She would NEVER forgive herself for almost destroying the lab and hurting her dear Greggy. The suspension which followed created MORE money troubles... And only just today, she discovered that Sam Braun was her biological father... Top all that off with what the man she loved more than anything was facing and she was one VERY unhappy woman... She no longer cared about who her father was or what her mother had been... She was so tired of worrying about her life and her many trials and tribulations. With a few bitter tears in the Tahoe, she let it all go...Today wasn’t about her or her lousy family. It was about Gil and his surgery. She was thinking only of him and reaching his side before he was asleep and didn’t know she was there with him, for him. Nothing and no one but Gil and Lindsey mattered anymore. They were her #1 priorities, her REAL family... It was time to focus on him, make a move to show him just how much she loved him... She sped across the Strip to Desert Palm Hospital. She bolted through the door, hoping and praying that she wasn’t too late.

Adjusting her light tan jacket and black tank top as she dealt with her purse, she realized she was smiling as if she'd never stop. She flicked a white string off her black slacks as she arrived at the front desk. The nurse was helpful and directed her to room 66. She found him alone and scared, perched on the edge of the hospital bed. His head was bowed, his lips trembling. He had his hands folded in his lap and he was swinging his legs, which he had crossed at the ankles, back and forth. He wore a typical hospital gown and his sandals. She watched him for a second before making her presence known.

"Hey," she chirped from the doorway.

He turned his head quickly at the sound of her voice. Their eyes locked. There was a silent moment as he took in the fact that she was really standing there. "What are you doing here?" he asked, trying to play calm, cool and collected. His warm, ice blue eyes conveyed his pure happiness at her being there and total embarrassment at the situation.

"I just wanted to see you... and I couldn’t let you go in without wishing you... good luck," she said. He had wished her good luck with the case, she played on that...

He slid off the bed and came across the room to stand in front of her, almost touching.

"Thank you...." he began, his tenor voice full of emotion and heartfelt sincerity "...for being here..." he finished. She reached out and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. He gently wrapped his arms around her waist. She was so warm and safe and real... He couldn’t believe he was holding her... What passed between them was the single most intimate moment of his life. He knew it was the same for her. There was no denying their love now. Their "healthy relationship" had become the basis for their life without them really even knowing it... The bridge had been crossed and they stood together and watched it burn in each other’s eyes as they softly released each other from their embrace. They smiled warmly at each other, her’s full of encouragement.

He refused the wheelchair the young nurse offered, determined to appear strong and unaffected in front of her... Never show her any weakness, she heard him thinking... Then she watched him walk away down the hall. He had obviously forgotten one important thing in his emotional state: hospital gowns have no backs. She smiled lovingly at the show he was giving her. She knew had there been no surgery, she would probably be seeing much more than his bare backside and their exchange would have been much more than a warm, heartfelt, tight hug... She thought about how beautiful it would be when they finally made love... There were tears in her eyes, but this time they were tears of relief, of sheer joy...

...Knowing she was here with him, FOR him, made this effortless. He was no longer afraid. Subconsciously, he had been trying to tell her the whole time, on a number of occasions: When she had come into his office like a summer rain after closing the case she had involving feuding neighbors; the wonderful night they spent together at the movies not so long ago and countless other times... The lost conversations; the staying behind at the lab during an investigation... He knew she had figured it out and her reaction in the locker room confirmed it... All the guilt, pain and worry he felt in keeping it from her was gone and he felt free and empty... Except he was full of love for her... He hated feeling. Always had. The only feeling he liked was loving Catherine. He still felt her warm body pressed to his as they hugged each other tightly... He didn’t want to suffer through a terrible black and white movie with anyone but her. There was only one woman he wanted to see across from him at dinner or at his breakfast table... He felt there was something else besides his surgery that had her blue-green eyes misty with tears, her strong, sultry voice shaky and her beautiful face furrowed... He wondered what it could be... He was full of a million different emotions. As he lay there, waiting for sleep to overtake him, his brilliant mind began to bounce from vision to vision, thought to thought...

WHEN I WAS 9, I LEARNED SURVIVAL
TAUGHT MYSELF NOT TO CARE
I WAS MY SINGLE GOOD COMPANION
TAKING MY COMFORT THERE...

His parents came to his mind. His mother was the reason he was in the situation he was in... Otosclerosis was the only thing she had ever given him...

UP IN MY ROOM, I PLANNED MY CONQUESTS

Visions of his tiny room with a chemistry set, microscope and books and bug houses filled his head...

ON MY OWN, NEVER ASKED FOR A HELPING HAND
NO ONE WOULD UNDERSTAND
I NEVER ASKED THE PAIR WHO FOUGHT BELOW

He heard their screaming and turned the radio up to drown out their hateful words and his mothers sobs after the banging stopped...

JUST IN CASE THEY SAID "NO..."
WHEN I WAS FIVE, MY FATHER MOVED OUT
LEFT WITH A WHIMPER, NOT WITH A SHOUT

He wondered what he was like was like... He hadn’t seen or heard from him in almost 45 years... Why was he thinking about them? ... It was no use, he’d opened that long closed door...

PITY THE CHILD WHO HAS AMBITION, KNOWS WHAT HE WANTS TO DO
KNOWS THAT HE’LL NEVER FIT THE SYSTEM OTHERS EXPECT HIM TOM
PITY THE CHILD WHO KNEW HIS PARENTS
SAW THEIR FAULTS, SAW THEIR LOVE DIE BEFORE HIS EYES
PITY THE CHILD THAT WISE...
HE NEVER ASKED, "DID I CAUSE YOUR DISTRESS?"
JUST IN CASE THEY SAID "YES!"

I TOOK THE PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE
I HAD MY GAME TO PLAY
I HAD THE SKILL AND MORE THE HUNGER

It flattered him that he was still listed as LA’s youngest coroner at 22.

EASY TO GET AWAY

He felt the wind rushing around him as he speed across the wet sand of the beaches of Marina del Ray California on his bike, fleeing the house and looking for anything to investigate. The police officers he assisted as a child were his only friends. In high school, he was a loner. He never had a girlfriend and was never considered worthy of an invitation anywhere or part of any clique... He had his bugs and his books and he didn’t need them. He was beyond that, bigger than needing acceptance... Then he was off to college and gained the ability to get away completely...

