Disclaimer - see chapter one
Chapter Four
"Lindsey, we need to leave in five minutes, okay?" Catherine called to her daughter as she checked her appearance in the hallway mirror.
"I'm right here, Mom, there's no need to shout," Lindsey giggled from where she had been watching her mother for the last few minutes.
Startled by the proximity of Lindsey's response Catherine shot round to face her. "I didn't see you there!"
"Evidently," Lindsey smiled, knowingly.
"What?" Catherine asked innocently, her flushing cheeks betraying her guilt.
Lindsey tried to stop her smile from increasing and shook her head. "Nothing."
"Then why are you looking at me like that?"
"Like what?" Lindsey shrugged. "I was just thinking you look very nice," she grinned.
"Well, thank you," Catherine stuttered, with a smile. "I'll just get my bag, then we can go."
"It wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that Grissom's coming with us, would it?" Lindsey called after her as she walked into the lounge.
There was silence as Catherine's footsteps ceased and she offered no response. Lindsey laughed to herself and sat down to await her lovesick mother's return.
*****
Grissom's initial offer to come with her this evening had been spur of the moment, and since he had made it, the fear had begun to set in. The words "twelve pre-teen teenagers" resounded in his mind, taking on greater terror as each time he failed to imagine what that particular group of people could be like. He was not used to being around children. Lindsey, he could handle. He had known her since she was a baby. She was used to him, he was used to her. The other eleven, he was worried about.
Driving to the theatre, butterflies the size of Nevada batted round his stomach, he repeated to himself "You'll survive" as a mantra, and occasionally managed to calm down when his panicked mind allowed itself to remember that Catherine would be there.
As he pulled the car into a parking space, he smiled as he noticed Catherine standing outside the theatre surrounded by a gaggle of giggling eleven year olds. As usual she was the picture of grace, smiling and laughing with them, un-phased by the chaos they created. He repeated his mantra once more. He could survive anything with Catherine by his side.
*****
"Okay, who wants popcorn?" Catherine asked when all the guests had arrived.
A resounding cry of 'me' was the response, and the group made their way into the theatre. Catherine allowed all the children to pass her then joined Grissom and followed them inside.
"You okay?" she smiled to him.
"I'm fine," he smiled back.
"Are you sure? I know children aren't really your thing," she grinned.
"I'm fine," he insisted. "You look nice this evening," he added shyly.
Catherine smiled. "Are you saying I don't normally look nice?"
"Yeah," Grissom smirked.
Catherine swatted his arm playfully. "I didn't want Lindsey's friends thinking I was a scruffbag, did I?"
Grissom raised an eyebrow. "A scruffbag?"
"Yes, Gil. Scruffbag - the way I normally look."
"Ah!" Grissom nodded. "Do you want to share some popcorn?" he asked, ignoring the look that Catherine was giving him for fear that it might kill him.
"Sure," she replied still glaring at him.
*****
Arms full with popcorn and drinks they made their way into the auditorium.
"Right, where do you want to sit?" Catherine asked as the girls looked round analysing where would be the best place.
"Here!" Lindsey declared moving into the row one from the back.
"There are only thirteen seats there. Where's Gil gonna sit?" Catherine asked Lindsey whilst smiling to Grissom.
"He can sit behind us," Cheryl, the boldest of Lindsey's friends, stated.
"Well that's not very fair is it?" Catherine said.
"It's okay Cath, I'll sit behind you, and throw popcorn at you," Grissom grinned mischievously.
"Oh no you won't! That popcorn's half mine mister!" Catherine protested.
"I said I would throw some to you," Grissom said, still smiling.
"You said you'd throw it at me! I'm sitting with you!" Catherine exclaimed.
"That's a great idea," Lindsey grinned excitedly. "You and Grissom can sit behind us."
The look on Lindsey's face as she winked to her mother and settled herself into her seat told Catherine that she'd been had. She shook her head in disbelief, her daughter was growing up so fast and she was getting sneakier by the minute.
*****
"Put the gun down, Davey! You don't want to do anything stupid!"
"I don't think shooting him would be stupid, Clark! He deserves it!"
"Why? 'Cause she loves him more than you? You can't blame him for that."
"Are you saying I should shoot her?"
Grissom looked around the auditorium. His party were whispering and giggling, so he knew they were okay, but the other members of the audience, although it was difficult to tell from the backs of their heads, he assumed were probably asleep. He himself had been close when Catherine had brushed past him to go to the bathroom. Ten minutes had passed since then and he had forced himself to stay awake so she wouldn't catch him snoozing when she returned. He was starting to be concerned, and figured he would go and check on her. He told Lindsey where he was going and left the auditorium.
As he reached out to take the door handle to enter the foyer, the door swung towards him just avoiding knocking him to the floor.
"I'm sorry - " the person on the other side of the door began.
"Catherine! I was worried."
A look of guilt swept Catherine's face. "Yeah, I'm sorry. I didn't realise I'd been out here so long. I didn't really need the bathroom, I just - "
"Had to stop yourself falling asleep?" Grissom interrupted.
