Thanks to all that have been reading and reviewing this story. And also to Just Thinking for the beta work. Then there is also thegreatbluespoon, she likes to talk to Madame Tipsy, and put in her two cents worth. Enjoy this next installment.

Teens & Tribulations

Chapter 10

Grissom sat in his office half the night thinking of Kassie. The little girl had stolen his heart in a very short time. He needed to think, so he headed off to help Catherine at her crime scene.

On the way he stopped by the house. He was getting a bottle of water out of the fridge and was forced to look at Kassie's picture she had colored hanging there. Grissom looked at the picture for what seemed like eternity before he noticed the light blinking on the answering machine. He walked over and punched the button.

"Hi, my name is Susan Hays from Child Services. I am calling to inform you that your status as the foster family for Jason Miller and Kassie Marlin has been finalized. They will remain in your care until adopted. You will receive compensation and the children are covered under the states medical assistant program. Thank you."

Grissom erased the message and headed out. He arrived at Catherine's scene twenty minutes later.

"Gil, to what do I owe the honor of your presents?"

"I needed to get out of my office. What can I do?"

He started collecting evidence, but to Catherine he was unusually quiet. Normally Grissom would be theorizing over every little thing. This time he remained silent.

"I think I know how Kassie got the flu." Catherine said breaking the ice.

Grissom stopped what he was doing and looked over at her but didn't respond as he waiting for her to continue.

"Jason and Lindsey were horsing around and fell into the pool. Kassie jumped in fully clothed." Grissom straightened up as his eyes grew larger by the second. "They got her out alright, but she got cold fast. If I would have known she hadn't had her immunizations I would have thought more about it. I'm sorry."

Grissom counted to ten and slowly released his breath. He didn't know why all of a sudden he was so angry with Catherine. "No one knew. You didn't cause it and there was nothing you could have done to prevent it." He looked back down at what he was doing, and remained silent the rest of the time he was there. He stopped by the house on his way back to the lab. He planned on going straight to the hospital after shift, but he needed a shower first.

Once he was finished at the lab, Grissom locked his office and headed out. It was still early for the 'powers that be' to be arriving, but he thought wrong as he heard Ecklie screech his name.

"Gil, I need to have a word with you."

"Not now Conrad." he replied.

Ecklie started walking after Grissom. "No, now. The Sheriff and Lab Director are waiting in my office."

"Maybe you didn't hear me the first time." Grissom's tone of voice changed dramatically as he spoke.

"Gil. That's enough. We just want to go over something with you. It won't take but a few minutes." the sheriff butted in suddenly.

Grissom sighed heavily and nodded as they headed to Ecklie's office.

"Listen Gil..."

"Can it Conrad." The sheriff said. "I'll do the talking. I want to keep this civilized."

Grissom smirked at Ecklie as he sat back in his chair and bit his lip.

"Gil, rumors are going around that you and Miss Sidle are married. Is this true?"

Grissom paused and it was just enough to give Ecklie what he needed.

"Ha, I knew it." Ecklie said triumphantly.

The sheriff stood and threw Ecklie out of his own office. Now it was just Grissom, the Lab Director and the Sheriff.

"Yes, it's true. Here is our marriage licence." Grissom fished out the pale yellow piece of paper and handed it over.

The Sheriff continued. "Ok, now here's what's going to happen. I assume Miss Sidle, or Mrs. Grissom, want's to stay working the night shift. Since you are the supervisor and responsible for team evaluations, her evaluation will from now on be filled out by Catherine Willows. Do you object to any of this so far?"

"No."

"Good. I just want to make this very clear, and I'm only going to say it once. If word gets back to me or even Ecklie that you are playing favorites, this agreement will become void and other actions will be taken. But I have confidence that this will not happen, since you have already married her, just how long were you courting Miss Sidle?"

Grissom thought back to the events leading up to when Brass was shot and nearly died. "Oh, I would say around six months."

"That's what I'm getting at here. We understand that there has already been an established relationship, and the lab hasn't suffered. That's what I want to maintain."

"Sara and I feel the same way."

"Good." The Sheriff stood and shook Grissom's hand as did the Director.

They also congratulated him as he walked out. Grissom stopped as he passed Ecklie and couldn't hold in the smile that came over his face. "You loose Conrad." And with that he headed to the hospital.

Grissom slowly entered Kassie's room. Sara opened her eyes from her sleeping position in the chair and smiled at him. He moved over to her as she stood, and embraced him.

"How's she doing?"

"Her fever has broke." Sara replied.

"That's good. Listen why don't you and Jason go home and get cleaned up. I'll stay with her until you get back." Grissom suggested.

Sara thought briefly about protesting . "Alright." She moved to gather her things as Grissom went to wake Jason who was sound asleep on the couch in the room.

Sara and Jason headed home as Grissom sat down in the chair next to Kassie's bed. He stared at her for an eternity, when a familiar voice broke his train of thought.

