Eli sat on the edge of the bed in his new room. His duffle was at his feet, he didn't feel much like unpacking yet. He'd arrived at The Grissom's house just a couple hours ago but everything still felt like a hazey whirlwind.

He turned his head upon hearing a soft knock on the door to see Aurora standing there.

"Hey." He spoke in a small monotone voice.

"Hi." She spoke just as softly as she walked toward him. She sat down on the edge of his bed beside him. "I thought you might like to have this." She handed him a framed photo. "I don't know why but I used to be obsessed with this photo. I would look at it every night as I fell asleep. It's uh… well… that's my mom and my dad." She began pointing to all the faces, "That's Greg, Catherine, Nick and… that's your dad."

Eli took the photo and examined it more closely.

"Have you ever seen photos of your dad?"

Eli shrugged, "A couple. My mom didn't keep much of him around this house."

Aurora nodded, "Well anyway. I just thought maybe you'd like to have it, you know, to remind you that you really are part of this family."

Eli smiled sadly and put an arm around her, giving her a side hug, "Thank you."

Sara sat up in bed, a book open against her lifted knees but she wasn't reading. She was looking straight through it.

"Eli said he's never been on a boat before." Grissom spoke, knowing well that Sara was lost in thought about the boy's situation. "Maybe I should take him out with me when I go collect the next samples for the EPA."

A small smile lifted her lips as she brought her gaze to him, "That's a good idea."

But she was still lost in thought, he could read her so well.

"What is it?" He probed.

"I'm trying to remember specifics about Warrick. About what he liked and didn't like. His interests, you know? I think we should bring as much of him into our parenting of Eli as we can."

"Hmm." Came his simple response as he thought a moment, "Like his love of college basketball."

"Exactly." She smiled a bit more now.

"I'm not sure how helpful I'll be in that…"

"Yeah. Me too." She paused a moment, "He loved gadgets and tech and chemistry too though. And betting…" She laughed, "I don't know. I want to think of ways we can bring him in more to Eli's life. Rather than just folding Eli into our ways…"

He nodded a bit, "I think that's a nice idea."

"I think I'll call Nick in the morning. Maybe he'll be able to jog my memory a bit more."

June 2026

"You made it!" Sara smiled widely as she embraced Greg who took a seat next to Nick.

"You kidding me? I wouldn't miss this for the world." Catherine waved to Greg from a few seats down. Warrick and Aurora waved his way as well, now 8 and 11.

"Where's Morgan and the kids?"

"They're in Boston. I came alone." He spoke waving back to Aurora and Warrick and giving Grissom a nod of his head.

They turned their attention to the podium as the principle began to speak, "Next, I'd like to invite our valedictorian to say a few words. But first, let me say a few words about him. This young man joined our school mid way through his sophomore year having moved from out of state following the unthinkable tragedy of losing his mother. But without skipping a step, this young man rose to the occasion in ways, frankly, I have not seen in my nearly 30 years as an educator. He has shown more strength, more resilience and more intellectual prowess and curiosity then I have seen in most grown men. I am humbled to be in his presence and feel truly honored to have been witness to his coming of age. Eli, while I never met your parents, I can say with complete certainty that they would have been incredibly proud of the young man you have become. Ladies and gentlemen, Santa Monica East High School 2026 Valedictorian, with a full ride to Stanford in the fall, Eli Brown."

The entire auditorium rose to their feet and applauded, including the 300 students he shared the stage with.

"Thank you." Eli cleared his throat as he readjusted the microphone. "Thank you, principal Goodman for your kind words. And thank you to my fellow classmates, friends and family for joining us today."

Grissom reached for Sara's hand and squeezed it softly as Eli continued.

"Today, my fellow classmates and I will take this next step in our lives. Some of us will attend college, others have chosen to list in the marines, the navy, the army, and some of us will go straight into joining the workforce. We've all worked incredibly hard to reach this milestone and whatever lies ahead for each of us, I am proud to have reached this junction with you all."

Eli shuffled his papers a bit as he refocused on his speech, "With whatever you do tomorrow, once these caps and gowns are neatly folded in storage boxes and sealed away in attics and basements, I urge you to put your best foot forward. In the wake of all hardships, challenges, and even tragedies. There is good. You just need to find the helpers. And if you do not see one, become one."

He scanned the audience and saw Aurora first, then Warrick, Grissom and Sara. He smiled instantly upon seeing their faces, attentive and listening to every word he spoke.

"I want to take a moment to thank my teachers and guidance counselors who have helped me pursue my academic passions and refocus my energy when it was warranted. I'd also like to thank my family who is here today. Gil and Sara and my adoptive siblings, Aurora and Warrick. Gil and Sara knew my father very well, something I never had the opportunity to do. They even named their son after him, Warrick. They have gone above and beyond to ensure that his values and life lessens would be instilled in me so that I can one day become the kind of man he was. They tell me he was honest, hard working and caring. And I am motivated every day to embody those traits. I am forever grateful to have you all in my life. From the bottom of my heart, thank you."

The crowd stood once more. Whistling and applauding wildly as Eli returned to his seat, receiving a few hugs and pats on the back from fellow classmates along the way.

"We're so proud of you." Sara spoke as she hugged Eli tightly once the ceremony had concluded. Eli went down the line, hugging and greeting each of his father's former co-workers. He fist bumped Warrick and high-fived Aurora. All the while glowing with a smile that spanned his whole face. His green eyes lit up brightly.

"Eli." Catherine cleared her throat of the emotion bubbling up. After all this time she still found it incredibly difficult to be in his presence. And today, more than ever, he looked just like Warrick. "We're all so proud of you and your accomplishment in obtaining a full ride to Stanford." She paused a moment, swallowing the lump that formed in her throat. "After your father died… when you were just a few months old… we—the team—got together and opened a college fund for you. Now while you no longer need the money for tuition, you will still need money for books and living expenses. We want you to focus your time on schooling and not worrying about finances. That said, the fund is in your name and it is yours to do with it as you see fit." A tear she'd been fighting back escaped her eyes, "Your dad would be so incredibly proud of you, Eli."

Eli was left speechless. Emotion flowed through him and accumulated in his eyes. Tears forming briefly before he blinked them away. "Thank you" he whispered and turned his attention to his father's other former co-workers, "Thank you."