Randi Lou

It's as if he's punishing you. Like he's getting back at you for running. Or because he knows why you ran and hates you for it. For falling in love with him, and this is his way of getting back at you for ruining a good, casual, fun thing all because you couldn't leave your heart out of it. A shudder runs through you. God forbid that's the reason Ghost is being so cold.

"Pal, there you are!"

A hand pats your shoulder, nearly shoving you forward, and you yelp, arms flailing as your feet stumble.

"Wha--?!"

It's all very undignified and embarrassing, but thankfully, the man behind you catches you by your shoulders, steadying you, though not without a little laugh at your expense, the familiar Scottish timbre tickling your ears.

"Lost in your head, are we?"

Chuckling, you sheepishly rub the back of your neck as you turn around to face the man.

"Soap, hey! Uh, yeah, just a bit. Thanks for catching me, even though you were the reason why I almost fell."

"You were the one not paying attention!" He scoffs, throwing a gentle punch to your cheek that's more of a firm tap. A playful grin settles on his face as you shove his hand away before it softens as he studies you. "Seriously, though, you alright, Paladin? You're usually more aware of your surroundings."

Your eyebrow twitches at your callsign. It's so ostentatious. Pretentious. You've never liked it, but it was given because you were the squad's shining knight. Always saving your teammates and never shying away from danger. A true paladin through and through. You hate it, but you're stuck with it.

"I'm alright, Soap, just thinking about the upcoming mission. What's up?"

Did paladins lie? Were they as deceptive as you? Soap looks you up and down, looking for a tell, but you don't give him one. No, you don't think paladins are this abstruse.

"Well, if that's all . . . I was looking for you. Ghost wants to talk with you."

Your blood freezes, and you struggle to hide your sudden distress. "Oh? Why didn't he just text me?"

"Said you weren't answering." It's true, but you're not going to admit that. Soap pauses, looking like he wants to say something else, but decides against it. "Told me to tell you to meet him in the briefing room. It's about the mission."

You're not sure if that's true or not. You suspect it isn't.

"Oh."

"And he told me to bring you there myself."

"Oh."

Soap frowns at you, jaw flexing, but you're staring down at your boots. Now you definitely don't think it's about the mission. He wouldn't have sent Soap to fucking escort you if it wasn't. Damn bastard knew you wouldn't be able to run if he did.

"Come on then, Pal, can't keep the Lt. waiting."

Yes, you can, or at least you want to. But with Soap as your warden, there's no escaping this march into hell. Each step closer feels like a death sentence. There's nowhere to hide, and your footsteps echo in your ears with a thundering clack in the otherwise empty hallways. You want to run, but unlike that night you ran away from Simon, you wouldn't be able to get away this time.

"I can hear you thinking."

"What?" You gasp, head snapping to look at Soap, but he's not looking at you, staring straight ahead as he leads you towards the briefing room.

"Said I can hear you thinking."

He's got that sharp look in his eyes, the one that reminds you of just how smart Soap is. The one that you often see in the field when Soap is thinking on his feet. It's something you've always liked about him. He's a dependable friend and teammate. But seeing that look right now, knowing he's dissecting you, it sends a chill down your spine.

"And what can you hear?" You decide to play along. Act nonchalant. Pretend there's nothing to hide when you have so much to keep buried.

"You tell me." He side-eyes you for a spilt-second as he turns a corner and leads you down another hall.

"Now that's no fun." You lighten your voice into a playful tone. "You have to guess, Mactavish."

"Don't think you want me to."

"And why is that?"

"Because you and Ghost aren't as subtle as you think you are."

And congratulations to Soap for making you stumble a second time. On fucking air, too. You manage to hold in your yelp, but you still flail to catch your bearings with Soap catching you before you faceplant once again.

"Fuck's sake, Soap!" You bat away his hands once you're righted. "How did you know?!"

"I believe the proper response is 'thank you', and like I said, you two aren't subtle."

Groaning, you cover your face with your hands, shaking your head. "Does everyone else know then?"

"If by everyone else, you mean Gaz and Price, then yes, everyone else does know you and Ghost are together."

"Were. Were together." You correct, dropping your hands from your face as you follow him again. "And it wasn't anything serious. Just a thing. A casual, fun, weird thing that happened."

"You sure?" Soap raises an eyebrow as he scrutinizes you. "With the way Lt.'s been acting out and how you've been walking on eggshells around him, we thought it was more serious than that."

"Whaddya mean?" You squint at him.

"You've always been his favorite, you know?" Soap cocks his head at you. "We all knew. You two always stuck close, but we suspected it started after that mission--the one you missed that shook Ghost up pretty bad--" You remember. It was the mission that brought Simon to you late at night, red-eyed and shaking. You never did find out why, though. "--and he began sticking closer than usual. And you started following him around more frequently. And it was all cute and adorable how in love you two were with each other until about a month ago, and now things are awkward as hell for everyone on the team."

You cringe, mostly at how casually he spits out the L-word and how wrong he is for thinking it was reciprocated. You also feel bad that the tension has been palpable for the rest of the team, but at least they didn't know your thing with Ghost started way before that one rough night.

"Sorry about that." You apologize. "And you're wrong, by the way. We weren't in love with each other. At first. And only one of us fell in love, and it wasn't Ghost. That's why I left. Didn't want to ruin a good thing."

Soap slows to a stop, and you see the briefing room just behind him. The door is shut. It's intimidating. You don't want to go in. Soap blocks it for the moment, turning to fully face you with a slightly disappointed frown.

"I think you already did, Pal." His hand drops to your shoulder and squeezes. "Go talk to him. Sort this out. If not for yourself or Ghost, then for the rest of the team? Seriously, it's like watching a ticking timebomb."

That brings a laugh out of you, and Soap grins, pulling you into a comforting hug.

"Thanks, Mactavish. You're a good friend."

"I know." Soap jokes, squeezing you once before letting you go. "And you're wrong; you weren't the only one who fell in love. Now go talk to him and fix things, you idiot."

You roll your eyes, but once you look at the briefing door, any bravado you might feel leaves you. With a gulp, you knock on the door, nearly stepping back in surprise when it almost immediately opens. Ghost takes up the whole door space, head nearly reaching the height of the jamb. He's so huge.

It never ceases to amaze you just how large this man is, but what really makes your breath hitch is his eyes. Even from behind his mask, you can see his anger just from those eyes of his. They're wide, and his pupils are dilated, accented by the black splotched against his skin. You can tell his eyebrows are narrowed too, glaring at you. He doesn't look away from you, even when he addresses Soap. You nearly tremble in your shoes.

"Thanks, Johnny. I'll take it from here."

