Daniel woke up excited and ready to go to school. He happened to love school, but then having a dad who was more than happy to explain science and other school stuff as if it were the most fun he ever had had that effect. Even his friend Warrick enjoyed doing homework at his house because when his dad wasn't at work he would always be working on his bug collections and actually seemed to enjoy being asked to explain some of the more difficult scientific concepts. Of course when his dad was at work he was at his Uncle Conrad's house. His uncle was as different from his dad as was possible. Probably the only reason why they had ever gotten along with one another was because Daniel had run into Conrad shortly after he had transferred in from Houston. Grissom was reflecting on the same events this morning as well. He found himself smiling at the memory.

Daniel had only been nine when he had run into a previously unused office. He enjoyed hiding in there when he was playing hide and seek with Brass. He had done the reading and other work that his dad had assigned him since he hadn't been around for the cut off date to get into school. He was however going to be taking a placement exam at the end of the month and his dad wanted him to do his best. He was very surprised to find that the office was no longer unoccupied, and that the occupant was a tall thin faced man who seemed very startled to have a child in his office.

"Hi, I'm Daniel. Who are you?"

"Conrad. What are you doing here?"

"My dad works here."

"Who is your dad?"

"My Dad's my dad."

"Pardon"

"Oh sorry, his name is Gil Grissom. He's at an autopsy. He is fostering me, eventually he'll adopt me."

"All right so why are you here and not with a sitter?"

"I don't want a sitter."

"Fine, Lets find your daddy then." He grabbed Daniel's elbow and began checking the building for the elusive Dr. Grissom. Eventually he found him just coming out of the morgue. He was still in his scrubs.

"Grissom, I found something that belongs to you."

"Daniel? Why aren't you with Brass?"

"Well we were playing hide and seek. Or I was hiding and I went into the old office and Conrad was in there."

"Okay, Maybe you should go find Brass now since I'll be the one to have to deal with his conniption fit if you don't."

"But dad, it would be easier if I could go into the autopsies with you."

"Daniel, Brass, Now."

The two men watched as Daniel took off in search of Brass. Grissom waited for the other man to start in on him for having his son at work. He didn't have to wait long.

"Bringing your son into work because he doesn't want a sitter? Are you crazy?" Grissom started walking over to his office while his new companion continued with his litany of how wrong it was on so many levels to have a child at a crime lab.

"And don't get me started on the amount of paperwork a child can create with only a couple of unintentional accidents. Do you realize how many mistrials could be called or evidence brought into question if the lawyers found out about a child running amuck around here. Then there is the safety of the kid too, this is a frickin crime lab for crying out loud. There are poisons and other noxious substances that a curious kid could swallow. Did you think about that? And-"

"Conrad, I admire your dedication and concern for the well being of the lab and its reputation as well as my son's safety, but there is a bit more going on here than me not getting a sitter for my son because he doesn't want one."

"Really? Such as?"

"Such as the last one he had was while he was with his biological parents."

"And"

"And she molested him. I don't think I want to force him to relive a nightmare like that especially since he is just readjusting to a completely new life."

"Okay, well why not get someone from day shift or swing shift to look after him."

"Because I don't trust anyone from dayshift or swing shift, Not with Daniel anyway"

"But it's all right to have Brass run around after him?"

"He says he needs the exercise." Grissom wasn't sure why he was talking to this man; he had brownnosing pencil pusher written all over him. But he did seem to care about Daniel, even if it was in context of how much potential paperwork he could create. "Look, a few months ago Brass and I were at a crime scene in the airport men's room. The kid had hidden himself in a stall and next thing I know I'm taking him back to the lab and finding out about all this shit that he had gone through. Then I find out that his parents are dead. I'm not going to be sending him to an anonymous foster home after that."

"No I suppose not But why Brass?"

"Well the kid took a liking to him, and Jim took a liking to the kid and somehow managed to talk me into giving him custody if I should die so I decided that it might be prudent to let him have some time with Daniel in case he starts getting ideas about me being in an 'accident'."

"Ah, preventative medicine"

"So you're the new guy on dayshift?"

"Yeah, just transferred in from Houston"

"How do you like Sin city so far."

"It's okay; my wife's scared that I'll take up with a showgirl or something though."

