Disclaimer: I don't own CSI.I don't make any profits from this.
Author's note: Yup, it did come from babyblues. Anyway, I can't promise to make this one funny, but rest assured, it's not going to be sad or tragic either. Thanks for the reviews, keep them coming!
It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
By Moose
Chapter 3
"Wonder how Sara's holding up," Catherine Willows mused as she and Nick Stokes entered the building.
"Maybe she's gotten our backlog down to a week," Nick said hopefully, not a big fan of paperwork himself.
"I hope you're right, but I have a feeling that's just wishful thinking," Catherine smiled. "I'm just going to shower before heading to the break room. These grime stains might never come off," she said, grimacing as she looked at the ugly black marks on her pink blouse.
"I'll just get some food at the caf," Nick said. "Want anything?"
Catherine shook her head. "No, but thanks anyway."
"Okay," Nick nodded and headed for the cafeteria. At this time of the night, the 24-hour cafeteria usually has no costumers, save for the other night-shifters. Nick went straight to the counter and ordered a hamburger for himself and an egg sandwich for Sara. He knew that she probably hadn't eaten since dinner that night.
As he was walking away from the counter with their food, his eyes automatically scanned the room. He stopped walking when he saw Sara with a woman he didn't recognize in one of the tables. Apparently, they had been looking at him, and Sara smiled when he met her eyes. Smiling ruefully, Nick walked towards their table.
"Good evening, ladies," he greeted them.
"Hi Nick," Sara said. "This is Wren. Wren, this is Nick. He's on the team, too."
Wren offered a hand, which Nick shook. "Nice to meet you, Nick."
"Same here," Nick replied. Turning to Sara, he said, "I was going to bring this to you." He handed her the package with the sandwich.
"Thanks," Sara said. "but I think I'll eat it in the break room. We were about to go back when you got here." She moved to stand and Nick reached out to help her. Soon the trio were on their way back to the break room.
"You two go ahead," Wren said. "I'll just go freshen up a bit."
"Okay, the ladies' room is at the end of this hallway, the door to your left," Sara said. "We'll be in the break room."
"Thanks," Wren smiled pleasantly. She walked on as Nick and Sara entered the empty break room.
Once inside, Nick turned to Sara. "So.did you miss me?"
"With Wren around, no," Sara teased, heading over to the couch.
"Fine, give me back the sandwich. I'll give it to Greg instead."
"Why, do you think Greg missed you?"
"Hell, no," Nick replied. "Okay, you can have the sandwich. Just tell me more about Wren."
"Nick." Sara said, her eyes narrowing.
"Just kidding," Nick grinned, settling beside her. He gave her a quick kiss before asking, "Seriously, who is she? I haven't heard you mention any Wren before."
"Her name doesn't sound familiar to you either?" Sara looked at Nick, worry clouding her face. "You mean, you also don't know?"
"Know what?" Nick repeated, Sara's worried look stopping him from taking a bite of his burger.
"She's Grissom's daughter."
"Grissom has a daughter?" Warrick's voice came from the doorway. He looked a little sick.
"You're kidding, right?" Nick asked Sara, who nodded at Warrick. Warrick poured himself some coffee and faced his two colleagues, their worry mirrored on his face.
Sara shook her head. "No, I'm not."
"Oh boy," Nick muttered. "Where's Grissom?"
"In his office," Warrick replied. "Does Catherine know?"
"I have no idea," Nick admitted.
"Oh boy," Sara said, repeating Nick's words. She looked at Nick and saw worry in his eyes. "Oh boy."
Several doors away, Catherine walked out of the locker room feeling a lot better. Her pink shirt was probably gone for good, but at least she and Nick had pretty much closed the case. She headed to the break room and found three troubled looking CSIs discussing a seemingly important matter.
"What happened?" Catherine asked as she entered the room. Immediately, the three stopped talking. She looked at them suspiciously. "Okay, were you guys talking about me?"
"No," Sara and Warrick said in unison, making Nick cringe. They couldn't have been more obvious than that.
"Um, would you like some egg sandwich, Catherine?" Sara feebly asked.
"Thanks, but I'd rather you fill me up with what's going on," Catherine said. Just then, Wren walked in. Seeing new faces, she smiled and introduced herself, "Hi, I'm Wren Grissom."
"Catherine Willows," Catherine replied automatically. Realizing what Wren just said, she turned sharply to her. "I'm sorry, what was your name again?"
