Authors note 1: I pictured Brass as Cesar and Sofia as Cleopatra.
Authors note 2: Shen means three as Catherine's last name is originally Willows I though it fit.
Authors note 3: To Emily that gave me the idea and to all other Grillows fans out there that like Grillows and ancient history.
DISCALIMER: I don't own CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and i don't make any money from it.
Heat in the Egyptian nights.
It was one of them warm nights in Egypt and Catherine was not sleeping. She was twisting and turning in her bed, before getting out of it. It was after all too hot to sleep, too hot to do anything for that matter. It would make no difference if she was in the garden outside the palace or inside as the temperature was pretty much the same.
She walked over to the window and gazed up at the starry night, the only thing missing was the moon, when she heard whispering from under her window. She looked down to see her mistress Cleopatra flirting with her current boyfriend, but Catherine doubted it would hold. Even if Cleo was certain that this time it would, she was after all madly in love with the guy. Like Catherine hadn't heard that one before.
But what seemed odd to Catherine was that young Cleo never seemed to have loved her previous husband. If that was because it was her brothers she really didn't know, but the fact was that her mistress seemed to fall in love with other guys instead.
"Ok seriously you have to go now, need my sleep," she heard from down under her.
"Ok see you later then," said Cesar and left quietly, while Cleopatra went inside as Catherine shook her head knowing she would most likely walk into her room once upstairs.
A moment later an overjoyed Cleopatra said, "Isn't he just wonderful, he's just so, so…"
Catherine looked at the twenty one year old in front of her, her blue eyes were shining with excitement, and she could hardly stand still.
"Would you calm down, you know you cannot have him," said Catherine calmly, but she knew for a fact that Cleo would most likely not care about that.
"Ohhh but I have to, he's just so cool," said Cleopatra.
"And old," said Catherine and rolled her eyes.
"That doesn't matter as he's smart and a great emperor not to mention a great warrior," said Cleopatra with a sigh.
"Yes and all married too I assume," Catherine answered.
"Minor boring detail," Cleopatra said and shook it off.
"Just be careful, even if he says he loves you it may be all a lie," said Catherine thoughtfully.
"Hey, not all guys are like the dude you were dating," said Cleopatra.
"I know, just be careful, that's all I say," said Catherine, before leaving the room with a sigh.
It was a few months later and Catherine was listening to Cleopatra talking to one of her friends about how much she missed Cesar, and that he had forgotten about her as she hadn't heard from him. Catherine would have said something, only she knew it wouldn't lead to anything other than her getting in trouble. Like last time, so she choose to keep her mouth shut and just watch without a word.
Just at the moment she heard someone say, "Ehm."
She startled and turned to see Grissom, one of Cesar's generals and said, "You're back, is Cesar with you?"
"Uhm no, I'm afraid, I just come with a message for your queen," he said.
"Oh, where is he then?" she asked him.
"That is nunna your business, so where is she?" he asked her.
"You don't have to be so rude about it," she said a bit hurt, and pointed him in the right direction.
This made Grissom stop to look at her for a moment, wondering why she really dared to spoke to him like that, when she had to know that she could get in trouble for it later. Her clear blue eyes did in deed look hurt, and her facial futures proved that she in fact was that.
His eyes looked her up and down for a moment, which lead to giving him a brief smile and her asking, "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"No reason, I better get to the queen," he said, and gave her another look causing her to blush like crazy, as he headed towards the queen. Just then she heard a voice say, "You like him, I knew it."
"Huh," said Catherine confused and turned to see Sara, one of the servants that were under her command.
"Very well spoken," said Sara in a teasing tone.
"Oh shut it and go and do the chambers," said Catherine and rolled her eyes.
"Already done, in opposite to you I do work," said Sara.
"Don't be smart with me, you know I have been busy to prepare for the council meeting, I soon have to help Cleo get ready for it. I just took a short break," Catherine answered, with a sigh as her eyes, followed Grissom that now were talking with Cleopatra.
Out from how the queen reacted she assumed it was good news, which would hopefully make her easier to live with as the queen tended to be a bit moody when things didn't go her way. The same went for men.
