A/N: Thanks to all my reviewers! I love you! If I had enough money, I'd probably buy an engagement ring for all of you! (Hahaha, just wait for your X-mas present, Chloe... Just wait. XD)

Disclaimer: See past chapters. Pick a chapter, any chapter.

Chapter 23: Roxas & Minions

Sara's POV:

"What's gonna happen to Auntie Brooke, Sara?" The oldest boy, Alex, questioned me as we walked over toward Grissom.

Swallowing became a difficult task for me in my attempt to reply. "She might be going to jail." I suddenly turned and squat down in front of the children. "Is there anything you need before I bring you to my house?"

Alex and his younger sister, Kylie, nodded shyly. The poor girl couldn't stop crying for the life of her. After an attending paramedic made patchwork of Alex's broken arm with a splint, I instructed them to go into the house to collect whatever they needed. I took the baby from Alex's slim arms. Balancing him on my hip, I made the rest of my walk over to Grissom's side. I was still taken over with awe at the child. It was a replica of Brooke, with some minor appearances that must've been from the baby's Father.

I wonder who it is? I wondered genuinely at the question.

The baby regarded me in a somewhat dilatory fashion, like I was someone not to trust. It took him a while, but eventually he gave up the fight to read me through my eyes and rested his head against my shoulder. His feather soft chestnut hair tickled the side of my neck by the way it naturally stood up in a spiked direction that reminded me slightly of Greg's old hair. Inside, it slightly hurt to know that even below the age of two that this baby already had a built-in defensive wall toward people.

"Roxas." Beside me, I silently heard Grissom whisper.

Moving my head in his direction, I gave him an inquiring look. "How do you know his name?"

For some odd reason, panic flashed through his eyes one quick time before he responded. "He has a dog tag around his neck stating his name for one."

Looking down and around the baby's neck, on a beaded chain hung a simple silver dog tag reading, ROXAS. Settling for it, I cradled him against me even more when I heard the sound of sniffling coming from him. I had only hoped it was from the cold, but when I felt warm streaks of tears run down my cold and drenched shirt, my heart broke even more for Roxas.

The rain had seemed to stop after everyone was apprehended and arrested. Now was the aftermath of the storm, both literally and metaphorically. The woman who Alex and Kylie both belonged to was shipped off to Desert Palm Hospital, much to her arguments that she was fine. It wasn't until she passed out that she was successfully transported to the hospital in the ambulance. Kylie and Alex came walking out of the house with several things clung to their chest dearly, turning their head away when they saw their Mother being hoisted onto a stretcher and loaded into the ambulance as they returned to me. Turning their head up at Grissom, they regarded him in the same way Roxas had just looked at me – a look of caution.

"It's all right. He's a good guy too." I vouched for him. "We call him Grissom."

Alex's face scrunched up slightly at the sound of his name. "Grissom? That's a weird name."

Grissom shrugged, throwing down a friendly half smile. "My real name is Gilbert or Gil."

Kylie's face lit up immediately. "I used to have a teacher in first grade who's name was Mr. Gilbert!"

"Yeah, but he was really mean." Alex then turned to eye Grissom down. "He used to flip out like mad on us for doing so much as breathing too loudly."

"I can assure you that I'm not anything like your old teacher. And you can breathe as loud as you want around me." Grissom chuckled beneath his breath.

Smiling at Grissom's interactions with the children, I started a slow walk to a cab that I'd called for just several minutes ago. Behind me, I heard Grissom herding the kids toward the cab, now starting a conversation on their first grade experiences with Grissom tentatively listening.

With all five of us cramming into the backseat of the cab, I gave my address to the cabbie. Roxas had now fallen asleep against me, tears still running down his chubby cheeks. Alex had Kylie seated in his lap and Grissom formed a book end enclosure on them with me at the other end. Grissom picked up the fare as the cab came to a halt outside of my apartment, even though I insisted I had it. Stepping out of the vehicle, we crossed the parking lot to get to the foyer inside of my apartments. Then came the monotonous ascent up to my apartment five flights up.

In time, we all reached to the point outside of my apartment door. It had struck me several times how I was going to manage to house two children and a baby in my small apartment, but I'd have to manage for Brooke. I had promised after all. And as for the subject of how to care for them when I was away at work? Well... That time wasn't here yet, and worst case scenario, I have to use up some of that vacation time that's pouring over the sides for me.

Providing the children with a quick tour of my house, I directed them toward my bedroom where I told them they could sleep. They seemed excited at the fact that they got to sleep in such a large bed and immediately left to go get a shower one at a time. And though it was slightly alien to me, they asked me for my permission. As they raced off, I heard them silently bickering about who would get the first shower all the way down the hall.

Laughing lightly under my breath, I pivoted toward Grissom who was shifting from one side to another. He was speculating me thoughtfully from across the room until he gradually moved closer to me, enveloping me in a hug, wary of the sleeping Roxas. I had yet to put him down this entire time; It was as if I couldn't.

"Are you gonna be all right?" He questioned in a low rumble of a voice.

Nodding softly, I spoke a soft, "Yeah."

