Again thanks for the many reviews, keep them coming. And thanks to my beta's, Just Thinking for the valuable advice, and GSfanatic for your wonderful thoughts and ideas. And Jess, my precious asshat.

Teens & Tribulations

Chapter 5

After a little straightening up around the house, Sara decided to wake Grissom so he could get ready for work. She crawled on the bed next to him.

"Gil, wake up."

Grissom made a sound that indicated he wasn't ready to get up.

"Come on. If you don't get up now you'll miss dinner and be late."

Again the noise came from under the covers.

"Look at what Kassie colored."

"It's neat."

"You're not even looking. Here."

She climbed over his back and pushed the paper in his face.

"Oh, your glasses."

Sara grabbed his glasses off the night stand and attempted to put them on his face.

"What's the big deal about this picture Sara?"

He put on his glasses and looked at it, and was speechless.

"Jason, told me he doesn't want to leave, and that he's never seen Kassie happier than she has been these past few days."

"Sara, I understand where you are coming from, but..."

"But what?"

"If you get pregnant and we have these two already, you won't be able to work nights anymore. Heck even with these two working nights wouldn't be possible."

"Why, Catherine does it."

"Lindsey goes to school all day and Catherine's mother lives with them. That's a big difference."

"Fine, I'll cross that bridge when I get there."

"Sounds like you're all ready there."

"I'll think of something. Get up." She elbowed him then climbed out of bed and headed into the kitchen to make dinner.

Sara proudly displayed Kassie's picture on the refrigerator. While her casserole was in the oven she went upstairs to get Jason and Kassie.

"Jason," she said knocking on his bedroom door.

He opened it slowly.

"Dinner's almost ready."

"Thanks."

She moved to Kassie's room and opened the door. She was still asleep, but Sara decided to wake her.

There was noticeable tension as they ate dinner. Little Kassie was the only one oblivious to it.

"Can I get a dog?"

"No!" Grissom barked out.

"Grissom!"

He looked at Sara then back to Kassie who's small brown eyes were already filled with tears.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that."

She climbed out of her chair and ran upstairs crying.

"Gil, you didn't have to be so stern with her."

Grissom's hand came down hard on the table.

"This is what I was talking about Sara. Things are going to change around here. And you know how well I handle change."

"Yeah, I do. You don't handle change. You just fight your way through it making everyone around you miserable."

Sara stood and ran upstairs after Kassie. Grissom sat back in his chair and watched Jason slowly continue to eat his food.

"I'm sorry Jason. I didn't mean to yell at her. This is all new to both of us."

"It's okay. If you don't want us around just say so, at least to me. I can handle the truth very well."

"Jason.." Grissom sighed, "... it's not that I don't want you guys around, it's just that Sara and I both work nights. We sleep all day, and even sometimes work all day. We handle a lot of bad things on our job, but we try not to bring them home."

"I'm old enough to look after Kassie, but I understand where you are coming from."

"What about school? She should be starting soon, and you, well you need to be learning something better than what they teach at the public schools around here."

Jason just smiled as Grissom excused himself, stood, and headed up the stairs. He inched open the door to Kassie's room and saw Sara holding her on the bed soothing away her tears. He approached them and kneeled in front of Kassie.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to respond like that." He kept his voice low and soothing.

She kept her face buried in Sara.

"Kassie, maybe we can talk about some kind of pet. Maybe a fish, or a hamster?"

She turned her face to look at him.

"Just to start with, then when you're older we can talk about a dog. How does that sound?"

Kassie sat up and looked at Grissom. She made the motion like she wanted a reassuring hug from him, but she hesitated.

"It's alright." Sara spoke as she placed a hand on Grissom's shoulder.

Kassie slowly moved into his arms, and he squeezed her gently. "I'm sorry Kassie, I really am."

He looked up at Sara while soothing Kassie against his chest. She gave him one of her classic hundred watt smiles.

Grissom pushed Kassie back, "All better now?"

She nodded her head.

"Good. I have to get going. I'll see you two in the morning."

He kissed Kassie on her forehead and Sara on her lips before going downstairs.

"Hey, I'm off to the lab. You're the man of the house while I'm gone."

"Hey Gil, can I come with you some time? Just to the lab I mean." Jason asked excitedly.

"Let me think about it."

"Sweet."

Grissom raised an eyebrow at the teenager's response, and then headed out the door.

As expected, the way things went at home set the standard for the night to come, nothing went right.

He went solo into the field, and before he got to the body, he could smell that his night just got worse. Detective O'Riley greeted him from a safe distance.

"Hikers found the fridge and opened it out of curiosity. The lid has been closed ever since. We collected their prints for you since they said they touched it."

"Thanks."

Grissom approached the old icebox. After putting on his gloves he took a deep breath and held it. He pulled the door open to reveal the decomposing body. Luckily the fridge was on its back so all of the 'juice' was contained. He took some pictures and resealed the lid. He then snapped pictures around the area and headed back.

Grissom's head slammed hard against his locker as Catherine walked in.

"Man you stink. Decomp?"

"Yes, and I don't have a change of clothes here."

"Well why don't you just go home and change then come back?"

Grissom checked his watch. "I think I'll just go home."

He walked out. Catherine could tell that something other than a little decomp was irritating him.

Grissom pulled into the driveway and checked his watch. Four a.m. He sat back deep into the seat of the Denali and felt that all too familiar pain seep up into his temples. Grissom went inside, grabbed the bag of lemons from the refrigerator, and headed for the shower.

