Summary: (GC) Christmas has always been a special time of year for Gil and Catherine. Written for the Graveshift December challenge.
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I don't own anything mentioned in this fic. "Simple Things" belongs to Rebecca Lynn Howard.
Notes: Sweet and fluffy, like hot chocolate and marshmellows. Enjoy!
--Simple Things--
Christmas has always been a special time of year for Gil Grissom and Catherine Willows. They couldn't blame it on the snow; it didn't snow often in Vegas. They couldn't blame it on past Christmas experiences; there were no amazing Christmas memories on either side. They couldn't even blame it on being alone; Gil had been in a relationship during one of their earliest Christmases together, and Catherine had been for several. It was just something about the holiday that drew them a little closer than the year before. Neither can say exactly when it started. Maybe the first Christmas they spent together, only months after he had met her.
Before then, they had only talked a little. They weren't even exactly what you would call friends; just semi-close acquaintances. And yet, when he ran into her when he went to get breakfast after shift on Christmas morning, something about her had made him invite her over.
They discusses his job, her life, and things like that. No really intimate secrets were shared that first year, but it was still a step forward from what had been.
Every year, without fail, Christmas brings them together a little bit more, whether they spend ten minutes or ten hours together.
Christmas 2001
He comforted.
She was crying when he arrived. Eddie, again. He didn't need to ask; he just held her, Lindsey tucked safely into bed upstairs. The sobs wracked her slender frame, and she held onto his shirt for dear life. After a few minutes, the tears subsided, and she pulled her head back, though she remained in his arms.
He lifted a hand to dry the tears that glistened against her cheeks, before moving it back to it's previous position, and she smiled up at him.
"Sorry." She said.
"Don't be."
He assumed the moment was over, and removed his arms. He started to walk away, but she placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Gil?" She paused. "Thanks."
"Anytime."
Christmas 2002
They talked.
"Eeee!" Lindsey's ecstasy at receiving the latest NSync CD was conveyed in the squeal.
"Thank you SOO much, Mom!" She said, going to give her mother a hug.
"Welcome, sweetie. Now, why don't you open Uncle Gil's?" She prompted, and Lindsey happily placed the CD aside, ready to unwrap the last gift and add it to the pile of things that represented around two months of Catherine's paychecks.
"An ant farm? Cool, thanks Uncle Gil!" She said, after tearing the wrapping away. She stood to give Gil the same treatment she had just given Catherine. On her way back to the tree, she whispered to her mother, "I'll have to tell Joshua about it; he loves bugs." She giggled, referring to her current, and first, crush. Catherine smiled in encouragement, inwardly groaning at how fast her daughter was growing up.
A few minutes later, Gil and Catherine were in the living room alone, Lindsey having escaped to her own room to listen to her new CD and go through all her presents. They were gathering all of the stray wrapping paper and stuffing it in a trash bag, when Catherine broke the silence.
"Gil?"
"Yes?"
"I just want to say...thank you so much for being here. You have no idea how much I appreciate it. With Ed...you know...you're the one good male influence she has."
If he was taken aback by the statement, it didn't show. "It is I who should be thanking you, Catherine. I love spending time with you and Lindsey."
"And you know we love being with you." She returned, enjoying the openness of the moment; they didn't often reaffirm how much they meant to each other. It was just there.
The moment drew to a close, and they went back to working side by side in the companionable silence, each content just being near the other.
Christmas 2003
They danced.
Lindsey was at her Grandmother's for a few hours, and they were all alone in the house. Christmas music hummed quietly in the background, and it was one of the rare Christmas with snow. An inch of the fluffy, sparkling participation was already on the ground and more was falling gently from the sky.
The soft light from the Christmas tree provided the only illumination as she asked him if he would like to dance. They were only friends then. Best friends, yes. They knew each other's secrets, likes, dislikes, and everything in between.
But they had never danced. It was like some unspoken wall blocked that form of sharing intimacy. Because if that wall crumbled, the feelings that were on each side of it might be visible for the other to see. And up until that night, self-preservation and pride had kept the question from being asked, even though they had attended several social functions together.
And yet, when she asked him, the thought of saying 'no' barely crossed his mind, and even then, it didn't register. He answered her with a smile and an extension of his hand. Catherine grinned and placed her hand in his.