"Wren Grissom," Wren replied, glancing uneasily at Sara, who suddenly became very interested in her sandwich. She didn't like Catherine's reaction when she said her name.
Relax, Catherine told herself, she's probably a niece or cousin. Her heart pounding wildly, she asked, "Any relation to Gil Grissom?"
"He's my father," Wren said tentatively.
Catherine managed a tight smile. "Well, it's about time I, we met you," she said. Turning to Warrick, she raised an eyebrow.
"In his office," Warrick said, a feeling of impending doom washing over him. "We just got back."
"Excuse me," Catherine said, heading out.
"I'm Warrick Brown," Warrick introduced himself to a lost-looking Wren. "I have to apologize for Catherine. She's usually very accommodating -"
"She's involved with my dad, isn't she?" Wren asked softly.
Warrick shot Nick and Sara a look for help. When neither replied, he looked back at Wren and nodded.
"I came here actually hoping that he's find someone," Wren said. "That's not a problem for me."
"But I think it is for them," Sara said, looking at Wren sympathetically.
Just then, Catherine walked back into the room. "Another body found not far from your crime scene earlier this night," she told Warrick. "Let's check it out." Warrick nodded and set his cup down. As they walked out of the room, Catherine glanced at Wren and said, "Grissom's in his office."
Wren nodded and looked like she wanted to say something, but Catherine whisked Warrick out. Sighing, she just looked at Nick and Sara. "Where's his office?"
Sara nudged Nick. "Come on, I'll take you there," Nick said, getting up. They walked silently towards Grissom's closed door, which was just a few meters from the break room. Nick rapped the door and opened it after Grissom said, "Come in."
"You have a visitor," Nick said, entering the room. Wren stayed in the corridor.
Grissom sighed. "So I heard. You going with Catherine on the last call?"
"Sorry boss," Nick shook his head. "She took Warrick with her. They already left."
Grissom nodded. He rubbed his temple, feeling the beginnings of a migraine. "Where's Wren?"
Nick looked at Wren, who was standing tentatively outside Grissom's office. "Hi Dad," she smiled as she entered the room.
Grissom smiled and stood up. "Hi Wren."
Nick took one glance at them, smiled at Grissom and stepped out of the office, closing the door behind him. So this was no surprise for Grissom, he mused, wonder why he hasn't told Catherine?
Author's note: Yup, it did come from babyblues. Anyway, I can't promise to make this one funny, but rest assured, it's not going to be sad or tragic either. Thanks for the reviews, keep them coming!
It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
By Moose
Chapter 3
"Wonder how Sara's holding up," Catherine Willows mused as she and Nick Stokes entered the building.
"Maybe she's gotten our backlog down to a week," Nick said hopefully, not a big fan of paperwork himself.
"I hope you're right, but I have a feeling that's just wishful thinking," Catherine smiled. "I'm just going to shower before heading to the break room. These grime stains might never come off," she said, grimacing as she looked at the ugly black marks on her pink blouse.
"I'll just get some food at the caf," Nick said. "Want anything?"
Catherine shook her head. "No, but thanks anyway."
"Okay," Nick nodded and headed for the cafeteria. At this time of the night, the 24-hour cafeteria usually has no costumers, save for the other night-shifters. Nick went straight to the counter and ordered a hamburger for himself and an egg sandwich for Sara. He knew that she probably hadn't eaten since dinner that night.
As he was walking away from the counter with their food, his eyes automatically scanned the room. He stopped walking when he saw Sara with a woman he didn't recognize in one of the tables. Apparently, they had been looking at him, and Sara smiled when he met her eyes. Smiling ruefully, Nick walked towards their table.
"Good evening, ladies," he greeted them.
"Hi Nick," Sara said. "This is Wren. Wren, this is Nick. He's on the team, too."
Wren offered a hand, which Nick shook. "Nice to meet you, Nick."
"Same here," Nick replied. Turning to Sara, he said, "I was going to bring this to you." He handed her the package with the sandwich.
"Thanks," Sara said. "but I think I'll eat it in the break room. We were about to go back when you got here." She moved to stand and Nick reached out to help her. Soon the trio were on their way back to the break room.
"You two go ahead," Wren said. "I'll just go freshen up a bit."
"Okay, the ladies' room is at the end of this hallway, the door to your left," Sara said. "We'll be in the break room."
"Thanks," Wren smiled pleasantly. She walked on as Nick and Sara entered the empty break room.
Once inside, Nick turned to Sara. "So.did you miss me?"
