As Catherine walked through the hallways of Las Vegas Crime Lab the lab rats' heads turned to get a better look at her. She always looked beautiful but today in a dark green cocktail dress and her hair up in a fashion hairdo she was breathtaking. And she had a younger version of her by her side. Only with darker hair.
-Linds you wait for me here in the break room, I will be back in a minute.
-OK Mom, just don't take too long, I don't want to be late.
-I told you I will be back in a minute.
-Yeah, right. – Catherine decided to ignore that last comment. Partly because she didn't want to fight with Lindsey today, partly because she knew her daughter was right. So she just went to her office.
Lindsey entered the break room and noticed the changes immediately, no video game, no big screen TV, she wondered if Grissom had an experiment in the fridge but decided she didn't really want to know. She was still examining the room when she heard somebody clearing their throat. When she turned around the men's face turned into a look of surprise.
-Lindsey, you've grown up.
-It's been a long time – she hesitated – Mr. Grissom.
-It's still ok for you to call me Uncle Gil, Lindsey.
-Ok, uh Uncle Gil. – She still sounded unsure.
-It's really been a long time since I last saw you, you've grown up, and you look very beautiful. – He smiled. She was really beautiful in a pink cocktail dress. She didn't look like the kid he remembered.
-Thanks. The lab has changed a lot too. There's no video game anymore.
-Well, I guess the boys have grown up too. Things change.
-I thought they would never grow up. – They both chuckled at this – So you don't have your bugs anymore.
-Some things never change – he said smirking at her – I still have my collection, plus some new additions, less one fetal pig.
-Oh, mom told me about that, she couldn't decide if she liked it or not. I guess she liked the gesture but thought you could have gotten her a better "office warming gift". Then again, like she said, it wouldn't be you if it was a normal gift. I remember when you used to buy me the chemistry sets, mom got crazy until I ran out of chemical products, but it was only a matter of time until Christmas or my next birthday. – She was smiling; she had good memories with this man she barely recognized now, that was really weird.
-Do you want to see my new pets? – Grissom was puzzled, that was the same little girl he used to play with, yet she wasn't. He could see she was confused too. Back in their good old days she would have hugged him and asked some riddle involving bugs, now they were just awkward.
-Yeah, sure, it's been a long time since I last held a tarantula. – There it was again, the expression that bugged him, long time. He hadn't realized that he hadn't been around her since she was around eleven years old; he hadn't even seen her when her father died. It started to hit him that he had just vanished from the girl's life.
When they arrived at his office her eyes lit up.
-Wow, never realized how much I missed this lab, it was a perfect playground when I was a kid and it still fascinates me. – She started looking his collection while he blinked, when she was a kid? Like was in the past? He was getting old, the kid was almost a woman now.
-Well like your mom says we are just big kids solving puzzles. By the way may I ask why are you here? Isn't your mom's night off? – She turned to look at him.
-We are going to my ballet company's ball, mom just had to get some paperwork and take it to that Ecklie guy, hell he's annoying, if we get late because of him I'll make sure he has a really painful death, and not even the team will find his body. – Grissom chuckled at this, even though Ecklie proved he could have a heart sometimes, he had always been a pain in the ass about paperwork, he really knew that. And the fact that he was now Lab Director didn't help much, he nagged even Catherine, who was now Assistant Lab Director.
-I think the team would probably help you Linds. – He realized her nickname didn't roll out of his tongue as easily as it used to, but when he saw her laughing he couldn't help but chuckle. – So, you're still in ballet classes…
- Yeah, I'm first ballerina now, we will start a new ballet next week, Romeo and Juliet, you would probably like it since it's Shakespeare, you still like Shakespeare, don't you? – He smiled, she remembered many things about him, he remembered a lot of things about her too, he noticed that he just didn't know new things about her.
-Yes, I still like Shakespeare a lot; you are going to be Juliet? – Her eyes lit up at this, he could see she was really proud of her dance.
-Yeah, isn't it fantastic? – He couldn't help a smile; the girl's happiness was contagiating.
-Maybe I will go see you someday.
-Really? That would be really fun.
-Then I will definitely go see you.
They were both smiling when they heard Catherine's voice.
-Lindsey! Finally! I was starting to get worried, I told you to wait in the break room.
-I asked her to come with me Cath, she was seeing my new pets. You look beautiful by the way. – They both smiled at each other.
-Thanks, it has been a long time since you last saw me all dressed up – she smiled – at least this time you don't have a bow tie or the chance to get me stuck with an Ecklie's kiss ass speech. You still owe me that one by the way. – He smiled again, remembering that day when she tied his bow tie; they were so close back then. – At least Linds managed to put a smile in that face again, it has been a long time since I last saw you smiling. Now let's go Linds, I know you don't want to be late.
-Of course I don't. Bye uh, ahm, Uncle Gil.
-Bye Linds, Cath, have fun you two.
-Of course we will – Catherine threw the last line over her shoulder, as they were already turning the lab tech's heads on their way out. That left Gil wondering how many times he had listened the words long time that night. What Catherine said about not seeing him smile bugged him. How long had it been since he had last been happy? A long time.