AN: Thanks for the reviews, here is the next chapter.
Chapter 4: More Shockers
While William stood there in shock, Sara and Grissom came in the young girl's view, and they all had tears in their eyes as Bella walked past William as she spoke with a smile. "Mrs. and Dr. Grissom, it is so nice to see you again."
Both Sara and Grissom nodded with smiles on their faces as they bring the girl in their arms while Sara spoke. "And it so nice to see you again too."
After they pulled back, Bella saw the girls and she smiled bigger while looking in shock, even though she shouldn't have been. "Wow, this can't be Isabella and Katie?"
Katie had more of shy smile than Isabella did as Sara spoke again with a nod. "Yes, they are."
As Bella was greeting the girls, Jeff and his wife, who was 5 years younger than him, was meeting/greeting Sara and Grissom, William shook his head, feeling something was a little off about this whole thing, and said. "Ok, timeout, what is going on here?"
Grissom asked his son. "What do you mean?"
William closed the door and looked at Bella before looking at his parents. "You guys don't seem that surprised that we are seeing someone we haven't seen in ten years, just show up at the house, so what is this? Does this have to do with what you had to tell us?"
Before any of the grown-ups could speak, Bella couldn't help but smirk at him. "Still the quick learner I see?"
Katie replied with pride for her brother. "He's on his way to becoming the valedictorian when he graduates next school year."
"Is that so?"
Katie nodded with a bigger smile before Bella looks at William and smirked again. "I guess we'll have to see about that."
William raised an eyebrow at that, not only the words itself but the meaning of them as well, but before he could ask, Sara cleared her throat again and said. "William, please sit down, and we'll explain."
He nodded before sitting back down on the couch, and once the girls were seated again as well, Sara continued. "Yes, this does have to do with what your father and I wanted to talk to you guys about."
Sara paused, and Bella asked. "Do you mind, Mrs. Grissom?" Sara shook her head and stepped back while Bella spoke again. "What your mother is about to say is that, if it's ok with you guys, I would like to stay with you for a school year or two, depending on my placement test." While they all sat there in silence, and William once again looked shocked, Bella smiled a little bigger as she continued. "For eight years, after my uncle quite his teaching job, we've been traveling a lot, just the two of us."
She then smiled as she looked at the blond haired, slim build, green eyed, woman who captured her uncle's heart, something she didn't think she would ever see since he was a bachelor for many years. "Until my aunt Shawna came into the picture, who is a college professor, and they both been teaching me ever since." She then looked at the Grissom kids before finishing. "But you see now that I'm coming to an end of my high school education, I want to experience high school in a way most kids experience it, so my uncle said that I could pick anywhere to go, and after thinking about it, knowing where my closest friends were, I picked here, and he called your mom to see if I could stay here, which she said that she would have to ask you guys first before she could accept, so think about it. Just know there is no pressure here, we can make other arrangements if we have to. That's one of the reasons why we brought this to your guy's attention this early."
As they all sat there, William asked, while trying not to let his excitement override his emotions. "Really?"
Sara nodded with a smile as she stepped up and placed an arm around the young girl's shoulders. "Really, and they already know what your father and I think."
Katie spoke next with a smirk while looking at her brother. "I know William is all for it."
He gave his sister a mock glare while everybody else laughed, then after a moment, Isabella nodded with a smile. "I'm ok with it."
Both Sara and Grissom looked at their oldest daughter before Sara asked. "Are you sure, you don't need more time to think about it?"
Isabella shook her head. "No, I'm good. She has my vote."
Katie nodded with a smile as she moved a piece of her hair behind her ear. "She has mine too, what's your favorite subject?"
Bella thought about it for a second before replying. "I would have to say Math, with English a very close second."
Katie's blue eyes lit up as she nodded. "Math is mine too, maybe we can study together."
Knowing how smart the younger girl was, Bella was very serious when she replied. "I heard that you are exceeding in that subject at a high rate, maybe you can help me if I need it."
They all chuckled, but Katie nodded with a genuine smile. "Happy to."
After Bella nodded, all eyes turned on the oldest, and he replied sarcastically. "You all heard Katie, I'm all for it."
Sara raised an eyebrow. "William?"
He then nodded with a smile, his blue eyes trying to stay natural, even though Sara could see a little spark in them. "Yes, she has my vote as well. Welcome to the Grissom household."
Bella smiled like she hadn't smiled in years. "Thank you guys, I am truly honored."
She looked up to this family since she first heard about them from William back in their daycare days, and even more so after what happened with her parents, and that feeling hasn't changed. She still sees the love they have for one another, which was another reason why she picked here to finish out her high school education.
Jeff then cleared his throat as he said. "Now that that's been taken care of, how about a pizza on me?"
