Child's Play
By Bec
Disclaimer: Not mine, but I like to have a laugh with them.
Archive – The Graveyard Shift. Thanks guys.
He rang the doorbell and was surprised when it opened no more than three seconds later.
"Uncle Grissom," the small girl beamed as she grabbed his hand and dragged him into the house.
"Lindsey, what's the rush?" He briefly got a glimpse of Catherine as he got pulled into the lounge.
"I have a new game on my playstation. You have to come and play with me."
"Let me just go and say hi to your mommy first, sweetheart." He pulled off his coat and placed it down next to the bottle of wine he had brought.
"You go right ahead, Gil. I still need to finish up in here." He could hear Catherine smiling as her voice floated in from the kitchen. She knew how much he hated playing games. Sometimes she liked to see him suffer.
He sighed and turned to the person pulling in his sleeve.
"I've got it all ready," she informed him matter-of-factly. She moved over to the floor in front of the tv and sat down as Grissom followed, mumbling something to himself under his breath. He had come to Catherine's for a quiet, relaxing meal, not to play games. He enjoyed spending time with Lindsey, that was not the problem, but sometimes, well, he knew he was still out of touch when it came to children.
"Are we racing?" he asked her.
"Sure. You're the red car," she informed him as the game started. Soon the warbling game tune filled the room, accompanied by the grating sound of car engines.
"I like it when you come around, Uncle Grissom," Lindsey said after a while, her eyes fixed on the screen.
"I like coming to see you," he replied.
"Mommy likes you coming round too." She frowned as his car skidded across the computerised track into hers. "Hey!"
"How do you know?"
"She gets happy when she talks about you."
Grissom swallowed and tried to focus his attention on the screen. He knew all about the acute perception of young children, Lindsey in particular, and coupled with it, she was very forthright. Sometimes it was very off-putting. "Ah," was all he could say in reply. He could feel his cheeks turning the same colour as his car, making him slightly perturbed that he was being made so flustered by a child.
"Come on, Uncle Grissom. I'm winning," Lindsey exclaimed, pulling him away from his thoughts.
"Well, you've had more practise than me, honey."
"I only got it yesterday," she countered, making him smile.
"I'm catching you up," he warned.
Lindsey turned her attention back to the screen until she had managed to build up an impressive lead once again.
"Uncle Grissom?"
"Yes, Lindsey?"
"I think mommy is lonely now that dad has gone." Her eyes never left the game.
"She misses him very much, Linds, but she could never be lonely because she has you to take care of her."
"And you," she reminded him.
"And me, yes."
The conversation stopped and Grissom began to think. Catherine had not actually said anything to indicate that she was lonely, but they had started to spend more time together since Eddie's death the year before. They always had breakfast together now, and since she found out about his hearing, he had found himself more willing to talk to her, to confide in her, and they often just sat in either of their lounges and simply talked. It was good, and comfortable. He had always cared a great deal for Catherine, admired her and loved her friendship, and their closeness of late had just served to reinforce his feelings.
"Uncle Grissom?"
He smiled as he recognised her questioning tone. "Yes Lindsey."
"Do you love my mom?"
His car careered off the track and crashed into a tree.
Lindsey cheered. "I win."
"I know." His face returned to its previous shade of red.
Lindsey sat watching him, waiting quite patiently for an answer as Grissom searched his mind for one in vain. He wondered if criminals felt quite this cornered when they were being questioned by the detectives. He knew what he wanted to say, but there was no way it was coming out of his mouth now.
But Lindsey kept staring at him, and his vocal cords had gone on strike.
Eventually after the longest minute of his life, the doorbell rang and Lindsey shot off to answer it. He turned back and looked at the pile of destruction on the screen as Lindsey opened the door to her friend's mother. She was going off for a sleepover there, and was so excited to go, she grabbed her bag, and after racing in to kiss Grissom goodbye, she rushed out of the house.
He stood up, sighed, and turned around to see Catherine leaning on the doorframe watching him, an amused grin on her face. Grissom soon realised why, his cheeks reddening once again.
"How much did you hear?"
"Enough. Enough to know you can't drive," she replied, the amusement so evident in her voice. She began to take slow measured steps towards him, her eyes never leaving his face. "So?"
He could feel his stomach begin to knot, as he became increasingly conscious of his own heartbeat. "Catherine?"
"What's the answer?"
"It was Lindsey's question," he managed.
"Lindsey's not here now." She had reached him and stood merely a hairs breadth away.
"I'll tell you when she gets back." His voice was barely above a whisper. If he had felt cornered before…
"Do you love me?"
He knew she was taking a great risk by asking. "What if I said yes?"
She reached up to kiss him, soft, gentle, but completely clear in intent.
He grinned. "Ah, well in that case…" He felt a gentle punch to his stomach and he laughed. "…Yes."
She took his hand in hers and led him towards her bedroom.
"What about the food? Won't it get cold?" he asked, not really caring.
"I made salad."
"You cheated. You have a very smart daughter."
"Yup. I think she sees this like one big game."
"Oh, it's not a game."
She stopped and looked at him. "It's not?"
"No." He kissed her softly. "It's much better than that."
The End.