Disclaimer: I don't own the main charters.

Summary: After losing her mother, Bridget is feeling alone and has a lot of pain inside. Now it's up to Grissom and the family to make her see that she isn't alone. Will they get to before it's to late? Why would it be to late? What will happen? Read and find out. Third story in the Winding road series. Now A/U.

AN: This is Third in the series so you could be confused if you didn't read the other two, continue at your own risk.

AN#2: Now keep in mind that Bridget has just lost her mother so how she acts is a reaction to that so hopefully you won't be too hard on her.

Title: Trouble down the road
Rating: T
Time-line: 9 Years after a Thanksgiving surprise
Spoilers: None
Warnings: Minor character death, Mention death of the young & A little violence
Main Parings: GSR
Minor Parings: CatNip, Greg/Amanda, Warrick/BreAnna
Series Order: Winding Road to home, A Thanksgiving Surprise, Trouble down the road.

Trouble down the road

Chapter 1: New Home

A 13-year-old girl with blonde hair and blue eyes was surrounded by her grandmother and extended family she really didn't know but they were all here to say goodbye to the little girl's mother, who after fighting the battle of cancer for a couple of years lost the fight, leaving her with her father, stepmother, two half-sisters and one half-brother.

Among these people of mourners was her father, she loved him but knew that he was only here to support her because he never really loved her mother in a romantic way, his heart had always belonged to her stepmother and now that her mother was gone she felt very alone.

A tear fell down her cheek as the priest was saying the last of the prayers and when it ended they said amen then they all hugged her and her grandmother goodbye. When the mourners walked away the little girl's father looked at the grandmother, held out his hand and said. "I am sorry for your loss Mrs. Simms."

Mrs. Simms was an older looking woman in her late 60's, her hair was blond with some gray in it, she was 5'5 and petite. She had just lost her husband three years ago and was still morning over that loss, now her daughter.

She nods and wiped a tear away then as they were shaking hands she replied. "Thank you Dr. Grissom."

She didn't know much about Gilbert Grissom since she only saw him a few times and what her daughter had told her but what she did know was that Grissom was truly a nice man and she would be lying if she said she never hoped he would have a future with her daughter, if only the circumstances were different.

Grissom nodded and speaks again. "If you ever need anything don't hesitate to call."

She nodded with a small smile then she turned to her only granddaughter, wraps her arms around her and said. "I love you sweetie."

Bridget sniffled, nods and replied. "I love you too Grandma."

After a few minutes they pull back and Mrs. Simms gives Bridget some comforting words then Grissom looked at Bridget and asked. "You want a few more minutes alone Bridget?"

She nodded and said. "Please dad?" He nodded, kissed her on the forehead and after Bridget's Grandmother kissed her on the forehead too, him and Mrs. Simms walked away.

When they got the cemetery gate they made plans for tomorrow about him going over to Alice's house with Bridget and going through things so they could put the house up for sale then Grissom said goodbye to her and she walked to her vehicle then drove away.

As Grissom was standing there alone he looked toward Bridget then sighed, looks up in the sky and whispered. "Alice please look down on our girl she is going to need some guidance, she will miss you so much."

He moves his head back down to look at his daughter again, hoping he can help her through this. Bridget was very close to Alice since she spent most of her time with her. He tried his best to be there for her as much as he could when she was growing up and he liked to think he was there for her when she needed him but their bond wasn't as tight as he would have liked.

His thoughts get interrupted when he realizes that Bridget was walking to him.

He cleared his throat and when she got closer he asked. "You ready?" She wordlessly nodded her head and he puts a hand on her shoulder then guided her to the vehicle as she looked back at her mother's grave wishing her mother was still here.

The drive to the house was a quiet one, both surrounded in their own thoughts.

He pulled in the driveway 5 minutes later to the new 2 story, 2 car garage house that had a master bedroom, four other bedrooms, 2 ½ baths, with all the rooms a pretty good size. It also had a big deck with a hot tube, a pool and a grill in the back.

When the vehicle had stopped he looked over at his daughter and said. "Most of your stuff that was in the old place is in your new room, we'll go through everything at your mom's tomorrow." Bridget nods sadly and looks down at her hands, Grissom puts a hand on her shoulder and continued. "I'm sorry about your mom sweetheart. I wish there is something I could do to take away your pain but the only thing I can offer is my love to you and be there when you need to talk."

She nodded again, looked out the passenger window and wiped some tears away. He squeezed her shoulder then moved his hand and they both got out of the vehicle then walked in silence up the stone walk way, which was to the right of them.

When they get to the front door, he tries the doorknob to see if it was locked, he knew Sara was home because she took the day off but she keeps the door locked depending on where she was in the house since it was so big, but it wasn't locked so the door opened right up and he lets Bridget walk in first.

She takes a few steps inside then stands in the foyer between the living room and the dinning room with the curved stairs in front of her as she hears her father walk in behind her, shuts the door then said loudly. "Honey we're home."

The word 'home' sent a sad feeling down Bridget's spine, she knew that this was now her home but she already missed the one she had with her mother, she quietly took a deep breath and saw Sara walk in from the dinning room to the right of her, she had a kitchen towel in her hand wiping her hands.

Grissom smiles at her and she smiles back then said. "I made lunch, you guys hungry?"

Grissom shook his head and replied. "Sorry honey but I got called in today."

He had been semi-retired so he could be the stay at home parent while Sara worked when the kids were younger but now that they had grown up a little he wanted to go back to work, so now he works on any shift they need him on.

Sara nodded then she looked at Bridget and she just shook her head no.

