AN: Thanks for the continued support. Here is the next chapter. Warning: A possible trigger moment.

Chapter 10: For better or worse

September 15, 2032

After helping his wife in his vehicle, Bella spoke softly. "I forgot my sweater."

William nodded. "I'll go get it."

She nodded while closing her eyes as she moved the back of head against the head rest to her seat, and after kissing her temple softly, William closed the door and headed back towards the entrance of the clinic, seeing the last place his wife left her sweater, so he walked towards the empty chair and grabbed it, then he turned around, and after taking a few steps towards the door, Isabella walked in and the siblings looked at one another in shock before asking at the same time.

"What are you doing here?"

Isabella saw the sweater he was holding, and realized it wasn't his, so she asked in concern. "William?"

He cleared his throat, trying to keep the emotion out and shook his head. "I have to go. But you're ok, right?"

William was the last person in her immediate family that she hadn't told about the pregnancy, and she really did want to tell him sooner rather than later, but now didn't seem like the best place, so she just nodded with a smile with a little fib, since technically it was a check up, it just wasn't all hers. "Yeah, just the normal check-up."

Wanting to get back to his wife, he took that answer at face value, then said. "I'll see you and the family tomorrow."

She nodded. "Yeah, give Bella my love."

"I will, love you."

"Love you too."

After one more smile, William walked out of the clinic, and after getting in the vehicle while handing her the sweater, he spoke. "I saw Isabella." When she looked at him with wide-eyes, he shook his head and took her hand while continuing softly. "I didn't tell her."

She sighed while asking in concern for her sister-in law. "Is she ok?"

"She said it was a normal check-up."

As he started the vehicle, she asked while looking towards the clinic entrance when something caught her eye. "Does she normally invite your parents and sister to go with her on a normal check-up?" When William looked where his wife was, his eyes were wide with so many thoughts running through his head, and Bella knowing William like she did, asked. "You want to go see/ask what's going on?"

William admittedly was torn, but then knowing his family, particularly his parents well enough, he knew they'll start asking question on why he was there, so he shook his head with a sigh. "No, they'll start asking questions I'm not ready to answer."

Bella started to sniffle as she whispered with tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry."

He immediately turned to his wife and took her hand softly in his and replied with emotion. "Honey, this isn't your fault, as tragic as this is, it happens. And I don't blame you for a second, I love you and we are going to get through this together, ok?"

She nodded as she replied softly. "I love you too."

He gave her a small smile and kissed her forehead while closing his eyes, and after a moment, he pulled back so he could take them home.

Next Day

About 2 hours before they were to celebrate Sara's birthday at the house, Sara gets a phone call. "Hey, baby."

William took a breath before speaking. "Hey, mom. I'm not feeling very well, so we won't be able to make it today."

Sara looked concerned as Grissom and Isabella walked into the kitchen. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, just a little bug."

"Ok, we'll miss you guys today."

"And we'll miss you guys. Love you."

"Love you too."

As they hung up, Grissom asked, concerned. "Is everything ok?"

Sara sighed as she replied while putting her phone in her pocket. "William said he's not feeling well, so they aren't coming today."

Before Grissom could speak, Isabella did. "Are you sure he said he wasn't the one feeling well?"

Both parents looked at their daughter before Sara asked. "Why do you question that?"

She took a second before telling them. "Because I saw him at the clinic yesterday before you guys showed up. He was holding Bella's sweater, and I don't think the reason they were there was for a happy one, there was something in eyes that felt very off, they weren't his usual happy and bright."

Everybody's thoughts went to the same conclusion, and Sara and Grissom looked at one another before Sara asked with a gasp. "You don't think?"

Grissom shook his head. "I hope not, but..."

He trials off and she nodded before asking. "What do we do? I can't just sit here and enjoy a party when I know my babies are hurting."

"I know, me neither."

Isabella then spoke. "Why don't you guys go, I'll call everybody and cancel."

Sara walked up to her daughter and asked. "Are you sure?"

She nodded, feeling sad for her brother and sister-in law. "Yeah, they need you guys. Whether they think they don't, or want to try and get through it themselves. Believe me, I know how I would feel."

They nodded before she brings her in her arms. "Thank you, honey. I love you."

"I love you too, give them both my love."

"I will."

She kissed her daughter's head before walking out of the room, then after Grissom said his love yous he also walked out, both of them left the house to go comfort their son.

