AN: Thanks for the review, here is the next chapter.

Chapter 7: Grissom's big day part 1

August 17, 2026

Grissom was coming into consciousness with the feel of his wife's lips on his cheek then neck, making him smile. "Well, good morning to you too."

She smiled against his skin before pulling back, and after lifting up her head as he opened his eyes, he turned his head so they could have eye contact, the passion and desire still evident in their eyes, she then cupped his cheek and ran her thumb up and down it as she whispered. "Good Morning, babe." She then as she leaned down, whispered again. "And Happy..."

The rest of her words were cut off when his lips met hers in a passionate kiss that lasted for several minutes, and when they pulled back, they place their foreheads together and closed their eyes while she finished. "Birthday." She pulled back a few seconds later, and before he was going in for another kiss, she place her hand on his chest with a smile. "Please babe, if we start, we won't be able to finish."

He cupped her cheek with a smirk as his blue eyes sparkled. "And who says we won't finish?"

She chuckled. "Trust me, it's not happening right now."

He then frowned a little as he moved up so he could whisper in her ear. "But you see, you already started it."

She closed her eyes, and nodded before whispering as his lips touched her neck. "I know, babe, and believe me I already have a rain check made out for you later tonight."

After one more soft kiss to her neck, he moved away and looked at her with a smile. "Later tonight, huh?"

Sara nodded while cupping his cheek again. "You have a full day with the kids, then after, the rest of the family will be here." When he gave her that certain look after she said that last thing, she shook her head with a smile. "Now don't give me that look, you promised when it's a milestone birthday I was free to invite anybody I like. Last year we did it your way with just you, me and the kids, but this year, you're turning the big..."

Grissom cuts her off as he moves to sit up in bed. "Please don't finish that sentence, dear. I don't need reminding on how old I'm getting."

Knowing he had always been sensitive about his age, especially when it came to their age gap, Sara nodded with a loving smile as she cupped his cheek again. "I love you, ok. I still see the blue eyed man that I fell madly in love with all those years ago. Today doesn't change that, nothing ever will."

Seeing the truth and love in her eyes, the same look he's seen in her eyes since they met, he sighed as he placed his hand on top of hers and removes from his cheek before kissing it as he whispered. "I know, and I'm sorr..."

She cuts him off with another smile. "I get it, ok." She then smirked. "You know I've never been a huge fan of my birthday either."

Even though every one she's had since they've been a couple, he's made it special. But they made a deal all those years ago that if she made a big deal about his birthday, then he was going to do the same on hers, it was a two-way street after all.

He removed his hand from hers and cupped her cheek as he whispered. "And I don't know why, you get more beautiful each year."

Sara chuckled as she looked down and shook her head. "Knock it off, Griss."

He chuckled as he wrapped his arm around her and moved her closer to him so he could hold her and cup her cheek again. "What, it's true." As she shook her head, he ran his thumb up and down her cheek, whispering. "It is, and I still see the brown eyed woman I fell in love with 28 years ago."

When their eyes connected, they were both filled with emotion as she whispered. "Man, it's really been 28 years since we first met, hasn't it?"

"It has, and we would've had all that time if I..."

She cuts him off. "Hey now, we promised each other we wouldn't do that." She then smiled as she ran her thumb up and down his cheek. "Besides, if we had a choice to go back and do it all over again, I wouldn't change a thing."

He raised an eyebrow as he asked. "Really?"

She nodded with a smile. "Because changing our past could change our future, and I happen to love what we have now, where we are, so I don't ever want to change that."

Knowing she did have a point, Grissom nodded with a smile. "Well, I guess when you put it like that, I don't want to do anything that will mess with this life either."

With their eyes shining with love, they move forward to kiss, but before their lips could touch, there was a knock on the door before they hear William's voice. "I hope everybody is decent in there."

They lightly chuckle before Grissom whispered with a smirk/teasing tone. "Except when our moments get interrupted."

She chuckled before replying. "Tonight, no interruptions, I promise."

There was a plan that the girls will be over at the Bolden's while William and Bella will be across the street at the Brown's.

