Disclaimer: Unfortunately, none of these characters belong to me, except for Elle and Harrison Stokes.
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As the Stokes family pulled up in front of Catherine's house, Sara could tell she was too late to help Catherine out with decorations. The front of the house had balloons taped to the front, swaying in the slight breeze. Pink and blue streamers hung over the door, and on the front of the door was a sign, which from the looks of it, had to be made by Lindsey. It read "Happy Birthday Elle and Harrison!"
As they stepped up to the house, Harrison pulled on the bottom of Sara's skirt.
"Mommy, I don't have any lip stuff on. Is it OK if I chase Greg around?"
Nick, hearing Harrison's question, turned around and said "Har, if you didn't chase Greg around, we'd all think something was wrong." With that, he winked at Sara, at rang the doorbell. As they waited for someone to open the door, Sara fixed Harrison's hair and smoothed out the back of Elle's dress, which had gotten slightly wrinkled during the car ride.
"Hey you guys! Oh my gosh, Elle you look so pretty! I love your dress! Harrison, you look so cute! Look at -- "
"Hey Lindsey, take a breath and let us come in. Then you can drown these two with compliments." Nick said, tickling his daughter in the side, causing her to squirm in his arms.
"Lindsey, are they.. Oh great! You guys are here!" Catherine said, walking in from the kitchen to the living room. Catherine looked great for someone who had spent the entire morning and the night before preparing for the party. She had cream pants on, with a dark red tank top and matching boots. Sara could smell something throughout the house, and really hoped that Catherine hadn't cooked.
"Cath, you didn't cook did you? I told you to let me help set up, and you didn't even let me. And if you cooked…"
"Don't worry, Sara. Lindsey and her friends helped me set up last night, and me and Linds did the finishing touches this morning. And no way did I cook, I ordered out."
Catherine looked down from Sara, and saw Harrison all dressed up, holding onto Nick's hand.
"Hey Harrison. You look so nice." Catherine went to give him a hug. After she stepped out of the embrace, she said "And you smell good, too. Maybe you can give Greg a few pointers on how to put the right amount of cologne on." Harrison laughed even at the mere mention of Greg's name.
Catherine stood back up, walked over to Nick and held her arms out. "Hi Elle. Want to go help me in the kitchen?" Elle looked over to Nick, and after him nodding and letting her know it was OK, she made her way out of Nick's arms and over to Catherine.
Nick followed them through the kitchen and outside, where Warrick, Greg, and one of Greg's girlfriends were. Sara, Harrison and Lindsey were left in the living room, with an awkward silence.
"Mommy, can I go outside with Daddy and Uncle Greg?" Harrison asked, trying to undo the buttons on his jacket.
"Yes, you can" Sara said, helping him with the buttons "But you have to let Daddy know you're out there, and no going in the front yard."
"Ok Mom." Harrison said, as he ran outside.
"So Linds, how'd you do in school this year?" Sara said, trying to make conversation with the young girl as she picked up Harrison's jacket off the floor.
"OK, I guess. I'm just glad its summer." Lindsey said, as she led Sara into the kitchen.
As Sara placed Harrison's jacket over the back of a chair, she saw Elle sitting on the counter dangling her feet and itching her knees. She had complained about the stockings the whole ride to Catherine's house, and as much as Sara knew they were bothering her, she just had to keep them on for a little while. It completed her outfit.
"Mommy, I want to take these off" Elle said, pulling on the stockings.
"Not yet sweetie, I want you to look nice for a little while." Sara answered, getting a pout from her daughter.
"Ok girls, lets go outside and see what those boys are up to" Catherine said, helping Elle off the counter and leading them out onto the patio.
'Wow, Catherine has really gone all out for them' Sara thought to herself, as she took in all there was to take in. Catherine had hung Christmas lights all along her patio roof, and balloons were everywhere. She could see Greg detaching one for Harrison, a blue one - Harrison's favorite color. On the tables were centerpieces that were paper flowers, and in the center of each flower was a Hershey Kiss. Sara had been mesmerized that she hadn't even realized Harrison standing right in front of her, laughing.
"Mommy! Mommy! Look at my hair!"
As Sara looked down, she saw that her son's hair was sticking out. It had a strong resemblance to Greg's coif.
"Harrison, how'd you do that?" To answer his mother's question, he took the balloon that Sara had seen Greg getting before, and rubbed it against his hair, causing it to stick out. Harrison just laughed as he went back to where Greg was sitting.