William was cuddling with his wife on their bed, while buddy was laying at the end of it, when they hear a knock on the front door, and William asked softly. "How much do you want to bet it's my parents?"

She smiled softly. "You think?"

He chuckled as he moved to get off the bed after she moved her head off of his chest. "No doubt, Isabella probably told them she saw me, then they'll put two and two together. I'll see if I can convince them to go back home."

As he walked towards the bedroom door, she asked softly. "Can they stay?"

He looked at her with worry. "Are you sure?"

She sniffled, needing that parent comfort right now. "Yes, please."

He nodded with a smile. "OK."

"Thank you."

With love in his eyes, he replied softly. "Anything for you, you know that."

She gave him one more small smile before he walked out of the room, and when he reached the front door, he took a breath before opening it, but one look from his parents, he couldn't hide the pain he was feeling, so he started to sniffle and Sara took a step forward first and gave him a hug while giving him as much comfort as she could.

When they pulled back, she asked. "Can I see her?"

He nodded while his sniffing continued. "Yeah, she would really like that."

She kissed his cheek before she whispered. "I love you, baby."

"I love you too, mom."

After one more hug, she headed down the hall to be with her daughter-in law.

When it was just the two men, Grissom wrapped his arms around his son and spoke with emotion. "I love you, son."

"I love you too, dad."

(A few hours later)

Since the party was cancelled at the Grissom residence, Katie was over at the Bolden residence with Emily, who also had B.J. and his family, plus Courtney and her family over too, which that's who Andrew saw when he walked into his parents house.

After doing his greeting, even holding his niece and nephew, Derek and Lily, who were both as healthy as could be, despite their rough start into the world, he had eye contact with Katie, then once she nodded, they both made their excuses and headed outside on the deck.

Once they were out there and he closed the door, he spoke with concern. "I hope your brother is ok."

Katie nodded. "Me too, they haven't told me anything." She then sighed. "And I wish they would stop treating my like I'm a baby. I'm in my second year of college and I'm going to be a CSI for goodness-sake, I think I can..."

He cuts her off with a smile, happy she finally decided her career choice. "A CSI, really?"

She nodded with a proud look. "Yeah, I haven't told them yet, but the more I think about it, the more I want to go down that route. I know it won't be easy, but I feel that's where my true calling is."

He smiled with pride. "And I have no doubt you'll be great at it."

She smiled shyly as she replied. "Thank you."

After a moments pause, while they were looking at one another, feeling the air shift between them, they both said each other's name at the same time.

"Katie."

"Andrew."

They chuckled before Andrew spoke first this time. "Can I say something first?" After Katie nodded, he continued. "About a week ago, I had dinner with your sister, just her and I, no other family or friends around."

Getting what that meant, Katie nodded and replied softly. "Oh."

Then he continued with a chuckle. "And it was like it's always been between us, just two friends hanging out. We tired to make it romantic with candlelight, even leaned forward to kiss, but all we did was laugh about how ridiculous it was we were even doing this. So, I think it's safe to say that nothing will ever be more than friendship between her and I." He then gets a little more serious as he walked up to her. "Especially, when there is only one Grissom woman I want to kiss, the one I thought about when that moment came up."

Katie smiled shyly at first, then she spoke after clearing her throat. "And I appreciate you doing that, seeing how deep you really feel about her, but I have also been thinking about some things."

"Ok, care to share them?"

She nodded, then replied with tears in her eyes. "I maybe only 15 years old, but I can safely say that for the first time, I've never felt this way towards anybody else before. I can see us sharing something special, magical even, something I know I can have for the rest of my life."

With his heart racing, Andrew asked softly. "Why am I sensing a 'but' here?"

She sniffled before continuing. "But, like I established, I'm only 15 years old, and maybe if we were the same age things could be different."

"Katie..."

She cuts him off. "Two years may not seem much 5 years from now, but right now it feels like it's the grand canyon, and I'm just not ready for us." She shook her head as she continued. "I can't give you what you need right now, and I don't expect you to wait for me until I can. It's not fair to you."

He shook his head and cupped her cheek, trying to fight the emotions himself. "Screw fairness, I don't want to let you go."

"And you won't have to, we just won't be in that way."

He sniffled as he ran his thumb up and down her cheek. "How can I hang out with you now and not think about what could be, how amazing we could be? Or watch you fall in love with someone else who won't deserve you."

