Note: Birthday Boys is the 5th installment in the Feasiblity Study series (orginally FS chapters 55-62). It picks up where Second Chances left off.

Feasibility Study
Written by: Ms Maggs / Edited by: KJT

"Birthday Boys – Part 1"

August 16, 2005 (Day 116)
The Grissom's
7:19 a.m.

With mounting trepidation, Gil entered his home through the garage door and slowly made his way to the bedroom, aka The Reproduction Room. "Honey, I'm home," He called out upon arriving, expecting to find his wife lying in wait.

"I'm in the bathroom testing!" She replied in a stronger voice than she had in days. "One minute to go."

"You sound a little better, Sara." Sitting on the edge of the bed, Gil lowered his head and prayed that baby making love would not be mandated this morning. After a plethora of great loving Wednesday thru Saturday of last week, followed by Sunday's disaster turned last minute success and yesterday's all too lengthy and lackluster effort, he was more than ready for a day off.

"I'm still dragging and my breathing is heavy but I feel much better than yesterday!" Smiling, she emerged from the bathroom wearing her lavender flannel pajamas. "Okay, results are in."

"Well?" He tensed, hoping he wouldn't be ordered to drop his drawers.

"I'm back to low fertility." Wheezing, she announced, "We're done for the month."

"Oh thank god," He rejoiced while crashing against the comforter.

"Awww…are you suffering from a little post traumatic stud disorder?" She snickered while walking over to the bed, "Don't worry, I've taken what I needed and you're of no use to me now. If we were successful, we may never have to do it again."

"Well, let's not get carried away," Chuckling, he insisted, "But I will say, whatever you're planning for my birthday tomorrow…leave out love making."

Sliding next to him, she propped up on her elbow. "I promise, nothing sexy on your birthday. You're very safe…Boom Boom is on hiatus and I haven't purchased any lusty lingerie. And even though it's summer, I plan on wearing a turtleneck tomorrow so I don't send any vibes." Kissing his cheek she informed him, "Actually, I have a very innocent day planned. Plus your dad will be here for part of it so…"

"Thank you," He sighed while tucking her hair behind her ear. "Never thought I'd see the day when I'd rather have dinner with my father than sleep with you."

"I'm making something very special for dinner," She hinted.

"Are you sure you're up to cooking?" He sweetly asked while feeling her forehead. "Your fever just broke last night. You're still weak."

"I'll be fine. I even plan on going to work tomorrow for half a day." Swatting his hand away she scoffed, "You're just afraid I'll chop the vegetables in the wrong shape. Don't worry, Anal Chef, it won't matter, because I'll be baking the veggies and they'll lose their shape when they go soft."

Eyeing her with feigned contempt, he groaned, "Did you have to bring up that phrase in bed?"

"Sorry." She smiled an apology. "Come on…" Grabbing his hand she said, "I'll make you a healthy breakfast before you leave for your therapy appointment with Dr. Myers. You'll need your strength."

Taking her up on her offer he climbed out of bed. "Wow…I'm in such a good place before my birthday this year…I'm happily married, going to therapy twice a week to sort out my head, and have developed a temporary aversion to sex from being forced to have too much of it."

"Aww, Honey," She started laughing. "You've come so far."

"Absolutely." Throwing his arm around her shoulder he grinned, "Last year I was a lonely head case forced to take matters into my own hands."

"Kind of daunting." She sighed, "I mean, how can you top things for your fiftieth next year?"

Stopping in the hall, he caught her eye and shared his wish. "How about this…just celebrated my first wedding anniversary after successfully completing therapy, and trying to remember what sex is like because we're too exhausted from taking care of a baby to want to have any?"

Lighting up the darkened hallway with her smile, she nodded. "That'll work."

Crime Lab
Nick Stokes' Office
8:14 a.m.

With his eyes still fixated on the case file he was reviewing, Nick answered his cell phone, "Stokes."

"Blake."

Easing back against his chair he smiled. "Time for another birthday surprise hint?"

"Uh huh."

Mirroring his stealthy behavior when he tried to surprise her with a trip to Paris, Carrie had been teasing him regarding special birthday plans. "Should I bring my bathing suit?" He jokingly asked like she had back then.

"That will be highly unnecessary." In a sneaky tone, she gave her clue, "We'll be taking a trip."

