I know I left you all hanging last chapter, hopefully this one will clear it up. This chapter was not my doing, well I wrote it, but the fact that the chapter exists at all, that credit goes entirely to thegreatbluespoon. If it wasn't for her threats, I never would have attempted it. Thanks to Just Thinking and the newest beta for this story, Kakidoll. They both rock. Jess is just good with threats, even from 1000 miles away.

Teens & Tribulations

Chapter 23

Grissom threw his bag into the passenger seat and slammed the door of the Denali. He quickly started the motor.

Sara heard the engine start and retreated with Sydney to the confines of her nursery, both were crying. Sara tried to comfort her crying baby, but since she was upset and crying, it was impossible to get her calm. She laid her down and stood over her crib.

"Shhh, I know I'm an idiot." She sniffled. "I screwed up...I..." The tears began to fall even harder as she watched Sydney refuse to settle down. Even at her age, she understood something was wrong.

Sara lowered herself to the floor, leaning against the crib. The crib Grissom had assembled with his own two hands. She pulled her knees to her chin and continued to cry. Only when an echo of sniffles filled the room did she look up with red eyes.

"Why did Daddy have to leave?" Kassie sobbed.

Sara opened her arms to the little girl. "Come here."

Kassie shook her head. "No. Why?"

Sara let out a big sigh. "Honey, I just lost my temper."

"Tell Daddy to come back." Her crying intensified, "Please," she begged.

With another sigh, Sara moved over to Kassie, propped up on her knees so she was the same height as the six year old. She reached out pulling Kassie into a comforting hug. "Daddy will be back. We just need some alone time."

"Why did he leave us? What did I do wrong? I'm sorry, I'll do better."

Sara's heart broke listening to Kassie's pleas. She had forgotten what it was like to be the child, caught in the middle of everything. She had done the same thing, thinking every fight her parents had was her fault, and now Kassie was doing it too.

"What's going on?"

Jason appeared in the doorway. Kassie broke away from Sara and ran to her brother. "Daddy left."

"What!?"

"What did I do?" Kassie asked Jason.

He bent down and picked her up. "You didn't do anything." He looked to Sara. "Did he leave on his own accord, or did you throw him out?"

Sara looked at him, the regret evident on her face.

"That's what I thought." He turned and retreated with his sister bawling in his embrace.

The door knocked just as Catherine was about to open it to leave for her shift. She sighed thinking it was some door to door salesman, but when the only thing standing at her door was a broken Grissom clutching a duffle bag, she knew she would be late.

His eyes were heavy and red rimmed, obviously he was upset. He had that slump in his shoulders indicating that he was exhausted both mentally and physically.

She didn't even wait for him to ask, "Come in." Catherine stepped aside and watched him as he took several staggered steps in and set down his bag. She closed the door and moved over to one of her arm chairs. "Sit down."

Grissom sighed and sat down heavily on the couch. Catherine was hoping he would start the conversation as she had a feeling what had happened.

"Sara threw me out." His voice was low and scratchy.

Just as Catherine had suspected. She remained silent hoping he would continue without being prodded.

"Jim's already gone, and since I'm off tonight, I was...um..."

Catherine leaned forward and placed a comforting hand on his knee. "You can stay here tonight." He looked up meeting her eyes for the first time. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Grissom slowly shook his head.

She could only nod, as much as she wanted to know the reason behind his presence, Catherine dropped the notion. "Well, make yourself at home, I'm heading to the lab. Lindsey's at Mom's, so you'll have the house to yourself." Catherine patted his knee as a final reassurance before heading out.

Grissom never moved, the only movement other than the rising and falling of his chest as he breathed, was the tears rolling down his face.

Sara spent the entire night curled on her bed, as Sydney slept right beside her. The bed was large, and empty. She knew that this could have been prevented if she hadn't held in her emotions, and told Grissom what she was feeling. He would have understood, and she knew it. Instead she threw him out.

She never slept, when the sun made its way into the room, Sara got up. The first thing she thought of was Jason and Kassie. She needed to talk to them, hoping they didn't hate her for what she had done. After a quick shower with Sydney, she dressed herself and the infant, and went in search of them.

Jason and Kassie were both silently eating cereal; she sat down at the table with them trying to find the right words to explain the situation. After several agonizing minutes of silence, she could only find two.

"I'm sorry."

Jason looked at her. His face was as hard as stone, with that 'been there, done that' expression.

"I'm sorry I lost my temper, and we got into an argument."

"When are you going to apologize to him?" Jason's voice was cold as he spoke.

Sara knew she deserved every thing they dished out. "Your dad and I have a lot to talk about, but when we are done I am sure that we will both be apologizing to each other. It is a two way street, it took both of us to argue and it will take both of us to move beyond the disagreement."

