Love Only Grows

Summary: Warrick takes another job in New York; how will the team deal with his decision? Will the one person who truly loves him tell him…before it's too late?

A.N.: There is a mention of events occurring in 'Playing with Fire'. I don't know how bad the spoilers are, but I suggest you watch the episode first…just to be safe. Better safe than sorry in my opinion.

One - Telling Grissom

Warrick sighed as he sat across from Grissom. Grissom sat patiently. "Griss…" he sighed again. Why was this so hard for him? He'd spoken to Grissom before, said worse things to him. "Griss…" he stopped again. Damn it Warrick, say it.

Warrick rubbed his tired eyes. He hadn't slept at all that day; what he was about to say was playing on his mind.

"Warrick, what's going on?" Grissom asked curiously. Warrick sighed for what felt like the millionth time since he'd sat down in the office.

"When I was younger…Grams made me take piano lessons. By the age of ten, I was the 'master' as she called me. I was glad she was happy; that I had made her happy. Anyway, in my senior year at college…I met these guys who had their own band, but they needed someone else; me. I played with them for a while. I had a few gigs with them before I applied for a job here…They found someone else to play piano in the band, but he's had to leave; extenuating circumstances, something I don't know about…"

"And they've asked you to fill in. How long for?" Grissom asked, like his CSI's asked for leave of absences everyday.

"Griss…it's not as simple as that." Warrick rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, and then clasped his hands in his lap, looking down at them. "It's in New York at some bar or other. They play there all the time; it's a permanent gig…making it a permanent job." Warrick looked up from his clasped hands to see the shock in Grissom's eyes.

"Oh. Warrick, if you resign, you have to work out your two-week notice and fill out this form." Warrick cringed at Grissom's automatic professional tone as he accepted the flimsy piece of paper that decided his life. "And if you choose to return to working as a Forensic Scientist, you will have to take an intensive four-week refresher course." Grissom looked at his watch. "Shift will be starting in ten minutes. Why don't you go ahead to the break room? Sara and everyone will be gathered there."

Warrick stood up from his chair. "Grissom…" Grissom didn't look up. "Gil, look at me…please." Grissom finally raised his head. "I love this job, more than anything, but it's time I made a change."

Grissom nodded. "I understand. It's a tough job to deal with."

Warrick left the room and sighed sadly. Grissom had no idea how much the job dragged him down, especially after the lab explosion, when he could have lost the one person he'd ever cared about the most.

Looking in through the break room window, Warrick watched Nick teasing Catherine, causing her to him hit him upside the head. He chuckled lightly. He'd miss Nick's competition, Nick's friendly banter and his sparkling personality. Warrick would miss Cath's maternal nature, her need to make things perfect and her strong decisive mood.

Warrick's eyes were drawn to someone else. Someone he'd miss the most out of all his friends and family in Vegas. She'd made such an impact on his life in the few years she'd been at the lab. He smiled as she looked up and caught him staring. She gestured for him to come into the room, something he did immediately.

"Hey Warrick." She held out a cup of coffee for him, which he took graciously.

"Hi Sara. How are you?" He sipped the coffee, trying to hide the sad smile adorning his face.

"Great. I picked up that CD you recommended today. It's really good. Why didn't you tell me about it before?"

"It never occurred to me that you'd like that sort of thing," Warrick shrugged. He leant against the counter and sighed.

"You okay Warrick?" Sara asked, standing close to his side.

"Er…I…" He was quickly cut off my Grissom's appearance in the room. Warrick shook his head at Grissom as the older man looked at him. Sara glanced between the two of them.

"Right…cases for tonight. Warrick and Sara: you have a 419 out in Summerlin. Brass says the first officer was called to the scene by a passer-by who saw shadows in the window then a scream accompanying it. Officer entered and cleared the house. And Cath, Nick: you are with me on another 419 out in the desert. This time a teenager was found naked…" Warrick let Grissom's voice drown out.

He didn't need to know how a teenager died in Vegas. It was usually drugs or an alcohol overdose. Occasionally they were killed by their peers or parents, but right now, he didn't care.

Warrick was focused on getting through this shift in one piece. Sara was sure to tear him limb from limb until she found out what was wrong with him. Despite her hate of people pushing her, it didn't stop her from pushing other people.

"Warrick…Warrick!" Sara shouted, poking his side. Warrick jumped slightly and looked around the room. Only he and Sara were there; the others must have left already.

"We'd better get to the scene," Warrick side-stepped Sara who was now standing directly in front of him with a concerned look in her eye. He heard her sigh after him then start to follow. As they were walking down the corridor, Sara slipped her arm through his. Warrick wished she knew what she did to him.

Next chapter: tomorrow sometime.