Nick walked Aurora and Warrick into the DNA lab where Allie and Folsom were running samples.

"You must be Stokes." Folsom spoke as he extended his hand to the elder CSI. "Folsom. And this is Allie."

"Just taking these two on a tour of the lab."

"Yes, Aurora and Warrick. We met yesterday." Allie smiled at the two small children. "Actually, would you two like to see what your parents looked like a long long time ago?" She typed in their names into the alumni database just as she had for Grissom and Sara the other day, and up popped Grissom's original ID badge and photo.

"Holy cow." Nick laughed as he looked at the photo. "You know, I worked with your daddy when he looked like that."

Aurora giggled in response as she climbed up onto the chair to get a better look. Warrick tugged at Nick's pant leg to be lifted.

"What about mommy?" Aurora asked Allie. She typed in the next name and up popped Sara's ID and photo. She oogled at the photo of her mother. "She kind of looks the same. This is what they looked like when they met?"

Nick nodded, "Yep. Would you believe they thought they were old back then?" He watched as Aurora bit back a smile, just like how her mother often did. Even the mannerisms were so similar.

"But they didn't meet here." Aurora spoke through scrunched brows, "Right?"

"Well, that is true. They met in San Fransisco before."

"That's where Grandpa Dave and Grandma Susan live."

Nick nodded, "Thats right. Your mom was working with your Grandpa Dave when she met your dad."

"And then what?" Aurora asked.

"You don't know your parent's story?"

The two children shook their heads.

"Oh well it's a great one. Come," Nick placed the two children up on the table. "First, let's swab your cheeks. We'll get your DNA from your saliva and put it in this fancy machine. By the end of the story, it'll tell us who you are."

"Ahhhh!" The kids opened their mouths allowing Allie to take a swab of each. Folsom excused himself to keep running with the case, leaving just Nick and Allie in the lab.

"Okay," Nick began, taking a seat on a stool to face the children. Allie listened as the story began while she readied the DNA samples for testing. "Once upon a time there was a lonely Scientist named Gil."

"Dad was lonely?" Aurora interjected already, big puppy eyes gazing up at him.

"He was." Nick nodded, "He just didn't really know it yet. See, this lonely scientist devoted his whole life to science and to solving cases. To helping people and putting away bad guys. He was very devoted to his job and to learning and didn't see much need for other things or people really. Then, one day, his job took him to San Fransisco. He was giving a lecture there to other scientists."

"Like mommy?"

"Exactly. In fact. Your mom was sitting in the very hall waiting to hear your dad's lecture. That's the first time she saw him. What do you think your mom did during his lecture?"

Warrick gazed up at Aurora, waiting for her to answer. "Ummm…" She thought a moment, "Take a lot of notes? Mommy always likes to write things down."

Nick smiled widely, "That is exactly right." His smile grew as he watched Aurora become very pleased with herself. "She took lots and lots of notes and then, when the lecture was done, she decided she wanted to meet this other scientist. So she walked up to the front of the lecture hall and introduced herself. Your mom asked so many questions that the day turned to night. So, they decided to get dinner to continue talking, where she could ask him even more questions."

"So that's when they got together?" Aurora asked.

"Not quite. You see, your dad—the lonely scientist—lived here in Las Vegas. He was the boss here at the lab. My boss actually." He spoke through raised brows, "And your mom was working in San Fransisco with your Grandpa Dave. But the lonely scientist came back to work here and he couldn't stop thinking about the pretty scientist from San Fransisco. He thought about her so much that he kept trying to hire her here so that he could see her again. He tried for a whole year but his bosses wouldn't let him."

"Is that true?" Allie interjected, "For a year he tried to offer her a job here?"

Nick nodded, "I know." He spoke specifically to Allie, shedding his story time voice for a moment. He returned his attention back to the kids, "So after a whole year, his bosses finally let him extend a job offer to the pretty scientist. And after just a little bit of convincing, she said yes and moved here to Las Vegas."

"Oh! So that's when they got together." Aurora spoke.

"Nope!" Nick laughed, "Not yet. The pretty scientist moved here and quickly became one of the team. Actually, your mom and I were very competitive for a long time. We were both always trying to impress the lonely scientist."

"You were in love with daddy?"

"No," He let out a fully belly laugh, "But he was my mentor." He saw the confused look on the kids faces and tried again, "He was my teacher. And I really wanted him to think I was smart."

