Author: Cheryl (aka gglovebug)
Feedback: Yes, please! I really like to hear what you think.
Disclaimer: The usual. Not mine. Wish they were. No copyright infringement intended.
Spoilers: Sex, Lies and Larvae
Rating: PG
Summary: GSR. Out of the mouths of babes…

A/N: This is my second response to the Unbound Improv Challenge of 08/02/04. I guess I just liked the lines this week. The first and last lines are provided, and the word limit is 1,000. The setting for this story is loosely late Season Two CSI. My thanks again to Joy for her beta services!

Also, many, many thanks to everyone who's been reading and reviewing my stories - it is SO much appreciated and I can't say thank you enough! And for those of you waiting for an update to Aftermath, I apologize for being so slow. The next chapters are in the works at present and I plan to begin posting them this upcoming week.


SECRETS

Her socks were mismatched again. Catherine jutted her jaw out and huffed the hair away from her face as she proceeded to tie Lindsey's shoes anyway; there wasn't time to go change them now. She had run home in the middle of a double shift in order to get her daughter ready for school and had barely enough time to get her into the car and off to school before having to head back to the lab.

"Come on now, we've got to get you to school. We can't be late again or Mrs. McAffrey will be calling me in for another conference!" Catherine said, wincing as she straightened up from her crouched position in front of Lindsey. Her muscles ached from being in a very similar position for too many hours the night before collecting evidence at a particularly difficult crime scene.

"Yeah Mommy, Mrs. McAffrey said the next time I was late, she was going to send somebody named Soshul Services over to talk to you," Lindsey responded innocently.

Catherine scowled. It was hard enough being a single mom working nightshift, not to mention the countless overtime hours due to the budget and understaffing at the crime lab. She was doing the best she could. Since Eddie's complaint, made as an attempt at revenge for her not allowing him back into her life, she seemed to be under the constant scrutiny and threat of Social Services.

As they climbed into the car, Lindsey turned to her mom and said, "But it will be better when Uncle Gil comes to live with us, right Mommy?"

Catherine glanced over at her daughter as she pulled the car out onto the road, narrowly missing an oncoming pickup truck in her surprise, "What honey?"

"You know, when Uncle Gil and you get married. You can quit work and stay home with me."

"Where did you get that idea Linds?"

"Amber. Her Mommy got re-married and she quit work and stays at home with her now."

"No, hun, I mean about me and Uncle Gil getting married?"

"Well, you like him don't you?"

"Of course I like him Lindsey, but that doesn't mean we're going to get married."

"Is that because he likes Aunt Sara better?"

At this, Catherine finally grinned. Her daughter obviously took after her when it came to reading people. Hell, it was obvious to even the most casual observer that Gil was hopelessly in love with Sara; she just wondered how long it was going to take him to ever do something about it.

"Well Lindsey, that's one of the reasons. Your Uncle Gil and I are just good friends and we both like it that way." She paused and looked over at her daughter who was now gazing out the window. Investigator mode kicking in, she asked, "Hey – how do you know that Uncle Gil likes Aunt Sara anyway?"

Lindsey's expression changed from that of childish inquisitiveness to that of worry.

"It's a secret. I promised not to tell anyone."

"Who did you promise?"

"Uncle Gil."

This was getting more interesting by the minute. Catherine had taught Lindsey to keep her promises, but this was too juicy a bit of information to let alone. She chewed at her bottom lip as she tried to figure out a way to get this secret out of Lindsey without her feeling like she was breaking her promise. Then she got an idea.

"Well, I'm sure he didn't mean you couldn't tell your mom. He probably meant someone like Uncle Greg – everyone knows he can't keep a secret." She smiled.

Lindsey giggled. This seemed to be a good enough explanation for a 10-year-old, so she said, "I saw them kissing."

Catherine's jaw dropped in surprise as she flipped the turn signal to make a left into the school driveway.

"When was this?"

"At my birthday party this weekend." Lindsey then began happily singing, "Gil and Sara sittin' in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g. First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes baby in a baby carriage," giggling as she finished.

Catherine brought the car to a stop. "Hmmm. Well, thank you for telling me Lindsey. I think maybe we should continue to keep this little secret – just between you, me, and Uncle Gil okay?"

Lindsey nodded her head in agreement as she got out of the car.

"Have a good day at school!" Catherine called out as Lindsey shut the door.

Catherine pulled the car back out on the road and headed towards the lab. 'I guess the plant must have worked," she thought to herself.

xxxOOOxxx

The next Saturday, as Catherine was preparing breakfast at her place after their shift ended, Grissom was sitting at the kitchen counter.

"I hope there wasn't too much to clean up after the party last weekend. I'm sorry I didn't stay and help… something came up and… I had to leave early."

Catherine pursed her lips together to keep from laughing out loud. 'I'm sure something came up alright,' she thought.

"Didn't Sara have to leave early too? What happened, Day Shift call you guys in on a case?"

Grissom shifted uncomfortably on his chair. "Umm… no… Sara and I had to prepare our testimony for a case we solved a few months ago. The court date was moved up unexpectedly."

"Oh… I thought maybe you two finally decided to go out together or… something." Catherine took a sip of her Vodka and orange juice, desperately trying not to smile as she needled Grissom. It was so much fun to watch him squirm.

He shot her an indignant look. "Catherine…"

She held her hands up in surrender. "Don't worry… your secret's safe with us."

Grissom tilted his head and narrowed his eyes. "Us?" Realization finally struck him at that moment. Catherine knew about the kiss, which could only mean…

Catherine simply shrugged and turned back to the stove to flip the pancakes over, her smile widening. Gotcha.

"So… where is Lindsey anyway?" Grissom asked as he got up from the stool and walked towards the French doors leading to the back yard.

He found her on the back porch blowing soap bubbles.

FIN