Monday:

Tired of her mountain of paperwork, Catherine decided it was time for a break and walked down the hall and into Gil Grissom's office. Just inside the doorway, she paused as she saw a look from him that she hadn't seen lately. He was reading his laptop screen, the tip of his tongue sticking out of his mouth, and a look of boyish glee on his face. He sensed her presence and looked up at her. His eyes were bright and full of energy. "Come look, Cath. See waht I found."

For an instant,Catherine knew what his mother must have felt like when he was a boy, bringing in his latest bug discovery to share with her. His enthusiasm and joy was contagious. Edging around his desk, she rested her hand on his shoulder as she read his screen. It was a page from an auction sight.

Kaufman Field Guide to Insects of North America: 2007

She didn't need to read any farther. A bug book. He was all excited about a bug book.

Sensing that she wasn't as excited as he was, Gil looked up at her. "This is great. It has all the bugs in North America. And it's only $9.99 plus shipping."

She made a face at him but was happy to see that he was happy. "Great. I thought you already knew everything there is to know about bugs."

"Well...not everything," he pouted.

She smiled at him and squeezed his shoulder. "Well, it is good to see you so happy. If a bug book makes you this happy, then that's good."

His shining eyes met hers and he blushed a little. "It's one thing that makes me happy, Cath." And then his attention was back on the screen.

Patting him, she said she'd see him later and exited his office.

Tuesday:

Catherine walked into Grissom's office with a folder in her hands. She needed his approval on a case report that had been requested on a trial. Again, he was happily sitting at his laptop, surveying the contents of the auction site.

"Hey, Cath...look at this. I can get Immortal Poems Of The English Language for only .99! I'll bet it has good ones too. I think I'll enter a bid."

"Okay Gil. You need more poetry to quote," she said as she rolled her eyes at him.

Thursday:

Appearing in Catherine's doorway, laptop in hand, Gil was bubbling with excitement. "Catherine, you have to see what I found. It's right here and at a really good price too." He put the laptop down on her desk so that she could get a good look. His hand brushed her shoulder and then came to a rest on the back of her chair. See...it's Antworks. Read the description."

So she read:

AntWorks is based on a 2003 NASA Space Shuttle experiment to study animal life in space and test how ants successfully tunnel in microgravity. The AntWorks Gel is complete with nutrients to promote healthy growth in the new colony. Watch ants live, work and tunnel in the nutritious and non-toxic gel as they create series upon series of intricate tunnels. This is lighted with a dazzling blue LED that will keep it illuminated at night. Easy to care for - Ants need NO food or water as you farm them.

Smirking, she responded. "Oh this is wonderful, Gil...another ant farm. Just what you need."

"Isn't it great?" He was that little boy again. She never could resist the little boy.

"Yeah, Gil...it's great," she smiled.

Friday:

"Cath?" he asked as he stood in her doorway.

"What?"

"What are you doing next weekend?"

"Uh, I'm not sure yet...why?"

"Well, I just oredered this fantastic video...Life in the Undergrowth. I've been looking for it for awhile and I found it on..."

"Let me guess...the auction site?"

Yeah..." he looked at her quizzically. "And it has David Attenborough, who guides the viewer through a miniature universe New technology reveals surreal vistas and their extraordinary inhabitants -- swarming antler moths, desert locusts and a mountain of cockroaches -- up close and personal. It shows their habits, lifestyles and characteristics."

"You sound like an ad for the video, Gil."

"Want to come over and watch it with me?" he was beaming.

"Uh, I'll have to see...I think Lindsey has something. Can I get back to you?" In your dreams buster.

"Sure." There was the pouty look again. She couldn't resist his pouty look.

"Maybe Saturday, but I'm not sure. I have to check with Lindsey, okay?"

"Okay," he smiled and he walked away.

Wednesday:

Catherine and Gil were sitting in his office when Jeff, the mailroom guy came in. He set a stack of mail on Grissom's desk and then put a box down. Grissom'e eyes lit up at the sight of the box but he didn't reach for it.

"Hey Gil," said Cath. "Aren't you going to open the box?"

"Huh? Oh...why don't you open it for me?" He pretended to be absorbed in a letter.

"It isn't anything that's going to jump out at me, is it?"

"What..." he looked up..."I don't think so."

She reached for the box.After tearing through the outer paper, she slit open the tape and a smaller box rested inside.It looked like a jewelry box. Slowly she opened it and her eyes lit up as she saw it's contents. Nestled in a piece of cotten was a butterfly broach. It was shaped out of gold and studded with sapphires and diamonds. It was absolutly beautiful and she said as much.

Gil had looked up from his letter in time to see her open the inner box. His eyes met hers as she looked up at him, wondering who the broach was for. A smile crept across his face as his eyes glistened, much like the gems of the butterfly. "It's for you," he said quiety. "When I saw it on the site, I knew it should be yours. It's so beautiful...just like you."

Their eyes stayed locked until she leaned across and gently kissed him. His face glowed as she pulled away and asked, "So...breakfast. Before or after I thank you properly for this lovely gift?"

He grinned at her. "Shift's over," he said as he stood and placed his hand on the small of her back, guiding her down the hall toward home.