A/N: Thanks for the reviews, guys! Please enjoy and tell me what you think!
"Daddy?"
Gil Grissom's heart dropped at the sound of his youngest daughter's defeated voice, accompanied by some sniffling.
"Natalie? What's wrong?" She had her father worried.
"Daddy, I'm sorry!" She sobbed, her voice raspy from emotion.
"About what, Nat? What's going on?"
"L…Lindsey's and I got into a fight. And, I…" She didn't want to say it. "I need you to come home."
"What happened, Natalie? What's going on?"
Natalie just cried some more and Gil was really starting to get worked up. He needed to calm her down.
"Natalie, are you sitting down?"
"N…no."
"Where are you?"
"In the living room."
"Go sit down on the couch." He told her. "Can you do that for me?"
"Okay." She said, sounding like she was five years old.
"Now lie down for me."
"I don't want to get blood on the couch."
Gil's heart dropped again. What the hell was going on?
"You're bleeding?" He almost shrieked. Gil got up and grabbed his keys from the desk and headed towards the parking lot.
"Things got out of hand." She understated, and Gil could tell she was starting to hyperventilate.
"I need you to take deep breaths, sweetheart. Will you do that?" Gil tried his best to stay calm. Gil listened to his daughter struggle with her breathing for the next minute or so. He found his car and put the keys into the ignition, pulling out abruptly, almost hitting a car that was pulling in.
"Now, sweetheart, I need you to tell me what went on." He calmly told his daughter, not wanting to upset her anymore.
Natalie took a few more breaths before continuing.
"We got into a fight and we started hitting and kicking each other, and…my nails. I think I cut her pretty bad, daddy."
Gil allowed himself a little sigh of relief. For a second there, he thought Natalie might have done something really stupid. Things were still far from okay, though, from what he could tell.
"Is she bleeding?"
"Sh…She's in the bathroom with a washcloth…applying pressure."
"Where's she cut?"
"On her forehead."
"And you're bleeding too? Where?"
"On my head. She pulled out some of my hair."
Gil's mouth gaped open and he ran a hand through his hair. Jeez, they must have really gotten into it. He knew they didn't get along that well, but they'd never gotten into a physical fight before. There'd been a few pushes and kicks growing up, but not an actual fight. He let out a huge, concerned sigh as he sped down the road.
"Okay. You need to get a cloth too, sweetheart, and apply pressure until I get there and see how bad it is."
"Okay." She managed, still crying from the shock of it all.
"Sweetheart, I'm on my way home. I'll be there in a few minutes, okay? Just sit tight."
"Alright, daddy."
"Bye." Gil hung up the phone and drove a little faster.
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Whatcha gonna do with all that junk?
All that junk inside your trunk?
"I'ma get get get get you drunk
Get you love drunk off my humps
Sara and Mally were singing and dancing around in Mally's bedroom to the raunchy Black Eyed Peas song as they modeled some of their new purchases of the day. The pair had had a great time shopping for the day and were excited to try some of their new clothes on again. Hearing all the ruckus, Nick opened the door to the room to see his two favorite girls dancing ridiculously to about the worst song he'd heard in a long time.
Eyebrows raised and arms crossed, he watched in amusement as they demonstrated some of the most insanely outrageous dance moves he'd ever seen. Sara spotted him and shimmied her way over to her boyfriend, overemphasizing her outlandish moves, causing him to shake his head and laugh out loud.
Whatcha gonna do with all that ass?
All that ass inside them jeans?
Sara rubbed her butt up against his jeans, raising her hands above her head. Nick gently kneed her in the butt and then pushed her away, back to where Mally was shakin' it also.
"Ya'll need therapy." He told them as they continued, jiving with each other. It was a good thing Nick had a sense of humor, the way Mally was moving. It was all in good fun. The song finally ended and switched to Usher's "Yeah."
"Daddy, close your eyes and I'll show you my other shirt I got." Mally told her father. He shut his eyes tight, but that wasn't enough. "Put your hand up!" She ordered him.
Nick slapped his hand over his eyes and played along. He was surprised she hadn't asked Sara to cover her eyes also, but he guessed it was a good sign that she was feeling comfortable around his girlfriend. Mally pulled off her top, now in only her bra and went to her other shopping bag while Sara went over to Nick, taking hold of his unused arm, trying to get him to move.
"I don't do rap." Nick told her, smiling. He was an all-around country guy, but he knew the words to dozens of pop songs, thanks to Mally. Her music was about the only thing Nick hadn't grounded her from, but right now he wished he had.
Mally pulled her other shirt over her head and smiled at the sight of Sara trying to coax her dad to dance. Mally had seen him dance before, but he was pretty shy about it.
"Alright, open!" She announced, and held her arms out to the side in display. Nick opened his eyes and saw she was wearing a graphic shirt. He squinted his eyes to see what it read.
