Author note: I'm back with this story. I have written some chapters, please be on the look out for more chapters in the coming days. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Pets, lots of pets and a knife

Leena shut her phone, wondering how she had gotten herself in this mess in the first place. Here she was standing with Tom and Klara on the steps of the Dutch Embassy with two rabbits and a husky. How was she going to explain this to Sara and Grissom? Two people, who valued their privacy and space highly. In the last week their household had grown 150 even if it was only temporary, it was still a lot.

The afternoon had started so calm and quiet. Leena had gotten up before Tom and Klara, she had made a cup of tea and was reading the newspaper when Tom came down. He said that Klara was crying. Leena went upstairs and found Klara in her bed, she was very upset. Leena asked Tom if he knew why Klara was upset, since she couldn't understand what Klara was trying to say. Leena had managed to gather two names from between Klara's sobs: Flappie 1 and Flappie 2. Tom then told Leena that Klara was upset about not being able to visit Flappie 1 and Flappie 2 and Crystal. It didn't clarify anything for Leena, so she asked who they were. Tom looked at her and suddenly seemed to realise that Leena didn't know Flappie 1, Flappie 2 and Crystal. "They are our bunnies and dog. We couldn't take them home yet, but we could visit them in the large building. We haven't been to visit them this week and Klara misses them, I guess. I miss Blacky, Brownie and Little White too."

"Who are Blacky, Brownie and Little White?" Leena asked fervently hoping they were stuffed animals. "They are our gerbils, they are home. When can we go home? I think they need some food and water. Oh and I want to cycle, but my bicycle is at home. Couldn't we go and visit our home?" Tom asked as Klara sobbed into Leena's shoulder, presenting Leena with two difficulties: Klara was still crying, because she wanted to see some animals somewhere in a large building and Tom wanted to go home, which was still a crime scene. Leena decided to tackle those two problems later: "You know what? Why don't we go downstairs and eat some breakfast. After that we've got to go to the Dutch Embassy, maybe they can help with Flappie 1 and 2 and Crystal. Then I'll call Grissom."

"Gil." Tom point blankly refused to call Grissom anything other than Gil. "Gil, if we could see your home in a couple of days." Leena finished.

"No today." Tom insisted. Leena sighed, knowing she couldn't make any promises: "We'll see, Klara do you feel better now?" Klara hiccupped: "Yes, a little bit."

An hour later Leena, Tom and Klara were standing in the reception hall of the Dutch Embassy. Leena told the receptionist who they were, she got someone who could help them. Five minutes later Leena, Klara and Tom were seated in an office and Tom and Klara had gotten some lemonade and toys, they were playing in a corner, while Leena and a mister Van Vliet were talking. "Miss Janssen, thank you for coming. I'm afraid I've got some bad news."

"Oh, what is it?"

"The families that came forward to take Tom and Klara in pulled out."

"That is indeed bad news. Who pulled out?"

"They all did. One family had to get back to the Netherlands a.s.a.p. One family has just received the news that one of it's members has cancer, they can't take in two children. Two families are expecting their own children in six months and the last family is moving to Australia in six months, quite suddenly." Leena tried to remain calm, she had hoped one of the families could take Tom and Klara in.

"Besides this news, I believe there was a legal guardian appointed to them."

"This is news to me, do you know who was appointed their guardian?"

"I don't know, you'll have to talk to the lawyer of the Gerritsma family."

"I will make sure to do that. What do you suggest we do with the children in the meantime?" Leena had a pretty good idea of what had to be done with Tom and Klara: the best would be to keep them where they were right now, with her, Grissom and Sara, but Leena needed someone else to say it.

"I suggest you keep them where they are right now."

"Great."

"Is that a problem?"

"I don't know, I am staying with my friends and that is where Tom and Klara are also. I think my friends wound mind letting them stay a bit longer."

"Okay."

"Well, I guess that was it. You are going to keep searching, aren't you?" Leena was starting to get up. "Of course, but right now those families were our only shot. Oh, ehm… one more thing. The Gerritsma family were supposed to pick up their animals, they have been released from quarantine and have arrived here on the Embassy three days ago. Could you take those animals with you. You see, we are not a shelter."