The kids immediately agreed, and after Sara and Grissom agreed, they all left the house.
Later that evening
After dinner, Jeff, Bella and Shawna headed back to their hotel room while the Grissoms went home, and after a few hours together before Andrew left the house once BJ came and picked him up, the kids headed upstairs to get ready for bed, while Sara and Grissom stayed downstairs for their usual nightcap, a time where they liked to catch one another up on their day.
Although, today it was pretty much the same for the both of them, so they mostly sat there in silence as they held one another, and while they were happy about one thing that happened today, their thoughts were still with the Hughes/Bolden/Cooper family.
As Grissom kissed his wife's head, William had cleared his throat from the stairs and asked. "Can I speak to you guys for a moment?"
Both parents nodded while Grissom spoke up. "Of course, what is it son?"
William walked into the living room and sat down on the coffee table while looking at his parents, who were cuddled up to one another, not caring who saw them at this point, making him mentally smile as he continued to speak. "I don't know what you guys had planned in terms of where Bella might sleep during her time here, but if I get a vote, I want you to know I'm willing to give up my room."
Knowing how big their son's heart was, they weren't that shocked, but Sara asked with a raised eyebrow. "And where exactly do you plan to sleep?"
He chuckled, thinking on where his mother's mind went, then shook his head and asked. "If it's not too much trouble, maybe your guy's office?" He shrugged as he finished. "I'll only use it for sleeping anyways. You know I do most of my homework at school, the park or in the living room/deck."
Sara and Grissom looked at one another for a moment, reading each other, before Grissom looked at his son again and asked. "You sure?"
He nodded with a smile. "Yeah."
"Ok, we'll talk more about it tomorrow."
"Thank you dad, mom."
After he kissed both parent's cheek, he headed back upstairs, and when it was just them, Sara smiled as she placed her hand on her husband's chest. "Did you see it?"
He placed his hand on top of her hand and replied after kissing the top of his wife's head. "That sparkle that our son hasn't had in his eyes for another girl, and since she's been gone, yes, I saw it." He then smirked. "Which is why you agreed to let her come stay with us."
She smiled. "Not going to lie, it was a major factor." Then she sighed as she whispered. "But, I also missed her, and I always wondered what happened to her."
For the first couple of months keeping in touch with Bella was consistent, but then like Sara predicted, life got busy and they hadn't kept in touch that much until it disappeared completely right before Jeff and Bella went on their adventure. Then out of the blue, after 8 years of no contact, a few days ago, Sara had gotten a call from Jeff, and to say she was surprised was an understatement, but after hearing what was going on, she was happy to help, which she had no problem convincing her husband.
He sighed too before replying. "I must admit I've missed her too, and if it makes our son happy, all the more reason to be on board."
Sara then smirked. "Although, you know what this means, right?"
"What?"
"We'll have to keep a watchful eye on them." When he gave her an innocent look, she chuckled and shook her head. "Don't give me that look, he's his father's son, and you Grissom men have this charming ability that could lead to trouble, and I don't want that kind of..." When Grissom started chuckling, she shook her head again with a smile. "I'm serious Griss, yes, they are smart 'kids', and by now knows that actions have consequences, and while I do trust them, sometimes those hormones, especially when you're a teenager, just blurs everything."
Grissom, now calmed down, nodded before replying after clearing his throat. "I'll talk to him."
"Thank you." She then smirked. "Because as much as I'm looking forward to our next milestone, I'm not ready to be called a grandma yet." As Grissom gave her a short nod, something unreadable reached his eyes, so she cupped his clean-shaven cheek. "Hey, where did your mind just go?"
He cleared his throat again and spoke softly. "While taking the girls to school the other day, I heard some mothers calling me a wonderful 'grandpa' for taking his 'grandchildren' to school, and I think the girls, particularly Isabella, heard them but tried not to act like they were embarrassed by it."
Sara frowned at first then got a little heated as she asked. "Who are these mothers? I'll give them a talk."
Grissom chuckled before he smirked. "I think you'll do more than talk."
Sara moved so she was now straddling his waist as she replied with a nod. "Hell yeah, no one talks about my man like that." As they looked at one another with love, she cupped his cheek again and leaned forward before whispering with passion. "Although, you know what? You're the sexist 'grandpa' ever." Grissom shook his head with a shy smile, making her chuckle as she runs his thumb up and down his cheek. "It's true, and when that title reaches you officially, I'll only love you more."
He moved is hand and cupped her cheek as he whispered. "And I already love you more than words can say."
They started to kiss a second later, but before things got too passionate, she pulls back and whispers in his ear. "How about we take this upstairs?"
"I second that."
They kissed a few more times, and after pulling back, she gets up, takes his hand to help him up, and after turning lights off, locking up doors and windows and setting the alarm, they headed upstairs hand in hand.