"If she needs reassurance just tell her that this job doesn't leave much time for fooling around. Besides the odds of a las Vegas showgirl taking up with a criminalist are around the area of no chance in hell and not fricking likely."

"Yeah well, I suppose since Daniel's here that you aren't married?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Just hasn't happened."

"You know if Daniel isn't scared of me I'm sure it would be okay with Alley if he was around during the evenings."

"Yeah, Daniel does have a tendency to like people. I'm the one who is overprotective of him."

"Oh, so if I want to look after the kid during the evenings you're the one I have to convince then?"

"Sorry about that. I don't hate you, but the thing is..."

"You don't know me. That's fine you'll just have to get to know me. I am not going to have a kid running around the lab if there is an alternative. So what do you want to know first?"

That had been five years ago, and now he and Conrad were, well, not exactly friends but they knew that they could rely on each other when needed. Allies would be the best term to use. Grissom would provide the scientific knowledge and Ecklie would provide the political schmoozing where necessary. Grissom was certain that if they had met under any other circumstances that they would have been at each others throats from day one. Still it was nice to know that Daniel was in capable hands when he couldn't be with him. He also had his mother for support. She had insisted on moving out to Las Vegas when he had told her that he had adopted a child. She had been delighted to have a grandson and had insisted that Daniel learn sign language.

Now five years later the adoption was finalized and they were going out to dinner to celebrate. Grissom was glad for one night of fun before the convention of judges came in to town in a couple of days. Grissom was glad that his mother wanted to watch Daniel while he had to be there. As often as Conrad would tell him about the necessity of politics in their jobs Gil just couldn't pretend to be polite or interested in the political manoeuvrings that would invariably go on while the politicians associated with each other. Conrad however loved it. That was just one more reason for them to be allies. Conrad could do the political things while Gil made sure that he hadn't missed anything in evidence when he got frustrated with it. This convention was also celebrating a new Judge being appointed to the Supreme Court from Texas, A Judge Stokes. Still a judge had to be a politician before a judge in this system so maybe he would be just as boring as the others.

Jillian Stokes was just finishing packing her bags for the trip to Las Vegas, really the only reason she was going was on the off chance that she might see a street kid that matched their son's description, Or as near as she could remember. She felt horrible for admitting this but the picture that she had kept in her mind of her baby boy was starting to fade, she knew that he had brown eyes but what shade? He had a square Jaw but was it like her uncles or more like his fathers? She cursed herself all the more for not keeping the family pictures updated. The most recent picture they had of Nick was when he was five. A lot of changes happen between the ages of five and nine. He'd be fourteen now if... Jillian cut off that train of thought, her boy was still alive. Her husband had been less than optimistic and had given up hope all together. As far as he was concerned his son died the second that they had found out he had snuck onto a plane heading to Las Vegas. He hadn't even bothered looking further than the Dallas airport. Jillian had not given up hope and had every intention of canvassing the whole of Las Vegas until she found her son, alive, and brought him back home. What she did not understand was why he had run off, to Vegas of all places. She finished with the clothes and proceeded to start packing the remaining space with the flyers that had Nicky's picture on them. Bill came in at that moment, Jillian had no idea he was there until she heard a soft sigh and felt his arms go around her waist.

"Jillian, he's not coming back. The odds of any child surviving on their own for more than a year in a nice place is low, the odds are less in a place like Vegas. I miss Poncho as much as you do but I am grateful for the other children we have.' He kissed the back of her neck softly; she felt the tears that would sometimes fall when talking about their missing youngest son land in her hair.

"We can't change what is and what is is that we lost our youngest for some reason. I don't know maybe we shouldn't have just decided to punish him, maybe someone did hurt him and he mistook them for Anne, I don't know but we can't just stop. We have the other children to think about."

"But what if he did beat the odds, everyone in Vegas goes on about how anything can happen there. What if he is alive and wanting to come home but can't because-"

"Jillian the odds are that he is dead. If you want to paper all of Vegas with those things I will fully support you. I just don't want you to get your hopes up too high. If on the off chance he did survive do you think he is going to remember us? Do you think that he will be the sweet boy he once was? If he has been living on the streets for five years he will be different. He will not be the Nick we knew, Odds are he won't want to be near us again. I Love you so much that it breaks my heart to see you stop living."

"I know Bill but I have to try."

"I know love; just remember that we all love you."