"Don't kill our paladin too bad, Lt.." Soap pats your shoulder. "And you, remember what I told you. I'll see you later. Maybe."

And then there were two. You stay outside, hearing Soap's footsteps get fainter and fainter as Ghost glares at you. You don't look away, afraid if you do, he'll pounce you like he's a predator and you're a prey. You certainly feel like one. The footsteps soon disappear entirely, and Ghost turns around sharply, walking into the room. For one foolish second, you think about slipping away while his back is turned, but then Ghost sends a warning glare over his shoulder at you, and you scurry in after him.

"Close the door and lock it."

You don't want to obey, but you do, fingers shaking as you turn the lock. You should have known an easy escape would be out of the question.

"Come here."

Swallowing thickly, you clench your fists and walk over to the other side of the room to where Ghost is leaning against the end of the oval table. All too soon, you've rounded the table and stand awkwardly before him. Ghost nods at the chair in front of him, kicking it slightly, and you know he's silently ordering to sit down.

Taking a deep breath in, you sit stiffly, back ramrod straight with your fists in your lap. Ghost is facing you, towering over you, really, with his back towards the door and his arms crossed, biceps bulging under his jacket. Glancing behind him, you look at the door. The exit is on the exact opposite side of the room. He really is boxing you in.

You start to sweat, but Ghost doesn't say anything. He just glares down at you, radiating with anger. It doesn't help your nerves that only half of the lights are on, leaving the room dim with one of the lights shining down on you while Ghost is shrouded in the shadows from his position in the room. And then it clicks. He did this purposely, that fucker. Edgey and dramatic, and yet, he achieved the effect he wanted--you squriming and waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Unable to take it anymore, you break, playing the fool as you babble about nonsense you know will just piss him off more. You really are an idiot.

"Soap said you wanted to go over the upcoming mission--"

"Cut the shit, you know exactly why I called you here--why I had to send fuckin' Johnny of all people to bring you over just to talk with you."

Your mouth snaps shut, and you look down to Ghost's chest, just above his crossed arms, but he doesn't even let you do that.

"No, you look at me, Paladin. You don't get to avoid this--avoid me any longer. Fuckin' look at me."

Not quite able to hold back a flinch, you listen and look back up to that skull mask. A cold feeling washes over you when you make eye contact. Ghost hasn't stopped glaring at you. He's looking at you like you're an enemy. Like your thing with him never happened. It almost feels like it never did with the way he's looking at you, and for some reason, that makes you snap.

"Take off the mask."

Ghost leans back a little, table groaning as he shifts his weight against it. His eyes squint down at you, and his fingers dig into his arms a little more. He's probably leaving bruises.

"You don't get to--"

"Take off your fucking mask, Simon. You want me to look at you, but you're hiding too!" You snarl as if you're the one who has the most reason to be angry, but you can't have this talk with Ghost, you need to have it with Simon. "Take. Off. Your fucking mask."

Neither of you make a move, caught in a deadlock. He doesn't want to take off his mask, and you don't want to look at Ghost. Not right now, but you're willing to look at Simon. Just Simon.

The tension sizzles in the air, and you struggle to keep your breathing even. Maybe he won't take it off. Maybe he'll make you face Ghost instead, but just as your sudden burst of confidence wavers, his arms uncross, and he slowly reaches up with one hand to pull that skull mask off. He pulls it off in one smooth motion, clenching it in his hand as he shoves it in his pocket. His hair is a little mussed. He needs a haircut. Some strands stick out at odd angles, but it's cute. It's Simon.

But Simon is still glaring down at you, nose crinkling and jaw clenching. It's mean, and it's harsh, but this is the first time you're seeing his face again since that night one month ago, and the sting of his glare is softened as you remember the love you realized that night. It's scary, and you still want to run, but seeing Simon again, you can't help but feel that love tenfold.

"Why."

"Huh?"

You sputter, straightening in your seat. Dammit, you got distracted by his pretty face. Simon's eyebrows tick, and he leans forward enough until his hair is out of the shadows and lighted up by the light you're sitting under. You struggle to keep yourself from moving backward.

"Why did you run." He enunciates slowly, leaning more until he's wholly under the light with you, hands planting themselves on the armrests of the chair, caging you in. "Why did you not come back."

His questions don't sound like questions. He's saying them like they're statements. Spitting them out like it doesn't matter what you say. Simon leans down, forcing you to lean back as his face becomes level with yours.

"Tell me."

"I . . ." You can't help but look down at his lips. They're chapped. Dry. You almost lean in, but Simon's finger comes up to your chin and tilts your head back a little, making you look him in the eyes again.

"Tell me."

"I . . ."

You can't. Even now, so tempted to throw caution in the wind and confess everything so you can kiss him, you can't. Simon never wanted a relationship. He just wanted sex. If you tell him everything, how you really feel, he'd leave this room and have you transferred, never to see him again.

You go silent, eyes wide as you stare into his. Simon searches your gaze, looking at you, waiting for an answer, but he doesn't get one. He realizes you're not going to answer after a minute of silence.

He exhales, hand dropling from your chin, glare hardening as he backs away. "Fuckin' hell . . ."

For some reason, that makes you irritated, and you childishly lash out at him, baring your teeth at him. "Why does it even matter? It was just sex, why are you so upset?"

The instant your outburst ends, you know it was a mistake. Simon barks out a mocking laugh, and the smile on his lips is cruel.

"'Just sex?' Paladin, I was awake that night you left."

Your blood turns cold, and you stiffen in your seat. "What . . ?"

Simon comes close again, hands slamming down on the armrests so hard that he shoves the seat back a little. He leans down close to your face, repeating slowly, "I was awake that night you left."

He leans away again and turns until his back is facing you. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his mask, looking down at it.

"Simon--"

"You're gonna make me fall in love with you." He quotes. "You said that, and then you fucking left."

"Why didn't you say anything?!" You finally stand up from the chair, grabbing his shoulder and yanking him until he faces you. "If you were awake, why didn't you--"

"Why did you run?"

He glares shards at you, and the anger you feel wavers. "I-I didn't--"

"You did." He takes a step forward, and you take one back. "You wanted to know why it upset me? Why I'm so pissed off?"

He doesn't wait for you to answer as he takes another step forward.

"It pisses me off that the bravest person I know would run."

Another step.

"It pisses me off that you didn't come back."

Another step.

"It pisses me off that I had to arrange this fucking meeting at all."

Another step and your back hits the wall.

"But you want to know why I'm really upset?"

He leans in and his voice lowers to a whisper.

