DISCALIMER: I don't own CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and i don't make any money from it.
Butterfly wings
Chapter 1.
Catherine was walking frustrated around in her living room, she had to go out of town for a week because of a course she needed for work. On top of that her babysitter had cancelled last minute and there was no way she could bring Lindsey with her.
Once again she cursed over the fact that Eddie had died and left her alone with her eight year old daughter, but there was not much she could do about that now.
Catherine picked up the phone, dialed a number and said, "Hey Gil it's me."
"Oh hey Catherine, something wrong?" he asked since she didn't usually call him outside work.
"You know what course I have to go to right," she said.
"Yes," he replied as he had encouraged her to take it.
"Well as you know I have to leave tomorrow, but my babysitter cancelled and I got no one to take care of Lindsey, would you be willing to do it," she said with a sigh.
"Me, I don't know anything about children, there has to be someone else," he said.
"There isn't, I tried every possible option," she said with another sigh.
"I don't know," he said.
"Please, I really want to go to this thing," she begged.
"Well okay, bring her by tomorrow morning before you leave," he said.
"Thanks, I owe you one," she said.
"That you do," he replied with a sigh.
"I better get some sleep, see you tomorrow," she said.
"You will," he and they hung up.
"Mom, am I really staying with bugman?" Lindsey asked as soon as Catherine was done with the phone conversation.
"You are," said Catherine as she followed her upstairs to put her to bed.
It was early morning and Grissom was having his morning coffee when the doorbell rang, he quickly went to open and found an overstressed Catherine and Lindsey outside.
"Mom, are you even listening," said Lindsey.
"Yeah, yeah, what, oh hey Gil" she said.
Grissom just smiled at her and said, "God morning Catherine and god morning to you to Lindsey."
"Hey bugman," said Lindsey and smiled happily at him.
"So you sure you have everything," said Catherine.
"Yes, just go, I'll be fine," said Lindsey and smiled at her.
"Now you gotto be a good girl while I'm gone okay," she said.
"Moooom, would you just go before you miss your flight," said Lindsey with a sigh.
"Yeah, if she gives you any trouble call me okay," said Catherine.
"Would you just relax we'll be fine," he said.
"Well goodbye then butterfly, see you when I get back," said Catherine gave her a peck on the cheek and left. Lindsey followed Grissom into his house and curiously looked around.
She quickly walked over to the butterflies hanging on his walls and said, "They are pretty."
"They are so have you eaten breakfast or are you hungry?" Grissom asked.
"Eaten…not hungry," as she looked around the walls, white with bugs and a few paintings here and there other than that the room consisted of book shelves filled with different books, a dinner table with black chairs around and a living room table with a two seats. Lindsey found it a bit cold, yet personal and walked over to one of the book shelves to take a closer look.
Grissom watched with amusement how the little girl curiously looked around the living room with great interest, she rearranged the books to get a hold on what she wanted and said, "Can I please barrow this?"
"Of course you can take anyone you want," he said amazed that she actually wanted to read any as they weren't exactly children's books.
"Do you have a pillow and a rug or something like that?" she asked.
"Just a sec," he said and came back with a couple of blackest and some pillows.
"Thanks a lot," she said and smiled happily at him and arranged it on the floor so she could lay down on them and read the book she had picked out.
Grissom just smiled as he sat down in the couch and started on the morning paper.
That night Lindsey was tagging along with Grissom to work as he didn't want her to be alone. He opened the door to his office and she looked around at the mess before she walked over to the cages with the two tarantulas and asked, "What are their names?"
"This one is Isabel and that is Spyde," he said.
"Spyde the spider, funny," she said with a giggle and opened his cage to take him out.
He backed away before he climbed up on her hand and she said, "It tickles."
"It does, but I have to work," he said and sat down by the desk.
"Uhm ok, I'll be real quiet then so I don't interrupt you," she said and sat down on the opposite side and took started to draw while the spider climbed up on her head and settled there.
