Chapter 14: The start of something new

Jessica walked down the hall of the lab towards her father's office. She had a load of case files in her arms. She went to knock on the door, but instead just opened it. Grissom sat behind his desk.

"Paper work?" Jess asked as she entered his office.

"Ever herd of knocking Jess?" he asked, never taking his eyes off the papers he was viewing.

"Ever herd of Privacy is a privilege, daddy?" she said with a smirk as she took the seat in front of his desk

"I have and what do you need?" he asked her as he looked up then noticing all the folders. "What's all that?"

"Paperwork, yours and mine. This bunch is yours." She said as she put the stack of at least 20 files on his desk. "But be glad, this is all you're getting, I have like, oh, thirty times this much in my office waiting for me." She said with a tone of distaste.

Grissom stared at the pile in disbelief with wide eyes as he took his glasses off and started massaging his forehead. "How did it get to be this much?" he asked.

"Well, everyone's been distracted as of late, I guess. I mean, well this is my first day back and who knows." she said as her head lent on her hand, biting her nails here and there in thought. A habit she picked up from Sara. "I've got stuff from swing, day, and grave. I'll be busy for a while." She said as she turned her head towards him.

"Oh I doubt that. You'll sail threw it all like always." He said with an encouraging smile.

She snorted. "Take a look at my office then tell me otherwise."

The moment caused both father and daughter to laugh. "So how are you really, Hun? You know we all can't help but worry about you, especially your mother and I." he said as she leaned forwards in his chair.

Jessica sighed. "Alright I guess. I've talked with Holli; she's selling the house and is moving back in with her mother. She could use the help since she's getting on in years and can't do as many things around the house as she would like. She's actually selling the house to her sister. She and her husband have been house hunting for a while now, you know, kids are getting bigger, they need more space. Holli's house is just what they need. So we'll be getting some new neighbors soon."

Grissom nodded. "I see, how many kids to they have?" he asked.

"They have three boys, ages 13, 8, and 5." She told him.

"Well, we're going to have a busy neighborhood." thought Grissom.

"Mhmm." agreed Jessica.

"So, what this thing between you and Josh?"

"Thing? What thing?" asked Jess with a confused look.

"Jessica Lyn Grissom, you know exactly what thing I'm talking about. You've been in a better ever since you came back from Josh's Wednesday. What were you two up to?" he asked as he eyed her.

"We watched movies and pigged out on junk food till our hearts content all day. We talked a bit, and I don't know, I guess I just felt better after talking with him. Why?" she asked now eyeing him.

"What? Don't most fathers want to know what's going on in their daughter's lives?" he asked

"Most fathers don't let their eighteen year old daughters be subjected to crime scenes let alone over half the stuff I do." She told him.

"Well, it's not like I had much of a choice and I'm not like most dads."

"Sorry to tell you this daddy, but you're not like most people." She told him in a joking sympathetic whisper.

"No I'm not, but neither are you my Little Ladybug." He smiled at her.

She snorted. "Ok, what is it will you people and your god damn nicknames, hmm? Archie, Nick, Warrick, and some of the others have all called me Princess since the beginning of time. You have the ones you've always called me, Ladybug; little or not, and Butterfly. There's the famous Jessie Lyn, Greg right now fancies Queenie…"

"It's better than his little rap." Grissom cut in.

"No kidding. Then Brass calls me Cookie; always has always will no doubt. Then there's the infamous "Kid" and loads others no doubt." She said with a heavy sigh.

"That's all very true, now leave, I have work to do as you can see." He said as he took one of the files and opened it.

Jessica looked at him, rolled her eyes and scoffed, then got up to leave, but not before going around her father's desk and giving him a kiss on the cheek. It was a joke and she knew it.

"Bye daddy." She said.

"Bye Princess, have fun with the paperwork." He told her with a smile.

"Ugh!" she groaned as she shut the door and made her way back to her office, while Grissom chuckled in his office.

Jessica groaned and slammed her head onto her desk. She looked up towards the wall at the clock. "Three hours? Only three hours? God Damn'it!"

Jessica apparently had been sitting in her office for the last three hours doing paperwork. Even though she had gotten a ton done, she still like twice that ton left to do.

"So much for sailing right threw it." She mumbled to herself.

There was a knock at her door.

"Come in." she groaned with her head still lying on her desk.

Josh poked his head in threw the door with a grin on his face. "Sleeping on the job are we?" he said as he walked in and closed the door behind him.

"Josh? What are you doing here?" she asked as she went up and hugged him.

"I came to see you obviously." He told her as he wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her. "And to bring you this. It's from Heather, don't ask me what it is, I have no clue." He said as he held up a brown paper bag.

She smiled as she took the bag and turned to her desk to peer what was in side. "So who let you in?" she asked as she opened the bag.

Josh never herd the question because he was to preoccupied with staring at Jessica's backside while she was opening the bag. Not that it mattered to Josh, this wasn't the first time he had got himself staring at her, he had found himself doing it more than once before they ever started dating, but since they were dating now, he figured it didn't matter. Besides what were you suppose to do while up on stage playing, stare at the crowd or the dancers in front of you? (A.N.: Picture that why don't you. Ha-ha.)

