Note: Next chapter! Enjoy, x.

Chapter 14.

30th of December, 1996.

Catherine sat alone on her couch, with a mug of hot coffee in her hand. In her mind, an certain conversation of two days ago kept playing over and over again.

"Gil, you can't be serious!" Catherine's surprised face was looking at his face with a puzzled look on his face. He sighed and rubbed his temple. He was sitting behind his desk, with a furious Catherine in front of him. "I'm sorry, Catherine. I didn't plan this." Catherine stood in front of him, staring at him in disbelief. "Gil! You're telling me now, that you're going to leave, tonight, to go to a conference until next week.. Do you know what that means!?" Gil sighed and walked over to Catherine. He gently rubbed her shoulders while he said: "I know, Cath, and I'm sorry. But.. It's important. Besides, they kill me here if I won't go." Catherine turned around so she could face Gil and said: "But it's new year's eve. I want to spend it with you. I need to spend it with you. Please." Gil gave her a soft kiss on her lips before he said: "I'm sorry, Cath, I can't."

The conversation made Catherine sigh again. Especially because of the events that had happened after that conversation. She knew it had been wrong, but she hadn't been able to help herself. She was so disappointed to hear that she wasn't going to spend new year's eve with Gil, and she'd started yelling at him again. Gil had been hurt. Very hurt. And the worst thing was, that she hadn't talked to him after their fight. Catherine knew she should've contacted him, but she hadn't done that. And now, he was in San Fransisco, at some kind of conference, without her there. Without her being able to tell him how sorry she was. How miserable she felt. Catherine grabbed her cell again, and tried to call him. Voicemail again. She left him his tenth message that morning.

Meanwhile, Gil was in San Fransisco, attending to a conference. He couldn't keep his mind on the subject though. Catherine was the only thing on his mind. He hadn't talked to her since he'd left, and he felt horrible. Gil felt somewhat guilty for leaving. He understood why Catherine wanted to spent new year's eve with him. Not longer than a week ago, they'd finally admitted to the other how much they loved each other. Everything between them had been so sweet, so tender.. So full of love. And now, he'd left her alone on new year's eve. He wanted to call her so bad, but he was afraid she was still angry. He cursed himself for leaving his cell phone in his room. Gil sighed and tried to turn his attention back to the man that was lecturing. It would be three long days.

Gil was finally able to get to his hotel room after a lecture that had been going on way too long. During the lecture, Catherine had pretty much been the only thing on his mind. He needed to get back to Vegas, he was sure about that. He impatiently opened his door –not bothering to close it,- and grabbed his cell phone. 10 voicemails, 12 missed calls… If he wouldn't know better, he would've probably thought he had a stalker. Gil didn't bother listening to his voicemails, he just called Catherine back. Now, she wasn't answering. Gil cursed, and then grabbed his suitcase, starting to throw every single thing in it. He had to get back to Las Vegas. He had to be home before midnight that next day. His suitcase was almost completely filled, when he realised he needed a flight back home. He grabbed the telephone that was in his room, and dialled the number of the reception.

That next day, Catherine was filled with self-pity. She wanted to make the last day of the year unforgettable, especially for Lindsey. She knew it was going to be unforgettable for her too. But not in a good way. She'd just put Lindsey in bed –after she'd promised her daughter a million times that she would wake her up so she could see the fireworks,- and now she was alone. Now she wasn't having an excited daughter that could keep her mind off Gil Grissom. She'd tried to call him at thousand times that day, but she was forwarded to his voicemail immediately every single time. Catherine was afraid he was mad at her. Or that he was celebrating new year's eve with someone else. She hugged her mug with coffee tighter, and tried to focus herself on the television show she was watching. She couldn't prevent tears falling down her cheeks though.

A couple of hours later, Catherine tried to call Gil one more time. Again, she was directed to his voicemail. She sighed. She wanted to hear Gil's voice so badly, to see him, to touch him.. But that obviously wasn't going to happen that night. Catherine decided it was time to wake up Lindsey. She'd put on some make-up, to make sure she looked like nothing was wrong, and walked to the little girl's room. Catherine sat down at Lindsey's bed and stroke her daughter's her while she whispered: "It's time to wake up, baby. There will be fireworks in a couple of minutes." The little girl opened her eyes and yawned before she said: "I'm tired, mommy." Catherine chuckled. "I know, you should, it's late. But there will be fireworks in ten minutes, and I bet you don't want to miss that!" The girl nodded and Catherine smiled at her daughter. Catherine was so happy with that little girl. "Well, come on, get out of bed, missy, than we can go outside!"

Minutes later, Catherine was standing in the kitchen. Catherine grabbed two glasses and started filling one with champagne, and another one with special pink lemonade for her daughter. "Linds! Come downstairs, it's almost midnight," she yelled. Catherine heard a little stumbling upstairs, and figured she would be there in a second. At that point, the doorbell rang. Catherine raised an eyebrow. What kind of person would stand at her front door at midnight, at new year's eve? Her heart started pounding; it couldn't be Gil, could it? She walked to the door and opened it.

What she saw, was the most incredible thing she'd ever seen. On her porch, were tens of candles, shaped in the form of a heart. Gil was standing in the middle of it. Tears welled up in Catherine's eyes. She felt a hand tugging at her shirt and heard her daughter say: "Mommy, what's going on?" Catherine turned back to her daughter and said: "Honey, would you be sweet and grab the photo camera that's on the kitchen table?" The girl nodded and walked into the living room, while Catherine stepped into the heart. "You're back," she whispered. Gil cupped her cheek and whispered: "I am. I'm sorry that I left, that was stupid. I'm sorry.. You and Lindsey are the one's I want to spend tonight with. And the rest of my life." Catherine smiled. "I'm sorry for getting angry. I love you so much." "I love you too, Cath." Gil kissed her softly on his lips, and before their kiss could turn into something more intense, they heard Lindsey say: "Mommy, it's almost midnight!" Gil felt Catherine's lips form into a smile before she broke their kiss and said: "Linds, come here sweetie."

And there, in that heart-shaped figure, the three celebrated their last minutes of 1996. And the first of 1997.

All the lights go down around you,
30th of December, and the truth is coming up hard.
Feel the way you do, now,
with no excuses,
'cause you're perfect just the way you are.

Get the feeling that something surrounds you,
give it all up and watch it fly.
Speak soft, dear and let it wash over you,
'cause when you give an inch you walk that mile
and you walk mile so well.

Oh, you're everything you were ever supposed to be.

Disclaimer: The song's from a Dutch singer, called Laura Jansen. The song is called "Perfect". She's extremely talented, I suggest you look her up on youtube or something, 'cause she's an incredible artist!

Note: Okay.. I'm not sure how cell phones looked like in 1996 haha, they were probably huge.. Anyway, I know it's a little cliché to let Gil arrive home just in time.. But.. Well.. I wanted to write something happy, haha ;-). I really hope you enjoyed it! Let me know if you liked it, your reviews honestly make me happy! x.