Author Note: I don't own any of the characters in the story (although I wish I did) and this is the sequel to Second Chances that has recently been revamped on this site. I will be applying the same type of editing techniques to this story over the course of the next while so please, be patient!

As always please do R&R and I will gladly return the favour when I have a chance :) Thank-you!

Peace

B.

Happily Ever After

- Chapter 1 -

- California Coast Line -

It was only three days ago Catherine finally signed the papers, officially becoming Mrs. Catherine Grissom. With a quick flick of the wrist she left behind her life as Catherine Willows; single mother, married to her job, and independent lifestyle. Something she had grown accustomed to over the years. It was freeing almost, with a new name came a new future with new possibilities. If her life was book, the author had just started a new chapter, and was waiting to see what adventures will ensue.

Catherine sat on the blanket, staring out at the white sandy beach ahead of her with the Californian sun beating down upon her body. She had on dark, over sized sunglasses and a wide brimmed hat, which looked stylish, but did nothing to cool her down. She watched the waves curling out in the Pacific Ocean, only about ten feet from where she was sitting. The waves were large, white caps on the tops like peaks to a mountain range, as adults and kids alike were crashing into them and screaming with glee. There were a few brave souls trying to ride the waves on surfboards, something she could never see herself doing. She was from a desert city, where the closest thing to the ocean was going to one of the fancy casino's on the The Strip and using their artificial wave machine. Even that was too daredevil-esque.

At the moment she was alone, her newly wed husband was one of those people out there swimming into the waves, enjoying the cool ocean water hitting his heated skin. She was a bit jealous of that fact, wanting to desperately grab a bottle of water from the cooler beside her and dump the whole thing over her head. Being alone did not bother her, she was able to contemplate on the strange course of events in her life that had brought her to this exact moment. If Gil had not come to her place and told her about his operation, she would have never blurted out her true feelings for him, and they would have probably never gotten married, let alone conceived a child. When Catherine was growing up her mother, as sweet as she was, did not get very involved in her daughter's life. With her father out of the picture until three years ago when, through unethical ways, Catherine was able to find out it was big time Casino Owners Sam Braun, she had no father figure in her life. Thirteen years ago when she gave birth to Lindsey, Catherine vowed not to repeat the same mistakes, keeping her dead beat of a husband in the picture not by choice, but my necessity. He may have been a jerk to Catherine, but he was a loving and caring father to Lindsey and in the end, that was all that mattered.

Even though she and Eddie were legally wed, that did not magically make the romance blossom. Catherine was left to raise Lindsey, cook, clean, and also work at the Crime Lab to support Eddie's coke habits, one-night stands and, potential record contracts. He was abusive to her, even before she had Lindsey, and they divorced when Lindsey was only three, unable to take it any longer. She could already see herself repeating her mother's mistakes, but when he was murdered five years ago, there was a small part inside her that was glad their time together was over. It was evident even in Lindsey, that she too was glad her father was out of the picture.

While Catherine was trying to juggle raising a child and work, the Graveyard Shift became more of family than colleagues. Gil allowed her to keep Lindsey in the lab while she worked crime scenes when the baby sitter, or Eddie, would cancel at the last moment. She and Greg, their resident DNA lab rat, became great friends and Lindsey enjoyed spending as much time with her mom as she could. It was because of this generosity that Catherine and Gil were able to get so close so long ago. She did well on her own, was able to find her footing and worked hard to create a balanced life for both her and Lindsey. Up until seventy-two hours ago, that life was all she knew.

Now re-married and three months pregnant with a new addition, this felt a bit like deja vu. It was the same scenario she and Eddie were in thirteen years ago with one vital difference. Gil and Catherine were actually in love. There was romance and a spark between them, and even though she was in her mid forties, this was finally her chance to have a fresh start. Everything in her past would stay in the past and never needed to be relived or referenced again. This, here and now, is something that Lindsey, herself and Gil deserved to have.

"What are you thinking about?" Gil asked. He trotted up the white sandy beach, water droplets were sparking in his curly, grey hairs on his chest.

Catherine's eyes still disguised by her dark glasses as she licked her lips, a bit turned on at the moment. Her husband resembled that of a swim suit model, like Daniel Craig in Casino Royal when he emerges from the ocean, muscular and majestic, as if he was going to whisk them away to a far away land. The very thought of such fantasy made a blush spread across her cheeks that was masked by the brim of her hat. One of the great side effects of pregnancy is a heightened sex drive. For her, it was to the point that just the mere thought of Gil made arousal stir inside of her.