He nodded with a smile. "Deal."

They peck each other on the lips, and as she moved so she was sitting up next to him, Grissom spoke. "Come in."

The door opened a second later, and in came the kids carrying a breakfast item, Isabella had milk for their mother, while Katie had orange juice for their father, William was carrying a breakfast tray that had a plate filled with pancakes (Animal shaped) with eggs for his father, and Bella was carrying a tray with the same items for Sara.

When everything was in place, Grissom did a smirking noise when he saw that the pancakes were animal shaped before looking up at his son, who had a wide smile on his face as he spoke. "We were going to shape them as the age you are today, but I thought you wouldn't want to be reminded on how old you are."

They all chuckled and Grissom nodded with a smile. "Right you are, son." He looked over at his wife with a smirk. "See, someone gets it." Sara just rolled her eyes with a smile before Grissom looked up at his son again and held out his hand. "Thank you, son."

William shook his father's hand with a nod. "You're welcome, dad, and Happy Birthday."

After they release hands, both Grissom girls walked over to him and gave him hugs as they wished him happy birthday, then after he kissed their heads, he smiles as he asked with a smirk. "So, where are you girls taking me today?"

They giggled before Katie said. "Daddy, we can't drive yet, you have to take us."

They all chuckled while Grissom nodded with a smile. "I guess you're right, so where am I taking us?"

Isabella answered that. "Mom got us tickets to six flags so we can ride some of the new roller-coasters that opened."

Like their father, both girls loved the roller-coasters, unfortunately with Katie's low height she couldn't go on many yet, but the ones she could, she loved.

Grissom nodded with a smile, loving that idea, because even though going on roller-coasters use to be his way to unwind, especially after a hard case when he was a CSI, he still enjoyed them after he started teaching, and when the girls came and they realized they loved them too, he was all to happy to share that hobby with them, especially since both William and Sara weren't the biggest fan of them, even though they would go on them if Grissom really wanted them too.

Katie sighed as she crossed her arms over her chest. "But, I can't go on a lot of them."

Grissom gave his youngest a reassuring smile as he cupped her cheek. "You'll get their soon, ladybug, and the minute you do, I'll be the first to take you on them."

Katie's blue eyes lit up as she asked. "You promise, daddy?"

His eyes matched his daughter's with a smile. "You bet." While Katie hugged her father, Grissom took his oldest daughter's hand as he continued with a smile. "But you know what, I don't care what we are doing today, just as long as I get to spend time with you girls."

Isabella nodded with a smile, her brown eyes sparkling like her mothers, with a nod. "Me too dad."

She didn't want to admit it out-loud but she still enjoyed time with her father, and while she grew out of liking a lot of things that she did when she was younger that made her father think she was going to turn into a 'darker haired mini-me', she still liked hearing his thoughts on various topics. He was still her hero, both of her parents really, even though she didn't voice it much these days.

After father and daughter released hands, and Katie had pulled back from the hug, Grissom cleared his throat and looked at his son. "And where exactly are you taking us?"

William gets a smile on his face as he said. "I got three, really good seats for the Dodger-Cubs game this afternoon."

Grissom raised an eyebrow. "Three?"

William shyly smiled as Bella spoke. "If you don't mind sir, he asked if I wanted to go."

When William had asked her to go, knowing she liked baseball too, she was going to decline because she didn't want to come between their father/son outing, but after he assured her it would be ok, she told him if it was ok with his father, than she'll go.

Grissom looked at Bella with a smile. "I don't mind at all, as long as you guys are ok with it."

They nodded with smiles, and he nodded in return before speaking with a smile. "Well, it seems like a busy day for me, I guess I better eat up. Thank you guys, again."

After they said their 'welcome', the kids left the room, and as the door was clicking shut, Sara turned to him with her glass of milk in her hand. "To our amazing children."

He took his drink, and replied with a bright smile. "I second that, but I also would like to add, to my amazing wife, who made the amazing kids possible."

She chuckled as they clinked their glasses together, then after taking a sip, she smirked. "Now, I didn't do that part alone."

