Chapter 8
A/N: Well, we promised y'all G/C and G/C is what you're getting! Wooohoooo You can all thank Hell for the fluff and Mad for the drama ;)
"Catherine?" He knocked on the door impatiently. "Cath? Catherine?" Luckily, he didn't have to wait long; slowly the door was opened, revealing a sleepy Catherine, wearing a bright pink robe.
"What is it Grissom?" she asked softly.
Uh-oh. He had been so eager to tell his story, he had completely forgotten that he worked nightshift. And that Catherine didn't.
"I woke you? I'm sorry, I am. But I have the greatest news!"
Catherine shook her head slowly and allowed him to come in.
"Are the kids asleep?" Of course, he knew they were, after all, it was 4 am, but somehow he felt like he had to start with small talk.
"Yeah, they are. Reese hasn't said a word to me since..." She didn't finish her sentence, but just plopped down on the couch.
Grissom couldn't control himself any longer. "We found out who the girls are."
"What?"
He joined her on the couch. "Does the name 'Fortier' ring a bell?"
"Gil, it's 4 am in the morning, I'm not in the mood for riddles."
"Four years ago, two little girls disappeared in Orlando, Florida. Their parents were found dead. Everybody assumed the girls were dead as well."
Catherine sat up. "Reese and Alexis?"
"Yes! Sara found out their real names. Avery and Romaine Fortier. Could be that the Byrnes were behind the murders of their real parents."
"Wow. This is...big. I mean, and...those poor kids."
Grissom nodded eagerly. "I just wanted to let you know, in person." He glanced at his watch. "But I have to get back. Looks like we've got two cases now." He got up from the couch.
"What?!"
Grissom looked genuinely surprised as Catherine stood in front of him, hands on her hips. "I'm sorry?"
"Gil, you just can't...what are you!" Seeing the innocent look on his face, she caved. "...Just... Forget it." She waved it off.
"No, is there something wrong?"
"Wrong? Gil, did you completely block out what happened today?"
Gil's face betrayed no emotion. "Yes, well no...I mean, Reese got upset."
"And you ran out on us."
Grissom cleared his throat. "And I am sorry for that. The Lab.... -."
"And Child Services came by this evening."
Grissom's eyes widened. "This evening?"
"Yes, Gil. I reminded you of that more than once."
He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "I forgot."
"I called your cell three times."
"I'm sorry, I was too caught up..." He really hadn't checked his phone, because he'd been so wrapped up in the case's new developments.
"But don't you worry! I covered for you. Told Lancetti, who came by personally, that you were at the Lab. I don't think I made a very good impression. Alexis has been crying all day and Reese won't even come downstairs."
"I honestly, Catherine...I forgot."
Catherine sighed and shook her head sadly. "Look, I know you're not the family man, and you didn't exactly ask for this...situation...so.... I understand if you have to leave or whatever."
"And disappoint you?" He said softly.
"If you're worried about me getting disappointed, ...don't. I don't expect things from people anymore." She shook her head again, turned around and walked into the kitchen, deciding that the conversation was over. "Just go, Gil."
He hesitated for a moment, but eventually followed. It scared him that Catherine was so calm. He wanted her to maybe...yell, scream and after that, everything would be just fine between them again. Like always. But now it looked to him like she had given up on him. On them.
She was standing in the kitchen, bent over the sink so she could do the dishes. Now he could tell just how angry Catherine was. She was obviously trying very hard not to blow up, because she was violently throwing plastic cups into the warm water and ignoring his presence. Plus, nobody does the dishes at 4 am in the morning.
Grissom stared at her, desperately wanting to resolve this, but she still was averting her eyes.
"...Like my marriage all over again." she muttered under her breath.
His head snapped up and his eyes widened. "What?"
"I said that this whole mess is beginning to look a lot like my marriage!"
In an attempt to calm or soothe her, he reached out, but she immediately shrugged of his touch, eyes blazing with fire.
"But...I'm nothing like Eddie, Cath...." He said calmly.
"I know that you're not Eddie, Gil," she spat. "And this isn't about him or me! This is about you!"
"Exactly what have I done wrong?"He sighed. "It was never my intention...God, Cath, you're not making this very easy on me."
"Making WHAT easy?! You obviously don't want to deal with these kids so I'm giving you the opportunity to 'get out'."
He stared at her with a blank look on his face, knowing what she meant. She thought he was just going to walk out and never look back, like Eddie did. "It's not that. It's -"
She put up a hand. "Just, don't. Trust me, I know how this goes."