"Hmm…" Rocking his chair, he considered the new information. "You said we're celebrating starting Wednesday night and I only have Thursday off so we can't go too far."

"That's all you're going to get from me. Have a nice day nailing bad guys, Honey. I'm at the courthouse waiting to send one to prison…sexual assault with a minor…I'm chomping at the bit."

Proudly, he replied, "I know you'll kick ass, Baby. I'm working a case right now I'd love to see you prosecute."

"Quite a one-two punch, you and I."

"The perfect team in every way." Grateful to be celebrating his birthday this year with the woman of his dreams, he sighed, "Sweetie, I appreciate you going to some trouble to make things special, but you could take me out for a hotdog to celebrate and I'd be thrilled."

"Duly noted."

Dr. Myers' Office
9:06 a.m.

Doing the same dance of uncertainty that he did at his first appointment, Gil stood leaning against the doctor's massive book shelves. "I thought I would find this easier the second time."

"Some people do, others don't," Dr. Myers assured from her chair in the center of the room. "There's no right or wrong, Gil." Believing he needed a jump start, she inquired, "You said you just got back from Tahoe. How was your vacation?"

"Perfect," He declared while returning a book to the shelf. "First vacation I've taken since coming to Vegas…first ever with a partner. It was nice getting out of town and relaxing with Sara. Even the littlest thing like lying in a hammock reading together felt like heaven. We uh…enjoyed it so much we ended up purchasing the cabin."

"So now, as I suggested, you have a place to go and decompress."

"Yes." He nodded.

"Excellent."

"Hopefully things at work won't be crazy so we'll be able to go."

Concerned by his statement, she asked, "When you returned to the lab was everything fine? Because in our last session, you cited the reason you were unable to take vacations was your required presence at the lab."

"Yes, the lab was just fine without me," He admitted while slowly crossing the room. "Much to my ego's surprise. Then again, I suppose I always knew it would be and used that as an excuse not to take a vacation."

Glad to see he was leaving his safety zone, she continued the line of questioning. "Why didn't you want to take a vacation?"

Standing behind an empty chair, Gil gripped the leather back. "Because I didn't have anyone to take one with and I didn't want to go alone. I was already alone at home, I didn't need to go somewhere else and prove I could do it on the road."

"You said this was your first vacation since coming to Vegas and your first with a partner. Did you take vacations alone when you were living in California?"

"No." Walking around the chair, he took a seat. "Until I started college I took trips every summer with my mother."

"Did you enjoy them?"

"They were always very educational," He replied as he shifted to get comfortable.

"How were they educational?" She probed, wondering if there was a meaning beyond the literal interpretation.

Clearing his throat, he expounded on his answer. "We always visited places with quality museums and important historical landmarks. As I mentioned in our last session, my mother was artistic and well read. She enjoyed sharing her passion for art with me and wanted to show me the places mentioned in some of the novels I'd read."

"You must have learned a great deal on these trips."

"I did. Looking back I certainly appreciate the opportunity. It was a very nice thing for my mother to do for me." He sensed the doctor was looking for more and since he saw another angle, he shared it. "The trips always taught me something else. Well, taught isn't the right word…reinforced is a better choice. The trips reinforced the fact that my family was broken. You know how those tourist places are…I'd see families…fathers with sons, wives with husbands. I'd see them together, full of life, and be reminded of what I was missing…what my mother was missing."

"How did that make you feel?"

"Angry," He answered without hesitation. "I'd start thinking, where's my dad right now? Is he on vacation with his new family? The family he chose to become a part of when he left me behind." His eyes shifted downward. "I'd see a father lift his son to help him see and think…is my dad out there somewhere helping his new son while I'm struggling to see things on my own…"

When her patient fell silent, Dr. Myers prompted, "How is the view now that you've spoken with your father?"

Glancing up, he replied, "I was right. He was out there taking vacations with his new family…his new son. But now, those memories are as empty for him as the lack of vacations with a father was for me." Rubbing his sweaty palms over the knees of his black trousers, he explained, "His second marriage didn't work out and the woman's kids ended up loathing him. You know…he poured on the stepfather love in the beginning, but his old habits took over and he was never around for them. They resented him for it and moved on. Although the divorce was amicable, they never kept in touch once all was said and done. He doesn't even know where they are today."

"But he knew where you were."