PITY THE CHILD WITH NO SUCH WEAPONS
NO DEFENSE, NO ESCAPE FROM THE TIES THAT BIND

Sweet Lindsey. He knew her pain all to well... They had so much in common and he loved her as if she were truly his own... He smiled as her lovely little face appeared before him. Catherine’s eyes, only solid blue, and a head full of shoulder-blade length blonde hair. She smiled Catherine’s priceless smile... When they smiled, which was not often these days, they shamed the sun... Lindsey... She was tough, but he knew her love for her school plays and music was an escape. Catherine was the only stable person in her life and they had an unbreakable bond.

ALWAYS A STEP BEHIND...
I NEVER CALLED TO TELL HER ALL I’D DONE
I WAS ONLY HER SON!
PITY INSTEAD THE CARELESS MOTHER
WHAT SHE MISSED, WHAT SHE LOST WHEN SHE LET ME GO
AND I WONDER DOES SHE KNOW...
I WOULDN’T CALL, A CRAZY THING TO DO...
JUST IN CASE SHE SAID "WHO?"

Then Catherine’s face appeared before him. He immediately relaxed and forgot everything that wasn’t her... He closed his eyes, and sighed deeply. He didn’t realize it, but his beautiful, crooked smile had spread across his lips as he thought about her reddish- blonde hair catching the light and shimmering... Then it all went black...

... It was killing her not knowing what was going on in that operating room... She collapsed onto the couch in the waiting room and sighed deeply. She closed her eyes and leaned her head against the back of the couch... He needed her, he wanted her with him, and he loved her. That was what he was really saying by telling her... She still felt his body pressed to hers, his warm breath playing on her neck and cheek as they hugged each other tightly... If she made him happy and could be there for him, then her life was worth while. After this latest trauma in her life, she needed him and to be with him more than ever before. Even if he wasn’t going through this surgery, she would have run to him today and held onto him for dear life... He was the only person who knew about her cocaine addiction and had supported her through rehab. He loved her enough to save her life when she didn’t even love herself or want to be saved when she attempted suicide... Now, she was the only one who knew about his hearing... No one ever stood up for her the way he did. She thought about how she felt when she saw the lights of the Tahoe in her driveway that late night during the storm, after Lindsey almost died. They had talked sincerely about a lot of things when he came to see her during her 5 day suspension; he even cooked dinner for the three of them one night that week... Even after all was said and done, he believed in her and trusted her with his life and shared his secrets with only her... He needed and wanted only her to see him through this... It was time to look forward to the future... Together... She knew that he would never let her go now. And there was no way she was ever going to let him go... She must have dozed off because the next thing she knew, there was a hand on her shoulder and it was gently intent upon waking her.

"Mrs. Grissom?" the dark-haired female doctor inquired, smiling brightly.

Catherine’s mouth opened slightly to speak, but she stopped as the sound of that name etched itself into her soul. A smirk spread across her cherry red lips. "How is he?" she asked, springing from the couch.

"It went very well." Catherine sighed deeply of relief. "If only he’d come in for the surgery sooner, we’d have a more definite answer. Time will let us know ... He’s resting comfortably in his room - You are more than welcome to join him..."

That was all she had to hear. She threw a "Thanks" over her shoulder and headed down the hallway. She rounded the corner and came upon the room. The door was slightly ajar and she eased it open further. The blonde nurse who had brought the wheelchair earlier was tending his IV bottle and she watched her jot a note on the chart she held. The young woman suddenly realized she was standing in the doorway and smiled at her.

"Hi!" she said quietly, coming to stand beside her. "He’s doing really well... He may even join the world of the living soon. Have a seat, relax, and if either of you need anything, let me know," she told her.

"Thank you," Catherine managed, her voice shaky and soft, matching the nurse’s volume. "I hope he didn’t give you too much grief..." she smirked.

"Nope, he was a perfect gentleman..."

‘As he always is,’ Catherine thought to herself.

The nurse went to leave, but turned back to her. "I meant to ask you... I’ve seen you both in here many times before ... You’re cops, right?"

"Criminalists... We’re with the Crime Lab," Catherine smiled.

"Partners?" Instinctively, she knew they were more than that.

"You could say that," she answered. Her eyes gave her away as they came to rest on his sleeping form snuggled under the blankets. The nurse smiled, satisfied she hadn’t lost her ability to detect love. She slid past Catherine unnoticed and shut the door silently behind her, leaving them alone. The beep of the heart monitor and the pulsing red light on the headboard brought her back to the here and now... A gentle smile spread across her lips and she moved across the room to settle beside him on the bed. She reached out her right hand and lightly brushed his cheek and ran her hand gently through his grey-brown waves, attempting to un-tussle them. Then she began to fidget with the blankets. Next she went to adjust the pillow under his head... She caught herself... She didn’t want to wake him, so she stood and pulled the chair closer to the bedside and settled into it. She smiled lovingly as she gazed at the peaceful expression on his boyishly handsome face and watched his chest rise and fall... A half hour passed by quickly. He took a deep breath and seemed to be waking up. She stood and settled back beside him on the bed. His eyes opened and they immediately met hers.

"Sleeping Beauty awakes..." she smirked, her voice low and soft. He managed a slight smile in return as he regained full control of his senses. He licked his dry lips and tried to move a bit, but she calmed him by resting her hands gently on his chest. "It’s OK, Gil... I’m here..." she said softly. "Everything will be OK... And that’s no lie..." she said smiling.

"Have you been here the whole time?" he asked, his tenor voice gruff and faint.

"I went to the moon and back a couple times," she quipped, rolling her eyes, leaning in, her face close to his. There was a moment of silence. "Where else would I be?" He smiled gently at her words and they once again fell into a comfortable silence. Then she watched his sleepy eyes cloud with the fear of a sudden thought.

"What if it doesn’t work?"

She wrinkled her beautiful face, dismissing that thought with a tisk. "It worked.... Good luck, remember?" she said, echoing their earlier exchange. Then she sighed and shrugged. "*IF* it doesn’t work, then it doesn’t work and we’ll deal with it." They gazed into each others eyes for a few moments and exchanged soft smiles... It was true. Everything would be OK.

"There’s so much I need to say to you, so much I want to tell you..." he said after a moment, reaching his hand up to her face.

She caught his hand in hers and pressed it to her cheek. She watched him swallow tentatively and wince in pain. Her brow furrowed in concern, but he waved it off. She realized he’d willingly let his guard completely down. "There’s a lot I need and want to say to you, too, but we can talk when you’re feeling better..." she said gently.

She managed to convince him to go back to sleep, that the more he cooperated and rested, the sooner they would let him out.

