Wednesday, midshift

Gil, Greg and Warrick had left the lab in order to find something to eat. They went to the local dinner that all of them ate at on a regular basis. The food was good, the service quick and friendly and the music from the jukebox varied. It was your typical roadside diner, cheesy roadkill posters on the wall, local artwork in the display boxes and a waitress straight out of that old series, “Alice,” who was named, ironically enough, Alice. They had quickly settled into their regular booth. Alice brought them their drinks and took their orders.

“Warrick, do you have plans Saturday?” asked Gil. Both Warrick and Greg nearly choked on their food. Grissom never asked about anyones plans.

“Thinking about having diner with my grandmother. You?”

“Nothing here, maybe doing some paperwork.”

“On a Saturday night? The universal party night?” Greg said, not believing that someone would truly do something other than party on a Saturday night. Grissom just rolled his eyes.

“Any chance you’d want to change those plans?” Warrick stirred his food, unsure of where this conversation was going.
“If you need me to cover shift, then I’m sorry I’m promised my grandmother I’d be there.”

“I need you to go out with someone.”

Warrick stopped mid-bite, “Gris, sorry man. I do not do blind dates.”

“Warrick, please. I’m desperate.”

“Hey, Grissom, I’ll do it,” Greg chimed in.

“NO!!!” Grissom practically shouted. No way was he putting Catherine through an evening with Greg. But then again, he trusted Greg to treat Catherine like she should be treated. Greg had always had a boyish crush on her. Greg was even entertaining at times. And Catherine could squash him in an instant if he actually grew balls enough to make a move on her. “Sorry I snapped at you Greg. You’re a little young for her.”

“Oh, an older lady. Is she sexy?”

“Very.”

“Intriguing. So, what does she look like?”

“Like Catherine.” Gil took another bite of his hotdog.

“Oh man, Catherine has a doppelganger? Gris, I swear I’ll pay you to let me take her out.”

“Greg, it IS Catherine. And, no, you are not taking her out.” Both Greg and Warrick sat there staring at Grissom, completely stunned. Warrick was the first to speak.

“Why are you trying to find a date for Catherine?”

“She asked me to. And I’ve only got one more day to find her a date.” Warrick shook his head, laughing. Damn, Cath was good. He knew she had been pissed at Grissom for a while, but he wasn’t really sure why. She was obviously making him pay for whatever it was by doing this. Grissom looked uncomfortable, but this was too good not to laugh at.

“Why not just take her out yourself?” Greg asked, thinking that that is what he would do if he were in Grissom’s shoes. Oh, how Greg wished he were in his shoes. Meanwhile, Warrick, who was trying not to laugh, was choking on his burger.

“She asked me to FIND her a date, not BE her date,” grimaced Grissom.

“But did she specifically say you COULDN’T be her date? Semantics, I know, but it would solve your problem,” said Greg, wondering why on earth he was making this harder than it actually was.

Warrick sat there laughing to himself. The whole situation was ridiculous, Cath asking Grissom to find her a date, Grissom actually looking for one and Greg’s solution to the problem. He looked at Grissom who looked like he was ready to kill Greg. What he wouldn’t give to have a camcorder on him at the moment.