"Yes, I guess that should make me feel special. He kept tabs on me my whole life…from afar." He shrugged. "But he's here now and apparently determined to stick around." Lifting his hand in a stop motion, he released a nervous chuckle. "I know…I know…how does that make me feel?"

Disarming him with a smile, the doctor said, "Considering your intelligence and level of education, I expected you to be a fast learner, Gil."

"It helps having a coach at home too." Breathing deep, he settled back against the cushy chair. "Okay…how does it make me feel to have my father back in my life?" He searched for an answer. "Um…"

"Don't formulate a response, say whatever comes to mind."

"Vulnerable." Choking on the aftereffects of stating his feeling out loud, he rambled, "I mean…it's like I said in reference to his new family…in the beginning he poured on the love, but then his old habits took over and he was never around. What if I'm just a temporary fascination? What if this is all a game to him? What if he pulls me back in and then disappears again when he finds something else that interests him? He's the same old dog…what are the odds he's learned a new trick?"

"Do you believe people are incapable of changing, Gil?" Smiling once more she asked, "Tell me…have you made any significant changes in your life over the past year?"

Looking a realization in the eye, he cracked a smile. "As a matter of fact I have."

The Grissoms'
10:31 a.m.

Anxious that she hadn't heard from Greg yet this morning, Sara headed to the kitchen and swiped the cordless phone from its cradle. Rapidly, she punched in the numbers for his cell and paced the room hoping he'd answer and have good news.

"Sorry, Sara…I still don't have anything frabjous to report."

Disappointed, she leaned against the counter. "That's okay, I really appreciate you trying." Ever since they spoke yesterday morning and Greg's tease with the word frabjous led to a revealing conversation, Sara was hell bent on getting her wish fulfilled in time for Gil's birthday.

"But I'm feeling optimistic," Greg stated. "Because I've enlisted help."

"Who?" Her brows knitted. "I told you I didn't want anyone else to know because it's so personal and…"

"No one from the lab," He quickly assured her. "My mom. And trust me…she can keep a secret. My dad doesn't know about Tawny yet."

"You didn't have to bother her with…"

"Are you kidding?" He chuckled. "First of all it's summer break and she's always looking for a project. Second, she loves the idea because she can personally relate. I swear she shed a few tears when I was telling her. Third, it's very convenient for her. Fourth, and most importantly, it gave us something else to talk about yesterday than me. Trust me…it's no problem, she's totally into it. I think she's more determined than you at this point."

Before Sara could discuss the matter any further she heard Gil coming in through the garage door. "He's home. Don't call here. I'll call you back when he's asleep. Thanks again, Greg and thank your mom for me! Bye!"

Still holding the phone in her hand, Sara greeted her husband in the hall. "I was just about to call and see where you were. How did it go? Are you doing okay?"

"It went very well." Handing her a small box tied with a pink cotton string, he sweetly said, "I stopped to pick up some brownies for you."

Touched by the gesture, she took the box and kissed his lips. "You remembered me telling you about the bakery by Dr. Myers office."

"You're not the only one with an excellent memory under this roof." Heading for the fridge, he whined, "I was squirming more in that bakery surrounded by all that decadent food than I was in therapy! Talk about self-sacrifice."

"It's your birthday tomorrow…you can cheat a little on your diet."

"No way." He turned around smiling. "I weighed myself earlier and I've already lost five pounds."

"That's great!" She beamed with excitement. "I'm really proud of you."

Cocking his head, he quipped, "Must be all the sex on demand."

"You should write a book and market it as a successful weight loss plan."

"Well…" Pulling his head out of the fridge with a bottle of water and an apple, he said, "It probably helped that I barely ate while having a nervous breakdown when you were gone. Since I really don't want to share that part of the strategy with the world, I'll have to rely on my Entomology papers enlightening the public."

"Speaking of Entomology…" Sara sat on a barstool and relayed some fun news. "A certain budding Entomologist has requested a meeting with you tomorrow in honor of your birthday."

"Sean?" He guessed after swallowing a chunk of apple.

"Yes."

"That's awfully nice of him." Curious he asked, "How did he find out it was my birthday?"

Although she knew she replied, "I have no idea."

"I look forward to it." Gil glanced at the clock. "Okay, Flu Girl, you still need to take it easy. If you promise you won't try to harvest me for my seed, I'd love for you to join me in bed." Reaching into his jacket, he pulled out a DVD. "I rented a movie. I thought we could watch it before I go to sleep."

