Grissom was looking for Catherine for her opinion on something when he saw
her looking wistfully at a crib with a sales assistant next to her,
obviously trying to make a sale.
'Catherine?'
The sales assistant wisely slipped away and left the couple alone.
'Cath?' Grissom asked again as the blonde kept her head down and did not answer. Wisps of her hair swept across her face and hid her eyes from his view. He reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear and lifted her chin up gently so she would look at him. What he saw shocked him to the core.
He had seen Catherine cry before, but not like this. She was not sobbing, just had tears silently running down her cheeks. And she had a look that was nothing he had ever seen before. These were not angry or sad tears, these were more, tears that spoke of Catherine's inner torment, a burden that had been carried on her slender shoulders for too long and were finally surfacing above the cheerful and vibrant personality that the 5'6" blonde hid behind.
Grissom didn't say anything, he didn't know what to say. He just swept his partner into his arms and out of the store, into his Tahoe and drove to her place. Catherine did not protest, just sat passively in the car, staring into space. She was not crying anymore, but the uncharacteristic silence still sent shivers of fear down Grissom's spine.
After arriving at her place, Catherine got out and opened the door mechanically, still not speaking as she held the door for Grissom to enter.
'Cath, tell me what's bothering you please?' Grissom said, catching her wrist as she made to walk away.
'Nothing. I'm ok Gris, just got a little emotional.' Catherine hedged, not really wanting to get into details. 'You want something to drink? Coffee?' she asked while walking into the kitchen.
'Cath.' Grissom began, but stopped when he saw fresh tears well up in the blonde's eyes. He walked over to her and took her hand.
'Gris, don't do this please, I'm fine.' Catherine said while the tears were already slowly sliding down her cheeks.
Grissom didn't reply, just pulled her into his arms for a hug. When Catherine tried to pull away, affected by the closeness they were sharing and fighting the urge to pull closer, Grissom just tightened his embrace and his left arm slid down to her waist while his right arm remained on her shoulders.
When Catherine made to pull away again, Grissom let her go but kept his hand on her waist and led her out to the living room.
He pushed her towards the couch and sat down next to her. He didn't say anything but kept a hand on her shoulders and allowed her to lean on him.
Catherine noticed that he had put some music on. It was music that he had bought her a few Christmases ago. No singing, just pure orchestra music. Something that always made her relax. He knew her too well for her own good sometimes.
'Catherine,' Grissom said after a few minutes. ' What happened back there at the store? Why did you.' he left the sentence hanging, not knowing how to go on.
' I don't know really.' Catherine said with a sigh, knowing that she owed him an explanation. 'I was just looking at that cradle and suddenly I yearned for another child so badly I couldn't stop myself. I was thinking how lovely it would be if I could go through all that 'shopping for baby' ritual properly that I missed while having Lindsey because of the lack of money and the time. I never had the chance to go shopping for cradles or baby clothes or anything for the baby for that matter. All I had for Lindsey was a few basic chainstore clothes and she slept in a second-hand cot that Eddie's cousin gave us. Any baby equipment that we had was either bought at the nearest shop without a care for anything except its value for money and convenience or handed down by our friends and relatives.'
'I've never thought of what I missed, never regretted it, as I was happy with Lindsey. After joining the CSI, I have been able to provide for my kid comfortably. But when I saw that crib today, it brought back memories of the time when I used to dream of choosing baby clothes and handmade quilts, preparing a well-decorated nursery.. the whole works, but it never happened.' Catherine said wistfully.
'I see. I'm sorry for putting you through that. I had no idea how hard it would be for you.' Grissom said with genuine remorse.
'Hey, I should be the one that's sorry. Now you would be the first godparent in history that doesn't have a gift for his goddaughter!' Catherine said with a weak smile. 'When's the christening anyway? Maybe we can go get a gift another day, just not in the store we went to today.' She said with a grimace.
Grissom smiled at the resilience of this remarkable woman. This was one of the qualities he so admired in her. No matter what happened, what knocks life dealt her, she still managed to bounce back with a smile.
'No, that's ok. I think I know what to get her. But thanks for your help anyway. Get some rest and I'll see you at work tonight ok?' Grissom said, walking towards the door. He had a plan and he needed time to work it out.