"It pisses me off that the one person that I--"

He stumbles over his words, and he blinks, jaw clenching as he leans back. It's a small falter, but it still has your heart racing at what he was going to say--confess--and it almost makes you forget the sour feelings he was spitting out at you.

Carefully, you bring a hand up to his cheek and make him look at you and quietly ask, "That you what?"

Simon sighs and presses himself closer to your touch, his hand coming up to trap yours where it is, and he closes his eyes, muttering bitterly, "That the one person that I care for is a coward."

Something in your chest breaks, but you can't do anything as Simon pulls away, dropping your hand and slipping his mask on. You don't move, and he walks over to the door, unlocking it. He doesn't look back as he opens it.

"I thought paladins were supposed to be brave. I guess I thought wrong."

He steps out, and that pulls you out of your stupor. Taking a step forward, you croak out, "Wait--"

But then the door is already closed, and this time he left you, shattering you more than when you left him that night one month ago. Something wet streaks down your face, and you swipe at it only for another streak to fall from your other eye. You breathe in, but it stutters as a sniffle. You wipe your face again, but the wetness doesn't stop. Tears. These are tears. You're crying.

Gritting your teeth, you shake as you struggle to calm yourself. How did you mess things up? Looking at the chair you sat in, you curse. You should have run when you had the chance, just like the coward you are. Grabbing the chair by its armrests, you throw it and scream your frustration and hurt.

"FUCK!"

It's as if he's punishing you. Like he's getting back at you for running. Or because he knows why you ran and hates you for it. For falling in love with him, and this is his way of getting back at you for ruining a good, casual, fun thing all because you couldn't leave your heart out of it. A shudder runs through you. God forbid that's the reason Ghost is being so cold.

"Pal, there you are!"

A hand pats your shoulder, nearly shoving you forward, and you yelp, arms flailing as your feet stumble.

"Wha--?!"

It's all very undignified and embarrassing, but thankfully, the man behind you catches you by your shoulders, steadying you, though not without a little laugh at your expense, the familiar Scottish timbre tickling your ears.

"Lost in your head, are we?"

Chuckling, you sheepishly rub the back of your neck as you turn around to face the man.

"Soap, hey! Uh, yeah, just a bit. Thanks for catching me, even though you were the reason why I almost fell."

"You were the one not paying attention!" He scoffs, throwing a gentle punch to your cheek that's more of a firm tap. A playful grin settles on his face as you shove his hand away before it softens as he studies you. "Seriously, though, you alright, Paladin? You're usually more aware of your surroundings."

Your eyebrow twitches at your callsign. It's so ostentatious. Pretentious. You've never liked it, but it was given because you were the squad's shining knight. Always saving your teammates and never shying away from danger. A true paladin through and through. You hate it, but you're stuck with it.

"I'm alright, Soap, just thinking about the upcoming mission. What's up?"

Did paladins lie? Were they as deceptive as you? Soap looks you up and down, looking for a tell, but you don't give him one. No, you don't think paladins are this abstruse.

"Well, if that's all . . . I was looking for you. Ghost wants to talk with you."

Your blood freezes, and you struggle to hide your sudden distress. "Oh? Why didn't he just text me?"

"Said you weren't answering." It's true, but you're not going to admit that. Soap pauses, looking like he wants to say something else, but decides against it. "Told me to tell you to meet him in the briefing room. It's about the mission."

You're not sure if that's true or not. You suspect it isn't.

"Oh."

"And he told me to bring you there myself."

"Oh."

Soap frowns at you, jaw flexing, but you're staring down at your boots. Now you definitely don't think it's about the mission. He wouldn't have sent Soap to fucking escort you if it wasn't. Damn bastard knew you wouldn't be able to run if he did.

"Come on then, Pal, can't keep the Lt. waiting."

Yes, you can, or at least you want to. But with Soap as your warden, there's no escaping this march into hell. Each step closer feels like a death sentence. There's nowhere to hide, and your footsteps echo in your ears with a thundering clack in the otherwise empty hallways. You want to run, but unlike that night you ran away from Simon, you wouldn't be able to get away this time.

"I can hear you thinking."

"What?" You gasp, head snapping to look at Soap, but he's not looking at you, staring straight ahead as he leads you towards the briefing room.

"Said I can hear you thinking."

He's got that sharp look in his eyes, the one that reminds you of just how smart Soap is. The one that you often see in the field when Soap is thinking on his feet. It's something you've always liked about him. He's a dependable friend and teammate. But seeing that look right now, knowing he's dissecting you, it sends a chill down your spine.

"And what can you hear?" You decide to play along. Act nonchalant. Pretend there's nothing to hide when you have so much to keep buried.

"You tell me." He side-eyes you for a spilt-second as he turns a corner and leads you down another hall.

"Now that's no fun." You lighten your voice into a playful tone. "You have to guess, Mactavish."

"Don't think you want me to."

"And why is that?"

"Because you and Ghost aren't as subtle as you think you are."

And congratulations to Soap for making you stumble a second time. On fucking air, too. You manage to hold in your yelp, but you still flail to catch your bearings with Soap catching you before you faceplant once again.

"Fuck's sake, Soap!" You bat away his hands once you're righted. "How did you know?!"

"I believe the proper response is 'thank you', and like I said, you two aren't subtle."

Groaning, you cover your face with your hands, shaking your head. "Does everyone else know then?"

"If by everyone else, you mean Gaz and Price, then yes, everyone else does know you and Ghost are together."

"Were. Were together." You correct, dropping your hands from your face as you follow him again. "And it wasn't anything serious. Just a thing. A casual, fun, weird thing that happened."

"You sure?" Soap raises an eyebrow as he scrutinizes you. "With the way Lt.'s been acting out and how you've been walking on eggshells around him, we thought it was more serious than that."

"Whaddya mean?" You squint at him.

"You've always been his favorite, you know?" Soap cocks his head at you. "We all knew. You two always stuck close, but we suspected it started after that mission--the one you missed that shook Ghost up pretty bad--" You remember. It was the mission that brought Simon to you late at night, red-eyed and shaking. You never did find out why, though. "--and he began sticking closer than usual. And you started following him around more frequently. And it was all cute and adorable how in love you two were with each other until about a month ago, and now things are awkward as hell for everyone on the team."

You cringe, mostly at how casually he spits out the L-word and how wrong he is for thinking it was reciprocated. You also feel bad that the tension has been palpable for the rest of the team, but at least they didn't know your thing with Ghost started way before that one rough night.

"Sorry about that." You apologize. "And you're wrong, by the way. We weren't in love with each other. At first. And only one of us fell in love, and it wasn't Ghost. That's why I left. Didn't want to ruin a good thing."