As she watched him sleep, she wanted to crawl into the bed beside him, snuggle up against his warm, strong body and sleep safe and sound for days. She hadn’t really slept in what seemed like years and she knew she would sleep well in his arms... She felt as if she were dreaming. Could this REALLY be happening? Why had it taken all these terrible events to make them give in, gain the strength to admit they loved each other? Why had they been so afraid? She sighed deeply as she felt the tears well up again. No, she wouldn’t go there, no moretears... He was so beautiful. She smiled and gently reached out to brush her hand across his cheek... He was the only good thing to have ever happened to her- well, he and Lindsey. She had been born to be with him- he was the reason she was still alive and wanted to live... She removed her hand from his cheek and took his hand in hers... She wasn’t good enough for him, but he obviously thought she was, and that was more than enough. How could such a good, kind, honest, noble man love her? And on the same lines, she had always believed that God hated her. She now knew that wasn’t true. He had given him to her... The world was a very different place now, for both of them...

... Try as he might, there was no denying or ignoring the havoc the surgery played on his equilibrium. It was hard for him to gain his balance and fight off the feelings of dizziness. The doctor wanted to watch him and see that he could walk properly before she released him. He wrapped his arm around Catherine’s shoulders and she wrapped hers around his waist, pressing their hips together. He was able to walk on his own, however. It had been orthoscopic surgery, so there were no incisions to monitor. The doctor warned them to watch for any kind of drainage and that the dizzy spells would ease and disappear all together in a day or two. She urged them to call and report in. She wished them well.

6 hours after it began, it was over. They were making their way across the parking lot in the late evening air. They climbed into the Tahoe and headed home... to Catherine’s. He protested and grumbled, but she prevailed, winning him over with the argument that it would cause the least amount of stress to have HIM come THERE and that Lindsey would LOVE to see him. She would settle him in, leave him in her capable hands, then run to the lab and his place to get a few things for him.

When she pulled into the driveway, Lindsey sprang through the screen door and bounded down the three steps into the yard. Catherine and Gil exchanged smiles as they undid their seatbelts and climbed down from the large SUV.

"MOMMMMMYYYY!" Lindsey squealed. She easily hoisted her daughter up and swung her around. They squeezed each other close and Lindsey kissed her mothers cheeks. Then she pushed away a bit, and they smiled at each other.

"Hey, Linds!" She watched her daughters eyes widen and a loving smile spread across her face.

"GIL!!" she squealed. The 9 year old blonde wiggled free of her mothers embrace and rushed towards him.

"Linds, be careful, honey! ... Gil..." she called out as she whirled around to watch the scene that had played out a million times. She was powerless to stop her at this point. She cringed as she waited for the probable outcome of their ritual this time. Lindsey slammed against him and threw her arms around his legs. Miraculously, he was able to keep his balance, although very precariously. Catherine heaved a sigh of relief and smiled as she watched the two people she loved most together.

"Hey, Butterfly!" he said after a moment, hoisting her up into his arms and snuggling her close. "How are you tonight?" he asked.

"GREAT now that you and mommy are here," she said as if the answer were obvious.

"Hello there!" Mrs. Goodwin called form the porch.

"Hi, Norma!" Catherine smiled, turning to look up at her friend and Lindsey’s longtime nanny. She had a strangely excited look in her eyes and she realized it was the first time she had actually seen Gil. Phone conversations to relay messages was the extent of their relationship. "Was she good for you?"

"Oh, yes, always... We had a wonderful time, but it looks like she’s got an even better evening ahead of her," she smiled and nodded. Catherine turned and they both watched Lindsey and Gil together. Catherine started up the stairs. She came to stand beside the older woman. "He’s gorgeous... If you don’t mind me saying... Even if you DO..." she began to snicker. The women exchanged smiles, Catherine’s a bit shy and embarrassed. "She’s smitten."

"Oh, yes..." Catherine sighed. That brought a smirk to her lips and a glow to her eyes.

"So is someone else," the older woman said, casting a glance to the lovely younger woman she held in such high regard.

What could be said? She knew it was plainly obvious. She *always* knew it was plainly obvious...

... Lindsey sensed something was wrong and hugged him closely. "You seem slow tonight, are you OK? You sick?" she asked, honestly concerned and worried. Her big blue eyes mirrored her sudden change in mood.

"No, honey... I... had some surgery today. On my ears. But I’ll be fine," he assured her with one of his smiles. Why hide it? The young girl was intuitive and observant, just like her mother, and she was old enough to handle it. Besides, he didn’t want to lie to her.

"Surgery?" she gasped. "On your ears?" she began to look closely at each of his ears, but didn’t use her hands for fear she’d hurt him. "I don’t see any scars or cuts..."

"They used a laser so that they didn’t have to use a knife. Pretty neat, huh?"

"Yeah... But... A laser? That’s like a spaceman’s toy, " she said a bit confused.

"I will tell you more later, OK? Let’s go join your mother and Mrs. Goodwin, shall we?"

"OK," she chirped, tossing her head to the side, looking an awful lot like her mother. He couldn’t help but smile. She wiggled and he let her down. She darted up the stairs, said good bye to her nanny with a hug and flew down the hall and through the door to her room.

He followed, his eyes locked with Catherine’s as he ascended the stairs to stand beside her. "Hello, Mrs. Goodwin. It’s good to meet you face to face," he said, turning and extending his hand to her.

"Thank you ... Likewise," she said as she accepted his offered hand, smiling. "Well, I’ll get out of your hair," she teased.

In a few minutes, Mrs. Goodwin pulled away in her silver Honda with a wave. The two CSI’s turned and went into the small home. The living room was immaculate with white walls and carpet, an ivory white love-seat with a blue plaid throw and two plain gold-tone lamps a top two small simple oak tables stacked with fashion magazines and pictures of friends made up the much loved room. White curtains hung around one long, thin window. Lindsey reappeared from her room down the short, narrow hall as if on cue with her arms full of Harry Potter things, including the new book, "THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX."

"Look!" she cried. She flopped onto the couch, placing her treasures in her lap. She motioned for Gil and he took the hint, settling next to her with a smile, ready to learn about what had his Lindsey so excited.

Catherine fought back the tears as she watched the two people she loved most together. "I need to go out for a few minutes... You two gonna be OK?"

"Sure. We can talk about Harry... I’ll read to him!" she beamed.

"You have my cell phone number, of course, and you know where everything is... Linds know’s what to do if..." she broke off.