"How long have we known each other?" He asked as she turned away from him, and focussed on the dishes again. "Why don't you trust me, Catherine? I was...confused today. But, you know I wouldn't just really...walk away." He took a few steps back and leaned against the island in the middle of the kitchen.
She huffed, her back still turned to him. "Oh, do I? Last time I checked I was here with three kids and you were...off somewhere...keeping your distance!"
Outside thunder roared through the sky.
This whole situation did remind her of Eddie. She'd always been able to trust Gil, with anything, but lately he had been so distant...He had left her standing there with two upset girls at the shrink he had suggested they'd visit. And then, when Child Services paid a visit...It felt like she was being left out in the cold. Again. By the person she needed and trusted the most.
"You're being...somewhat unreasonable, Catherine. I am not Eddie." He was trying very hard to control his anger, because he didn't feel like he deserved to be compared to Eddie. Yes, he walked away and yes, he missed the appointment, but he hadn't hurt Catherine, had he? This all hadn't been intentional. He was nothing like Eddie. "I haven't done anything to you. I honestly forgot...It wasn't intentional...I'd never hurt you."
"You don't have to psychically abuse me to hurt me!" Catherine spat, fighting the tears that were threatening to spill. He didn't understand that his cold approach was hurting her more than Eddie ever did.
"WHAT?!" Grissom almost roared, jumping up. "I can take a lot, but you comparing me to Eddie and his violence?!! I am nothing like him. I will never resort to psychical or mental abuse! I do NOT run away from my responsibilities! I...- "He stopped when he saw Catherine's trembling shoulders.
"Catherine?" He warily approached her. "Cath?"
Catherine didn't turn around to acknowledge him but was still leaning over the sink, her strawberry blond curls covering her face.
"Cath, please, I-"He put his hands on her shoulders and heard her sniffle. "I never meant to...please? I..."
Catherine slowly turned around, stubbornly wiping away the tears. "Gil...I know you're not like Eddie..." She whispered, as her voice broke.
"Good." He smiled and pulled her to him. "I'm sorry I yelled at you."
"Me too." She wrapped her arms around him and held him tight.
After a couple of minutes of comfortable silence, it was Grissom who spoke up.
"Cath?"
All he could hear was muffled reply.
"Cath?"
She looked up with watery eyes. "Yeah...?"
"Did you ever see that movie Notting Hill?"
Catherine sniffled, gave him a very surprised look while wondering where the hell he was going with this. " What? I...um...yeah...I think so...wasn't that the one with Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts?"
"Yeah that's the one." he nodded.
"Whoa, hold it!" she interrupted him, momentarily forgetting her emotional outburst from a few minutes ago. "You saw Notting hill?"
"Yes, I did." Grissom smiled his boyish half-smile at the confused, sniffling redhead in his arms.
"Ok, it just didn't seem like a movie for you, but um.... do continue." she said.
"Remember that part during the press conference, where he's trying to say to her that he wants her back? That he admits that he's been a..." Grissom paused. "Daft prick," he added in his best British accent.
Catherine couldn't help but laugh at that. "Ok..." she said, wiping away some stray tears with the back of her hand. "So what exactly is the point of this story?"
"Well..." He began "...that's kind of the same thing I want to tell you, actually." he said shyly.
Catherine didn't really know what to say and just looked up at him.
"So I hope you accept my apologies and that it will no longer affect our..." Grissom paused again, "friendship," he added quickly.
She smiled at him, and he sighed in relief that she took his lousy attempt at an apology so well.
"Look, I've been kind of stupid too; I know that you're not like...everybody else. And comparing you to Eddie...was a low blow. It's just that...I was disappointed and I felt...alone." Catherine admitted.
"I'm not going anywhere, Cath. I promise you this. Today was just one big mistake on my part. I just don't deal with certain situations as well as I should. But I do consider you my best friend. And I'm sorry...?"
She smiled. "Well, I think I owe you an apology too."
"So...are we good?" He looked down at her.
"We're good." She nodded, smiling.
"So uhm...would you like a drink or something? No wait, you had to get back to the lab"
"The lab can wait," he said, reluctantly letting go of her.
She grinned at that. "Ok, you want coffee? I bought a new machine the other day"
"Sure, let's see if this one can make better coffee than the old one." He sat down on the couch.
A few minutes later, after Catherine had fixed coffee, they were both comfortably sitting next to each other on the couch. The rain was still pouring from the sky and it didn't look like it was going to stop anytime soon.
