AN: Hey. I would have updated sooner, but I was away from a computer all weekend. R&R and enjoy. Thank you to everyone who reviewed.
Disclaimer: I do not own CSI. If I did, there would be massive changes.
Summary: While processing a scene, the CSIs discover an entirely new case, a case that becomes more personal than any of them could ever have dreamed.
Chapter 2:
Dylan Woods
With the little boy securely in Grissom's arms, he, Catherine, and Brass navigated their way to Catherine's Denali, ensuring that the child's attention was attracted away from the bodies on the pavement. Catherine opened the back door so that Grissom could gently place the boy inside.
"No!" the child cried out and clung to Grissom tighter when he was about to be set into the back seat.
"He's got quite the grip," Grissom commented, resuming a standing position to ease the little boy's hold on his neck.
"It's okay, Sweetie," Catherine cooed, gently rubbing the child's back in slow circles, as she had done with her own daughter when Lindsey was small and upset. This had the same calming effect on the boy as it had on Lindsey. He stopped fussing and buried his face in Grissom's arms.
"He likes you, Gil," Brass commented as he turned to walk away for a few minutes. This was one of the first times Brass had ever seen a small child with the normally reticent man in front of them.
"He probably likes Catherine more," Grissom hinted. Catherine rolled her eyes.
"Is that your not-so-subtle way of telling me I have to watch him?" she asked.
"Please?" he begged, "This is a huge crime scene. I'm calling the others in, but one of us needs to be with the kid and take him to the hospital. You are a great CSI, but you are an even better mother. You know how to handle kids, I don't," he stated. She raised her eyebrows.
"Is that your way of buttering me up?" she questioned, placing a hand on her hip. Grissom gulped. If he said the wrong thing, it would start an argument. He wasn't the best at people skills, so he figured he could say just about anything and she'd still get mad at him.
"Depends," he countered on a stroke of genius, "Is it working?" he asked. She shook her head and turned to talk to the little boy who had a couple fingers in his mouth by this point.
"Hey, there, Kido. I'm Catherine. What's your name?" she asked, changing her tone so it sounded more pleasant to the child.
"Dylan," he replied in a very quiet voice, taking his fingers from his mouth and placing his small hand on Gil's sleeve.
"That's an awesome name," Catherine complimented, "Do you know your last name?" she then asked.
"Dylan Woods," he replied, then he turned to look at Grissom, "What about you?" he asked, demonstrating his speaking skills.
"Me? My name is Gil," Grissom replied. Dylan smiled a shy smile at the recognition.
"Like 'Finding Nemo'," he said, still smiling. The look of confusion on Grissom's face was priceless.
"It's a Disney movie about fish," Catherine explained, giggling as Grissom's face contorted into a look of half-understanding, half-confusion.
"I like that movie," Dylan piped up.
"Me too," Catherine replied, "How old are you, Dylan?" she asked.
"Four," he answered, holding up four fingers.
"Well, you're a very smart little guy," Catherine commented. Dylan merely smiled his shy smile and buried his head back into Grissom's shoulder.
"You know, I bet Catherine would like to take you for a ride to the hospital," Gil hinted, shifting the small boy in his arms.
"No!" Dylan replied, shaking his head and wrapping his little arms around Grissom's neck.
"Way to go, Gil," Catherine sighed.
"I've taken the liberty of calling in the rest of your team," Jim informed them as he approached. Dylan's brow furrowed as he looked at the newcomer. He poked Grissom's cheek to get his attention.
"Who's that?" he asked softly.
"Oh, uh…Dylan, this is mine and Catherine's friend Jim. Jim, meet Dylan Woods, who has almost strangled me twice, now," Grissom muttered the last part. Brass laughed.
"It's nice to meet you, Dylan. How's it going?" Brass asked.
"Good," Dylan replied softly and quietly.
"He's a bit shy. We're trying to separate him from Gil so I can take him to the hospital to be checked over. Then I'm going to take him by the lab to get his prints and DNA and wait for social services," Catherine explained.
"Good luck. I've never seen a kid so taken with Gil," Brass commented.
"He was alright with Lindsey. She loved going to visit him and his bugs," Catherine told him.
"Hi! Guys, HE is standing right here!" Grissom called to gain their attention.
"I've got an idea," Brass said, looking at Dylan, "Dylan, do you know what a policeman is?" he asked. Dylan nodded.
