Happy Enough by SLynn
Disclaimer: Any character you recognize, not mine.
Chapter 14: Show and Tell
The rest of that day and most of the next passed relatively quickly. Greg mostly submitted to his mothers babying, rested and ate what he could, and checked back with work without arousing to much suspicion about his not coming in.
Things looked good, especially with his father arriving.
Maggie Sanders had always been a bit nervous and much more of a nurturer then her husband. Even if Greg had never been sick she'd of likely been just as hard pressed to put up with the separations and life choices her son had made. She hadn't wanted to let go of him from the moment she'd first held him in her arms, it was just who she was.
Jeff Sanders was very different from his wife. He loved his son, cared and worried about him, but was much more free spirited. In his eyes his son was a man capable of making his own choices and mistakes and paying for them if necessary. It was his father who had encouraged his son in pursuits outside of the academia. Told him that there was more to life then what he could learn in a book. Jeff had just assumed that if Greg gone through the sacrifice and pain of beating cancer the first time, he should be allowed to live his life as a reward.
Together they were a good blend. She also had her playful side, working with children you couldn't be completely serious all of the time. And he had his serious side as well and was successful at his job because of it. They made a great team. The three of them made a great family. The exception being that when they did argue it was undoubtedly about Greg.
Greg was genuinely happy to see his father. Not just because it had been awhile, his father hadn't ever made it out to Vegas before, but also because he'd insist on a hotel room to give Greg his space. That and true to form, he knew that his father would want him to show him the lab and introduce him to his friends and co-workers.
His mother, having visited a few times before, had never been there herself and was equally eager to see where Greg spent the majority of his time but only if he felt up to it.
Greg signed them both in at the front desk and wasn't really sure what to do next. Before they got too far they ran into Brass.
"Hey Greg," Jim Brass said stopping upon seeing him, "How are you doing?"
"Good," Greg said, attributing the sudden niceness from the man he knew thought he was a 'complete goofball' to his newly acquired status of cancer patient. "These are my parents, Jeff and Maggie. Mom, Dad, this is Detective Jim Brass."
After handshakes and pleasantries, Greg got another surprise.
"Bright kid you've got here. Always does excellent work."
"We're very proud of him," Jeff replied and Greg felt his ears flush with embarrassment.
"Should be; beat out a list of applicants a mile long for that promotion. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to get this down to the station. Greg, nice seeing you. Enjoy your stay."
Brass was again walking down the hall towards the exit, so Greg continued on, trying to keep the flush from his ears from reaching his face. He wasn't use to compliments. In the lab it had been mostly yells and demands peppered with an occasional thanks. He knew he'd been valued for the work he did but never felt appreciated.
"This is the trace lab, which no one is in right now. We test basically any substance that comes off of a victim or suspect here and try to find where it came from, possibly how it go there."
Greg continued to ramble on, next showing them the DNA lab he'd spent most of his time. Amy was there and looked surprised to find a tour in progress.
"Amy Chen, my parents." Greg said as way of introduction.
"Jeff Sanders," his dad said, smiling and leaning in to shake her hand.
Amy held back.
"I'd shake but I might give you something," she said, holding up her gloved hands.
"I'm Maggie, nice to meet you."
"You too," Amy said, still looking every bit as nervous as she had when they'd arrived.
"So this is where we test blood types, run DNA, search CODIS, that kind of thing. This was my old place, but now Amy's taken over."
There was no point in rehashing the promotion with his dad. Greg knew that his parents had already discussed it, if only because of his mother's steady silence about the issue. His father must have pulled through for him again.
"We'll get out of your hair now," Greg said after a pause and proceeded down the hallway.
He slowed as he approached Grissom's office, not sure if he should really be taking the liberty of introducing his parent to him. The whole debate became a moot point when Grissom walked out and saw them before Greg had even decided what to do.
Gil Grissom had met Maggie Sanders once before, after the accident in the lab. She'd flown in and spent a good deal of time making sure Greg was alright and recovering, but they had only talked twice. He got the feeling that she hadn't liked him much largely because he was the boss and ultimately responsible for any bad things that happened to her son while he was in his care.
"Gil Grissom," Greg said noting how odd it felt to say his full name, "my parents Jeff and Maggie."
"Jeff, Maggie" Gil said shaking each of their hands in turn.
"My dad wanted to see where I worked so I was just showing them around."
Grissom smiled a bit and wanted to tell him that he didn't need to give him an excuse, but didn't. He also didn't want to embarrass Greg.
"Well you've come at the perfect time. We're fixing to take a dinner break, why don't the three of you join us?"
Jeff agreed immediately, anxious to meet his sons other co-workers and friends. Maggie did so mostly out of politeness. Greg would have rather pulled out his toenails with rusty pliers. Showing his parents around, introducing them was one thing, sitting through a full meal was another. But he'd been left with little choice.
"Where too?" he asked, dreading it already.
Half an hour later and Greg wanted to crawl out the bathroom window.
Catherine and Maggie got along great. Maybe because they were both mothers, or maybe because they really did have similar personalities, Greg wasn't sure which. He'd always thought so, just never dared tell Cath. No woman, regardless of the type of relationship you might have, ever wants to hear that they remind them of your mother.
Al, who upon hearing Greg's parents had joined them, decided to come as well. He and Nick talked animatedly to Jeff about everything under the sun. That was the type of guy his dad was. He could talk to anyone about anything. Greg had always hoped one day to reach that level of comfort with himself but it didn't look like it was going to happen any time soon.
"You look so much like your father," he found Sara saying to him half way through the meal.
It was too true to argue. They had the same build, his father only slightly taller, and complexion. They had similar jaw lines as well, but it was the eyes that had always gotten to people. They were nearly identical in shape and color.
"So I've heard."
Sara smiled at him, knowing how trapped he must feel at the moment and kind of enjoying it.
"Sucks huh?" she asked, with a slight indication to the two of them.
"They're good people," he started before leaning in and whispering, "but I feel like I'm back in grade school doing show and tell."
"Do you think your mom would have a picture of that?"
"Don't Sidle," Greg warned. "Seriously. Sooner or later I'll be back at work full time and I swear to you, if you ask that question out loud, I will torment you until you beg for a reassignment."
"Are you threatening me? Greg, that's so cute."
"I mean it."
Sara laughed, she hadn't been serious and it was nice to have the easy banter back between them that she'd always enjoyed.
"Looks like I didn't have to," Sara said letting out a laugh. Catherine must have, because there they were, the baby pictures actually being passed around.
"Yep," Greg said, smiling tightly as they reached him, "that's my tushy."
"Aw," Sara said taking it out of his hands, "I may have to get a copy of this for the office."
Greg looked at her funny and she knew he wanted to say something more. A mischievous smile was stuck on his face, but he couldn't bring himself to say it. Not with his mother three chairs away. Sara, knowing perfectly well what was on his mind, laughed harder.
After dinner was over his parents had dropped him off at his door, agreeing to meet him again in the morning. Greg was glad to have the place to himself for the night, he'd missed his privacy. All things considered he'd had fun. He'd laughed with his friends, pleased his parents and forgotten about anything else for a time. It had felt normal. He'd felt normal. And for a time he felt nothing was impossible.