Disclaimer: I don't own CSI.I don't make any profits from this.
Author's note: Sorry I missed my Christmas deadline, but I'll continue this anyway.
It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
By Moose
Chapter 5
"Oh, shut up now," Sara grumbled as the strains of the Chipmunks' "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas," roused her from sleep. She buried her head deeper in her pillow and silently cursed her neighbor for getting home early from work.
"So Scrooge is finally awake," Nick murmured, kissing Sara's bare shoulder. "I thought we'd be late for work today."
"Five more minutes," Sara pleaded, not really wanting to leave the cozy warm bed. She cuddled closer to Nick. "And please tell my neighbor to get rid of that stupid album."
"I kinda like it," Nick said, not really joking. He brushed Sara's hair from her face and kissed her forehead. "Come on, sleepyhead. I already let you oversleep for fifteen minutes. Grissom will kill us both if we're half an hour late."
"Not if Catherine kills him first," Sara said, trying to shake off her drowsiness. "I wonder why he never told her about Wren."
"Grissom's a complicated guy," Nick replied. "But I'm sure they'll work it out."
"I hope so," Sara said. She looked at Nick with a worried expression, then tentatively asked, "You wouldn't have any secrets like that, would you?"
"I've told you everything," Nick replied. He had anticipated this question. Sara had been unusually quiet the night before. "No criminal record, no past marriages and definitely no kids," he assured her. He couldn't help but adding, "as far as I know."
"Nick, I'm serious!" Sara said, propping herself on one elbow. "You would tell, wouldn't you?"
"Just kidding," Nick smiled. He pulled her closer until their lips were almost touching. " Of course I'd tell you. I love you, Sara. You don't have to worry, okay?"
"Okay," Sara murmured, closing her eyes as their lips met. As their kiss deepened, all thoughts of getting to work on time were forgotten.
Catherine couldn't help but sigh as she was greeted by the crime lab's cheerful Christmas décor. Although she was the one who insisted that they put these up, she no longer felt very cheerful for Christmas. She headed straight to the locker room to put her stuff away.
"Catherine?"
Catherine did not reply to the familiar voice. Instead, she continued putting her stuff in her locker.
"Can we go have dinner and talk?"
"It's almost time for work," Catherine said curtly. She turned around and faced Grissom. "Let's do away with dinner and have the talk here, right now."
Grissom nodded and cringed inwardly. He knew he fully deserved her wrath. "About Wren," he began slowly. "I was planning to tell you about her soon."
"When, Gil?" Catherine asked, her voice reflecting the hurt she felt. "I thought we had something special. That night at the hospital when Lindsey was sick, and those weeks after that - I thought we both agreed to let each other into the other's life."
"I'm really sorry, Catherine," Grissom sincerely said. "I was waiting for the right moment to tell you." He took a deep breath and looked directly into her eyes. "I love you, more than I have ever loved anyone. I was, I am scared that you'll think of me less when you have found out about Wren, that you wouldn't let me be a part of your life."
"Why would I do that, Gil?" Catherine asked. "I have a daughter of my own, you know I don't think of children from failed relationships as burdens or accidents."
"Because I failed to be a good father to Wren," Grissom said quietly. Seeing Catherine's confused look, he sighed. "I met Wren's mother in college. We were classmates, and we dated almost all throughout college. After graduating, I asked her to marry me, but she said she would only do so if I changed my line of work. Back then, I already loved this type of job and I knew this was the only job I could do very well and with passion. So, instead of getting engaged, we broke up. She went to Paris, and I didn't know until years later that she was pregnant when we separated. I met Wren for the first time when she was thirteen. She was really different from the Wren you met yesterday. Back then, she was a really troubled kid. She did drugs and slept around, never mind that she was still so young. I tried to get her mother to agree to let me take Wren back to the States, but she refused. I tried to visit Wren as often as I could, but everytime I did, she'd just turn out to be in a worse state than she was before. I felt like a complete failure, and that even at my best efforts, I still couldn't be a good father to her."
"But you were able to straighten her up," Catherine said. "I could tell from the way she carried herself that she's no longer this troubled kid that you're talking about."
"Oh, that wasn't my doing," Grissom shook his head. He looked at Catherine and smiled wistfully. "Wren came here to tell me she's getting married. She told me she met her husband-to-be two years ago, when she was vacationing at her grandparents' place in Vancouver. Her mother had sent her there when she had become too unruly for her to control, and since then, her maternal grandparents had kept her. Her grandfather was a piano tutor, and her fiancé Robbie was one of his students. He and her grandparents made her realize that she doesn't need to be angry at the world and at herself, and from then on, she had worked to get her life back on track."
Catherine was moved by Gil's story, and she felt the hurt and the anger slowly leaving her. They sat in silence for a while, until finally, Catherine reached out and squeezed Grissom's hand. "When's her wedding?"
"On Christmas day, in Vancouver," Grissom replied. "She came to personally tell me about it." Grissom enveloped Catherine's hands with his. "Catherine, I'm really sorry for not telling you sooner."