Grissom bowed and headed towards the exit, as he was about to pass her and she said, "Good news I take it."
"Yes," he said without explaining any further.
"Will you, I mean Cesar return anytime soon?" she asked.
He smiled at bit amused and said, "Perhaps, so long servant girl."
When he was gone and Catherine turned to Sara and said, "Could I have made a bigger fool of myself?"
"No, but he seemed to like you," said Sara.
"He's a general, I'm a servant, and I've made a mistake with an army guy once… I'm not about to do the same mistake again, to be used for something that will not last," Catherine answered.
"You are way too negative when it comes to men," said Sara and rolled her eyes.
"Maybe, will you go inside and check if the dining hall is all in order?" Catherine asked.
"I'll do it at once," said Sara, as they saw Cleopatra coming towards them.
"Are you coming?" Cleopatra said.
"Yes ma'am," said Catherine as she followed her inside.
That night Catherine was in her room looking at an old letter in papyrus, it was from her old lover Eddie, but everything had gone wrong between them. It had all been great at first, they had planned to have a family and everything. She had accidentally gotten pregnant, only to lose him to another woman… then she had lost the baby; she could not handle going through that again.
It was a knock on her door and Cleopatra entered, Catherine looked at her and said, "Yes ma'am."
"Would you help me get this off?" she asked, she was talking about the black wig she was wearing over her hair.
"Yes," said Catherine and followed her into her room, removed it before starting to combing her mistress long blonde hair. Cleopatra only wore the wig as she said that men liked dark haired women, as they were more mysterious, besides it looked real.
"Thanks, you can leave now," she said, and made a hand gesture.
"Yes, ma'am," said Catherine and went back to her own room to try to think.
"No Eddie, stop it," a seventeen year old Catherine giggled happily, as he was kissing her neck playfully pressing her against the wall outside the palace.
"Oh come on," he said kissing her a bit rougher this time.
"No, I have to get back to work," she answered, her tone was a bit firmer now.
She had ended up giving in that day as so many times before, only that time was the last time she made love to him. One week later she had found him in bed with one of the servants she was boss of. Eddie was banned from the castle along with the servant.
Catherine was six weeks pregnant at the time.
When Eddie was killed on the battlefield one week later Catherine cried bitter tears. It was three days after this she had a miscarriage and cried her heart out.
That day she swore she would never love another man again, but five years later she crossed pathways with Grissom, and she knew for a fact that the first time she saw him in his shiny uniform she was in love.
Just the mere thought of him gave her butterflies, and even if she knew that nothing would ever happen she couldn't help but think what if.
Gilbert Grissom was a splendid general. That was also how he earned his title of the young age of twenty seven. He was one of Cesar's wing men and advisors and an excellent strategist when it came to warfare and commanding the tropes.
In fact he was great in every way no matter what it was in every field, but one. That was love, he had not a clue when it came to love or women, he just didn't get them.
Of course he had dated over the years, but they didn't seem to last there was always something. Maybe it was the fact that he never actually did love them or was exactly sure how the feeling of love was, he wasn't sure.
He however knew that that servant girl back at the castle had made him feel really weird, there was just something about her, she was cute and attractive and he would assume she was smart too and her eyes, they had been like sapphires.
He let out a sigh wondering if this was love, or if it was just physical attraction, but he found it probably was something more than that.
At the moment he and Cesar was on their way back to Egypt and he figured he would find out when he got there, he let out a sigh of satisfaction by the thought of her, hoping that there was a minor chance she felt something too.
Although you should have thought Grissom and Catherine would be all over each other when they again meet, that was not what happened at all. As he not knowing what to say somehow ended up making a mess out of it.
What happened was he walked up to her and said, "Hey there."
She was at that moment having a crappy day, but the sound of his voice couldn't stop her from smiling as she shyly said hi back.
"So uhm have you been working here long?" he asked.
"Uhm for as long as I can remember," she said.
"Do you like it?" he asked.
"Yes," she said.
"You mean you really like taking orders?" he asked a bit surprised.