"Well I suppose we will have to take them home. Where are they?"

"I'll take you." Mr. van Vliet rose, so did Leena, who called Tom and Klara. Klara looked up expectantly: "Are we going to see Flappie 1 and 2 and Crystal?"

"Yes." Leena sighed, no knowing how she should explain this to Grissom and Sara. Sure thay ha a dog and several insects, but this was not something anyone had seen coming. How would they react to the pets? Oh well we will see when the time comes to tell them, Leena thought, fervently hoping it would be a good deal later. But not ten minutes later Leena opened the cell phone to call Sara for a ride. Here she was waiting for Sara and Grissom with two energetic children, two rabbits and a dog.

Half an hour later Leena had her head buried in her hands, Klara was petting the rabbits and dog and Tom was standing, looking out for Gil to come pick them up. Tom really liked Gil and his insects and wanted to spent all his time with Gil. Suddenly he yelled and told his sister and Leena that he saw the car. Klara jumped up and stood next to Tom as the Denali pulled up and stood next to Tom as the Denali pulled up at the curb. Leena remained seated at the steps leading to the Dutch Embassy. She saw how Klara excitedly hugged Sara , the moment she got out of the car and started chatting half in English, half in Dutch. Sara apparently understood next to nothing of what Klara was telling her. Tom hugged Grissom as he stepped up to the sidewalk. Tom also started to talk at break neck speed. He spoke completely in English, with only a few mistakes. Leena saw confusion rising on Grissom's and Sara's faces as they kept their attention trained on the two energetic children. Leena tried to gauge their expressions and moods, but she couldn't find anything other then confusion and curiosity. Then Sara looked over to Leena: "He, you look exasperated, but I'm sure you are much better at telling us what is going on. Especially with the animals." Sara and Grissom had spotted the animals the moment they had pulled up to the Dutch Embassy and had briefly wondered amongst themselves why there were animals.

Tom, Klara and Grissom were looking at Leena, waiting for her explanation. Leena sighed: "Let me tell you about the morning I've had so far." Then she proceeded to tell them about the morning, all the events that led up to this moment. Leena finished with: "The people at the Embassy told me that they were not a shelter and were not intending to start with that. So that is how I got to sit on the steps of the Dutch Embassy with Tom, Klara, Flappie 1 and 2 and Crystal, I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to apologize for." Sara reassured Leena. Grissom was still digesting the information Leena had given them. He was sure that the animals would need to come back to their place. That was another expansion of his household, even though it was temporary. Where were they going to keep all the animals? Their house wasn't small, but it was getting rather full with Leena, the children and now the pets. "Ehm…Griss?" Sara called, breaking his reverie. "Yes, dear?"

"I think we need to take the pets home."

"Couldn't we bring them to a shelter?" Grissom asked, dreading a house so full. But Klara apparently had understood or had decided it was time to put a plea in: "Flappie 1 and 2 and Crystal are coming with us, yes?" at which she pleadingly looked into Grissom's eyes, apparently feeling that he was the one that needed persuading. Grissom was fastly becoming a sucker for her blue eyes and pleas. Sara and Leena had seen it happen before in the grocery, where Klara had successfully conned Grissom into buying Frosties instead of 'normal' cornflakes. Just like on that occasion Sara saw Grissom struggling, but eventually giving into Klara's plea. It was amusing to watch: where Grissom demanded a good, logical argument from his co-workers before giving into anything, the blue eyes of Klara were enough to bring Grissom to his knees. I'll have to try that once, Sara thought as Grissom told Klara that they could take the animals home. Then it was Tom's turn to do a request to Gil: "Gil, can we go home and get Blackie, Brownie and Little White?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot to tell you about them." Leena interrupted: "Those are their gerbils, they got them here in America."

"More animals?" Grissom asked, bemused and slightly bewildered.

"Yes."

"Oh, technically the house isn't cleared yet. Where are the gerbils, you said?"

"Yes gerbils. According to Tom in the study, have you checked there?"

"Yes, but there weren't any animals there. Just an empty terrarium." Grissom recalled.

"Gerbils are rodents who dig and sleep mostly under the ground. I think you didn't see them , but they were there." Leena said.