"We’ll be fine, Cath," he assured her, sensing her worry. "I’m fine... Really," he smiled, his eyes reflecting the love he had for her.

She sighed deeply and passed her loving gaze from him to Lindsey. "You keep the energy level down a notch for now, OK, baby? He needs to rest and stay quiet... And it’s almost bedtime."

"Oh, mommy," she whined, rolling her eyes. "But Gil’s here... and school’s out for the summer... Can I stay up till you get back... Please?" she asked.

"OK... But if Gil says it’s bedtime, it’s bedtime... Deal?"

"Deal," the girl agreed, hopping up and throwing her arms around her beloved mother’s slender waist. "Thanks!"

"You’re welcome," she smiled, embracing her daughter tightly. She pulled away and looked down at Lindsey who looked up at her. "I love you," she said.

"I love you, too," her daughter returned.

Gil smiled and stood up, perhaps a bit to quickly. Catherine noticed his reaction and was gripped with fear, but she managed to remained calm. "Sit down before you fall down," she smirked, her eyes shining with love. He slowly obeyed, returning the smirk, his face flushed with embarrassment. She watched him intently for a second. Satisfied that he was going to be OK, she sighed and lifted her small black leather purse into her hand. "Oh, by the way," she began. "Before I get to the lab... They’ll all have questions... Do you want me to...?" she broke off, allowing him a second to answer.

"No," he said with gentle conviction. "You and only you know, that’s the way it should be, the way I want it," he smiled. "Well... Albert knows, I had him give me a second opinion..."

She swelled with pride. She would guard his secret as closely as he guarded hers.

"I’ll see you Muggles later," she said with a wink as she softly closed the door behind her. Lindsey giggled, hiding her face in her hands. He had the feeling he’d been insulted.

"What’s a Muggle?" Gil asked. Lindsey turned and hurried to settle beside him, pressing close.

"That’s a person without magical powers... Like you, mommy and me..."

"Oh, I don’t know... You and your mother both have the power to make me smile," he said. Lindsey giggled. They smiled at each other and leaned back on the couch. They sat in silent admiration of each other for a few moments, happy just to be together. "So..." he began, "Who is this young man that has stolen your heart?" he asked, as any father would his beloved daughter when she spoke of a potential suitor. He picked up the thick novel and glanced at the cover. The boy was handsome enough with his jet black hair, blue eyes shining behind black, perfect circle framed glasses and a happy smile.

"He’s a wizard... He lives in England... That’s far away, across the ocean... He has a white owl named Hedwig... And friends... Her... Hemi... Oh, her name is hard to say sometimes... Ron is funny, he has reddish hair like mommy... His wand is broken, so he makes bad spells..." she explained, her affection obvious.

"Sounds like fun," he mused. He glanced though the first few pages, noting the wonderful writing style... He could have devoured the entire novel then and there, but he put it down. He turned to her and immediately noticed her eyes were misty. This was not the excited, vibrant young lady he sat down with. Her mind was no longer on Harry and his adventures. She was concentrating on him, staring at him straight in the eyes. She swallowed hard, holding back as best she could. She had something she wanted to say and it was of major importance.

"Gil..." she tried. She laid her tiny hands on his forearm. Her pink lips began to quiver. Her facade finally crumbled and she began to cry. He instinctively reached over and eased her into his lap and was almost in tears himself by the time she laid her head on his chest. He wrapped his arms around her.

"What’s wrong, Linds?" he asked, shocked and bewildered at her sudden show of emotion. The night had just taken a dramatic turn and he prayed he had the strength to do the right thing, say the right words.

"I... don’t want to cry ... in front of mommy... I haven’t ever cried about it front of her... It would make her sad and I don’t want to make her sad ... She cried SOOOO hard.... But I didn’t, I was a big girl ... She... cried for me, she was scared for me ... She said so... She said there were other things she was crying about, too... She said I would understand better when I was older... I laid with her on her bed, I stoked her hair and said ‘It’s OK, mommy’- like she does for me when I’m upset... That was the night you came over real late...’member?" she managed, looking up at him. He nodded. She laid her head back on his chest. "I... have bad dreams... about that night... I was so scared...." she sobbed, letting out months of guilt, hurt and worry. Her tiny, thin body shook against his. "But you should have seen mommy... She was so strong and brave... She fought for me... She saved me... She wasn’t gonna let me... die... I was scared for her when she went under the water, I... told her not to do it... But she did anyway... She held her breath and went under the water... She broke the window with that club... She pulled me out and held me tight..." she said, her voice trembling. After a few moments of silence, she lifted her head from his chest once again and her eyes met his. He tried to blink away the tears, but once again, she was too quick. "Don’t cry," she said gently, reaching up and wiping his cheek. "We’re OK ... He can’t hurt her anymore," she offered, as if to give him peace and remind herself that he was gone, she didn’t need to be afraid for herself or her mother. "He hurt her bad... I know he was mean to her... All the time... That’s why we would go to your house. You and mommy would talk and you would help her after he hurt her... I would sleep in your bed..." she broke off. "She’s so good.... Why did he hurt her? Why did he hate her?" she asked, again letting her head fall to his chest, sobbing violently.

It broke his heart. He wished he had answers for those questions. "I don’t know..." was all he could manage, his tenor voice barely above a whisper and shaky with emotion.

"You always protect us and love us... You would never leave me alone in a car in the water in a bad storm like they did... You would save me and be brave like mommy was... "

"Yes I would," he assured her, squeezing her close, not knowing what else to say, letting her make the next move. She continued on with observations and wisdom beyond her years.

"If he didn’t hate her, why did he always hurt her and make her cry? ... I heard him at night, yelling at her... The night we left for good, he was REALLLLY mad at her... He found out you had a key to our house... He hated her because she loves you and because you love her, didn’t he? He was jealous... He hated you, too... He hated you because you love us... "

She was so young then. How she remembered that from all those years ago and at that age was beyond his comprehension. Of course he kept showing up and ruining things, trying to control her still... He saw Eddie slam Catherine against the wall and felt himself yank him off her once again. "I always knew you two had a thing," he’d hissed at them. "If you come near them again and she hasn’t said it’s OK, there will be trouble... I don’t want trouble," he told Eddie. "Is that a threat?" Eddie sneered. "You tell me," he returned... He was afraid of the pure hatred he had for the ‘man’ who could have killed the two people he loved the most. He was glad he had been killed and he hated himself for feeling that way. He couldn’t help it. He decided to change the tone immediately to relax her. "I always have that key with me, ever since your mother gave it to me," he smiled. "I’m glad to have it," he added. "It makes me very happy that you felt you could talk to me about all that... Do you feel better?"

