A/N: Here's the latest. I will plan to wrap this story up soon, I will probably go to chapter 50. I haven't decided on the ending quite yet but I do know there will be the potential for sequel. I also have an idea for a one shot as well which will be a Sara/Cath ship. Reviews are appreciated but not required ;)

A few days before Christmas …

Everyone at CSI has been in and out of interviews for weeks with Internal Affairs over the corruption of Undersheriff McKeen. Mark is walking down the hallway past the trace lab when he hears a "psssssssst". Mark turns around and sees a very suspicious looking Hodges and decides to go investigate.

Mark walks in the lab and asks, "What's going on Hodges?"

Hodges says, "Keep your voice down!"

Mark shakes his head and lowers his voice and responds, "This is weird even for you Hodges."

Hodges asks, "IA hasn't interviewed me yet should I be worried?"

Mark raises one eyebrow and gives Hodges a confused look and replies, "Ok. This is what has you acting so weird. Most people would be ok with that. Also, why would I know if you should be worried?"

Hodges says, "It's ok you don't have to hide your real identity with me."

Mark responds, "Hodges are you drunk?"

Hodges says, "No it's ok. I figured out IA sent you here because they were on to McKeen. So I figure you already know who's dirty."

Mark shakes his head and responds in an irritated fashion, "Hodges I am not IA, and I swear if you told anyone in this lab I was you don't have to worry about IA. I will kill you myself!"

Mark walks right out of the lab and shakes his head leaving a stunned Hodges. He can't believe as smart of a guy as Hodges is that he comes up with the most ridiculous shit to spout and spread around the lab. Realizing that Hodges distracted him, he continues on his mission towards Grissom's office.

"Hey Boss.", Mark greets as he walks into Grissom's office and takes a seat in front of his desk.

Grissom looks up and smiles.

Mark asks, "Boss, what's with that look?"

Grissom replies, "Oh I'm just hoping you're here to clear me in the IA investigation Special Agent Anderson."

Mark huffs, "I'm going to kill Hodges!"

Grissom laughs and responds, "Relax Mark. If you try to kill him every time he spreads a new rumor that will become your full time job."

Mark sighs and says, "I suppose you're right. Here's the quote you asked for, this includes the new touch screens for the AV lab as well."

Grissom nods taking the piece of paper and responds, "Well let's just hope in light of the investigation this won't be delayed too long."

Mark asks, "Boss how are you settling in? I know this isn't something you necessarily wanted to do."

Grissom replies, "It's ok. Once I got over the initial shock I realized Ecklie was right, all of these switches are what's best for the lab right now."

Mark raises his eyebrows in shock and states, "You are agreeing with Ecklie now, we gotta get you out of here!"

Grissom chuckles and responds, "Believe me when I say no one is more shocked about the meaning of that statement more than I am."

Mark asks, "Boss, do you think the department is in trouble?"

Grissom shakes his head and says, "I wouldn't worry about it. Sadly, this isn't the first time this has ever happened. Several departments have gone through the same thing and after a period of time everything goes back to normal. As for what that says about us as a society though … that might be the more concerning point."

Mark responds, "You're getting deep Boss."

Grissom decides to ask a question that has been weighing on his mind since Mark first started, "Mark why do you call me Boss or Bossman when everyone else calls me Grissom or Gris?"

Mark shrugs and replies, "Not sure I call everyone else by their name but you. I can start calling you Grissom if you like."

Grissom shrugs and says, "It's up to you Mark but most of my friends call me Grissom."

Mark questions, "We're friends?"

Grissom a little confused replies, "Aren't we?"

Just then Mark gets a page and gets up to leave but before he leaves he says, "I guess we are Grissom."

Grissom smiles at Mark as he walks away.

Nancy walks into the lab hoping to surprise Sara but can't find her anywhere. She walked past Catherine's office to find it empty as well. She sighs and decides to see if she can hunt down Mark. She walks into the AV lab and sees Archie watching some footage with headphones on and she waves at him as she passes.

Nancy is relieved the see Mark in his office after not finding Sara or her sister she greets, "Hey there!"

Mark looks up from his laptop and smiles grateful for the distraction. He gets up from his desk and kisses Nancy on the cheek and motions for her to sit down.

Mark finally says, "What brings you here?"

Nancy replies, "I was looking for my girlfriend but I couldn't seem to find her and Cath wasn't in her office either."

Mark nods and says, "They might be in with IA. I swear that's all we do anymore. I understand they need to figure out if anyone else is involved but it's definitely disrupting the workflow."

Nancy sighs and asks, "How is everyone holding up?"

Mark replies, "As far as I can tell ok but I feel like between cases and the IA investigation I haven't had time to check in with everyone."

Just then Greg walks into Mark's office and shuts the door. Leaving a confused Mark and Nancy in front of him.

