"Expect the Unexpected" part 4
By trueshipper
All important info. is available in the prologue.
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Catherine watched Gil as they walked along. He had left her hanging in the restaurant, and said lets go for a walk. All she got was silence as she walked along. Her shoes were not made for a long walk. It left her plenty of time to think about his statement. She didn't know if he was worried about what was going to happen at night at work, or something much more serious like he was dying. 'Stop it Catherine! He is not dying. He can't be.'
They arrived at a park which Catherine didn't recognize. 'I wonder why he wants to go here.' He led her over to the swings and motioned for her to sit on one while he took another. Still nothing was coming from him. She decided to come out and ask a question.
"Gil, is this about Sara? If you love her all you have to do is tell her. She really cares about you too. It was only a first date, just try again. Ask questions and try to find more things in common. Listen to her."
When she got no response from Gil, she looked over at him, afraid that she would see she was right. Instead of that, Gil just looked at her shocked.
"Why would you think that? I was never in love with her. She was only my student and a respected coworker. Catherine, I could never feel like that for another women when I'm in love with someone else. I don't want to get into this right now. There is something else you need to know."
"Gil, its all right to tell me. Whatever it is I'll be there for you. You're scaring me here."
"A couple of months ago I went to the doctor about my hearing. There were times that I couldn't hear anything, and I was wondering what was going on." He took a heavy breath before he went on. "I'm loosing my hearing. They don't know when it will be gone, and they are recommending surgery."
Catherine had not been watching Gil until his words made her look up. His hands were signing the whole time. She chose to surprise him by signing back to him her response. That day they signed for hours as they talked about what was going to happen. At times the tears were flowing, and other times they joked about the benefits of not hearing to alleviate the tension.
He took her home with just barely enough time to get ready for work. He left her with the signing of a thank you and a kiss on the cheek before heading to his car with a small smile on his face. He knew that things were going to be all right as long as he had his Catherine.
************************************
Work that evening...
Catherine headed into the office heading directly to Gil's office hoping to talk to him before the shift start. She wanted to make sure he was doing okay after their conversation earlier. She knew it was hard for him to talk about it.
She softly knocked on his door before entering the office. "Hey Gil."
"Hi, Cath. I see you got here in time."
"Well my boss doesn't like me being late so I had to rush to get here."
"I think he would have understood."
She sobered up before continuing. "Actually, I came to make sure you were okay after this afternoon."
"I'm doing better then I have for a long time. I really don't know how to thank you."
"Its nothing at all. That's what friends do for each other."
"I didn't know you knew sign language."
"I've known it for years. It was a kind of side thing I took while I was at college. I had met this woman there that was deaf, and her signing got me interested in it. Now come on we gotta meet our coworkers."
They headed up the stairs, and as they were about to enter the break room they could clearly hear Sara's voice.
"You guys wouldn't believe what happened last night. All Grissom could talk about was work, work, and even more work."
She never saw the Gil and Cath standing in the doorway until it was too late.
TBC...
By trueshipper
All important info. is available in the prologue.
************************************************************************
Catherine watched Gil as they walked along. He had left her hanging in the restaurant, and said lets go for a walk. All she got was silence as she walked along. Her shoes were not made for a long walk. It left her plenty of time to think about his statement. She didn't know if he was worried about what was going to happen at night at work, or something much more serious like he was dying. 'Stop it Catherine! He is not dying. He can't be.'
They arrived at a park which Catherine didn't recognize. 'I wonder why he wants to go here.' He led her over to the swings and motioned for her to sit on one while he took another. Still nothing was coming from him. She decided to come out and ask a question.
"Gil, is this about Sara? If you love her all you have to do is tell her. She really cares about you too. It was only a first date, just try again. Ask questions and try to find more things in common. Listen to her."
When she got no response from Gil, she looked over at him, afraid that she would see she was right. Instead of that, Gil just looked at her shocked.
"Why would you think that? I was never in love with her. She was only my student and a respected coworker. Catherine, I could never feel like that for another women when I'm in love with someone else. I don't want to get into this right now. There is something else you need to know."
"Gil, its all right to tell me. Whatever it is I'll be there for you. You're scaring me here."
"A couple of months ago I went to the doctor about my hearing. There were times that I couldn't hear anything, and I was wondering what was going on." He took a heavy breath before he went on. "I'm loosing my hearing. They don't know when it will be gone, and they are recommending surgery."
Catherine had not been watching Gil until his words made her look up. His hands were signing the whole time. She chose to surprise him by signing back to him her response. That day they signed for hours as they talked about what was going to happen. At times the tears were flowing, and other times they joked about the benefits of not hearing to alleviate the tension.
He took her home with just barely enough time to get ready for work. He left her with the signing of a thank you and a kiss on the cheek before heading to his car with a small smile on his face. He knew that things were going to be all right as long as he had his Catherine.
************************************
Work that evening...
Catherine headed into the office heading directly to Gil's office hoping to talk to him before the shift start. She wanted to make sure he was doing okay after their conversation earlier. She knew it was hard for him to talk about it.
She softly knocked on his door before entering the office. "Hey Gil."
"Hi, Cath. I see you got here in time."
"Well my boss doesn't like me being late so I had to rush to get here."
"I think he would have understood."
She sobered up before continuing. "Actually, I came to make sure you were okay after this afternoon."
"I'm doing better then I have for a long time. I really don't know how to thank you."
"Its nothing at all. That's what friends do for each other."
"I didn't know you knew sign language."
"I've known it for years. It was a kind of side thing I took while I was at college. I had met this woman there that was deaf, and her signing got me interested in it. Now come on we gotta meet our coworkers."
They headed up the stairs, and as they were about to enter the break room they could clearly hear Sara's voice.
"You guys wouldn't believe what happened last night. All Grissom could talk about was work, work, and even more work."
She never saw the Gil and Cath standing in the doorway until it was too late.
TBC...