Disclaimer: Not mine… I know… do I need to call 911 for the shock? Though, since this is a Christmas story… if Bruckheimer is in a particularly giving mood feel free to send the characters my way.
Rating: PG
Category: Humor, C/G
Spoilers: None, unless you don't want to know of the horrors of last-minute holiday shopping experiences.
Author: Traci traci_ann@yahoo.com
Summary: Yep, another last minute Christmas shopping story – thus the reason it's humor. Catherine and Grissom in a mall two days before Christmas. Need more be said? Oh, it's all Grissom, Catherine and Lindsey, not others around. Not that I don't like the others…they just didn't fit in the story.
Tracy – thanks again for being so awesome and fixing my errors – even if spell-check does disagree on certain spelling depending on what side of the hemisphere you're on!
When My Heart Finds Christmas
"I swear Christmas comes up on us faster and faster each year," hissed Catherine Willows.
"Cath! Wait up!" Her male companion could do little more than try to keep track of a mop of strawberry-blonde hair in the overcrowded mall.
"I swear it's a conspiracy," she continued, oblivious to the fact she had lost her friend. "Gil, why are you keeping so quiet?" She looked around and sighed. "Great," she mumbled.
"If you were trying to lose me you'd better do better than that," he whispered into her ear from behind. "I am a top CSI you know."
She turned around with a big grin on her face. "And aren't I the lucky one for that. Of course, I have the keys to the car so I was not really the lost one, was I?"
Gil Grissom lost himself in her blue eyes for a brief moment. Why had he never taken the chance with her? Why had he insisted to himself that their relationship remain a platonic one?
She tugged his hand. "Come on, I still have to find that creepy-crawly thingy that Lindsey wants, no thanks to one Uncle Gil."
Shrugging sheepishly, he followed. The mall had always been one of his favorite places to go and observe people and their behaviors. It was a place he could easily blend in with the background and not be noticed. It was a good place for someone looking for solitude. Two days before Christmas, however, it was the last place he wanted to be. His shopping had been done for months. Was it his fault that Catherine's daughter had decided at the last minute she needed one of those new science kits for kids? Was it his fault that his friend had waited until the last minute to do her shopping? Was it…? He found her eyes seeking him out. He quietly watched loose strands of her soft hair fall around her face. Was it his fault he would follow her to the ends of the earth and back?
"Are you going to stand there all day? You can come back later and observe the animalistic behavior of last-minute shoppers." She grinned. "We may even have to come back on a case if shopping gets really nasty this year." With that, she disappeared into Science World.
Grissom shook his head, chuckling to himself, and shoved his way through the masses only to find Catherine pushing people out of the way to reach one of the last two kits. Her average height, however, was becoming a problem so Gil reached above her and grabbed one.
The next thing he knew he was doubled over from an elbow to his ribs.
"Gil? Geez, Gil, I'm sorry. I didn't see you there. What were you thinking?"
"I was thinking I was helping you reach the present," he managed to get out while trying to stand up again.
Catherine's eyes sparkled. "I really didn't do it on purpose. A kid pushed past me."
"Sure, whatever you say," he replied while trying to conceal a tiny grin.
She held up the box. "At least Lindsey will be getting one this year." Touching his arm, she asked, "Are you sure you're alright? You look a little pale."
"I'm fine, but I have to say I now feel sorry for any suspects that get on your wrong side."
"A woman has to know how to defend herself," she replied then ran off to get in the long line of people waiting to make their purchases.
"You can wait somewhere else if you want," she offered when her partner walked up beside her. "I'll be here awhile."
He looked around the store. It was far too crowded to just browse. "Want coffee?"
"You really know the way to a girl's heart."
"It's not your heart I'm after at the moment, my dear. It's my sanity."
She smiled at him as only she could and his heart melted. Her heart might have been safe at the moment but his was gone… as it had been for the last eighteen years.
"Coffee would be great then."
"Your usual?"
She nodded. "Only get the largest one. I still have to wrap everything tonight."
"As you wish." He maneuvered his way through the thick wall of shoppers and found himself back out into the mall.
"You are one lucky woman," commented an older lady standing behind Catherine. "Your husband just adores you."
Catherine turned around and smiled at the elderly woman. "He's not my husband, but yeah, I'm lucky to have him."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I just thought…" She hesitated. "Why isn't he your husband?"
"We've been friends for a long time…"
The woman held up her hand. "Not the friend excuse. He adores you, sweetie. And it's quite obvious you adore him just as much. What are you two waiting for?"
Before Catherine had a chance to answer, she was called up to the counter to pay for her purchase. By the time the transaction was completed, the elderly woman was just another body among the mass of frantic shoppers.
"One Venti Peppermint Mocha, extra whipped cream," Grissom told the young man behind the counter. "And one Venti Cappuccino."
"Why not make it an eggnog one?"
He turned to find Catherine standing right beside him, package in hand.
"It's Christmas, Gil, get in the holiday spirit."
Shaking his head, he conceded then stepped aside so other orders could be taken. "That didn't take you too long."
"They had five people working the registers." Her eyes found his.
"What?" he asked.