"With Wren around, no," Sara teased, heading over to the couch.
"Fine, give me back the sandwich. I'll give it to Greg instead."
"Why, do you think Greg missed you?"
"Hell, no," Nick replied. "Okay, you can have the sandwich. Just tell me more about Wren."
"Nick." Sara said, her eyes narrowing.
"Just kidding," Nick grinned, settling beside her. He gave her a quick kiss before asking, "Seriously, who is she? I haven't heard you mention any Wren before."
"Her name doesn't sound familiar to you either?" Sara looked at Nick, worry clouding her face. "You mean, you also don't know?"
"Know what?" Nick repeated, Sara's worried look stopping him from taking a bite of his burger.
"She's Grissom's daughter."
"Grissom has a daughter?" Warrick's voice came from the doorway. He looked a little sick.
"You're kidding, right?" Nick asked Sara, who nodded at Warrick. Warrick poured himself some coffee and faced his two colleagues, their worry mirrored on his face.
Sara shook her head. "No, I'm not."
"Oh boy," Nick muttered. "Where's Grissom?"
"In his office," Warrick replied. "Does Catherine know?"
"I have no idea," Nick admitted.
"Oh boy," Sara said, repeating Nick's words. She looked at Nick and saw worry in his eyes. "Oh boy."
Several doors away, Catherine walked out of the locker room feeling a lot better. Her pink shirt was probably gone for good, but at least she and Nick had pretty much closed the case. She headed to the break room and found three troubled looking CSIs discussing a seemingly important matter.
"What happened?" Catherine asked as she entered the room. Immediately, the three stopped talking. She looked at them suspiciously. "Okay, were you guys talking about me?"
"No," Sara and Warrick said in unison, making Nick cringe. They couldn't have been more obvious than that.
"Um, would you like some egg sandwich, Catherine?" Sara feebly asked.
"Thanks, but I'd rather you fill me up with what's going on," Catherine said. Just then, Wren walked in. Seeing new faces, she smiled and introduced herself, "Hi, I'm Wren Grissom."
"Catherine Willows," Catherine replied automatically. Realizing what Wren just said, she turned sharply to her. "I'm sorry, what was your name again?"
"Wren Grissom," Wren replied, glancing uneasily at Sara, who suddenly became very interested in her sandwich. She didn't like Catherine's reaction when she said her name.
Relax, Catherine told herself, she's probably a niece or cousin. Her heart pounding wildly, she asked, "Any relation to Gil Grissom?"
"He's my father," Wren said tentatively.
Catherine managed a tight smile. "Well, it's about time I, we met you," she said. Turning to Warrick, she raised an eyebrow.
"In his office," Warrick said, a feeling of impending doom washing over him. "We just got back."
"Excuse me," Catherine said, heading out.
"I'm Warrick Brown," Warrick introduced himself to a lost-looking Wren. "I have to apologize for Catherine. She's usually very accommodating -"
"She's involved with my dad, isn't she?" Wren asked softly.
Warrick shot Nick and Sara a look for help. When neither replied, he looked back at Wren and nodded.
"I came here actually hoping that he's find someone," Wren said. "That's not a problem for me."
"But I think it is for them," Sara said, looking at Wren sympathetically.
Just then, Catherine walked back into the room. "Another body found not far from your crime scene earlier this night," she told Warrick. "Let's check it out." Warrick nodded and set his cup down. As they walked out of the room, Catherine glanced at Wren and said, "Grissom's in his office."
Wren nodded and looked like she wanted to say something, but Catherine whisked Warrick out. Sighing, she just looked at Nick and Sara. "Where's his office?"
Sara nudged Nick. "Come on, I'll take you there," Nick said, getting up. They walked silently towards Grissom's closed door, which was just a few meters from the break room. Nick rapped the door and opened it after Grissom said, "Come in."
"You have a visitor," Nick said, entering the room. Wren stayed in the corridor.
Grissom sighed. "So I heard. You going with Catherine on the last call?"
"Sorry boss," Nick shook his head. "She took Warrick with her. They already left."
Grissom nodded. He rubbed his temple, feeling the beginnings of a migraine. "Where's Wren?"
Nick looked at Wren, who was standing tentatively outside Grissom's office. "Hi Dad," she smiled as she entered the room.
Grissom smiled and stood up. "Hi Wren."
Nick took one glance at them, smiled at Grissom and stepped out of the office, closing the door behind him. So this was no surprise for Grissom, he mused, wonder why he hasn't told Catherine?