Grissom pulled up in front of Lacey's house, hoping she wouldn't wake up. Unfortunately, luck was not on his side. As soon as he stopped the car, Lacey sat up rubbing her eyes. "Are we home?" she asked, her voice thick with sleep.

"Not yet," Grissom replied. "Just wait here. I'll be back in a few moments." He was hoping she would be too asleep to realize what was going on, but he should have known better.

Looking out her window, Lacey saw where they were. She took a deep breath and said, "I'm coming in with you."

"No, you're not," Grissom replied firmly. "You don't need to go in there. I can get anything you need."

Lacey looked like she would agree, but then raised her chin, saying, "Yeah? Well, then, can you get my black lace bra, bikini underwear, and some tampons?" Her question had the desired effect as her uncle's face started to turn red and he fished for something to say.

Sighing in defeat, Grissom replied, "Fine. But we go straight up the stairs to your room and nowhere else."

As Lacey started to nod her agreement, someone knocked on Grissom's window causing the two of them to jump. They both let out a sigh of relief when they saw Catherine looking in at them. Grissom rolled down his window. "What are you doing here?" he asked.

"When you left the lab, I noticed you were going in the wrong direction," she replied. "I figured this was where you were headed."

"We're just going to run in real quick and get some of Lacey's things," Grissom told her.

Catherine shook her head. "Nope. Lacey's going to tell me what she wants and I'll go get it." Grissom smiled his thanks as Catherine made her way to the other side of the car to talk to Lacey. Twenty minutes later, Lacey had a bag full of stuff in the backseat of the car and they were headed home.

********************

Catherine knocked on Gil's door at noon on Friday. She was going to drive them over to the church. She was glad that Lindsey had school today. Lindsey had told her mom that she wanted to be there, but Catherine thought another funeral less than a year after Eddie's would have been too overwhelming for her daughter. When it didn't look like Gil was going to answer the door anytime soon, Catherine tried the knob and found it unlocked. Letting herself in she called, "Gil? Lacey?"

Grissom came down the hallway, a look of surprise on his face. He glanced at his watch and swore. "Problem?" Catherine asked.

Grissom sighed, running a hand over his face. "Lacey locked herself in the bathroom and won't come out."

Catherine stepped forward and gave him a hug. "Let me see what I can do," she said and headed for the bathroom. Knocking softly on the door she called, "Lacey, honey, are you all right?" When there was no reply, Catherine sighed and got down on her knees. Pulling a bobby pin out of her carefully arranged hair, she expertly picked the lock.

Lacey looked up in shock as the door swung open. Her eyes and face were red from crying and her hair stuck out in several directions. Catherine went over to her and pulled her close. Catherine stroked her hair as the girl clung to her and cried. Tears came to Catherine's own eyes as she remembered doing the same thing with Lindsey. When Lacey had calmed down, Catherine pulled back and asked, "Was there a reason you wouldn't let your uncle or me in here?"

Lacey hung her head, embarrassed. "I can't get my hair right and I just wanted it to look nice for today. Now it just looks horrible and I can't go like this."

Catherine cut her off when it looked like she would start to cry again. "Don't worry. It can be fixed." She sat Lacey down and picked a brush up from the counter.

*********************

Half an hour later, the two women found Gil pacing in the living room. He looked up, relieved to see that Catherine had gotten Lacey out of the bathroom. "Are you all right?" he asked gently.

Lacey nodded. "Sorry, Uncle Gil." They hugged briefly before heading out to the car.

**********************

The service was a blur to Lacey. She sat between Catherine and her uncle, each one holding a hand while she tried to hold herself together.

Now that the service was over, people were milling around, talking quietly amongst each other. Lacey spotted a number of her dad's business associates that she knew only by sight. A lot of people knew her mother through her volunteer work. They had all come up to Lacey and offered their condolences. Uncle Gil stood by her the whole time, with Catherine by his side. Brass had gone to pick Lindsey up from school while the others from the lab headed to Catherine's house to get the food ready.

Lacey grimaced when she heard a familiar voice say, "Lacey, I'm so sorry for your loss."

"What are you doing here?" she asked, trying to sound pleasant. "I thought you were off at UCLA."

The tall boy standing in front of her shrugged. "It wasn't for me. Good thing, or else you wouldn't have me here to comfort you." He moved closer to give her a hug, but she quickly stepped back.

Grissom had been standing to Lacey's side as everyone came up to speak with her. He hadn't paid too close attention to who they were or what they were saying until he saw Lacey stiffen out of the corner of his eye. Turning, he saw a lanky young man leering at his niece. As Lacey stepped back, Grissom stepped forward and stuck out his hand. "I don't think we've met," he said coldly. "I'm Gil Grissom, Lacey's uncle. And you are?"

The young man ignored Grissom's cold tone and replied with a smirk, "My name's Robert Austin. My family lives next-door to Lacey's."

"It was nice to meet you," Grissom said, "but we really need to get going."

Robert nodded, turning his gaze back on Lacey. "You know the number. Don't hesitate to call if you need me." With one last appraising glance, he walked away and joined a couple, Grissom assumed were his parents. Grissom turned to ask Lacey about Robert, but found the space she had just occupied empty.

"She went to the ladies room," Catherine explained. "That guy was a creep."

"Yeah," Grissom said, practically growling, causing Catherine to smile.

"What?" he asked.

"You're just too cute sometimes," Catherine replied, grinning as she noticed a flush start to appear on his face.

Grissom didn't know how to reply to that and was almost relieved when Lacey reappeared asking if they could leave. Grissom held out an arm to each of them and escorted two of his three favorite ladies out of the building.

*******************

When the three arrived back at the house, they found a gorgeous array of food set out on the table. Lindsey immediately ran over to them, giving them each a hug in turn. She then grabbed Lacey's hand and dragged her across the room.

Catherine smiled as she watched the two of them go. "Did I tell you what Lindsey said the other day?"

"No. What did she say?" Grissom asked, turning to face her.

"Well, she's always wanted a little sister, but she told me the other day that 'Lacey is way cooler than a baby. It's like getting a big sister.'"

Grissom smiled at that. In a way Lindsey was right. The four of them did make up their own little family.