13) Little Man On Campus

Henry looked up when Gina knocked on his lab door.

"Hey, you have company."

"I do?"

"Yeah… He couldn't sleep again."

Henry sighed, looking at his watch. It was four in the morning. He sat down what he was working on and followed her out to the lobby.

He came around the corner and his eyes narrowed a little. Standing next to his neighbor Doreen Cooper was his little brother, Jason. The child had just turned six but tonight he was acting like he was two. He was still wearing his 'Over The Hedge' pajamas and hugged a worn stuffed animal. The stuffed animal had been Henry's when he was a child. His grandmother had made it from patches of cloth and he named it Ralph. Ralph stuck even after the worn stuffed toy had been passed on to Jason.

Henry smiled at Doreen, masking that he was upset she was here with Jason. "Why didn't you call Doreen?"

"I tried but he wouldn't stop screaming until I promised to bring him to you. I'm sorry, Henry. I didn't know what else to do. I thought that maybe if you talked to him for a few minutes, I could take him home and—"

"NO!" Jason screamed.

He left the safety zone of Doreen and wrapped his arms around Henry's waist, clinging on tight.

"Is there a problem?" Henry heard Grissom asked.

Henry didn't turn. He didn't know what to say because he wasn't sure there was a problem yet.

"I think we have it under control," Gina said.

"Who is this?" Grissom asked

"Henry's brother."

Henry crouched down, pulling Jason's arms away. "Hey big guy, we can't do this every night."

Jason started crying, falling into Henry's arms. Henry closed his eyes, resting his head on Jason's shoulder. Eight months ago their parents had been killed by a drunk driver – Henry had been upset when Grissom refused to bend rules and let him work on the case – and ever since then, their live had become difficult. Henry was trying to learn to be a dad and mom, Jason was being a grieving six year old. The only time Henry felt normal was at work. Henry pushed Jason back, looking in his eyes.

"Jason, I really need you to go back with Doreen, okay? I have to work and I can't take any more time off."

"I want to stay with you."

"Jason, this isn't any place for a… you."

Jason cried harder. "I want to stay with you, Henry."

Henry closed his eyes. The child therapist said he had to be more firm with Jason and set his boundaries. She felt it was the only way Henry was going to get these nightmares under control and stop him from fighting at school. Henry looked at Jason again.

"Jason—"

"For tonight he can stay, if you want him to," Grissom offered.

Henry slowly turned, looking up at him.

"He can't touch any evidence. He'll have to stay in the break room or with Catherine or me when we're here."

"Are…" Henry remembered the therapist's words and shook his head, turning back to Jason. "No. Buddy, you gotta go home and get some sleep."

Henry didn't think it was possible for Jason to cry any harder, but he found a renewed source and began wailing. Which attracted most of the lab to peek in on the situation.

"Okay! Okay! Stop it!" Henry snapped. "Jason, goddamit STOP IT!"

Jason's wailing didn't stop. Henry felt helpless. He didn't know what to do.

"What's your name?" Catherine asked, crouching next to Henry.

"Ja- Ja- Jason."

"So you're the reason Henry's always tired and keeps getting calls at work?" Catherine asked.

She had the perfect mom tone, the one Henry could still remember his own mother using on him even as an adult. It said that she wasn't happy, she felt the situation was uncalled for, but yet, she cared enough that she wanted to help.

Jason bit his lip, stopping his wailing. Slowly the tears ebbed.

"Yes," Jason answered softly.

"Was tonight a bad nightmare?"

He nodded.

"Yeah?" she asked. "What happened?"

He looked down at his dog. "Henry died in the car accident with mom and dad."

Henry almost started crying. He should have asked that question first. Was he ever going to get this right?

"I'm sorry buddy."

Catherine reached out, taking Jason's hand. "Well guess what?"

"What?"

"Henry is right here and he's just fine. And so are you."

Jason nodded.

"That was a really awful nightmare, but you know you have to listen to your brother, don't you?"

He nodded. He looked up at Henry.

"I can't go back to sleep, Henry. I don't want to go home. Please, please let me stay. Tomorrow's Saturday. I brought my homework. I can do it here, can't I? I promise I'll be good. I promise I won't get in your way. Please, please, Henry."

Henry couldn't stand his ground any more. "Fine. But you obey everyone here. You don't talk back. You don't throw any tantrums. The first time you don't mind or misbehave, I will never let you stay again. Understood?"

Jason threw his arms around Henry's neck. Henry sighed, smiling. He loved getting hugs from his brother. His parents had never been much for physical affection toward either of them. Somehow this made up for it.

"Okay. Doreen, do you have his homework?"

Doreen handed him a Power Rangers backpack.

Henry smiled, tousling his little brother's hair. "You're sneaky, know that?"

Jason squeezed harder. Henry sighed, standing and picking him up. He took the backpack.