"Uhm, you do the same," she answered him.
"So if I ordered you to do something, you would do it?" he wondered curiously.
"It would depend on what it was as you are not my master," she said honest.
"If I bought you, I would be," he said.
"Why on earth would you do that, I mean you surly wouldn't need me," she said.
"I could always use a slave that could obey, specially a female one," he said.
"I really thought you were different," she said quietly, looking down in the ground.
"Sorry?" he asked.
"That you were different than other men, but I see now that I was wrong, you like them is only after one thing," she answered.
"And that is wrong because, I mean clearly you must have those intentions in mind as well," he said.
"Yes, but I want more than just that," she said.
"Well I uhm…" he stopped not knowing what to say.
"See you are like everyone else," she said and ran inside, trying the best she could to hold her tears back.
In the meantime in Cleopatra's chamber she and Cesar were having an argument as well.
"You told me you were going to leave her," said Cleopatra annoyed.
"But Cleo, darling, you know it's not that easy when you have been married for that long," Cesar answered with a sigh.
"Not that easy, do you still love her?" Cleopatra almost screamed at him.
"No I only love you," Cesar said calmly.
"Then what is the problem?" she demanded to know.
He just rolled his eyes and said, "Will you just drop it?"
She looked at him, her arms were crossed over her chest and her blonde hair was hanging loose down her shoulders, it was a bit messy, as they had made love just before they started to argue.
The young queen let out a sigh, walked over to the window and looked out, silently thinking. Dating a married man turned out to be harder than what she first thought.
Cesar went over and gently put his arms on her waist leaned his head on his shoulder and said "It's ok."
She didn't replay, but in her silent mind she was thinking, "Not it's not because I want you to be mine, not hers."
It was a bit later that day and Cesar and Grissom was downtown since Cesar wanted to get something for Cleopatra to show her how much she meant for him.
Grissom on the other hand wasn't really sure what he was looking for as he couldn't exactly buy something for Catherine, she was a slave and that wouldn't look to good and she had been right in her words. He had just thought of one thing which he now understood had been very wrong.
Cesar looked over at Grissom, it was probably the first time he had seen him so confused and he could only dare to guess that it was because of Catherine, but he also knew he had to fix things with Cleo, just not how.
He was confused as he loved his Cleo more than anything, yet he was obligated to stay with his wife since he was the emperor of Rome, it wouldn't look good to get a divorce.
So there they were two men very much confused in a marked place not knowing what to do.
"I think I need too…" Grissom stated as he headed out of the market place and back towards the castle, while Cesar just shook his head at him looking at more jewelry.
Grissom spotted Catherine out in the garden, walked up to her and said, "Hey."
"Hey," she replied without looking up at him.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said those things," he stated.
"No, you shouldn't have, and apology accepted," she said.
He nodded at her as their eyes finally meet and he smiled vaguely at her.
She smiled back at him. He gently bent his head a little to let his lips caress hers, before shyly backing up watching her as she blushed to the same color as the roses she had just been tending to. He found it very cute.
"We… we can't," she stuttered looking down.
"I know," he said, but gently let his hands take hers.
"You confuse me," she said.
"And you me?" he answered.
"When you leave again, please don't…." she said.
"I won't I promise," he answered.
"I need to get back to work," she said with a heavy sigh, not wanting him to leave.
"I know, I'll be back later," he said and bent to give her another kiss before he again left her.
That night Grissom ended up making love to Catherine ever so gently. In fact she couldn't remember a man before him put her needs over his, which made the experience even more wonderful for her.
As she trembled beneath him he bent down and let his lips lock with hers.
A moment later they were panting like crazy, trying to calm down as he again bent down and kissed her lips softly.
"Are you sure that you managed to retract in time?" she asked.
"Yeas I'm sure," he said confident.
"Good, cause I don't have time to get…." she didn't finish.
"I know, I know," he said and gave her another kiss.
"Good, if you wouldn't mind all too much I need to sleep," she said.
"No, no, do you want me to leave?" he asked polite.
"No stay, I want you to hold me," she almost begged.