He let go of her waist and helped place the remaining flyers in her suitcase. Their plane would be leaving early the day after tomorrow.

It was just the start of evening shift when Grissom got called to a crime scene. It was one of the kinds that would drive him bats. Of course any crime involving a very young child would make him see red. As he got out of his vehicle at the scene he saw Brass there. He looked unnaturally pissed off. Movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. He turned to see someone being lead away into a police cruiser.

She was tall, bony, with red brown hair and hazel eyes. She was smiling as if someone had crowned her Miss America. He recognized her from somewhere. She looked at the house and her grin widened. Suddenly he knew where he had seen her before. He had seen her in a criminal rap sheet about five years ago when he was looking into the history of Anne Cuthbert.

The woman who had hurt Daniel was in Vegas, and it looked like she found another victim. Gil had to use every last bit of his will power to not go running after that monster and tear her throat out.

When he had gotten himself relatively under control he walked up to Brass.

"What happened here?"

"You are going to love this one Gil. The babysitter smothered the parent's seven year old son to death."

"How"

"I don't think I should tell you while the bitch is still around. What happened was that the parents had left their little boy with this company sitter before. The first time that they came back he told them that she had touched him, but they didn't believe him and they got the exact same sitter again a couple more times while they went out and had a good time. Meanwhile their son is stuck at home with this woman who knows that the parents don't believe their boy so she just has as much fun as you can imagine. Tonight though I guess she decided that she was getting tired of it and decides to kill him, only the parents come home early and catch her in the middle of it. The husband knocked her out cold while the wife called 911. When the medics arrived they announced him as d.o.a. and called the lab."

Grissom had to fight the urge to swear a blue streak.

"Is there a reason why the parents didn't believe their own son?"

"Aside from the general stupidity that humans are prone to? NO. Look they have just lost their son because they didn't listen when he told them about what was happening the first time, I think that they're punishing themselves enough."

Grissom laughed cynically at that. As far as he was concerned they weren't punishing themselves near enough. Brass looked at him and took him aside.

"Look if this is going to be a problem say so now and I'll get someone else to work on this."

"No, no problem, but I fail to see how they could possibly be punishing themselves nearly enough when they clearly did not give enough of a crap about their own son to make sure he was safe."

"Grissom, just because they made a horrible mistake in judgment does not mean that they did not care about their son. Come on, you go get trace from the body, I'll question the parents."

Grissom swallowed every choice description of what he thought of the parents and walked into the house. He took deep breaths to keep from loosing his head. He had a crime scene to process and getting worked up at the idiot parents and monster babysitter was not going to help him put the psycho bitch away where she belonged. He approached the body that Albert was already kneeling beside.

"So what do you have for me?"

"So you are working this one. Well I can't tell you much except that he died of asphyxiation. He was smothered. I did manage to get some hairs from his mouth before you came in."

Grissom took the small plastic bindle from the doctor and looked at the contents. Inside he saw some pubic hairs. But what were pubic hairs doing inside the... Christ, no wonder Brass hadn't wanted to tell him how the boy had been smothered. It was a good thing too otherwise there would have been another homicide to investigate and he'd have been the prime suspect. He took a few more deep breaths to keep himself under control. This was not the time or the place to lose it.

'Think of the reasons you don't want to wind up in jail. Daniel needs you to keep your head and not commit a murder.'

When he had himself under control again he continued to collect trace evidence from the boy's body. He collected scrapings from under the boy's nails and fibres as well as hair from the child's clothes. He used the ALS to locate any body fluids and swabbed samples from the boys face and shirt. He felt nauseous at the thought of what it implicated. When he was finished with the body he continued to look over the house for more potential evidence starting in the room where the parents had found the- Person- smothering their son. He concentrated completely on the job at hand in order to keep himself from loosing his temper. He could do that later when he had a boxing bag nearby to punch. He was almost finished with the house when he noticed that there was something odd on the lower shelf of the bookcase. He bent down to retrieve it. It was a video recorder and it was still recording. Grissom turned off the recording device and put it in a plastic bag. He hoped that it had caught the woman attacking the boy on camera.