Elated with his idea she slid off the stool, snatched the movie out of his hand and read the title aloud, "Sense and Sensibility. I've read the book, but not seen the movie."

"Me too. But I like other movies Emma Thompson has been in so I thought it might be good." Knowing now that she was familiar with the story, he took her hand and smiled, "So what do you say? Would you like to join me, Miss Marianne?"

Embracing the analogy she whimsically replied, "I'd love to, Colonel."

The Cheesecake Factory
11:04 a.m.

Upon arriving, Catherine asked the hostess to seat her and Lindsay in Tawny's section and, after a five minute wait, they were shown to a booth in the back of the restaurant.

"Hey, Catherine!" Tawny excitedly exclaimed when she saw her mentor taking a seat. "This is a nice surprise. Did you ask for my section?"

"Of course."

Glancing over at the teen girl sitting across from Catherine she surmised, "And you must be Lindsay."

"Yeah, and I'm not as bad as my mom makes me sound."

Giggling, Tawny replied, "Your mom never said anything bad about you to me. As a matter of fact she went on and on about what a great student and softball player you were. Hearing about you made me feel better about having my own baby." She patted her stomach. "I'm pretty sure it's going to be a girl."

Knowing her daughter's curious mind, Catherine cringed.

"You're having a baby?" Lindsay, blessed with her mother's observant nature, quizzed. "Where's your wedding ring?"

"Uh…" Tawny cracked a nervous smile. "We aren't married yet."

Like mother like daughter, the use of the word 'yet' piqued Catherine's curiosity. "Yet? Did Sanders…"

"No!" Flustered, she backpedaled. "What I meant to say was, no, I'm not married."

"Greg Sanders!" Lindsay exclaimed in disbelief. "He's going to be a dad? He's a total goofball! Kids at school don't have hair as weird as he does."

"I like his hair," Tawny assured the cute teen.

Still reeling from the revelation, Lindsay gaped at the giddy waitress, "Didn't anyone ever teach the two of you about condoms and sexually transmitted disease?"

With pride overflowing, Catherine relaxed in her seat. "Lindsay, Honey, you can order anything you want and after lunch, I'm taking you shopping."

The Grissoms'
11:49 a.m.

Lying in bed, curled up against her husband's chest, Sara continued to enjoy the bittersweet movie. "Right now I can totally relate to Marianne waiting and waiting for a declaration from Willoughby…with you being Willoughby in this scenario. That statement Marianne made when asked if Willoughby explicitly said he loved her, always implied but never declared…" Poking her husband in the ribs, she said, "…been there, done that!"

Returning her jab, he teased, "Well, if it makes you feel any better, I was feeling dumbstruck old Brandon's pain when he walked in and found out about Marianne's attraction for the young daring Mr. Willoughby from a third party, with Hank being Willoughby in this scenario and Gerard being Sir John."

Chuckling, she declared, "Talk about great casting! Hank is the perfect Willoughby… a shallow two-timing bastard!"

Still in therapy mode, Grissom hit the pause button on the remote control. "Why do you think Colonel Brandon decided not to compete with Willoughby for Marianne's attention?"

"Because he was afraid he'd lose." Propping up, she stared deeply into her husband's eyes, while continuing her analysis. "So he convinced himself that Marianne would be happier with a man closer to her age, believing in the long run, she'd tire of an older, more cerebral man. Therefore, he stepped back and pined for her from afar…never confessing the depth of his feelings and never giving her the opportunity to know him and make a choice between suitors." With her fingertips, she traced the outline of her husband's parted lips. "Which was really a very poor decision on Brandon's part, because if Marianne had been privy to the passion burning deep within The Colonel…if she had been given the chance to taste the desire in his kiss…or to know the love in his heart…." Breaking into a delicious grin, she declared, "…it would have been no contest and Willoughby would have been riding his horse out of town before the end of the first act."

A second later, Sara felt the delicious crush of her husband's lips against hers and when Gil finally broke the kiss, he breathlessly asked, "Why the hell didn't I come home with this movie on Sunday!"

The Cheesecake Factory
12:03 p.m.

As Lindsay perused the cheesecake menu, Catherine grabbed her cell phone to check her home voice mail.

Noting the intrigue in her mother's eye, Lindsay warned, "Remember, Mom, you promised to take me shopping. I don't care if you find out half The Strip is covered in DBs, let the Dayshift handle it."

