Set prior to Christmas Angels

1?

"Okay, Lindsey, after school I want you to go next door to the daycare and wait with the twins. Gil and I have to go testify in court."

"Did you get into trouble?" Lindsey asked, munching through her cornflakes.

"No," Catherine said, rolling her eyes as she moved quickly around the kitchen. "It's just for a case. I promise someone will be there to pick you up. Either me, your dad or a sitter, okay?"

Lindsey nodded.

Ella toddled in wearing a shirt but no overalls. Joshua scampered in a few minutes afterward, completely butt-naked.

Lindsey giggled. 'Mom, look."

Catherine turned around and groaned. "Hey, what did you guys do to Daddy?"

"Daddy is soaking wet," Gil sighed, coming into the kitchen.

"Okay, don't drip on the carpet," Catherine smiled. "Linds, can you help with these two?"

Lindsey nodded and picked up her younger sister.

"Okay, have a good day hon," Catherine smiled, kissing her daughter on the cheek.

"Mom! Gross! Not in front of people!" Lindsey growled.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry."

"Bye, Dad," Lindsey waved at Gil, who waved back then he unbuckled James from the car seat.

Catherine gave each of her twins a kiss. "You guys be good, and Mommy and Daddy will see you this afternoon, okay?"

Ella smiled. "Bye-bye Mama." She leaned over in her mother's arms and gave Gil a big kiss. "Bye-bye Daddy."

"Bye-bye Mama," Joshua echoed. He hugged his little arms around his father. "Bye-bye Daddy."

Catherine watched as the twins toddled off into the daycare centre with one of the carers. "Why does it always hurt to watch them leave?"

Gil wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her cheek. "Because they're our babies and they're growing up."

Catherine sighed. "That could be it." Her free hand rested on her flat abdomen. "When are we going to tell them that I'm pregnant?"

"How about I cook dinner tonight and we tell them then?" Gil asked, as they walked back to the car. "It'll take a bit of explaining to the twins."

Catherine bit her lower lip as she buckled up in the car. "I don't want them to be hurt or confused. It's a big deal to have a younger sibling. I don't want them to be jealous."

Gil squeezed her hand and started the car. "I'm sure everything will be fine. We have great kids, Cath."

Catherine smiled broadly at him. "Yeah, we do."

Catherine felt sick in the stomach as they approached the daycare centre, but thought it was just pregnancy.

She and Gil walked over to the daycare centre and Catherine looked confused.

"They're not in the playground."

"Maybe they're playing inside."

Catherine nodded. "Probably."

"Mr and Mrs Grissom!" the daycare owner, Julie said. "What are you doing here?"

Catherine raised an eyebrow. "To get the twins and Lindsey."

Julie narrowed her eyes. "But they're gone."

"What do you mean gone?"

"Gone. Their uncle picked them up."

Catherine's eyes flashed to Gil's. "Warrick, Greg or Nick?"

"None of them. Someone called Andrew."

Catherine went pale and Gil pulled her against him, supporting her weight. "You just let them go with someone we don't know?"

"Mr Grissom, as far as we know, he was their uncle. He said he was married to Mrs Grissom's sister."

"Grissom?" Warrick said, coming into the loungeroom. He started as he saw his boss stand up. He looked exhausted, and his eyes were red-rimmed from crying.

"Hey, Warrick," Gil smiled wanly. "Thanks for coming."

"I came as soon as I heard. Nick and Sara are on their way. Has there been any news?"

Gil shook his head. "All we know is that someone took them from the daycare." He sighed. "What I don't understand is why they went with him. Lindsey's a smart girl, and the twins always kick up a fuss if they're not with something they know."

"Are you thinking it might be someone you do know?"

Gil rubbed his hands over his face. "I don't know. I don't know what I'm thinking."

"Where's Catherine?"

"In the twins room. Nancy is with her. She's…she's not doing so well."

"Any communication from the kidnapper?"

Gil shook his head. "Brass has tapped all the phones. They've got an APB out." He looked at Warrick. "I want you guys to work the scene."

"Ecklie's…"

"I know it's Ecklie's but I don't want him on this. Neither does Catherine." He sighed. "I know I don't say it enough, but you guys are the best at this. And right now…Catherine and I need the best."