Sara and Nick who were on their way to see Grissom looked through the window on his door and Nick said, "Look at that Grissom as a babysitter."
"And Lindsey with his spider, cute," said Sara and smiled a little.
"It is," said Nick as they went inside and he said, "You got a new case for us?"
"Here dead woman in the dessert, is Warrick still working on that dead body in the elevator at Rampart," Grissom said as he handed them the files.
"Yes, but he is finishing up," said Sara.
"Good," he said.
"And you?" Nick asked.
"Autopsy of a little girl beaten to death," he said with a sigh.
"How old was she?" asked Lindsey and looked at him with sad, blue eyes.
"She was five," he replied regretting talking about the cases in front of her.
"You got to find out who did it," said Lindsey in a serious tone.
"I will," said Grissom and smiled vaguely at her.
"Mind if I sleep just a little," she said with a yawn.
"No, not at all," he said.
"You gotto promise to come back later," she said.
"I promise," he said and kissed the top of her head before the three of them left and Lindsey drifted off.
Lindsey was woken a bit later by the phone in Grissom's office ringing and since she didn't know where he was, she took in and said, "Bugguy's office, this is butterfly, no I mean Lindsey."
"Hey butterfly, since when did you start to take the phone in Grissom's office," said Catherine a little amused in the other end.
"Since it woke me when I was sleeping and he wasn't here," she said honestly.
"Shouldn't you be sleeping in a bed rather than an office," said Catherine concerned.
"Nah much more fun sleeping here, shit," she said when she realized the tarantula was missing.
"Lindsey," said Catherine in a firm tone.
"But mom I lost Spyde I gotto find him before Grissom finds out," she said before Catherine had time to say anything else.
Catherine dialed the number to Grissom's cell and said, "You couldn't just have stayed at home so she could sleep in a bed not your office."
"And good evening to you to dear," he said and walked out of the room he was in with the sheriff and some other people.
"Grissom, she can't stay up all night, she's just a kid and you cannot let her be alone in your office," said Catherine.
"I was only down the hall talking with the sheriff and some other guys when you called and interrupted and she was sound asleep when I left," he said.
"Umf," she said.
"Now don't you go and be all grumpy on me Cath, I got it under control," said Grissom that suddenly looked over at the DNA lab where Lindsey had managed to track down Spyde. He was on Greg's head and got him down and apparently told Spyde something like it's not very nice of you to run of like that you could have got hurt.
"I'm not, it's just never mind, I just called to say I got here all right," she said.
"I know, I'll call you tomorrow" said Grissom and hung up before he walked over to Lindsey and said, "He run of didn't he."
"I'm sorry I should have locked him in," she said and looked down in the ground, feeling guilty for not doing so.
"That's okay, so do you know what kind of spider it is," he said.
"It's a tarantula," she said.
"Yes, do you know anything more about it?" he said.
"Not really, but it's hairy and soft and real big," she said and pet it gently.
"That he is and he belongs to a family called Theraphosidae of which 900 has been identified," said Grissom.
"You heard that Spyde you got a huge family, tell me more," said Lindsey excitedly.
"He can't hunt on ground or three and he can also spin silk, he can kill lizards, mice and birds if he wants to," said Grissom.
"He can then can he harm me to," she said.
"No, he's harmless for humans, most tarantulas are and he's also no good for making children," said Grissom.
"Oh so you would have no baby spiders then," she said a bit sadly.
"He could if he wanted he just don't like to do stuff like that," said Grissom.
"Ehm," he heard the sheriff say.
"Oh sorry be right with you," he said and made a funny face at Lindsey which made her giggle.
"I'll go back and lock him up so you can go back to work," she said.
"I'll come in later," he said and smiled at her while she left with the spider.
It was early morning when Grissom carried a sleeping Lindsey out in his car to drive home.
She groaned a little in her sleep as he sat her in and put on her safety belt before he got in and drove off.
At home he quickly made his bed before he lifted her in and put her down while he settled on the couch with a sigh.
