He stopped outside the door to the locker room. Despite the fact that he had been running this over and over in his head as he walked the corridors of the lab, he still felt the butterflies somersaulting in his stomach, and his breathing was becoming erratic.

`Calm down,' he told himself, staring at the door, trying to take deep breaths. `You can do this… You need to do this… You've waited long enough… Just… tell her."

He took another deep breath and stepped forwards. As he reached out to push the door it swung open.

"Gil!" Catherine exclaimed as she rushed out of the locker room and almost collided with him. "Lurking outside the locker room again?" she smirked.

"Sorry… I was just… coming to see you… You look like you're in a hurry?"

Catherine smiled, apologetically. "Yeah. Lindsey's going away with the school. I wanted to spend some time with her before she goes… Was it important?"

Grissom shook his head. "No… It can wait."

"Are you sure?"

This time he nodded. "Go spend time with your daughter… Tell her I said to have fun," he smiled.

"I will," she smiled back, her eyes sparkling as they always did. "See you tonight."

Grissom nodded again and smiled to her as she turned and walked away.

A few feet along the corridor she stopped and turned back. "Are you sure it'll wait?"

He nodded an assurance. "Go!"

She laughed slightly and smiled her appreciation, before she ran out of sight.

He watched the empty corridor for a few seconds as the smile slowly faded from his face.

Then he nodded slowly to himself. "It'll wait… What's one more day?"

THE END