"Nothing." Using her tiptoes, she leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you for everything."
Her mood had changed. It was a subtle change but enough for him to notice. "Catherine, are you alright?"
The smile on her lips reached her eyes. "I couldn't be better." She picked up her coffee, took a sip and said, "Okay, I lied, *now* I couldn't be better."
Grabbing his own coffee, they walked out of the mall to the car.
"Want me to drop you off?" she asked as she started the car.
"Where are you wrapping Lindsey's presents?"
"The office. She's too snoopy for me to wrap them at home."
He laughed. "Yep, more and more like her mother everyday."
She swatted him in the arm from the driver's seat. "I could just drop you off at any curb and let you fend for yourself."
"Then who would you have to help you wrap the over-abundance of presents you plan on showering your daughter with?"
She glanced over at him briefly while zipping around pedestrians and cars. "Are you offering? 'Cause I won't turn it down you know."
"I'm offering."
"Gil, you went to the mall with me, you got me coffee… You've done more than enough."
"Either way, I still have to go back to the office. My car is there. So if you want help…"
"I owe you."
He grinned. "I know."
**********************
"I think I got her too many things," Catherine sighed while placing a bow atop yet another present.
"You won't say that Christmas morning when she's opening them." Grissom was fighting with a long piece of red ribbon that refused to co-operate for him.
"Gil, how in the world do you ever manage to dissect the most minute of insects when you can't even work with ribbon?" she laughed, walking over to his table to help him.
He gave her one of his 'I have no idea' faces and cut the ribbon while she held her finger in the center of the twist so he could tie it.
"What are you doing for Christmas?" she asked softly.
"I was going to stop by and visit my mom Christmas Eve."
"Why don't you come by my house Christmas morning."
His eyes met hers over the present. "I don't want to intrude on your time with your daughter."
"Intrude? You? Geez, Gil, how long have we known each other? Lindsey would love to have you there. Heaven knows you could explain that science bug kit thing far better than me."
He moved closer to her, the ribbon tying now forgotten. "What about you?"
Her body trembled. Licking her lips that had suddenly become extremely dry, she asked, "What about me?"
"Do you want me there?"
She smiled. "I wouldn't have asked if I didn't."
He swallowed hard and stepped back. It was the game they played. It was their game. A game of wills. He had lost this round. "Okay, as long as you're sure."
"Be there at seven." She started to gather up the newly wrapped presents. "And thank you again. I never could have gotten this done myself."
******************
"Mom, why did you tell him not to get here until seven?"
Catherine sipped her coffee and smiled. "Because when you get older you will understand how much adults love to wait until after the sun is up to get out of bed."
"But Moooommmm." The young blonde girl flopped on the couch beside her mother and snuggled up to her. "I'm dying to know what I got."
"I know Sweetheart, and he'll be here any minute." She ran her fingers through Lindsey's long, satin hair.
Suddenly the girl jumped up. "Oh, I forgot, I got him something." In a flash she was back up the stairs and all Catherine heard was the sound of something heavy being moved. She was about to investigate when the doorbell rang. 'Right on time,' she thought.
Opening the door she was greeted by a large stack of presents. "Is there a Gil Grissom hiding somewhere behind these?"
He poked his head around the side. "There is and a little help would be nice about now."
She laughed and took a few things off the large. "You could have made two trips you know. And what in the world were you thinking getting so many things for Linds?"
"Hey, you think you're the only one who can spoil her?"
"Uncle Gil!" Lindsey ran down the stairs and straight into his arms.
"Merry Christmas, kiddo."
She groaned. "I hate that name."
He smiled at her. "I know."
Lindsey shook her head. "No wonder you and Mom get along so well." She settled herself next to the tree not unaware that her mom and Grissom sat close to each other on the couch.
"Gil, you really didn't have to get her anything," she whispered as Lindsey tore into one of the larger presents.
"I know. But I wanted to. And before you say anything, I had these all bought and wrapped before Thanksgiving."
She shook her head, glancing at him. "I guess I could learn a thing or two from you."
"Oh, wow! Mom! Thanks!" Lindsey ignored all the other unwrapped gifts upon uncovering the science kit. "This is so awesome!"
"And Uncle Gil, here, can help you with it later… outside." She grinned at Grissom. "Now how glad are you that you came over?"
Within forty minutes it looked as if a tornado had hit the living room.
Catherine was all smiles over the new additions to her wardrobe that her daughter had picked out… though she knew exchanges would be made on a few.
Lindsey was beside herself with all her gifts ranging from stuffed animals to numerous science-related things, mostly from Grissom. She was about to drag him outside to look at the science kit when she ran upstairs without a word.
He looked at Catherine.
"She has something for you, but I can't be held responsible because I have no idea what it is."
"Mom? Can you come up and help me, please?"
"Uh-oh," she mumbled. "This can't be good."
A moment later Catherine called down the stairs. "Gil, can you close your eyes or leave the room for a minute, please?"
"Uh, yeah. I'll be in the kitchen."
"Thanks." She turned to her daughter. "Okay. I don't know how you did this, but he is going to love it!"