Soap slows to a stop, and you see the briefing room just behind him. The door is shut. It's intimidating. You don't want to go in. Soap blocks it for the moment, turning to fully face you with a slightly disappointed frown.

"I think you already did, Pal." His hand drops to your shoulder and squeezes. "Go talk to him. Sort this out. If not for yourself or Ghost, then for the rest of the team? Seriously, it's like watching a ticking timebomb."

That brings a laugh out of you, and Soap grins, pulling you into a comforting hug.

"Thanks, Mactavish. You're a good friend."

"I know." Soap jokes, squeezing you once before letting you go. "And you're wrong; you weren't the only one who fell in love. Now go talk to him and fix things, you idiot."

You roll your eyes, but once you look at the briefing door, any bravado you might feel leaves you. With a gulp, you knock on the door, nearly stepping back in surprise when it almost immediately opens. Ghost takes up the whole door space, head nearly reaching the height of the jamb. He's so huge.

It never ceases to amaze you just how large this man is, but what really makes your breath hitch is his eyes. Even from behind his mask, you can see his anger just from those eyes of his. They're wide, and his pupils are dilated, accented by the black splotched against his skin. You can tell his eyebrows are narrowed too, glaring at you. He doesn't look away from you, even when he addresses Soap. You nearly tremble in your shoes.

"Thanks, Johnny. I'll take it from here."

"Don't kill our paladin too bad, Lt.." Soap pats your shoulder. "And you, remember what I told you. I'll see you later. Maybe."

And then there were two. You stay outside, hearing Soap's footsteps get fainter and fainter as Ghost glares at you. You don't look away, afraid if you do, he'll pounce you like he's a predator and you're a prey. You certainly feel like one. The footsteps soon disappear entirely, and Ghost turns around sharply, walking into the room. For one foolish second, you think about slipping away while his back is turned, but then Ghost sends a warning glare over his shoulder at you, and you scurry in after him.

"Close the door and lock it."

You don't want to obey, but you do, fingers shaking as you turn the lock. You should have known an easy escape would be out of the question.

"Come here."

Swallowing thickly, you clench your fists and walk over to the other side of the room to where Ghost is leaning against the end of the oval table. All too soon, you've rounded the table and stand awkwardly before him. Ghost nods at the chair in front of him, kicking it slightly, and you know he's silently ordering to sit down.

Taking a deep breath in, you sit stiffly, back ramrod straight with your fists in your lap. Ghost is facing you, towering over you, really, with his back towards the door and his arms crossed, biceps bulging under his jacket. Glancing behind him, you look at the door. The exit is on the exact opposite side of the room. He really is boxing you in.

You start to sweat, but Ghost doesn't say anything. He just glares down at you, radiating with anger. It doesn't help your nerves that only half of the lights are on, leaving the room dim with one of the lights shining down on you while Ghost is shrouded in the shadows from his position in the room. And then it clicks. He did this purposely, that fucker. Edgey and dramatic, and yet, he achieved the effect he wanted--you squriming and waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Unable to take it anymore, you break, playing the fool as you babble about nonsense you know will just piss him off more. You really are an idiot.

"Soap said you wanted to go over the upcoming mission--"

"Cut the shit, you know exactly why I called you here--why I had to send fuckin' Johnny of all people to bring you over just to talk with you."

Your mouth snaps shut, and you look down to Ghost's chest, just above his crossed arms, but he doesn't even let you do that.

"No, you look at me, Paladin. You don't get to avoid this--avoid me any longer. Fuckin' look at me."

Not quite able to hold back a flinch, you listen and look back up to that skull mask. A cold feeling washes over you when you make eye contact. Ghost hasn't stopped glaring at you. He's looking at you like you're an enemy. Like your thing with him never happened. It almost feels like it never did with the way he's looking at you, and for some reason, that makes you snap.

"Take off the mask."

Ghost leans back a little, table groaning as he shifts his weight against it. His eyes squint down at you, and his fingers dig into his arms a little more. He's probably leaving bruises.

"You don't get to--"

"Take off your fucking mask, Simon. You want me to look at you, but you're hiding too!" You snarl as if you're the one who has the most reason to be angry, but you can't have this talk with Ghost, you need to have it with Simon. "Take. Off. Your fucking mask."

Neither of you make a move, caught in a deadlock. He doesn't want to take off his mask, and you don't want to look at Ghost. Not right now, but you're willing to look at Simon. Just Simon.

The tension sizzles in the air, and you struggle to keep your breathing even. Maybe he won't take it off. Maybe he'll make you face Ghost instead, but just as your sudden burst of confidence wavers, his arms uncross, and he slowly reaches up with one hand to pull that skull mask off. He pulls it off in one smooth motion, clenching it in his hand as he shoves it in his pocket. His hair is a little mussed. He needs a haircut. Some strands stick out at odd angles, but it's cute. It's Simon.

But Simon is still glaring down at you, nose crinkling and jaw clenching. It's mean, and it's harsh, but this is the first time you're seeing his face again since that night one month ago, and the sting of his glare is softened as you remember the love you realized that night. It's scary, and you still want to run, but seeing Simon again, you can't help but feel that love tenfold.

"Why."

"Huh?"

You sputter, straightening in your seat. Dammit, you got distracted by his pretty face. Simon's eyebrows tick, and he leans forward enough until his hair is out of the shadows and lighted up by the light you're sitting under. You struggle to keep yourself from moving backward.

"Why did you run." He enunciates slowly, leaning more until he's wholly under the light with you, hands planting themselves on the armrests of the chair, caging you in. "Why did you not come back."

His questions don't sound like questions. He's saying them like they're statements. Spitting them out like it doesn't matter what you say. Simon leans down, forcing you to lean back as his face becomes level with yours.

"Tell me."

"I . . ." You can't help but look down at his lips. They're chapped. Dry. You almost lean in, but Simon's finger comes up to your chin and tilts your head back a little, making you look him in the eyes again.

"Tell me."

"I . . ."

You can't. Even now, so tempted to throw caution in the wind and confess everything so you can kiss him, you can't. Simon never wanted a relationship. He just wanted sex. If you tell him everything, how you really feel, he'd leave this room and have you transferred, never to see him again.

You go silent, eyes wide as you stare into his. Simon searches your gaze, looking at you, waiting for an answer, but he doesn't get one. He realizes you're not going to answer after a minute of silence.

He exhales, hand dropling from your chin, glare hardening as he backs away. "Fuckin' hell . . ."

For some reason, that makes you irritated, and you childishly lash out at him, baring your teeth at him. "Why does it even matter? It was just sex, why are you so upset?"

