Disclaimer: See prologue.

CHAPTER 9

Grissom arrived home to find Greg and Nina playing a game of scrabble. He could she the smile on his daughter's face, something he'd missed a lot these past couple of months they'd been getting reacquainted. Now he knew why she hardly was smiling anymore, and it was good to see that Greg managed to make her smile again.

"Greg, that's not a word."

"Yes it is."

"No, it isn't. 'Caffeined' is not a word!."

"I'm telling you, it is. Simply look at me. Full of caffeine, thus caffeined." Greg smiled smugly. "That's about how many points? Let me see…18 for the word and three times word value makes it 54 points."

"That's also a way to win the game."

Both Nina and Greg looked up too see Grissom standing in the doorpost with a smile on this face.

"Hi dad, we, euhm, we found your scrabble game."

"So I see, who's winning?"

"I am, boss man."

Nina looked at Greg with a raised eyebrow. "You're only winning because you're cheating and putting in words that don't even exists."

While Greg started to explain once again, that 'caffeined' was a word, Grissom made his way over the table where they were playing the game. He stood behind Nina, looking at her letters. He put her letters in some order, then motioned towards the board. Nina got the hint.

"Fine Greg, have it your way. 'Caffeined' is a word. I can put disorderly at that –d– so that makes it 15 points, plus on extra for the double letter score makes 16. Then three times 16 makes it 48, and I've got another triple word score so that makes it 144 points." Nina looked smug at Greg, who was now looking in amazement.

Greg looked up at Grissom, "Hey, you're helping, that's not fair!"

Grissom shrugged his shoulders and went to the kitchen. "She's my daughter." He called back.

"Well, daughter or not, no helping involved in a game of scrabble."

Nina laughed out loud. "You're just saying that, because now I am the one who's winning."

Greg looked at Nina with a smile. "Do you know how good that father of yours is with words, while puzzling or doing games?"

"Ouch, that hurt Greg." Grissom said dramatically, who'd been walking back into the living room with something to drink.

Both Nina and Greg had to laugh about the look on Grissom's face. Greg couldn't help but think that he liked this side of Grissom. A side he'd never seen before and definitely hoped to see more in the future. He stood up and said it was time for him to leave, but that they really needed to finish that game of scrabble later on.

Nina nodded, indicating she was in for that and said her goodbyes and thanks to Greg. Greg walked towards the front door, Grissom closely behind him. Before he'd left, Grissom called him.

"Greg, I want to take you for staying with Nina this night."

"No worries about it boss man. I had fun, she's a lovely woman. I would do it anytime."

Grissom took a closer look. Something seemed off. It was almost if Greg was falling in love with his daughter. He quickly shook that thought out of his mind. "Do you mind coming again tomorrow?"

Greg looked up, hesitating a bit. Grissom noticed this and said that it was alright to say if he couldn't, since it was his night off tomorrow.

"It's not that I've got any plans, well except for grabbing a beer with an old friend, but I can blow that off. You're sure you don't mind me being in your house?" Greg knew Grissom still was a private man.

"Greg, I wouldn't ask you, if I didn't want it. Besides, Nina seems to trust you. Her welfare is more important at the moment than what I want or don't want. But you've already got plans, so …"

"It's not like I can't grab a beer with that friend on another free night. I'll be there tomorrow, around eight p.m. if that's alright with you?"

Grissom nodded. "Thanks Greg. I'll see you tomorrow."

Greg bit his farewell as well and headed home. Little did he know that a man was watching him intently from behind a large tree.

Grissom had closed the door, making his way back to the living room. Nina was making herself pancakes and asked him if he wanted some as well. That was when he noticed he was hungry.

"I'll be back in a second, just changing clothes." And he headed to his bedroom to change.

Nina decked the table and put the pancakes in the middle. She sat down on one of the chairs and pondered how much her life had changed. From the moment she couldn't get any contact with her dad, her life had been hell. Both her mother and grandmother talked her into marrying Raymond Yessar, and planned the whole wedding. "That was the biggest mistake of my life." She mumbled.

"Hmmm, the pancakes smell delicious." Grissom came walking into the living room. "Nina?"

Nina looked up to see that her father had returned. "Sorry dad, I guess I was lost in thought."

Grissom looked at his daughter contemplating the thought he'd earlier. "What do you think of Greg?" The question left his mouth before he was able to stop himself.

Nina looked up at her father. In the short time they'd been getting reacquainted, he'd never once mentioned things indicating relationships. She'd been glad about that, considering her marriage wasn't good – and wasn't good was being an understatement.

Grissom was starting to feel embarrassed. They'd never discussed anything that indicated something as a relationship. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked that."

Nina started to feel sorry for her father. "Greg's nice." She answered. "I trust him, and considering the circumstances, you can say that's a lot. But why do you ask?"

"I asked Greg to come to keep you company tomorrow. I hate for you to be alone."

Nina nodded. "Thanks." Then she shoved her plate away and stood up. "I think I'm going to take a shower."

x

"Sidle."

Sara had woken up by the phone ringing and had picked it up. She was getting annoyed, because the person on the other end, didn't make his presence known or told her who he (or she) was. "This is Sara Sidle, and unless you start telling me who you are, I'm going to hang up."

"Sara, no, don't hang up. I…I…"

Sara sighed, she should have known. "Grissom, is everything o.k.? Why are you calling?"

"Yes, everything's okay. I just … I … Did I wake you? I did, didn't I? I'm sorry, I'll hang up so you can go back to sleep. I'll see you this evening."

Sara was about to reply when she heard the tone, indicating Grissom had hung up. She was wondering why Grissom would have called her and was about to call him back, when her phone rang again. She picked it up, hearing a strange voice telling her to leave her current case for what it is, or bad things would happen. When the call was finished, she quickly dialled Grissom's number, calling him for a completely different reason then she intended to the first time.

"Grissom."

"Griss, we've got trouble."

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