"I'm not going to bail on you," Catherine confidently replied, "I'm waiting to hear back from my doctor's office."

Putting down the menu, Lindsay asked with concern in her voice, "Is something wrong?"

"I'm afraid so," She sighed while picking up her wine glass.

"What!"

"OH!" Realizing she just terrified her daughter, Catherine reached out and took her hand. "I'm thinking about a little cosmetic procedure, Sweetie. I'm not sick."

"Jesus!" Lindsay grabbed the menu. "You scared the crap out of me, Mom!"

Eager to bust her daughter, Catherine reminded her, "You really shouldn't take the lord's name in vain. Jake would be disappointed."

"That reminds me…you didn't tell me if I can join Youth Group at Jake's Dad's church? They're meeting tomorrow at 6:00."

"What's the name of it again?" Lifting her wine glass she sipped.

"Desert Springs Church, it's on Palm Tree over by the hospital. A nice part of town."

"What denomination is it? How do I know it's not a cult? What if they brainwash you?" Setting down her glass, she chortled, "Or worse…what if they point out the fact that your mother is a sinner and you decide you can't live with me?"

"I already know that Mom, and there's no way I'm moving out because we're getting a cool new house with an awesome pool and I'm going to have a room with my own bathroom suite!"

"Yeah, I bet Jesus never would have left home to spread the gospel if Joseph and Mary had given him his own bathroom suite."

"Mom!"

Trying not to laugh she apologized, "Sorry."

"How do know any of this religious stuff anyway? We've never gone to church."

"I used to go every Sunday as a kid." Lifting her glass, she finished its contents. "My mother was into making a good impression at church. So much so, that when her wayward daughter…that would be me…showed up looking to come back home at seventeen she thought it would be bad for appearances. While wearing a cross around her neck she shut the door in my face. Not very Christian of her, huh?"

"You never told me that before," Lindsay softly replied.

"You're almost fourteen," Catherine explained, "Since you're apparently old enough to share the importance of condoms and sexually transmitted diseases with wayward women…I thought you could handle that story." Sighing, she said, "Oh, Linds, I don't want my past to taint everything for you. How about this…I'll drive you to Youth Group tomorrow and if I don't get a weird brainwashing vibe, I'll let you stay. But if they're serving Kool Aid and asking you to check your brain at the door…it's back in the car."

Happy her mother was listening to her, she smiled. "Deal."

"Promise one thing though." She started to laugh.

"What?"

"When I walk through the doors of the church, if a lightning bolt strikes me in the ass, rendering me unconscious, promise me you'll pull me outside and call 911."

"Sure thing."

"Hey ladies," Tawny greeted as she bounded over, "ready for some cheesecake?"

Having made up her mind, Lindsay ordered, "Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Dough with two forks."

"Got it." Tawny glanced around. "I'm glad you came in because it's dead today. I can't wait for the busy season. I need the cash."

Catherine motioned for Lindsay to slide over. "Why don't you take five?"

Accepting the invite, she scooted into the booth.

"You know who you remind me of?" Lindsay stated as she gave Tawny the once over. "Hayden Panettiere, only you have brown eyes and way bigger boobs."

Mortified at her daughter's frank remark, Catherine shrieked, "Linds!"

"Oh like she doesn't know she has giant boobs."

Excited about the comparison, Tawny asked, "You really think I look like Hayden Panettiere? Okay, I know I'll sound like a total dork but…I saw Ice Princess and she was really pretty in that movie."

"I loved Ice Princess!" Lindsay cried out.

Giggling, Tawny confessed, "When I was little I dreamed of being an Olympic Ice Skater. My dad used to take me skating on a pond just like Michelle Trachtenberg skated on in the movie. He used to cheer me on and at the end of my performance, even though I stunk, he would throw branches on the ice for flowers."

With teenage verve, Lindsay shared, "I think Trevor Blumas is totally hot!"

"Me too!" Tawny gushed. "I love his eyes. I was dying for him to kiss her in the movie!"

"Hold up!" Catherine shook her head. "How old is this Trevor Blumas?"

Lindsay had an instant answer. "He'll be 21 on October 16th!"

Eyeing Tawny, Catherine shook her head, "Oh…my…god."

"Mom! Would you quit it!"

