Another random idea that popped into my head. I get them all the time, less than half of them make it on paper. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Beta: Lostladyknight...you know I love ya!

The Start-

Today was not a good day for Catherine Willows. It was cold and rainy, just the weather she hated. Her daughter had woken her up in the middle of her much needed sleep to talk to her about a crush, and at three in the afternoon, it was the last thing she wanted to hear. At least there was one good thing, she thought. Lindsey, fourteen at the time, had finally started at least talking to her mother again.

Giving up on the prospect of doing her hair, Catherine threw it up into a ponytail. As she put on her makeup, she could easily hear Lindsey's music playing. A new song started to play with loud drumming, causing Catherine to jump in shock. She released an annoyed sigh while trying to clean off the smudge of mascara near her eye. Once it was removed, Catherine found it almost impossible to deal with the constant switching of Lindsey's songs. She walked out of her bedroom and down the hall.

"Lindsey! Open up!" she yelled as she banged against the white door. The music did not cease so she banged harder. Finally, Lindsey turned it off, and Catherine realized she had a pounding headache. The door swung open, revealing Lindsey dressed in pajamas, leaning against her door.

"Yeah mom?" she asked even though she already knew what her mother wanted. Catherine crossed her arms, preparing for a fight.

"Turn the music down," she ordered. Lindsey's face twisted into an annoyed expression.

"Come on, it wasn't that loud!" she whined in her teenager ways. Catherine held firm.

"You can turn it back on after I'm gone; just give me some peace and quiet for now."

"Fine," Lindsey grumbled before slamming her door. Catherine raised her fingers to her temples and rubbed them gently as she walked into her kitchen.

Soon her mother would arrive to make sure Lindsey stayed out of trouble for the night while Catherine went to the lab to start her shift. Things had definitely changed since Nick was buried alive, but Catherine was coping with it. Especially the change in Warrick's behavior ever since he got married and she had told him of her disappointment. She shook her head to clear away the thoughts as she dry swallowed two Advil.

Lily was now knocking at the door, twenty minutes late. Catherine opened it with an annoyed expression.

"You're late," she said. Immediately Lily's face became apologetic.

"I'm sorry; you know the traffic on the strip."

"That's why you don't take the strip mother!" Catherine exclaimed. Once again she found herself shaking her head against the annoyance, "Lindsey has a project due tomorrow. I haven't had time to help her on it."

"Of course not; I'll help," Lily responded while walking past Catherine.

"Thanks mom," Catherine called over her shoulder as she walked to her car.

Using every back road she knew, Catherine managed to get to the lab three minutes before Grissom could accuse her of being late. She rushed in, ignoring Judy's greeting. Just as she clocked in Grissom came into the break room with everyone's assignments.

"Double murder on the strip. Looks like a couple of homeless got into a gun fight," he said as soon as he came in.

"Hello to you too," Warrick joked. Catherine cocked her head to the side.

"Who gives homeless people guns?" she asked. Nick looked at her with a strange glance.

"Anyone have any preferences?" Grissom asked, referring to the other three cases in his hand.

"I want the homeless, you've got me interested," Catherine said grabbing it from him, "Come on Nick, you're with me."

Nick stood up and followed her out while the rest of the cases were passed out.

In the car, Nick became curious; he looked away from the passenger side window to Catherine.

"What's going on with you and Warrick? Suddenly I'm your new favorite?" he asked. Catherine's guard flew up but she managed a laugh.

"Now Nicky, it wouldn't be too nice of me to pick favorites now would it? And you know how I love to be nice," she responded without actually answering the initial question. Nick laughed.

"I know that you're the Ice Queen, but I'm being serious."

"Fine, Warrick and I are having friendship issues," she responded nonchalantly.

"You and Warrick? You've known each other forever, but you still haven't worked out all the kinks?" Nick was silent for a moment until he came to a realization.

"This is about his wife isn't it?" Catherine remained silent and focused on the road. "I met her this weekend."

This caught her attention, "Tina right?" she asked without waiting for an answer, "Wait you met her?" Nick started to laugh.

"Catherine Willows! Are you jealous of her?" he asked with high suspicion. Catherine stared at him blankly. She and Nicky weren't that close, Catherine rationalized, so it was okay to share a little white lie.

"No, why would I be jealous?" she asked as they pulled up to their crime scene. Both people stepped out of the car, their conversation over, and began to work the scene.

Three hours later, Catherine and Nick were back at the lab, running all of their evidence. Nick walked into the DNA lab, where Catherine and Wendy were in mid-conversation.

"Mandy matched the prints from the barrel of the gun to a Carson Davis. He is wanted for murder in California," he announced. Catherine looked at him with a smile.

"We got the same results in the saliva from the lollipop you found next to the bodies," Wendy agreed. The two CSIs thanked the lab tech and walked out into the hallway, headed for the trace lab.

"I'm thinking that Davis came here, gave the homeless guys the gun he used to murder his wife, and watched them fight over it," Catherine mused.

"Yeah, maybe he thought that getting rid of the murder weapon would clear his name," Nick agreed. Catherine pulled out her phone and dialed Jim Brass's number.

"Hey Jim. We need to get a Carson Davis. He is wanted for murder in California and is the suspect in my case," she paused for a moment, listening to his response, "Thanks, Bye." By the time she was off the phone they had reached Hodges's lab.

"What do you have for us?" Nick asked the tech. Hodges turned around from his machine, holding up the results.

"For the case, the brown powder was finely ground chewing tobacco," Hodges looked towards Catherine, "For you, this." He held out a letter and Catherine looked at him suspiciously.

"Who gave you this?" she asked as she took it from his hands.

"It was on the reception desk, I picked it up on the way in because I figured I'd see you tonight." Catherine's fingers immediately flew to the edges.

