Disclaimer: I don't the main Characters.

Summary: Follow the gang as they try to deal with the twist and turns life throws in their direction: A career change, Families Expanding, A broken heart is mended, A couple trying to move on from a tragedy, and a mix of life threating events. How will it end? Please read and find out. Sequel to Their Beginning with a Twist. Mostly AU with a few cannon mentions. Setting: Late Season 8

AN: Hi everybody, the sequel is finally here, hope it is worth the wait. Though If you haven't read the first story you might be a little confused on the situations and characters, so read at your own risk.

Title: Three Years Later
Genre: Romance, Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Drama, Tragedy
Rating: T
Spoilers: Could mention a few episodes
Time-line: Setting is in Season 8 but AU
Warnings: Implied/suggestive adult behavior, Adult themes that could trigger something unpleasant, a few questionable words
Main Parings: GSR
Minor Parings: Shelly (OC)/Nick, Warrick/Cather, Greg/OC, Suzie (OC)/Brad(OC
Other Characters: Cassie, Brass (No speaking parts), All the other kids from the gang

Three Years Later

Chapter 1: Getting ready for a party

After Sara stepped into the living room from the stairs, she headed for the kitchen, and the minute she walked into the room she smiled, because sitting on the kitchen counter, helping his father mix the cake ingredients in a bowl, was Luke, who was turning three today, and was a complete mess. It looked like ingredients were on him more than in the bowl.

"Well look at you little man, you helping daddy?"

The second he heard his mother's voice, he looked up and smiled at her while holding out his arms. "Hi Momma, me help." She chuckles as she walked up to the counter and picked him up, but only brought him close enough so she could kiss his cheek, then he asked. "Sissy yet?"

She smiled at him again.

He had been asking for Cassie the last few days, but because she was at her father's house, she hasn't been around.

"Yes, your sister is coming over today. Now let's get you in the bath."

"Ok momma."

After Sara sets him down on the kitchen floor, she took his hand before turning her attention to her husband. "Did you get any sleep?"

He had worked this morning, while she hadn't, and he was up before her, so that made her wonder if he had.

Grissom stopped what he was doing before smiling at his wife. "Yeah, a few hours."
He saw the look of concern reach her face. "Don't worry, honey, I'll make sure I get a few more hours before shift tonight."

She smiled as she cupped his bearded cheek. "I can't help but be worried for you, no matter if you tell me I shouldn't."

"I appreciate it, but really I'm fine."

She finally nodded after a pause. "Alright."

As she leaned to peck him on the lips, which made her even more distracted, Luke slipped his hand out of his mother's before heading right to the living room, and no doubt getting into anything he could find. So after a quick peck, she gives her husband another smile. "I better get our son in the bath before he makes a mess everywhere."

He chuckled with a nod as she turned and raced out of the kitchen, and just as her little man was about to head for the white, clean couch, she had caught up with him and picked him while saying. "I don't think so." Then he giggled as she started tickling him.

When she finally stopped her attack, he wrapped his arms around her neck, making a mess on her clean shirt, but it was better that than the couch, so she didn't care, especially because of what he said next. " 'oove you, momma."

She kissed his temple, making a mental note in the process that it was time to give him a hair cut very soon, then replied. "Aww, I love you too little man. Now Let's get you cleaned up so you can look handsome when everybody comes to celebrate your birthday."

He just nodded with his blue eyes sparkling, and not only does his eyes still remind her of her husband, but his appearance was becoming more prominent to his father. She could put Luke's photo next to her husband's childhood photo, and it was almost like looking at the same kid, which only made her love her son even more.

Shelly opened her eyes, taking a few breaths while trying to shake off the dream she had, then as she calming down, Nick, who was laying down next to her, asked in a sleepy voice with his eyes closed. "You ok, babe?"

She turned her head and nodded, even though he still had his eyes closed. "Yeah, sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."

She knew he couldn't have been home more than a few hours, but sometimes he didn't fall asleep right away, so she would assume he hadn't been sleeping very long.

He finally opened his eyes while moving closer to her before cupping her cheek. "That's ok." And as he looked into her eyes, he asked again, more sincerely. "Are you sure you are ok?"

She gives him a little smile with a nod. "Yeah. I'm fine."

After a pause, he nodded, then he smiled as he leaned towards her. "Well, now that I am up..." He trails off before his lips touched hers.

She started to kiss him back, but when things started moving to the passionate side of their embrace, she places her left hand on his shoulder and pushes it back, making him pull back the minute he felt her resistance before asking in another concerned voice. "What's wrong?"