"Thank you Doreen. And I'll have your check this afternoon."

She nodded. She leaned over, kissing Jason's cheek.

"See you tomorrow night, kiddlet."

"Bye Doreen."

She went back to the elevator, pushing the call button. Henry turned, surprised to see most of the lab was behind him.

"I gotta run some trace," Hodges said, hurrying away.

"Greg, we got the car in the garage. We should probably start on that," Nick said, wandering off.

Greg followed, flashing Henry a smile as he passed.

Quickly everyone dispersed until it was just Catherine and Grissom. And Gina behind the receptionist desk acting like she wasn't paying any attention.

"Jason, is it?" Grissom asked.

Jason turned his head, nodding.

"Have you ever seen an ant colony?"

Jason shook his head.

"Catherine and Henry both have work, so I can show you all my bugs and when they're free, you can stay with one of them."

"Who's Catherine?"

She raised her hand.

"Hi," Jason said.

"Hi," she said.

Jason sat up in Henry's arms. "Can I go?"

Henry sat him down, nodding. "You mind him or he'll shrink your head."

Jason's eyes grew large. Henry laughed.

"I'm kidding. But he will call me and you'll be in trouble. Be good."

Jason grinned, reaching out and grabbing Henry's finger. He tapped his nose with his finger.

"Say it, Henry. Say it!"

In a perfect imitation of E.T., he told him, "Be good."

Jason giggled. He turned, holding his hand out to Grissom. Grissom took it and the two headed down the hall. Henry stood, sighing.

"I'm really sorry about this. I—"

"You didn't really plan on being dad at age twenty-two, did you?" she asked him.

"No."

"It's okay. I didn't realize Jason was so young, though."

Henry nodded. "He was an accident."

She nodded. "I can understand that. Well, I have a lot of coats too examine for trace. Let me know if you find anything on the paper I gave you."

Henry nodded.

She walked away, leaving him alone with Gina.

"You'll have to ask me to baby sit sometime. For free," Gina suggested.

Henry smiled at her. "I'll keep that in mind."

He walked down the hall, putting the backpack under his arm. He passed Grissom's office on the way to his lab and stopped, backpedaling. Grissom had taken down his ant farm and the two were talking about it. Henry laughed to himself, walking away.

#

Henry walked into Catherine's office, stopping at the end of the couch. Jason was sleeping soundly, curled up in a blanket she usually kept on the back of the couch.

"How long has he been out?" Henry asked in a whisper, looking up at her.

"About four hours. I think Grissom wore him out."

"He really likes Grissom."

"Grissom really likes him. It's a mutual bug interest, I think."

"Jason loves bugs. That makes sense."

Henry walked over to her desk, setting down a folder. "Here are the results from the paper. I'm still cross referencing with manufacturers."

"Okay. I have to go on a call. Let me know what you have when I get back."

"Henry?" Jason said.

He turned. Jason was sitting up, rubbing his eyes. Henry walked over and sat down next to him.

"Hey buddy. What's wrong?"

"I'm hungry."

"Yeah? Me too. I have a couple sandwiches in the break room."

"Ham and peanut butter."

"You and your ham and peanut butter. No. Ham and cheese."

"Can I have a ham and peanut butter?"

"We'll see." Henry stood.

Jason held his arms out to be picked up.

"You need to walk."

"My legs are broken."

"They are not."

Jason grinned. "They are too, Henry."

Henry dropped to his knees, tickling Jason until he started kicking and hitting at Henry's hands.

"Those are not broken legs!"

"They are! You can't make me walk. I'm wearing my pajamas."

"I can't, can I?"

"No. You're not allowed to make me."

"Sounds like something someone would put on The Wall," Catherine joked as she passed. "Close my door when you guys leave."

Jason sat up. "What's The Wall?"

Henry smiled. "I can't tell you. It's a big, big secret."

"I can keep a secret."

"You told me about Heidi Kross' freckles!"

"Everyone knows about Heidi Kross' freckles, Henry."

Henry stood and grabbed Jason under the arms, tossing him up in the air. Jason squealed, grabbing him around the neck when he came back down. Henry let him go, letting him hang as he left the office.

"Door!" Jason said. "Catherine said the door had to be closed.

"Oh yeah. I'm so old I forgot."

Jason giggled, climbing up Henry to get a better hold on him.

Henry shut the door and wrapped his arms around Jason as he walked. He passed Hodges' lab. He glanced at the two, but Henry didn't hold his gaze. He didn't want to know what Hodges was thinking. The two went into the break room and Henry found peanut butter in the first cabinet he opened. He got out his lunch and two paper plates, halving his lunch between them. He peeled open Jason's sandwich, starting to spread peanut butter on it. He looked up when Hodges came into his peripheral view.

"Peanut butter on ham and cheese?" Hodges asked.