"Sorry, Honey." In shock at the revelation, Catherine kept gaping at the bubbly girl sitting next to her daughter.

"What's wrong?" Tawny innocently asked.

"I just realized that you and my daughter are only 8 years apart in age. You like the same movie stars and talk the same language. When Lindsay is 20, you'll only be 28! You're peers!" Stunned, she crashed against the back of the booth and rambled in a panicked tone. "I'm 42! That's 20 flippin' years older than you, Tawny! I'm old enough to be your mother! Last week I was giving Grissom shit because he's old enough to be your dad. Grissom and I could be your parents!" Knowing her daughter's curious mind, she emphatically said, "Not that I'm implying we ever slept together because he's like a brother to me."

Lindsay nodded, "I wouldn't have thought that because it's obvious, since he's married to Sara, that Grissom likes 'em young."

Bringing her hand to her head, she groaned, "When did I get so old!"

"Mom…calm down."

Flipping out, she reached for her water glass and guzzled. "Tawny is having a baby. My baby could be having a baby soon. That makes me old enough to be…"

"A grandmother," Tawny sweetly replied. Then she realized she mortally offended her boothmate. "I was uh…just filling in a blank. I wasn't implying that you looked like a grandma. I mean…I hope when I'm as old as you…I mean when I'm your age that I look half as hot! I uh…should go get your cheesecake now." Feeling the death stare, Tawny hustled out of the booth and toward the bakery counter.

A little shocked, Lindsay looked over at her mom, "Whoa…"

"Yeah!" Catherine shrieked. "I'm so depressed. I'm definitely getting that work done. Thanks for feeling sorry for me, Honey."

Shaking her head in disbelief, Lindsay remarked, "How did Greg Sanders score a chick with such a cool personality, good taste, a beautiful face and a hot bod? Did he find a lamp with a genie inside?"

"That's what Brass said!" Then Catherine realized just how scary it was that her daughter and Jim Brass shared the same sense of humor. "We joked that Greg's first two wishes were to be given the woman of his dreams and for her to have his child."

"What about his third wish?"

Amused by herself, Catherine replied, "I said it will be for his mommy's approval of Tawny so he gets to keep her."

Laughing, Lindsay told her mom, "You're pretty funny for an old woman."

"Gee thanks."

"And don't worry, you won't be a grandma any time soon." In a reassuring tone, she proclaimed, "I don't plan on having sex until I'm twenty-one."

Thrilled her daughter didn't say 'next week', Catherine asked, "Why twenty-one, Honey?"

In perfect Jim Brass style, Lindsay deadpanned, "Because that's when I'll be old enough to drink, so I figure I'll probably get ripped one night and fall into bed with some guy I pick up at a bar." She let her mother suffer for twenty seconds and then exuberantly announced, "Gotcha!"

"Maybe I shouldn't be worried about the church influencing you…maybe it's the church that should be worried."

The Grissoms'
12:52 p.m.

After returning from their intermission, Sara and Gil snuggled and resumed watching Sense and Sensibility.

"Here I am feeling The Colonel's pain again," Gil pulled Sara a little closer as he watched Brandon, looking terribly distraught, carrying Marianne's limp body. "Except in my version, Marianne is unresponsive from ingesting too much GHB laced alcohol and the locale is Lake Tahoe not England. See that?" He pointed to the screen. "When they carried Marianne away and he's just standing there spent…that was me watching them rush you into the ER."

Hearing the stress in her husband's voice, she said, "We never really talked about that part of incident." Hitting the pause button, she tenderly said, "You carried me in your arms like that?"

With emotion tingeing his voice he recalled the night. "After you collapsed in my arms, I carried you to the lobby to wait for the ambulance. When it came I placed you on the stretcher…and watched the color drain from your face." Kissing her forehead, he whispered, "It was so awful. I'll never forget the moment when the EMT asked about an SAE. It wasn't until that moment that I realized how close…"

"But you did get there," She reminded him as she nuzzled further into his arms and snapped him out of the painful memory. "And now Tahoe is a place of wonderful memories for us."

"That's right." He was grateful for the rescue. Taking the remote he pressed play. "I'm ready for a happy ending. Assuming the movie ends like the book."

Crime Lab
Garage
1:14 p.m.

Kneeling next to the car, Nick was reviewing tire tread patterns with Jas when his cell phone rang. "Stokes."

