Authors Note: To Emily that helped me out with the start and the title, Grillows Rock.
DISCALIMER: I don't own CSI: Crime scene investigation and i don't make any money from it
Lost in translation.
Catherine Willows was sitting in her office doing paper work, something she really hated. She would never understand how Grissom did it. She of course knew he had to have done it, but she had very seldom seen him do it.
Grissom, she had hardly heard from him after he resigned and she had to admit she really missed her old friend.
She looked at a picture of the two of them and wondered how long it had been since she heard from him last, she couldn't remember anymore.
"WOULD YOU LET ME GO RIGHT NOW," she heard Lindsey's angry voice from the hallway and raised a brow as she looked up.
"Ma'am," the police offer said as she dragged the young girl through the door.
"Yes…?" she questioned looking at her daughter.
"He's totally be unfair, I didn't do anything," Lindsey protested.
"What did she do?" she asked the officer.
"She was speeding under influence," he answered as he let go of her.
"He's so over-exaggerating," Lindsey said rolling her blue eyes.
"Fine, I'll take it from here and thank you for bringing her in," she said, giving him a sign to leave, which he quickly did as he found it was a good idea to do so.
"Drinking and driving?" Catherine looked at her daughter.
"One beer and I was only in a hurry to get away from where I was," said Lindsey.
"I can hardly imagine why," said Catherine while rolling her eyes.
"Let us just say it was not a nice crowd," she answered with a deep sigh.
"How did you end up there in the first place and car keys please," Catherine said, holding out her hand.
She gave it to her without arguing for a change and said, "My friend Jenna's boyfriend, can I please rest here."
"I suppose," said Catherine as her phone rand, she answered as Lindsey settled on her couch. As she hung up she looked at her daughter saying, "I have to go, scene, please just rest and don't make any more trouble, I will drive you home when I get back."
"I won't, too tired," she said with a yawn. Catherine looked at her one more time before heading out of the door.
Lindsey woke up about two hours later, she looked at the time 2 AM, her mother was still gone, so she thought she would surf on the net until she came back.
She got up and walked over to her desk and sat down in front of the computer and turned it on. Password it said, she typed in butterfly and got in. The first thing that popped up was a mail from Grissom. But it was old, so she took it her mother had been going down memory lane before she came in.
She didn't dare to close it in fear of what her mother would do if she found out she was even on there, but out of curiosity she couldn't help but read what it said.
Dear Catherine.
How are things at your end? Too much paperwork (always fun) and too many db's to solve. If I know you right you probably have it under control ;) Your professional life at least.
I can imagine your little butterfly is still giving you some trouble. What was it you told me about last time, skipping school to go with a guy? Bet you put her straight about that.
You should tell her that if she's continuing to act up I'll come right back to take a talk with her. And we couldn't have that now could we?
You are however aware that if you need me, I am only a phone call away.
Life here is same every day and even if there is a lot of interesting bugs, there are still some I am missing. Especially after Sara left, but then again they were missing before that. Life just isn't the same without my dear friends.
I better go, something about a big spider or something.
Talk to you soon.
G. Grissom.
Lindsey looked at the mail, so her mother had told him about that last time, meaning she would probably tell him about this as well. She felt a bit guilty about it.
She however wouldn't mind him coming back to talk to her about things as she actually missed him. She also wondered when her mother talked to him last.
Without further thinking she wrote:
Dear Gilbert.
Things here are just fine even with all the dead bodies and the dozen piles of paperwork. How did you ever managed to do it all?
Lindsey is…Trouble. I did try back then, but it doesn't last long at the time, what I say or try to say. An officer brought her in a couple of hours ago for drinking and driving. She only had one beer she claims, but I don't know what to think, I really don't. I mean what happened to the little girl I once used to have. I miss her.
That actually wouldn't be a very bad idea; maybe you can actually manage to get some sense into her.
I know and same goes for you old friend ;o)
You should come back here then, we have a lot of new bugs to inspect. And to be honest we, I mean I really miss you bugman.
With love
Catherine W.
Lindsey doubted a bit before she pressed send as she knew she could get in even more trouble for doing that, but then again if Grissom came back it would be worth it. And as she heard her mother's voice in the hallway, she reopened the mail, before she again lay down on the couch, pretending to sleep and that nothing had happened. Still a little smile couldn't help, to escape her lips.
Not more than a moment later Catherine appeared in her office door, looking at the sleeping butterfly and smiled. At least she was not making trouble now.
She sat down next to her and with a mother's love she gently stroked her cheek saying, "Time to wake up.
"What, is it morning," Lindsey asked, looking at her mother with sleepy eyes.
"No, but I'm driving you home and going back," said Catherine.
"Are you staying the night?" Lindsey asked.
"No, I have to work," said Catherine with a sigh, wishing he could.