The instant your outburst ends, you know it was a mistake. Simon barks out a mocking laugh, and the smile on his lips is cruel.

"'Just sex?' Paladin, I was awake that night you left."

Your blood turns cold, and you stiffen in your seat. "What . . ?"

Simon comes close again, hands slamming down on the armrests so hard that he shoves the seat back a little. He leans down close to your face, repeating slowly, "I was awake that night you left."

He leans away again and turns until his back is facing you. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his mask, looking down at it.

"Simon--"

"You're gonna make me fall in love with you." He quotes. "You said that, and then you fucking left."

"Why didn't you say anything?!" You finally stand up from the chair, grabbing his shoulder and yanking him until he faces you. "If you were awake, why didn't you--"

"Why did you run?"

He glares shards at you, and the anger you feel wavers. "I-I didn't--"

"You did." He takes a step forward, and you take one back. "You wanted to know why it upset me? Why I'm so pissed off?"

He doesn't wait for you to answer as he takes another step forward.

"It pisses me off that the bravest person I know would run."

Another step.

"It pisses me off that you didn't come back."

Another step.

"It pisses me off that I had to arrange this fucking meeting at all."

Another step and your back hits the wall.

"But you want to know why I'm really upset?"

He leans in and his voice lowers to a whisper.

"It pisses me off that the one person that I--"

He stumbles over his words, and he blinks, jaw clenching as he leans back. It's a small falter, but it still has your heart racing at what he was going to say--confess--and it almost makes you forget the sour feelings he was spitting out at you.

Carefully, you bring a hand up to his cheek and make him look at you and quietly ask, "That you what?"

Simon sighs and presses himself closer to your touch, his hand coming up to trap yours where it is, and he closes his eyes, muttering bitterly, "That the one person that I care for is a coward."

Something in your chest breaks, but you can't do anything as Simon pulls away, dropping your hand and slipping his mask on. You don't move, and he walks over to the door, unlocking it. He doesn't look back as he opens it.

"I thought paladins were supposed to be brave. I guess I thought wrong."

He steps out, and that pulls you out of your stupor. Taking a step forward, you croak out, "Wait--"

But then the door is already closed, and this time he left you, shattering you more than when you left him that night one month ago. Something wet streaks down your face, and you swipe at it only for another streak to fall from your other eye. You breathe in, but it stutters as a sniffle. You wipe your face again, but the wetness doesn't stop. Tears. These are tears. You're crying.

Gritting your teeth, you shake as you struggle to calm yourself. How did you mess things up? Looking at the chair you sat in, you curse. You should have run when you had the chance, just like the coward you are. Grabbing the chair by its armrests, you throw it and scream your frustration and hurt.

"FUCK!"

“Yeah, yeah, you play the scientist card. I don’t have to do that,” I joke and he scoffs as he grabs his gun. 

“That’s ‘cause your wife works with you,” he says with a smirk and smile. 

“And I love it. I can see her whenever I’d like. You’re a ‘copologist,’” I joke and he nods his head, laughing and I laugh too. 

“Man, you’re whipped, man,” he tells me and I chuckle with a smile. 

“Hey. If it’s y/n, I don’t mind being whipped,” I reply with a shrug. 

“So, umm, we’re standing out in front of the hotel, making out and this guy walks up to me, gets in my face, and asks me how she is,” Warrick explains to me as he loads his clip into his gun then cocks it. 

“No, he didn’t,” I say in disbelief and he nods as he puts his gun back in his holster. 

“So?” I prompt him to continue. 

“I tell him to get lost,” he says with a wave of his hand. “He says, ‘make me.’ So I took a step forward and out of nowhere, his big, fat bodyguard, looking like wimpy from Popeye, walks up and starts to close in on me.”

“This fat boy is looking like he’s obviously carrying some sort of weapon and I'm standing there naked as a porn star with my girl,” he finishes his story and I look up at him. 

“Did you tell them you’re a ‘cop’?” I ask him as he now starts to roll his other sleeve up. 

“They didn’t seem to care,” he tells me as he shakes his head. 

“One of the guys sounded Russian, like he was wanna-be mafia,” he tells me like it’s a matter of fact as he finishes rolling his sleeve up. 

“Fat boy was obviously his bodyguard,” he says and I hum in agreement before looking back up at him. 

“So, uh, you know, I wasn’t physically afraid of the guys, but something was kind of sinister about them,” he tells me as he leans his hand on the shelf part of his locker and puts his other hand on his hip. 

“They were provoking me, but they weren’t making a move. It was almost like they were waiting for me to make a move. Say if I smacked big-mouth, fat boy would’ve come over and stabbed me or something,” he explains and I let out a puff of exhortation as I turn and pick up my gun. 

“Even fat boy was vibing me not to take the bait,” he says as I put my clip into my gun. 

“So what happened?” I ask as I turn to look at him again. 

“Well, valet finally brought Tina’s car up,” he tells me. “So, I maneuver her around these guys and I put her in her car, and I turn my back to them and let ‘em talk this smack,” he explains to me as he turns towards his locker, demonstrating what he did. 

“I’m calming Tina down. Tell her everything’s fine, she drives off and I walk away,” he continues as he turns back around now and I mess with my vest pocket. 

“I called Tina later on,” he explains as he grabs his jacket from his locker then closes it. 

“And I tell her, uh, you know, if she got any problem with me being a cop, she needs to get over it, ‘cause now I’m packing,” he finishes and I look up at him as I readjust my holster on my hip. 

“Yeah. Yeah,” I agree with him as I continue to readjust. 

“What’d you do on Sunday?” I ask him as I lean back and look at him again. 

“Scoured the hotel looking for these punks,” he tells me with a chortle before he turns and starts to put his jacket on as I get up to walk with him, letting out a laugh as I do. 

“Well, hey, I don’t blame you. I probably would’ve done the same if it was me and y/n,” I tell him as we walk out of the locker room. 

“No. You probably wouldn’t have waited to beat on them,” he says while rolling his eyes and I chuckle. 

“Nah, that’s where you're wrong, buddy. Y/n would’a beat me to it,” I say as I clap him on the shoulder while we walk through the halls of the lab and he chuckles. 

“You're probably right on that one. Y/n got a really good uppercut,” he agrees with me and I laugh. 

“Oh, my two favorite guys,” Cathrine says as she comes out of her office as we just walk into the hall. 

“So, I’ve got an assault at stripperama and a trash run at Flamingo and Koval. I’m too busy to play favorites so duke it out. I gotta go meet y/n at our scene,” she tells us as she hands Warrick the slips for each scene before starting to walk off. 

“Tell y/n I told her to call me!” I shout out to her and she smiles while nodding at me before fully walking off. 