Gil reached down and grabbed a towel off the blanket, "Hey, day dreamer." He called waving his hands in front of her eyes.

Catherine gazed up at her husband who loomed over her, "Huh, did you say something?" She asked innocently with a smile.

He began to dry himself off, spraying water droplets from his salt and pepper hair onto Catherine's bare legs. The water felt refreshing against her hot skin, "I asked what you were thinking about?"

Catherine squirmed, twirling a piece of blonde curls poking out from beneath her hat around her index finger. "Nothing, just womanly things."

Gil raised his eye brow, "What womanly things?" He asked before plopping down on the blanket, allowing the sun to dry his back and swim trunks.

Catherine shifted, turning to rest on her side, facing her husband as the baby let out a slight kick in protest at the sudden shift in position. For the fifth time in the past three hours she felt the need to use the washroom. Catherine blamed it on all the water she kept ingesting to keep herself hydrated. That, and the fact that their child was using her bladder as their own personal water bed. She removed her sun glasses, cupping his face in her hand, loving how cool and refreshing his skin felt against her's.

"Nothing of your concern. How was the ocean?" She asked, attempting to change the subject.

Gil played along, "Great. Felt amazing, you should go in. I'm sure you need to cool off under this Californian sun."

Catherine looked back out at the ocean, watching as a group of kids were playing close to the coastline. They were running in and out of the water, screaming like it was nipping their feet. They chased each other around, splashing and having a great time, totally lost in paradise. She smiled knowing that some day their unborn child and Lindsey will be able to do that. Be able be carefree with no consequences, no fears, and just live in the moment.

"There you go off to dream land again." Gil snickered as Catherine turned and scowled.

"I always had a fear of the water. I thought something would grab me from below and pull me under drowning me,"Catherine reasoned squirming once again as their child made another jump on her bladder.

Gil propped himself up on one elbow and smiled at his wife. "Nothing is out to get you. It's actually quite a beautiful place with living, breathing organisms and communities of animals working together towards a common goal. Much like human society."

Catherine rolled her eyes, "Always the scientist aren't you?"

Gil laughed, "Sorry. I guess I can leave the Lab but, the Lab can't leave me."

Catherine put her sun glasses back on, the sun beginning to give herself a headache. "That sounds like something Ecklie would say."

"Do me a favour, fire my ass if I ever become anything like Conrad Ecklie."

"Dooley noted."

Gil reached over and kissed Catherine on the lips, feeling how dry they were. He rested a hand on her stomach covered by her white sun dress at the moment and rubbed his hand in a circular motion, knowing both Catherine and the baby liked the rhythmic motion. "How are you holding up?" He asked, trying not to sound overly concerned not wanting to aggravate his wife.

"I feel like I need to pee and I'm starting to get a headache." She quipped.

"Are you hungry?"

Catherine frowned, "Gil, sweetheart, asking a pregnant woman if she is hungry is like asking an insomniac if they want to sleep. We always want what we can't get satisfaction from." She said sitting up once more unable to get comfortable on the blanket.

"Alright, well we should be heading back to Vegas in a few hours so let's stop for dinner before hitting the road. Plus, I think both you and the baby have got more than enough sun today." Gil replied noticing that his swim trunks were already practically dry.

Catherine wasn't about to argue with that as she slowly stood, the need to use the washroom suddenly over whelming. She stumbled a bit in the uneven sand, feeling a bit light headed as Gil quickly reached up, grabbing her hand to steady her. She smiled, seeing the struggle to ask if she was okay. She squeezed his hand, a silent gesture to let him know everything was fine and leaned in, kissing him behind the ear. The salt of the ocean filled her nostrils, making her suddenly crave french fries.

"I'm going to go to the washroom, I'll meet you at the Tahoe." She whispered and waddled across the uneven sand towards the rest rooms.

Gil watched her for a moment, make sure she didn't suddenly collapse in the hot sun. Her blonde locks blew in the slight breeze that was coming off the ocean as her white sun dress flowed freely around her knees. She placed a hand on her hat to keep it from blowing away and continued as fast as she could towards the bathroom. When he was satisfied that she was going to make it okay alone he began to pack up their belongings and head towards the parking lot.

T.B.C.