"Be careful, I had a bowl of attitude for breakfast this morning." Nick grinned, showing his laugh lines. "Ain't that the truth." He commented, chuckling. "I like it, sweetheart."
Mally then joined Sara and took her father's other arm.
"Come on, dad, shake it!" She urged him, pulling on his arm and leading him to the middle of her bedroom floor.
"Ah, no!" Nick protested, but he was grinning from ear to ear. Just then, his cell phone rang. "Saved by the bell!" He exclaimed. "I've gotta take this."
Nick stepped out of the bedroom and closed the door, checking the caller ID as he went. It was Grissom. He hoped he wasn't being called in – both he and Sara had the night off together.
"Grissom, what's up?"
"Hi, Nick. I'm sorry to bother you on your night off, but I just got a call from Natalie." He explained. Gil was still in his car, heading back home after Natalie's tearful phone call. "She was really upset, and apparently she and Lindsey got into a fight."
"A real one?" Nick asked incredulously.
"Yeah. Apparently, there's blood. I'm heading over there now."
Nick was taken aback, as Gil still was. This wasn't like either girls to get into a physical fight. It must have been something really important, but that still didn't excuse it of course.
"I hate to do this, but could you or Sara cover for me at work for a while so I can figure this out?"
Nick didn't think twice about agreeing to it. He knew Gil would do the same for him if Mally was in trouble.
"Yeah, of course. I'll be right in. Let me know if you need anything."
"Alright, thanks Nick. I owe you."
Nick opened Mally's door again and peered in.
"That was Grissom. I have to go into work."
Nick watched both girls' faces fall at the news. They'd been having so much fun, but this was a bummer. Mally always knew that he could get called to work any time, but it was always a big disappointment. He had an important job and demanding hours. By the look on Nick's face, they could both tell it was something serious.
"Sar, can I talk to you for a minute?" He requested.
"Sure." She said, and followed him out. Nick closed the door behind them and lead her into the bedroom because he knew Mally would listen in if they stayed in the hallway. When the door was closed, he turned back to his girlfriend.
"That was Gil, and apparently, Nat and Lindsey got into a catfight or something. He sounded pretty shaken up."
"A catfight?" He face contorted in confusion.
"He was on his way over, but he asked me to cover for him at work for a while."
"Sure, sure. Go ahead." She urged him. "Mally and I will be fine."
"Thanks, baby. And listen, I know Mally's grounded, but if Gil calls and asks for her, she can go over. This is definitely an exception."
"Okay." Sara nodded.
"Thank you." He told Sara, and leaned in for a chaste kiss. "I'll see you soon."
Sara sighed and rubbed her stomach a little bit, then when back to be with Mally. Nick was just telling her goodbye also. By the look on Mally's face, Sara could tell that Nick had told her about Natalie and Lindsey. She was concerned about her friend, and Sara doubt she'd last the night without going to pay Nat a visit. Nick gave her a loving kiss to the forehead and then headed down the stairs.
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Gil Grissom arrived at his Las Vegas home in record time, quickly parking his Denali in the driveway and bolting up the front steps.
"Natalie?" He yelled. "Lindsey?" He frantically started looking around for them. All of a sudden, both girls were running towards him, rattling off their own versions of what had happened. Lindsey had a pretty bad gash to her forehead and Natalie's head still looked a little bloody in spots. Both had tears streaming down their cheeks as they tried to explain what happened. If they were good enough to be arguing again, Gil figured they were in good condition. Seeing that both were safe and relatively unarmed, he quickly put an end to the squabbling.
"That's enough!" He yelled over them, startling both girls. Gil took Lindsey's head in his hands, gently tilting it to get a better look at her cut. It wasn't too deep, but it looked like it hurt pretty damn good. He sighed loudly.
"Both of you go to your rooms right now and I'll be up to deal with you in a minute." He told them, his voice firm.
"But dad…" Natalie started.
"I don't want to hear it right now, Nat. I need you both in separate rooms. Now go!" He pointed to the stairs. Gil had been surrounded by females for about fourteen years now, so he'd gotten pretty good a neutralizing catty situations. He watched as both girls climbed the stairs to their rooms. Sighing again, he went to the medicine cabinet and retrieved some germ-killing lotion for their cuts. This was going to be a long night, he thought to himself.
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"God, this sucks!" Mally vented, as she collapsed onto her bed. The music was now off, the mood long since killed. "My best friend just got her ass kicked by our worst enemy, and now dad has to go into work! This blows!"
Sara was sitting next to her on the bed, leaning back on one arm.
"I know, Mal. Hopefully, he won't be long. But I know you're worried about Natalie."
"Can't we just go over there now?" She looked up at Sara hopefully.
"No. Your dad said only if Gil called and asked for you. We need to stay out unless they ask for help."
Mally closed her eyes and rubbed them with the heels of her hands in frustration, letting out a groan. Sara took a deep breath, debating whether or not she should say what she was about to say.