"Oh yes!" she squealed. She smiled at him and drew in a deep, ragged breath, then exhaled. There was a comfortable silence. She seemed to understand what he was doing and took it one step further. "Mommy says you were there when I was born..."

He smiled and nodded. "Yes, I was... I held you when you were only an hour old," he said, feeling himself returning to normal. "I was the first person after your mother to hold you, in fact," he said proudly. She seemed to like that and smiled brightly as she wiped her cheeks. He reached out his right hand and gently brushed a lock of her hair from her eyes. She grabbed his hand and kept it clutched tightly in both of hers as if it was her lifeline.

"That’s neat!" she said. "Were you scared? Mommy says you were," she teased, her light once again shining in her eyes.

"I... Actually, yes, a bit... I had never held a baby as young as you were... But I was happy," he said. He had to pause. "You were beautiful... Just like your mother," he smiled, the memory vivid.

"But you’re a doctor, hadn’t you seen children before?" she reasoned.

He chuckled, she was just too smart. "I’m a surgeon and a coroner... There’s a BIG difference in what those doctors do and what a surgeon does," he explained.

"Oh," she chirped, just like her mother would have. She paused, another mood change, a thought she needed to share. "You’re my real daddy... I love you more than him..."

That made his heart soar. "Thank you... I love you..." he managed, pulling her close. No one had ever said those words to him and in turn, he hadn’t ever said them to anyone ... It felt good... But there was another person he would say them to tonight and he couldn’t wait... They held their hug a long time. "Now," he began, pulling away and looking down at her. "Tell me more about this Mr. Potter," he said, smiling. Lindsey smiled back.

"Only if you tell me more about your ear surgery," she said. "What happened?"

He flushed out of embarassment. He cleared his throat. She deserved to know and after her confession, he owed it to her. "Well, I have a problem with my hearing. My mother had it and she passed it to me. I had to have the doctors help me so I can still hear you talk to me," he smiled., pushing his finger gently on her nose. She giggled.

"Your mommy can’t hear?"

"No, she can’t..." he said. "She was OK, it never bothered her. I like knowing how to speak with my hands... That’s how we talked to each other."

"Talked? You mean you don’t talk anymore?"

He smiled sadly, letting his chin fall to his chest. "No... I’m not lucky enough to have a wonderful mother like you do..."

"That makes you sad, doesn’t it?" she asked.

"It did... For a while..." he said softly, raising his head. "But then I got the job at the lab, met your mother who had you... I forget what it feels like to be lonely," he smiled. She smiled. They paused again, letting all they had talked about sink in.

"Will you not be able to hear one day?" she asked out of the blue.

"Hopefully the surgery will keep that from happening..." he said cryptically.

"It will ... Good Luck," she said as if she knew the words he and Catherine had exchanged earlier.

He now had enough good luck to last him the rest of his life... He refused to get emotional again. He had let himself feel more and had gone through more mood swings today than he had in the last few years combined. It was time to feel what’s real and accept that he deserved it. He was no longer afraid and when she returned, he would tell her everything he had longed to tell her... For now, he held Lindsey tightly and listened to her tell about the time Harry had to deal with spiders that were "WAYYY bigger than Jack..."

She recounted a few more tales and then they decided to check out the Discovery Channel. In half an hour, he felt her relaxing completely against him, her head jerking up each time it slowly began to lull to his chest. She eventually gave in.

Goodnight, my angel, time to close your eyes
And save these questions for another day
I think I know what you've been asking me
I think you know what I've been trying to say

Not wanting to startle or upset her, he remained quiet and turned the volume down on the TV. He looked down at her. Her eyes were hidden behind her eyelids, a faint smile was on her lips. He snuggled her closer against him.

I promised I would never leave you
And you should always know
Wherever you may go, no matter where you are
I never will be far away

He began to gently rock her, totally engrossed in and loving feeling like a father.

Goodnight, my angel, Now it's time to sleep
And still so many things I want to say
Remember all the songs you sang for me, when we went sailing on an emerald bay
And like a boat out on the ocean, I'm rocking you to sleep
The water's dark and deep inside this ancient heart
You'll always be a part of me

Soon she was in a deep, peaceful sleep.

Goodnight, my angel, Now it's time to dream
And dream how wonderful your life will be
Someday your child may cry and if you sing this lullaby
Then in your heart there will always be a part of me
Someday we'll all be gone, but lullabies go on and on...

They never die
That's how you and I will be...

... Across the Strip, Catherine swung the Tahoe into his parking spot and hopped down. She had already stopped at his place and gotten a few things for him. Now it was time to take care of business. Her boots clicked along happily as she swung open the heavy glass door and entered the brightly lite, clinical looking building. The place seemed different somehow... It would never be the same... It had changed drastically for everyone after the explosion, but now it was even more altered. She ached to make this quick and hurry home to her daughter and the love of her life. Her goal was to avoid seeing anyone, eliminating the potential for being detained AND awkward conversations at the same time. She settled into the chair behind his desk. The two folders he said needed to be filed were sitting there and she took care of those first. She glanced over her shoulder and watched Jack, the large tarantula, for a moment as he sat in the corner of his glass home. The memory of the day he introduced her to Jack played as vividly as a movie in her mind... She smiled, sighed deeply and forced herself to get back on task. She soon became so involved in finishing that she didn’t notice a figure silently watching her from the doorway.

"I’m tellin’." The male voice, thick with Texas drawl, startled her and she whipped her head up. With his crew cut brown hair, shiny blue eyes and strong, sculpted features and body, 32 year old Nick Stokes looked more like a GQ cover model than a highly skilled CSI. He wore a plain black tee shirt and dark blue jeans. His picture ID badge was clipped to his left front pocket. He wore his black boots.

"Hey," she cooed, her ‘for Nicky only’ smile appearing. If she was to have been ‘caught,’ at least it was by him. "You putting in some OT tonight? Shift doesn’t start for another 2 hours..."

