The Retreat
- Thread starter Zan1781
- Start date
Shipwrecked
Police Officer
oooo write more soon! I'm excited!! The butterfly exhibit! Yay!
quoth_the_raven
Corpse
Holy crap, how did I not see this before...?
Yeah, uh-huh, me on vacation? It was more like me being held hostage in a desolate cabin with no internet or computer access, kicking and screaming every step of the way there
Anyways, there's no reason to worry about the facts, because you got them all down
And *gasp!* I still can't believe what happened with the damn babysitter. Nick's parents seem to really care about him (Grave Danger), so why not sense that before...?
And *sniffle* Poor Nick! I'd SO kick that stupid babysitter's ass... and then hold her hostage in the desolate cabin with no computer or internet access. Mwahahaha.
Yeah, uh-huh, me on vacation? It was more like me being held hostage in a desolate cabin with no internet or computer access, kicking and screaming every step of the way there
Anyways, there's no reason to worry about the facts, because you got them all down
And *gasp!* I still can't believe what happened with the damn babysitter. Nick's parents seem to really care about him (Grave Danger), so why not sense that before...?
And *sniffle* Poor Nick! I'd SO kick that stupid babysitter's ass... and then hold her hostage in the desolate cabin with no computer or internet access. Mwahahaha.
Alright, for some reason I just noticed now that you updated. Which is really weird, cause I've been reading this story like religiously.
Haha, quoth the raven I know how you feel. Whenever I go on vacation it's in Vermont for a week, in a cabin with no electricity and no cell phone service. And plus like five thousand bugs, meaning five thousand bug bites.
Haha, quoth the raven I know how you feel. Whenever I go on vacation it's in Vermont for a week, in a cabin with no electricity and no cell phone service. And plus like five thousand bugs, meaning five thousand bug bites.
(I’m back from vacation (yea!), but as a warning, chapters will probably be written fairly slowly for awhile. My classes begin this week, so… yup! I’ll do my best, though! Happy reading! Oh, and thank you, Shipwrecked, Raven, and Hollie!)
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Disclaimer: I do not own any part of CSI or its characters. That honor goes to the good folks over at CBS.
Title: Catherine’s Goal: Lindsey
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On the path back to the campsite
“That wasn’t very nice,” Greg grumbled to his colleagues, as they trudged back up the well-worn path to their camp site. “Seriously, why is it always ‘pick-on-Greg-day?’” he asked, wrapping the towel more tightly around himself.
“Because it is oh-so-easy, bro,” Nick grinned at him, lightly punching him on the shoulder.
“But we only do it because we care,” Warrick immediately added with a slight smile.
“Uh-huh,” Greg mumbled. “So everyone comes after me during the tag game, because you care? Why didn’t you go after Grissom? He would have been ‘it’ forever!” he pointed out.
Grissom raised an eyebrow, turning around to glance at the younger man. “What are you implying, Greg?” he half joked.
“Uh, nothing?” Greg stuttered.
“That he’s older and wiser than you are, right, Greggo?” Catherine asked with a wink of her eye.
“Uh, right,” Greg agreed, running a hand through his hair. “Yeah, that’s it. That you’re older and wiser.”
Sara rolled her eyes at Greg, as they neared their campsite, while Nick chuckled.
“Whatever you say, Greg,” Grissom told him, standing in the middle of the campsite, and staring at the tents.
“Are we leaving now?” Sara cautiously asked, standing beside Grissom.
“We can’t,” Greg interjected “We still have more talking to do, don’t we?”
“Yes, we are leaving,” Grissom answered Sara’s question. “And yes, we have some more talking to do.”
Warrick squinted at Grissom, before clearing his throat. “So, when are we going to have this discussion? After we load the van?”
“Not quite,” he replied, shaking his head no.
“When we get home?” Greg persisted.
“In the van,” Catherine spoke up, heading toward her tent. “If we’re leaving now, and we still have to talk, then I’m sure that we’re going to have this highly enlightening conversation on the way home,” she sighed.
Grissom simply nodded, glancing around the fire pit at Nick, Warrick, Sara, and Greg. “The evidence never lies,” he commented, before heading toward his own tent.
“What evidence?” Greg muttered under his breath, following his supervisor into their tent in order to pack. “There was no evidence.”
“Au contraire, young Skywalker,” Nick chuckled, unzipping the flap of his own tent. “Logic can be helpful in figuring out the answers, too.”
“Uh-huh. Well the Jedi-force must be strong with you, Obi-Wan Kenobi,” Greg chuckled, disappearing into his tent.
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The drive home
“Alright, everyone,” Grissom said from the front passenger seat, as Warrick hopped into the driver’s seat. “Last year, we talked about your fears, your hopes, and your dreams, and this year, we’ve talked about what you like about yourselves. Now, I’d like to take everything one step further. What personal goal would you like to set for yourself?” he asked, turning around in his seat in order to make eye contact with Nick and Greg in the far back seat, and Catherine and Sara in the middle seat. “What would you like to accomplish over the next 365 days?”
“365 and a fourth days,” Greg immediately corrected him.
Warrick chuckled from the front seat, glancing at Greg through the rearview mirror. “Way to be specific, man,” he commented.
Greg shrugged. “We’re scientists,” he flashed Warrick a smile. “It comes with the territory.”