'Catherine?'
The sales assistant wisely slipped away and left the couple alone.
'Cath?' Grissom asked again as the blonde kept her head down and did not answer. Wisps of her hair swept across her face and hid her eyes from his view. He reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear and lifted her chin up gently so she would look at him. What he saw shocked him to the core.
He had seen Catherine cry before, but not like this. She was not sobbing, just had tears silently running down her cheeks. And she had a look that was nothing he had ever seen before. These were not angry or sad tears, these were more, tears that spoke of Catherine's inner torment, a burden that had been carried on her slender shoulders for too long and were finally surfacing above the cheerful and vibrant personality that the 5'6" blonde hid behind.
Grissom didn't say anything, he didn't know what to say. He just swept his partner into his arms and out of the store, into his Tahoe and drove to her place. Catherine did not protest, just sat passively in the car, staring into space. She was not crying anymore, but the uncharacteristic silence still sent shivers of fear down Grissom's spine.
After arriving at her place, Catherine got out and opened the door mechanically, still not speaking as she held the door for Grissom to enter.
'Cath, tell me what's bothering you please?' Grissom said, catching her wrist as she made to walk away.
'Nothing. I'm ok Gris, just got a little emotional.' Catherine hedged, not really wanting to get into details. 'You want something to drink? Coffee?' she asked while walking into the kitchen.
'Cath.' Grissom began, but stopped when he saw fresh tears well up in the blonde's eyes. He walked over to her and took her hand.
'Gris, don't do this please, I'm fine.' Catherine said while the tears were already slowly sliding down her cheeks.
Grissom didn't reply, just pulled her into his arms for a hug. When Catherine tried to pull away, affected by the closeness they were sharing and fighting the urge to pull closer, Grissom just tightened his embrace and his left arm slid down to her waist while his right arm remained on her shoulders.
When Catherine made to pull away again, Grissom let her go but kept his hand on her waist and led her out to the living room.
He pushed her towards the couch and sat down next to her. He didn't say anything but kept a hand on her shoulders and allowed her to lean on him.
Catherine noticed that he had put some music on. It was music that he had bought her a few Christmases ago. No singing, just pure orchestra music. Something that always made her relax. He knew her too well for her own good sometimes.
'Catherine,' Grissom said after a few minutes. ' What happened back there at the store? Why did you.' he left the sentence hanging, not knowing how to go on.
' I don't know really.' Catherine said with a sigh, knowing that she owed him an explanation. 'I was just looking at that cradle and suddenly I yearned for another child so badly I couldn't stop myself. I was thinking how lovely it would be if I could go through all that 'shopping for baby' ritual properly that I missed while having Lindsey because of the lack of money and the time. I never had the chance to go shopping for cradles or baby clothes or anything for the baby for that matter. All I had for Lindsey was a few basic chainstore clothes and she slept in a second-hand cot that Eddie's cousin gave us. Any baby equipment that we had was either bought at the nearest shop without a care for anything except its value for money and convenience or handed down by our friends and relatives.'
'I've never thought of what I missed, never regretted it, as I was happy with Lindsey. After joining the CSI, I have been able to provide for my kid comfortably. But when I saw that crib today, it brought back memories of the time when I used to dream of choosing baby clothes and handmade quilts, preparing a well-decorated nursery.. the whole works, but it never happened.' Catherine said wistfully.
'I see. I'm sorry for putting you through that. I had no idea how hard it would be for you.' Grissom said with genuine remorse.
'Hey, I should be the one that's sorry. Now you would be the first godparent in history that doesn't have a gift for his goddaughter!' Catherine said with a weak smile. 'When's the christening anyway? Maybe we can go get a gift another day, just not in the store we went to today.' She said with a grimace.
Grissom smiled at the resilience of this remarkable woman. This was one of the qualities he so admired in her. No matter what happened, what knocks life dealt her, she still managed to bounce back with a smile.
'No, that's ok. I think I know what to get her. But thanks for your help anyway. Get some rest and I'll see you at work tonight ok?' Grissom said, walking towards the door. He had a plan and he needed time to work it out.