Talking in her sleep

Lindsey Willows came into her mother's office at the crime lab. She found it funny how the office had change since she first came to the crime lab. The first time was when she was first a young girl, and sometimes came with her mother to the crime lab. The walls filled with bugs of all kinds, and she still remembered the pig fetus Grissom had in a glass container. She found it both yucky and funny when she was younger.

When DB Russel took over it was mostly books in there, and some of his personal belongings. Now on the other hand that her mother had taken over, it was a mix of books, pictures of blood patterns and some pictures of them, and her casino.

Lindsey looked at the desk, in which her mother was resting, fully asleep on top of her computer, after working three days straight. A small whispering in her deep slumber, "Mmm, Grissom."

"Mom," the young Willows spoke. The older woman slowly withdraw from her sleep and looked upon her daughter. All grown up, a CSI level one. She yawned and said, "Why did you let him go?"

"Let whom go?" Catherine asked rather confused.

"Grissom, I saw you two together, then he left and Sara again with her. Why didn't you tell him you wanted to stay?" she wondered.

"Because, Lindsey, he doesn't belong here anymore, or he wouldn't have left long ago, I thought she did though, but she most likely belong with him," said Catherine with a sigh.

"But mom, you love him, we both know you do, and now he will never know," she said with a sigh.

"We were never meant to be, if we were something would have happened between us ages ago," Catherine said, looking at her daughter with sad, blue eyes. It was no denying it anymore, her heart had been beating faster having Grissom around, like it had many years ago.

"Call him and tell him that, he needs to know," Lindsey wasn't going to let this go. She had seen her mother go through failed relationships over the years, and she suspected it was because she still loved him, her bugman.

"We both know I won't do that, so just leave the matter be," she said, the fight she once might have had in her was now gone. He left the lab again, she, Sara with him, an old wound was ripped open.

"If you won't I will," she said in her stubborn tone and left her mother's office. Catherine shook her head, wondering if she should try to stop her, but she didn't see the point. If her daughter had decided to do something, she would pull through with it, no matter what. At least this time Lindsey would get the rejection and not herself. That was something.

Catherine couldn't help but to wonder what had happened, if she ages ago had told Grissom how she really felt. Then again she had a feeling he always knew, but he didn't act on it, if he felt anything similar that was. He had always been there for her, that much was clear, and they had stayed in touch somewhere after he left the lab. Then they had a fallout, she didn't know if it was because he married Sara or if it was because he was so far away. She shook her head, groaning. Why would she even waste time thinking about this, he was gone, thinking about what if could never change that.

Lindsey had gone outside the crime lab itself to make the phone call. Mostly so she wouldn't get interrupted, or anyone would overhear. She clicked the number she had gotten of him before he left. They always had a good relationship, they had talked on and off for years. It was still a shock that he didn't recognize her at first at lab, but she was glad that he gave her his number before he left.

She soon heard his voice in the other end, "Butterfly, is everything okay?"

"Yes, I mean no, I mean I am, but it's mom," she said, this wasn't going as she planned. It had sounded better in her head, than out loud.

Grissom was more confused, than concerned, still he asked, "What is wrong with Catherine."

"Uhm, she misses you, I think, she won't admit it. If she had asked you to stay, would you? I mean do you really love her, Sara? I miss you," she was babbling, grasping for straws.

"I…I thought I did, and I miss you too," he admitted. She was after all in some weird way the daughter he never had.

"Please come back, I…we need you," she said as she heard Sara's voice in the background.

"I got to go, I will call you later, is that alright?" he wondered, he hated to hang up.

"Of course," she said and hung up, realizing he had not really answered to the question about her mom.

Lindsey was looking at her phone, about three days had gone by since she called Grissom. He hadn't called her back. She wasn't really surprised as he could be in an area with no cover, or busy.

Still it somewhat hurt, it was like the past couple of years where she hadn't had contact with him. She missed him, it was in a way like she wasn't whole when they didn't talk. She realized it was stupid.

"Lindsey, are you okay?" She felt Greg's hand on her shoulder. He was concerned she knew. He had always cared for her, much like the rest of the team. To her he was in a way like a big brother, the rest like uncles and aunts.

"It's just…he hasn't called back, he should have called," frustration in her voice.

She hadn't told him or anyone else that she had called Grissom that night, and to Catherine's delight she had given the subject a rest. Greg assuming Linds was talking about a guy she might be interested in, responded, "I am sure he will call, he would be a fool to miss out on a girl like you."

"No…it's not…I just hoped he would, that he would come, I need him here," tears in her eyes as she ran towards the ladies' room.