About an hour later Lindsey woke up and curiously looked around in his bedroom, on the nightstand was a picture of the team and one of Catherine, but her mother looked younger so she guessed it was taken a couple of years back. Other than that it was a book there and a couple of glasses.
She got out of bed and discovered a worn out stuffed beetle, she took it up and giggled, it was really soft and it even had a collar with its name that said, "Billy."
"Billy the beetle," she said with a giggle and put it back before she made the bed and got out in the living room where she saw him sleeping.
She walked over to her backpack and took out a pencil and a paper, looked at Grissom and started to draw something while she smiled happily.
For hours she sat there quietly drawing until he woke up and said, "God morning butterfly."
"Good morning, look I drew you and Billy," she said proudly and showed him the drawing; it was Grissom in bed hogging Billy and around was a lot of other bugs that made out a frame.
"Thank you, it's really pretty," he said and smiled at her with sleepy eyes.
"You really like it, but how come you got a stuffed bug when you're all grown up, mum don't have that," she said.
"Well my mother gave it to me when I was very young and it kinda stuck around," he said as they walked into the kitchen and he found a refrigerator magnet to hang up the picture with.
"Oh I see, so you liked bugs even as a kid," she said.
"That I did, so what do you feel like doing today, oh you have school don't you, I completely forgotten about that," he said.
"I do, but I rather be with you, oh can't you home school me or something, just for this week please," she begged.
"I guess I could and you're eight how much can you miss, but if you insist on doing it that way you gotto do what I say," he said in a firm tone.
"Totally, just gotto get dressed them I'm all yours," she said and ran off while he started making breakfast.
As it turned out Grissom after talking to Lindsey's teachers found that he couldn't take her out of school for a week, but he could for a long weekend so that was what he decided to do.
He had just dropped her off when Catherine called and said, "You got her to school right."
"Yes dear," he said with a chuckle.
"Stop calling me that, I'm not your girlfriend," she said annoyed.
"Calm down I was only joking," he said.
"I'm sorry I didn't mean to snap, so did Lindsey ever sleep in a bed?" she asked.
"She did when I was done with the shift," he said.
"Did you share the bed with her?" Catherine asked as she though that would be wrong.
"Of course not she shared my bed with Billy," he said.
"Who is that?" she asked.
"Just an old friend they got along just fine," he said.
"You placed her in a bed with a man," said Catherine shocked not knowing Grissom lived with anyone.
"Wouldn't exactly call him a man even if he's just a little younger than me," he said as he had gotten Billy when he was four.
"Gil, I swear if you are doing anything that make her get hurt I swear that I will…" she yelled at him.
"I would never do that, you know I love her," he said.
"UMF you're real stupid you know that, maybe I should just get home," she said.
"Really she's fine," he said.
"I certainly hope so, I have to go," she said and hung up while he started his car to get home to get some sleep.
It was a bit later in the day and Grissom was making dinner when he heard talking from the bedroom and went over to listen, as far as he know Lindsey didn't have anyone over and he wanted to know she was talking.
"You know I really miss him Billy," said Lindsey.
'Him' Grissom though wondering if Lindsey could talking about Eddie and kept on listening.
"It really wasn't fair you know for someone to kill daddy and get away with it, dunno if mom even think bout him anymore, you're real lucky you know that Billy," she said.
Grissom found it kind of amusing that she was talking to Billy like he was a real person, but he wondered what she meant what she meant by Billy was lucky so he stood for a while longer to see if he could find out.
"You're real lucky cause you got bugguy, he really cares about you know, my mom she cares, but she's hardly ever there. It's so much fun here cause bugguy he really cares about me and he kinda put me first even when he gotto work, mum never does that, but I love her lots, I just dunno," she said.
Grissom withdraw, went into the kitchen called Catherine and said, "Hey."
"Hey," she replied.
"Catherine I was wondering how often is Lindsey on Ed's grave?" he asked.
"His birthday, hers and Christmas why do you ask?" she replied a bit confused.
"Well she just told Billy she was missing him so I thought maybe would it be okay if I took her there," he said.