"Apology accepted," Catherine smiled briefly, before turning serious again. "But please don't ever do this again. I don't want a relationship that has secrets."
"Never again," Grissom promised. "And I have no more secrets from you. I promise."
"Thanks, Gil," Catherine said.
"And if you don't mind, I'd like you and Lindsey to come to Wren's wedding with me," Grissom said. "I know we planned to surprise her with a trip to Disneyworld -"
"I don't know," Catherine shook her head. "Wouldn't it be better for you and Wren to spend time alone?"
"She'll be staying here for a couple more days," Grissom said. "And she asked me to ask you. I told her about you, and she said she'd like to get to know you as well."
"Well, okay then," Catherine nodded. She tugged Grissom's hand. "Come on, we'd better get to work."
"Thanks, Catherine," Grissom smiled, still holding her hand. Together, they walked out of the locker room.
"Well, it's about time," Nick greeted them when they stepped out of the hallway. Camped outside the doorway with Nick were Sara, Warrick and Greg.
"Sara wouldn't let us go inside," Greg reported. "So it's her fault we're all late."
"Hey, I did it so that you guys will have privacy," Sara defended herself. She smiled when she saw that Catherine was smiling.
"How did you know we were there?" Grissom asked her.
"Nick and I were on our way in when we heard your voices," Sara explained. "So, I dragged him out and kept these three out here."
"Thanks, Sara," Grissom smiled. Turning to the rest of the team, "I'll meet you all at the break room in ten minutes."
"Okay," Warrick spoke for them. As they filed into the locker room, he chuckled. "I knew those two couldn't stay mad at each other for long."
"Hey, Nick, have you told Sara about Nicky Jr.?" Greg called from his locker.
"Greg!" Nick called, as Sara turned to him in alarm. Warrick grinned.
Greg shut his locker and faced them. "Just joking, man," he said with his hands raised in surrender upon seeing Nick's expression. "I was just joking, Sara," he also told Sara who looked like she was about hit Nick with her cane.
"You'd better be," Sara replied. "Otherwise, there won't be any jolly old Nick this Christmas."
"Come on, everyone, let's get to work," Nick said. "I don't know why everyone here thinks I've got a kid stashed somewhere," he grumbled as they headed back to the break room.
Grissom and Catherine were waiting for them. "All right, everyone, let's get down to business," Grissom began as they took their places. "We have a long night ahead of us."
Author's Post Script: What do you think of Grissom's explanation? Is it good enough?
Author's note: Sorry I missed my Christmas deadline, but I'll continue this anyway.
It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
By Moose
Chapter 5
"Oh, shut up now," Sara grumbled as the strains of the Chipmunks' "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas," roused her from sleep. She buried her head deeper in her pillow and silently cursed her neighbor for getting home early from work.
"So Scrooge is finally awake," Nick murmured, kissing Sara's bare shoulder. "I thought we'd be late for work today."
"Five more minutes," Sara pleaded, not really wanting to leave the cozy warm bed. She cuddled closer to Nick. "And please tell my neighbor to get rid of that stupid album."
"I kinda like it," Nick said, not really joking. He brushed Sara's hair from her face and kissed her forehead. "Come on, sleepyhead. I already let you oversleep for fifteen minutes. Grissom will kill us both if we're half an hour late."
"Not if Catherine kills him first," Sara said, trying to shake off her drowsiness. "I wonder why he never told her about Wren."
"Grissom's a complicated guy," Nick replied. "But I'm sure they'll work it out."
"I hope so," Sara said. She looked at Nick with a worried expression, then tentatively asked, "You wouldn't have any secrets like that, would you?"
"I've told you everything," Nick replied. He had anticipated this question. Sara had been unusually quiet the night before. "No criminal record, no past marriages and definitely no kids," he assured her. He couldn't help but adding, "as far as I know."
"Nick, I'm serious!" Sara said, propping herself on one elbow. "You would tell, wouldn't you?"
"Just kidding," Nick smiled. He pulled her closer until their lips were almost touching. " Of course I'd tell you. I love you, Sara. You don't have to worry, okay?"
"Okay," Sara murmured, closing her eyes as their lips met. As their kiss deepened, all thoughts of getting to work on time were forgotten.
Catherine couldn't help but sigh as she was greeted by the crime lab's cheerful Christmas décor. Although she was the one who insisted that they put these up, she no longer felt very cheerful for Christmas. She headed straight to the locker room to put her stuff away.
"Catherine?"
Catherine did not reply to the familiar voice. Instead, she continued putting her stuff in her locker.
"Can we go have dinner and talk?"
"It's almost time for work," Catherine said curtly. She turned around and faced Grissom. "Let's do away with dinner and have the talk here, right now."
Grissom nodded and cringed inwardly. He knew he fully deserved her wrath. "About Wren," he began slowly. "I was planning to tell you about her soon."