Ecklie was pacing the break room so fast that he was in danger of creating a fire from the friction of him walking over the carpet. He had just come in early in order to get some work done when he heard the news. There had been a child molested to death by the baby sitter. But that was not the only thing that was working him up, he was worried because Grissom was the one who was working the case and the suspect was the same woman who had molested Daniel. He kept picturing Grissom snapping and doing something drastic. Conrad knew how good he was at keeping himself under control but there were some things that tested even his control. This would be one of those things. He looked up at the sound of someone walking down the hallway. He sighed with relief when he saw that it was Grissom. At least he'd get a chance to talk to him.

"Grissom, wait a minute."

"What do you want Ecklie?"

"I heard about the case, do you need a break or something because I could take over for a bit."

"No I'm fine."

"You're sure because it would be no trouble. And I don't think that Daniel would forgive me if I let you go flying off the handle and do something stupid."

"Thanks, but no. I can handle this."

"You do know that you aren't the only one here who can solve crimes right?"

"Yes I know that Conrad but I have to do this case."

"Okay but I will be keeping an eye on you."

"Fine."

"From what I heard it should be pretty much and open and shut case anyway. The parents walked in on her smothering their son."

"Yeah, and there was a recorder pointed towards the area that the attack occurred so it might have gotten something."

"Add to that her priors and this case should be fairly simple to close."

"You're just doing this to make me feel better aren't you?"

"Is it working?"

"Not really. A kid was killed because his parents didn't listen to him, how can I feel better about that?"

"True but at least you can stop her from doing this again. I mean it sounds like there is enough to get her with murder in the first degree."

Grissom made a non committal noise in his throat and continued to the DNA lab where the technician had just gotten the results from the pubic hair found in the boy's mouth. After that he was going to the a/v lab to analyse the tape that he had found. He was going to make sure that that sick woman never got to see the light of day again.

A few days had gone by since the case, Grissom had been able to shut it by the next shift; the pubic hair had been a match to the baby sitter as was the bodily fluids found on the boy. The tape had been further confirmation and the eyewitness testimonies were simply the icing on the cake. Even Anne's lawyer knew that they were screwed. In the end Grissom had taken Ecklie up on the offer to assist on the case, it would be less likely that he would miss something if he had someone there, besides this way the lawyers couldn't say that he had prejudiced a case. Tonight though was the judges convention at the rampart hotel and Ecklie had been kind enough to point out that he wasn't getting out of attending. Of course tonight had to be the night that a new csi started, a lady by the name of Catherine Willows. He would have to meet her later.

Jillian Stokes half heartedly put on her evening gown. They had spent all day driving around the Vegas area where there were homeless children. No one had ever seen or heard of her son. And there had been more than a few leers at her, her husband and the picture of her five year old son. If that was what her son had turned into she did not know what she would do. She sighed; she would do what any mother would have to do. She'd bring him home and try to help him.

Bill stokes had held her hand through all of it. He knew how hard it would be for her to see what those street children turned into. He didn't know what they would do in the unlikely event that they found Nick alive and well. He made the finishing adjustments on his suit and tie; he had insisted that it was a normal kind of tie, one that he could handle. Bow ties were just too, what was the word, pansy for him. He looked over at Jillian who had just finished putting on her gown. She was staring at the floor thinking, no doubt, about Nick's fate. He walked over to her and sat down beside her.

"It will all work out in the end Jill. We still have two days left to look. Who knows maybe we'll find our boy before we leave."

"Maybe, I just hope that there is still some nick left in him though."

Bill put his arms around her and held her tight as she started to cry.

Conrad was having fun teasing Grissom as his wife insisted that she tie his bow tie. He couldn't help it; Grissom just had the most amusing facial expression when he was annoyed. He imagined that this would be what it was like to have a brother instead of sisters. Someone he could make rude or insulting comments to and they would give them right back. Still he had hoped that Grissom would have changed his mind and brought Daniel with them tonight. It would have done the kid good to learn how to be politically minded but still, the kid was only 14. He'd get bored early and probably go to sleep on a chair. He could learn later on. Alley had just finished putting the finishing touches on the bow tie and had turned her beady eyes on him to make sure he was well suited. Grissom smirked slightly when she began to fuss over his jacket.

"You married people and your co grooming habits."

"You know you could get married and join in the co grooming."

"Then you wouldn't have to borrow my wife to straighten your tie."

"If I had been allowed to choose my own suit there would have been no problem."