"Everything okay in here?" he heard Catherine's voice from the doorway, she had just seen her daughter storm out. She wasn't unused to Lindsey being emotional. Much like herself, her daughter could be quite fiery sometimes.

"Some guy didn't gall her," he shrugged.

"Hmmm," she said and went out of the lab, adding, "I am going out for lunch, I will be back in twenty if there is anything."

Catherine drove the short way to her casino, ordering a salad. She couldn't help but to wonder if the guy that didn't call her daughter back was Grissom. She hoped not, as she knew how hard Lindsey had talked it the years they didn't keep in touch. How sad she had been when he didn't recognize her when he returned to the lab.

Then again it could also be a guy Lindsey really liked. She didn't tell her everything about her dating life, even if Catherine did like to pry. It could be anything or anyone really, so she knew speculating would be no point.

Gilbert Grissom was taking the elevator up to the crime lab's floor. He came inside not long after Catherine had left. He felt badly about finally having the courage to ending it with Sara, even worse about not calling Lindsey back. He knew to her that would be a big deal.

The doors opened and people went out of the elevator before him. The lab hadn't changed much in the years he was away. He hated to admit that at times he had missed his office, he had missed the people in it more thought. Especially Catherine, he did plan on return sooner, but as he at the time tried to avoid Sara he didn't. He needed time to think, to find out if she was right for him, if the life outside the lab was right for him. Now after talking to Lindsey, he knew for sure that the lab still wasn't right, and neither was Sara.

He looked inside Catherine's office, she wasn't there, didn't seem Linds was there either. He poked his head inside the DNA lab, asking Greg, "Have you seen Lindsey?"

"Bathroom," he said, not looking up. Grissom wandered in that direction. Once inside the ladies room, he heard sobs from one of the stalls. Sobs he would recognize anywhere, Lindsey's. After all he had dried her tears more than once growing up.

He knocked on the door, gently saying, "Do you want to pet a spider, or research a murder or two."

Lindsey knew his voice anywhere, even if the singing was poorly she couldn't leave the door locked. Not when he had come to find her. And so she opened the door and hugged him, asking, "What took you so long?"

"I needed to sort some things out, and find you a gift. I missed out on too many birthdays," he said, a square present was on the floor, next to his feet.

"Are you staying this time, bugman?" hope in her voice, it sounded years younger.

"I am," he said and pressed a fatherly kiss against her forehead.

"Good, let us go to mom's office so I can open the present," she said, letting him go, to lift it up. He nodded and smiled at her, in his own special way.

When Catherine came back, she was glad to hear Lindsey's laughter coming from her office. Glad things had sorted itself out and she hadn't have to get her out of the bathroom. She headed in the direction and found Lindsey and Grissom bounding over a spider. It took her years back, she shook her head. Funny how the two of them always spoke the same language.

Catherine acknowledge herself by clearing her throat. Grissom looked up at her as she said, "Lindsey, why don't you go and get us some coffee, I need a word."

She sighed and got up, hoping that her mother wouldn't send him away. Still she gave him the spider, and he put it into the cage, as she left to go to the break room.

"What are you doing here?" she said as she closed the door to his office.

"I came back to be with my family," he looked at her. Her blue eyes shining with fear and confusion. He knew all to well that he was the fear of both.

"You're family, you know, for so longed I hoped we would be that. For years I hoped that you would make a move, and you did…with her, with Sara, your ripped my heart in pieces when I found out. Before there was still hope for us. Then you come back after all these years and leave again with her…" her voice was more tired than angry. She was tired of getting hurt by him, she needed him to be there for her, for Lindsey, always.

"And I for you to do the same, I longed for you to leave Eddie, and for it to be us, not even after his passing you seemed to make any inclination it would be the two of us. I had to leave because I couldn't stand the fact that you tried and failed in dating, when I knew you were meant to be with me. I settled for Sara for some time, when she came after me, I realized the time apart that we shouldn't be together. I am getting older Catherine and I don't want to mess it up again, even if I no longer work at the lab, I want to spend the rest of my days with you," he finished, a glimmer of hope as he looked at her. Still as beautiful as the day she first day he saw her.

"Alright," she said, knowing she could not send him packing again, she couldn't afford to lose him again, "Alright I want you to stay, seeming we both made mistakes. The important thing is that you are her now, that you are staying."

He nodded, tilting his head, and giving her a smile. He would stay there with her, and as he took her in his arms and held her close, as their lips met after so many years of longing, she knew he would stay for always.

From the outside Lindsey saw their embrace, and she was glad that the father she had always wanted, was finally there to stay, and that he did love her mother.

Thank you so much for reading, feedback is always appreciated :o)