Grissom puts his hand on Bridget's shoulder again and said. "Why don't you go upstairs and decorate your room how you like it and I am sure Sara will give you a tour later, ok?" Bridget nods her head and before she starts walking, Grissom speaks again. "Your bedroom is on the third door to your left and the bathroom is right across from you."

This was the first time she had seen the house since they just bought it a few days ago and she had been staying at her mom's house with her grandma and a few extended family members that was helping her out.

Bridget nods again and walks up the stairs silently as Sara and Grissom was watching with sadness for the little girl.

When she was out of sight Sara looks at her husband and he looks back, sighed then talked. "I don't know what to do to help her through this."

She walks up to him, puts a hand on his cheek and said. "Just be there when she wants to talk and tell her you love her."

He nods then brings her closer for a hug and they stood there for a few minutes then when he pulls back he finally noticed it was quiet in the house, which it usually was but he didn't see or hear anybody in the living room reading or watching tv, he looks back at Sara and said. "Where are the kids?"

Sara gives him a small smile and replied. "Well Kelly is at the park with Lily, Amber and Nick Jr. Caitlin is at the mall with Kim. And Connor is at Nick and Catherine's with Austin and JR."

Kelly will be 13 in 2 months and she had really grown up to be a daddies girl, she loved anything to do with butterflies and science. Her younger brother Connor was the same way, he was another copy of his father.

Now Caitlin was a true Sara copy from the brown eyes, brown hair and even the gap Sara was afraid she would inherit but her parents still thought she was beautiful and she could also solve some of the difficult math problems already. Her and Connor will be 10 on Grissom's birthday.

The gang had officially moved to San Francisco four months after making the announcement at Thanksgiving 9 years ago and even though Sara and Grissom still thought they were a little crazy at making the change they really loved having them closer to them and not only that but some of them were colleagues with her again.

Sara was still the boss in her team that included Nick and Greg. Catherine actually got lucky when she got to be a night shift supervisor and so she had her own team that included Warrick.

Catherine and Nick have been married 14 years now and have two sons together plus Lindsey from Catherine's previous marriage, which she has blue eyes and brown hair and is currently in Las Vegas going to UNLV for her Senior year studying in the Arts so she could be an actress on stage.

Nick Jr. just turned 12 last month, he was the perfect image of Nick with brown hair, brown eyes and that Stokes smile. He loves sports especially football and baseball, likes hanging out with his friends and doesn't mind going to school.

Austin Stokes was 10 years old and he was the opposite in looks, he looked more like his mother with those blue eyes, blond hair and her smile. He also loved sports but basketball was his game.

Warrick and BreAnna Brown have been married 15 years and they have two daughters, Lily and Kim.

Warrick loved his girls so much and really wasn't that disappointed that he didn't have any sons, Lily was 12 and a daddies girl, she had dark skin, green eyes and long brown hair, she also loved playing and watching sports with her father.

Kim was a mommies girl, she was 10 years old, her skin was a lot light than her older sister but there was no denying who her father was. She also had green eyes like her father and sister but her hair was blond, like her mother's. She also loved sports but she liked to bake more than her sister did, taking once again after her mother.

And Greg and Amanda Sanders have also been married for 15 years and they have two kids, Amber who is 12 years old and 9-year-old Greg Jr., or JR as he is mostly refereed to.

Amber has long curly brown hair and hazel eyes and as much as she loves science she doesn't think it's going to be her career like her father and someday her younger brother.

Greg Junior aka JR, is just like the name suggest he is a complete copy of younger Greg years, he liked his brown hair spiky with blond tips, he had brown eyes and that Greg smile that all the girls liked and he loved science especially ever since he had gotten a Chemistry set from his uncle Nick one year for Christmas.

Grissom nodded at what Sara said about their kids then as he was going in for a kiss his phone vibrates in his black, pants pocket. He sighs, pulls back, takes the phone out, opens it up and it showed the address on where he needs to go then he puts the phone away, lightly pecks his wife on the lips then said.
"I have to go." Sara nodded and looked at him worriedly, he puts a hand on her cheek and said. "Honey you will be fine with Bridget, this isn't your first time alone with her."

Sara sighed and said. "I know but it's the first time since her mother died."

She never knew what to say in these kinds of situations and it didn't matter if it was with adults or kids.

He smiles a little reassuringly and speaks. "Then tell her what you told me to say, tell her you love her and will be there for her anyway you can, I have faith in you."

She smiles at him, happy he can make her feel a little better, he smiles back and they kiss one more time then he turns to the front door, opens it up, looks back at his wife and said. "Love you honey."

She nods and said with a smile. "Love you too babe, be safe."

He nods, winks at her and said. "Always." Then he walks out the door and shuts it behind him.

Sara sighs when the door closes shut then she looks up the stairs, takes a breath, hangs the kitchen towel on the banister then walked up the stairs.

She stands in front of Bridget's room when she got there, takes another breath and knocks on the door. When she didn't get an answer she cracked the door open and peaked her head in the room, the walls were still bare and the boxes were still in the exact spot they were put in when they moved here, her eyes turned toward the bed and saw Bridget lying down with her eyes closed, wearing the same clothes she had on for the funeral and holding a stuff puppy that Alice bought her when she was younger. Sara took a moment longer to look at her then pulled back into the hallway and shuts the door quietly, she shook her head and walked back down the stairs feeling really sad for the little girl.

Her and Alice may have not gotten past a few pleasantries between them when they saw each other over the years but no child should be without a parent at a young age and Bridget may not be biologically hers but she loved her and would do anything for her because she was a part of her husband and she would do anything for him, she just hopes in time things will get better for her stepdaughter.

AN: Interested in more? Please review.