"Hold on who is this Billy?" she asked.
"Promise you won't laugh okay," he said.
"I won't," she said.
"He's my stuffed pet beetle," he said.
"You got a bed bug," she said a bit surprised.
"I do and your daughter seems to like him," he said.
"I see so other than that?" she said.
"Well I think she misses you and I are not only talking about now, do you even spend time with her?" he asked.
"I uhm too little," she admitted.
"You want to talk to her?" he asked.
"If she's not too busy," said Catherine.
"Lindsey phone," Grissom yelled and she came running and took it and said, "Lindsey Willows who's there."
"Hey Linds it's me," said Catherine.
"Mummy, how are you?" she asked happily.
"I'm fine I miss you though, so what have you been doing today?" asked Catherine curiously.
"I was at school, no fun, but you know what?" she asked excitedly.
"No what?" asked Catherine.
"Last night Grissom told me all bout tarantulas real interesting stuff, you know the guys are having trouble mating," she said.
"No I didn't," said Catherine a bit amused.
"Oh and I got a new friend," said Lindsey.
"Really who?" asked Catherine.
"He's name is Billy and he's Grissom's bed beetle, he's so cool, you gotto meet him when you get back," she said excitedly.
"I can't wait to see him," said Catherine.
"But I better go, I gotto help Bugguy with dinner," she said.
"Talk to you later then," said Catherine.
"Uh huh, can't wait for tonight, bugguy is taking me to work again, very much fun, but he won't do it before I've done my homework though and I got tons of boring stuff," she said.
"Well you might learn something useful," said Catherine, glad that Grissom mad her do it.
"Yeah, yeah gotto go," she said and hung up after they had said their goodbyes and said, "Need help?"
"You can set the table if you like," he said and smiled at her.
"Cool, oh you got bug plates," she said when she found them in the closet and started to set the table as he asked her to.
It was about 1am and Grissom was watching as Lindsey played with a couple of his beetles on the floor when there was a knock on the door and the sheriff entered and said, "Babysitting again."
"I am for the week what do you want," said Grissom in a hostile tone.
"To get you for the meeting," said the sheriff.
"I would have found the way on my own, Lindsey will you be okay alone for a while," he said.
"Uh huh," she said and had gotten from the short conversation that Grissom didn't like the sheriff all that much so she decided that she wanted to have some fun.
"You better go back in your cage just for a little while, I promise to play with you later," she said and gently sat them down in the cage and closed it so they wouldn't run away.
Then she opened the lid to Isabel's cage and said, "Mind if I barrow Spyde just for a sec."
Isabel didn't seem to mind and Lindsey took up Spyde and said, "When I let you stay in her cage you really should make baby spiders you know, but now you have some work to do."
She let him climb up on her shoulder before she quietly left the office went into Nick, Sara and Greg and said, "You wanna see me scare the sheriff."
"Linds, you really shouldn't it can get us all in trouble," said Sara sounding a little worried.
"Do you guys really care about that," she said with a giggle.
"No," they said and followed her.
"Ok wait outside, just watch ok," she said, quietly opened the glass door and sneaked in.
"He will kill her," said Nick.
"Nah, she's too fast he will never catch her whatever she's up to," said Greg and smiled.
They watched as Lindsey on all four sneaked over to the sheriff's legs and got Spyde to climb under his pants while Lindsey sneaked out unnoticed and said, "Now we wait."
It didn't take long before the sheriff started to jump around as he now had noticed something was climbing up his leg.
Nick, Sara and Greg couldn't help laughing and neither could Lindsey as Grissom told the sheriff to stand still so he could get whatever it was. When the sheriff finally stood still Grissom removed the spider and looked towards the window and saw the laughing four.
The same did the sheriff and before they could react he had gotten to Lindsey and dragged her away from the rest by her arm, but it didn't take Grissom long to follow, he only stopped by Greg and said, "Put him back in the cage."
Feedback always welcome and very much appreciated :o)