She shook her head as she sits up, making him move from her. "Nothing, I just have to get breakfast started, you know the kids will be up soon." Before he could say anything, she turned toward him and leans down for a quick peck. "And you should really get some sleep, we have a birthday party to get to later."

Nick watched her walk toward the door in silence, but before she stepped out of the room, he asked. "Shel, are we ok?"

She turns around and gave him a small smile with a nod. "Yeah. Get some rest." Nick just nodded while he watched her leave the room, cracking the door shut as she went.

A few hours later

Catherine walked toward to the kitchen counter and got the coffee ready, then once it brewed, she started pouring some in her cup, and just as she was putting the pot back in its place, arms were wrapped around her from behind.

She then smiles as she felt his lips on her cheek and his calming voice in her ear. "Good morning, baby."

She turned around in his arms before wrapping her arms around his neck. "A very good morning, indeed."

Well, in reality it was the afternoon, but it was their morning because they both worked last night.

He smiled and leaned down before they started kissing, which became a little passionate,
but was interrupted soon after when they heard a clearing of a throat before a voice. "Sorry to interrupt, but somebody was calling for you."

The happy couple pulls back from one another before looking over toward 16 year old Lindsey, who was holding their 2 year old daughter, Ariel.

Warrick and Catherine had gotten married on their one year anniversary of their first date, and not long after that, Catherine got the surprise of a lifetime when she found out she was pregnant.

Now before they had found out she was pregnant, Warrick had been fully aware that there was a chance he'll never have a biological child with her, which they had talked about it multiple times before getting married, but he was ok with that because he was with the woman he loved, a woman he had loved for a very long time. Plus, he knew he would get Lindsey as an added bonus, who he also loved her with all of his heart.

Then after they found out they were having this miracle child, they embraced it and took in every step, knowing this could be it for them, and with the exception of a few other magical times in their lives together, the day that their daughter was born was the happiest of them all.

"Momma, Dadda."

Her little voice brought them out of their thoughts, and they smiled, then Catherine walked up to her girls so she could take her youngest one, who had the most beautiful green eyes, just like her husband. In fact, everything about her screamed a Warrick Junior, and it only made Catherine love her more.

Once she had Ariel in her arms, Lindsey asked her mother while walking to the refrigerator to grab something to drink. "Can I go to the mall with some of my friends later today? Then spend the night with Maria?"

Catherine nodded with a smile. "Yeah, just as you long as you come over to Sara and Grissom's house with us for Luke's birthday."

"Ok, but can I drive?"

Catherine looked over at Warrick, which he nodded with a smile, then she looked back at her oldest before nodding again. "Alright deal."

Lindsey smiled after grabbing a water bottle, then she walked up to her mother and kissed her on the cheek. "Thank you." Then after kissing her sister and stepdad on their cheeks, she left the kitchen to go to her room so she could get ready for the party.

As Catherine watched her walk out, she sighed, her oldest girl was growing up, then as Warrick walked up to them, she looked at her youngest with a smile. "Now don't be like your sister, and grow up too fast, ok?"

She giggled when her father tickled her after he had stopped next to them Then he kissed her forehead and kissed Catherine's temple before wrapping his arm around her shoulders and bringing his girls closer to him with a smile, feeling as happy as he ever thought he would be.

When there was a knock on the Grissom's front door, Sara gets up from the couch, where she had been sitting with her husband while Luke was in his playpen. Then when she was there and had opened the door, she smiled at the little boy, Marcus, who was 2, before looking at the woman holding him.

"Hi Mary."

She gave Sara a smile in return. "Hi Sara."

As Sara moved to the side to let her in, she asked. "I thought you said Marcus was going to be with his dad this weekend?"

Mary sighed while Sara shuts the door. "It turns out he's too busy to be a father this weekend, or so he says, I just don't know anymore."

A few months after Marcus was born, Mary's life took a drastic turn when her husband decided he didn't want a life with her anymore, and she was completely devastated, so she packed up what she could and made a new life in Vegas not long after the split, where she now runs a daycare, so she not only still watches her friend's kids, but others too.

Sara and Mary walked toward the playpen so she could put Marcus in there with Luke.

"I'm sorry Mary."

As the boys happily greeted one another after Marcus was in the playpen, Mary looked at Sara with a nod. "Thanks, I just wish I knew what would happen before I brought my precious little man in this world, he deserves the best."

Sara watched Mary look down at her son with the same look she had from the moment both of her own children were placed in her arms. That little boy was the most important thing in Mary's life, and she was showing it through her eyes.