“Duke it out! Boy better flip a coin. I’ll hurt you,” I say as I turn back to Warrick as he looks over both slips. I put my hand in my pocket to grab a coin. 

“Yeah, you better flip that coin,” Warrick jokes with a smile as I pull the coin out. 

“Call it in the air,” I tell him as I flip it. 

“Heads,” he says and I catch it before flipping it onto the back of my hand. 

“Have fun at the trash run,” he tells me as he rolls his tongue in his cheek and I grab my slip. 

“You know, I’d do two out of three, but you got a gambling problem,” I joke with him as I walk backwards away from him. 

“No, hey, you know what?” I say as I turn away from him. 

“You keep this,” I joke as I turn back around to face him with the coin held up. 

“It’s bad luck,” I finish off before tossing him the coin and he reaches up to catch it. 

I chuckle as I turn back around and head to my GMC SUV to head out. I hop in the car and my phone starts to ring. I pull it out of my pocket and smile when I see my wife’s number. 

“Well, hello, sweetheart,” I croon with a grin as I answer the phone and I hear her chuckle. 

“Hello to you too, my love. Cath told me you wanted me to call you?” she parrots my greeting and I can hear the smile in her voice. 

“Yeah. I just wanted to hear your voice. Haven’t seen you since you went into work this morning,” I explain and she giggles. 

“Aw, Nicky. It’s nice to hear your voice too. Are you on a case?” she asks and I hum as I put my key into the ignition. 

“Yeah. Just got into my SUV to drive to it,” I muse and I hear her hum. 

“Are you on your own for this one or are you with Warrick?” she asks and I sit back in my seat for a moment. 

“I’m on my own, babe,” I admit to her and I hear her sigh. I imagine her shaking her head. 

“Be careful, then. Ok, honey?” she asks me and I chuckle, nodding even though I know she can’t see me. 

“I promise I will be. You be safe out there too, ok?” I tell her and I know she nods even if I can’t see her. 

“I will. I’ll see you back at the lab, yeah?” she asks and I grin, imagining her leaning against a wall. 

“Of course you will,” I promise her and she giggles again. 

“Ok. Well, I have to go, hon. Cath needs me back in there. I love you,” she tells me and I smile again, nodding even though she can’t see me. 

“I should go too. Gotta get to that scene. I love you too,” I respond and picture her smiling.

“Ok. Bye, baby,” she says and I parrot her before we both hang up. 

Once I’m off the phone with her I buckle my seatbelt before setting my phone in the cup holder. Turning the key makes my SUV come to life and the music from earlier comes on. With a smile on my face I pull out of the parking space and start to drive to the scene. 

♪ It was Christmas in Las Vegas, 

when the locals take the town ♪

♪ Theresa hit a streak And laid her waitress apron down She’d been playing penny poker over at the old gold spike she’s won at Texas hold ‘em So she switched to let it ride ♪

♪ Then over on Fremont street, Six pits won her a car 

She rode it up the strip to where the flashy hotels are 

At first, she hit a royal, Not a dirty one this time 

And then she drew four deuces… ♪

I sing along with Bob Neuwirth as I drive, drumming my fingers on my steering wheel. About half way into the song I arrive on the scene and turn my car off. I put my camera around my neck as I get out, grabbing my CSI case from the back seat before starting to walk over to the officer on scene. 

“Nick,” the officer addresses me as I walk up to him. 

“D.A.,” I greet him back as we continue to walk. 

“What’s going on out here?” I ask and look at him. 

“Well, anonymous, 911 caller reported body parts in this area. I rolled and find this,” he explains until we come to a stop and he lifts his flashlight on the supposed body parts. 

“Hmm. Tasty,” I sarcastically joke before setting my case down and lifting my camera for a picture of what seems to be a pile of intestines. 

He keeps the light on it as I take a couple photos before bending down to my case. I start to throw out the cones I use and get ready to work. 

“Have any idea how long it’s going to take you to get this stuff out of here?” he asks me as I look up at him for a moment. 

“Well… I can’t move the, uh… the ‘body’ until the coroner releases the scene,” I tell him as I pause to look over it again. 

“It’s a busy night. It’s probably gonna take a while, man,” I explain as I lift my camera up to start taking more photos of the intestines and blood. 

“Great,” he replies in an annoyed tone as I continue to take photos. 

“Hey, you mind if I step away for a second?” he asks and I stop what I’m doing to look at him. 

“I need to get some fresh air…” he expands and I look back at the scene. 

“Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, sure, take your time,” I tell him and he walks off as I continue to take pictures. 

I let out a puff of air at the smell and just as I do, the officer lets out a retching sound and I turn around as he pukes. I watch for a second, making sure he’s okay before pulling some gum out of my pocket. 

“Hey, you uh… want some gum?” I ask him as I hold the gum out. 

“No, thank you!” he tells me as he waves me off. 

I smirk as I turn back to the scene, taking the piece of gum out and sticking it in my own mouth. I then bend down and grab one of my small orange cones before lifting my flashlight up. He continues to cough as I start to walk around the scene, looking for any clues. 

I walk a small ways away before finding a smashed cigarette bud. I stop and put a cone down before taking another picture. I stand back up again and start to walk around some more before finding tire treads. I put the cone down again along with my flashlight before taking pictures of the treads and I look up to where they lead. 

When I look up, I see what seems to be a bag with a cup in it and I turn my gum over in my mouth. I pick my flashlight back up and shine the light over at the bag in confusion. I look at the bag, trying to figure it out for a moment before setting my flashlight back down. I pull some gloves out of my pocket and put them on before walking over.

The officer coughs again, making me stop and look at him for a moment. I turn back the other way as I shake my head in amusement and continue walking.

I walk over to it and bend down, setting my camera aside to look over how oddly placed it is. The officer coughs again and I turn back for a moment to look at him again before turning back to the item. I pick it up and look closer at it. 

“Well, that’s peculiar,” I think out loud before suddenly everything goes dark. 

Reader’s Pov:

“No. I’m telling you he really wants to go away for the weekend,” I tell Sarah as we walk into the lab, both looking for Greg. 

“I don’t believe that for a second. Nick barely takes time off,” she disagrees with me, shaking her head as we walk through. 

“No. I’m telling you. He told me himself this morning that we're going to finally get our honeymoon that we didn’t get,” I explain and she shrugs as we walk into Greg’s office. 

“I’ll believe it when I see it,” Sarah replies coyly and I shake my head. 

“Believe what when you see it?” Greg asks as he looks up at me and Sarah. 