Warrick nodded. "Okay. I'll catch a lift with Nick and Sara." He put a hand on Grissom's shoulder. "We're here for you. Just ask."

Grissom smiled. "Thanks, Warrick."

"You're a big fat liar!" Lindsey cried, as she sat in the basement, clutching a hand of each of her siblings. "You said you were taking us to the lab to see mom and dad!"

"So I lied. Big deal."

"When my mom and dad find you, you're going to be in BIG trouble!"

Hodges sighed. "You know, you're exactly like your mother. You never SHUT UP!"

Ella began to cry, wrapping her arms and legs around Lindsey. Joshua began to whimper, and looked at Lindsey. "Potty."

Lindsey smirked at Hodges. "Now you've got a problem."

"There's a toilet there," Hodges said, pointing to a small annexed room.

"Nuh uh," Joshua said, shaking his head.

"He'll only use his potty at home. The one shaped like a frog."

Hodges looked at Joshua, who was crossing his legs. "What about nappies?"

Lindsey groaned. "He only wears the pull up underwear. The ones with Mickey Mouse and friends on them."

Hodges stared at Joshua and growled.

Gil met Nancy coming out of the twin's room. "How's she doing?"

Nancy shook her head. "She's been sitting on Ella's toddler bed, holding that stuffed ladybug and just staring into space. She needs her husband."

Grissom nodded and squeezed Nancy's hand in thanks as she passed. She shot him a brief but sad smile and then he went into the room.

The yellow room was dark, the lights turned off. The only illumination came from two small night-lights; one beside each toddler bed. One bed had a Superman coverlet on it, and a pair of Batman pajamas had been hastily thrown in a little man's haste to begin his day. His frog night-light shone brightly in the dark. He turned his view to where his wife sat. It was a Barbie coverlet, with pink pajamas also hastily thrown in Ella's eagerness to start the day. Mickey Mouse's cheerful face stared back at him from the nightlight. Catherine rested her head against the headboard, a stuffed ladybug in a death grip.

"I miss our babies," she said, tears glistening on her face.

He moved over to sit beside her, pulling her limp body into his arms. "Lindsey would not be impressed if you called her a baby."

Through her sniffles, Catherine managed a small chuckle. "You're right."

Gil pressed a firm kiss to her cheek. "We'll get them back, Catherine."

"Don't make a promise you can't keep," she told him.

"Don't give up on me, Cath," he told her.

A knock came at the door and the parents looked up.

"Sorry to interrupt, but we have had a communication," Brass said.

Gil bolted off the bed. "What kind?"

"A note," Brass replied. "I…uh…" He glanced at Catherine.

"What?" Catherine asked, staring at him.

"It's not exactly a note I think you should see."

"Let me see it, Brass," Gil said, holding his hand out.

Mrs and Mrs Grissom

I have your three children, Lindsey, Joshua and Ella.

This is how pain feels. I hope you are feeling pain. It is what you have given to me

If you ever want to see your children alive again, keep your phone lines open and keep checking your mailbox.

Do not bring the cops into this, or the children will die.

If you try to trace me, the children will die.

Tell everyone to back off, including your CSI's.

Catherine's eyes widened and she turned to Brass. "Have we lost them?"

"No,' Gil said firmly. He turned to Brass. "We have not."

"We want to take a look at any cases you and Catherine have worked on."

Catherine stared at him in disbelief. "Are you serious? Do you know how many cases that could be? 48 hours, Jim! That's the most we have unless…" She couldn't bring herself to say it, and instead sat down on Ella's bed.

"We're doing everything we can," Jim assured them. "Hopefully we'll know more when Warrick, Nick and Sara finish at the scene."

Catherine felt a pain in her stomach, the minute the word "scene" was used. To her, the scene was where pain and horror were revealed to the CSI's and usually involved a body. It had never been something to even be remotely associated with her children.

Gil caught the look on her face and turned to Brass. "Keep us informed, okay?"

Jim nodded and left the room. Gil sat beside Catherine on the bed, holding her in his arms.

"How can you be so calm?" she asked him. "Anything could have happened to them and…"

"Shh," Gil murmured, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "I'm not calm, Cath. But I don't believe whoever has them would have sent us this letter if they weren't still alive." He hugged her, rocking her gently in his arms. "I'm scared too, Catherine."

TBC