Entreaty
By: Manigault
Thanks to those of you who are reading this story and for those of you who have reviewed. Reviews are nice even if it's a word of encouragement. G
Thank you to Donna for being a wonderful beta reader, editor, etc.
This is a short chapter, hopefully chapter 25 will follow soon.
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When Grissom and Sara entered the lab, they split off in two directions. Sara went in search of Nick and Greg who had returned to the lab without finding any evidence at the private hangar. Brass had called Grissom to let them know the status before they left his townhome. Sara knew the guys would be disappointed and wanted to check in with them to see if she could help in any way with their search.
Grissom headed straight for his office where he found himself in the middle of a family reunion of sorts. Tom had his back to the door and was speaking to a woman whose face he could not see and a man whose face he saw clearly. The man looked past Tom's shoulder and directly at him.
"You must be Gil," said Alex. He stepped around Tom and walked over to where Grissom stood rooted to one spot.
Taking his hand, Grissom said softly. "You must be Alex."
Alex Giles smiled tightly as his grip tightened on Grissom's hand. "I wanted to meet you under different circumstances, but life had different plans."
Grissom noticed the puffiness beneath Alex's eyes and felt empathy for Kyle's twin. After letting go of Grissom's hand, Alex turned around to put his arm around the woman who had moved to stand beside him.
"This is my wife, Claire."
After exchanging pleasantries, Grissom felt awkward. He looked over at Tom and decided to let him know about Mattie, but found that it was old news when Tom spoke.
"Elaine called me to let me know that Eric is driving him here." Tom gave him a grateful smile and the warmth reached his eyes. "Mattie has taken a shine to you, Gil." .
Alex chimed in with his own warm sentiments concerning Mattie before his expression turned to something resembling distress.
"Now that Gil is here, Tom, do you think we can see Kyle?"
The sigh was inward, but Grissom felt it throughout his entire body. With resignation he motioned them to follow him from his office.
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Sara sat around a table with Nick, Greg and Warrick. A list of airports sat on the table with more than half of them crossed out.
"We've called or visited these airstrips." said Nick. He pushed the list over towards Sara and sighed.
"Maybe we've been looking at it all wrong." Sara stared at the list and her eyes widened. "You know, guys, there are all of these new subdivisions that are airplane communities." She looked around the table. "Maybe this Cessna is from one of these very private airstrips."
She received a round of appreciative looks as the men tossed this new idea around. "I read about one of those communities once. You have to own a plane to live there and the garage is for that plane. I'll do some research." said Nick. He stood quickly from the table and cast a look over at Greg. "You like to help me out Greggo?"
"I'm in!" Greg jumped from the table so fast his chair flew back with a loud thump. He stood it back up straight and gave Sara an embarrassed grin before dashing off to catch up with Nick.
Warrick chuckled and shook his head as they watched the eager tech run off. "He is going to be crushed when he finds out about you and Gris."
Sara, who was slowly pushing her own chair back from the table, froze in motion and gave him a horrific look. "What did you say?" She glanced over her shoulder at the doorway and lowered her voice and did not give him time to respond. "I don't know what you think you know, Warrick, but have you ever heard of the word discretion?"
"Relax, Sar, I'm not going to spread gossip around this place." Warrick locked eyes with her and kept his tone level. "I have to warn you though, there is gossip already flying around the hallways about you two being out in the desert."
Raising her shoulders, Sara looked at him and he replied to the unasked question. "All I know is that it didn't come from me or Catherine. The airways are not secure, though, Sara. And there was no way to keep something this big secret. I do know that nobody knows you were in a tent."
Sara processed what he was telling her and smiled weakly. "There is a chance this could fade away then, with no corroboration." She pushed the chair back and walked to the doorway, pausing to look back at Warrick. "I do trust you, Warrick. Thanks."
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Mattie stood in the entrance of the CSI's lab and felt overwhelmed. He gripped his backpack over his shoulder and watched Eric walk up to the information desk to enquire after his uncle.
Shifting from one foot to another, he scanned the faces of the individuals entering and exiting the building, searching for a familiar face. He wondered if his Uncle Tom was here and then his face paled. He wondered if his dad was here. Feeling sick to his stomach, his eyes lit on a familiar face walking along a corridor. She stopped to speak to a blond woman and his instincts kicked in as he shouted her name.
Sara heard her name echo along the corridor and looked up in time to see the source flying towards her on eager feet. She was acutely aware of the curious looks she was receiving from not only Catherine, but several others who milled around the hallway. Her uneasiness faded as Mattie drew closer and she could make out the anxious eyes of the child she had grown so fond of in such a short period of time.
Bending down, she held out her arms for the child and he did not hesitate to fling himself into her embrace. It felt right to have the small arms clinging to her and she ignored the stunned expression on Catherine's face when she caught the woman's eyes over Mattie's head. She was unaware of the audience that had gathered at the far end of the corridor as Grissom escorted a shellshocked Alex, his wife, and Tom from the emotional visit with Kyle.
Escaping from the horrid scene he had witnessed, Grissom looked around the hallway and noticed that several of the lab personnel were seemingly transfixed by some scene that was taking place down the corridor. He followed the directions of their gazes and found himself witnessing a much more serene encounter. Walking quickly along the hallway towards Sara and Mattie he found himself slowing down as he drew near to them.
Mattie had his arms wrapped around Sara's neck and his face was hidden in her hair. The maternal image touched him in a way that he could not define so he pushed the emotion to the back of his mind and kept walking.
He watched as Mattie drew back from Sara and looked from her face up to the man who stood beside them.
"Uncle Gil!" Mattie moved from Sara's arms over to Grissom where the man did not hesitate to crouch down and open his arms to the boy.
Sara unbent her knees as she slowly stood and glanced around the corridor. If the rumor mill was not flowing before then this would have the flood gates open.
TBC