"Yeah... Paperwork’s a bitch and the boss is a slavedriver," he said, his handsome face lighting up with his bigger than Texas itself grin. She smirked, knowing he was joking. Gil was a fair and friendly supervisor with an open door policy. He always did right by his team. They all trusted him with their life. His mood changed. "We missed you two at Lockwoods funeral," he said sadly. She bowed her head. It was obvious to him that she felt bad about that, but would say nothing on the subject. "Where have you been all day? Where’s Gris?" he asked, genuinely concerned and curious. He moved into the room, coming to stand behind the two chairs that were arranged opposite her.

She raised her head. "I could tell you, but I’d have to kill you," she teased, her eyes dancing.

He threw his arms up in defeat and crossed them on his muscular chest. He knew her well enough to know that was that, he would get nothing from her. He sensed... no, he KNEW something was up. Warrick owed he and Greg BIG bucks if that was the case. He wanted to say something... but he didn’t know what to say. So he simply sighed. Her eyes were full of happiness and she wore a smile that shamed the sun. She stood up and whirled around to put the last of their work away. Then she locked the desk, grabbed her purse and shooed a giggling Nick backwards and through the doorway as she crossed the room. She flipped the light switch, pulled the door shut behind her and locked it.

"See ya, cowboy," she winked.

He watched his friend float down the hall and out of sight. That was certainly NOT the Catherine he had been seeing the past month or so. And what about the bossman? What was with his mysterious disappearance? He mused that if he was meant to know, he’d know. He told himself it was really none of his business. Whatever it was, it had them together and that made him VERY happy... He smiled as he eventually turned to make his way down the hallway in the opposite direction...

...His heart skipped a few beats when he saw the Tahoe’s lights appear down the block. This was it.

As she pulled into the driveway, she immediately noticed him sitting on the small porch swing, enjoying the lovely late evening night air. Their eyes met and they began to shine. She quickly climbed down from the large SUV and gathered the black leather duffle bag that held his things, her purse and the brown paper bag of groceries she had picked up. She kicked the door closed, hit the remote to lock it and smiled brightly at him. As she hit the second step, she realized that Lindsey was not with him.

"What did she do?" she asked playfully.

He chuckled. "She simply fell asleep. We... had quite a time," he said, his eyes changing. He didn’t see any point in keeping it from her or wasting any time.

"Oh?" She took the third and final step onto the porch. She sat the bags down and moved to settle beside him on the swing. "Is she OK?" she asked.

He took a deep breath and turned to her. Their eyes met. Hers were full of anxious concern, his sympathy and love. "Yes... Cath, this may upset you... You need to know what happened," he began. "She confided in me... She has been having nightmares about that night... She is concerned for you... It’s been bothering her for a while now," he explained. "She didn’t want you to worry..." He watched as her eyes began to cloud with tears. That was the last straw for her, the dam burst. She began to cry. Another violent mood swing on a very emotional day. He didn’t want it to go this fast, happen like this, but it had. He reached out to take her in his arms, but to his sad surprise, she turned away. She buried her face in her hands. He gave her a moment and then gently pulled her close and turned her to face him. She didn’t fight him and fell into his embrace, letting her head fall against his chest. Sobbing freely in his arms gave her strength... Strength to face herself.

"I’m a horrible person," she hissed. "I’m so busy and preoccupied that I can’t see my own daughter is hurting and take time to comfort her... I blew up the lab... I almost killed Greg and Sara... And I’m a junkie whore on top of all that... I’m quite a woman, aren’t I? ... I should be happy ... I’m up for Playmate AND Mother of the Year..." she laughed darkly.

"Catherine..." he said softly. "Don’t EVER let me hear you speak that way again... You are not a ‘junkie whore’ and I won’t have you believing that you’re a ‘horrible’ person for one more second..." He said those words with such heartfelt emotion and gentle authority, it made her breath catch in her throat.

THROUGH THE DARKNESS
I CAN SEE YOUR LIGHT
AND YOU WILL ALWAYS SHINE
AND I CAN FEEL YOUR HEART IN MINE

"The Catherine I know is loyal, resilient, kind, intuitive and the smartest person I have ever met... She also happens to be the most physically beautiful woman God ever created," he continued.

YOUR FACE I'VE MEMORIZED
I IDOLIZE JUST YOU
I LOOK UP TO EVERYTHING YOU ARE
IN MY EYES YOU DO NO WRONG

"She is human, so yes- she makes mistakes... We all do... But she is brave enough to recognize them, admit to them, and do everything she can to make them right... She risked her life for her daughter who loves her... She is the best CSI I have ever worked with... She is my best friend... She is the person I admire most in the world... I love her very much." he finished. There was silence as the sound of those last words echoed through them both.

I'VE LOVED YOU FOR SO LONG

"You’re the one who just had surgery for hearing, but I think I may need it, too... I thought I heard you say something about ... love..." she said, her voice teasing. It pleased him that one word from his trembling lips caused her to cease her tears and smile again.

"I did," he said, his crooked, loving grin spreading across his face. "You are the only woman I have ever loved and wanted... It’s always been you and only you... I have loved you for 15 years, 9 months, 3 weeks, 4 days, 6 hours, 10 minutes and ..." he paused to glance at his watch "... 32 seconds," he said proudly. Her eyes were shining like two of the stars that hung above them in the ink black sky. They were full of love and disbelief. She then looked at him as if he needed a straight jacket. He shrugged nonchalantly. "You asked me earlier today how long we’ve known each other." He paused. "I don’t remember what life was like before you... I don’t want to know what life would be like without you... I wouldn’t want to live without you.... I couldn’t live without you..."

AND AFTER ALL IS SAID AND DONE,
YOU'RE STILL YOU... AFTER ALL... YOU'RE STILL YOU

"I love you, Gil..." she breathed. "More than humanly possible... You are the love of my life... I would be dead if it weren’t for you... You are my best friend, the best thing that has ever happened to me... I... wish that I could put what I feel into words... I should just say I love you and thank you."

"You don’t have to thank me, Cath," he said with a shy smile. "Thank me for what?"

"Oh, all the little things you’ve done for me... You know, saving my life- literally and figuratively... Standing up for me like you were an army of 10 million people... Believing in me no matter how badly I screw things up," she answered, taking his face in her hands. "I couldn’t live without you... I wouldn’t want to live without you... Master," she added, an all knowing grin spreading across her lovely lips. He smiled back, remembering their exchange as they knelt beside each other in a sand box, looking at their latest victim. "Gruesome Grissom... Gris... Boss... Spiderman... Bugman..." she continued. She paused. "But Gil is my favorite,"she concluded with a glorious smile.