"Shhhhh, I'm here and I'm not going anywhere," he said calmly, and wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly as they drifted off.
1 Month Later.
Cleopatra was pregnant, she knew for a fact it was with Cesar, and that this was not a good thing… Not because she didn't wanted to have children, but because she was having one with a high profiled married man.
She sighed and even if she knew it was the best to get rid of it, she couldn't bring herself to make that decision either.
The young queen was confused, a child, that was not a part of her plan, not at all, but she figured she would do the only thing she could do deal with it. Now was however not the right time as she had an early morning meeting.
At the same time Catherine had also found she was pregnant, she sighed. So Grissom hadn't been that careful after all, and Cleopatra would not be happy when she found out. She would most likely get fired and that Catherine could not afford.
She didn't exactly love her job, but it was a very good one and even when she got punished for a mistake she had a roof over her head, a place to stay, food and clothing.
Yet it was not poplar that the slaves got pregnant, especially not one of her status.
"Catherine, are you ok?" she heard Sara ask.
"Not really, no," she answered honest.
"What's wrong, you have seen a bit off lately," she said, looking at her with worried eyes.
"It's nothing, just flu or something," Catherine lied.
"You sure about that," said Sara.
"Yes, just missing Grissom that is all," said Catherine, at least that much was true. She wondered what he would say when he found out, as there was no way they could have a future together.
"I can completely understand that, when is he coming back again?" Sara asked.
"Not sure, haven't heard from him in a while, but I need to go and check if Cleo needs any help," said Catherine, and headed towards the room the meeting was held.
"Cleo, are you OK?" Catherine asked concerned, well aware that she could be punished for addressing the queen the way she did.
"Just fine," Cleopatra answered a bit distant.
"You sure?" Catherine asked, as she fastened her dress.
"Yes, but I need Cesar to get here as soon as possible, would you send him a bird," she said.
"Of course, just give me the message and I will do it at once," said Catherine.
Cleopatra quickly went over to her dresser and found a piece of papyrus that she handed to Catherine. While doing so she suddenly noticed how pale she looked and asked, "Are you ill?"
"Just stomach flu, it will pass," Catherine lied.
Cleopatra didn't say anything to the answer, just did sign for Catherine to leave her which she did.
A moment later Catherine sat over a piece of papyrus trying to write a message to Grissom, but she didn't know what to write so she ended up with, "Dear….uhm hey Grissom. I needed too… I mean I wanted to let you know that I uhm…need to talk to you, it's kinda important.
Can you just…. Love Catherine.
Then she attached her and Cleopatra's note to a bird each, sent them of and went inside.
The same night Cleopatra lay in bed crying bitter tears over the situation she had put herself in; it was as hopeless as she felt. She knew that even if he loved her greatly, he would most likely not leave his wife for her. And she also knew she had to have the baby and most likely go through it alone.
"I hate you, really I do," she let out, if it was Cesar or the baby she was referring to is uncertain.
Catherine was walking around in the garden, it was late night, it was hot and she couldn't sleep, well the actual fact was that she was hot as the night was quite cool. She was walking back and forth not knowing what to do.
"I can't have him like that," she though as she knew all too well how the world really worked. The only reason it would have worked with Ed was that he was a regular solider, but Grissom was a general and she a slave. If only she had money to buy her freedom.
She was still worried of what Cleopatra would say when she found out, the only comfort was that it would still be a long time until she in fact started to show, and she really had to deal with it.
She looked up at the starry skies, 3AM, about two and a half hours until she had to get up.
As she headed back to the bedroom to get some rest, she could hear that the soft sobs that had been coming from her mistress bedroom had stopped.
And as she opened the door to her room she thought "Well at least someone is getting their sleep."
It was a couple of days later that Grissom was reading Catherine's message, and it was worrying him quite a lot, as he could tell something was really wrong and he needed to talk to her.
He walked into Cesar's tent and said, "I need some time off."
"Whatever for?" asked Cesar a bit surprised by this, as they were after all in the middle of a war.
"Something is wrong with Catherine and I wanna check on her," Grissom answered.
