Ok, she's single, she's got a job, and she's in my living room, manila folder in hand, deep in thought with our case. The rhythm of the falling rain was the only thing I can hear, besides me, fixing up juice just to get away from her.

I swear, I WILL kill Greg for this.

-Flashback-

"Ok, I am handing out assignments, DO NOT COPMPLAIN." the forty- something Greg Sanders said to his team in the break room. They were the San Francisco nightshift, and like any other night, there was a crime.

"Sophia, Randal, murder in kitchen, details in the folder, go." Greg said simply. Sophia Nichole Stokes stood up, while her partner, Randal Speedle got the folder from his supervisors hand and walked of. "Cassandra, Conan, a guy in his late years, found dead with a gun near him, two shots in the chest, go." Cassandra Haylee Caine yawned and shurgged, and got the folder, while I was looking daggers at Greg. And all he did was wink and put his arm around me.

"Go get her tiger..." he said.

Can't I just get HIM instead?

-endOFflashback-

"Gernhard Conan Grissom, are you even listening?" Cassandra asked, annoyance in her voice. Her fiery red, straight, shoulder length hair, was now tied to a pony tail, and she was angry. She hates it when I don't listen...

I remember dad telling me, mom used to get angry at him when his focus was obviously somewhere else. I guess all women are the same.

"Look, if you're not intrested with this case, fine. I'm going home." Cassandra stood up, and put her hands on her hips. This, I know, because I met her father, Miami's very own Lieutenant Horatio Caine, and he seemed to have passed down the very legacy of this gesture to Cassandra. And personally, I think it's cute.

WHAT AM I SAYING! I'm admiring a co-worker. Can't I admire someone else?

"Hey, I'm sorry... This case... It's just..." I started. Cassandra just gave me her, "I'm waiting for a GOOD explanation" look, while in turn, I just sighed, and apologized again.

"Ok, fine... Just show some dedication... And I'm sorry too..." she sat backdown while I gave her the drink she wanted, orange juice.

"So, as I was saying... The striations from the bullet... Matched the bullet from the gun that we found inside the fridge..."

I let out a snort, while she looked at me again. I muffled a "Sorry", but she smiled too and said, "Yeah, who keeps a murder weapon inside the ref..."

"Not the usual murderer I think..."

She was now looking at me, the sort of look that usually made me melt...

-{Flashback from the days of Gil and Catherine}-

Catherine was sitting on Gil's favorite couch, while Grissom was staring at her. He knew it was wrong, he didn't even allow office relationships... Just the other day, he started pairing Warrick and Sara, hoping to ease the tension that existed between Sara and Nick.

And now, he's doing the same thing.

"Shame on you Gilbert Grissom" he said to himself.

Catherine looked at him and asked, "What was that Gil?"

"Nothing... Nothing..." he muttered as he gave her the drink he knew would ease her.

"Thanks."

Catherine yawned, massaged her neck and sighed. "It doesn't..."

{-back where we are...-}

"Make sense Conan..." Cassandra said. She was sleepy, I can tell. She was devoted to this case, because it was her friend that was murdered. What's worse, a serial killer is out loose, and Cassandra might be the next victim.

And I can sense she was afraid.

She was alone, and afraid. She has seen death with her job, but she didn't imagine that death would come even to closer to her.

And I want to help her.

-{Flashback from the days of Gil and Catherine}-

"All victims are or were, past strippers..." Catherine said plainly. "We have a serial killer on the loose... Whose targets are girls who have..."

Catherine burried her face in her hands.

Grissom knew the case was a little hard for her. Whoever the serial killer was, the target was strippers or ex strippers who had kids.

And he had the grim feeling Catherine might be next. And worse, he couldn't shake it off.

Grissom walked to her and hugged her. "Ssshh... It's going to be ok...

{-back where we are...-}

"Nothing will happen to you... I promise..."