She sniffled. "Which by then you'll be with a woman who I'll think the same about."

"Then we don't have to do this, I'll wait for you, no matter how long it takes."

"I know you'd never push me or make me feel pressured, but I'll feel that from myself, and I can't live like that, we'd both end up being miserable, so the only way I see it, is we have to end things now before they being." She couldn't help but smirk. "Deep down you know I'm right, you just don't want to admit it."

He chuckled while shaking his head before looking deep in her eyes. "I told your father you are an amazing woman, and I still feel that way. I want you to be happy, and do everything you ever wanted to do or see in your life, and know no matter what, I have your back, always."

"And I'll always have yours. I want you to be happy too."

Not able to be this close to him, feeling her heart breaking in a way she's never felt before, she moved away from him, but before she got too far, he took her hand lightly and whispered. "Katie?" When she turned to look at him, he asked. "Can I kiss you, and I mean, really kiss you?"

Not able to deny him that one request, she nodded. "Ok."

He stepped up towards her, cupped her cheek again, then after a long look into her blue eyes, he leaned down slightly and pressed his lips against hers, and when she responded, a life they could have had flashed before their eyes as they poured everything they could in their first kiss together.

They pulled back moments later, and he placed his forehead against hers before closing his eyes and taking a breath, whispering softly a second later. "I'll always love you, never forget that." He then pulls back and walks inside the house before she could even respond.

While she was standing there alone, she placed her hand up to her tingling lips, savoring not only what was her first, true kiss ever, but her first kiss with the boy she didn't expect to fall in love with, and whispered. "I'll always love you too."

After Andrew had walked out of the house a few moments after walking in from the back, which he was sure he left his family in a worried state, he looked next door to the Grissom residence, but when he saw that there was a familiar truck in the driveway next to the minivan Isabella was driving, he shook his head with a smile, knew his deepest suspicion was correct, and started walking towards his vehicle.

But before he got there, Courtney and B.J. had walked out of the house and was walking towards him, and Courtney asked. "Hey, you mind if we tag along for a bit?"

Andrew shook his head at his two older siblings. "Guys, I'm ok."

B.J. shook his head as he wrapped his arm around his younger half-brother. "The hell you are."

Courtney looked at her younger brother too and said with sympathy. "Katie, huh?"

He looked at her with wide-eyes. "How did you..."

They both chuckled, cutting him off before B.J. spoke. "Honestly, we all thought it was Isabella for awhile, but..."

Courtney finished for him. "Considering who you were just with, we put two and two together. I'm sorry little man."

He took a breath and said. "just isn't our time."

B.J. sighed for his youngest brother. "We all have been there, man."

Courtney nodded with a smile. "Yeah, even mom and dad, look how long it took them and how that turned out?"

A question was on the tip of his tongue, but instead of asking, he gave his siblings a little smile. "Thanks guys, I see what you are trying to do."

B.J. chuckled. "And we aren't done, so where are we going?"

Andrew chuckled while shaking his head again. "Really, guys, you should be with your own family right now."

Before B.J could speak, Courtney cupped her brother's cheek and replied with emotion. "I don't care if we are married or have kids of our own, you are still our family, you are still our brother, and right now you could use some sibling time, so if you're leaving, we are leaving with you."

B.J. nodded with a smile. "I'll even get Martin on the phone, so let's get out of here."

The younger brother smirked. "I'm not getting rid of you, am I?"

B.J. smirked. "Nope, you're stuck with us, at least for a few hours."

Finally Andrew nodded. "Ok, let's get out of here."

The older siblings cheered while getting in the vehicle while Andrew smiled and got into the driver's side, proud to have the siblings he did.

(William and Bella's residence)

While Sara was still in the bedroom comforting Bella, William and Grissom were sitting out on the back deck, and it had been quiet for several minutes, then wanting to focus on something other than his own pain right now, no matter how short it was, William looked at his father and asked softly, remembering what he saw yesterday. "Dad, is Isabella ok?"

Wanting to respect his daughter's decision on telling her brother when she was ready, but also didn't want to worry his son, especially after what he's going through himself, Grissom did nod with a smile. "Yes, she's fine."

Trying to get a read in his father's eyes to see if that was really the truth, but ended up failing if it was or not, which was nothing new since his father could be really good at hiding his emotions if he truly wanted to.