He sets his glass down on the tray and turned to look at her with a passionate whisper. "Oh believe me, I know. I remember every moment."

She turned to cup his cheek and replied. "Every wonderful, spectacular, passionate moment. I love you, and happy birthday."

This time he took those last words gratefully as he nodded with a smile. "And I love you, thank you, Sara."

"You're welcome, but your day is just getting started."

After one more smile between them, they started eating their breakfast.

(Hours later)

As their time at the amusement park was winding down, they were heading towards the exit when Katie pointed towards the coaster that had a long line when they first showed up, now seeing less people there, and asked. "Daddy, can I go on this one now?"

Grissom nodded. "Sure, we can..."

But Katie cuts him off, wanting to do this alone. "No, alone please? I'm tall enough to go on this one myself."

Grissom was hesitant for several more seconds before Isabella spoke with a smile, defending her younger sister. "Come on dad, I was two years younger than she is now when I rode my first roller-coaster by myself."

Isabella's height was a little more than average by the time she reached seven years old.

Grissom looked from his oldest daughter to his youngest before slowly nodding with a smile. "Ok, but make sure..."

Katie cuts him off with a smile as she started walking towards the small line that was there. "I'm strapped in tight, I know daddy."

"And we'll be right here when you're done." She turned around to see her father pointed to a bench under a tree, and she nodded with another smile before running towards the line now while Grissom and Isabella headed for the bench to sit down, then once they were, and after a few seconds of silence, just keeping an eye on Katie, Grissom looked at his oldest daughter and said. "Thank you."

"For what? For what I just did for Katie, it's nothing."

He shook his head. "Not only for what you did or are doing for Katie today, but for everything you've done for her for the past four years."

Knowing what he was talking about, she shook her head with a smile. "Dad it's not..."

He cuts her off as he placed a hand on his arm. "It's everything to me and your mom. I can imagine it's not easy having your younger sister in the same grade as you, even at one point the same class, and you've done nothing but support her without a gripe or negative comment."

Isabella sighed as she shook her head. "I just learned a long time ago what this family is."

Grissom raised an eyebrow. "Which is?"

Isabella took a breath before releasing her feelings. "William is the first born, the golden child, and only son." She chuckled with tears in her eyes as she continued. "And Katie is a walking genius, she learned to walk and talk faster than anyone of us in this family." She sniffled as she looked down at their hands. "Then there is me, the middle child, who..."

He cuts her off with emotion. "Is the brightest star in my sky."

When Isabella looked at her father, he saw a little shock in her eyes before they went to doubt as she shook her head. "Dad, you don't have..."

He cuts her off with his eyes bright. "It's true, while I love all of my kids, and my world only got better with each of your births, you do have something that your siblings don't have."

Isabella raised an eyebrow, reminding him of her mother, as she replied, using the same words her father did. "Which is?"

He smiled a little wider as he ran his thumb up and down her cheek. "The appearance of your mother. Everyday I see a little more of her in you, and that alone makes me love you even more." Isabella shyly smiled before Grissom continued after with pride. "And don't think you haven't done anything amazing, miss three time Spelling Bee Champion, going against 10-15 year olds from around the country when you first started at age 7, your brother can't even claim that accomplishment."

Of course William's interest was more with chess, but still, he did do a few Spelling Bee's when he was younger.

Isabella smiled with pride too. "I guess that was pretty cool." Grissom nodded in return before Isabella chuckled while shaking her head. "Until Katie broke that record being a four time champion, starting at age 6."

He squeezed his hand as he comforted his daughter. "But that doesn't mean what you did isn't less special to me and your mother. We never wanted you kids to ever think that you have to compete one another to prove that we love or are prouder over the other, all that we ever asked was that you try your best, and if you do that, we'll never be disappointed. I hope you get that, and if you never did, then I'm sorry we weren't more clearer." He cupped her cheek again as he whispered. "I am so proud of you and I love you butterfly, you really know that, don't you?"

Seeing the truth in his eyes, she nodded with tears in hers. "I do, dad."

He smiled as he brings her in a hug, a little surprised that she hugged him back in public, and while they were in the hug, Isabella asked softly. "And dad?"

