Gil Grissom was distinctly uncomfortable. Clutching his son close, he realized his discomfort arose from the stares of entirely too many ladies of all ages. They were the only males present; with the exception of the flamboyantly gay hairdresser in the far-left corner, carrying on a rather lengthy conversation with his client, concerning cuticle care. Gil refrained from glancing at his own, certain he never gave thought to that particular part of his anatomy unless he injured one.

Catherine and Lindsey had insisted he and Andrew join them on this trip to the Mall. For the life of him, he couldn't remember why their presence was required. He shifted from one foot to other, formulating various means of escaping this Emporium dedicated to feminine beauty and just as quickly discarded them. He was beginning to feel claustrophobic and the need to pace was becoming overwhelming. He sat and squirmed; therefore, Andrew squirmed.

"We'll be back in an hour or so, Umm, just gonna wander around a bit." He told Catherine when it became too much, offering no excuses.

"Okay." She smirked as he quickly grabbed the diaper bag and departed.

"Whew, beauty salons aren't for us, are they?" He asked his son. He wrinkled his nose in distaste, certain he olfactory senses wouldn't return to normal for quite some time. He made a wide berth of the Crabtree and Evelyn store, feeling no need to further torture his nostrils.

"We should be home watching the ball game and drinking beer. Well, you'd have apple juice." He amended as he continued his one-sided conversation.

"Hey! Perhaps we should shop for Valentine Day's presents for our two favorite girls." He suggested when he spotted a jewelry store. He was studying combinations of necklaces, earrings and bracelets when the shop owner scurried to the end of the counter.

"Mr. Braun, how may I help you?" He effused. Grissom's head snapped up and he turned to see Sam Braun standing a few feet away.

"Oh, I don't need anything today, Peter. Just thought, I spotted a familiar face."

"Hello, Gil." Braun said, smiling slightly as he eased forward.

"Sam." Grissom acknowledged, quickly covering his surprise.

"I see my Grandson is growing like a weed." He observed; his smile widened and became more genuine as he gazed at the little boy. Andrew was overcome with shyness and buried his head in his father's neck.

"Yes, he's growing up entirely too quickly." Gil agreed, annoyed by Sam's familiarity.

"They tend to do that, don't they? Then, you discover you've lost all that time." Braun mused, then asked. "I don't suppose you'd let an Old Man hold his only grandson?" Gil wavered, for the most part; he wanted to shout "No! You may not touch my child!" but another, more sensitive side, asked "What if it were you, standing there? Asking?" It didn't seem such a far-fetched scenario.

"It's such a small request." Braun coerced.

"Alright, if he wants to, Andrew, this is Sam." Grissom introduced as Sam held out his hands. Andrew peered at Sam from the safety of his father's embrace. "It's okay." Gil gently encouraged. His son reached toward the beckoning arms and was quickly embraced.

"You look like your Daddy." Sam stated as he bounced the child in his arms, thrilled to hold him; even if, it was just for a moment.

"Well, don't expect to be invited over for dinner."

"How are Catherine and Lindsey?"

"Good, they're getting their hair done." Gil answered suspecting Sam knew that already.

"Umm, and I thought I'd only get to hold you that once." Braun whispered in the child's ear too softly for Gil to hear.

"Thank you, Gil."

"You're welcome."

"Peter, take good care of this `Gentleman.' He's sort of…….my Son- in-law." Braun tossed over his shoulder to the shop owner as he exited the store.

Gil stood his ground until Braun was well out of sight. He didn't like admitting any connection to Sam; therefore, jewelry purchases at this particular shop were now out of the question. He made a hasty retreat back to the overcoming bouquet of the Trends Beauty Salon, although he could not force himself to enter. He strolled back and forth, in front of the boutique, amusing Andrew, as his analytical mind replayed the scene and conversation.

In his Limo, Sam Braun seethed. He had to admit a certain admiration for Grissom's fortitude as an adversary; however, it always pissed him off when he didn't get his way. He was accustomed to his money buying him whatever he wanted. So far, he hadn't found a way to `buy' Gil Grissom or diminish his influence over Catherine, especially since they had married. Setting his mind to a more comfortable, controlled situation, he recalled holding Andrew when he was less than a day old. "Ten thousand dollars a minute", he reflected, the amount of the on-duty Intern's outstanding gambling debt. To him, the price was well worth the five minutes he'd spent in the nursery of Desert Palms Hospital, cradling his tiny grandson. He wanted to be a doting grandfather, enjoying both of his grandchildren. In his opinion, only one obstacle - in the form of a five-foot-eleven workaholic stood in his way.