"Why on earth would you wanto waste your time on a slave," said Cesar annoyed.
"Does that really matter, hey what's that," he suddenly said as there was a bit of papyrus next to Cesar as well.
" is my business," said Cesar.
Grissom lifted it up and read, "Dear Cesar, seems like we weren't too careful after all, as I'm with child, but it really won't afflict you in any way so don't worry. Hope to see you soon, Cleopatra."
"Cute. Either way I'm going," Grissom said.
"You cannot do that we're in the middle of a war," Cesar almost yelled.
"I'll be back before it's over and I would suggest you did the same," said Grissom.
"Stay out of my personal business," said Cesar annoyed
"As you wish, see you in not too long," said Grissom and left, as he heard a huff from Cesar.
Cesar stood looking out over his men, letting out an annoyed sigh over Grissom that had just left him to be with his love. "His love." A simple slave girl. Cesar shook his head, wondering how a mighty general could fall for a girl like that.
Then his thoughts went over to Cleopatra, his Cleo, oh how he wanted to be with her right now, but he couldn't, not now in the middle of war, so he found a piece of papyrus and wrote,
My dearest Cleopatra. I'm now looking out over this endless battlefield of men that are fighting, but it seems like the only thing I really see are you and the baby you carry. All I can think of is being with you when the war ends, to see him grow up, to make love to you. See our little son and his mother. I long for you more than words can describe more than I ever thought was possible. I love you more than anything, and one day hopefully soon we will be together. You are without a doubt the love of my life. Your Cesar.
Then he went outside and tied the message to a dove and sent it up and he really hoped he could be with her soon, but right now he didn't know. Right now it seemed hopeless even if all he got was that little glimmer of hope that he would get to her.
Cleopatra gasped when she saw Grissom coming towards the castle. She quickly approached him and asked, "Is Cesar with you?"
"No, is Catherine here?" he asked back.
"What do you want with her?" asked Cleopatra, raising her brows at him.
"Uhm check if she's a usable slave, as I'm looking for a new one to lead my household," he said.
"And what makes you think I would be willing to give her up?" Cleopatra asked and rolled her blue eyes.
"Money," he said.
"I don't think you can afford her," she said.
"I do yes, so may I see her work?" he asked again.
"She's inside preparing the dining room," said Cleopatra, he nodded and as he went inside, she followed him to see what his intentions really were.
Grissom watched as Catherine looked to see if the plates were right, adjusted a little before she gave a command to one of the other slave girls that started on the glasses.
He walked over pretty much silently before he spoke, "Catherine."
She startled and turned to face him just like she had seen a ghost and said, "You, you, you came back."
"Of course as you so desperately needed to talk to me, so what's wrong?" he said and gently let his hand touch her cheek.
She dragged him a tad away so they would have some privacy and said, "We weren't careful enough and I'm pregnant."
"You are and you are sure of this?" he asked a bit shocked.
"Yes, you don't have to have any part of it, but I would like that you did," she said, looking into his sapphire eyes.
"I really would like that, but.." he stopped looking back into her ocean blue eyes.
She put a finger on his lips and said, "You don't have to say anything, I understand."
"I could try to change this as I really want you and the baby of course," he said and smiled at her.
"You really would, you sure," she said in a happier tone.
"I am yes," she said.
"I love you so much," she uttered and threw her elf at her kissing him.
"That's what I though and she is not for sale," they heard Cleopatra's cold voice from behind before she left the two of them. He held her hardly thinking that there had to be a way to solve this, as his love silently cried over the situation they were in.
It was very close to Cleopatra's do date but that didn't make her more agreeable. You would think she was all baby jittery, but it was rather the other way around.
The reason for her horrid mood was of course that Cesar had not come to see her even once during to pregnancy, while Grissom on the other hand seemed to find time to see Catherine all the time.
Cleopatra of course took it out on Catherine and did not care what so ever if the young slave was pregnant and that it could harm her baby.
"Catherine," the young queen groaned loudly.
"Yes mistress," Catherine said appearing in the doorway, she looked tired, too tired and on her arm it was a nasty cut.