"How many people have touched this?" she asked as she examined the person's handwriting which read Catherine Willows. Before Hodges could answer, Nick cut in.

"Are you going to dust for prints or something?" he asked. Catherine gave him a quick glance before looking back to the letter.

"Until I find out who sent this I'm treating it like evidence," she answered before walking out.

She came upon Grissom's closed office door and heard voices from within. She could clearly hear his voice arguing with Sara's. Catherine raised her fist to knock but decided against it. I'll tell him later, she told herself as she walked to Mandy's lab.

"I'm going to use your table and give you the prints to run right after. They are your highest priority," she informed the brunette. Mandy didn't respond, she had learned to trust the older woman in her decisions.

Catherine set straight to work on her letter, taking every print then setting them on Mandy's desk.

"Catherine, what is this for?" Mandy asked as the first set of results came up. When she didn't get an answer she continued to run the other two sets of prints.

"Hodges, Warrick, and you. Those are the only prints. Did you guys forget your gloves or something?" she asked. Catherine shook her head.

"No. Hodges picked this up at the reception desk for me, I was suspicious. That's all. Thanks for doing this for me," she answered before grabbing the letter and walking out.

With all previous feelings about her coworker gone, Catherine approached Warrick.

"Why are your prints on this?" she asked as she walked through the door of the layout room.

"I found it on the hood of your car when I got back from my scene. Why, is it important?" he asked while still checking for blood.

"Well, I was just a little confused because Hodges gave it to me and now that you said it was on my car," she responded.

"Maybe you should open it," he suggested. Catherine shrugged her shoulders and left. She made a sharp left then continued down the hall to her office. Before sitting behind her desk she removed all of the day shift supervisors duck decorations.

Catherine slowly and carefully opened the white envelope with her letter opener. She was once again cautious over the prints. Catherine set the letter down suddenly and opened a drawer. She pulled out a pair of rubber gloves and put them on. Now, pulling out the single sheet of paper, Catherine started to become a little insecure. She had no idea what this letter was about. To her surprise the letter was anything but threatening, leaving her quite confused. She reread the lettering many times before anything registered in her mind.

"We need to talk," she started to read out loud as Grissom and Sara walked in.

"About what?" Grissom asked. Catherine looked up.

"I got this today. I already tested for prints on the envelope," Catherine said as she pulled out tools to dust the initial letter.

"You keep finger print powder in your desk?" Sara asked. Catherine just shrugged her shoulders in response.

"And you didn't think to tell me?" Grissom asked accusingly. Catherine looked up at him sternly.

"It wasn't like we weren't going to do this anyway," she went back to reading the note, "Meet me in the back of the lab tomorrow at two A.M." She looked back up at the two people expectantly.

"Well there is no way you are going," Grissom answered her unasked question.

"Why Gill? There isn't a threat and it's at the lab. I'll even bring my gun," she protested. Grissom shook his head.

"I can't let you do this Catherine; it's not safe," he answered.

"Um, I think I'll leave you two alone," Sara said before excusing herself from the room. Grissom watched her leave before turning back to the strawberry blond.

"Fine, but you will bring your gun and Jim's team will be there for back up." Catherine rolled her eyes.

"I can take care of myself Gil," Catherine told him as he picked up the letter and walked out of the door.

The next day, Catherine came into work with great anticipation. As she pulled into the lab she could see Jim's car sitting in one of the parking places. She rolled her eyes to the extra precaution and walked into the lab.

"So how's this going to go? Am I working tonight or not?" she asked as she barged into the break room. Grissom looked up from his book along with Nick and Warrick from their television program.

"Is this about that letter?" Nick asked. Warrick stood up and walked closer to Catherine.

"That drop is tonight isn't it? You know, I don't feel comfortable with this." Catherine blinked a few times. She was shocked that he was actually showing her some sort of emotion. Warrick realized what he had said had stepped over the line, so he sighed and brushed past her, leaving the room.

Catherine drew in a sharp breath at the subtle touch between them, electricity flowing through her body. She shook off the feeling and turned to Grissom with a raised eyebrow.

"Paper work until three," he announced before handing Sara, Nick, and Greg their case slips and leaving the room. Catherine rolled her eyes and sighed before returning to her office.

Catherine finished all of her paperwork in five hours. Turns out, leaving case reports for later is a bad thing, she told herself. A quick look at the clock on the wall told her she had a little less than a half hour to get ready. She walked out of her office and into the locker room. After putting on her jacket, Catherine sat down on the bench. Nick came in and sat down on the next bench over.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked. Catherine jumped; she hadn't seen him come in.

"Yeah, if I don't, who ever this is will try and contact me some other way," she answered. Nick nodded.

"I guess you're right. But at any time you can say when and we will pull you out of there," he reassured her while putting a hand on her shoulder. Catherine turned to face him.

"I'm sure this is nothing to worry about, but thank you Nicky," she responded. Catherine stood up and pulled her gun out of her open locker and strapped it to her waist band.

"Let's go," she said before walking out with Nick on her heels. Halfway to the back door of the lab, Catherine noticed that Nick was no longer following her. She pushed open the door and walked out, listening to her heels clacking against the concrete.

She made a point to look around for signs of Jim's team but they were not there. They had told her where each officer would be stationed, but Catherine could not see them. She stopped walking, now in the center of the alley, and spun around. There weren't any cops hidden in the shadows. Catherine was alone in this. She felt the fear rise in her throat as she contemplated running back inside. Then she heard a voice.

"Catherine," the voice called from the shadows. Catherine sighed.

"Oh thank God it's you," she said in a relieved tone.

People have told me not to beg, but barely anyone gives me responces. Hmm...I'm sad now. Make me happy with more comments. I'll even take flames. I like to laugh at them.