Lindsey beamed. "He's worth it, Mom. Something one of my friends said made me realize how lucky we both are to have Uncle Gil in our lives."
Catherine stopped and turned to her daughter. "You're growing up too fast, you know that… Kiddo."
"Mom!"
Grinning, Catherine lifted one end of the box and they carried it down to the living room. Lindsey went into the kitchen to retrieve Grissom, who stopped short upon seeing the size of his gift.
"Lindsey, what on earth?"
She merely continued to grin, bearing a striking resemblance to her mother. "Just open it."
He began to carefully pull the paper off and both Catherine and Lindsey groaned.
"Just rip it!" Catherine told him.
"I can use this to study…"
"Uncle Gil!"
With a grin, he tore off the rest of the paper and sat back. "Lindsey, this is… how in the world… I love it!" He gave her a huge hug. "Thank you, sweetheart."
On the floor stood a four-foot by four-foot glass enclosure containing a very large ant colony. But they weren't just any ants… they were Central American Leafcutters.
Catherine rolled her eyes. "Thank you, honey, for *not* getting me bugs for Christmas."
"Wouldn't have dreamed of it, Mom," she teased. "They aren't something you can take shopping with you."
Catherine stuck her tongue out at her daughter.
"Now, if you two young ladies are done fighting… How in the world did you manage to do this?"
Lindsey sat proudly beside him. "I talked to my science teacher and he had one of these himself. He gave me an extra queen he had and a few worker ants and I did the rest myself. I've had in hidden in my closet for about three months." Off Catherine's disgusted look, she added, "That's the reason I didn't tell you about it." She stood up. "Mom, can I go set up the kit now?"
"Yes. And we'll be out in a few minutes."
The girl ran off.
"I think you made an excellent choice with that," Grissom commented, still engrossed in his newest addition to his bug collection.
"Well, she wouldn't have it right now if it weren't for you, so thank you."
He looked up at her. "Even if I did almost lose a rib or two over it."
She laughed. "If I had meant to hurt you, you would have known it, trust me."
Pushing himself up from the floor, Grissom headed to the front door. "I have to get something out of the car. Be right back."
As she watched him walk out the door, she thought about him. About how he had always been there for her. About how he had always believed in her, even when she hadn't fully believed in herself. How he forgave even the largest of mistakes. How he cared, unconditionally. Another knock startled her and she opened the door. "If you have another…"
But he stood there empty handed.
With eyebrow arched, she said, "There'd better be a darn good explanation as to why you couldn't open this door yourself."
His eyes looked upward and her gaze followed.
Slowly their eyes met on the way back down.
Meeting each other halfway, their lips pressed softly yet firmly together. It didn't take long for them to deepen their first kiss. Hearts pounded beneath their chests.
Reluctantly breaking the kiss, Grissom looked at her. "So was that a good enough explanation?"
"Mmm, I guess it will have to do," she grinned. "But why now?"
"I don't know. It just… it finally felt like the right time."
"I know what you mean." She stepped aside to let him back in.
When she turned around she was presented with a small box. "You didn't think I'd forget a gift for you, did you?" he asked.
"Not if you knew what was good for you." She quickly left the room only to return with a box for him.
They stood in the doorway, each holding a wrapped gift but neither moving.
"Adults," Lindsey exclaimed, rolled her eyes and walked back out of the room.
Grissom and Catherine burst out laughing.
"Not much gets past her, that's for sure," Catherine said. "So, are you going to open it? I will tell you this, though. It's not alive."
He began to carefully unwrap it only to have a not-so-subtle reminder to just open it. Lifting the box, he froze. "Catherine." His eyes met hers. "How did you know?"
She smiled at him. "Well, if you hadn't have pulled that little maneuver with the mistletoe, I was going to take the initiative. It's time we stop hiding behind the friends excuse."
"Oh." His face dropped.
"What? Oh, gee, Gil, if I was wrong about this…"
"No, I just realized that means that the other ticket to Cancun is probably for you. And here I was planning on inviting Nick or Warrick." He grinned at her. "Now, open your present."
She did and nearly dropped it when she saw what it was. Tears had already filled her eyes by the time she looked at Grissom. "It's beautiful, Gil."
He lifted the gold heart pendent out of the box for her. "There's something else."
Taking it from him, she opened it. Inside was an inscription.
'Catherine,
You are my heart. You are my sanity when I am too serious.
To have and to hold, I am yours always, my dear.
Love,
Gil'
"Gil," she sniffled before kissing him once again.
"Sheesh, it's about time."
Both jumped apart and stared at Lindsey.
"What? I figured I'd be in a nursing home before you two finally figured it out. I'll be out back but I won't hold my breath on you two being out there anytime soon."
"We're right behind you, Linds," Catherine shouted out to the girl then turned back to Grissom. "I just have one question."
"What?"
"What would you have done if I hadn't responded to the kiss? If I said I wanted us to stay just friends?"
He took her hand and led her through the house to the backyard. "Simple. I would have mixed up some concoction in the kit of Lindsey's to superglue it shut and simply given you a heart necklace." He kissed her again briefly.
"However, the ant farm is not staying in the house!" she stated, closing the porch door behind her.
The End.