"It's really good," Jason told him.

"I'll take your word for it," Hodges told him.

He pulled his frozen dinner from the refrigerator and started heating it up. Henry picked up the plates and sat them down.

"Can I have milk?" Jason asked.

"I don't have any, bud. We'll have to have water."

"You can have mine," Hodges said.

Henry stared at his back. He didn't turn away from the microwave.

"It's okay we can have water."

Hodges walked over to the refrigerator, pulled out his carton of milk, and put it on the table next to Jason.

"Jason can have it," Hodges told him.

Henry wasn't sure what to make of the action. Hodges was not known for being nice.

"It's the Jasonator!" Archie cried as he came in the door.

"ARCHIE!" Jason cried, jumping up and running to him.

Archie swept him into a hug and then started spinning.

"Archie, don't make him sick again!" Henry said.

Archie stopped and pretended to be dizzy as he swayed his way over to the refrigerator.

"WhooooAaaooOOO!" Jason said.

Archie got out his sack lunch and sat down on Jason's other side.

"Peanut butter and ham again?" Archie asked Jason.

"Yep!"

"And milk?"

"He gave it to me. I don't know his name." Jason pointed at Hodges.

He was sitting down across from Archie.

"Hodges gave you the milk?"

"Yeah. He's nice."

Archie and Henry stared at Hodges, but he didn't agree or deny Jason's accusation. They started eating.

"So can you tell me the secret, Henry?"

"What secret?"

"The Wall. What's that?"

Archie and Hodges both glared at Henry.

"Catherine mentioned it."

"And does he, you know, know?" Hodges asked.

"No. I can't tell you, Jason. It's a secret."

"Oh," Jason said. He looked at his sandwich in disappointment.

Had Henry and Archie been looking, they would have seen a very rare expression come across Hodges face: compassion. But it was gone before he spoke.

"He could see it. I don't think it hurt," Hodges said.

The two were shocked.

"What?" Archie asked.

"Do you mean it?"

"Sure."

Archie leaned forward. "The others might not like that."

"David and Warrick both showed their wives and didn't tell us for months. Grissom let Catherine, Brass, David, and Robbins on it. I think we could pull a little blackmail if they say anything."

"See what?" Jason asked.

"The Wall," Henry answered and without missing a beat, "Are you sure Hodges?"

"Why would I joke about this?" Hodges snapped.

Henry looked at his plate. "Okay. I won't ask again."

"We'll go see it when we're done here."

Henry and Archie didn't argue. But the prospect of learning one of his big brother's secrets kept a smile on Jason's face.

#

The door opened slowly and Hodges flicked the light switch as he entered. Archie followed him in and turned to help Jason through the space. Henry followed close behind, keeping one hand out to catch him if he tripped. Jason walked into the room, looking around it.

"This is it?" Jason asked. He sounded disappointed.

"Do you remember when I told you there's this room at work that we laugh in all the time?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, this is it. Everything written on the walls makes us laugh."

"Why?"

"Because we make fun of things that upset us at work."

Jason looked around the room, clearly not getting it. Henry smiled, crouching down and holding out his chalk. "Ok, so the real big secret is that in here, you can draw on the walls."

Jason took the chalk. "Can I draw on the floor?"

"You can."

Jason beamed, trotting over to a corner. He knelt down and started drawing. Henry stood up and sat down on the edge of the table. Hodges and Archie sat down with him, each man searching for the continuation of the list.

"You know, maybe it's the accent or his expertise that always trips me up, but I just do not peg Bobby as a science fiction fan," Archie said.

"What?"

"Over there. Number one hundred and fifty-five."

153. I am not in need of a more suitable host body.

Henry smiled. He knew exactly what television series that came from. "Next he'll start saying he has a worm in his head that's making him do things."

Archie and he both laughed. Hodges clearly didn't get the reference.

"Yeah, well, Nick's trying to get in trouble again, from the looks of things," Hodges said, deciding not to let them dwell on their private joke.

154. I should not speculate on the penis size of anyone who outranks me.

The three chuckled.

"I wonder who he did that to," Archie said.

"Ecklie, probably," Hodges said. "After all he probably has one the size of a grape."

"What's the size of a grape?" Jason asked.

Archie and Hodges started laughing.

Henry smiled. "A co-worker's brain."

That made the two laughed harder.

Jason looked up at him. "Whose?"

"No one you met tonight."

Jason went back to working on his masterpiece.

"Oh! One hundred and fifty-eight is… Wow. Good advice for us men," Archie laughed. "And it looks like Gina and Catherine are conspiring!"

155. If a female co-worker is pmsing, you may not argue with her even if she is wrong, and you may only approach with offerings of chocolate.

"But if you think that's bad, I was there when Ecklie caught Greg doing that," Hodges told them.

156. Never, ever, make weird faces behind your supervisor's back while in any lab – chances are he or she are facing a reflective surface.