He then took a breath and asked again. "Honestly?"

Grissom nodded with another smile. "Yes son, she is, trust me. It's one less thing you have to worry about right now."

Even though he believed his father, he could still feel in his gut that something was going on with his sister, but since it was clear that whatever was going on with her, he wasn't going to get any information from his dad, which was more than likely the same with his mother, so it looks like he'll have to go to the source himself to find out.

He took another breath and shook his head as he looked down while he turned his wedding ring around his finger, his pain coming back to him in an instant, then a second later, Grissom spoke again softly. "I'm so sorry son, I know how you are feeling right now."

William shook his head as he stood up from his chair and started walking to the railing of the deck. "No offense dad, but I don't believe that you actually know how I feel. Until you lost a child yourself, which I hope to god you never had, you'll never completely understand what I'm going through right now." When silence washed over them, he closed his eyes and cringed at how he talked to his father before he turned around and looked at him, and shook his head. "Dad, I'm sor..."

But Grissom cuts him off, knowing that was his pain talking, and was actually glad he wasn't bottling it up inside. "It's ok son."

Then a sadness went though his father's eyes, a type of sadness William has never seen before from him, before he looked down at the deck, making William gasp, a little afraid on what that look could possible mean. "Dad? Did you and mom ever?"

Grissom shook his head 'no' before he took a breath, lifted his head up and told his son something he never thought he would tell any of his children. "Years ago, before I met your mother. I could have been a father."

William looked at shocked at first then asked softly. "What do you mean by that?"

He cleared his throat before finishing. "I got to the hospital and found out she wasn't mine. But from the time leaving your grandma's house to stepping into the hospital, I did have 'that' feeling, of course mixed in with a lot of other feelings at the time."

William knew exactly what main feeling he was referring to, then asked, now curious. "Did she cheat on..."

Grissom cuts him off while shaking his head again. "No, her mother and I had already broken up, but the timing was close enough to have questions."

William nodded, then not able to resist putting the 'puzzle' together, his mind started working it over in his head, once again monumentally pushing his own pain aside, which he was thankful for, then a few minutes later, things started to come together, and the timing was just too perfect to be merely a coincidence, so his eyes got wide as he gasped. "Kelly?" Not surprised that his son guessed it, in a timely matter he might add, Grissom just nodded, causing William to take a breath and shake his head with a slight smile. "Wow, I don't think I'll ever look at her the same again, she could have been my... our older sister." After a moment of processing this news, he asked. "And mom?"

Grissom smiled, amazed at how his wife learned to accept Kelly like she has. "She was undoubtedly shocked and struggled with it at first, but eventually she learned to be ok with it."

William nodded again, seeing how his mother was with Kelly now, then sadness came through him again, realizing that while in one way it wasn't the same as what he's going through, the end result was, his father still felt like he lost someone, so softly, he whispered. "I'm sorry."

Grissom took a breath and nodded. "It's ok, it just wasn't meant to be, but I still care about her greatly."

William nodded one more time before he turned around and started to sniffle before sobbing, his emotions overwhelming him once again, feeling like he was on roller coaster of emotions he didn't know how to control. "I want my baby back, dad."

Grissom stood up from his chair and walked up to his son, then placed his hand on his shoulder, turned him so was face to face with him before bringing him in his arms, letting his son release everything he was feeling while he was sniffling himself.

When he started to calm down, they pull back and Grissom cups his cheek, much like he did when he was a little boy, and wiped his tears away, causing William to smile a little. "Thank you, dad."

Feeling up with emotion, Grissom whispered. "Anytime, buddy."

William sniffled, and while they were in another embrace, their moment was interrupted when they heard Bella's soft voice. "You mind if get in on that?"

The Grissom men pulled back slightly, but still had one arm wrapped around one another before Grissom gave his daughter in-law a smile. "Not at all."

Bella smiled as she walked up to her husband and father in-law, and once she was in Grissom's embrace while her husband had his arm wrapped around her waist, Grissom kissed the top of her head while William kissed her temple before they were both speaking words of comfort.

Standing in the doorway between the deck and the dinning room, Sara was watching the scene as she wiped her tears away, sadden for what the family has lost, and hoping that this tragedy will only strengthen the bond his son has with his wife, rather than tear them apart, because that's the last thing they needed.

AN: More to come, and things will get happier, I promise. Thanks for reading, and please review.