Ok, now, I am hugging Cassandra Caine. Now I am afraid, because one, 1) This is not allowed and the guys WILL kill me. 2)He dad IS a little bit scarry and if he finds out I'm doing this, HE WILL KILL ME.

But heck, I moved them all aside just to comfort the one I love.

"Thanks Conan... You are a friend..."

There we go again...

-{Flashback from the days of Gil and Catherine}-

Of course, there was the pain of knowing the one you love considers you "AS A FRIEND" To Grissom, this was a wee bit painful.

"You are welcome Catherine..." he said.

"But can't you tell me you love me too, as I love you?" he thought.

Catherine yawned again, and her eyes showed she was sleepy. "Cath, for the sake of Forensic Science, go to sleep..." he joked, hoping to make her smile.

And he saw her smile. It was enough for him.

"No... You thretened us a while ago that if we start slacking, you'll start deducting."

"Oops..." Grissom grinned as he recalled what he had said.

"Just rest your eyes and I'll close mine. Then I won't deduct."

"Can you sleep with me?" Catherine asked.

Grissom's eyes suddenly opened wider than wide. Did she, Catherine Willows, the woman she loved ask him to sleep with him?

"What?" Grissom asked, pretending that he did not hear what she just said.

"Just kidding…" Catherine replied, as she stood up and started to fix everything, while Grissom was still shell shocked. "Thanks for letting me…"

{-back where we are...-}

"Stay… The rain is hard and… Well, you know…" Cassandra mumbled, as I suddenly woke up, realizing it was all a faint joke. And I thought it was all real. "No problem…" I said as I escorted her through the door.

Cupid's on my side I guess.

The rain didn't stop. Instead, it was heavy. Cats and dogs and all the similes, metaphors and idioms about rain, that's what described the weather.

"Well Cassandra, to be honest with you, I do not want to feel the wrath of your father, no offence, he's just plain scary and all… But I think…

-{Flashback from the days of Gil and Catherine}-

"You should stay here for a while… Maybe we can come up with more theories on how this psycho does it all." Grissom said, as Catherine stared at the outside conditions of Las Vegas.

"Yeah… That's fine with me…" Catherine said as she slumped back to Grissom's sofa, this time. He sat beside her and asked, "How's things?"

"We've been together for two hours and that's what you ask me?" Catherine smiled. She grabbed the nearby pillow and hit Grissom on the face, right on target. "Isn't that the first thing you ask?" she contined.

Grissom shurgged and said…

{-back where we are...-}

"Well, you were so immersed with the case, I didn't mind to ask." I grabbed the pillow behind me and I returned the favor. Cassandra laughed, and yelled, "PILLOW FIGHT!" and within seconds, we were acting like children, hitting each other with our weapons.

And within minutes, she defeated me.

"Score one for Caine. Nadda for Grissom!" she laughed, as she said those words. Why couldn't she laugh all the time?

"Did anyone ever tell you…"

-{Flashback from the days of Gil and Catherine}-

"You look beautiful when you laugh?" Grissom asked as he put down the pillow. Catherine smiled and said, "A lot of people… Sad to say Gil, you are not the first one…"

"And I won't be the last."

"I hope so…"

Both their eyes were locked in each others warmth. Both of them said nothing, as either could take the gaze away.

"Gil…" Catherine said, dreamily.

"Yeah?"

"I feel…"

{-back where we are...-}

"Sleepy…" Cassandra ended.

The trance I had, suddenly hid itself. We were at the moment, and all she said was…

"You feel sleepy?" I asked her, and she nodded as a reply. I sighed… It's not gonna happen, not in a million years…

"Let me accompany you to the bedroom…" Gil and Conan said together.

To Be Continued…

Ok, I bet a lot would be confused… Both events, in past and future, meant that what was happening with Gil and Cath, was also happening with Conan and Cassandra. The last sentence, it's like both of them said it together… You know… Dramatically? Hehehe

Please review!