Pulling back now but still holding his hands in place on my hips, Grissom continued to look down at me. "Do you want me to stay with you tonight, or..."

"Don't you need to return to work?" I tossed up the query.

Shrugging, I knew that he knew he had to, but that didn't necessarily mean that was what he wanted anymore. "All I've got there is a pile of paperwork. Here, I have so much more."

Kissing him briefly, I pulled a smile on just for him. "Of course I want you to stay. Wouldn't dream of having it any other way."

About to steal another kiss from him, my plans were thwarted by two little children by the name of Alex and Kylie. "EW!" They emphasized the sound together.

Breaking apart suddenly, both of us blushed and then laughed at the fact that two small children were to find us out instead of our colleagues. Oh how amused will they be when they find out?

Brooke's POV:

"Shit man... We fucked up." I heard Taj moan over in the next cell adjacent to mine.

"No kidding..." I paused for a minute. "Wanna go do it again?"

"Man, wailing on Eric's punkass? I'd love to do that all hours of the day, and I wouldn't even mind paying the price for it either." Taj laughed. "I just wish everything else hadn't happened."

"Yeah, I'd like to skip Blaze's part, and Jen getting sent to the hospital." I sighed with a weight in my voice.

I just barely heard Taj's inaudible reply. "We better stop this madness soon. That cemetery is getting packed with too many people from our group." The hatred was back in his voice. "Little Bear is three spots down from Big Bear, and on space to the left of Big Bear is Lil' Mikey. And two spaces up and to the right of him is Baby Brenda!"

Drawing my knees up to my chest so that I could rest my chin on the tops of my knees, I shared a moment of silence for the whole field of lost peers we had in the national cemetery. Taj was right;We had lost far too many crew members, and Blaze's addition did nothing for us or the team. He was a valuable fighter, friend, and part of the team. Just like if it was me or the Boss that was missing from the group, things were about to fall into a very hectic state of disarray, especially with Taj and me locked up now. I was afraid to know what the crew is gonna be like when they find all of this out.

Then it struck me. How could I have possibly forgotten?

Jumping to my feet, I rushed to my gate, wrapping my hands around the cold steel bars. "Hey! When do I get my one phone call?"

In a short amount of time, I was granted my one phone call and I called the one person that could get both Taj and me outta here quicker than lightening. The only person that was above my Boss... His Boss. The big men upstairs. The geniuses that had me out here working my ass off and getting beat on by guys three times my size.

"Hey... I'm in a jam, and unless you want everything lost that we've been working on for the last half a year, you better find a way to bail Taj and me out." I spoke into the phone, turning away from the officer.

"Brooke, what the Hell..." His annoyed voice actually made my day. "I sent you out there to redeem yourself, not make things worse."

"Yeah yeah, whatever man. But unless you want the crew's ass to get royally messed, you will work your magic and get us outta here and not put on the stand." I stressed.

"All right, I could have your lawyer work with the DA about dealing with this privately." I heard the creaking of his chair as he sat back. "Maybe you could get away with community service or probation at best. Depending who the DA is and how 'cooperative' they are, it could be better or worse. But I'll talk to your lawyer for you."

Growling in a low tone, I considered every aspect of that deal. "Fine. Do it. That's better than rotting in some jail cell."

"Great doing business with you too Brooke." His sarcastic tone was followed by the dial tone.

Walking back into the jail cell, I plopped right down where I'd been before.

"Is it a done deal?"

"Of course. I have him wrapped around my finger like a promise ring." I snickered in response to Taj's question.

Laughing briefly, Taj gave his only remark to that statement. "Well, with looks like yours and a body like yours, I can't imagine any guy that isn't wrapped around your finger."

Sara's POV:

After everyone had gotten a shower and had some type of pajamas on, it was beginning to look like we were going to call it a night. Settling the two children into my bed with Roxas between the two of them, I ritualistically tucked them in per Kylie's request. Alex briefly explained that Kylie couldn't get to sleep unless someone tucked her in, whispering about her abandonment issues playing a key role in that. I was happy to comply, whispering a goodnight through the dark abyss that was my bedroom to the children before closing the door until it was slightly ajar to allow light from the hallway to spill into the room. Returning to the living room, I saw Grissom with his head propped up on his hand that was on the armrest relaxing back on my couch, steel blue eyes closed serenely.

It amused me that if it wasn't for our job, we'd constantly be tired and fatigued like this at late hours in the night and morning like normal people. That theory was making its grand appearance right now as I observed Grissom on the couch.

Tiptoeing across the padded carpet and over to Grissom, I saw him crack open a lazy blue eye at me as I sat down beside him, inspecting the clump of mass that had situated itself beside him. Registering me as Sara Sidle, Grissom enveloped and drew me to him with his free arm that wasn't holding up his head. Snuggling up to his side and resting my head upon my shoulder, I pulled my legs underneath me as I settled in with a content sigh.

No matter how wrong things are in the world, at least right here with him everything feels so right.

"We're probably going to fall asleep like this." Grissom mumbled out, his voice far away with drowsiness.

Giving a long string of sounds that were supposed to pass off for a sentence was his only reply out of me, occupying myself with burying my face deeper into his chest to inhale his scent. "S'ok."