"What about the weekend, any chance you can take a day off?" Lindsey asked.
"Don't know, any special occasion?" Catherine asked, as it was very seldom Lindsey asked to spend time with her.
"Just thought we may have dinner or something as I hardly see you," said Lindsey.
"I guess I can manage that, but now we really have to go as I can not be away too long," she said.
"OK," said Lindsey with a sigh, taking her bag and started dragging herself towards the entrance with her mother following.
At a completely different place in the world Grissom was looking at the mail from Catherine with worried eyes. It seemed like his friend was having more trouble than usual thanks to the little butterfly.
He sighed heavily looking at the mail once more as he figured it was time to return to Vegas and perhaps stay there for a while, maybe talk some sense into Lindsey. Slowly he started to look for tickets back to Vegas and quickly found that there was some available the same Friday, meaning he would be back Saturday morning.
He wondered if he was going to tell Catherine he was coming or not, but figured not as he wanted to surprise her. He smiled a little by the thought of her reaction when she saw him, before returning to what he was doing in the first place.
It was Saturday morning and Catherine had just got back from her shift and crawled into bed to sleep. It was then she started to think, she was feed up with it all, work, her life, crawling to sleep alone.
As she was tossing and turning in bed, she could hear mellow thump, thump, thumping from the stereo in Lindsey's room further down the hall, meaning she most likely had just woken up.
Catherine groaned as she pulled the second pillow in her double bed over her head. She was too tired to actually walk the few steps it took to ask her to keep it down. All she wanted now was to sleep.
Well actually what she wanted to do was to curl up with someone and sleep, but as that wouldn't happen at the moment, she settled for sleeping alone.
At the same time Grissom's flight had just landed and he was no in line to get his luggage, a suitcase and a bag as he didn't know how long he would stay. He did after all never sell his place just in case he decided to come back.
In the distance he spotted his things on the baggage tape and reached out to grab it. He then headed for the exit to get a cab.
"Where to?" the cabbie asked.
Grissom thought for a second before he gave him Catherine's address instead of his own. It was after all why he was there.
The cabbie just nodded and started driving with a amused look on his face by Grissom's confused one.
Thirty minutes later Grissom was standing outside Catherine's door, still wondering if this was a good idea or not. He knew that she most likely would be sleeping at this point if she was not working overtime. Even if he felt badly about waking her, he gently pushed the doorbell.
From inside he could hear footsteps running down the stairs, but to his surprise the door was opened by Lindsey and not her mother.
"Bugman," the young girl exclaimed and practically threw herself at him. He slowly wrapped his strong arms around her as well with a little smile before letting her go.
"What are you doing here, I thought you went to school outta town," he said.
"Got time off to study for the exams," she answered letting him in.
"Is your mother home?" he asked.
"Sleeping, I can wake her if you wanto," the young girl answered.
"No, no, I'm not in a rush and I actually came here to talk to you," he said.
"Really, why?" she asked, pretending she didn't know.
"Your mother have told me how you have been acting up, skipping school to be with boys for starters," he said, wondering what her response would be.
"I don't really see why I have to explain myself to you as you are neither my father nor step-father and you bailed on us," she said in her own stubborn way, crossing her arms over her chest.
Grissom sighed, knowing she was wrong on all accounts as he said, "I know you don't have to, I guess I just thought you could need someone to talk to about it."
"What is the point if you are just gonna run off to wherever?" she argued.
"This time I won't," he said.
"Really?" she asked, he could detect hope in her voice.
"Yes, so will you answer now?" he asked.
"I dunno, I guess I feel it doesn't matter what I do or don't," she said with a sigh, looking away.
"What do you mean?" he asked concerned.
"Well as you are well aware I have no father and mom isn't round much, she only sees me when I do bad stuff," she said.
"I'm sure that is not so," he said, at least he hoped it wasn't.
"Totally is, I mean she did see my one dance appearance earlier, but that was it, she don't call and mail much longer, we're hardly together," she whispered. Grissom now suspected she now was looking away so he wouldn't see her cry.
"You want me to talk to her about it?" he asked.
"Dunno what good it would do, she's too busy working," she answered.
"I can at least try," he said.
"Will you excuse me, I need to…" she let out before rushing upstairs in a hurry, but he could hear her cries, so he quickly got why.
Grissom sat on the couch wondering if he should go after her, but figured that she probably wanted time alone.
He then wondered whether he was going up to Catherine's bedroom or if that was inviding her privacy.
He thought about it for a second and figured not so he slowly got up and walked up the stairs. As he did so, he tried to remember the last time he did that. He had of course been to Catherine's house on different occasions over the years, but only in her bedroom once or twice. It however was ages ago as it was when it was crying over Eddie, once before and once after her death. Otherwise she had mostly come to him about the matter at work, if at all.
