"Greg that's disgusting," cried Sara as he proudly plonked the turkey onto a baking tray in front of her.
"It's better than a bowl full of vegetables," replied Greg clanking some pans around what used to be a kitchen, but now resembled a bombsite. Trays and other items were piled on the side, and cupboard doors swung open as Lindsey rummaged through draws looking for a brush to baste the turkey with.
"Look Linds," smiled Greg as Sara gave him disapproving looks. Greg proudly stuck his hand inside the turkey and made it bounce up and down, much to Lindsey's amusement.
"Greg, you know you have your hand up a dead carcass's…bottom," Sara said, choosing her words carefully around Lindsey.
"Yes," replied Greg taking it out and washing his hands for nearly the fifth time, as snorts of laughter came form the doorway.
"Hey," laughed Sara, smiling at Nick and Warrick.
"I think I may be a vegetarian now because Greg seems to like fondling the turkey," laughed Warrick.
"What's that?" questioned Lindsey.
"Linds, show Warrick and Nick to the spare room," said Cath ushering her out the room.
A few seconds later, and Lindsey returned to her hunt for the brush.
"Got it," smiled Lindsey handing the brush to Sara.
"There is no way I'm doing that," announced Sara putting the brush down and going back to pouring out some ready-made stuffing.
"Wuss," replied Greg beginning to baste the turkey.
"It used to be alive."
"It's dead now," said Lindsey in all innocence while Sara and Greg tried not to laugh.
"Linds, come and help me. You get to make your hands dirty," announced Sara pouring water into the mixture.
Warrick and Nick were sat in the front room chatting with Catherine, and shouting through various comments about food poisoning and having a stomach pump handy, when Lindsey came running through carrying a stuffing ball.
"Mum, look," she cried as a bit dropped off her hands into the carpet.
"That's nice," said Cath more interested in tracking the dirt that was about to get stood into the carpet as Lindsey made her way back to the kitchen.
"Nice place," commented Nick looking around. "It's bigger than mine," he added.
"If you ever invited me round I'd know," replied Catherine.
"I would, but mine's more a bachelor pad than a family home."
"Maybe he doesn't want you to get the wrong idea," laughed Warrick drinking his beer and getting it on the arm from Nick.
"What's the betting Grissom doesn't show?" smiled Nick. "Comes up with some excuse."
Nick was proven wrong, as at that moment the doorbell rang.
"Well, either Santa's forgotten where the chimney is, or he's here,"
"Hello," came Grissom's less than cheery voice from the hallway, as "Uncle Gil!" was heard before Catherine laughing.
"Lindsey hugged Grissom and got stuffing all over his coat," smirked Catherine coming back into the room.
"Look it's Scrooge," laughed Sara from the kitchen as Grissom sat down. Grissom simply ignored this remark and smiled.
"Sara, was there a explosion in the kitchen?" he asked referring to her appearance. She had flour down one side of her face and an apron that was covered in various bits of food.
"No, just Greg," said Sara disappearing again before Greg appeared in the doorway.
"Dinner's cooking, it will be done in an hour," he said before both he and Sara came back in having got cleaned up.
"Who wants to play?" cried Lindsey holding up the game of life.
"Linds, why don't you put some music on?" smiled Catherine handing Grissom a brandy while Sara and Greg helped themselves to beers from the side.
The sound of 'Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer' then echoed through the room, along with Lindsey's accompaniment.
"Someone dance with me," she pouted.
"Wow, she's just like you," laughed Warrick as Cath hit his arm. "I didn't say it was a bad thing!"
"I will," smiled Greg getting up and taking Lindsey's hands before swinging her around.
"I KNOW," shouted Lindsey before suddenly disappearing, "We can do karaoke."
"WHAT?" cried Sara, Grissom and Nick in unison.
"It's fun," said Lindsey plugging it in.
"You're just upset because you know I'm better than you," said Greg taking the microphone and looking through a CD Lindsey was holding out to him.
"I don't know about that man, you've heard Sara sing round the lab."
"And that is the only place you will hear her sing," said Sara.
"COME ON," moaned Greg putting the CD in.
"Do you want to sit looking miserable with Scrooge?" asked Catherine.
"I am not Scrooge," said Grissom. "I don't like games."
"Really, what do you like?" asked Catherine. "Come on, if you're in my house you have to play by my rules, and I say you have to sing."
Grissom was about to argue, but saw he was out numbered.
"Do you have more brandy?" he asked looking hopeful.
Greg sang full pelt to 'The Twelve Days of Christmas' reasonably normally, for him anyway, until he got to the last verse.
"On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, twelve dead bodies," cried Greg throwing the microphone at Nick.
"Eleven fingerprints," sang Nick catching on.
"Ten loner entomologists," sang Catherine grabbing the microphone from Nick and throwing it forcefully at Grissom who simply glared before giving in.
"Nine careless Catherines."
"Eight muddy footprints," cried Lindsey joining in.
"Seven ex lab rats," laughed Nick as Greg pouted at him.
"Six tone deaf scientists," sang Sara grabbing the microphone.
"Five Texas cowboys," smiled Greg passing the microphone to Grissom who was starting to look like he was enjoying himself.
"Four AFIS matches."
"Three smelly decomps," sang Lindsey, as Warrick looked Catherine up and down.
"Two sleep deprived Saras," laughed Catherine as Sara yawned.
"And an Ecklie out of his TREE," cried Sara throwing her arms up in the air getting up and twirling around before collapsing back into the seat.
"THANK YOU VERY MUCH, I'LL BE HERE ALL WEEK," mocked Greg bowing at everyone.
"DID EVERYONE SEE THAT?" called Catherine. "Grissom sang," she added gleefully.
Grissom turned red and went back to his brandy wishing he hadn't let himself join in, even if it was fun.
"Dinner's ready," cried Greg as a buzzing sound came from the kitchen.
"Well go sit down," said Catherine ushering everyone to the table as Sara and Greg went to serve up.
TBC….