Daddy Don't Leave!

Disclaimer: Don't own CSI, never will.

Summary: The eldest Grissom child tries to stop her parents from separating. Will she succeed or fail?

A/N: The song in this story is Family Portrait by Pink. And this isn't beta-ed, so there could be a few mistakes.

Eight year old Samantha sat in her room along with her four year old brother, Erik. She had her hand tightly pressed against her brother's ears so he would not hear the obscenities being screamed back and forth by her parents. She squeezed her eyes shut and was humming to herself in a miserable attempt to drown out her parents arguing. She bit her lip as she heard her father scream, "You know what Sara, I've had enough of this! I can't take anymore of this!"

"Then get out Gil!" Sara yelled. "Just go...maybe things will be happier here!"

Sam heard her Dad storming up the stairs and she let go of her brother's ears. She told him to cover them himself, and did not leave until she was sure he had his hands tightly over his tiny ears. She ran into her father and he hugged her tightly before walking to the master bedroom. Sam crept downstairs and saw her mother sobbing on the sofa. She walked over to her, and gently touched her shoulder. Sara whipped her head around and looked into her daughter's bright brown eyes, which shone with fear.

"Mommy, please don't cry," she said. "I don't like hearing you hurting. When I see you hurting it makes me hurt as well. I hear glasses and other fragile things breaking almost every night even when I'm in bed. I have to rush across the hall and into Erik's room to make sure he's still asleep. He still thinks everything's okay...he doesn't hear a thing and I her everything because I have to cover his ears!"

"I'm sorry baby," Sara said, wiping her eyes. She embraced her daughter, but Sam pulled away. "I told Daddy you didn't mean those nasty things you told him or called him."

Momma please stop cryin, I can't stand the sound
Your pain is painful and its tearin' me down
I hear glasses breakin as I sit up in my bed
I told dad you didn't mean those nasty things you said

"Why do you fight with Daddy about Erik and me? I'll be better, I promise...I don't mean to be bad," Sam said, tears shining in her eyes. "I don't like coming home to an argument because I'm supposed to feel safe here. It's getting harder to convince myself day in and day out that I'm not growing up in World War three. I hear kids talk about all of the amazing things their parents do and I think 'Why can't we have that here at home?' I don't even know what love is anymore...I don't want it if it's going to me like it did with you and Dad."

You fight about money, bout me and my brother
And this I come home to, this is my shelter
It ain't easy growin up in World War III
Never knowin what love could be, you'll see
I don't want love to destroy me like it has done my family

"What do I have to do?" Sam asked her mother. "I'll do anything to make it better. Can we fix this...can't we work something out? I'll be so much better, Mommy."

"Hon, none of this is your fault," Sara said, her heart breaking as she listened to her daughter.

They heard footsteps coming down the steps, and turned to see Grissom walking down with an overnight bag. He kissed Sam's cheek, and started for the door. Sam ran for the door and screamed, "Don't leave Daddy! Please don't go!"

Can we work it out? Can we be a family?
I promise I'll be better, Mommy I'll do anything
Can we work it out? Can we be a family?
I promise I'll be better, Daddy please don't leave

Grissom walked out the door, and Sam followed him. She held onto his leg for dear life as she said, "Please stop yelling at Mommy and make her stop crying. I know she hurts you, but deep down she still loves you...and I do too! Remember that."

Daddy please stop yellin, I can't stand the sound
Make mama stop cryin, 'cause I need you around
My mama she loves you, no matter what she says its true
I know that she hurts you, but remember I love you, too

"Sam, I'm really sorry, but we all need a break," Grissom said.

Tears fell down Sam's cheeks as she said, "I almost ran away tonight! I didn't want to come home tonight but had to because I've got nowhere else to go! It's like World War three here at home...love is going to pull us apart, isn't it?"

Grissom's heart broke as he listened to his little girl. He wrapped his arms around her small frame and stroked her back as sobs wracked her body.

I ran away today, ran from the noise, ran away
Don't wanna go back to that place, but don't have no choice, no way
It ain't easy growin up in World War III
Never knowin what love could be, well I've seen
I don't want love to destroy me like it did my family

"Can't you and Mommy work something out...then we'll be a family," Sammy said. "I'll do whatever you say Daddy...I'll be so much better, I promise."

Sam looked back to the front porch to her mother and said, "Mommy, please! I'll do whatever it takes! I just want you guys to stop fighting...I want a family. Daddy, please don't leave!"

Can we work it out? Can we be a family?
I promise I'll be better, Mommy I'll do anything
Can we work it out? Can we be a family?
I promise I'll be better, Daddy please don't leave

"Look at our family picture on the wall!" Sammy screamed. "We look so happy in it! Can't we just pretend that we are...can't we act like we're happy? In the pictures from earlier, we were really truly happy...can't we go back to that? I'll do anything to go back to that! Please!"

The Grissom looked at their daughter, broken. They both felt horrible about what they were doing. Sara remembered her childhood and realized she broke the promise she had made...that she wouldn't make her children go through that.

Grissom remembered when his father died, and made a promise that his kids would always have two parents. Now that he thought of that, they were not going to have two parents together if they went through with this divorce.

In our family portrait, we look pretty happy
Let's play pretend, let's act like it comes naturally

"Mommy, Daddy, I don't wanna split holidays, I don't want two homes and addresses, I don't want a step-sibling, I don't want Mommy to change her last name!" Sam cried. "I want us to be happy and normal...please don't leave Daddy!"

"Sammy, Mommy and I really need this break," Grissom said, squatting down to his daughter's level. "Maybe it'll help our family, just for a few days. I will call you every day...I love you honey. Don't ever doubt or forget that."

I don't wanna have to split the holidays
I don't want two addresses
I don't want a step-brother anyways
And I don't want my mom to have to change her last name

Grissom started walking to his car and Sam screamed, "Daddy don't leave! Don't leave us here alone! We all need you!"

As Sam watched her father continue walking, she felt like something was missing. Her shining start was leaving her, and she couldn't do anything except scream for him to come back.

"I'll be better!" cried Sam. "Mom won't scream at you anymore! I'll tell Erik to be better...I won't spill anything at supper! I promise to do everything correctly...I'll be your little girl for ever and always. Don't leave me...if you stay, I promise I'll go to sleep at night instead of listening in to you guys! Daddy don't leave!"

Daddy don't leave
Turn around please
Remember that the night you left you took my shining star?
Don't leave us here alone
Mom will be nicer
I'll be so much better, I'll tell my brother
Oh, I won't spill the milk at dinner
I'll be so much better, I'll do everything right
I'll be your little girl forever
I'll go to sleep at night

Grissom climbed into his car, and waved at his daughter. Samantha tried to run after him, but Sara caught her before she ran onto the street and got hurt. Sam broke down into her mother's arms, but soon pushed her away and ran up to her room.

Sara watched her go, and the only thought running through her mind was, "What have we done?"

A/N 2: There will only be one or two more chapters, so stay tuned to see what happens. Hope you liked it...review if you did. If you didn't like it, sorry...and tell me in a review why you didn't like it.