Disclaimers: Not mine

Spoilers: A little of Lady Heather's Box.

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THE PERFECT FAMILY

(Chapter 14)

"Grissom? It's me."

"Come in." Grissom answered without looking up.

Catherine opened the door and let her herself in, closing the door behind her. "Your knees bothering you?" She asked, noticing the tube of pain relief cream beside him.

Grissom glanced at the cream and shrugged,  "Who knew riding a horse could be this tiring?"

She laughed. "So the girls actually got you to ride a horse, huh?"

"I don't like to disappoint."

"Even me?"

He stopped applying the cream to his knees and looked up at her. "What?"

"Can we talk?"

"I was under the impression we were already doing that." He twisted the cap back onto the tube of cream and looked at her with concern. "What is it?"

"What did you mean when you said you remembered every promise you made to me?"

"Well...I meant...I remember every promise I've made to you."

"Right."

"Catherine, what's wrong?"

"I don't know."

"Ok..."

"No, I do know what's wrong."

"Ok, tell me."

"This is wrong." She waved her hand in the space between them.

"Us?"

"Yeah."

"What's wrong with us?"

"I think you know."

"You know, I never understood why people talked like that. If you're here telling me, then obviously I don't know."

"You're really clueless, aren't you?"

"I guess so."

"Why did you drop everything at the lab to come here?"

"Because you wanted me to."

"I told you I was just kidding."

"You also told me you were glad I came anyway."

"And I meant it."

"Ok, then what's wrong?"

"What's wrong is what people will think."

"About me coming here?"

"Yes."

"Who's going to think what?"

"The others! The team!"

"They don't have to know."

"They'll figure it out, Grissom. They're not stupid. We left on the same day."

"Well then let them know. Who cares what other people think?"

"I do."

"You shouldn't."

"I can't. I can't just stand around listening to people whispering, wondering if it's true or not."

"What's true or not?"

"That we're together."

It finally dawned on Grissom what this was all about. "Is that what you're worried about? That people will think something's going on?"

"Is there? Gil, is there something going on?"

He stayed silent, not sure how to react.

"Just say yes or no. I just want an answer so I can stop stressing over this issue. Just tell me the truth, is there something going on between the two of us?"

"I can't answer for the both of us."

"Then answer for yourself."

Taking a deep breath, he nodded.

"Is that a yes?"

"Yes, it's a definite yes. Catherine, I didn't come all the way here to Montana because I thought you wanted to be with me. I came here because I wanted to be with you."

Without another word, Catherine moved over to where he was sitting on the bed and wrapped her arms around him, kissing him gently on the lips. Before they knew it, they were completely on the bed and clothes were flying off at record speed.

"Wait..." Grissom pulled Catherine off him mid-kiss. "We can't do this right now."

"I've waited 15 years, Grissom. I don't wanna wait anymore."

"Catherine, we've both waited 15 years. We can afford to wait a little longer."

"Why?"

"Because you came here to be with your mother. We can't make this about us."

"Don't you get sick of always making sense?" Catherine dropped down in disappointment beside him.

"No." He smirked.

"So what now?"

"Now you go back to your room and I go take a cold shower."

Catherine slid off the bed, pulling her shirt back on along the way. "Fine. So I guess I'll see you tomorow."

"Goodnight Catherine."

"Goodnight Gil." She headed out into the hallway and smiled. Though completely unsatisfied in so many ways, she was satisfied to have gotten some things off her chest. "One down, one to go." She whispered to herself as she walked back to her room.

*To be continued*