"Hi! I'm Carly James, Greg's friend. You must be…." A short, blonde bubbly girl jumped in front of Sara. She had on a jean skirt with a matching jacket, and an orange tee underneath. Her feet were dressed in sandals, with a heel that had to be at least 4 inches tall. Sara was amazed at how this girl made her way over to where Greg was sitting to where Sara was without falling on her face.
"Oh, hi, I'm Sara. Sara Stokes." Sara introduced herself, still somewhat dazed from how peppy this girl was. She reminded her of all the girls Sara hated in high school.
"Hi Sara. This party is for your twins, right? Harrison and.. And…" the girl said, somewhat embarrassed that she couldn't remember the names that she was told just moments ago.
"Harrison and Elle. Yes, my twins. One's over there with Greg" Sara said, pointing to where they were still playing with the balloon "And Elle's over there, with my husband and Warrick."
"Oh, that's your little girl? She's absolutely adorable. I haven't met Harrison yet, but he looks just like your husband." And with that, Hurricane Carly was gone.
"Hey hey Sara."
"Hey hey Greg. I met your friend. Carly, her name is. She's very…." Sara said, not wanting to choose the wrong word to describe someone Greg seemed to like enough to bring her to meet all of his co-workers.
"Amazing? Is that the word? Yeah, she rocks my world."
With a laugh, Sara said "Yep, she's something."
"I'm trying to lose Harrison for a second. I need to use the bathroom, and I don't need him camping out in front of the door like Elle did." Greg said, recalling the time when he had too much of the chili taco dip, and was in the bathroom for 45 minutes while Elle patiently waited outside.
"I think you can go now. He seems to have taken an interest in your friend." Sara said, as Greg turned and looked at Harrison using the balloon on Carly's blonde tresses.
As Greg walked into the house, Sara made her way over to where Warrick and Nick were standing, talking about some football game that was on the night before. Sara remembered Nick screaming at the television screen when the team he was rooting for did something Nick didn't appreciate, and Elle waking up, crying.
Sara sat next to Elle, who was still fidgeting with her stockings.
"Mommy, can't I take them off now? I've seen everyone." Elle pleaded.
"Not until Uncle Grissom sees you, and once he does, you can take them off and wear them on your head." Sara said, hoping that if she took something that was bothering Elle and made it funny, it would make her happier.
"Can I make Greg wear them on his head? That'd be funnier." Elle said, even making Sara laugh.
"You can try and see if Greg will wear them." Sara said, amused by how much Greg had amused her kids. She was happy that they enjoyed all of the people they worked with. They weren't as much co-workers as they were extended family.
"Want to go with me and see Harrison?"
"No Mommy, I think I'll stay here for a little while. Lindsey is bringing out dolls and we're going to play with them."
"Ok baby." Sara said, kissing the top of her daughter's head.
"Mommy?"
"Hmm?"
"Can you get me something to drink? I'm thirsty." Elle said.
"Sure honey, what do you want?"
"Juice?"
"Ok, I'll go see what Catherine has." As Sara got up from where she was sitting, Nick pulled on her arm.
"Is she alright?" Nick asked, worried about his daughter.
"Eh, I think she's a little tired and a little cranky. She's used to sleeping now. And she's still complaining about the stockings. I'm going to get her some juice."
"Sara, I know how much you want our kids to be perfect, but I really don't think anyone will care if she doesn't have stockings on."
"Yeah, I guess your right. Want to get her for me?"
"Yeah" Nick said. As Sara walked into the house, on a mission for juice, Nick scooped his daughter up in his arms "Baby, you want to go inside with me? Mommy is getting your juice and then you can take those stockings off."
"Ok Daddy" Elle said, turning around in his arms so that she was facing him and linking her hands behind his neck. As Nick walked into the house, he passed Grissom who had just arrived.
"Hey Gris"
"Hey Nick, is she sleeping?" Grissom said, referring to the little blonde bundle in his arms.
"I think she might be falling asleep, you can see if she's awake."
"Ok" As Nick turned around so Elle was facing him, he noticed her eyes partially open. "Hey Elle. Happy Birthday" He said as he kissed her forehead.
"Thanks Uncle Grissom" And with that, she was out like a light.
"Sara, she's asleep."
"Yeah, I figured she would so I made up Lindsey's bed so that she could sleep for a little bit. Just go set her down in there, and don't turn the light off or close the door."
"OK."
As Nick laid her down on the bed, Elle said "Daddy?"
"Yes, Elle?"
"Do you think when I wake up I can still put my stockings on Greg's head?" Elle asked, honestly worried if she would miss out on her chance to play with Greg.
"I'm sure he'd loved that, baby." Nick kissed her on the cheek, and walked back outside.
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