Against the crown of my head, I felt his lips upturn in a small smile. "You're right. I just don't want to wake up tomorrow actually feeling my age."

Despite already being comfortable and half asleep at that moment, I turned my head up and inspected him through lazy, half opened brown eyes. I grinned once I kissed him again and then reacquainted myself with his warm, pillow-like chest.

I love being able to do that whenever I want. I thought licking my lips, still feeling the tingle of his lips on mine

"Stop criticizing your age." I lightly admonished him. "I love you just the way you are."

Brooke's POV:

The free ride to my arraignment was only half recognized in the back of the cruiser as I sat there hand cuffed. These truly did get tiresome, but they were required. Oh I could just jump for joy at the thought of getting thrown in front of yet another judge.

The wait for my arraignment held more of a recognition than the ride did. For the most part, I just sat outside taking an occasional puff of a cigarette from a guy I knew beside me. It always seemed like this guy and I had our arraignments on the same day.

"So, what are you here for now?" I said, passing the cigarette back to him.

"DUI."

"Nice." I coughed, the smoke aggravating my lungs.

It wasn't too often when I lit up with a cigarette, but when I did, it was a tell-tale sign that I was stressed and another "substance" wasn't available. This was one of those times.

"Let me guess... Assault again? Or maybe disturbing the peace like last time?" He snickered, exhaling a ring of smoke.

Pushing out a dry laugh, I slowly responded after the laugh subsided. "So much more."

He let out a soft hum before offering the cigarette back. I refused it, claiming I was set. One last drag was made before he tossed it on the ground and extinguished the smoking tip with the sole of his shoes. Blowing out another ring, he pushed himself off of the wall we were leaning against to go back inside.

"I presume I'll see you back here within the month?" One chuckle was made before he disappeared into the court house.

A smirk was left on my lips long afterwards. Hopefully you're not right this time.

"Well... I figured you'd be here."

Shooting my eyes up from the ground, I found myself looking at Gil Grissom approaching me with his hands shoved into his pockets. My eyes flew about the scene in front of me in search of Sara, but to no avail. Removing myself from the stone wall as well, I joined him in his stance several feet away.

"Sara okay?"

"Sara's just fine. She's strong enough to take in almost any scene and continue on." Gil noted with a grim up turn of his lips that could be qualified as a smile.

"Yeah, she always has been." I agreed with an equally grim look. "What about the kids? How's Sara managing with those three? I realize I kinda just dumped the responsibilities on her real heavy but..." Giving a dull gesture to the court house to explain my next sentence, I continued. "I kinda had things going on."

"You can ask one of them yourself." Stepping to the right and backwards slightly,Gil exposed a very bashful Kylie who had her hands behind her back and keeping her head down.

Doesn't take long to make her look up though. As soon as her eyes landed on me, she ran for my legs, wrapping her slim arms around them tightly. "Auntie Brooke!"

"Hey Ky!" I cracked out, bending down and squatting to her level to hug her. "How's it going with Sara?"

"She kinda reminds me of you in a way, Auntie..." Kylie admitted. "But she doesn't sing us to sleep like you do when you're not out doing business."

"I know baby, I know..." Brushing my hand over her loosely braided hair, I forced a real smile up for her. "But I promise, I'm gonna try and make things up to y'all, a'ight?"

"That's what you said last time." Kylie mumbled, avoiding eye contact.

"But now I'm gonna make it happen." I bit the inside of my lip as I felt guilt creep upon me. "You just gotta help out by behaving for Sara, and getting your brother and Rox to cooperate too."

"All right." Kylie nodded, still not able to reconnect our eye contact.

Slipping her into a hug, it was brief for my arraignment was up now. Getting to my feet, I nodded a goodbye to Gil and waved a goodbye to Kylie as I walked back in. Midway through the doorway, I felt a bone-chilling feeling overtake me when a guy passed me on his way out. Eyes bore into my back that made me shift uncomfortably for a change, and that frightened me. Turning around, I narrowed my bi-colored eyes at the sight.

It was one of Lady Heather's minions. One of the guys from the fight. His arm was done up in a cast and splint, glaring into the backs of Grissom and Kylie as they made their way to the car, unaware of the gaze. The minion threw a sadistic look back over his shoulder at me just as he was covering up his eyes with a pair of sunglasses and walking away.

A fire shot up through my veins at the sight of him and for the circumspect part of me that was wary about that look he just tossed my way. I didn't like it at all. It made me want to tell Gil to be careful on his drive back. It made me want to waste that jackass right here and now and get arrested on a murder charge just to make myself feel better. But I couldn't do anything as I was pulled along by the cop that'd called me.

"C'mon, c'mon. Let's go."

I was dragged into the court room, and though my body was at the arraignment, my mind was miles away basking in an area of worry.

TBC...

A/N2: Gotta love those damn minions, huh odeepblue? Because you know where there's minions, there's trouble! And where there's trouble, there's action! And where there's action... (Little brother knocks me out and runs away. Him: Yay!) Well, holla at me.

Peace out, one love,
MC New York