"Oh!" Aurora nodded in understanding, Warrick nodded mimicking his sister.

"Your mom and I were always trying to one up each other. See who could solve the most cases. We went against each other for promotions, for awards. Looking back now, I realize that she was just madly in love with him."

"But they weren't together?"

He shook his head, "The lonely scientist was scared. So even though the pretty scientist gave him chance after chance. He was too scared to take it."

"What was he scared of?"

"He spent his whole life alone. He didn't know how to not be alone. But one day, five years after she moved here, he realized just how short life could be. How scary it would be to not be with her, that he went to her apartment, knocked on the door, and professed his love for her."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why did he go? Thats close to my whole life. Because I'm six." She held up six fingers and then lowered just one, "And it took this many."

Nick breathed out, "Well…" He began slowly, thinking how best to word this to such young children, "It was actually because of me… Something really scary happened to me while at work and, your dad saved me. Afterward, he realized how much scarier it would be to lose someone he loved then to not love at all. So he went to her."

"What did mommy say?"

"Well, that I don't know. But I do know that for two years after that… they were dating but didn't tell anyone. It was a big big secret."

"Why's that?" Allie asked. She was well invested in the story, just as much as the kids. She found the whole thing fascinating. These criminalists were so revered in these halls, even all these years later their reputations proceeded them.

"Well… He was her boss for one. And that would make things very complicated for them. And…" He thought a moment, "I think they liked the privacy of no one knowing."

"Why just two years? Why did they end up coming clean?" Allie questioned again.

Nick thought for a while about how to respond, but was saved by the DNA machine sounded off it's results.

"Well look at that." He snatched the paper out of the printer. "See here," He spoke showing the kids the results, "It shows you have 13 alleles in common with the lonely scientist and the pretty scientist and seven in common with each other."

"That means they are our parents and we are siblings!"

"That is exactly right…" He looked at her a bit bewildered, "How did you know that."

Aurora simply shrugged, "Mom and dad teach us lots of stuff!" Warrick nodded enthusiastically in agreement. "Like, did you know that if you pulled at DNA like a thread, it would measure as long as you are tall! Not me though, it would be the length of me and me standing on my shoulders!"

"Correct. It would be about 6ft. Alright Kid's lets take this train to it's next stop. Who wants to go talk to Trace?"

Again, Warrick shot his hand high in the sky only a beat after watching his sister do so. Nick helped the two off the table and planted their feet on the ground. Just as he exited the lab with the two kids in tow, he turned around and nodded his head toward Allie.

"That Natalie Davis case. The one that was in the storage unit associated with Hodges… It's uh—take a look if you want the answer to your last question."

"Oh, uh, sure. Thanks." She smiled and watched him disappear down the hall. She found herself a bit more curious than she expected she should be and decided to sit down at the computer. She hesitated only a moment before clicking her way through to the file in question.

She began to pour over it and with each sentence she grew more and more invested in the story.

The summary of the case introduced the file:

Case Number: 180096
Date: 05-10-2007 - 20:00
TOC: Abduction
Location: E Ogden Ave, Parking Structure B
Victim(s): Sara Siddle, CSI
Lead Investigator: Gilbert Grissom
Supplemental Investigator: Catherine Willows
Additional Context: Willows handled all chain of custody and evidentiary logging after CSI Grissom and the victim's relationship was uncovered.

Scene Recap: CSI Sidle was abducted at 20:00 hours from the third floor of Parking Structure B. Evidence of taser use was found, suggesting Sidle was incapacitated when loaded into the trunk of the suspect, Natalie Davis', car. Transported in said car, Sidle had an additional physical altercation with Davis after escaping from the trunk. Drugged through liquid means, Davis carried out her abduction and placed Sidle under a second car in a remote stretch on Icebox Canyon.

Additional Context: Sidle got out from under the car, escaping on foot. Sidle was found at 15:00 hours in the northwest corridor of Icebox Canyon. Medical treatment, Appendix E. Summary, Dehydration, Sunburned, Broken Rib, Broken Wrist, Dislocated Shoulder, Stitches required for facial abrasions.

Allie clicked through the photographs from the original scene, the scene of the crashed red mustang, photos from Davis' home, her car. Then she got to the images of Sara. Bloodied and bruised and disheveled. Photos of her wounds, her hands. The gashes on her face.

There were even photos of her from when she was first found, while the EMTs were still trying to find a pulse, laying lifeless in the desert sand. Photos of her being transported to the helicopter.

