Disclaimer: Do I really have to do this again?? Not mine. They really belong to some hermit in a far away land who… oh, oops, wrong show… Bruckheimer owns them – he owns TV!
Rating: PG
Spoilers: 'Inside the Box'
Category: G/C friendship
Author: Traci
Archiving and Feedback: Sure, just let me know where at traci_ann@yahoo.com
Summary: Post 'Inside the Box' scene. Just a tiny one.
Author's Notes: Ok, so I'm sitting here downloading 'Inside the Box', kicking myself for NOT having been as into CSI when it aired thus not having it taped. Anywho, this little scene just kinda hit me. It was um, written in about 5 minutes so if it sucks I'm really sorry.
What Scares Me Most…
"You know what scares me most?"
Catherine Willows looked gently upon her friend as he lay recovering in the hospital bed. The surgery for his hearing was over. All that was left to was wait and see. She smiled at him. "No, what?" Though his ears were bandaged she knew he was capable of reading lips.
"Never hearing your voice again," Gil Grissom confessed, blushing.
Her jaw dropped, the smile faded and she said nothing. Finally a huge grin formed and she leaned in close. "My voice will haunt you for the rest of your life," she teased.
Smiling, he shook his head. "I mean I'd miss my job. I'd miss everyone but… I've grown very accustomed to your voice."
"I… Gil… I don't know what to say. You're really scaring me here." Tears formed in her blue eyes. "It's almost sounding as if you're giving up on me."
Grissom smiled. "Never, my dear. Just approaching this from all angles."
She nodded and sat on the edge of his bed. "How do you feel?"
"Been better… Been worse." He intently watched her for a few moments. "I'm sorry about you father, Cath. I…" He paused gathering his thoughts. "I wish the timing of this had been different so I could be there for you."
Gently, she took his hand in hers and met his gaze. "You are here for me just as I am for you. The way it's always been and the way it will always be."
They sat in silence for many more moments, Catherine caressing his hand with her thumb.
"You probably should get home to Lindsey," Grissom whispered.
"Yeah. I just…"
"I'll be alright." He disentangled his hand from hers and softly touched her cheek, wiping away the few tears that were falling. "I expect you to come by again tomorrow, though."
She laughed through her tears and pressed her cheek against his hand. "Just try to keep me away."
Slowly his hand slid from her face and rested atop her own on the bed. "Thank you for staying."
With a smile and a nod, she leaned over and placed a kiss on his cheek. She sat up enough for him to see her lips and said, "You don't have to thank me but please don't close yourself off to me. I don't think I could handle that again." Tears burned her eyes at the memory of the last few months when Grissom had seemed to pull away from her.
He shook his head. "Never again. I promise."
With another smile, she stood up and they held hands until she was too far across the room to reach. Glancing back one last time, she left.
Grissom lay in his bed wondering what his life might be like if the surgery wasn't a success but, knowing that Catherine would be there beside him no matter what made even the worst case scenario not seem quite as bad.
The End