Part 4

Sara widened her eyes as she entered the basement with Grissom.

"My god, it's a living bug museum."

He smiled grimly. "Catherine's not a huge bug fan so I keep them down here." He turned to her. "Let's not play polite strangers, Sara. We both know why we're here and I agree with my wife that I do not want to upset my children."

Sara winced at the "my wife" comment and her mood got considerably worse at the "my children" comment. "Matthew's my son too. And I don't appreciate Catherine constantly giving him things I don't allow him to have."
"He's five years old Sara! He should be allowed to have a hot dog once in a while!"

Sara folded her arms. "You out of all people know what grows in those things."
"Yes, if you leave them for days on end." He took a seat on one of the office chairs. "We need to talk about Matthew."

"Our son," Sara said, "just needs to know his father."

"You can't expect to turn up here, tell me I have a five-year-old son and then expect me to just let you go away again," Gil told her. 'I want to get to know him and be a part of his life."

"He's done just fine without a father for five years."

"How do you know? He might want to get to know his father too!"

"If you hadn't slept with me as a pity party because you were too scared to have Catherine, he might have one."

"In all probability he wouldn't exist," Grissom frowned. "And it takes two, Sara. You were a more than willing participant."

"I wasn't aware at the time you were using me." Sara glared at him. "It took you saying her name at the end that woke me up."
Gil almost blushed at the memory. In truth, that night had been comfort sex for both of them. He hated the fact that he had done it, but he had gone along with Sara's advances. One thing he would never forget about that night, and clearly Sara had not forgotten either, was that it was Catherine's name that had fallen from his lips as he climaxed.

"We're not here to discuss the past. Matthew is the present and is the most important thing to discuss," Gil reminded her.

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Catherine coloured in a picture of Princess Barbie and watched as Matthew coloured a picture of the magic pumpkin.

"You know, we'll have to get some more colouring books for boys," Catherine smiled. "I'm not used to have a little boy around the house."
"Mr Grissom is my father," Matthew said, his eyes that were unmistakably Gil's staring at her.

Catherine nodded. "I heard." She looked at the little boy. "Did you want to talk about it?"
"I guess so." Matthew looked at Catherine. "Does he like me?"

"Yeah, he does. And just why wouldn't he?" Catherine winked playfully.

Matthew smiled slightly. "Thanks." He coloured some more. "I don't know how long Mom wants to stay in Las Vegas, but can I come visit you some more?"
"I'd like that," Catherine smiled. "And I know Gil would like it too."

"What would I like?" Gil asked, coming into the room.

"Matthew asked if he could come visit us some more while he's in Las Vegas," Catherine said, running a careful eye over her husband.

"We'll see," Sara said, walking briskly in. "Come on, Matthew, we have to go."

"Already?" Matthew whined. "But I was having fun."
"He could stay if you have some things to do," Gil offered.

"Yeah mom, please!" Matthew begged. "I'll be really good, I promise."

"Maybe another afternoon," Sara suggested. "Come on, we really have to go."

Matthew got up from his chair and put his crayons back in the box. Then, in a move that surprised everyone in the room, he hugged Catherine and then Grissom.

"Bye," he waved, grabbing his backpack.

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"Night Mom, night Dad," Lindsey said, hugging them both.

"Sleep well," Catherine smiled as she leaned into her husband's embrace. "We need a chair like that."
Gil hugged her closer, his hand resting on her abdomen. "Like Spike's lounge chair?"

Catherine giggled. "No hon. I can't see you baring all for the public."

Gil arched an eyebrow. "Don't think I'm sexy enough?"

She wriggled around until she was lying in his lap, staring up at him. "Trust me, you're the sexiest man alive. But while he was willing to bare himself to everyone in Notting Hill, I don't really want to share you with Las Vegas. You're mine."
"I find your possessiveness quite alluring," he smirked at her. "Now, which chair?"
Her eyes slid shut as his other hand gently stroked her hair. "Mmm, the one in the garden."
He smiled. "I'd sit next to you anytime."

"Good," she replied. "Do you want to talk?"

"What about?"

"Sara left very quickly this afternoon."
Gil shifted uncomfortably. "All she wants to do is argue. I want what's best for Matthew. I want to get to know him."
"He wants to get to know you too," she said, her hand resting on his arm. "Are you going to ask for joint custody?"

"I don't think Sara expecting me to be married."

Catherine's eyes opened. "Do you think she came back here because she wanted to be with you?"

Gil nodded.

