Rated:T for now.
A/N- thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter, I'm glad to know someone likes this story : ). Please r&r if you like it or not...I can take criticism as long as it's meant to help, not harm. ; )
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She found her mother sitting on a chair facing a window that viewed the front of the house.
"Mama," Her small hands tugged on the hem of the older woman's shirt.
"Not now Sara." Laura puffed on a cigarette.
"Now mama!"
Laura pursed her lips, looking down at her five year old daughter.
"Sara." She warned.
"I can twirl, mama! Like a princess," Sara began to twirl. "See?"
Laura sighed, "Sara, go to your room. It's almost bedtime."
The little girl stopped twirling. She faced her mother, "Daddy's not home."
Laura's frown deepened. "No, he's not."
Taking a long drag, Laura looked down at her daughter who was suddenly silent.
Wide brown eyes stared up at her. "Is daddy coming home?"
"I think so." She patted her pockets, searching for another cigarette.
"Oh." Sara's small voice stopped Laura's movement. She studied her daughter for a moment. Sara was starring at her feet, her brow furrowed in thought.
Laura was distracted by headlights streaming through the front window. A car pulled into the driveway. Laura's eyes narrowed as she glanced at the clock hanging by the front door.
"Sara, I think you should go to bed…" Laura turned, only to find the little girl had already left.
--
"Ma…ma…ma…ma"
"That's me," Sara laughed, picking her daughter up from the playpen.
Claudia, CSI's daycare worker, smiled. "Sydney's been using new sounds today. She seems to really like 'ma'."
Sara grinned. She hoisted Sydney farther up on her hip, "Grissom's been trying to get her to say 'mommy'. I suppose that's as far as she's gotten."
Claudia tweaked the baby under the chin, "We'll see you tomorrow Syd." Sydney giggled. "Bye, bye Sydney."
"Wave bye-bye Sydney." Sydney moved her hands to mimic her mother's.
"See you tomorrow Claudia,"
--
Sara kissed her daughter's cheek as she unstraped her from her car seat. Sydney yawned widely. The excitement of seeing her mother had worn off, leaving her eyes drooping.
Opening the front door Sara smiled at the smell of breakfast cooking.
Sydney's eyes widened when she saw the man in the kitchen, turned towards the stove. "Ma…ma….ma," her small arms reached out towards her father.
Grissom turned, his eyes sparkling.
"My two favorite girls," He pecked Sara on the lips before taking Sydney. He lifted the child into the air, much to her squealed delight. "Hey baby girl."
"Ma…ma,"
Sara leaned against the counter, "She doesn't have 'dada' down yet."
"That doesn't matter. That she can articulate 'ma' is really smart for her age."
"Well, the books say babies should start saying a couple words around ten months."
Grissom marveled at the child he held in his arms, "She's brilliant, Sara. I saw her trying to walk the other day,"
Sara stirred the scrambled eggs on the stove, "And soon she'll be running, with us trying to catch her."
"I don't know if ol' dad will be able to keep up Syd." Grissom mock lectured. Sydney reached up trying to grab his nose.
Sara grinned at the picture of the two of them. Her daughter and her…boyfriend? Partner? Baby's father?
She felt tears prickle in her eyes as Grissom lovingly cooed to their child. Who needed to label this? This was her family. This was bliss.
--
After eating and putting Sydney down in her crib, Sara walked into the master bedroom smiling tiredly at the form already lying on the bed. He was in boxer shorts and a t-shirt. His eyes were closed but he smiled when she entered.
"She asleep?"
"Pretty much." Sara drowsily changed from her work clothes to pajamas. "How did he lectures at the University go?"
Grissom shrugged. "Not bad."
"It was weird…you not being at work today."
Grissom studied her for a moment. "C'mere,"
Sara sighed gratefully as she slid into his arms. Within minutes they were both asleep.
--
Even though Sara and Grissom weren't married, working together had been highly frowned upon once their relationship became known. Ecklie and the higher ups tried to separate them to different shifts as they believed having Sara work under Grissom would create ethical issues. Sara, Grissom and the graveyard team fought for them. After explaining in thorough detail that Sara and Grissom's solve rates had not decreased, but only increased since they began dating, and threatening they would both quit if separated, the powers that be felt momentarily tongue-tied. When they brought up the issue of Grissom's ability to be subjective concerning Sara's future employee evaluations and possible reprimands Grissom was prepared.
Catherine was promoted to co-rule the graveyard shift. Grissom would be given the duties to watch over Warrick and Nick, while Catherine would supervise Sara and Greg.
The higher ups could do nothing but agree. They couldn't chance losing one of the top entomologists in the country, and Grissom and Sara's solve rates would have been sorely missed.
Catherine's position as co-supervisor was a definite plus when Sydney was born. Catherine was able to smoothly reign the night shift when Grissom needed more flexible hours.
While they worked on the same shift, Sara and Grissom usually worked on different cases. They were wary a case could be potentially compromised if a lawyer brought their relationship forth to a jury in a manner that made them seem unprofessional. They were very professional at work, if someone who didn't know them studied very closely they most likely wouldn't see the warm glances and light touches.
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Sara and Grissom kissed their daughter before they left the daycare to begin their shift. Grissom found himself stunned again how domesticated his life had become. Not that he was complaining; he couldn't imagine his life without Sara and Sydney. But he had never thought he would have been able to integrate so seamlessly in family-life. A few years ago he had been certain he'd never have his own family. If things had turned out slightly different, he might not have. Grissom frowned deeply at the thought.
"Hey, what's up?" Sara's soft voice penetrated his thought. They had been walking towards the CSI break room, but Sara had gently pulled him off to the side.
Grissom cleared his throat. "It's nothing."
"Are you sure?" Her eyes were bright and curious. Their color made him think of molasses and chocolate. He had trouble looking away.
"It's silly." He was about to brush it off but something in her expression made him continue. "I was just thinking…how different my life would be without you and Syd." He paused studying her face. "It amazes me how much I could have missed…" His voice was husky.
Sara blinked quickly, trying to keep her eyes from brimming with tears. She pulled Grissom into a hug, not caring who could see them. "That is one of the nicest things you could ever say."
--
It was several hours into shift, about five cups of coffee, and hours of looking through crime scene photos and statements, when Grissom felt his cell phone vibrate for what seemed the thousandth time.
"Grissom." He barked.
"Whoa, Gris."
Grissom rubbed his eyes. "Sorry Brass. What can I do for you?"
"I have something that'll brighten your night."
"Yeah?"
"I have Mrs. Rockwell in custody. Wanna join the interrogation?"
Grissom grinned, "Samantha Rockwell? That's great Brass. I'll be down in a couple minutes."
"Okay, room three."
Grissom snapped his phone closed smiling, his mood was brightening considerably.
A few minutes later Grissom quietly opened interrogation rooms door. He nodded to Brass as he stepped inside.
"Mrs. Rockwell, this is CSI Gil Grissom. He's also been working on the case and I'm sure he'd like to ask a few questions of his own." Brass looked up at Grissom, curious why he hadn't sat down.
Grissom was staring at the woman with shock written all over his face.
Samantha Rockwell pushed back chestnut curls, her expression showing a fair amount of her own surprise.
"Gil."
"Sam…" Grissom breathed. His face shifted through a dozen emotions, ending with his brow furrowed in confusion.
Brass looked back and forth at his colleague and the suspect.
"You know each other?"
Grissom's voice was strained when he answered, "Brass, this is Samantha…my ex-wife."
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