“Y/n here says that ol’ Nicky promised her to take time off so they could go on the honeymoon they never got,” Sarah explains as she jabs her thumb over at me. 

“I fully believe him! Nick just wants me to take time off is all,” I argue back with a shrug, even though I know that isn’t really one hundred percent true. 

“Sorry to tell ya y/n, but Sarah’s right. Nick really doesn’t take time off. Heck, you should know that. You’ve been married since high school. You’ve been with him since you both started working here,” Greg sassily chimes in and I let out a huff as I cross my arms. 

“I’m telling you guys, Nick means it this time,” I promise them and they both just hum at me. 

“Anyway, Greg, were you able to find anything off the clothes?” Sarah asks, changing the subject as she walks over to look at her victims' clothes. 

“And have you done the test on that paint found at our scene?” I ask him and he nods as he rolls over to get the paper and hand it to me. 

“Well, I went over them like you asked me to. The paint at first wasn’t matching too much, but I figured it out for you,” he tells me before walking over to Sarah as I look over the paper. 

“The blood on the shirt was a little weird looking, but I figured it out. I also found-” Greg explains to Sarah but gets cut off when Catherine walks in. 

“Y/n, can we talk?” she asks as she looks at me. 

“Umm… sure. Can it wait like two minutes?” I ask her as I look at Sarah, who shrugs and gives me a look begging me not to leave. 

“No. It can’t wait,” Catherine replies as she puts her hand on the table. 

“Really, Catherine, I need-” Sarah starts, but stops when Catherine holds a hand up. 

“It’s about Nick…”Catherine speaks up and I freeze. 

“What about him?” I ask and she pauses as if trying to think of how to say it. 

“He’s disappeared from his crime scene… Grissom and I are about to go out and look it over,” Catherine breaks it to me easily and my heart drops. 

“I’m coming with you guys,” I immediately reply and she shakes her head. 

“Gris says you're off the case. You're too close to this one,” Catherine tells me with a shake of her head. 

“Where is he?” I ask her and she shakes her head. 

“He’s in his office getting his case,” she tells me and I bolt out of the room in a fast walk. 

I walk quickly through many corridors and labs before coming to his office. I storm in and he looks up at me from his desk. 

“I’m coming to the scene with you,” I demand and he shakes his head. 

“I can’t let you do that. You know how that would look,” he tells me, shaking his head and I sigh dejectedly as he looks at me from over the top of his glasses. 

“Gris, this is my husband. Let me at least come out to the scene, then I’ll stop,” I plead with him and he sighs before pausing to think it over. 

“Ok. Just to the scene. Then you’re done for tonight,” he pointedly tells me as he raises an eyebrow at me over his glasses. 

“Ok. I can do that, but I’m not going home. I wouldn’t be able to bear being there alone without him,” I admit and he nods in understanding. 

“Of course. Stay here or go home with one of us for the night. Warrick should be back in when we get back, maybe you can stick with him,” he tells me and I nod as I start to back out of his office. 

“I’ll go get my case. Are we all going together?” I ask and he nods. 

“Yeah. That might be best,” he agrees and I nod before walking completely out. 

I walk to my GMC SUV that exactly matches Nick’s and click the unlock button before opening the back door. Next I pull my case out and close the back door just as the door to the garage opens. Warrick walks through the door and looks over in my direction. 

He makes eye contact with me and then stands up from leaning on the door. He immediately rushes over to me before pulling me into a much needed hug. 

“I just heard. Just got back. How are you doing, sweets?” he asks me as he pulls back to look at me and tears make way to my eyes. 

“I'm scared, B. Really scared,” I tell him, using the nickname I know is reserved solely for me. 

Ever since I’ve known him, I had tried to find a nickname that would fit him well, but I couldn’t so together we decided that I’d call him B. It’s the first initial of his last name and when I had started using it, it just stuck. 

“I know. I know. Nick’s going to be fine. I’m sure he’s off somewhere and his phone just died again,” he sympathizes with me and I shake my head. 

“No. This is different… he would have found another way of communicating. You know that…” I reply and he sighs, nodding as he sticks his hands in his pockets. 

“I do know that. I’m sorry. I just thought it’d reassure your mind to think positively,” he explains and I smile softly at him. 

“And I thank you for that B, but unfortunately my mind can only think something bad has happened…” I trail off and he looks down at my hand. 

“Gris is letting you go on the scene?” he asks as he points down at my case. 

“He’s letting me come out to the scene, but that’s it. He told me I’m strictly off after. Told me to go home and obviously I told him I’d just stick around here. I’m not leaving and going home to a Nickless house,” I point out and he nods. 

“You can always hang around me. I’ll probably be here for most of the time,” he notes with a shrug and I nod. 

“I know, B. Thank you,” I tell him just as the door opens again. 

“Anytime,” he promises as Gil and Catherine walk through the door and over to us. 

“Ready to go?” Catherine asks and I nod, standing up as straight as I can. 

“Yeah. Let’s go…” I breathe out and they all give me sympathetic looks. 

“I’ll see you when you get back. Come find me if and when you need me, ok?” Warrick asks me and I nod as I purse my lips. 

He then pulls me into a hug and I melt into the brotherly embrace that I know so well. He holds me for a moment, rubbing my back lightly like he knows Nick does, but it only makes me choke up a little more. I hold back my tears as he pulls back and gives my arm one last squeeze before he walks back into the lab. 

Catherine walks over to me and wraps her arm around my shoulder. Together we walk over to Gil’s SUV and she clicks the unlock button. She opens the trunk door and slides her case in first. 

I then slide mine in after hers and she goes around the front to the passenger side. I follow along, but stop at the passenger side back door. She gets into the passenger seat and I get in behind her just as Gil walks out the garage door. 

He looks around for a moment before he makes eye contact with us and then he starts to come over to the SUV. He gets into the driver's seat and it’s quiet as he puts the key into the ignition, effectively starting the car up. After driving for a little while we arrive at the same scene Nick was supposed to be at. 

Together we get out of the car before going to the back to get our cases. Once we have our cases, we all walk up to Jim Brass, who’s already on scene. 

“Think. Did you see anybody else in the area?” Jim grills an officer before looking away from him. 

“I didn’t see anything, sir,” the officer tells him and Jim sighs, rubbing at his face before turning back to the officer. 

“I mean I only took my eyes off him for a couple seconds…” the officer explains and anger courses through me. 

“You’re not supposed to take your eyes off him ever,” Jim tells him in a very strict tone and I go to talk to the guy, but Catherine puts a hand on my arm to stop me. 

“Just be calm…” she softly tells me and I sigh. 

“How can I be calm, Cath? He took his eyes off him. He’s the reason my husband is missing and possibly even worse…” I choke out and she nods. 