"Hey, Mal, I have something I want to tell you that I think will put you in a good mood."
Mally immediately sat up and looked at Sara with wide eyes. She could tell it was the good kind of news. Mally desperately needed some good news after such a horrible weekend, for the most part.
"What is it?" She asked hopefully.
Sara smiled at her eagerness and decided now was the right time.
"Well, Mally…"
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Gil Grissom climbed the stairs of his home with the cream in his hand along with a couple of towels. Lindsey seemed to be in the most need from what he could tell, so he first entered her bedroom, knocking first. Her room was still decorated like it had been in high school. The walls were painted a dark purple and the walls were covered with posters of bands he didn't approve of – Rage Against the Machine, Green Day, Limp Bizkit. He found Lindsey sitting on her bed cross-legged, looking up at him with mixed emotions. On one hand, she was glad to see him, but suspected he was angry with her too.
"Hi, daddy."
"Hey." Gil pulled out her desk chair and rolled himself until he was right next to her bed. "Scoot this way."
Lindsey unfolded her legs and draped them over the side of her bed right where her dad had stopped. Gil gently touched her forehead right next to where her big cut was. It had long since stopped bleeding, but it was still looking pretty ugly. Other parts of her face had some small nicks as well as the rest of her body. Some bruises were starting to form. They really beat the hell out of each other.
"Daddy, you're not gonna put that on, are you?" She begged, referring to the lotion he had in his hand. God, that stuff stung. Gil mentally noted that she'd called him daddy, something she normally only called him when she wanted something or she'd done something wrong. He knew that she wasn't the victim in this confrontation. If he knew his daughters like he thought, he'd bet anything she'd provoked her sister.
"We don't want it to get infected, Lindsey. I'm just being safe." He took back his hand and then started to unscrew the cap to the lotion.
"But it stings!" She complained.
"An infected wound is worse." Gil assured her. Lindsey knew she was going to lose the battle, so she reluctantly sighed.
"Okay." She looked up at the ceiling, waiting for him to proceed.
Gil gently applied the lotion to her wound, Lindsey taking in a sharp breath as he did so.
"Sorry." He apologized for the pain. When he was finished, Lindsey scooted back on the bed again. Gil tossed the lotion onto her bedside table, clearing his throat.
"Alright, now I need to know what in the hell went on here tonight." He turned serious, putting his hands on his knees, waiting patiently for an answer. Lindsey looked down, and from his years as her father, knew she didn't want to tell him something.
"I want the truth, Lindsey. All of it."
Lindsey sighed before beginning her explanation. For the most part, her explanation was pretty close to what happened, though she tried to emphasize the things Natalie had done wrong and made sure Gil knew just how much her cut hurt. Though Lindsey was in college now, she still knew he was the boss under his roof. It still hurt if he was disappointed in her.
"Alright. Thank you for telling me your side." He told his daughter when she was finished. "Now do you want to know what I think?"
Lindsey nodded, a little afraid about what he was going to say.
"I think you provoked her. Am I right?"
Lindsey looked away.
"Am I right?" He repeated himself. "Linds, I know you two don't get along and that you're in college right now, but when you're under my roof, I expect you to treat your younger sister with respect. She's your family. I don't care if technically she's your half-sister, you have been there her whole life."
Gil could tell Lindsey was about to burst, fuming with anger, and if he wasn't mistaken, disappointment in herself. He got up to leave and then turned back to face her again.
"And I know your mother would say the same thing." He told her, in case she was going to go back to the 'you're not my real father' spiel. "If you're going to stay here until your classes tomorrow, I expect you to stay in your room."
"What?" She asked, shocked that he was actually trying to punish her at the age of nineteen.
"You can stay in your room the rest of the night." He repeated.
"Screw that!" She told him, getting up from her bed. "I am nineteen years old and I'm in college. I don't have to put up with being grounded to my room!"
"If you don't like it, then go back to college. If you're staying here, that's final. It's your decision."
Gil opened the door to leave and saw that Lindsey was starting to pack her things. He hated to see her go, but he wasn't going to put up with her behavior. His heart broke a little as he heard Lindsey start to throw her things into the bag.
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"Are you serious?" Mally bubbled at the happy news, her whole face lighting up. "Oh my god! Oh my god! Can I please please please call Natalie and tell her? Please, Sara?" She begged, holding her hand and shaking it a little.
Sara looked away, smiling. There was no way she could deny her that.
"Okay, Mally, but this is the only phone call you're making, or your dad will kill us both."
"Just one call. I promise!" Natalie darted downstairs to the telephone, since hers had been removed from her room. Sara smiled to herself as she heard Natalie dancing around a little bit. She wouldn't be able to keep the good news silent for long, herself. Sara knew exactly what Mally was thinking right now. She wanted to shout it out to the world, just like Mally. She was pregnant. Pregnant with Nick Stokes' child.