Her heart dropped as she happened upon a particular set of photos. A set of photos that showed Grissom in the background as the EMT's worked to revive her. His face ghostly white, features drooping in exhaustion. The photos were clear enough that she could see the tears in his eyes. Catherine's hand on his shoulder.

Another photo showed him in the still grounded helicopter, holding her hand as the EMT's finished locking the stretcher in place.

Then, her eyes drifted up, right in the direction of Max's office where she could see the couple sitting in two chairs across from Max. She could see the way he looked at Sara, even from the distance she sat. She watched as Sara slid the metal forensic field case toward him with her leg.

And at that same moment, Folsom walked down the hallway, cutting right through her eye line. A sigh left her lips and she slouched into her chair. She watched Folsom as he walked further down the hall and disappeared into ballistics. Her eyes lingered on the space he'd just occupied for a moment longer and felt herself being confronted with the thoughts and feelings she'd been pushing away for a long time. Just as her phone rang, to see it was her boyfriend calling.

"We could use an entomological advisor. Gil, can I persuade you to come back to CSI?"

Sara looked right, catching Grissom's eyes. She began to smile as the understanding washed over him.

"There is one thing." Max spoke, shifting her attention back to Sara for a moment. This next part would be news to her, "IAB is here investigating. Nora Cross is headed up that investigation. And… she's a tough cookie."

"What does that mean?" Sara asked, her eyes darting between Max and Gill.

"It means…" Grissom interjected, "She's going to be suspicious of why we're here."

"She's been poking around your files. Either way. It would be best to steer clear of her for the time being."

"Oh good. We get to play hide and seek. Lucky Warrick has helped me up my game lately."

"Speaking of your children. I do agree with Brass that we should have a uniform close by, at least when they're not with you. I think whomever is involved in this Brass and Hodges case has a vendetta against your original team. I don't think the case files we found in the storage unit are an coincidental."

Grissom shot Sara a knowing look, having said as much to her just the other night.

"Sara, the Natalie Davis case is of particular concern to me. Where are your kids now?"

"With Nick Stokes. Somewhere down the hall."

Max nodded in understanding, "For the remainder of your stint in Vegas, we'll have Officer Remi close by."

Sara looked over at Grissom who simply nodded, confirming he too, thought it was for the best.

Meanwhile down the hall, Nick was finishing telling Aurora and Warrick—Mostly Aurora—all about what happens in the Trace lab.

"So then what happened?"

"What's that?" Nick asked as he put away some of the samples he had been showing the kids.

"With mom and dad? It was a big secret. Then it wasn't. Then what?"

"Well…" He sat down to be eye level with them again, and thought through what parts of this story Sara and Grissom would be okay with their children knowing. "Your mom left Vegas for a while. She wanted to do something else. She needed a break from the job."

"So where did they go?"

"Well, your mom went to San Fransisco for a little while to visit her mom."

"Laura."

He nodded, knowing now that Sara's mom didn't have a grandparent name which didn't much surprise him.

"And she spent some time with your Grandpa Dave and Grandma Susan."

"And uncle Harry?"

"Yep, him too. Until she decided to set sail and join a research team south of the equator. Thats uh, that really just means the bottom half of the globe." She nodded in understanding, urging him to continue, "And your dad stayed here for a while until one day, he decided he couldn't take the distance anymore. So he quit his job and met her in Costa Rica where they reunited. They spent time there doing scientific research and studying bugs."

"That's where the big beetle in the living room is from." Aurora told Warrick who was busy playing with a small car in his hand. "And then?"

"What else do you want to know?" He laughed.

"All of it! Until we come around. That part I know!" She beamed proudly.

"Okay… So after Costa Rica, they moved to Paris for a while where your dad taught at a university. And then your mom came back to Vegas to help the team."

Aurora scrunched her brows again, "So they weren't together? Again?"

"She came back because she knew we needed her. And then one day, your dad came back too, to help with a difficult case. After that, she quit her job here… again… and they set sail doing work to protect the oceans."

"That's what we do now!"

"Exactly. So, that's pretty much it."

"Huh." The gears in Aurora's mind were churning.

Just across the hall, Grissom and Sara were sifting through potential suspects based on the DNA profile Max was able to extrapolate.

"Robert Gomez. Silver fox. Nice complexion… I like him." She spoke as she pulled his headshot out of the printer.