"Well, I'm like a policeman," Brass continued, "I think if you help me out, you can be a policeman, too."
Dylan looked at Gil, who assured him, "It's okay."
"All you have to do is tell me where your mommy and daddy are," Brass told him, "Can you do that?"
Dylan hesitated before responding, "Mommy said to be quiet."
"What else did she say, Dylan?" Gil asked this time, hoping his input would encourage him.
"I'd get a surprise for quiet," he said, then he looked as though he was processing something, "Do I get it?" he asked, "I wasn't quiet," he seemed worried.
"Sure, thing, Dylan," Brass responded, unclipping his badge, "Here you go. You know what this does?" he asked as the child took it.
"What?" Dylan asked.
"You can do anything with this. With this, you can tell people what to do. You don't need to be scared of anybody while you have this badge," Brass explained. Dylan examined it.
"Really?" he asked.
"Sure," Brass encouraged, "Test it out. Tell Cath to do something."
"Okay. Touch your nose," Dylan ordered. Catherine obediently put a finger to the tip of her nose. Dylan giggled, elated that he had a new toy.
"You're a pro," Brass complemented, "Now, what about your daddy? Where's he?" Dylan shrugged in response.
"I don't got a daddy," he murmured. The three adults just glanced at each other. Catherine's heart immediately went to the little boy. Her daughter was fatherless as well. Grissom understood what it was like to grow up without a father. He lost his when he was just nine-years-old. Brass was wondering just what kind of home this little guy came from.
"Is that the kid?" the low baritone of Warrick Brown could be heard from across the lot as he crossed over to them. Sara Sidle, Nick Stokes, and Greg Sanders followed him to where all four were standing in front of their supervisors, the detective, and Dylan.
"His name's Dylan," Catherine introduced, gesturing to the little boy, who had once again hid his face in Grissom's shoulder.
"He's a bit shy," Grissom explained overtop Dylan's head.
"And VERY attached to Grissom. We're in the process of un-sticking them," Catherine emphasized. Brass crinkled his brow in thought.
"Wait a minute," he said slowly, "I thought Dylan had the badge. The badge means he doesn't need to be scared of anybody," he remembered. The four newcomers looked at him as if he had lost it.
"Hey, that's right," Catherine joined, "Dylan, you don't need to be scared, remember? You have the magic badge, don't you?" she asked. He showed her Jim's badge in his small hand and looked up.
"Come on, Dylan," Gil whispered, "Tell that guy to run around the car," he encouraged, pointing to Greg.
"Run around car," Dylan ordered quietly. Greg looked confused.
"Just do it," Grissom ordered. Greg raised his eyebrows and did a lap around the car.
"Run around the car?" Catherine questioned.
"He needs to burn off that energy," Grissom defended himself.
"Anything else?" Greg asked, unimpressed, as he came to a stop before them. Dylan, however, grinned.
"It works!" he exclaimed.
"Told you," Brass quipped.
"So Grissom's babysitting?" Nick asked.
"I am, but as I said, we need to pry Dylan away from Gil," Catherine corrected. Grissom had an idea.
"So Dylan, why don't you go with Catherine and test out your new toy somewhere else?" he asked. He hoped that Dylan would not freak out again. Thankfully, Dylan nodded.
"Alright!" Catherine exclaimed, "Come here, buddy. Let's go have some fun," she said, holding her arms out so she could hold Dylan. He released Grissom's neck and latched onto Catherine.
"I'm free," Grissom stated, a little happy. He was very uncomfortable around kids.
"Don't sound so enthused," Brass chided, "I'm going to ride with Catherine and the kid to the hospital. I've already called Sofia to come out."
"Perfect. Thanks," Grissom said.
"Well, we'll let you get to work," Catherine told the rest. Dylan waved.
"Bye-bye, Gil," he said.
"See you later, Dylan," Grissom waved as well.
"So, are we ever gonna start work?" Greg whined. Grissom rolled his eyes. Greg was his usual impatient, energetic self.
"Warrick, you take Kendal Gates. Greg can help Nick with the other three bodies. Me and Sara will process the dumpster," Grissom ordered.
"Got it, Boss," Nick affirmed as he, Greg, and Warrick walked to their bodies.
"Quite the case," Sara commented as she stood with Grissom.
"We'll see if it's just one," Grissom sighed, "Dylan's case might not even be related to the other homicides."
TBC