"Yeah. That has to be the worst film I have ever seen. Has it started to get any better?"
Grissom shook his head. "Clark just persuaded Davey to shoot Helena instead of Stu."
Catherine frowned, bemused. "I hope Lindsey isn't too disappointed."
"Oh, they seem fine. They're in a world of their own. I think they're just drooling over Marc," Grissom assured her.
"I hope so. She was really looking forward to tonight."
"She'll be fine, Cath. They'll have forgotten how bad it was by the time they get their pizza."
"Considering you don't like them, you seem to be quite an authority on kids."
"I don't dislike kids. I just don't have any," Grissom stated.
"And you're scared of them," Catherine added.
"Well, they're so smart. Smarter than many adults. And they ask awkward questions. I know they're just curious and don't mean to be awkward, but I still never know how to answer them."
"The truth is normally the best way," Catherine smiled.
"Ah! So when Lindsey asked if anything had ever happened between the two of us saying no wasn't the best way to answer that question?"
"That's different."
"How?"
"Well, the truth would have been too complicated for her to understand. And technically 'no' wasn't a lie. Nothing really happened."
Grissom shrugged, "That's true, I suppose."
"Thanks to you," Catherine smiled.
"Yeah. If you'd had your way the truth would have been too high a rating to tell Lindsey."
"Considering you've forgotten that it ever happened you sure seem to remember it well!" Catherine exclaimed.
"I haven't forgotten."
"You were supposed to."
"I didn't want to."
"Grissom - " Catherine said, nervously.
"It was the best night of my life. It's not everyday a beautiful woman throws herself at me."
Catherine blushed and smiled, lowering her head.
"Wow!" Grissom exclaimed.
"What?" she asked, raising her head quickly.
"I made Catherine Willows blush." Grissom shook his head, "And they said it wasn't possible."
Catherine laughed, "I'll notify the press."
They both laughed for a second before they were enveloped by a silence. Their eyes held the other's despite their many attempts to nervously look around. Their breathing patterns slipped into unison. Their bodies fought against the force that surrounded them and was pulling them together, in a desperate, but fruitless, attempt to allow logic to dictate their actions. Before they knew it they were only inches apart and the air between them had started to heat up. Breathing was becoming difficult, thinking was becoming difficult, desire seemed to be the only thing their bodies were capable of.
They stood no more than a centimetre apart, their bodies close but not touching, and explored the opposite face for a sign of what should happen next. Their answers were identical. The gap between them closed and their lips moved towards each other.
TBC..
Chapter Four
"Lindsey, we need to leave in five minutes, okay?" Catherine called to her daughter as she checked her appearance in the hallway mirror.
"I'm right here, Mom, there's no need to shout," Lindsey giggled from where she had been watching her mother for the last few minutes.
Startled by the proximity of Lindsey's response Catherine shot round to face her. "I didn't see you there!"
"Evidently," Lindsey smiled, knowingly.
"What?" Catherine asked innocently, her flushing cheeks betraying her guilt.
Lindsey tried to stop her smile from increasing and shook her head. "Nothing."
"Then why are you looking at me like that?"
"Like what?" Lindsey shrugged. "I was just thinking you look very nice," she grinned.
"Well, thank you," Catherine stuttered, with a smile. "I'll just get my bag, then we can go."
"It wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that Grissom's coming with us, would it?" Lindsey called after her as she walked into the lounge.
There was silence as Catherine's footsteps ceased and she offered no response. Lindsey laughed to herself and sat down to await her lovesick mother's return.
*****
Grissom's initial offer to come with her this evening had been spur of the moment, and since he had made it, the fear had begun to set in. The words "twelve pre-teen teenagers" resounded in his mind, taking on greater terror as each time he failed to imagine what that particular group of people could be like. He was not used to being around children. Lindsey, he could handle. He had known her since she was a baby. She was used to him, he was used to her. The other eleven, he was worried about.
Driving to the theatre, butterflies the size of Nevada batted round his stomach, he repeated to himself "You'll survive" as a mantra, and occasionally managed to calm down when his panicked mind allowed itself to remember that Catherine would be there.
As he pulled the car into a parking space, he smiled as he noticed Catherine standing outside the theatre surrounded by a gaggle of giggling eleven year olds. As usual she was the picture of grace, smiling and laughing with them, un-phased by the chaos they created. He repeated his mantra once more. He could survive anything with Catherine by his side.
*****
"Okay, who wants popcorn?" Catherine asked when all the guests had arrived.
A resounding cry of 'me' was the response, and the group made their way into the theatre. Catherine allowed all the children to pass her then joined Grissom and followed them inside.
"You okay?" she smiled to him.
"I'm fine," he smiled back.
"Are you sure? I know children aren't really your thing," she grinned.
"I'm fine," he insisted. "You look nice this evening," he added shyly.
Catherine smiled. "Are you saying I don't normally look nice?"
"Yeah," Grissom smirked.
Catherine swatted his arm playfully. "I didn't want Lindsey's friends thinking I was a scruffbag, did I?"