Greg smiles and realizes he should explain, "Sorry I saw Special Agent Cole in the hallway and if I have to answer one more question I'm killing that douche."

Mark chuckles and responds, "Yeah he's a prickly one for sure. Well you are welcome to hide in here with me and Nance."

Greg takes the seat next to Nancy and asks, "So how's it going with Sara?"

Nancy smiles and blushes.

Greg responds, "I knew it! Dammit! Why couldn't I have a vagina just this once?!"

Mark just shakes his head at Greg and laughs.

Later in Mark and Catherine's basement …

Nick takes a shot on Mark's new pool table in the basement and misses. He says, "Dammit! How did you convince Cath to let you buy a pool table?"

Mark chuckles and responds, "Let me buy? What kind of relationship do you think we have a dictatorship?"

Nick smiles and says, "That's how all of mine have been."

Mark takes a shot and states, "Maybe that's been your problem you're letting one person lead not working together as equals."

Nick nods and says, "Well … yeah I guess you're right."

Mark takes a sip of his beer and confesses, "This table is my early Christmas gift from Cath."

Nick laughs and says, "I'm starting to think you have it all figured out brother. You're with Cath one of the hottest chicks on the planet, you all love each other and she buys you awesome gifts."

Mark responds, "I don't know about all figured out. You make it sound like everything is a fairy tale around here. We have fought before believe it or not."

Nick interrupts, "Dude that is hard to believe because I've seen Cath when she fights, she's like a caged animal, but other than Eddie's case I've never seen her raise her voice with you."

Mark shakes his head and says, "Do you really think we're going to air our dirty laundry out at work? No. For the most part yes we get along but we fight like everyone else, we just seem to know how to diffuse the situation instead of letting it get out of control. We're both technically supervisors we have a standard to set at work so for however many hours a day we try to leave our shit at home. We kind of even had to before that, Grissom made it very clear that if it affected our work it would not be tolerated."

Nick nods and pokes, "Oh damn do I have to leave my shit at home now too?"

Mark smiles and give Nick a playful punch. Just then Lindsey walks down the stairs to the basement in her karate uniform, it's something she started not long after Eddie's death.

Nick sees Lindsey first and greets, "Hey Linds."

Lindsey responds, "Hey Nick!"

Mark hands Lindsey his pool stick and says, "Why don't you take a few turns as me and keep Nick entertained while I go see your mother."

Lindsey and Nick continue playing pool while Mark goes upstairs and into the kitchen to find Catherine. Once in the kitchen Mark sees Catherine standing at the counter adding to the grocery list. He walks up behind her, puts his arms around her and starts kissing her neck.

Catherine leans into the kiss and responds, "Well, hello to you too."

Mark says, "Nick is downstairs talking crazy you need to come set him straight. First he wanted to know how I convinced you to let me buy a pool table, so I said convince her what are we in a dictatorship? So I told him it was your Christmas gift to me and he said that I've got it figured out and we live this fairy tale life. He said because he's only seen you raise your voice to me once, during Eddie's case, that he doesn't believe we've ever had a disagreement. I told him we aren't going to air our dirty laundry at work."

Catherine following Mark downstairs chuckles and replies, "Don't get me wrong I love being with you but our life is far from a fairy tale. First off we're always working. Second off we're raising a child, which in itself is not insanely complicated but with our hours it doesn't make it easy."

As they get halfway down the stairs Catherine says, "Nicky I hear you think we are living a fairy tale life over here?"

Nick whines, "Mark you told her bro?"

Mark laughs and says, "Buddy we don't have many secrets."

Catherine interjects, "Nope and it better stay that way."

Nick changing the subject says, "Uh Mark why didn't you tell me Lindsey was a pool hustler like you?"

Mark smiles and states, "I never told you she wasn't, that's on you for making assumptions."

Mark gives Lindsey a high five and says, "Good job kiddo!"

Catherine looks at Lindsey and asks, "Did you tell Mark what you did at karate today?"

Lindsey looks down at the floor as says, "No."

Mark asks, "What's up?"

Lindsey sighs and responds, "Nothing this kid was being an idiot and picking on the other kids and I may have done back kick to him while we were standing in line. Then he also may have fallen flat on his face and gotten a bloody nose."

Mark chuckles and says, "I like this "may have" stuff could cause reasonable doubt in court." Mark playfully pushes Lindsey making her smile.

Catherine sighs and states, "Don't encourage that type of behavior."

Nick interrupts and says, "I think I'm about to see one of those tiffs."

Mark looks at Nick and rolls his eyes. He turns back to Lindsey and says, "Your mother is right standing up for the kids is good but violence is not."

Catherine going up the stairs says, "I'll be back down soon I'm going upstairs to take care of something."

While Catherine is going upstairs Mark holds out a hand behind him and Lindsey high fives it.