"Yeah."

"I miss being called 'Butterfly'."

As they pulled back, he smirked with a raised eyebrow. "Oh, so you aren't too old for a nickname?"

He may have played that response 'cool', but he would admit it nearly broke his heart when she had told him a few years ago that she was too old to have a nickname.

She shyly smiled as she replied softly. "Maybe in private."

He chuckled with a nod. "Ok, you got it." He then whispered. "Butterfly."

They chuckled again before they turned their attention to the roller-coaster just in time to see it moving.

As the ride was coming to a stop, Grissom pulled some money out of his pocket and asked Isabella. "Can you get us some waters, please?"

Isabella nodded with a smile while she took the money from him as she stood up. "Sure, dad."

"Thank you."

A few minutes later, Katie comes running towards her father. "Daddy, did you see me!?"

Grissom chuckled with a nod as he held out his arms towards his youngest. "Yes, I did ladybug." As they pulled back from the hug, he asked with a smile. "So, how was it for your first time alone?"

"Fun!" Then she sighed before replying. "But honestly, I like it better when you're with me."

He cupped her cheek as he replied. "Next time, you go it."

After she nodded, she asked. "Can I have a pretzel before we leave, please?"

He nodded as he stood up from the bench, then pulled his phone out and texted Isabella to ask about adding a few pretzels to her order.

When they made it to the eating area they helped Isabella out before sitting down at one of the tables to eat their snack, and once they were done, they got up and threw away their trash, and as they were weaving their way through the tables, they hear a 'grandpa' comment, so they turn around and the mid-30's-early 40's aged women looked away, indicating they were talking about Grissom, so without hesitation, Isabella walked up to them before Grissom could say anything to her, and replied in a defensive tone. "Please excuse me for a second while I educate you, not only are assumptions wrong, but they can also be hurtful, and even though it's really none of your business, he's not my grandpa, he's my dad, and the best dad any one could ask for." She paused for a second, looking them up and down and finished. "And honestly at your age you should be ashamed for gossiping like you're still in high school. Thank you for listening to me, now enjoy the rest of your day." She then turned and started walking away and past her father without saying anything, Grissom stood there for several seconds in shock before he started following her, and not able to help it, a smile appeared on his face while Katie did a small giggle, proud of her sister.

When they were settled in the vehicle, Isabella looked down at her hands and whispered. "I'm sorry, dad. I know what I did was..." She was trialed off when she heard him chuckle, so she looked over at him with a raised eyebrow. "You're not mad?"

Grissom shook his head. "You just proved my point further, you are your mother's daughter."

Isabella's eyes went wide at he mention her mother. "Please don't tell mom what I did."

Again, he chuckled a little. "Are you kidding, she would have been right there with you."

Isabella started to smile, realizing she wasn't going to get yelled at for what she did, as she asked. "Really?"

Grissom nodded with one more smile. "No doubt." Then he cleared his throat and got a little more serious. "But in the future, always remember to..."

Katie cuts him off from the back seat. "Think before you act."

Isabella chuckled as Grissom smirked while moving his head to the side. "What your sister said."

She then nodded with breath of relief. "I will. Sometimes I can't help it, and after not saying anything last time we heard that comment, I felt like I had to say something this time."

Grissom placed his hand over his daughter's and replied softly. "Thank you for having my back."

She smiled one more time. "Always, and I meant what I said, I can't ask for a better dad."

Warmness filled his heart as he whispered. "And I can't ask for better daughters."

After a moments pause, he removed his hand and started the vehicle before slowly getting them out of the parking lot so they could head home, feeling closer to his daughters, particularly towards Isabella, then he had in years.

He knew as she got older, especially when she reached her teen years, which she will be her next birthday, she was bound to pull away from him/them, and lately he admits he had felt it big time. But after today, while it wasn't all the way and probably not until she gets older, they were taking small steps back to that closeness.

AN: Hope you enjoyed part 1 of Grissom's big day. Don't miss out on part 2 (Nice one-on-one time with his son, special guests, and romantic time). Thanks for reading, and please review.