"How is she?" Catherine asked.

Grissom looked up, "She's getting better, slowly but surely. Hi Lindsey."

"Hi. I'm so sorry, we were just playing and it wasn't' like we intended her to jump in..." She stopped when Grissom raised his hands at her.

"Lindsey, you did nothing. It was just a freak accident. She'll be alright."

Lindsey smiled, "Is Jason here?"

"He went home with Sara, but they'll be back."

"Linds, could you give us a minute?" Catherine asked.

"Sure. Oh, this is for Kassie." Lindsey handed Grissom a white teddy bear that was holding a heart and had a band-aid on his arm.

"I'll be sure to give it to her when she wakes up."

Catherine sat down next to Grissom. She looked at Kassie as Grissom set the bear on the bed next to her. "Gil,...you remember what it was like to be a teenager don't you?"

Grissom looked confused. "Yeah. Where are you going with this Catherine?"

"Well after I had taken Kassie inside to dry off, I looked back out and saw Jason and Lindsey sitting by the pool doing the little back and forth flirting." She paused to see if Grissom would respond.

"So?"

"Gil, open your eyes. He's thirteen, she's fourteen. Get it."

"Catherine, are you afraid that they will be having sex before too long?"

She stood and paced to curb her anger. "I'm just saying, I don't want to see anything happen to either one of them. I know when I was young that's all that was on my mind."

"I wouldn't know. Listen, he's just starting to go through puberty, and maybe when they are older they won't have this thing going between them."

"Ha." Catherine said sarcastically, "Just wait until you see how they look at each other. Crush doesn't even begin to describe it."

Grissom motioned to the other chair, "Sit down, and calm down."

Catherine sat as Grissom turned his attention back to Kassie. "She's special to you, isn't she?"

He looked over his shoulder at Catherine and smiled. "Yes she is."

They sat in silence until Sara and Jason walked back in.

"Hi, Catherine. How's she doing Gil?"

"Same as when you left."

"Ms. Willows, is Lindsey around?" Jason asked.

Catherine glared back at Grissom. "She was out in the hall."

Jason walked out to search for Lindsey. Sara cracked a smile back at Catherine.

"Don't worry Cath, Grissom already gave him the talk about the birds and bees."

"I didn't talk to him about sex, I just showed him about what happens during puberty in some of the books I have."

"Thanks Gil, that makes me feel so much better." Catherine said sarcastically.

A soft moan silenced them as Sara and Grissom gathered around Kassie's bed. Her tiny eyes opened as Sara and Grissom breathed a sigh of relief.

Sara placed her hand on the little girl's forehead, "Hi sweetie. How are you feeling?"

"Ok, my arm itches." Kassie said as she tried to scratch her arm.

Sara stopped her. "I know it itches, but you need to leave it alone. That's your IV."

Catherine walked out to give them some privacy, so she went in search of her daughter.

Kassie was released the next day. After Sara put her to bed she found Grissom reading in the living room.

"Anything exciting?"

"No. Sara,..." He paused as she sat next to him and noticed what he was reading.

"Gil, are you thinking about going through with adopting Jason and Kassie?"

"I've been looking into it. It's not an overnight done deal Sara. For a few months a caseworker will be assigned...I guess to make sure we don't screw up, then we can petition a judge for the official adoption. And there is a lot of digging into our lives."

"This is what I want Gil. Is it what you want?"

He removed his glasses and looked at Sara. "When I saw Kassie lying in that hospital bed, I thought I might loose it right there. She's so young and innocent, and Jason, he so smart. Kinda reminds me of when I was his age. I'm not sure if another family might see it that way. At least we wouldn't care about experiments, or..."

"Gil." Sara interrupted by placing her finger over his lips. "Do you, Gil Grissom, want these kids to grow up in our home, under our care?"

"Yes. I do."

Sara smiled and went to retrieve the paper work she had already started. She and Grissom filled out what was required of them and placed it in an envelope.

"Thank you." Sara said as she leaned over to hug him. She then stood, "I'm going to go check on Kassie.

Grissom nodded and watched her go up the stairs. As he sat there he thought about what the future would now hold for him and Sara. He laid his head on the back of the couch allowing his brain to relax, and the minute it did, he was asleep.

Sara stopped before she reached the landing on the stairs and looked at Grissom sleeping on the couch. She knew she had to wake him otherwise, his body wouldn't let him forget how he slept. Sara removed his glasses and gave him a soft kiss on the lips.

"Gil, come to bed, you're exhausted."

She tugged at his arms and he slowly stood in a half asleep state and allowed her to lead him to bed.

Reviews, the more I get the faster I'll update.

Ok, and for you all looking for another story to read, it's offical, thegreatTDCSI has posted "What Goes Around..." It's rated M, for language, among other things. :) Surf on over and check it out.