Sad Endings Can Lead to Beautiful Beginnings
A Grillows Fanfiction by Mandi Powers
Chapter one
It had been a month. One long, miserable month. Gil Grissom was often seen just moping around in his office hunched over head in his hands. It seemed like even his bugs took notice. Sara Sidle had left. For good. She was the first person he had ever truly loved and she was gone. He'd had feelings for other women before, but nothing as intense as what he had felt for her. How could she do this to me? He thought to himself as he was, once again, alone in his office. We were engaged, she had said yes to marrying me! Why would she just… His thoughts were broken by the sound of a knock on the door. He looked up to see a very beautiful blonde standing in his doorway leaning against the frame. "Hi Catherine." He said a bit more sulkily than she was used to. She strode in without saying a word and sat in the chair across from him. She leaned in and clasped his hand in hers. He looked into her deep blue eyes with a look of confusion as if her touching him was the strangest thing in the world. "Gil," she said stroking the top of his hand gently with her thumb, "the team is all very worried about you. Especially me. I finished my paperwork early and have decided you need a personal day so I am taking you to lunch." Gil opened his mouth to argue and Catherine leaned in and quickly touched her finger to his lips effectively silencing him. "I am not taking no for an answer. You need to stop moping around the lab and going home to your condo and moping more ok?" Gil looked a little lost for words at how commanding she was being, but decided it was better to just nod his head and go along with whatever she had planned. "Good. Give me ten minutes to get my stuff together and then meet me at my car. On second thought, it's nice out. Go out to my car now and enjoy the sun." She turned to leave, paused and turned to him again. "By the way Gil, everything is really going to be okay you know that right?" Gil smiled back at her. The first smile she had seen since Sidle ran out on them all. "Thanks Catherine."
As Catherine went back to her office to collect her things she let her mind wander. How could Sara do that to him? He loved her so much and she just walked out on him! Screw the rest of us we were just colleagues and friends but he actually was in love with her! Damn it Sidle, I had just totally accepted you two and now you just leave and I am left to pick up the pieces. I hope you stay gone. He doesn't need that again. Maybe now he can find someone who will stay by his side. Someone like… "Hey, Cath?" It was Nick. "Yeah Nicky?" "Are you leaving for the day or something?" He asked. Catherine thought his puppy dog eyes and boyish charms were adorable, but just that. Boyish. Catherine liked Men. "Yes I am, I'm taking Grissom out for the afternoon and hopefully, rest of the night if I can get him in a good mood." Nick cocked an eyebrow. "Not like that Nicky!" She said rolling her eyes. "In the 'trying to keep him from listening to classical music moping around in his condo alone' sense." She opened the door to her office and stepped inside. Adding with a wink as she closed the door "Pervert." Nick grinned and walked back to his lab to continue work on his case. Catherine packed up her stuff quickly and walked out to her car, where she found a still sour, but a little less mopey-looking Gil Grissom leaning against the passenger side. "Get in." She said smiling as she pressed the remote keyless entry. Gil always did as he was told.
After 10 minutes of driving in silence, Gil decided to speak. "So, uh, where exactly are we going?" "You'll see." She said grinning. Moments later, they pulled up at her house. "Uh, Cath, this is your house." Gil said looking confused. "Yeah, I know." She replied laughing. "I thought I could make you lunch, but if you are uncomfortable we can go somewhere else." "No, I'm not. I just wasn't sure why we were here, but I think you making me lunch is a very nice gesture. Thank you." "Anytime." She said getting out of the car. Gil followed. He was surprised at how much better he was already feeling just being in the company of the woman who had been his right hand for so many years. He felt almost guilty for feeling good entering another woman's home so soon after Sara leaving, even if it was just a platonic lunch. "You okay?" Catherine said turning to look at him as she unlocked her front door. "Yeah, I'm good." He said smiling. She smiled back and pushed open the door.
Gil had never actually been inside Catherine's house before. He liked how clean and well put together it looked. He also found himself liking the fact that it smelled just like her. "So, what do ya feel like?" She asked him. He thought for a moment. "I'm sure anything you make will taste great Catherine." If she didn't know better, Catherine would have thought Gil was flirting, then again she had mistaken their closeness once before and was not going to make the same mistake twice. "Ok, Kraft Dinner it is!" She said winking as Gil made a face of feigned shock. "Just kidding. The only time I ever make that stuff is for Lindsey." "Good, because had you been serious I would've just ordered take out." He said grinning. He looks so happy now. Catherine thought to herself. Guess this was a good idea after all. "Speaking of Lindsey, where is she?" "School, then friends house for a sleepover tonight." Catherine replied. Gil just smiled and sipped the glass of wine she had poured for him. Catherine decided on making lemon grilled chicken with side ceaser salad. They talked the entire time Catherine was cooking and during their lunch the conversation flowed so freely that both parties felt a little guilty at how great they were getting along. She even caught him catching glances down her shirt every so often.
Before they knew it, it was 8pm and they were long done their meal and were starting to feel hungry for dinner. "Wow, look at the time, I can't believe we've been talking this long!" Grissom said after glancing at his watch. "Why, you got somewhere else to be?" Catherine replied toying with the top of her wine glass and smiling that seductively gorgeous smile she has. "Nope. Just was surprised that's all. You know, me and Sara used to have the same thing happen all the time." Ah the mention of Sara. It brought them both back to reality in a snap. They had both been on a sort of high with each other. Both of them had forgotten for a few hours she existed. Gil's expression had changed from one of happiness and laughter, back to the sad forlorn look he had worn earlier in the day. "Oh Gil." Catherine said in a concerned tone as she reached across and held his hands. "Cath?" He sounded like a sad little boy nervous to ask an adult a question. Catherine thought it was adorable and endearing. "Yeah?" "How did you get through your divorce with Eddie?" This was not a question she was expecting so it took her a few seconds to respond. "Umm, well, I left him so I think it's kind of different, but I guess I just focused on work and my friends, and then I started trying to date a little over a month after and there were nights I broke down alone and drank a little too much wine and cried myself to sleep. But it got easier. Honestly." "I'm sorry you went through that Catherine." "No need to be Gil. I got through it and am stronger for it." "Yeah but you have been through so much in your life. Especially the past couple years. I just wish I was as strong." Catherine was in a slight state of shock. Gil Grissom is opening up to me? Wow. This night is going a lot better than I thought. "Wow Gil. I don't know what to say. I think you are stronger than you realize. You deserve someone that will stay with you for the long haul and not leave you. Let alone without a proper goodbye." "Thanks Catherine that means a lot to me." He squeezed her hand. They shared a moment of lingering eye contact leaving both of them feeling a bit odd. Gil cleared his throat. "It's getting late, I should probably get going. Thanks for everything Catherine. I think I'm going to grab a cab and head home now. I'll see you at work tomorrow." "Oh, ok. No problem." She got up and grabbed the phone for him. That night they both ate dinner alone in their respective homes, but neither one was without thoughts of the other.