Title: Fifty Big Ones
Author: ANNE (the insane one)
Rating: CSI-2
Summary: The Grissom's celebrate Gil's 50th birthday.
Disclaimer: Characters et al belong to CSI. The kids are mine.
AN: I'm fudging the ages around. Obviously Gil's going to be fifty, which automatically makes Cath 43. It's set after 'Christmas the Max Way'.
So: Lindsey is 24, Matt is 16, Elizabeth is 13, James is almost 11 and Max Grissom is almost 10
Michael is 6, Jenna is 4 and Alicia Brown is 3
Alexander is 12, Christopher is 7 and Caitlyn Stokes is almost 5
Nathan and Karen Sanders are 1.
1
"Technically, you can't call this a family meeting since dad isn't here," Jamie announced, sliding down on the couch.
"That's because it's about dad, stupid," Lizzie told him.
"Can I have a million dollars?" Max piped up.
"No," Catherine said firmly. "And Lizzie, don't call your brother stupid." She took a deep breath. "Alright are we all paying attention? Good. Your father is turning fifty in two months."
"Wow!" Lizzie said. "That's like…half a century!"
Lindsey smirked. "Yeah, I don't think you should phrase it quite like that."
"For his birthday," Catherine continued, "I want to do something very special for him. Fifty is a very important birthday."
"Like a party?" Matt asked.
"Yes, like a party. But I'm also going to give him a surprise."
Lindsey narrowed her eyes. "You're not pregnant again, are you?"
"You're hilarious," Catherine replied. "I'm going to have his mother fly out for his birthday."
"REALLY?" Max cried. "That's SO cool!"
Jamie slapped his hand over his younger brother's mouth. "I promise we won't tell, Mom."
"I promise too," came Max's muffled voice.
"Good," Catherine replied. "And I want you to all think of what you're going to get your father. And I don't want you spending all your pocket money – but I know he'd like a card from each of you."
"Chill, mom, we're on it," Lizzie said.
Matt groaned. "Would you and Hilary Dude get a room?"
"It's Duff," Lizzie replied, folding her arms in a huff.
"Well Duff is going to make me deaf, so…"
"Guys, time out," Catherine said, gesturing to them with her hands. "We're focusing on Dad, remember?"
Max jumped up. "I have to get to work!"
Catherine watched as her youngest son dashed out of the room. "Ookay. Anyone else need any help?"
"I think Max is the only one that needs therapy," Matt grinned.
"I HEARD THAT!" came the call from upstairs.
--
Jamie surveyed the surroundings of the bug museum. He was thinking about his father's fiftieth birthday, and he finally decided that he was going to catch the best bug his father had ever seen.
Of course, he still had to decide what kind of bug it was going to be.
--
"Hey, almost birthday boy," Catherine smiled, as her husband walked into the living room. "How was your day?"
"Not too bad," Gil replied, kissing her softly on the lips. "How was your day off?"
She wrapped her arms around his neck, urging him closer for a long, wet kiss. "It's better when we share our days off."
"I agree," Gil whispered back, pulling her flush with his body. "Much better."
"EW! Guys! I am expecting people in this house soon! I don't want them to witness my parents kissing!" Lizzie shielded her eyes. "I don't even want ME to witness my parents kissing."
Catherine turned around from where she stayed in Gil's arms. "Whom are you having over?"
"Just a couple of friends."
Gil glanced at Cath, then over at his daughter. "How many is a couple?"
"Four."
Catherine's eyes widened. "FOUR?"
"Chill, mom. We'll be quiet and stuff."
The couple watched as Lizzie went upstairs again. Catherine turned to her husband.
"Did she just tell me to 'chill'?"
"Never mind, darling," Gil assured her. "I think I prefer you hot."
She giggled and kissed him. "I love you."
--
Ben looked over at his window and groaned as he saw Max climbing in. "You know, if you trampled on Mum's roses again, I'm the one who's going to get blamed for it."
"Quit bellyaching," Max told his friend. "The roses are fine."
"You know, we still have that nice front door."
"You think I'm touching that after your father installed one of his whiz-bang spy devices on it? I may be only a kid, but I'm not stupid!"
Ben grinned. "True. That electro-pulse thing almost took out the mailman."
Max's face lit up. "Cool! Did you get pictures?"
"They're on my website." Ben swiveled around on his computer chair. "So, what's up?"
"I need your help."
"No problem."
"My dad's turning fifty, and I need to get him a cool present."
Ben scratched his chin. "Intriguing."
"Any ideas?"
"Well, for a birthday as big as this, we definitely don't want to go the clothes or ties route."
Max wrinkled his nose. "Yeah. Ties are like self-strangulation devices."
"He's lived half a century on this earth, so you need to find something that will mean a lot to him."
"I feel my brilliance is lingering just out of my reach," Max pouted.
"I've got it!" Ben cried. "Your dad is turning fifty, so he must have done a lot of amazing stuff in his life."
"Like having me," Max commented.