A few seconds later, Sara places her hand on Mary's shoulder, bringing Mary's attention back to her. "Don't a lot of people wish that when things turn sour?"

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Then she sighed again before continuing sarcastically. "Now here come the fun part on watching all the men run the other direction when they find out I have a son."

Mary was finally ready to move on, which a part of her will always love Tom, because she was with him for so long and was the father of her child, but it was time to see who else is out there, providing that it was in Marcus's best interest of course.

Sara couldn't help but chuckle a little, because she knew exactly how that was, then she cleared her throat and said with sincerity and belief. "It will happen for you Mary." She then smiled as Grissom started walking up to them. "And before you ask how I know, look what happened for me when I wasn't so sure?" Mary watched Grissom kiss Sara on her cheek before he had wrapped an arm around her waist, making Mary smile while Sara finished with her own smile. "And it can be really fun when you find that new love that will give you those butterflies and make your heart almost burst when you realize he loves your little one just as much as he loves you."

As Marry nodded, which right now she could only imagine how that will feel like, her thoughts get interrupted when there was a knock on the door.

Sara excused herself a second later before heading toward it, and after she opened it and saw who was on the other side, she had a sparkle in her eyes. That special kind of sparkle she only gets when she was looking at her kids. Then she smiled while she brings her oldest in her arms, and holds like she hadn't seen her in months.

Cassie was now 10 going on 11, will be a freshman in high school in the fall, and tall enough that Sara couldn't kneel down to be eye level with her anymore. Her little girl was growing up.

The little girl wrapped her arms around her mother and spoke with a smirk. "Hi mom, you just saw me a few days ago."

Sara sighed, but Grissom was the one that spoke as he stopped just behind them. "You know how your mother is, she misses you the moment you step out of the house."

She replied with a smile, still in her mother's arms. "I guess that's something I'm going to have to get use to, isn't it?"

They all nodded, but Brad speaks. "Yes sweetie it is."

Cassie nodded as they finally pulled back from one another. "It is very nice to see you too, mom." Sara smiled bigger with a nod while Cassie walked up to Grissom. "You too, dad." Before they wrapped their arms around one another.

Brad will always be her father, and nothing can change that, but Grissom had been in her life since she was four years old, so she couldn't help but think of him as her father too, so she started calling him dad a few years ago, making Grissom's heart almost burst the first time he heard her say that to him.

And as hard as it was to hear his daughter call another man 'dad', Brad understood and didn't make a big deal about it because as long as his daughter loved him, which he knew she did, then he was ok.

As Cassie and Grissom was getting out of their hug, they all hear Luke's voice. "Sissy!"

Then they all looked toward the playpen, seeing Luke now standing up with his hands up in the air for Cassie, and they couldn't help but chuckle. That little boy loved his big sister, but it also went both ways, Cassie loved her little brother too.

So as she was walking up to her little brother, Sara, Grissom and Mary greeted Brad and Suzie as they walked into the house, and when Sara and Suzie pulled back from their hug, Sara asked. "You ready for the final stretch?"

Suzie is finally in her last months of Yale, where she'll be graduating towards the end of May, and was very excited about it, for more than one reason.

She nodded with a smile while she wrapped an arm around her fiancé. "Yes, and ready to start the next phase of my life."

Brad kissed her temple and replied. "Our lives." Suzie looked at him with a smile and nod as the rest of them watched the happy couple.

Their moment of watching them was interrupted a few minutes later when Greg walks up to the still opened front door and spoke with smile. "I heard it was someone's birthday in here, so I thought I would come and check it out."

They all smiled, but before they could say anything, both Luke and Marcus's voices were heard.
" 'reg!"

Greg walked in the house before walking toward the playpen after dropping off the present he hand in his hand on the coffee table, then he looked at Luke first. "Happy Birthday, buddy."

Luke smiled with his blue eyes sparkling. "Fhank oo."

"You're welcome." Then he looked down at Marcus. "How are you, little man?"

"Me, fine."

After a few more words back and forth, Greg walked over to the group, who had now moved to the middle of the living room, and asked Mary. "I thought Tom had him this weekend?"

Mary sighed while looking at him. "Supposedly too busy for him."

Greg frowned a little. "I'm sorry Mary."

She waves it off. "I guess I should get use to it."

Brad speaks this time. "Hopefully he'll wake up soon and realize what's really important." Then he looked at his daughter with a smile. "Like I have."

Cassie smiled with a nod while Greg speaks with a smile of his own. "Well, I guess it is his loss and our gain then."

They all nodded with a smile, agreeing to that 100%.

AN: Interested in finding out what's going to happen next? Please review.