It was late in the shift and Grissom was really feeling tired. He'd been trying, unsuccessfully, to dodge all the "glad to have you back, we're so sorry about Sara, how are you" platitudes from just about everyone in the lab. His team had been great….nothing since Catherine's hug at the beginning and their little talk. But they had been visiting him while he was on leave and all that could be said already had been said. He'd tried hiding in his office but it seemed he wasn't safe there either as some well wishers made a point to stop by. But his guys seemed to trying very hard to make it a business as usual kind of day. He appreciated that. He had learned to appreciate them so much in the last few weeks. They had developed a bond over the years but lately he'd come to realize just how much they meant to him….how much he NEEDED them. He'd always been a loner but thanks to Sara, he'd never be alone again. Funny, even with her gone he was feeling more loved than he'd ever felt in his life. She'd taught him to accept it and he was grateful.
He didn't notice Catherine standing in the doorway. She stood there watching his face as he was thinking. Unnoticed by him a tear had snuck down his cheek. His expression told her about what, or rather whom he was thinking.
"Gil," she spoke softly.
He looked up and blinked. To Catherine he looked like a lost child. "The gang's going to breakfast. Warrick is meeting us there. Sort of a welcome to the team for Glyn. Coming?"
He blinked again. Welcome to the team, he thought. For Sara's replacement. It's too soon; he felt the all too familiar tears in his eyes.
Catherine walked closer. "Really, Gil, it'd be nice if you came. But we'll all understand if you're not ready. Just want to be sure you know that we want you there."
He swallowed hard and fought for control. "I ….don't know, Cath. I'll. think about it," he stammered."
"Okay, well there's a little time left on the shift. Tell ya what. We'd love to see you there but if you don't show, we won't worry. No pressure. How's that?"
"Yeah. I'll try. I really will, I promise." He tried to smile but just couldn't.
She turned and headed out. After all these years….and Sara… he still always enjoyed watching Catherine walk away from him. It felt good to have a normal feeling again. A small smile slowly crept across his face. Good thing she's not my sister, he thought. A guy shouldn't look that at his sister like that.
Grissom was inclined to pass on the breakfast invitation, until he thought about going home to an empty townhouse. Bruno would be there but it wasn't quite the same. The sadness at that prospect was fueled more by loneliness in general than missing Sara in particular, he realized. After years of being on his own, he had created a bubble around himself, letting a few, select people inside….but only a. little. Cath had been one of the few…..and Jim too. Funny how you can have two really good friends, he thought, and they can be so different….the relationship so different. He and Cath spent time together outside of work, visiting each other and sharing an occasional meal. He and Jim rarely saw each other outside of work, but whenever things were getting to one or the other, they sought out one another and shared thoughts over a drink or cup of coffee. Over the years the three had developed a strong bond and always had each other's back. Hmm….thought Grissom, like the Three Musketeers. He smiled at the image. Maybe breakfast was a good idea.
The team was all gathered at their favorite breakfast spot. Everyone but Grissom had squeezed around the table. Even Brass had shown up, looking grim.
"Uuuucccck," whined Catherine. "Jim, you don't smell so good."
"Yeah, I was 'home on the range' for the first part of my shift. Then, I got the call to Nick's case and that was pretty ghastly. Well, you know the story. I promise I'll smell better tomorrow." Brass responded.
Glyn, squeezed up against the wall, was enjoying the obvious camaraderie within the group. She looked forward to being a real member of the team. They all seemed like people she would enjoy.
"Hey, where's the Bugman?" asked Brass.
"Hey wasn't sure he would be able to make it," replied Cath. "It is still tough for him and he looked really tired by the end of the shift."
"Yeah….. He doesn't do well with change," Brass said softly. Damn, he thought….can't believe I said that with the new girl there.
Nick looked across at Glyn to see how she took Brass's comment but she seemed okay.
"Wait," she said…."You call Grissom 'the Bugman?"
"Yeah," Greg jumped in. "He likes bugs. Actually he's an expert. That's his specialty. He's got them all over his office and has a pet tarantula too. He'll try to get you to feed it at some point. Eeewww," Greg shivered. "Its one of the first things, a case with bugs I mean, that he let me help with….out of the DNA lab, I mean….." Greg trailed off.
Glyn looked at Greg. He was kind of cute. Catherine had told her that he used to be more playful….not that he wasn't now….but he'd had a bad year that included a beating. Glyn could see that he would keep things interesting. As her gaze moved around the table, she looked at Warrick. He has an open, honest face, she thought. But something is bothering him right now.
"Hey, speak of the devil…." said Nick.
They looked up to see the Bugman walking toward them. Brass stood and pulled up another chair.
"Uh….hey," he said as he sat down. "I...I hope I got here in time?"
"Yeah, we just ordered." said Brass as he waived for the waitress to come over.
Grissom looked very uncomfortable and they all felt it. Catherine tried to change the atmosphere, "Might want to sit up wind of Brass, Gil. He's pretty funky. " Brass rolled his eyes and then licked his finger and held it up as if testing the wind. "Don't worry, you're safe," he declared.
Gil appreciated that no one was saying anything about the fact that he actually showed up. "Yeah, I heard you and Warrick were at a round up today, Jim."
They all chuckled and turned the conversation toward the other cases of the day. "Oh, Nick...Glyn, Doc called and said your Bobbitt vic ended up on his slab. Guess its murder now. How's the investigation going?"
Nick started to explain the evidence they'd found and where the investigation would be going from here, which right now seemed like nowhere. As he talked, Glyn noticed out of the corner of her eye that Grissom began to relax. He never said much all through breakfast but genuinely seemed happy to be there. As she watched and listened to her new colleagues, she was glad that she had decided to come here and work with these people. She noticed Brass glancing at Grissom occasionally, quietly checking to see that he was okay. There was a silent communication between the two men that had to be the product of having known each other for a long time. Glyn was overwhelmed with the feeling that she was very lucky that they were letting her into their little family, even if for the time being she was only a distant cousin.
The conversation began to wind down. "Oh, hey….I lost track of time," said
Catherine as she looked at her watch. "Gotta run. Supposed to have a meeting with one of Lindsey's teachers."
"Can't be good," said Warrick.
"With Lindsey….when the school calls it is never good." fired back Cath.
"I remember those calls form the school…" mused Jim. "Yeah, always my favorite phone calls….." Sadness crossed his face before he quickly masked it with sarcasm.
"Good Luck," called Nick as Catherine walked away.
They sat in silence for a minute and then Brass looked abruptly at the door. "She just stuck us with her check!" he exclaimed. "Peachy….that's just peachy….."
Quietly Gris spoke his first words in awhile, "I'll take care of it. She earned it today."
They all began to shuffle and make their way to the register. After settling up they walked outside. "Well, thanks for including me," said Brass. "Think I'll go home and get a shower now," he continued as he sniffed his sleeve. "And take my suit to the cleaners."
Grissom started for his car but spotted Glyn out of the corner of his eye. She was still standing in front, watching them all head for their cars. She was smiling.
"Need a ride?" he called.
"No, just savoring the experience," she answered. "See you tomorrow." With that she waived and walked toward her car.
I made it, thought Grissom as he climbed into his Denali. I made it through the shift. Maybe tomorrow will be easier. Sara's face once again came into his mind. And she smiled at him.