No I don't own CSI or any of it's characters, darn it!!
But the good news is I own Abby and Becca.
Greg was in the break room over an hour early for shift when Grissom, who had been walking past, spotted him. What attracted Grissom's attention was the sad, pale look on Greg's face as he stared at a picture in his hand.
Grissom walked in the door and cleared his throat causing Greg to jump and he automatically shoved the picture into his pocket before turning around.
"Oh, hey Griss, you kinda startled me." Greg uttered in his usual cheery tone, gone was the sad empty look that he wore just moments earlier.
"Hey Greg. I was just wondering why you are here so early. Your shift doesn't start for another hour." Grissom glanced at his watch to check his estimate, suddenly remembering he had seen Greg in here early a few more times in recent weeks.
"I was in the neighbourhood so there was no point sitting in traffic to go home for a few minutes. Are we going to have a busy night?"
"I think so, if you want to start early I can give you your assignment now." As curious as Gil was he decided not to mention the photograph just yet but he did notice that Greg somehow seemed quieter today. "Are you okay Greg?"
Greg was surprised at his bosses last question, "I'm great, thanks Grissom. So what is my assignment?"
The night flew by and Gil didn't have time to think about Greg again. Soon enough it was an hour before shift the following day and he noticed Greg walking past his office door as he looked over a file.
"Greg" Grissom called out and Greg turned around looking sullen. "Come in here and take a seat."
"What can I do for you Grissom?"
"You can tell me what's bothering you. And why you really have been coming in early. I usually have trouble getting you in here on time." Their eyes met for a moment before Greg's fell to stare at the ground.
"How do always notice these things?" Greg questioned his mentor.
"It's my job Greg. Would you like to talk?" Watching his young protégé Grissom hoped he hadn't overstepped the mark.
"I have been going to see my daughter. She and her mom live a few blocks away. Becca, her mom, and I don't get along and she only told me a few weeks ago that I even had a child." Tears started to form in Greg eyes and he coughed to stop his voice from breaking before continuing. " We were only seeing each other for a few weeks before I broke up with her, I found out she was cheating on me. So I hadn't heard from her since then until a few weeks ago when she called me to tell me. We did a DNA test because I didn't trust her and I think that made her hate me more. So Abby is my baby girl and she's 6months old."
"Wow Greg, well first off congratulations on having a daughter. I wish you the best with her. How have you been feeling about all of this? It must have been quite a shock."
"It was a shock but I'm getting used to the idea. At least I get to see her everyday, it may not be an ideal situation but she's beautiful and really happy. Becca and I are in the middle of sorting out the legal side of things, I want to pay maintenance obviously but I want to have a legal arrangement to make sure I can see Abby a lot. Becca was in a bad mood last weekend and refused to let me see Abby. I don't want that to happen again. Do you want to see a picture?" Greg's mood suddenly lightened with this thought as Grissom nodded and he fished the picture from his pocket.
It was taken a few days before and Greg was holding Abby in his arms. He had her facing the camera and she was smiling.
"You can see the resemblance between you two. You couldn't question the paternity! She really is beautiful Greg. Have you told anyone else?" Grissom asked as he handed back the photograph.
"No, I haven't." Greg was staring dreamily at the photo for a moment before putting it back in his pocket. "I will probably tell them tonight. Thanks Grissom, for caring you know."
"That's no problem Greg, you know I'm here for you anytime. Maybe someday you can bring Abby in and introduce us. I could show her my beetle collection." Grissom smiled at the idea and noticed that this made Greg laugh.
"I don't know about the beetles but I'll definitely bring her in." Greg left the office after that and went and sat in the break room. He knew the rest of the team would be on their way in and he wanted to tell them before Grissom handed out the assignments.
Telling the team was much easier than Greg imagined, there were oohs and aahs over the photograph and offers to babysit. Catherine started to get broody and Warrick had to take the photo from her and hand it back to Greg before she got any ideas.
The next few months were pretty much okay, Greg and Becca were starting to get along a bit better and Greg had forgiven her for not telling him sooner. And he and Abby had a strong bond, she seemed to know who her Daddy was and would jump into his arms when he went to pick her up. Greg read her stories everyday and he would take her out in her stroller for walks.
It was Saturday night and the work was flying in, Greg was just finishing his work on a case in the Tangiers when he got a call from Desert Palms.
"Sanders."
"Mr. Greg Sanders?"
"Yes, it is."
"Mr. Sanders this is Dr. Phillis at Desert Palms hospital. Becca Anderson was brought in here a few moments ago and you are listed as her next of kin."
"Yes, she is the mother of my child, what's going on? Is she okay? Where's Abby?"
"Mr. Sanders, calm down. They were both involved in an automobile accident. Becca is in surgery now, she suffered head injuries and I can't tell you anything on her condition just yet. Abby is in with a doctor now but she is screaming for her Dada. How soon can you be with us Mr. Sanders?"
"Ten minutes, is my baby okay?" Greg was panicked and Catherine who had entered the room behind him could hear it in his voice and she placed a reassuring hand on his arm.