Out of necessity, she caressed his cheeks as she moved her hands to entwine her fingers in his soft hair. She drew his face close to hers. They put their foreheads together. His heart began to race. She felt him trembling against her. He wanted this, he wanted her, but being physically intimate was very new for him. And this was his Catherine... She knew that and understood. She pressed her lips to his, tenderly making the first move. He relaxed immediately and wrapped his arms around her. Their kiss shamed every kiss that came before it and no kiss after it would compare. It seemed as if they had said ‘I love you’ to each other a million times, kissed like this for thousands of years. They pulled away and gazed into each others eyes for a few minutes, loving the feeling of holding each other, wanting to let this moment envelope them. It would never come again. They smiled and relished the thought of all the tomorrows they’d be sharing.

"Sam Braun is my father," she blurted out, surprising herself and causing him to gasp. Like he did with Lindsey, she felt no desire to keep it from him nor did she want to wait to talk about it.

"What?" he asked, his brow furrowing, the words themselves startling him more than their suddenness... So that was the other order of business that had her upset.

"Yup," she sighed, clicking her tongue. An odd, unidentifiable smile followed. "I found out today, just before I came to the hospital... I had Greg run a DNA test... We have 7 alleles in common... He’s my biological father... Guess I should be surprised, but I’m not... Only you and Greg know, let’s have another secret between us, OK?" He nodded in astonishment... "He killed the waitress... Vivian... He’s going to jail for murder... He caught her cheating with Benny... Course HE was more than likely cheating on HER," she sighed.

He knew how she felt, not knowing or really having a family. They were each other’s family. He tightened his embrace. Yet another heartbreak she had to face. And all so close together.

YOU WALK PAST ME
I CAN FEEL YOUR PAIN

"I don’t even know who I am..." she said sadly.

TIME CHANGES EVERYTHING
ONE TRUTH ALWAYS STAYS THE SAME
YOU'RE STILL YOU... AFTER ALL... YOU'RE STILL YOU

"I do," he said, pride filling his heart and soul. "You’re my Catherine, the bravest, most beautiful, intelligent woman in the world... I’m honored to know you and have you in my life ... It doesn’t change who you are... You’re still you... You’re strong and... well, you’ve faced a thousand not-so-great things in your life... If everything you’ve been through until now hasn’t changed you, nothing will," he assured her.

I LOOK UP TO EVERYTHING YOU ARE
IN MY EYES YOU DO NO WRONG
AND I BELIEVE IN YOU ALTHOUGH YOU NEVER ASKED ME TO
I WILL REMEMBER YOU AND WHAT LIFE PUT YOU THROUGH
AND IN THIS CRUEL AND LONELY WORLD, I'VE FOUND ONE LOVE
YOU'RE STILL YOU... AFTER ALL... YOU'RE STILL YOU ...

She could only smile, amazed at the truth those words held. He smiled back and sighed.

"I’m hungry," he said, braking the comfortable silence that had settled between them for a few moments. He hadn’t eaten since very early that morning. She lifted her head from his chest. Their eyes met.

"I bet you are," she giggled. "What would you like to eat?" she asked, standing. He accepted her offered hands and kept them in his after he was on his feet.

"Food," he said, deadpan. He smiled, loving the sound of her laugh ringing in his like new ears.

"I’m not 100% sure of what’s in there, but I’ll be happy to fix you something," she said.

"Oh no," he huffed, squeezing her hands. "Nothing you cook turns out edible and I‘m hungry," he teased. She admitted defeat, bowing her head in mock shame.

"You’re the cook in this couple, I know, but not tonight... Let me take care of you like you take care of me... Please?" she said, squeezing his hands back. He smiled and silently agreed. "How about Italian from that take out place by Harrah’s?" she suggested.

"Sounds good," he smiled.

She smiled and reluctantly let go of his hands. They moved to go inside. He lifted his duffle bag to his shoulder. She allowed him that, but when he went to pick up the groceries, she jumped in. "No way, pal," she said, her voice a little sterner than she meant it to be. He stopped and smirked, knowing she was only looking out for him. She hoisted the bag to her hip and pulled open the door. She motioned him in and locked the door behind them.

He went to freshen up. She called the restaurant and went to watch Lindsey sleep for a few minutes. She was counting cash to pay for their feast when he re-emerged from the shower. She smiled at the sight of him in his navy blue, button up pajama’s and sandals.

"Feel better?" she asked.

"Like a new man..." he answered. Those words held many different meanings for him. They smiled at each other and then Gil nodded to the window. "Dinner’s here."

She handed the man the money plus a generous tip with a smile and a cheery, "Looks GREAT!"

She re-locked the door. She turned to find him gathering silverware from the drawer in the kitchen. It was as if it had been this way their whole life; certainly felt like it. Natural and perfect.

"I didn’t realize how hungry I was until I got a whiff of this," she said as she came to the table. He chuckled lovingly.

"Ah, the nose knows," he said, imitating Sherlock Holmes to the best of his ability. It was her turn to giggle.

They settled at the table and began to eat. It was pretty decent for take out they decided out loud. Even though they had shared countless meals of all sorts, this one was very special. Comfortable silence as they munched away. It was Catherine who spoke.

"We were missed at Lockwoods funeral," she said sadly. "I saw Nick briefly..."

He bowed his head, much like she had. "We should go see Amanda tomorrow," he said thoughtfully. She nodded vigorously as she slurped in a spaghetti noddle, the marinara sauce dripping. He smirked at the scene and peered at her over his glasses, the way that made her knees weak. She snickered as she wiped her chin, then immediately sobered.

"Good idea," she smiled. He returned the smile and she returned to her canoli. He watched her attack the pastry with zeal, his eyes glowing with love.

"Catherine?" he asked after a moment. She looked up, their eyes immediately met. She silently waited for him to continue. "I’m sorry your life has been so hard.... If I had just one wish, I would wish that I could erase it all for you and Lindsey... I promise you that from here on out, things will be different. I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life showing you how much."