"There would have also been no suit. You would have shown up in a polo shirt and slacks like you do at work."

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

"Well considering that it is a black tie event yeah I'd say it would be a major social faux pas."

"You see that's where having a doctorate in entomology comes in handy. You can commit practically any social faux pas and people will just assume that it's because you're eccentric and not anti social."

"Right… And you would have also brought those godawful chocolate covered grasshoppers along to eat and probably offer them to the judges just to see if any would eat them."

Grissom smirked. He hadn't thought of that. There would still be time for him to make a quick stop at home and get some of them from his fridge. If nothing else it would be amusing to see how many Judges would eat them out of politeness.

Ecklie saw the glint in Grissoms eyes and groaned. Crap he gave him an idea.

"No you are not going home to get those damn grasshoppers and you will not be offering any to the judges assembled."

Grissom just smiled innocently and wandered out to his car. Conrad ran after him.

"Grissom don't you bloody well dare"

Grissom pulled out of the drive way and drove back to his townhouse. Ecklie groaned in dismay. He should have learned by now that when going to a social event that Grissom would find boring you do not give him any ideas that he might find amusing. His wife was chuckling while she led him back to their car.

"You know that might just make for an amusing evening."

"Sure side with the bug nut. Next time we go to one of these social events remind me to not say anything that Grissom might try."

"Of course dear"

Judge Stokes and Jillian were both bored to death by the party. So far the only highlight had been when a Dr. Grissom had offered them what looked like chocolate covered grasshoppers. Bill had looked at the contents of the jar incredulously for a moment before Jillian had reached in and popped one in her mouth. It had been different, kind of crunchy.

Dr. Grissom had looked slightly surprised. Of course Jillian had insisted that Bill try one which he did reluctantly. He hadn't liked it.

"Do you think that I could have a couple more?" Jillian asked politely.

"Sure, but you are the first person I've met aside from Daniel who actually likes them."

"Daniel?"

"My adopted son"

They had gotten into a long discussion about children and she found out that his son was 14 and head of his class in almost every subject. Not to mention on a couple of teams. They were just discussing teenage rebellion when there was a bit of a commotion at the front lobby. Grissom along with Jillian and Bill and some guy named Ecklie went to check it out. When they got there they saw a 14 year old boy being stopped by security. He was average height for his age, well built. He defiantly had muscles. He had long dark hair that keep flipping into and obscuring his eyes. He was talking to the head of security. There was also an older woman behind the boy who looked as if she was trying to calm him down.

"I need to talk to my dad. Please you don't understand I have to talk to dad, His names Gilbert Grissom. Please let me talk to him."

"Daniel?"

Daniel turned to look at Grissom before he ran to him and wrapped his arms around his neck. Grissom lifted him up and made some motions to the older woman. She motioned back. They were talking in sign language.

"What's wrong Danny? Grandma says that you came out of your room tonight and said that you had to talk to me but wouldn't tell her what was wrong."

"I saw her, on the news. She's back dad. She's back."

There was something about the boy that was so familiar to Jillian. She felt as if she should know him.

"Who, the baby sitter?" When the boy nodded Dr. Grissom smoothed his hair back "She's going away for a long time Daniel. She won't hurt you again." He held his son closer as the man Ecklie came towards them.

Ecklie had for the first time and probably the last time gotten a chance to see Grissom actually enjoy himself at a social gathering. It of course had to be because someone had actually liked those damn bugs of his. Of course he had been pleased to know that it was a Supreme Court judge from Texas. That was when there was a commotion in the lobby. Ecklie had been surprised to see Daniel there until he told Grissom why. He knew that there was no way Grissom would stay the evening and Ecklie wasn't going to make him.

When he reached the two of them he whispered to Grissom.

"Look this party's not really going anywhere so you might as well go home and make him feel safe."

"I think I'll do that Ecklie. Could you apologise to Judge and Mrs. stokes for me?"

Ecklie hadn't noticed when the boy tensed up as if he were trying to remember something but Grissom did.

"What's wrong Danny?"

"I don't know"

Grissom had carried the boy almost to the front lobby door when Jillian finally recognized him. It was as if every prayer she had for the safety of her son had been answered all at once. Daniel Grissom was her little boy. She shrieked loudly and took off after them with a very confused Bill and Ecklie trailing after her.

"Nicky!"