"I want you to send for Cesar," she said.
"I don't think that… yes mistress," Catherine stopped.
"Did you just try to disobey me?" Cleopatra asked.
"No… of course not," Catherine said, there was no longer will to fight in her sweet voice.
"Get over here," Cleo demeaned. Catherine did, and her mistress turned her and lashed her already badly beaten back before she let her go.
From the hall she could hear her sad sobs and let out a snort, what she in deed found most amazing was how the child survived no matter her effort to kill it.
She felt a kick from deep inside and said, "Will you keep quite. I'm not in the mood."
But the little one wouldn't listen as she kept on moving, she sighed and said, "I don't want you to be like your father you know that, I don't wanto be abandon again."
It was the same evening that Catherine felt a sharp pain in her abdomen and gave Grissom a push in the side saying, "I think it's time."
Grissom had kinda just stuck around the last time, as he didn't want her to deliver their child alone, even if it didn't look good that he stuck around.
He looked at her pale face and said, "Are you sure."
"Yeeees," she let out, as her water broke.
"What do you want me to do?" he asked.
"Just I ohhhh dunno, hold me or something," she said breathing heavily.
He sat up behind her to let her lean on him as much as it let itself do, as he held her hand. She squeezed them hardly every time a new contraction came.
He gently rested his chin against her shoulder whispering sweet nothings into her ear to soothe her.
"Huuuurt," she let out between some more heavy breaths.
"I'm right here," he whispered, kissing her shoulder gently.
"Do-do-don't let go," her voice shiver lightly as tears and sweat were running down her face.
"I won't" he assured her, as he kissed her shoulder again.
"Think it's-it's time, need you on the other end," she said.
He gently removed himself and moved over to the other end to catch their baby when she was done pushing.
Catherine took a deep breath, and started as she still held one of Grissom's hands hardly and soon the room was filled with tiny, angry screams.
"What-what did we get?" she breathed still heavily.
"It's a little girl and she's so cute," said Grissom proudly holding her up so her mother could see.
Catherine smiled and said, "That she is, so then I guess we need a name." She slowly closed her eyes from exhaustion.
"So what do you look like," said Grissom, gently rocking the little girl in his arms before handing her over to Catherine.
"Little and cute," said Catherine, as the little girl somehow found her way to her breast and started to suckle on it.
"Akila Shen," said Grissom with a smile.
"Oh no, we are not calling her Shen," Catherine protested.
"Please," he said looking down at the little girl that now were resting.
"Well ok, but then I get to choose the name of the next one," she said.
"Deal, but now you need to rest," he said and bent down to give her a gentle kiss before she drifted off with their daughter sleeping on top of them.
Cleopatra of course heard the angry screams of the newborn, after she was born and let out a huff of annoyance that not her child was born first. There wasn't however much she could do about that. She really wanted to kill the newcomer, as her hatred to that child that seemed to survive everything was so strong.
Yet she could not make herself do just that, not with the little one she had inside her. It just felt wrong. Why couldn't hers have been born first? The blonde was so angry that she was shaking at this point.
Why should her slave have her man there when she herself did not? It wasn't fair, it was not fair at all, and it seemed like no matter what she did Catherine didn't seem to take notice of it at all. Maybe she should just let her go.
She cursed angrily as she walked over the window looking out at the silent night.
"Why can't you just come out of there, I'm tired of having you inside me," she thought annoyed, and just like that she felt her first contraction.
The young queen gasped out in pain, this was not how it was supposed to be, her doing this too alone. Angry tears started to fall as she fell to her ground whimpering like a wounded animal.
It was then; there in the darkness the blonde heard the voice of the man that had hurt her so say, "My darling Cleo."
"Leave me," she whimpered, if he hadn't been there before, she surly didn't want him now.
"Let me help," he said and without her protesting all too much he carried her back to her bed before helping her deliver their son Ptolemy Caesar. Afterwards he made sure both she and their son got cleaned before being put back to bed where she finally fall asleep in his protective arms.
Feedback always welcome and very much appreciated :o)