"Doing what?" Jason asked.

"Greg, the guy with the crazy hair, he made faces behind his boss's back, and got caught!" Hodges told him.

"How?" Jason asked, turning to them.

"His boss was facing this machine that was shiny like a mirror, so when Greg did it his boss saw him?"

"Grissom saw him?"

"No. It was his boss Ecklie."

"Why would he do that?"

"Ecklie can be not so nice," Henry told him.

"Oh. Okay." Jason went back to his drawing.

"So who do you think caught Greg doing that?" Archie asked.

157. I should not use city resources to "waterproof" porn magazines.

"Grissom," Henry and Hodges answered in unison.

"Doing what?"

"Destroying magazines," Henry lied. "We needed the magazines for something."

Archie giggled.

"That's bad to destroy magazines other people need."

"Yep." Henry said, trying not to laugh.

"And it's Nick! Again! Doesn't he ever learn?"

158. Not allowed to use a crime scene broadsword to disprove "The pen is mightier than the sword."

Jason got up and walked over to Henry. "Do what?"

Henry reached down and pulled him up to sit on his lap. "You remember Nick?"

"He's the one that sounds funny."

"He has an accent cuz he's from Texas."

"The one with yellow hair?"

"That's Bobby. Nick has dark hair. Like I do."

"Oh yeah! He gave me a sucker when I was playing in Grissom's office."

"That's the one. Well, when he goes to the places he does his jobs, he's not supposed to touch anything, see. And at this one, he apparently used a sword he wasn't supposed to.

"Ohhhhh. Why?"

"He was being silly."

"And still being silly. What's with the clowns?"

159. There are no evil clowns living in the morgue drawers.

"I don't know, but he does seem to have something against them."

"What does it say? Where are you looking?" Jason asked.

Henry pointed at it. "See the one that has a one and then a six and then a three?"

Jason nodded and Henry read it to him. Jason looked up at him.

"Why would he say that?"

"We aren't really sure," Archie told him. "Nick has never liked clowns."

"Was one mean to him?"

"Maybe," Hodges said. "What would make you think of that?"

Archie and Henry looked at him, surprised he was involving the child in his conversation.

"Well, I don't like guys in chicken suits, cuz one chased me once."

"What?" Hodges asked, looking at Henry.

"Some guy down on the strip was in a chicken suit. He wanted to shake Jason hand and it scared him. He chased him until he hid behind me."

"There is so much about your parents I never knew."

Henry laughed. Jason smiled, but his expression was confused.

"And Bobby is back with his science fiction interest!" Archie said.

160. Our SUVs cannot be assembled into Transformers®.

"Aawwwwww. We can't change our vehicles into Transformers? How sad." Henry looked down at Jason. "Isn't that sad?"

"Maybe if it were Primus or Bumblebee you could."

"Maybe," Archie agreed.

"Archie, why did you write that?" Hodges asked.

161. A/V equipment you are not trained on, you are not allowed to try breaking.

"Because our CSI like to break equipment they don't know how to use. I thought that might help keep their grubby hands off my very posh equipment."

"Posh?" Henry asked.

"What's posh?" Jason asked.

Hodges answered, "Expensive and really nice."

"Is the TV posh?" Jason asked.

"I guess so. It cost enough."

"And what's with yours, Henry?" Hodges asked.

Henry grinned, reading out loud:

162. If you can't convince them, confuse them.

"What's that mean?" Jason asked.

"It's a joke."

"Uh-huh," Archie said.

"It is!"

"Joke my as—foot!" Hodges said.

"Nice. Nice recovery. Okay, I gotta get back to work," Archie said, sliding off the table.

"Me too," Hodges slid off, following him out.

"See you two upstairs," Archie said as he left.

Henry watched them leave, and then wrapped his arms around his little brother.

"I love you," he told him.

Jason laid his head against his shoulder. "Henry?"

"Hm?"

"I like your friends here. Do you think Grissom would let me stay again some time?"

"When he gets back, we'll ask, okay?"

Jason nodded. He looked up at him.

"I miss mom and dad, Henry."

Henry kissed his forehead, sliding off the table. He missed them too, but he didn't like telling Jason that. The child had a hard enough time dealing with his own loss. Henry sat him down at the door and helped him out. He reached back, shutting the light off and closing the door. Jason took his hand as they started walking.

"I love you too," Jason said.

Henry smiled, squeezing his hand. "What did you think of The Wall?"

"It was more of a room. Can I keep this chalk?"

"Yeah. You can keep it."

"Can we draw on the driveway when we get home?"

"After I've had a nap we can."

Jason was silent all the way to the elevator. He suddenly looked up to Henry.

"I really like it."

"Like what?"

"The Wall. And I promise I won't tell anyone ever."

"Thought you might."

Jason beamed.