"I nailed my opening argument, Baby! I'm sure I got seven jurors in my pocket out of the gate! This creep is going down. I'm already lining up dates for him in prison!"

Smiling, he held up his index finger for Jas. "Was there ever a doubt?" He headed for the hall to get some privacy.

"Well…this one is really important to me and I always get a little case of the jitters when it's personal." Sighing, she said, "Truth is…I needed to hear your voice."

In a somber tone, he asked, "How old was the girl?"

"Eight."

In awe of her ability to handle cases that hit so close to her history, he remarked, "I'm so proud of you, Honey."

"Just doing my job. Which…I have to do right now, they're motioning us back in."

After glancing around, he whispered, "I love you."

"Tomorrow night…I'll show you how much I love you, Birthday Boy."

The Grissoms'
2:11 p.m.

When Gil fell asleep around two, Sara had stealthily slipped out of his arms and the bed, making a beeline down the hall to the library. Once there, she searched the fiction shelves until she found her copy of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility, which she had obtained for English Lit.

With the novel in hand, she relaxed in one of the rooms leather reading chairs and flipped through the book to read the ending. The passage was just as she recalled…

"Colonel Brandon was now happy, as all those who best loved him, believed he deserved to be – in Marianne he was consoled for every past affliction – her regard and her society restored his mind to animation, and his spirits to cheerfulness; and that Marianne found her own happiness in forming his, was equally the persuasion and delight of each observing friend."

Rising from the chair, she headed over to the antique desk in the corner of the room. From it, she pulled a slip of note paper and a pen and quickly jotted her note.

In the quote I've underlined in the book, you're Brandon and I'm Marianne.

You know what else is interesting about Brandon and Marianne…

Apart they were broken, together they mended.

He gave her Delaford, you bought me this house.

I bet Marianne got pregnant the day Brandon left a broom by the back door…

P.S. Happy Birthday a few hours early

After underlining her selected quote in the book, she used her note as a bookmark and left the room clutching the novel. Returning to the bedroom, she placed it next to her husband and smiled.

Now that she was sure he was sound asleep, she left room once more, this time shutting the door behind her and scurrying to the kitchen. Hoping for better news with this call, she grabbed the cordless phone from the counter and punched in Greg's cell number.

"Sanders."

"It's Sara."

Hi gleeful voice boomed through the receiver. "Oh frabjous day! Callooh Callay!"

"No way!"

"Way!"

Thrilled beyond reason, she exclaimed, "You're the best, Greg!"

"Do you have any idea how many times you said that in my dreams?" He chuckled. "But in my dreams, it was always in relation to a different performance."

Joining in the humor, she replied, "Trust me, if you had been here Sunday, any sexual fantasies you ever had about me would have been dispelled."

"I'll uh…try not to wonder what that means exactly."

"Trust me…you don't want to know." Giddy that she was getting her wish for her husband's birthday, she asked, "So when will the surprise arrive?"

"Yeah…when I got the answer to that question was when I realized just how hard I shot myself in the foot helping you."

"Huh?" Pacing the floor, she said, "I'm not tracking."

"Mama Sanders will be flying out from California this evening to deliver the package to me in person…and she's staying for a couple of days."

Puzzled by Greg's mom's interest level, Sara inquired, "Why does she want to do that? It's not necessary, we'll meet the Fed Ex cut off time today for morning delivery."

"I'll give you two hints…it's a popular brand of paper towels depicting a large woodsman."

Enthusiastically she gave the answer, "Brawny!"

"Which rhymes with a certain girl's name..."

"Tawny." Sara cringed as she realized the significance. "Sorry."

"I thought I had until Labor Day weekend to prepare for this, now I've got six hours!"

"I'll be sure to get you something real nice when it's your birthday, Greg."

Snickering he cryptically said, "My birthday is May 7th, so if you were successful on Sunday, you might be otherwise occupied."

"Excuse me?" For a moment she fell speechless and then she said, "He told you about Sunday? Why would he share…what exactly did he tell you!"

"Relax…I didn't get those details. I was showing him a pregnancy website that has a due date calculator and when he plunked in Sunday's date as the date of conception, it churned out May 7th. So if Sunday was very reproductive..."

"May 7th…" Her concerned expression morphed into a blissful one. "Well then…I'll be sure to shop for your gift in advance Greg, so I have it wrapped and ready just in case just in case I'm indisposed with another birthday boy."