Next Morning
After breakfast the next morning, Sara headed off to work while Grissom took the girls to the hospital to see the twins while William stayed home so he could do a little more studying, and taking some stuff that he could carry on his own from his room to the office, which would be officially his room for the time-being.
His task, however, was interrupted when there was a knock on the door, so he took a drink of water and shouted. "Just a minute." Then after putting on his t-shirt, he headed for the front door, and when he got there, he opened it, seeing Bella, who had gotten a ride from her Uncle Jeff, and was holding a box.
They smile at one another before she asked. "Can I come in?"
William nodded with a smile as he stepped to the side to let her in. "I guess this will be your home for the time-being, so come on in."
As she stepped inside, she asked. "And you're really sure you are ok with that?"
William nodded again as he closed the door. "Of course." Then he nodded towards the box. "What's with that?"
She chuckled as they walked towards the living room. "Oh just one box of many that my uncle wanted me to go through to see what I want to keep, or sell, you know that sort of thing."
"I see, do you want anything to drink?"
"Water, please?"
"Alright, coming right up."
While she headed for the couch, he headed for the kitchen to get her a bottle of water, and when he returned to the living room and handed her the bottle, she smiled as she took it. "Thank you."
"You're welcome."
They each took sips of their water, then she started opening the box, pulling out a kid sized pillow and blanket, then gasped with one hand up to her mouth and tears in her eyes, making William stand up as he looked at her with concern. "Bella, what's wrong?"
She used her free hand and placed it in the box before pulling out the object, and when it was in William's view, he did a little gasp too as he reached for the stuffed animal that was still in good condition. "Cubby."
As he looked down at it, she spoke softly. "After leaving Los Angeles, that little guy helped me through my nightmares, just like you said he would."
He looked at Bella and replied softly. "I'm so sorry, Bella."
She looked at him in confusion. "For what?"
He took a breath before continuing. "After you told me that all your parents seem to do was yell and fight, I should have said something, I know I promised you I wouldn't, but..."
She cuts him off as she placed her hand on top of his, sending a shock through them, although they tried to ignore the feeling the best they could. "I don't blame you, William." She sighed as she continued. "I doubt that anything would have changed even if you had said something, she wasn't ever going to leave him, and he wasn't going to ever let her go."
She looked down and after placing the teddy bear on the coffee table, he placed his other hand on top of hers as he replied softly. "Their relationship may have been toxic, and no way they should have ended up together, but least one thing came out of it, the best thing in my opinion."
Bella smiled shyly before she looked at him and whispered. "I'm sure your father had said something like that to your mother a few times."
Now looking confused, he asked. "What do you mean?"
"You know, from how her childhood was."
Now that William thought about it, he's never heard his mother ever talk about her childhood, or her parents for that matter. Granted he never asked, which maybe, after this little moment, he should have, and now he felt a little bad that he never did.
When he was still looking at her in confusion, she realized he didn't know, so she shook her head and replied softly. "I'm sorry, I thought you knew."
Sadness reached him now as he asked, both forgetting their hands were still touching one another. "Know what exactly?"
Bella started to shake her head. "William, I'm not the one that should be..."
He cuts her off, almost pleading. "Please, Bella?"
Looking deep into his eyes, she nodded with a small sigh. "Ok. Now I don't really know much, but what I got and remembered, it was implied that her childhood was a lot like mine, ending similar to what happened to my parents."
Now pain added in the mix for his mother as he gasped a little while sitting down, his hand slipping from hers, and not a moment too soon, she sat down next to him and placed her hand on his arm again for comfort as he whispered. "How come she never told me?"
Bella shook her head and replied softly, soothingly. "I don't know, maybe she wanted to protect you?"
He sighed as he ran his hand down his face, holding onto his emotions before whispering again. "I wish she would have."
She squeezed his hand and whispered. "Then maybe you should open the lines of communication to let her know you can handle it."
He nodded while turning her head to look at her. "I will, thank you."
She nodded with a smile, and as they sat there, their eyes connected and they realized once again her hand was still on top of his, making their hearts race before she cleared her throat and removed her hand from him, the feeling instantly missed for both of them while she asked. "So, is everything ok with Courtney?"
He cleared his throat with another nod. "Yeah, baby Lily has made it out of the woods, and while they are both still small, Kelly thinks they are going to pull through just fine."
Bella sighed in relief. "That's good to hear." She then smirked. "Now, can you tell me who the father is?"
William smiled as he told her it was Malcolm, which she wasn't that surprised when she really thought about it, remembering how close they looked during the last Christmas party she was here for.
They spent a lot of time after that, talking about his family, extended included, and a little bit about her aunt and uncle.
AN: More to come. Thanks for reading, and please review.