"When, Gil?" Catherine asked, her voice reflecting the hurt she felt. "I thought we had something special. That night at the hospital when Lindsey was sick, and those weeks after that - I thought we both agreed to let each other into the other's life."
"I'm really sorry, Catherine," Grissom sincerely said. "I was waiting for the right moment to tell you." He took a deep breath and looked directly into her eyes. "I love you, more than I have ever loved anyone. I was, I am scared that you'll think of me less when you have found out about Wren, that you wouldn't let me be a part of your life."
"Why would I do that, Gil?" Catherine asked. "I have a daughter of my own, you know I don't think of children from failed relationships as burdens or accidents."
"Because I failed to be a good father to Wren," Grissom said quietly. Seeing Catherine's confused look, he sighed. "I met Wren's mother in college. We were classmates, and we dated almost all throughout college. After graduating, I asked her to marry me, but she said she would only do so if I changed my line of work. Back then, I already loved this type of job and I knew this was the only job I could do very well and with passion. So, instead of getting engaged, we broke up. She went to Paris, and I didn't know until years later that she was pregnant when we separated. I met Wren for the first time when she was thirteen. She was really different from the Wren you met yesterday. Back then, she was a really troubled kid. She did drugs and slept around, never mind that she was still so young. I tried to get her mother to agree to let me take Wren back to the States, but she refused. I tried to visit Wren as often as I could, but everytime I did, she'd just turn out to be in a worse state than she was before. I felt like a complete failure, and that even at my best efforts, I still couldn't be a good father to her."
"But you were able to straighten her up," Catherine said. "I could tell from the way she carried herself that she's no longer this troubled kid that you're talking about."
"Oh, that wasn't my doing," Grissom shook his head. He looked at Catherine and smiled wistfully. "Wren came here to tell me she's getting married. She told me she met her husband-to-be two years ago, when she was vacationing at her grandparents' place in Vancouver. Her mother had sent her there when she had become too unruly for her to control, and since then, her maternal grandparents had kept her. Her grandfather was a piano tutor, and her fiancé Robbie was one of his students. He and her grandparents made her realize that she doesn't need to be angry at the world and at herself, and from then on, she had worked to get her life back on track."
Catherine was moved by Gil's story, and she felt the hurt and the anger slowly leaving her. They sat in silence for a while, until finally, Catherine reached out and squeezed Grissom's hand. "When's her wedding?"
"On Christmas day, in Vancouver," Grissom replied. "She came to personally tell me about it." Grissom enveloped Catherine's hands with his. "Catherine, I'm really sorry for not telling you sooner."
"Apology accepted," Catherine smiled briefly, before turning serious again. "But please don't ever do this again. I don't want a relationship that has secrets."
"Never again," Grissom promised. "And I have no more secrets from you. I promise."
"Thanks, Gil," Catherine said.
"And if you don't mind, I'd like you and Lindsey to come to Wren's wedding with me," Grissom said. "I know we planned to surprise her with a trip to Disneyworld -"
"I don't know," Catherine shook her head. "Wouldn't it be better for you and Wren to spend time alone?"
"She'll be staying here for a couple more days," Grissom said. "And she asked me to ask you. I told her about you, and she said she'd like to get to know you as well."
"Well, okay then," Catherine nodded. She tugged Grissom's hand. "Come on, we'd better get to work."
"Thanks, Catherine," Grissom smiled, still holding her hand. Together, they walked out of the locker room.
"Well, it's about time," Nick greeted them when they stepped out of the hallway. Camped outside the doorway with Nick were Sara, Warrick and Greg.
"Sara wouldn't let us go inside," Greg reported. "So it's her fault we're all late."
"Hey, I did it so that you guys will have privacy," Sara defended herself. She smiled when she saw that Catherine was smiling.
"How did you know we were there?" Grissom asked her.
"Nick and I were on our way in when we heard your voices," Sara explained. "So, I dragged him out and kept these three out here."
"Thanks, Sara," Grissom smiled. Turning to the rest of the team, "I'll meet you all at the break room in ten minutes."
"Okay," Warrick spoke for them. As they filed into the locker room, he chuckled. "I knew those two couldn't stay mad at each other for long."
"Hey, Nick, have you told Sara about Nicky Jr.?" Greg called from his locker.
"Greg!" Nick called, as Sara turned to him in alarm. Warrick grinned.
Greg shut his locker and faced them. "Just joking, man," he said with his hands raised in surrender upon seeing Nick's expression. "I was just joking, Sara," he also told Sara who looked like she was about hit Nick with her cane.
"You'd better be," Sara replied. "Otherwise, there won't be any jolly old Nick this Christmas."
"Come on, everyone, let's get to work," Nick said. "I don't know why everyone here thinks I've got a kid stashed somewhere," he grumbled as they headed back to the break room.
Grissom and Catherine were waiting for them. "All right, everyone, let's get down to business," Grissom began as they took their places. "We have a long night ahead of us."
Author's Post Script: What do you think of Grissom's explanation? Is it good enough?