"Let me make a call and them we'll go there, but not in the living room." Grissom turned and flipped open his cell phone. Sara was being introduced to the pets by Klara and Tom, who told her all kind of stories about them.

Half an hour later Grissom opened the door to the Gerritsma residence. The children had been instructed to stay out of the living room, since the murder had occurred there. The children immediately ran upstairs to the study, which was located at the second floor. At a more leisurely pace Grissom, Sara and Leena followed them. As they entered the room the children had already found the habitat. It seemed empty, but several seconds after Tom had lifted the lid off, a small nose peeked out of the hay and wood chunks that lay in the habitat. "There they are! Hi Blacky, Browny, where is Little White?" Tom spoke as he gently stroked the brown rodent, while the third gerbil cam to look at the intruders. Tome opened the door of the cupboard an which the habitat was placed, and grabbed a container with food. He then filled the small bowl in the habitat that was partly covered with the filling of the habitat. The three rodents quickly went to the bowl picked something out of it and ran away to eat. "Those are funny little creatures." Leena said. "They are great." Tom said beaming. "Why don't we go and get some clothes for you kids, while Grissom puts the habitat in the car?" Sara said. During the car ride the adults had decided to get some clothes for the children and some toys. Grissom eyed Sara: "Yeah give me the easy job. Thanks Sar." Sara sweetly smiled at him: "Oh, I know you can do it, Griss. You did a marvellous job at the Dutch Embassy." At the Dutch Embassy it had taken fifteen minutes to put the rabbits and dog in the trunk of the car with the tarantula. Tom had been excited to see that Gil had taken the tarantula with him. But the trunks was stuffed and it would take some serious special insight to get the gerbil habitat in it. Grissom simply smiled at Sara. Ten minuets later Grissom took the two bags that Leena offered, which held the clothes of the two children. He placed them on the floor of the car in the back seats. Tom came down to Grissom and asked him: "Gil, did you find a tennis ball in the living room?"

"No, Tom. Why do you ask?" Gil crouched down despite the groaning of his knees. "Well, that was Crystals ball and I was playing with it when uncle Daan came. I think it might have rolled under the…ehm…you know where you can sit on." Tom couldn't find the word but Grissom seemed to understand: "Under the couch. But nothing could roll under the couch, there was no room under it."

"No room? No there was no chamber under the couch." Grissom looked at Tom, a little confused. "The ball always rolled under it." Tom said, trying to clarify. Suddenly something seemed to dawn on Grissom. He rose and called Sara. "Leena, you and the children stay here. Wait for us, we'll be right back. Sara grab your kit." Grissom turned and walked to the living room. Sara didn't hesitate, knowing Grissom, she realised that he was onto something.

"What is it Griss?" Sara asked as she walked into the living room, finding Grissom looking at the couch. "Tom said to me that a tennis ball used to roll under the couch. I thought there was not enough room under the couch, but I didn't check. Look at the couch, it seems as if there is no room for anything to slide under the couch, but apparently it can." Sara could see why someone would think that nothing could slide under the couch. A cloth was draped over the couch to make it look like the board of the couch reached to the floor. But Sara also saw something else on the cloth: a small red smear. "Grissom, look." Sara pointed. Grissom shone a beam of light on the indicated place. "Well spotted." Grissom complimented her. Sara had already sank to her knees and shone her light under the couch. "There is a ball and a knife under here."

"Let me take some pictures." Grissom retrieved the camera from the kit and quickly photographed the couch and the blood spatter. Then he handed the camera to Sara, who attempted to make a photo of the items under the couch. But that didn't work. Together they pushed the couch away and revealed a bloodied knife.

"I think we found the murder weapon." Sara commented before taking a picture.

"Yes, we've got to get this to the lab." Grissom said after he placed the knife in an evidence bag. Sara nodded.

Outside they told Leena and the children that they first had to make a stop at the lab, before going home.

"That's okay, but can you drop me off? I've got to get to the choir rehearsals." Leena said. "Sure, we'll make sure you get there Leena." Grissom said getting in the car.

Author note: I hope you liked it, please tell me in reviews. Please review?? The next few chapters will focus on the Gerritsma case.