I hold no rights to anything CSI except to look upon them lovingly each Thursday night.

I have to give thanks to Peggy who keeps my writing on the up and up. She's my proofreader, my editor, and my friend.

A/N OK, this is my slightly twisted idea of how to get myself on the show. Yes, sadly, I'm an actor as well as a writer but a dreamer most of all. I would play Gwen. Please, R&R!

Family, Like It or Not

Chapter 28

Newly back from their sabbatical, Sara and Gil were rejuvenated. Hogan had grown like crazy! Although he still nursed at bedtime, he was now drinking some from a sippy cup and could sit unaided. He was quite a talker, even though no one could understand a word he said. Hogan and Daddy were nearly inseparable. Sara had come to realize that Hogie was no longer a 'Mama's boy'. The team managed without their fearless leader and his bride, but they were worried what the two had 'learned' while away.

"Gil, are you absolutely certain?" Sara asked as she strapped Hogie into his carseat and readied herself for the drive into the lab to speak with the Sheriff.

Gil strapped himself in the driver's seat and answered. "Honey, I've never been more ready for this. I couldn't be more certain really. Are you having second thoughts?"

"As long as you're sure, I'm sure too." Sara closed the door to their Denali, and Gil pulled out of the driveway.


"Daddy, when do I get to go to school for real?" Sammy asked as Jim helped him get his things together for pre-school.

Jim answered easily, "Well, Pal, we can't send you to Kindergarten until your five years old. So, how much longer do you have to wait?"

"Gee, Daddy, I'm only three. Can't you just tell me?" Sammy asked with a tilt of his little head.

Jim knelt down and looked at Sammy. "If I show you, do you think you can remember?" Sammy nodded he could. "Ok. How many fingers are on your hand?"

Sammy counted, "One, two, three, four, five. Five!"

"Right! That's how old you have to be to start Kindergarten," Jim said. "Now, use your left hand to show me how old you are."

Sammy counted out his fingers again, "One, two, three. This many, Daddy! Three!"

"Very good, Pal. Now," Jim said taking Sammy's right hand, "On this hand show me how many more fingers you need to get back to five." Jim asked.

Sammy did as his father directed counting first on his left hand, "One, two, three," then continuing to count on his right hand, "Four, five. Two more, Daddy."

"Very good." Jim 'showed' Sammy what they had just done. Holding up his won hand Jim said, "See you have to be five, like all the fingers." Jim then used Sammy's hands to continue, "You are three now, like this many fingers." Jim touched Sammy's left hand which still had three middle fingers 'standing'. "Three," Jim touched Sammy's right hand, "plus two makes five. Understand?"

"I think so, Daddy. But, why didn't you just say two more years?" Sammy asked with a familiar tilt of his head.

Jim blew out a breath. "I was trying to teach you something."

"Oh." Sammy put his backpack on and started for the front door. "Daddy?"

Jim responded as he joined Sammy and they went out the door, "What is it, Pal?"

"Is that what real school will be like?" Sammy climbed into the booster seat and Jim strapped him in.

Jim got in the front seat and said, "No, Pal. Real teachers are way better at teaching than Daddy."

"Ok," Sammy said and they sat silently until Jim pulled up in front of the pre-school. "Daddy," Sammy started as Jim helped him get out of the car, "Don't worry. I bet teachers don't get to shoot guns and catch bad guys. That's way cooler." Sammy kissed Jim, gave him a hug, and ran off to join the other kids in the play area.

"Cool," Jim said to himself before heading back home.


"C'mon, Jim. Tell us what this is all about." Catherine took a seat next to Brass in the break room where the team had gathered to hear the Grissoms' announcement.

Jim laughed. "What makes you think they told me?"

Greg now took a seat across from Brass as he clarified. "You're family, you always know before we do."

"Who knows what before whom?" Mandy asked as she and Nick joined the group assembling in the break room.

Judy answered for Greg, "Greg thinks that Brass knows what Dr. Grissom and Sara have to tell us today."

"Greg is wrong, again, I'm afraid." Gwen swept into the break room with Hogan and Tommy in a double stroller. She positioned the sleeping babies out of earshot but in her direct line of vision, kissed Jim quickly on the cheek, and took a seat next to him.

Moments later Gil and Sara arrived. "Ok, who are we missing?" Gil asked the gathered group.

"Warrick and Doc Robbins," Nick answered almost at the moment the two men entered the room.

Gil let out a breath as Warrick and Doc took their places. "As you know, Sara and I had a meeting with the Sheriff last week. We wanted to be the ones to tell you what decisions we came to while away on sabbatical."

"I knew it. You're leaving. You're both leaving. I just knew it." Greg put his head in his hands and kept repeating his mantra.

Gil did his best to calm Greg, "Not exactly, Greg. But, I suppose that is partially true."

Sara explained, "I'm just going to lay this out. The Sheriff decided rather than lose Gil he'd offer him the lab director's position and find somewhere else to put Ecklie. I'm moving to days. Catherine will take over the supervisor position and hire two new CSIs, level one or two. Greg is getting promoted to level two, and it's about time in my opinion."

Gil looked around the room and asked, "Questions?"

"How will this work for us?" Warrick asked as he motioned between himself and Catherine.

Sara smiled. "Did I leave that out? You're getting promoted to co-supervisor. You'll have Greg and one newbie, and Catherine will keep Nicky and take the other newbie."

Warrick wasn't sure how to handle this news. He was also worried about how Nicky would handle the news. His worries were waylaid when Nick and Mandy both hugged him and made their congratulations.

After thanking Nick and Mandy, Warrick asked, "How come Cath get's Nicky?"

Gil smiled. "Seniority gets experience. Plus, Nicky can work solo on a wider variety of cases so her team will handle a heavier case load."

"Hey!" Catherine retorted, but smiled as well.

Gil let the congratulations and commotion die down before he continued, "Ok, people, we've got a breakfast reservation in half an hour. Let's move.

"Gil?" Catherine asked as the large group moved out into the parking lot. "When will all of this happen? I mean, you and Sara just got back from your sabbaticals. You'll be with us for a little while, right?"

"Don't worry, Cath," Sara interjected. "We won't be moving around until the end of the year. Gil figured that way the Sheriff would have time to find a place for Ecklie and you would have a chance to find two new CSI's. No sense in going shorthanded when it can be avoided."

Catherine nodded. "Good idea, Gil."

"That was all Sara, Cath. She didn't want you to have to take over the night shift with all those adjustments and try to hire two new people." Gil opened the door to the Denali for Sara, who had just retrieved Hogan from Gwen's stroller.

"Not to mention plan a wedding," Sara added.

"Actually, that's moving right along," Warrick said as he pulled up to collect Catherine for their drive to the restaurant.

Gil opened his door to the Denali before saying again, "We have reservations, folks. You can tell us all about it over pancakes."

Sara and Catherine got in their cars with their mates and everyone drove off for breakfast.