"She's fully conscious and the doctor is examining her. Get reception to page me when you get here."
"Okay goodbye."
Catherine grabbed Greg's hands as he hung up and started to sob. "My baby is in the hospital. She and Becca were in a car crash. I have to go."
"Sure sweetie, give me your keys and I will drive you, you're too upset to drive. I'll call Warrick to pick me up." Greg nodded as he handed his keys to Catherine and went to tell Grissom what was happening.
Catherine got them there in ten minutes and dropped Greg at the door while she went to park. By the time she got in the Doctor had answered his page and was explaining to Greg the extent of Becca's injuries, which were extensive. She was still in surgery but her chances of surviving were slim. Abby was in a room in the emergency ward awaiting the results of tests. Her car seat had saved her from worse injuries, she had a few scratches and some bruising but they had sent her for x rays as she was screaming uncontrollably.
Catherine and Greg were led by the doctor towards her room but Greg broke into a jog to find her by following her screams which they could hear clearly. The screams soon turned to sobs of "Dada…Dada…" Catherine and the doctor entered the room as Abby was jumping into her Daddy's arms and burying her head in his neck while grabbing fistfuls of his t-shirt and kicking.
The doctor came around the other side of the bed and Catherine stood beside Greg and rubbed his back, he was sobbing into his baby's hair with relief that she was okay. The doctor was the first person to speak, "She was distraught since she was admitted that's why we thought to do the x-rays but judging by how quiet she's getting it may just be because she wanted her Daddy. It was obviously very traumatic for her at the scene of the accident not being able to go to her mother."
Greg was nodding along with the doctor as he shushed his baby in his arms, her wails were now quietened to little sniffles as she curled up on his lap still holding on to his t-shirt for fear he would go. A nurse came into the room and handed the x-rays to the doctor who then went to look at them.
"You have some effect on this little lady." The nurse said "She had the whole ward in tears since she was admitted and it takes you seconds to calm her. Greg just smiled weakly as Catherine stepped in to answer, "I think she has proven she is a Daddy's girl."
The doctor re-entered to inform Greg that Abby had the all clear. She was healthy and very lucky and he could take her home as soon as he wanted to.
"What about Becca?"
"I'm afraid I don't have an update for you. I will go upstairs to the surgical ward and see what I can find out. Feel free to wait in here for me."
The minute the doctor left Catherine sat down and rubbed Abby's back making the little girl look up at the lady beside her Daddy. "Hey Sweetie, I'm Catherine. You daddies friend."
Abby looked up at Greg solemnly and pointed at Catherine. "Yes Abby she's a nice lady, call her Cath."
"Dada…" Abby started to claw at Greg's t-shirt again. "Up!"
"Okay sweetheart you want to be up in Daddy's arms, I get it." Greg lifted Abby up and sat down on the bed facing the doorway. "I wonder how Becca is? You know Abby has only stayed overnight at my apartment twice."
"Well I'm sure she will be fin once you are there with her, hey the doc is here again. You want me to go or stay?"
"Stay, Warrick isn't here yet anyways."
"Greg, I'm afraid it's not good news. I'm sorry, the surgeons did everything they could but Becca's injuries were too severe. She didn't make it."
"Shit…wha…" Greg was stunned into silence and tears fell again, he and Becca were no longer together and had their differences but she was still Abby's mother. How was he going to make Abby understand this, she wasn't even a year old.
Greg felt Catherine's arm around his shoulder and she held him as he wept. Then she helped him fill in all the paperwork that he had to and drove him and Abby to Becca's apartment to pick up clothes and toys, before taking them back to Greg's and getting Warrick to pick her up.
After Catherine left Greg curled up on the couch and cried as Abby crawled around the living room exploring.
"Dada" Abby was babbling as she crawled her way over to Greg and he reached down and scooped her up. She lay on his chest and the two fell asleepto the sound of Spongebob.
"Gil?"
Gil looked up to see Catherine standing in his doorway with teary eyes.
"What's up Catherine, what happened at the hospital?"
"Becca died. Abby is okay and I just took her and Greg home, they were both pretty upset when I left them. You should call Greg tomorrow and arrange time off he's going to need it."
Gil removed his glasses and rubbed his temples."I will. How awful for them. I'll drop by tomorrow and see can I do anything."
"Greg would appreciate that Gil." Catherine said as she sank into a chair. "This is going to be tough for him, he will find it hard to juggle his job and caring for Abby full time."
"Yes, but we will help and support him as much as we can." Catherine, take the night off you haven't even been home to change your clothes. I can call in some of the swing shift, they are crying out for overtime recently."
"Thanks Gil, I need to shower, I might get some groceries and drop them at Greg's first, you can be certain he doesn't have anything nutritious at his place and I'm sure Abby doesn't want to eat Sushi or Noodles."
"Okay, I'll go tell the rest of the team. They will want to know."Catherine left to go home for sleep and Grissom sat in his dark office for the rest of the night.