Grissom raised an eyebrow. "A scruffbag?"
"Yes, Gil. Scruffbag - the way I normally look."
"Ah!" Grissom nodded. "Do you want to share some popcorn?" he asked, ignoring the look that Catherine was giving him for fear that it might kill him.
"Sure," she replied still glaring at him.
*****
Arms full with popcorn and drinks they made their way into the auditorium.
"Right, where do you want to sit?" Catherine asked as the girls looked round analysing where would be the best place.
"Here!" Lindsey declared moving into the row one from the back.
"There are only thirteen seats there. Where's Gil gonna sit?" Catherine asked Lindsey whilst smiling to Grissom.
"He can sit behind us," Cheryl, the boldest of Lindsey's friends, stated.
"Well that's not very fair is it?" Catherine said.
"It's okay Cath, I'll sit behind you, and throw popcorn at you," Grissom grinned mischievously.
"Oh no you won't! That popcorn's half mine mister!" Catherine protested.
"I said I would throw some to you," Grissom said, still smiling.
"You said you'd throw it at me! I'm sitting with you!" Catherine exclaimed.
"That's a great idea," Lindsey grinned excitedly. "You and Grissom can sit behind us."
The look on Lindsey's face as she winked to her mother and settled herself into her seat told Catherine that she'd been had. She shook her head in disbelief, her daughter was growing up so fast and she was getting sneakier by the minute.
*****
"Put the gun down, Davey! You don't want to do anything stupid!"
"I don't think shooting him would be stupid, Clark! He deserves it!"
"Why? 'Cause she loves him more than you? You can't blame him for that."
"Are you saying I should shoot her?"
Grissom looked around the auditorium. His party were whispering and giggling, so he knew they were okay, but the other members of the audience, although it was difficult to tell from the backs of their heads, he assumed were probably asleep. He himself had been close when Catherine had brushed past him to go to the bathroom. Ten minutes had passed since then and he had forced himself to stay awake so she wouldn't catch him snoozing when she returned. He was starting to be concerned, and figured he would go and check on her. He told Lindsey where he was going and left the auditorium.
As he reached out to take the door handle to enter the foyer, the door swung towards him just avoiding knocking him to the floor.
"I'm sorry - " the person on the other side of the door began.
"Catherine! I was worried."
A look of guilt swept Catherine's face. "Yeah, I'm sorry. I didn't realise I'd been out here so long. I didn't really need the bathroom, I just - "
"Had to stop yourself falling asleep?" Grissom interrupted.
"Yeah. That has to be the worst film I have ever seen. Has it started to get any better?"
Grissom shook his head. "Clark just persuaded Davey to shoot Helena instead of Stu."
Catherine frowned, bemused. "I hope Lindsey isn't too disappointed."
"Oh, they seem fine. They're in a world of their own. I think they're just drooling over Marc," Grissom assured her.
"I hope so. She was really looking forward to tonight."
"She'll be fine, Cath. They'll have forgotten how bad it was by the time they get their pizza."
"Considering you don't like them, you seem to be quite an authority on kids."
"I don't dislike kids. I just don't have any," Grissom stated.
"And you're scared of them," Catherine added.
"Well, they're so smart. Smarter than many adults. And they ask awkward questions. I know they're just curious and don't mean to be awkward, but I still never know how to answer them."
"The truth is normally the best way," Catherine smiled.
"Ah! So when Lindsey asked if anything had ever happened between the two of us saying no wasn't the best way to answer that question?"
"That's different."
"How?"
"Well, the truth would have been too complicated for her to understand. And technically 'no' wasn't a lie. Nothing really happened."
Grissom shrugged, "That's true, I suppose."
"Thanks to you," Catherine smiled.
"Yeah. If you'd had your way the truth would have been too high a rating to tell Lindsey."
"Considering you've forgotten that it ever happened you sure seem to remember it well!" Catherine exclaimed.
"I haven't forgotten."
"You were supposed to."
"I didn't want to."
"Grissom - " Catherine said, nervously.
"It was the best night of my life. It's not everyday a beautiful woman throws herself at me."
Catherine blushed and smiled, lowering her head.
"Wow!" Grissom exclaimed.
"What?" she asked, raising her head quickly.
"I made Catherine Willows blush." Grissom shook his head, "And they said it wasn't possible."
Catherine laughed, "I'll notify the press."
They both laughed for a second before they were enveloped by a silence. Their eyes held the other's despite their many attempts to nervously look around. Their breathing patterns slipped into unison. Their bodies fought against the force that surrounded them and was pulling them together, in a desperate, but fruitless, attempt to allow logic to dictate their actions. Before they knew it they were only inches apart and the air between them had started to heat up. Breathing was becoming difficult, thinking was becoming difficult, desire seemed to be the only thing their bodies were capable of.
They stood no more than a centimetre apart, their bodies close but not touching, and explored the opposite face for a sign of what should happen next. Their answers were identical. The gap between them closed and their lips moved towards each other.
TBC..