"For what? As a suspect I hope."

"Very funny." She smiled easily, feeling his eyes on her while her's stayed on the image in her hand. "Ten matches. I think we're looking at our guy. We just don't know who he is yet…"

Her voice began to drown out toward the end of her sentence. He was haven't a hard time concentrating on what she was saying as the another dizzying spell overtook his vision. He steadied himself on the layout table as he realized he shouldn't hide this from her any longer.

"Honey…" He began as he stood up straight again and turned toward her, "Uh.. I've got a problem. I thought it would go away but…"

"The coordinate at the Marina."

"It's not my hearing… I couldn't focus on the map to trace the longitude. And it comes in waves. That's how it feels. Like I never left the boat."

"You're land sick."

"They say if it doesn't go away in a few days… sometimes it never does."

She looked at him with immense concern. The very concern he was hoping to shield her from. Her eyes softening into him.

"Well there must be something? Right? I mea—" He simply shook his head, causing her to pause. "We'll figure it out. Okay." She moved into him and wrapped him in a hug. Her right hand rubbing his back as her face buried into his shoulder. "If you need to hold onto something, hold on to me."

He softened into her embrace, letting himself feel the comfort of his wife's concern and love. Leaning his cheek against hers. Until his eyes drifted upward to see Aurora entering the layout room.

"Mommy? Why did you leave daddy here when you went to the equator."

Grissom let go of Sara allowing her to turn around to see her daughter had entered the room.

Her brows narrowed as she looked at her daughter, "Where did you hear—" Nick came in holding Warrick, pulling a slightly sorry face with him.

"We were talking about how you two met.. and then… well you know, Aurora asks a lot of questions."

"Wonder where she gets that from." Grissom jabbed toward his wife.

"So?" Aurora interjected. "Why did you leave daddy here? And then again in Paris?"

"Oh… well… honeybee it was very complicated. I was having a really hard time and we weren't sure how to be together while I was going through it."

"But… does that mean it can happen again?"

"No." Grissom interjected and scooped Aurora up into his arms, steadying himself against the light table so not to get too dizzy, "Sometimes grownups don't have all the answers. And we certainly didn't." His eyes stayed squarely on his daughter as he spoke, even though he felt Sara's eyes on him. "But when you and Warrick came along, everything began to make sense. And that may not make much sense to you right now, but one day when you're maybe this tall." He gestured with his hand, "You'll understand. Because sometimes, you can ask all the right questions and then some, but until you live it, you don't really know."

Her eyes drifted toward her mom who was nodding in agreement, "Do I ever promise you something I don't keep?" Aurora shook her head, "I promise you, that will never happen again."

Aurora flung her arms around Grissom's neck and hugged him tightly. Burying her face in the same spot Sara had just occupied moments earlier.

"Were you sad, daddy?"

"Yeah. I was very sad." He spoke honestly, "You know how much I love mom." He could feel her nod against him, "I missed her so much." Aurora's face was still nuzzled into his chest, leaving Grissom to stare at Sara while he spoke, "But now we're all together so my heart is all better."

"Sorry guys." Nick shrugged but Sara waved off his apology.

"You didn't say anything that wasn't true." Sara confirmed and took Warrick from his arms. "If you want to go prep for court, I'll take the kids for the next few hours. Griss, maybe you can work up the profile with Max or Folsom?"

He nodded, "Yeah okay." He gave his daughter a tight squeeze, running his hand over her head and down her long hair. "Nicky, any chance you can stick around for a night after your court date? Gilbert College is having their annual fundraiser and my mother just requested we attend."

"Oh?" Sara spoke having heard of this for the first time now.

He nodded, "I think these are the strings of the free babysitting we've been receiving."

"Ah." She nodded through flickering brows.

"Can I do you one better?" Nick asked and only to continue after a beat, "I need to head back to my lab in San Diego right after trail but, a certain new grandmother will be here that day."

"Catherine will be in town?"

He nodded through a warm smile, "She heard of this little reunion going on and I think she got jealous. That and she has her own appeal case to show up for." He looked up to see a woman on the other side of the hall taking in the scene unfolding in the layout room, "Who uh, who's that?" Nick asked through a very subtle head nod.

Sara's eyes drifted in the direction he was looking and then turned her attention back to Nick, "Nora Cross, IAB… we're supposed to be playing hide and seek."

"Well you're not doing a very good job." Aurora chimed in causing the three adults to laugh.