Chapter Twenty-One

Disclaimer: I do not own CSI.

A/N: Thank you soooo very much for the reviews. They mean so much to me.

Another note – I Indicated when I introduced Samantha that she was 10 years old and her brother 13. In the interest of the following chapters, I am going to amend her age to be 12 when she met Gil and therefore her brother would be 15. (even though I have not actually brought her brother into the story yet)

Samantha Grissom was very happy, she was living with her newly found father Gilbert Grissom and his girlfriend Sara Sidle. Both Gil and Sara worked at the Las Vegas crime lab which totally intrigued Samantha. After a series of a lot of ups and downs over the years due to her mothers boyfriends and their treatment of her, Samantha had been finally placed in a school (or schools) that made her excel at her own level. In the past year, she had been though a lot. Finding out about her father, being almost kidnapped, dealing with her best friend who was kidnapped and being bullied by two girls at her private school. It had been a year since she became officially Samantha Grissom, after she basically disowned her mother. To her Candice Borland was dead. (although she was in jail for life) Now at the almost-age of 13, Samantha was graduating from the local private high school and was waiting on pins and needles for early entry to UNLV.

She was getting ready for her graduation ceremony in her bedroom when Sara entered. Sara had tears in her eyes when she took a look at young Samantha.

"You look absolutely beautiful Sam" Sara gushed.

"Thanks. I hate wearing dresses though" she replied.

Sara smiled. "Me too. Do you want me to fix your hair?"

Samantha nodded. "Is dad able to make it to the ceremony?"

Sara looked at Samantha. "He is hoping to, but the bugs don't wait..." she trailed off.

Samantha understood that her father's job sometimes takes him away from very important family plans. Being the city's top entomologist, he is needed quite a bit.

"As long as the bugs don't keep him from my wedding day, he's forgiven for missing my high school grad" Samantha quipped.

Sara gave her a giggle and fixed Samantha's hair.

"Are you ready?"

Samantha was also class valedictorian with a 97 average.

Samantha nodded and had her speech on cue cards ready to go.

Sara drove Samantha to the school where the parking was horrendous. "I'll drop you at the door and then find a spot ok" she said.

Samantha nodded. " I've got to go meet Krystal and see if she received her early admission to UNLV."

Sara dropped Samantha off at the entrance where Krystal was there to meet her. The two girls went into the school and joined the rest of the graduates. Sara found a spot and entered the school. She left a ticket with Gil Grissom's name on it with the person at the front desk. She went inside to find her seat and watch Samantha get her High school Diploma.

Krystal was bubbling with joy. She had informed Samantha that the letter of admission came from UNLV. She was one of four students who were selected to attend UNLV for early admissions.

"It is going to be soo cool, going to school full time at UNLV" she said. "maybe I'll join a sorority"

"Krys, don't even go there." Warned Samantha. "It's not worth it."

"Sam you're not turnin' square on me are you?"

"Krys, we are 13, we are never going to get accepted into a sorority, so why should we try?"

"Samantha you are turning square. I can join if I want." Krystal said and turned on her heel and stormed away.

Samantha sighed. She hoped she got in so she could keep an eye on Krystal.

Grissom managed to make it to the graduation ceremony just in time to hear his daughter's name called.

"Samantha Grissom, Class valedictorian, honour role student, deans list, and accepted into UNLV Early admission!" announced the MC.

Tears streamed down Gil Grissom's face. She was accepted into UNLV. I am so proud of you my dear! This was a surprise to Samantha because she had never received that letter so she just accepted her diploma, honours and official letter of acceptance with a big smile on her face. She then headed to the podium to give her speech. For a youngster of 12 years old, she certainly spoke well and with a lot of confidence.

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After the ceremony, Gil & Sara and Krystal's mom took the two girls out for a nice dinner. They noticed that Krystal and Samantha barely spoke two words to each other during the ride to the restaurant.

"What is the matter with you two? You haven't said a word for the past 10 minutes" Kimberley Mason said.

"Nothing is wrong" replied Krystal.

"Krystal" her mom warned.

"Aw Sam was giving me grief about joining a sorority"

"All I said was that you'd never get in because we are too young!" Sam replied.

"You guys don't need sororities anyway. I can give you info on what they do in sororities. You'd be better off joining other such clubs" Sara suggested.

Krystal made a face but nodded. "I am sorry Sam"

"Me to" she replied.

That was June……. Three months later came September. Both girls knew that they wanted to pursue forensics and the sciences so that's what they signed up for. Courses to guide them to a Bachelor of Science degree. Samantha wanted to follow in her father's footsteps and go into entomology. (they chose their 'stream' in their sophomore year) Their first year is all the same for all students taking this degree.

Samantha and Krystal entered their first class of the day. It was a basic science course lecture with a lab to follow.

Most of the students were seated when a harried young woman came in carrying a briefcase. Samantha snickered. "And they call me a nerd, look at that kid with a brief case!"

Krystal smiled and was about to say something, but didn't because the harried young woman walked to the front of the lecture hall, stood on a platform, so she could be seen by everyone in the lecture hall (about 300 students) and began to speak.

"Good morning students, my name is Hannah West, I am going to be your instructor for this science lecture…."

Samantha Grissom's blood ran cold. She had accidentally came across something that was in Grissom's desk which mentioned a young genius accused of murder named Hannah West. It mentioned the fact that testified that she killed a high school senior named Stacy who hurt her feelings & humiliated her one day. She testified that she did it and not her brother Marlon. Marlon was then found not guilty and then Hannah apparently told Sara that she didn't kill Stacy, Marlon did….. then a year later when Marlon was excelling at university, in order to have him all to herself, she actually pushed a girl out the window and blamed Marlon. She let him take the blame for what she did. He hanged himself later that day……

Hannah looked around her class then looked at her attendance sheet and noticed a very familiar name. Samantha Grissom.

Well Gil Grissom has a kid... well he made my life hell and now I may just make his kids' life hell. He and that Sara Sidle had me put in that Juvenile facility…not that I learned anything. All I had to do was look remorseful and pretty and pathetic. Dead brother, dead parents, the courts took pity on me… other wise I'd be in jail right now.

A/N: More to come! Now that I've brought Hannah West back into the picture…