He was as quiet as possible, for Sara and himself. When he was through he took refuge in his basement. The lights were on and for a second he wondered if someone had been down there, but then he remembered that the lights were on timers. Grissom went to the small back room that held his desk and a couch. He turned on some soft cello music and laid down hoping to ease away his migraine before it could truly rear its ugly head.

Sara woke and checked her bed side clock. Seven thirty and no sign of Gil. As she walked into the bathroom the sign she was looking for was there. Clothes reeking of decomp lay on the floor, and the waste basket was full of used lemons. She smiled, knowing him he was sleeping in the basement. After cleaning up the bathroom, Sara went to prepare breakfast, and once again, Jason had beat her to it.

"Good morning Jason. Where's Kassie?"

"She's still getting dressed. I hope you don't mind me cooking, I enjoy making breakfast."

"By all means, go right ahead."

Kassie bounded down the stairs and her small nose picked up the pungent odor that Grissom trailed through the house. "Something stinks."

Sara and Jason smiled, but Sara answered her. "Gil stinks from work. I bet he's sleeping in the basement."

"I'll get him." Jason was way too excited and Sara concluded that he just wanted to see all the 'stuff' Grissom had down there.

Jason crept down the stairs and followed the sound of the music. He slowly opened the door and could barely make out Grissom's form in the dark. Jason reached for the light switch, but was halted by his voice. "Leave it off."

Jason slowly entered. "Are you alright?"

"I have a migraine. A bad one. Do me a favor, get my pills from Sara."

"Sure, I'll be right back."

Jason crept out of the room but once he was to the stairs he let his legs go as fast as they could carry him.

"Gil has a migraine, he said something about pills?"

"Oh no." Sara stood and went to retrieve the bottle of Relpax. As she suspected there was only one left. "He forgot to pick up his prescription. Take this to him and I'll have to go and get it." She handed Jason the pill and a bottle of water. "Can you keep an eye on your sister till I get back?"

"Not a problem."

"Thanks, I'll be back shortly." Sara went to quickly change clothes then headed out.

Jason returned to the basement, staying as quiet as possible. He kneeled next to Grissom.

"Here. Sara said this is all that's left, but she went to go get more."

Grissom took the pill and followed it with the water.

"One pill is not going to help this one."

"Sara said she would be back as soon as possible." Jason looked at Grissom with great concern as he lay before him. "Do you need anything else?"

"No Jason, I'm fine, thank you."

"I'll be upstairs if you need me."

Jason left Grissom to his thoughts. But his thoughts evaded him as more and more pain crept in. It was the longest thirty minutes of his life as he waited. One pill just wasn't enough.

She was quiet and he never heard her enter. Sara kneeled next to him. "How are you feeling?"

Her whisper was like a shouting child to his sensitive ears, and he winced as she spoke.

"Am I talking too loud?" Her voice was nearly inaudible to herself, but by the way Grissom reacted, she knew this one had gotten out of hand.

Sara took his hand and he opened his eyes just enough to see her. By her look he knew he must look like hell, but he felt even worse. Grissom never attempted to sit up as Sara took out the bottle of Relpax. She moved to place two pills into his mouth but he took them and administered them him self. Grissom took just enough water to swallow them, and again closed his eyes. Sara kissed the back of his hand and let him be.

When she returned upstairs Jason and Kassie were serving their breakfast.

"How's he doing?" Jason asked.

"Not good."

"How long does it take for that stuff to work?" He pointed to the pill bottle.

"A few hours, but with a migraine like this, who knows."

They ate the pancakes that Jason had prepared. When they finished Sara looked at Kassie and smiled. "Kassie you need a bath, look at you."

Jason looked at his sister. She had somehow gotten pancake batter in her hair while they were making breakfast. Sara took her hand and led her upstairs, while Jason began washing the dishes. She helped Kassie clean up and get dressed. They both went back down stairs, and Kassie went straight to her coloring books. Sara looked at Jason who was sitting on the couch reading a book she recognized well. It was one of the many that Grissom had co-authored about entomology.

Sara went to the den and pulled out the paper work for the adoption application for Jason and Kassie. As she was filling it out, she came to a few bumps in the proverbial road. One was her last name. Sure she and Grissom were engaged, but her last name was still Sidle. How would it look to the person reviewing the application to see the parents having different last names? She put Sara Grissom on the form. The other bump came on the question about expecting other children. This one was tough, but she responded to the best of her ability, and finished the rest. She signed the bottom pausing to wonder if Grissom would sign it or if she would have to forge his signature.

Sara left the papers like that for now. She was thinking about Jason and Kassie, and how her and Grissom's lives would be changed. Sara placed a hand over her stomach and said to herself. "I guess this is good practice." She walked into the living room.

Jason asked, "How's Gil doing?"

Her eyes widened, she had completely forgot about Grissom. Sara headed downstairs to check on him.

She slowly opened the door and noticed his breathing was even and relaxed. Finally he was in peace. Just before she closed the door, she heard him speak.

"Sara. Do you need something?"

She entered and kneeled next to him. "No, I was just checking on you. How do you feel?"

"Better, I could even eat."

"I'll bring you something after I feed the kids."

She stood and left him in peace.

TBC

Give me your thoughts, I won't be offended. I love reviews.