Catherine tightened her grip on his arm and snuggled closer. "Well she can't have you."
Gil smiled and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I made sure she knew as much." He pulled her closer. "I'm so sorry that you have to go through this, Catherine."

She sat up, straddling his waist and staring at him. "Do not apologise to me. When we married, we married for better or worse, remember? And god knows you helped me through a whole lot of crap before we married." She wound her arms around his neck and hugged him, her head buried in his shoulder. "I love you, Gil Grissom. Every part of you."

He hugged her back, thanking god that he had been given a chance with her. He was so grateful for his life. He had a beautiful wife that he loved and worshipped. He had Lindsey, who was as much a daughter to him as Lizzy was. And Elizabeth…her cries of "Daddy, Daddy!" still made him melt when he came home. And the little life that was growing inside of his wife…he could never get over the fact that he and Catherine could create a little life like that. And now Matthew. He hadn't gotten to know him too well yet, but he knew he would.

Catherine's kisses to the side of his neck stopped his reverie.

"Take me to bed," she murmured.

He smiled, and making sure he was supporting her, he carried her into their bedroom.

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2 Months Later

"NO!!!!" Lizzy cried again, holding fast to Gil's leg.

"Sweetheart, come here," Catherine said, trying to break the hold.

"NO!!!!"

"Daddy doesn't want to go either, but these stupid people want him at their conference," Gil told the little girl. "But Mommy will be here. And Lindsey, and the baby!"

"NO!!!"

Finally, Catherine managed to extricate the little girl and held her fast in her arms. God knows she didn't want her husband to go either. Especially at the moment. Sara and Matthew were still in Las Vegas, and although Matthew was getting to see Gil every so often, Catherine just wished Sara would go home.

"Linds?" Catherine asked, handing the little girl to Lindsey.

"I have to go," Gil told her, running a finger down her cheek.

"Call me when you get there?"

He smiled and kissed her. "Always."
Not satisfied she kissed him again, deepening the kiss. At Lindsey's exclamation of disgust and Lizzy's squealing she pulled away.

"Love you."

"Love you too," he replied, waving as he left.

"Hey wanna watch planes take off!?" Lindsey suggested to Lizzy, who instantly took her mind off her father and toddled along with Lindsey.

Catherine sighed. This was going to be the longest week of her life.

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Paperwork. Trust her husband to leave piles of it behind. Catherine leaned back in the chair, rubbing her temples. She glanced at the clock. One hour to go and then home…to an empty bed. She frowned and turned back to the work.

A knock came at the door and before she could reply Sara came in.

Catherine arched an eyebrow and folded her arms. "Can I help you?"
Sara frowned. "I was looking for Grissom."

"Obviously," Catherine replied dryly, standing up. "He's at a conference."

Sara smirked slightly and folded her arms. "What bothers you, Catherine? Is it that I had your husband before you did?"

Catherine's eyes widened. She couldn't believe that Sara would have the audacity to walk in here and talk to her like that. Anger permeated her veins. "It doesn't bother me at all."

"Are you sure?"

Catherine couldn't stop the next phrase leaving her mouth. "Of course not. Because I've had him every night since." She thought she saw Sara waver slightly, but it was not to be.

"At least I had the guts to go for what I wanted."

"But not the guts to tell him you were pregnant?" Catherine moved closer. "I've been trying to keep my feelings to myself, but since we're here, woman to woman and taking cheap shots, I figure I don't need to anymore."

Sara raised an eyebrow. "Oh really?"
"Yes really. You come back in here and make pathetic attempts at seducing MY husband. You insult me and my family but you know what makes me really sick? The way you treat that boy."

"Excuse me?" Sara said, now enraged.

"You drag him over here and tell him who his father is and then barely let them spend any time together. You're trying to turn him into something he's not! You won't let him eat meat, which is something he wants and you barely give him time to be a kid!"

"Don't lecture me on how to raise my child!" She smirked slightly. "Honestly Catherine, I'd think you were jealous. I got all the firsts with Gil."

Catherine was seething with anger. "At least I'm secure in the knowledge that it's my name he cries out in the bedroom." It was a low blow and she knew it. The look that crossed Sara's face made her instantly regret her words and she was going to apologise when Warrick barged in.

"Hey Cath I…oh hi Sara. Am I interrupting something?"
"I was just leaving," Sara said, disappearing.

Catherine could still feel the anger inside her.

"Is everything okay?"

"It's fine," Catherine snapped. She sighed and sat down. "Sorry. I didn't mean to get mad at you."

"No problem," Warrick said. "Should I call Gil?"

"No!" Catherine told him. "Everything's fine. Everything's fine."

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Part 5