"And being a CSI!"
"And having me."
"And marrying your mom."
"And having me."
Ben narrowed his eyes. "Uh, yeah."
"So what's the idea?"
"Make a documentary about your dad. I can help and it can include everything important about him. You can have interviews and old footage and everything."
"Perfect!" Max cried.
--
"Fifty." Gil muttered to himself as he filled in some paperwork. "Fifty."
"You know, talking to yourself is the first sign of madness."
Gil looked up and smiled at Nick. "I think my life's probably mad anyway."
Nick nodded and sat down in the free chair. "You're not having issues about turning fifty, are you boss?"
"Not really," Gil replied. "It's a fact of life that we all get older."
Nick held up the party invitation. "I'm R.S.V.Ping for the party, by the way."
Gil rolled his eyes. "RSVP to Catherine. She's the one that decided we had to have a party."
Nick smirked. "Aw, she loves you, Griss."
A broad smile appeared on the older man's face. "Yeah, she does."
"If you're worried about this whole fifty thing, you should just tell her," Nick suggested. "I bet she'd understand."
"Oh, I know she would," Gil replied. "But she's so excited. Sometimes, if you love someone, it's just better to let things go."
Nick narrowed his eyes. "Whatever you say, boss."
--
Catherine turned around to find Max filming her. "Max, honey, what are you doing?"
"Working on Dad's present," he replied.
Her eyes widened. "So you're filming my butt?"
Max wrinkled his nose. "No, mom. Gross. I'm not filming yet." He shrugged. "Although, Dad does spend a lot of time looking at…"
"Stop," Catherine said, holding up a hand. "We're not going there."
"That's a relief."
"So tell me about this present," she encouraged her son.
"Well, Ben helped me think of it. We figured that since Dad's so old and stuff, he must have done a lot of things in his life. It's a documentary of dad."
Catherine smiled. "I think he'll love it."
"Really?" Max's face lit up. "Cool!" He paused. "Hey, what kind of cake are we going to have?"
"I'm not sure yet. Any ideas?"
"Chocolate!"
Catherine chuckled. "Gee. Why am I not surprised?"
--
"I'm not fifty. I don't think like a fifty-year-old," Lizzie complained. "I'm only thirteen, I can't handle this pressure!"
Matt leant back on his computer chair and arched an eyebrow at her. "It's just a birthday present."
"Matt, Dad is only going to turn fifty once."
"So? He only turned forty once. And thirty. And twenty. And…"
Lizzie raised a hand. "I get it. But fifty is important. It's like, half a century."
"Yeah, well, you're like, weirding me out," Matt replied, mimicking his younger sister. "Just relax."
"I can't relax. I've got to think of a present."
"Lizzie, his birthday isn't for two months! I don't think you need to break down just yet."
His sister rolled her eyes. "You're such a man!"
--
Lindsey found Jamie tinkering with something in the basement. "Dare I ask what the little inventor is working on now?"
"Dad's birthday present," Jamie replied. "I just hope I can get it finished in time."
Lindsey peered over his shoulder. "What is it, exactly?"
"I'm going to make him an automatic bug feeder. All he has to do is stick in the food, and the feeder applies the food to the correct bug."
"Sounds ambitious."
"It has the same basic principles as Mom's automatic peg dispenser and the early plan for an automatic toy sorter. It's more the mechanical element that is difficult, rather than the basic idea." Jamie shrugged. "I was going to get him a new bug, but it's hard to get to Venezuela for the best bug when you're only eleven."
"Of course," Lindsey nodded. "I know exactly what you mean." She bit her lip, sincerely praying for the success of this project.
--
Catherine smiled as her husband came towards their bed. "Hey, handsome. Kids all asleep?"
Gil nodded, undressing and getting into his pajamas. "Catherine?"
"Mhm?"
"Does it bother you, getting older?"
She looked up at him, a small smile on her face. "Sometimes. But then I realize that I'd rather be old than dead."
Gil looked at her, and when he realized she was serious, he burst out laughing. "I guess I never thought of it like that."
Catherine held out her arms to him and sighed in satisfaction as he settled against her body. She kissed him gently on the lips and then pulled back, looking up at him. "Believe me when I tell you this, Gil Grissom. I love you. More than anything in the world. And I don't care how old you are, what you look like, what your brain is like – because I love you. I love what's in here." She rested her palm over his heart. "Although if you leave me before I'm finished with you, I'll kick your ass."
He looked at her for a moment, before claiming her lips in a long, deep kiss. "I love you, Catherine," he murmured. "I love you so much."
She kissed him back, holding his body close to hers. "I know. I know." She kissed him softly. Her fingers trailed underneath his pajama top to caress his chest. "Still worried about getting older?"
Gil grinned, nuzzling her neck. "Actually, right now I'm more worried about getting you naked."
Catherine lifted an eyebrow. "I don't think we've ever had any trouble in that department."
He easily lifted her nightgown above her head. "No my dear, we never have had any trouble at all."
--