He slowly opened the door only to find that she was as he suspected sleeping peacefully. Her cover was partway off, so he could see her from the waist up. By the looks of it she was wearing her old University T-shirt, or at least one of them, to his knowledge she had three. This was a blue one with the letters in white on the front. She was on her side and her hair was messy from tossing and turning all night.
Grissom smiled a little as he found her quite beautiful. In fact he had almost forgotten just how beautiful he in fact thought she was. He slowly and very gently closed the door to not wake her, but for no use.
Her eyelids fluttered for a little while before she opened them and looked at him. She blinked a few more times, probably to check if she was dreaming or if he was really there. When she found she was not dreaming, she with groggy voice said, "It is you."
"It is yes," he said, coming a little closer.
She patted on the bed, making him come closer and sit down next to her before she said, "What are you doing here?"
"You asked if I could come to help you out with Lindsey," he said, looking into her tired eyes.
"No I didn't. I was going to, but I never got that far," she said confused, wondering what he was talking about.
"Really, because I got a mail from you this Monday saying she was drinking and driving and so on," he said, rather confused as well.
"When exactly did you get it?" she asked, trying to figure out how that happened.
"Round 2.30 AM your time I think," he answered.
"Impossible, I was out on a scene or rather just came back, I wasn't in my office, but…Lindsey was," she said with a very frustrated sigh.
"You mean your daughter sent that, why?" he said, looking at her with confused eyes.
"I have no idea, what did it say?" she asked, looking at him with curious eyes.
"That Lindsey was making trouble and you missed me," he said with a little smile.
Catherine rolled her eyes, yawned and said, "Had to be something like that."
"You're tired, you want to sleep longer?" he asked in a concerned tone.
"Maybe for a couple of hour longer, will you stay?" she asked.
"I will, here or?" he asked.
"Here," she said, patting on the spot next to her. He quickly sat down and she moved closer before again closing her eyes as he watched as she rested. He didn't really mind as he found it very calming and soon he was sleeping peacefully next to her.
When Catherine again opened her eyes, she found that her head was for some reason resting on Grissom's lap. This made her smile a little. She looked up at the man that had been missing for so long and now was back, all because of a mail her daughter have sent him.
She couldn't help, but wondering why her little butterfly had sent for him.
"Gilbert?" she spoke out, but not loud.
He slowly opened his eyes and looked at her before he answered, "Yes."
"How long have you been here, I mean at my place?" she asked.
"Since ten this morning, I figured that if you were at all home you would be sleeping, Lindsey let me in, we had an interesting conversation," he said.
"Really about what?" she asked.
"I am afraid I can't say, it would be violating her trust," he answered.
"I guess I can settle with that," she said and smiled at him.
"So how are the two of you really?" he asked as he was worried because of her emails and the conversation he had with Lindsey earlier.
"To be honest I don't know. Some days we get along, others it's like oil and water, it's just not working," she answered.
"Have you tried talking to her about why she's acting up?" he asked, gently letting her hands trailing through her hair.
"Just ends in fights," she said with a sigh.
"Calmly?" he asked.
She didn't answer, just closed her eyes and moaned a little. He smiled even if he took the no answer as a sign that those issues most likely were discussed arguing. Then something else occurred to him, making him stop as he asked, "Are you with anyone?"
"Do you see anyone here?" she asked a bit amused by question.
"No, but you still might have. You never mentioned that in the mails, so just making sure, so I wouldn't be stepping over any lines," he said.
"There are no lines to be stepped over," she said, looking into his blue eyes.
"Good," he said, realizing how wrong that might have sounded and sighed.
"That's OK," she said with slight giggle.
He smiled at her asking, "Do you remember the last time we sat like this?"
"Yes I do, it was a couple of days after Eddie passed away, I was devastated and I called you. You couldn't make out a word of what I was saying I'm sure, still you were here not long after," she said.
"I think it was something like I can't handle this alone, I don't know what to do, what's going to happen to Lindsey now, I can't be alone," he said, thinking back.
"You could really make that out between the crying, amazing," she said.
"I can always tell what you are saying, even when my hearing wasn't at its best I could hear you loud and clear," he said.
"I never doubted that," she said as she could only over all the years she had known him only recall two times he hadn't been listening. If you didn't count the endless times he had forgotten to send in forms about this and that, but that was more because he at times could be absent-minded.
"I know you didn't, do you remember that night?" he asked her.
"I do as it was one of the best nights in my life," she said as a little smile formed on her lips.
"That goes for me as well," he said smiling back at the younger woman.
"Did you ever regret that we didn't let it develop?" she wanted to know.
"Some times yes, but I think it would have been too complicated," he said.
"And now?" she asked, looking at him with questioning eyes.
"What are you asking me?" he asked, looking at her with confused eyes.
"If there is a possibility we could become something," she answered.
"And Lindsey?" he questioned.
