Well now we're on for chapter 4. Thanks very much for suggestions and if you have any more I'd love for you to keep them coming. I hope you all like this one. Before you get too worried about all the kids Liz has... it's part of the plot, promise... and you won't be required to know the difference between any of them. (Except possibly Kobie and Leila.)

Enjoy it!

And please review.

Half Past Now

Greg stepped beside his old friend and offered a gentlemen like hand to help her stand. "Catherine, a friend of mine and my supervisor, is going to take your statement and we'll put it through to to Captain Brass and the Undersheriff, Ecklie. We're hoping you'll have a someone to take a ride with you in a couple hours."

Liz nodded when he was done explaining feeling better that someone was finally taking her seriously. "Great, thanks Greg I knew I could count on you."

"Any time," he said, pulling her awkwardly into a hug. They watched as Catherine approached and he leaned towards her and slowly whispered, "I'm gonna stay."

"Thank you so much for taking time with me," Liz addressed Catherine as she closed a hand around Greg's and squeezed firmly. "Mrs?"

"Willows," Catherine responded. "I'm Catherine Willows, Night Shift CSI supervisor, I hear you're a good friend of Greg's?"

"We go a way back," Liz answered, tossing her messy blond hair as it still hung half in the pony tail holder and half out. She let go of his hand, "He's um...he's a good friend."

"You don't have to tell me, I know he's a good one." Catherine winked at Greg. She looked down at the five children that seemed to have flocked to Liz, and the two that were approaching. "So, you've got quite the brood?"

"Oh," Liz looked down and lowered a hand on one of the approaching girls and bit her lip. "Yeah, Marty—my husband and I were very blessed. Three sets of multiples in four years," she chewed her lip before continuing. "Shellie, Mickie, Wyatt, Ava, Connor, Dillon, and Brynn. Twins, eight. Twins, six. Triplets, five. I, personally, didn't know it was physically possible until..."

"And you've got another at home, right?" Greg asked, gently. "Didn't Marty have a little girl when you two met?"

"Leila, she's gonna be thirteen next week," Liz nodded. Her voice dropped and she hesitated, "And there's Kobie, my oldest son."

"You had a son before Marty?" Greg prodded; the tone of his voice stung everyone listening. "Why didn't I know about this?"

"Because it's my life Greg," she growled back. "A life I'm pretty sure I remember you saying you wanted no part of."

"Nine kids," Catherine mused, trying desperately to change the subject. "They must really need their dad. Let's get started shall we?"

"I think that's a good idea," Liz gathered her things from around her. "Kids, I want you to sit your butts down in here and don't move until I come back."

After a chorus of complaints there were a couple "Yes Mama's" and the kids started finding seats to occupy themselves in. Liz turned back to Greg giving him a cold look in the eye. "I think you should get home."

"Lizzy--" he started to protest but she just gave him another firm stare, it was clear she didn't want him there. "Oh, uh...well... good luck."