling you, he has all the classic signs.” She spotted Catherine and nudged him with her elbow. “If you don’t believe, ask Catherine. She knows everything.”

“I will.” Greg moved around Judy and appeared next to Catherine. “Who’s the chick in Gil’s life, angel?” His smile was toothy as he took the to-go cup from her hand.

Catherine threw him a glare. “I’m not your angel, Greg. Spit it out, what do you want?”

Greg wasn’t put off by her gruff answer, but instead blurted, “Grissom’s love life.”

Catherine sighed, wondering why everyone turned to her for answers into Grissom’s psyche. True, she was probably closer to him than anyone else here, save Brass, she really didn’t have many, if any, insights into their elusive boss. And she wasn’t sure she wanted to know the inner workings of his mind. She might get lost in that scary place.

“I have no earthly clue what you’re talking about, Greg.” She pushed the door open and dumped her purse and attaché case onto her desk. Turning to him, she held her hand out. “Can I have my drink back?”

“Oh, yeah.” He thrust her drink at her. “You don’t know? I thought you and Grissom were tight.”

Catherine bristled at the calculated dig on her relationship with Gil. “We are. But he hasn’t said a word about being in love. You are probably imagining it.”

Judy summoned courage from somewhere and spoke. It wasn’t that Catherine was ever mean or rude to her, it was simply that Catherine and Grissom were the big dogs on campus. You don’t speak unless spoken to. At least that’s how they were viewed by most of the employees at the lab.

“But he has all the signs. All of them.”

Catherine looked at Judy, one eyebrow raised. “Smiles all the time? Leaves early?” She watched as Judy nodded emphatically. “God, tell me he doesn’t whistle. That’s the clincher. Besides the sigh thing. He’s not doing that is he?”

Judy shook her head. “No sighs, no whistles. Not that I’ve heard. But the rest. Oh yeah, most definitely.”

Catherine thought for a moment. “It certainly does sound like he’s got someone in his life. But unless he says something...” She looked at both of them. “Ok, I’ll check it out. He’ll talk to me. But you know how he abhors gossip, especially when it’s about him, so if I were you, I’d stop talking about it.”

Greg and Judy nodded, then shuffled out of Catherine’s office, properly chastised and confident that Catherine could get to the bottom of Grissom’s strange behavior.

Catherine walked around her desk and plopped into her chair, resting her head in her hands. The headache she’d been nursing since she got up exploded and she blindly reached into a drawer for the pain pills she always kept handy.

Swallowing two bitter pills, followed by a long slurp of her green tea frappuccino, Catherine wondered about the new mystery surrounding her friend of almost twenty years. Did he finally meet the woman of his dreams? Was it really love? Why hadn’t he told her? Would he tell her? And why did it bother her so much?

She rhythmically rubbed her temples for a few minutes, vowing to corner him before the shift was over tonight.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gil sighed happily and signed the bottom of the report he’d finished reviewing. Nick had done a fine job, no mistakes noted and the suspect would be sure to be convicted with the evidence they’d uncovered.

And while solving the mystery, putting the last piece in the puzzle his job made him happy, the source of his newfound joy was because of Molly. The exquisite being that walked into his life and made him realize what he’d been missing. No more long hours of overtime, paid and unpaid. No more lonely hours at home. He hated to leave her, preferring to be in her company, loving the feel of her body curled against his when he slept. His townhouse was no longer a place to sleep and recoup before going to work again, it finally felt like a real home. All because of Molly.

Someone knocked on the door and he bid them entrance, his constant smile widening when he saw who it was.

“Catherine. How are you?”

She forced a smile. “I’m…adjusting. And rumor has it you’re doing very well.”

Gil sat back and removed his glasses. “Rumors? Do I even want to know?”

Catherine sat in the chair in front of his desk. “Yeah. The rumors. That you’re in love. Deeply and totally and that this is the love of your life.” She bit her lip and asked the question in which she wasn’t sure she wanted answered. “So, are you?”

“In love?” Gil pursed his lips and then let the grin spread over his face. “Yes, I am.”

Catherine gulped. He was supposed to deny it, damn it. Why couldn’t he have just denied it? Why, after all these years, when she finally realized how much she loved him, did he have to find someone else? God hated her, she was sure. Either that or she’d been an executioner in a former life. The only explanation why her love life sucked so much.

“Wow, I’m shocked,” she managed, then winced at how insulting the words sounded. Embarrassed, she stumbled on. “Not that it couldn’t, or that it shouldn’t happen to you, it’s just…I…just didn’t think it would,” she finished lamely. Why hadn’t she just stapled her mouth shut? Or better yet, not asked him at all. Maybe the relationship was new and it would crash and burn in time, just like all of hers had. She flushed with shame at that thought. He was her friend. Friends don’t wish ill on other friends. It just wasn’t nice.

Gil chuckled. “I know. I wasn’t expecting it either. But there she was and before I knew it, I was in love with her.” He sighed happily, not hearing Catherine’s resulting groan. “She’s beautiful, Cath, absolutely beautiful. And she loves me. For me. I know what people think about me, but she loves me for just me. No pretense, no wishing I was more than I am. I just…I just love her so much.” He leaned forward, holding her gaze with his own. “Would you come over for dinner tonight? Before shift. I’d love for you to meet her. Get to know her.”

Catherine couldn’t refuse his earnest request. She wanted to, oh how she wanted to, but she couldn’t. She could see how important it was to him. Plastering a happy smile to her face, she lied.

“I would love to. What time?”

“How about six? That should give us plenty of time before work starts.”

“Um, sure. Need me to bring anything?” Maybe she should bring her gun so she could shoot herself after dinner. Gil was an excellent cook, her last meal would be a good one that was for sure.

“No. It’s okay. I have it under control.” He glanced at his watch. “I need to go, but I’ll see you at six.”

Catherine stood. “Okay, six. Bye.” She turned and walked out of his office, wondering how in the hell she was going to make it through this.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

tbc...