Both Jason and Kassie looked into their cereal.

"Don't you wish Dad could be home more?"

They both nodded.

"How long do you think he'll be gone?" Kassie spoke quietly, trying to keep her emotions in check.

"I don't know sweetie, but I think we should give him a chance to clear his head. He'll be back; he loves us all too much."

Catherine opened the door and quietly entered. She was surprised that he was actually asleep. Fully clothed, but asleep none the less. She made her way to shower and eventually to bed herself.

She slept until three when the shower running woke her up. Catherine got up herself and put on some coffee before getting dressed for the night to come.

Grissom joined her in the kitchen half an hour later.

"Coffee?"

"Please."

Grissom took the cup from her to only let the steam cover his face.

"Sleep well?"

He took a sip. "No."

Catherine kept herself from prodding, how, she could never figure out, but she did.

Grissom took another sip. "I'm going to go by the house and see the kids before I go to the lab. I don't want them thinking that this is their fault. Kassie already does, so I might be late."

"Don't worry about it."

He gave a small thankful grin before heading out.

Grissom sat in the drive way, wondering if this was even a good idea at all. Once he had worked up enough courage, he headed for the door and walked into the house trying not to announce his presence as he looked around. The sounds of voices indicated to him that they were in the back yard.

Jason was playing catch with Kassie, but when the little girl spotted him, catch was forgotten.

"Daddy!" She dropped her glove and the ball, sprinting towards Grissom.

"Hey." He reached down and scooped her up. "How are you doing?"

"Better now that you've come home."

Jason walked to Grissom with less enthusiasm than Kassie. "He's not staying."

Kassie pulled back to glare at Jason. "Yes he is, aren't you?"

Grissom sighed and kneeled down, placing Kassie back on her feet. "I wanted to see you guys. I'm sorry for leaving, but Mom and I just need..."

"Alone time. Yeah, she told us that much." Jason was just as cold to Grissom as he was to Sara.

"Well, she's right. I love and care about all you guys, Mom and I will work this out."

"She said she kept it all in." Kassie was trying her best to convince him to stay.

"She does that a lot. Look, I need to go to work, but I'm going to work on how I can be more of the father you all deserve. Then I'm sure Mom will forgive me."

"I forgive you, why can't you stay?" Kassie began to sob as Grissom reached out and pulled her to him.

"I'll be home in a day or two. I love you."

She sobbed "I love you too" into his shoulder before he pulled her back.

Grissom stood, "I'll be back in the morning and have breakfast with you. How's that sound?"

Jason gave a faint smile, "Good."

Kassie more than agreed.

"Ok, I'm going to go see Sydney, and then I'm off to work. I'll see you guys in the morning."

"Bye." They both said in unison.

Grissom walked back into the house and was confronted by Sara holding Sydney.

"How's she doing?"

"Don't make promises you can't keep to them Gil."

"Sara, please. I'm going to try as hard as I can to be here."

"Yeah, unless something comes up. I know how it goes."

Grissom pursed his lips trying to curb his anger. "Can I hold her?"

Sara passed Sydney to Grissom. She was amazed at how instantly happy the infant became.

"Even she knows you're gone."

He looked back up. "Then why are we doing this Sara? What are we trying to prove to each other?"

"I want you to stop and take a look at what you're missing by not being around. Just because you're not in the house, doesn't mean you're missing anything more than you were before."

He passed Sydney back to Sara. "I'm sorry. I guess we both have things to work on then, don't we." Grissom turned and left once again.

Tears formed in her eyes as she watched him leave once again.

Grissom did his best to pretend that nothing was wrong. Who was he fooling, even Ray Charles could see he was troubled. Catherine, thankfully, never said anything to anyone, but they could tell. He was short tempered, walked stiffly, and hardly acknowledged anyone. Grissom was sitting quietly behind his desk looking through the latest file while waiting for trace results.

"Once again, I am the case breaker."

Grissom glared over his glasses at Hodges. Unfortunately, no one had mentioned Grissom's mood to him.

"Guess what that mystery stain was on your victim's jeans?"

"Just give me the printout and go back to work."

Hodges gave a quirky look, "Fine, here you go."

Grissom snatched the paper and began to scan it with his eyes. "You're still here."

"Oh, sorry." Hodges turned to leave but found himself looking at one of the many specimens.

"Hodges, what part of 'get out' do you not understand!?"

Instantly Hodges scurried out of the office. Grissom let his temper calm before putting his head in his hands. He needed to fix this. He needed to be with his family.

I don't know if I would call this a cliffhanger, so we're all good, right? Please review, I always enjoy reading them. Next chapter will come sometime after the 1st, my Mommy's coming to visit for a week, so I'll be incommunicado for the week.

TDCSI