Jessica, who had now rolled the bag shut again, took notice that she hadn't received and answer and smirked for she knew the reason why. "Josh!" she shouted as she turned around.

Josh shook his head. "Ah yeah, Jess?" he asked as he rubbed the back of his neck.

She gave him the 'I know what you were doing' look as she folded her arms over her chest and leaned against her desk. "Well, now that I've gotten your attention, with your eyes on my face and not my ass, think you could answer my question?"

"Ah, yeah, sure. Ah, what question would that be again?" he asked with a cheesy grin.

"Who let you in?"

"Oh, your dad. He was giving me some weird look though. More so than usual, too."

"I'm sure. When I dropped off a few case files for him earlier, he had asked me if there was anything going on between the two of us. Well he said "What's this thing between you and Josh?", but I didn't tell them. You do know we have to tell them and soon. I don't like keeping secrets from my parents. Yours either."

Josh hugged her. "I know you don't and I don't either. We will tell, and soon. I promise. I was thinking we could maybe tell them all over dinner, you know and…"

"Josh, were dating, not getting engaged." She told him. He gave her a look. "No, no absolutely not, were 18 for Christ sakes!" she said shaking her head.

Josh laughed. "I know, I know. I just wanted to see your reaction and it was pretty funny." He said.

Jessica slapped him upside the head. "Yeah, well I have a ton of work left so.." there was a knock at her door. Josh let go of her and she went back to leaning against her desk. "Come in." she called.

Catherine stuck her head threw the door. "Jess, one of the…Oh, Hey Josh. How are you, kiddo?" she said as she walked in and shut the door. Jess smirked.

"Hi Catherine, I'm fine and you?" he asked.

"I'm good as it ever gets around this place." She smiled.

"So what did you need Cat?" asked Jess.

"Oh right, sorry. One of the machines has broken down again" she told her.

Jessica groaned again. "Oh, this is so not my day."

"Well, I can see your kinda busy Jess. I guess I'll see you around." said Josh as he walked to the door.

"Yeah, Bye Josh. Tell Heather I said thanks." She said.

"Will do. Bye Catherine." He said and then left.

"Bye hun." She called as the door was shut.

"Ok, Jess, spill." She said as she turned to her.

"You've been talking with my father again, haven't you. No machine is busted is there?"

"No, but were curious Jess. Tell me."

"There's nothing to tell."

Catherine snorted. "Jessica Lyn, you are your parent's daughter. So for how long?"

Jessica sighed. "A week. Since Wednesday." She told her. Catherine raised her eyebrows indicating she wanted more info. "We've been on a couple dates, nothing's official or anything, but I'm pretty sure it's a go." She told her.

"Mhmm. And how many is a couple?"

"Three. Please Catherine, don't say anything, not yet. Please!" she begged, giving her the puppy dog look..

Damn'it Gil, why'd she have to get your eyes. She thought. Catherine smiled. "Oh alright I promise. Besides, he asked if I could get anything out of you, not to tell him anything." She said.

"Oh Thank you Catherine, thank you!" she said as she hugged her.

"You're welcome sweetie." She said as she hugged her and took notice of all the files in her office. "Damn, I didn't realize how much paperwork you had."

Jessica groaned. "I know. I've been in this place for three hours and all I've gotten done is the waste of space on my desk. The waste of space on the couch, with is like twice the stuff on my desk, still needs to be done."

"Wow, tough luck."

"Yeah, it sucks."

"I'm sure. Well, I'll let you get back to it." She said as she turned to leave. "Oh and don't worry, my lips are sealed." She said as she shut the door behind her.

Jessica shook her head with sigh, then walked to the door and stuck her hand out. "Tape recorder." She said.

"Shit!" Catherine growled as she then stuck her hand down the front of her shirt and handed over the tape recorder.

"Thank you." Jessica said with a smug look on her face before shutting the door then going back to work, while Catherine walked back to Grissom's office.

"Damn'it Gil. Nothing get's past that kid of yours." she said as she sulked into one of the chairs.

"She knew about the tape recorder?" he asked as he took off his glasses, looking at her in slight disbelief. How could she have known? He asked himself.

"Yeah, just as I left she stopped me and took it." She told him. "But she did tell me something, but I promised I wouldn't say anything. All I can say is, she'll tell you and Sara when she's ready." And with that, Catherine stood and left his office.

Grissom sighed. He really wanted to know what his little ladybug was hiding from him and Sara, but he knew that she would tell them when she was ready. Things were probably still sinking in for them, and if he had to wait he would. However long it wouldn't drive him crazy, that is.

A.N. SOOOOOOOOOO Sorry this is SO late. I've been so busy. School's a mess, junior year always is. I promise to start updating more often. I have to finish and type of 15, and I already now what I'm doing for 16. Please be patient oh, and you never know, the more reviews the fast I'll probably post. ;)