“I know honey. I do, but you have to remain calm,” she reminds as she rubs her thumbs over my forearm in a soothing manner and I nod at her while wiping just under my eye. 

“He’s been gone maybe 25 minutes,” Jim tells us as he walks past us with anger clear on his face. 

Catherine keeps her hand on my arm as Grissom reaches up and puts his hand on her upper back as he nods at Jim. Grissom leads Catherine and Catherine leads me as all three of us walk over to the “crime scene.”  We stop at the intestines and Grissom takes his flashlight out to shine it on them. 

He then moves the light up as we all notice a cone by some tread marks. Catherine and I look at each other and nod. Together we get our flashlights out as well and we all slowly start to follow the tread marks. 

We follow them some more and find more cones laying out, telling us that Nick indeed was here. We keep walking until we come up to his vest laying on the floor and I let out a small gasp. Catherine bends down and sets her case down as she shines the light on his name tag, the one that exactly matches mine. 

I let out a puff of air and Grissom looks at me. He grabs my arm and rubs it for a moment as Catherine takes some gloves out. 

“You gonna be ok? Or do I need to get Jim over here to take care of you?” Grissom asks me as he rubs my upper arm lightly. 

“I’ll be ok…” I promise him and he nods before letting go. 

Catherine starts looking at his vest as Grissom continues to walk farther away from us. Catherine seems to find something so she pulls her tweezers out and grabs it. 

“I got some white fibers on Nick’s vest,” Catherine tells us as she pulls it off and looks closer at the fiber. 

She smells it before pulling it away from her face and looking at it some more. She looks up at me before turning back to her case. 

“Smells like alcohol,” she comments before she pulls out a bag and bags it up. 

Grissom walks a little further before coming to a stop and looking at something. I anxiously watch as he walks over to something else before bending down to it. Catherine looks up and over to Grissom as well. 

She then looks at me with confusion and I shrug. She stands up and together we both walk over to Grissom. As we get closer, we can see him holding a crime scene evidence bag up with a cup in it. 

“Why’d you bag that?” Catherine asks as we get a little closer to him. 

“I didn’t,” Grissom tells her and she looks at me again. 

“It’s the wrong color tape,” Catherine points out as we both bend down next to Grissom. 

“No initials on the seal… that’s not Nick's evidence,” Catherine continues to point out issues with it all as Grissom keeps it held up. 

“Maybe it’s a message…” Grissom observes as he looks over the evidence bag. 

“I’ll go try the garbage can,” Catherine chimes and Grissom nods. 

She walks over to the dumpster and I let out a sigh. Grissom looks up at me before turning around for a moment. He looks like he’s contemplating something before turning back around. He bends back down and I look with him, trying to see what he’s seeing, but all I can think about is Nick and tears well up in my eyes for a moment. 

I take a small step away and try to get my emotions under check. Once they are, I turn back to Grissom who still looks over the intestines very thoroughly. He keeps his light on them as he tries to figure something out. 

“Dumpster’s clean. No apparent blood or body parts,” Catherine announces as she stands fully upright inside of the dumpster before getting out and coming over to us. 

“Take a look at this…” Grissom tells her and she bends down next to me. 

“This seems contrived to me. The blood pool is too perfect. There’s no splatter. Like somebody placed these entrails,” Grissom points out as he shows us what he means with his flashlight and I gasp quietly. 

“You think…” I trail off, unable to ask what I know he’s saying. 

“A lure. To grab Nick…” Catherine confirms and I choke on air. 

“You’re saying you think they wanted Nick?” I ask and all goes fuzzy for a moment. 

“David, get this stuff to the doc,” Catherine declares as she turns to David, who’s behind us. 

“Look, I’m… I’m really sorry I didn’t get here sooner. Maybe if I had…” David apologizes, looks at me and I put a hand over my face. 

“Is she doing ok?” he asks when he sees me sway a little bit. 

“She’ll be fine. Don’t worry about her. We’ve got her and we’re gonna get him back,” Catherine promises as she wraps her arm around my waist to help steady me. 

“Gil, Catherine, what is she doing here? She’s too close to this, Gil,” comes the voice of Conrad Ecklie, making us all look at him as he walks up to us. 

“She’s only here for this. Then she’s done,” Gil explains and Ecklie sighs. 

“Ok. Only out here though. No farther…” he demands as he points at me and I nod. 

“Anyway, I want you all to know as far as I’m concerned, labs only got one case tonight. Same for the rest of the department,” Ecklie tells us and some relief makes way to me. 

“Thanks, Conrad,” Gil replies and I just nod at him. 

Another GMC drives up and Warrick gets out. He slams his door shut and quickly walks over to us. 

“Hey. You texted! What do you need me to do?” he asks as he stops in front of me and Catherine. 

“We need you to follow the dogs. Y/n needs to leave, she isn’t doing too well. Me and Griss are going to drive her back and let her sleep for a bit in the break room,” Catherine explains to him and Warrick nods before coming over to me. 

“Hey. Go sleep. I know you won’t probably be able to, but just try, ok? I promise we’ll find him,” he reassures me and I nod at him. 

He sighs before pulling me to him and giving my forehead a light kiss. He holds me in a tight hug for a few minutes before the K9 officers walk over with the dogs. He pulls away and looks at me for a moment and I nod lightly at him to tell him I’ll be ok. 

 He finally pulls away and walks over to the K9 officers. Catherine slowly starts to lead me away and back to the GMC. She helps me get in, seeing as I’m in a daze and then she and Grissom are putting the kits in the back. Once the kits are in the back, both her and Grissom get in. 

Grissom drives us back and when we get to the lab, Catherine leaves our kits in the GMC. She helps me in and walks me to the break room. 

“Here, try to get some sleep while we go over some of tonight’s evidence. Do you want to be there when I tell his parents?” she asks me and I sigh, nodding my head. 

“His… his mom… she’ll feel more comfortable with me in the room. His dad… he’s like my dad too. So yes, I want to be there please,” I tell her and she nods as she rubs up and down my back. 

“Well, I have to go see Dr. Robbins, then I’ll come get you when they get here, ok? Feel free to walk around if you can’t sleep,” she tells me and I nod numbly at her. 

She gets up and walks away, leaving me with a light blanket and small pillow. I sigh as I grab the pillow and lay the blanket over me. I curl up into a small ball and that’s when the tears start. 

I cry until slowly I can feel myself slip into a light sleep. It’s only a little while later that I wake up and blink my eyes. My eyes are sore and most likely red, but I don’t care as I stay laying on the couch for a bit. 

To Be Continued…