"Geez, is it ever going to stop raining tonight?" Catherine looked out the window.
"I don't know" Gil shrugged. "I'll wait to go back till it's gone a bit"
"That's alright, take your time" she replied, and hoped that it wouldn't stop raining for a while.
"So other than today's escapade...they are doing better right?" he looked at her.
"Yeah, especially Alexis, I mean Avery...seemed to open up quite well. And Ree...uh...Romaine..."
He looked at her when she was telling about the two children that had recently walked into their lives. He could see she really cared about them, and sitting here on this couch made him realized how much he'd missed her these past couple of days. His mind drifted off and kept on looking at the beautiful woman sitting next to him.
"Hey Cath," he interrupted her. "Got new earrings?"
"Huh? Uh...yeah...I do, why?"
"They look really good on you." He reached out and wiped the hair from her face. She leant in to his touch and smiled at him. "Thanks"
They had been moving closer and closer together for the past few moments.
"Cath, I think you are doing a really great job with those two girls. I know it's not easy and I didn't quite live up to my end of the bargain lately but I just want you know that I don't think that anyone could've done this any better than you have," he said, holding and softly stroking her hand.
She smiled and gently squeezed his hand. "Thanks, but it was you that actually convinced me to take them here, remember? You reminded me, never doubt never look back...I'm still glad you did that, you know."
In the meantime, it was still raining and a very loud thunder startled Catherine and made her sink into Gil's embrace. "Whoa...that one was...close..." she said.
"Yeah it was," Gil said, and instinctively pulled her closer.
They sat like this for a moment, when Catherine suddenly looked up at him. "Gil?"
"Hm-hm?" was the dreamily reply.
"Is it still raining?"
"Yeah"
"Good," she said and rested her head on his shoulder.
"Catherine?"
"Yeah?"
"I um..."
She looked up at him. "What's wrong?"
"Well...nothing actually...just that...I..."
Catherine looked at him, and wondered what he wanted to say. "If nothing is wrong, then just say it."
Grissom grinned. "Alright then, have it your way" He winked. "I was just wondering what was going on with us...sitting...being...like we are...now."
"What do you mean?"
"Well...I know we've been very good friends from the start, but we've never been in a situation like this, sitting like this...me holding you...and it just hit me that I'm enjoying this more than I thought I would," he said.
Catherine smiled at this revelation. "Well...Gil...if you're curious...then why don't you find out?" She slowly leaned in closer to him. "Cause...that's our job isn't it? To find out...to investigate things...?"
"That's true..." he could feel her breath on his lips, and again moved a bit closer again. He stroked her cheek and his lips grazed hers.
She smiled nervously at this touch, wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, lightly.
"This just keeps getting better and better." he whispered and kissed her back.
"I couldn't agree mo-" she wanted to say but was stopped when Gil kissed her deeply.
"Mommy!" they suddenly heard coming from upstairs and caused them to break apart.
Catherine sighed. "Don't you just love Lindsey's timing?"
"Well, I agree that it's been better, but you better go check on her, I have to go anyway. The rain stopped and they'll be probably wondering what's keeping me" he kissed her again and got up from the couch.
"I know, you better go then."
"Mommy!!"
"On my way Lindsey!"
"Go see what's the matter with her, I know my way out." He kissed her lightly on the lips.
"Ok, see you soon then...I hope.." she smiled.
"You bet it'll be soon." He winked at her.
After she saw get into his car and head for the lab she went upstairs and opened the door to where Lindsey was sleeping. "What's wrong honey?"
"Who was that downstairs? It sounded like Uncle Gil. Why was he here?"
"Yes, he was here; he just had to...um...tell me some things about the case but nothing bad."
"Then why didn't I hear you talk for so long?" Lindsey asked
It was a good thing it was dark because Catherine could feel that she was blushing. "We watched TV for a little while"
"But I didn't hear the TV."
"We had the volume down so we wouldn't wake you and Alexis and Reese" There was no need in telling Lindsey the truth about Alexis and Reese yet, Catherine wisely decided. It would just complicate matters.
"Oh..." Lindsey didn't seem too convinced, but was too tired to argue.
"Why don't you go back to sleep and then I'll be right up back." Her mother whispered.
"Ok..." Lindsey yawned and closed her eyes again.
Catherine decided to leave the coffee cups for what they were and clean them up in the morning. She also got back to bed and dreamed happy dreams, very happy.
-- - - ------------- ----------------- ------ ------------- ------------------ ----------
TBC ?!!! -- You let us know!