Title: The Choir Concert
Author: Anita
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: CSI characters do not belong to me. I'm just taking them out to play and will return them when I'm done.
A/N: Pointless song-fic fluff. You have been warned.
Grissom was engrossed in setting up an experiment involving both blood and bugs when Hurricane Catherine blew in from the DNA lab.
"Are you ready?" she demanded, striding purposefully towards him until she was so close he could feel her warm breath on his cheek.
"For what?" he asked absently, trying to concentrate on his task.
"So help me, Gil Grissom," she warned, her cheeks flushing with anger, "if you disappoint her again I'll –"
He cocked an eyebrow at her. "You'll what?"
They held each other's gaze for several seconds, then she deflated with a sigh. "Never mind," she muttered, brushing the hair from her forehead. "Have I ever told you how exasperating you are?" She left the room without giving him a chance to answer.
His eyes followed her, then he said irritably, "Have I ever told you how extremely annoying you are?" He continued with his experiment, then was interrupted again when Greg appeared at the door. "Hey, Griss, what are you still doing here?"
"What are you talking about?" he asked, without looking up.
"Lindsey's choir concert. You told Catherine you'd go with her." He watched as his boss finally raised his head, realization hitting him.
"Oh, shit," he said quietly.
"You didn't forget, did you?" asked Greg nervously.
Grissom didn't answer, just quickly covered his materials, shoved them in the refrigerator, and grabbed his jacket, running out of the room.
"Um, I guess you did," Greg said to the air. He didn't want to be in Grissom's shoes when he finally caught up with Catherine!
Lindsey had gotten a ride to the concert with one of her friends so that Catherine could go straight there from work. By the time she arrived she had gotten over her anger with Grissom. Lindsey did not need her mother to be preoccupied when she sang her first solo.
Catherine spotted her daughter across the room as she searched for the best seat, and waved to her, smiling. Lindsey looked at her questioningly. "Where's Uncle Gil?" she mouthed.
Catherine shrugged and kept on smiling, but Lindsey looked devastated as she turned away to speak to her friends. Her anger towards Grissom flared once again; how could he have the nerve to do this to her daughter? Disappointing Catherine herself was one thing; disappointing her child was another thing entirely. She began to have visions of ways she could punish him, then pushed those thoughts out of her mind. She would have time to get revenge later. Right now, her focus would be on Lindsey.
She found a seat near the middle and in the front, then readied the two cameras she had brought with her. One was a digital, the other a camcorder. Both had fully charged batteries. Catherine wasn't about to miss a moment.
Less than five minutes later, the audience quieted as the choir filed onto the risers. Mrs. Baxter, the pretty young choirmistress, spoke into the microphone.
"Thank you all very much for coming. As you know, the junior high choir is presenting 'A Tribute to Disney.' We have a wonderful group, as well as some very talented soloists, who will be singing for us tonight. Our first number will be 'Under the Sea,' from The Little Mermaid."
Catherine had a great view of Lindsey, who was standing on the back row. She was at the age where the girls were generally taller than the boys. Lindsey was smiling now, but Catherine could tell it was her fake smile. She was still disappointed that Grissom hadn't come.
Catherine sighed as she took pictures of the whole choir and close-ups of Lindsey. She noticed that the group was good. Very good. "Under the Sea" was followed by "The Circle of Life" and a solo, "Once Upon a Dream," from Sleeping Beauty. Then Lindsey and a dark-haired boy made their way to the front of the stage. As she reached for the camcorder, Catherine realized she didn't even know what Lindsey was going to sing. She never practiced at home, at least not when her mother was around, and had been very secretive about the whole thing.
Catherine raised the camcorder and smiled in recognition as the music began. It was the theme song from Beauty and the Beast. Still with her fake smile, Lindsey began to sing.
Tale as old as
time
True as it can be
Barely even friends
Then somebody
bends
Unexpectedly
Catherine opened her mouth in awe. She had no idea her daughter had such a beautiful voice. 'Must be all that time she spent in music studios with Eddie,' she thought ruefully.
Just a little
change
Small, to say the least
Both a little scared
Neither
one prepared
Beauty and the beast
As the dark-haired boy sang his part, Lindsey suddenly broke out into a broad, genuine smile. She was looking directly beside Catherine, who looked up from the camera just in time to see Grissom slide into the seat next to her. He looked sheepish.
"I'm sorry," he whispered.
"Shhh," Catherine commanded with a grin, turning back to the camera.
Ever just
the same
Ever a surprise
Ever as before
Ever just as sure
As
the sun will rise
Lindsey's gaze was fixed on Grissom as she sang. Her eyes seemed to bore right through him, as if she were trying to tell him something.
Tale as old
as time
Tune as old as song
Bittersweet and strange
Finding
you can change
Learning you were wrong
At that moment, Grissom had his second revelation of the night. Lindsey was singing about him and Catherine. The mother was certainly a beauty, so did that make him….the Beast?
He grinned as he unconsciously ran a hand through his beard. Maybe she was right. At least, he sometimes acted like a beast. Tonight, for instance. He resolved in his heart that he would make it up to both of them, tentatively putting his arm around Catherine.
She glanced sharply at him, obviously startled, then sank contentedly into his embrace. Lindsey's smile seemed to grow even brighter, if that was possible.
Certain as the sun
Rising in the east
Tale as
old as time
Song as old as rhyme
Beauty and the beast.
The song was over; Lindsey returned to her place in the choir. But Catherine could tell she was happy now. "Thank you," she murmured in Gil's ear. "I owe you one."
"No," he whispered, turning to lean his forehead against hers. "I owe you."
"For what?" she asked, a confused look on her face.
"For showing me happiness, Catherine."
Finis