Bodies close and hearts closer, they swayed back and forth to the husky tune of Baby, It's Cold Outside.
Though each was so blinded by their own feelings of contentment that they didn't see past their own side of the crumbled wall, and though the wall was build up again only a few moments after the dancing stopped, it wasn't as tall this time. And if either wanted to, they could stand on tiptoe and get a tiny glimpse of what lie on the other side.
Christmas 2004
They kissed.
It wasn't snowing that year. In fact, there was a thunderstorm raging outside. Bolts of lightning lit up the sky, rain pattered against the roof, and every once and a while, a boom of thunder was heard.
They sat before the large window in her living room, watching the storm. Lindsey had just gone to bed, and the room seemed a bit empty without her almost constant, teenage chatter. Not that Gil hadn't enjoyed it; it was the complete opposite of the pressing silence that always engulfed his townhouse.
As they sat there, side by side on the couch, something slowly changed. The silence that had been friendly - comforting, even - slowly morphed into something much more intimate. Catherine became aware of how their thighs were just a millimeter away from touching; Gil thought about how much he wanted to close the already minimal distance between them and wondered how her lips would feel underneath his own. Sidelong glances ensued from both sides, for several minutes until Catherine finally broke the silence, turning toward him.
"Feel free to say no if you like, and just to get this out of the way, I want our friendship to stay the same, no matter what your answer is..." She drew in a breath. "I would really like to kiss you right now."
Her answer was the feather-light touch of his lips against her own. He drew back, silently asking for permission for more, and she gave it without the slightest hesitation. His head bent towards hers, and their lips met, toying, playing, loving, before finally crashing together in mutual need.
"Catherine," He drew back, slightly out of breath. "You should know...I've wanted this for a long time."
"So have I." She said simply, and they shared a quick smile before she pulled his lips back down to hers.
Christmas 2005
He proposed.
Their kiss the previous year had not been a one time thing, nor had it ruined their friendship. In fact, the opposite had happened, if at all possible. As they grew closer physically, they did emotionally and mentally as well.
They were so close, in fact, that Gil was ready to ask Catherine to marry him. He had even gone to Lindsey earlier in the day to ask her thoughts on the matter, and she was nearly as thrilled as he was.
As he had always been horrible at speeches, though, Gil didn't want to rely on his verbal skills when it was time to "pop the question."
Instead, he had come up with a plan. He spent hours upon hours composing the message containing The Question, and written it on a Christmas card (which had also taken forever to find, as it had to perfect). He planned to give her the card and the box containing the ring at the same time, late on Christmas Eve, after they had returned from their date.
The plan was ready to be set in motion; the only thing left to do was wait.
And that didn't last long.
Before he knew, it the time had come. They were back from a wonderful dinner, sitting in the softly lit room, the multi-colored lights of the tree dancing across her skin as he watched. He couldn't think; could barely breathe as she opened the letter and read the words he had slaved so hard to make perfect.
The silence was possibly the loudest thing Gil and ever heard in his whole life; the only thing he could hear was the pounding of his heartbeat. He knew she loved him, but still, he was only a man and, for the two seconds it took her to comprehend, he was terrified. When she lifted her head, though, he felt a million pounds being lifted off of his shoulders, because the answer was clear in her crystal blue eyes even before she even managed to nod.
"Yes."
Christmas 2006
They were married.
The wedding wasn't a huge affair. The ceremony was performed in a small chapel, and they simply drove back to Catherine's house for the reception. The only people in attendance were Catherine's mother, Lily, Lindsey, Brass, Doc Robbins, and his wife.
And yet, it was perfect.
The whole day moved so quickly, but Catherine knew she would remember every moment.
The question did arise, though, when everyone was preparing to leave so the bride and groom could be alone. Why Christmas? It was Lindsey who asked. Her grandmother shook her head and said it was because Catherine liked to do things her own way. Doc Robbins and his wife agreed it was because Christmas was a wonderful time of year. Plus, that way, it would be a lot harder for Gil to forget their anniversary (everyone laughed).
Brass just smirked in typical Brass fashion while Gil and Catherine shook their heads and shared a secret smile.
There were some things you just couldn't explain.
The End