Avery 12 years old

Grissom winced as he heard the door to their small apartment slam. He put down the entomology book he had been engrossed in and headed to the kitchen where Avery was sitting at the table.

"Bad first day of school?" Grissom sat about to get a plate from the cabinet.

"I hate school."

Grissom busied himself in the fridge collecting some fruit for Avery's after school snack. "It will get better. It's your first day ever. It's an adjustment."

"Why can't you just keep teaching me here, dad?" Avery whined as Grissom placed the plate in front of her.

He crossed his arms over his chest and cocked his hip against the counter. He didn't say anything for a long while as he watched his daughter. He hated that she was upset and could see the unshed tears forming in her eyes, but school was important.

Avery had spent the last three years with only Grissom as her parent and her friend. She needed socialization, to spend time with other kids and be a kid herself.

"I want you here, Avery. I loved helping you learn all the things that someone should have cared to teach you before. I would love to continue to be selfish and it just be me and you, but that's a disservice to you, honey. You need friends."

"I have friends."

"Friends your age. I know you're "friends" with a few of my coworkers, but that's not healthy, Avery. You need to be a kid."

"I was never allowed to be a kid!"

"Exactly," Grissom answered her calmly despite her yelling. "You couldn't be one before but now you can and you need to."

Avery pushed the plate of food he had given her away before she slumped back in the chair, angrily chewing on her lip.

"Avery." Grissom's voice was gentle but firm. "I told you before that this wasn't a discussion. I can not homeschool you anymore. I have to go back to work full time so that I can continue to support you. You need a rounded education."

"Teach me in the mornings before work."

Grissom sighed and ran a hand over his face. The preteen was definitely vivacious lately. "It is not fair to expect me to teach you in the mornings, go to work all afternoon/evening, go to the store and do the housework, then come home for a couple hours before bed and do it again the next day."

"I can do the chores and shopping."

"Avery." Grissom's tone meant there was no more arguing. His words were final. "You will continue to go to school. I am going back to work full time. Bottom line."

Avery stood up and pushed the chair back under the table. She bent over to get her bag to go to her room but stopped short of grabbing it.

"I hate you," she whispered angrily.

Grissom stared in shock at his daughter as she grabbed the bag and stomped down the hall to her bedroom. He knew she didn't really hate him, but it still cut deep that she could even utter those words to him. He released a heavy sigh before he forced himself to go back and read and give Avery time to think about what happened today.

Avery stuck her bookmark in the page that she was reading as Nick strolled into the break room.

"You're here early, Little Grissom."

"Are you ever going to stop calling me that?" Avery asked as she leaned across the table.

"Probably not."

Right behind Nick came Greg who sat in the chair beside Avery.

"Where did you get that book?" Greg asked pulling it in front of him.

"Snatched it from my dad's bookcase." She pulled it back and safely stowed it in her bag. "And if it gets ruined my father will kill all of us."

"Kill you all for what?" Grissom asked as he strolled into the room with Sara on his heels.

"I have your Theindop."

Grissom raised his eyebrows. "Very expensive book that needs to be returned as soon as your done."

"Scout's honor."

Sara came around the table and without saying a word, pulled Avery into a hug. Avery returned the hug but gave Sara a questioning look as she pulled back.

"I tried to call you earlier."

"I saw you this afternoon. Stop obsessing over me," Avery said jokingly. "I've been here most of today. My apartments being fumigated."

"You didn't tell me that," Grissom commented. "Why?"

"Neighbors have roaches."

"Why would anyone want to kill them?"

Avery smiled at his musing. Of course he would think that a bunch of germ ridden bugs would be a gift. She ran a hand tiredly through her hair trying to ignore the headache that was incoming.

"So, tonight's going to be hard. Swing shift is currently on scene of the bombing. We will be taking over for the night, but at this time we can not collect any evidence. We are going in to document the dead bodies. You come across a survivor and you call for help." Grissom explained to them.

"What do we do with the bodies after they're documented?"

Grissom glanced at Greg. "You'll have marker flags, put the flag by the body for the fire department to collect later. The area around the center is still extremely unstable."

Avery felt the first wave of dizziness hit her and sat up a little straighter to try and ward it off. She'd been a victim to severe migraines accompanied with dizziness and nausea due to the multiple concussions she had as a child.

"Tonight will be emotional. It's a mass casualty event. If you need a break, take a break. If you need to go home find me then go home."

"Any word about who bombed it?" Sara asked.

"No, there are massive loads of rubble. It will be days before it will all be processed."

Avery leaned her forehead against Greg's shoulder. Her head felt heavy, too heavy to hold up. She realized what she was doing and jerked her head off of him.

"I'm sorry."

"Are you okay, Little Grissom?" Nick asked concerned.

"Yes, just the beginning of one of my headaches. I'm fine." Grissom fixed her with a look so she gave him a reassuring smile. "I am fine, promise."

Grissom nodded at her. "Alright everyone, let's head out."