"What about her?" said Catherine, now she was becoming the confused one.
"I don't think it would be fair to leave her out of it if we become a couple, she is after all an important part of your life," he said.
"So you mean I am to include her whenever I wish to see someone," she said, rolling her blue eyes.
"I do yes, as if she do not approve you will be headed for more trouble than you already are," he said.
She sighed as she slowly got out of bed and to his knowledge head for the bathroom. He on the other hand got up and headed downstairs.
As he entered the kitchen, he could hear Lindsey talking to someone, most likely on the phone.
She turned to face him, saying, "I gotto go, yeah I'll meet you at TGI's later, round three as I gotto read a little first."
"Good morning," he said, nodding towards her.
"Good morning, I take it you have been sleeping here," she said, as he was wearing the same clothes as the night before. Only now they were a bit more wrinkly.
"I have, that wouldn't be a problem would it?" he questioned, to be sure.
"No, not at all, just came as a surprise and you are allowed to take your clothes off you know," she said with a little giggle.
"I know, but it didn't fit at the time," he said, sitting down by the kitchen table and started to look through the morning paper she moments later had taken in.
Lindsey giggled before she asked, "Coffee."
"Yes please," he said.
"Anything in it?" she asked.
"No, thank you," he answered.
"Here, are you hungry?" she asked as she handed him to coop.
"A little yes. Have you eaten?" he asked.
"No, don't usually eat before later. Not hungry in the morning, but I can make you something if you like," she said.
"You really should eat breakfast, sit down and I'll make you something," he said as he put the paper aside and slowly got up. Lindsey took his place as he slowly started to make pancakes, humming on a tune.
Catherine came down about five minutes later and heard Lindsey and Grissom discussing something in the kitchen. She very quietly walked over and looked at them from the doorframe.
To her amazement Lindsey was eating, something that rarely happened this early. Not only that, but she didn't seem as grumpy as she usually was that time of day. Which was around eleven. By this time she would usually argue with Catherine about something or another until a door got slammed.
Now on the other hand she was happily discussing a TV show she had seen the previous day with Grissom. She knew it most likely weren't of interest to him, yet it pretended it was for her.
"So then he cheated on her," Lindsey said, her eyes were shining like tiny sahires.
"Did she find out?" Grissom asked.
"Totally did and he got really upset," said Lindsey.
"That is understandable," said Grissom and smiled a little.
"You would never do that would you?" she asked, looking at him with questioning eyes.
"No I would not," he answered.
"Not like daddy," she said with a sigh.
"No, I am not," he answered.
"Why did he do that?" she asked, she never quite got it.
"I really don't know," Grissom answered truthfully.
Catherine that was still listening found it best not to interfere for many reasons, mainly that she wanted to see where it was going.
"I know mom was working lots back then, but still. I mean she still is, but couldn't he have trying talking to her?" she asked, looking at him for an answer.
"I think he should have, at least tried, but seems to me he gave into temptation too much," he said.
"In the end it killed him," she said, looking away.
Grissom didn't replay, mostly because he didn't know what to say, but as soon as she had gathered herself she said, "So if you are staying, are you going back to work for the crime lab?"
"I doubt it, maybe be assisting cases and instead stay at home for a while and then teach at the university," he answered.
Lindsey nodded before she got up and cleared away her plate before saying, "I think that would be a good change, but I better start studying. Hey if you hang around we could have lunch," she said.
"We can, now run along," he said as he gave her a wink and let his eyes fall down on the paper.
"Teaching?" he heard Catherine question only a moment later as she walked into the kitchen.
"You were listening?" he asked back.
"I was yes, you seem to have a good effect on her," said Catherine.
"Only her?" he questioned as she was leaning on him, looking over his shoulder at the paper she was reading.
"Not only her, I really missed you, in fact I have been lost without you," she said with a sigh.
"Know what that feels like, I should never have left you to go after her, but I realized that only too late," he said as a hand laid itself on top of hers.
"You were in love," she said.
"Yes, but in time that changed, I realized how much I missed you and Lindsey," he said.
"Will you stay this time?" she asked in a serious tone, she couldn't take it if he left her again.
"I will as I already promised the little butterfly," he answered.
Catherine didn't replayed to that, she just kissed the top off his head, knowing that finally things would change for the better as she had gotten her man back. And this time he was there to stay, after all he had just said it himself.
As she went over to the counter to get her coffee Grissom watched her. She was just perfect, he never realized just how much until that moment. He also knew that she was the right woman for him, he was only sad it took him that long to see it. He was a fool to leave her behind. She and her young one, when they needed him the most. That time was however over now as Grissom would never leave his woman, the love of his life and her little butterfly again. Because of right now Lindsey would need two sets of parents just as much as they needed each other. He sighed of happiness over finally getting what he for so long had longed for, a family.
Feedback always welcome and very much appriciated :o)