She smiled warmly and reached out to take his hand. "I love you, Gil..." she returned, lifting his hand to her lips and placing a soft kiss on it just behind his knuckles. "And I’m sure you will spare no expense showering me with your affection," she smiled. "BUT," she said, holding up the index finger of her left hand, "you know me, I do NOT want to be smothered. I don’t need or want flowers, I can open my own door, pull out my own chair... Jewelry is good, though," she beamed. He smiled. "I want YOU, I love YOU... Don’t go changing, OK?... I just want you beside me... I need you, your love, nothing more... I understand about cases and the long hours... I don’t care because, let’s face it, I’ll do it too!" she giggled. "We’ve been together 15 years already, I think we’re more than ready for this... And hey... Do you realize that we have NEVER had a true fight? I mean, really... Honestly... Think about it. Not once have we raised our voices, stormed out of the room on each other, yelled.... The occasional ‘I’m right, you’re wrong’ kinda thing... A few intense discussions because we see lots of things differently... You’ve kept some VERY important things from me," she teased, her eyes playing at being stern, but failing miserably and shining with love. "But you were only trying to protect me and confused and nervous about how to share them," she assured him. "I ... tried to shut you out... But, here we are... Where we belong... Together... We were meant to be..." She felt him squeeze her hand. She could see in his eyes he was thinking, as she had subtly asked him to do.

"Yeah, you’re right... But what about me not reading memos and my ‘hermetically sealed condo?’... And you were none to happy with me during the Haviland trial..." he reminded her, a lilt in his voice, mirth in his eyes.

"I had to shake you up a bit, make you see what was going on in that courtroom... I wasn’t angry. I needed your help and I had to actually ask for it that time," she explained with a shrug. "And I was teasing you about the condo... er, townhouse..." she winked. "But the not-reading-memos thing really BUGS me," she said, purposely choosing that word. She watched him smile. "You’ve gotten better at that, though," she told him.

He smiled shyly. "I try," he said, returning to his piece of bread.

"You succeed, Gil," she smiled.

They finished their meal in comfortable silence. He insisted that he clean up and urged her to go get ready for bed. She agreed on the condition that once he was done, he would go and lay down. He agreed. She disappeared into her bedroom and he heard the door to the adjoining bathroom close.

He gathered up the trash and managed to find the crossword in the paper. He silently opened Lindsey’s door and smiled. She was still peacefully asleep, no doubt dreaming of flying on the Nimbus 2000 Broom with her handsome wizard Harry. He closed the door and moved down the hallway. He couldn’t believe he was going to be in Catherine’s bed. He propped himself up against the headboard and began the crossword. As he lay there, he realized he was not the least bit tired. He was too excited and happy to be tired. Besides, he had slept the day away. But he would play along at going to bed for her sake. The crossword was extremely easy and he finished it just as she emerged from her shower wearing a large white tee shirt and a pair of purple shorts. It was exciting and comforting to find him in her bed.

"You found the crossword, I see," she smirked lovingly, rolling her eyes.

"Yes," he sighed. "Too simple."

"I’m sorry, Gil," she frowned playfully.

The air around them stood still. She slowly moved across the room and settled on the right side of the bed. She swung her legs up and pulled the white sheet up, settling herself against the headboard. Their bodies were touching. She hadn’t liked the idea of laying down or sleeping in a VERY long time and she knew the only reason she entertained the idea of doing both right now was because he was there beside her. They slowly turned to each other, comical expressions on their beautiful and glowing faces. They began to giggle for no reason. The snickers turned to full blown laughter and it felt so good. Finally, Catherine was able to speak. "Why are we laughing?"

"I have NO idea, Cath... I’m only laughing because you are," he managed. "Why are YOU laughing?"

"Because I’m SOOOOOO damn tired of crying and I’m happy for the firs t time inmy life," she said throwing her arms up into the air and kicking her legs, causing the sheet to resemble the ocean... They smiled brightly. "Thank you for being there for Linds tonight," she said, coming back down to earth.

He smiled shyly. "It was my pleasure..."

They leaned closer and gently kissed good night... It was not awkward or forced, it was natural, real...

The house became still and peaceful... He was laying there, propped up on his elbow, watching her sleep. Her body was pressed close to his. Her beautiful face was relaxed, her breathing slow and deep. She was getting much needed, proper sleep. Resisting the urge to take her in his arms and disturb her, he settled for brushing a lock of her hair from her eyes. She was the most elegant, beautiful woman in the world. The moonlight falling on her alabaster skin, the way her chest rose and fell with each breath; she was naturally exquisite... Memories long locked away suddenly broke out of their dungeon and gripped him so tightly, they frightened him...

The sight of her forehead and the massive cut and bruise that surrounded it startled him. She tried to hide it from him... He cursed himself for not having been there at the scene with her... He gently trailed his fingertips along the thin yet vivid scar. She seemed to feel his touch in her sleep and nudged his hand...

She stood so steady and bravely after having saved his life by shooting his captor... He saw her move down the stairs and come to his side as if it just happened...

Then, when that Lester man had kidnaped her... The finger... The not knowing... Finally her voice on his phone: "Thank GOD!" he’d breathed...

He couldn’t hold back any longer and pulled her into his arms. She inhaled deeply and her eyes fluttered open. She smiled sleepily, closed her eyes and snuggled against him, laying her head on his chest. An errant tear slid unnoticed down his right cheek. He smiled as felt her sigh contentedly and completely relax once again...

After a fun morning with Lindsey, visiting with Lockwoods family that afternoon, and passing another nice night, they had settled into a perfect routine. The dizzy spells were indeed shorter and less severe now. They headed back to work the next evening. Showing up together after disappearing two days ago was something they just didn’t think about. They didn’t care. It was hard to say goodbye as they approached his office.

"If you need anything, PLEASE get me," she said with a smile. He smiled back.

"I will," he nodded.

They settled behind their desks and tried to concentrate. Time flew by as they became immersed in reports and filing. No field work so far tonight.

"Hey, boss," came a young, cheerful voice from his doorway. He looked up to find 28 year old Greg Sanders. His spiky blond-brown hair was in it’s perfect coif. His blue eyes were shining and he smiled at his hero. He sported a bright yellow Billabong tee shirt, baggy dark blue jeans and a pair of red high top Converse sneakers. Over it all, he wore a baby blue lab coat.

"Hello, Greg. How are you?" he asked. There was no one like Greg and the world, especially the Lab, would be a very dull place without his young friend.

"Cool as an ice cube," he said, accentuating his words with a dip and slide into his office. "You? How was your time off?" he asked with genuine interest and even a bit if concern.

"Fine," he nodded, offering a rare smile. "What do you have there?"gesturing to his swinging arm.

Greg looked down at the manila folder his hand, playing it up as always. "Oh, this?" he scoffed. "Of no interest to you what-so-ever, I’m sure... It’s only the Davis test results... But if you REALLLLY want to waste your time..." he shrugged.

Trying to hide his amusement, Gil held out his right hand. Greg handed him the folder.