Hard had been the wrong word. Seeing all of those bodies was gut wrenching. There was an unspoken hope that someone would tell they had found a survivor, but it didn't happen. There was just death. The team had made it to the morning but none of them chose to stay longer. It was important with events like these to make sure you don't work too much or it's too emotional. Too heart breaking.

Greg looked around Avery's studio apartment as she showered. She had a bunch of pictures but all of them were only of Sara, Grissom, and her. He knew she was antisocial but was still suprised that she didn't have more people in her life.

"Sorry, I know it's small," Avery said as she walked out of the bathroom dressed in a t-shirt and sweats. "No point in renting something bigger when it's just me."

Greg points to a picture of a young Avery standing with Grissom in front of a courthouse. "When was this?"

Avery came up and wrapped her arms around his chest, leaning her head against his shoulder. "That's the day Grissom officially adopted me. I was a little over 10 there."

"You both look happy."

Avery placed a kiss on Greg's shoulder. "Yeah, Grissom has been my savior for a long time. I don't know what he saw in me that led him to think I was supposed to be in his life."

Greg turned in her arms so he was facing her and have her a gentle kiss, lips barely touching hers. "I do. You're amazing. You're a survivor."

Avery wrinkled her nose. "I was a brat. I don't talk, was frightened of my own shadow and every time he tried to show any kind of affection to me I would shut down."

"You had been through a lot. Your personality at that point was due to your abuse, not who you actually are. This woman standing right in front of me."

Greg leaned down and kissed her again, this time it was deep and full of longing. They had started dating a few weeks ago and the feelings had been immediate. He cared for her more than he thought possible.

He pushed her backwards, still not breaking the kids, until her legs hit her bed. He turned at that point and sat himself, pulling her over his lap.

Avery broke the kiss and worked to trail her lips along his jaw and neck.

"God, Avery." Greg groaned as she grind her hips against his. "You feel so perfect."

Avery's lips were on his again, kissing him like her life depended on it. Greg slipped his hand under her shirt making his way up to cup her breast.

"Greg," Avery said quietly, she couldn't help the fear that crept into her voice.

Greg stopped his hand on her ribs. "Are you okay?"

Before Avery could answer him there was a knock on the door.

"That's either Grissom or Sara," she told Greg. "No one else comes here. Go hide in the bathroom."

"You have to hide people?"

"They can't know about us," she hissed as there was another knock on the door.

Greg kissed her again quickly before he pushed her off his lap and disappeared in the bathroom. Avery looked after him and took a couple of calming breaths before she opened the door for Grissom.

"Hey, dad, what are you doing here?"

"We need to talk."

"Well, that's never good," she commented as she moved to let him enter. "Do you want a drink?"

Grissom shook his head. "I thought you said you barely had headaches anymore."

"Right."

"You had one last week and now another. Are they getting worse again?"

Avery grabbed a water from the fridge. "It's a traumatic brain injury, dad. You know as well as I do how unpredictable they can be."

"You're supposed to tell me about things like this." Grissom's mouth was set in a firm line. He was upset with her.

"I'm an adult. I don't have to tell my daddy every time my head hurts."

"You know that's not why. Traumatic brain injuries can worsen over the years. It's important if you're having them more frequently that you get a scan done. You know that."

"Okay I'll make an appointment for a scan."

They both watched each other for a few moments. This was a common argument. Grissom worried about her constantly while she tried not to tell him anything because he did always worry.

"You don't have to baby me, Grissom."

Now he was more annoyed then upset. Avery didn't call him dad if she was mad at him.

"I don't baby you, Avery."

"You do. You always have and maybe I needed that when I was nine, but I don't need it anymore. I need you to give me some space and let me breathe."

Grissom looked taken aback for a moment but quickly masked it. "I came over here to let you know that your mother had a parole hearing today. I didn't know about it until yesterday because the letter got lost in the papers on my desk. I didn't know if I should have told you or not, I guess that's me babying you again. We were invited to make a statement so I went and made one for you with Sara."

Avery shook her head at her father. "Of course Sara was there. What did you even say to them?!"

"The drugs, the abuse, the sexual assault, your mom selling you."

Avery felt the tears welling behind her eyes. "You told Sara that. She didn't know about all of that."

"I told the panel. Sara was just there."

"I can't believe you! That's my life, Grissom. It should be my choice if I tell her something or not."

"Are you mad about the parole hearing or just me telling Sara something that you should have told her years ago?"

Avery pursed her lips as she stared at Grissom. Her words were spoken so quietly he could barely hear her. "I can't even deal with this right now. I'm tired and my head hurts. I will see you for shift tomorrow."

Grissom knew that last statement meant she wanted him to leave. However he didn't make any attempt to move towards the door.

"Grissom."

"Your mom was granted parole. She'll be out in a couple of weeks."

Avery felt her breathing increased with his words. His mom was out of prison. She'd spent years counting down the days. She knew without a doubt that her mother would come for her.