“Boys, can we stay on task, please?” Catherine asked, glaring at each of them. “So you want to talk about our goals, Gil?”
“I do,” he confirmed. “Would you like to go first?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.
Catherine swallowed, glancing down at her hands for a moment. “It’s ironic, you know that?” she questioned everyone.
“What is?” Nick asked, slightly confused.
“My goal,” she replied.
“What do you mean?” Greg asked, clearing his throat.
“Well, think back to last year’s retreat,” Catherine quietly ordered everyone. “My fear was that I was a bad mother, and that Lindsey would have issues. And then,” she continued. “My hopes and dreams were for my daughter to be a well-adjusted young woman.”
“Right,” Sara confirmed, nodding her head. “I remember that.”
“Well the truth of the matter is,” Catherine frowned. “She has gotten worse over the last year. She’s hanging out with an even more potentially harmful group, and our fights are getting worse as the days go by. I’m concerned about her,” she admitted. “I really am, and my goal is to get her back on track.”
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The Willows Residence, one year prior
“Whose party is it? And will his or her parents be there?” Catherine calmly asked her daughter, digging into a large plate of blueberry waffles.
“Just some kids that I know,” Lindsey nonchalantly shrugged, picking up her fork, and ignoring the rest of her mother’s question.
“Which kids, specifically?” Catherine persisted, her mother and criminalist instincts already making her suspicious of the request.
Staring across the table at her mother, Lindsey narrowed her eyes, as if preparing to dig her heels in for a fight. “Just some kids from school, Mom. What’s the big deal?”
“What’s the big deal?” Catherine slowly repeated the question, raising an eyebrow. “The big deal, Lindsey, is that I’m your mother, and I want to ensure that you remain safe. I need to know who will be at this party, whether or not there will be adults there, and where it is going to take place,” she informed her. “I’m not joking around.”
Lindsey glared at her mother, setting her fork down, and folding her arms across her chest. “It’s Toni Enright’s party, her older brother will be supervising, and it’s going to be at Greenfield Park,” she finally admitted. “Okay? Can I go to now?”
Scooping up another forkful of waffles, Catherine tried to stop the horror from registering on her face. Toni Enright? Oh, shit, oh, shit, oh, shit. Brass was telling me about her and her brother just last week! Lindsey can NOT go to that party. Toni, even though she is only sixteen, already has several charges against her relating to drug paraphernalia and dealing. And her brother? Even worse. Clearing her throat, Catherine took a deep breath, steeling herself up for the worst. “No, Lindsey,” she finally said. “I’m sorry, but you can’t go to the party.”
“Why not, Mom?” Lindsey asked, once again narrowing her eyes in anger.
Catherine bit her lip, staring at the determination in her daughter’s eyes. She knew that she couldn’t explain about the drug charges—it was told to her in confidence—but maybe she could say something else, instead. “I understand that you’re upset, Lindsey, and perhaps even a little bit confused. But you have to trust me that I love you, and that I have my reasons.”
“Yeah, that you want to make my life miserable,” Lindsey muttered under her breath. “You always do this to me!”
“What? No I don’t,” Catherine softly said. “Lindsey, I love you. But you’re only fourteen, the party will be unsafe, and I don’t want you to get hurt. I can’t let you go to Greenfield Park tonight.”
“You’re not going to ‘let me’ go?” Lindsey gruffly asked, lacing each word with the venom and contempt that only a teenager could muster up. “You’re not going to ‘let me’ go to the party?”
“No, I’m not,” Catherine confirmed, raising an eyebrow, as if daring her daughter to challenge her even further.
“You’re not the boss of me,” Lindsey matter-of-factly informed her mother. “And you can’t stop me from going, so don’t even try.”
“Excuse me?” Catherine asked, a look of anger instantly flashing into her eyes. “I’m your mother, young lady, and that makes me your boss!”
“You might be my mother, but you have no say over what I can and cannot do,” Lindsey persisted. “So I’m going to that party, whether you give me your permission or not.”
“No, Lindsey,” Catherine repeated. “You better not step foot out of this house tonight, is that understood?”
Lindsey just started laughing. “And what are you going to do about it? You’ll be working, just like you always do; you won’t even know that I’m gone.”
“Grandma will, though,” Catherine told her, starting to feel a little bit hurt. Lindsey was speaking the truth, and she knew it. At last year’s retreat, Catherine had admitted that her biggest fear was that she was being a bad mother to Lindsey, and that Lindsey was going down the wrong path, by hanging out with the wrong kids at school. Although Catherine had tried to reconnect with her daughter just after returning home, and despite the fact that things had actually started to improve a little bit, Lindsey once again started hanging out with the wrong crowd. Things were worse than ever in the Willows household, and every day was a constant struggle between the two strong-willed women.
“Grandma falls asleep at eight, Mom,” Lindsey pointed out in triumph. “Hang it up, I’m going to that party, and you’re not going to be able to do a damn thing to stop me.”
“Want to make a bet?” Catherine calmly asked, the tone of her voice not betraying how nervous she truly felt. Hold strong, because that party is going to be unsafe.
“You can’t stop me,” Lindsey repeated, this time a bit more hesitantly.
“Perhaps not,” Catherine admitted. “But if you do go out, expect to see a police car or two at Greenfield Park.”
“You wouldn’t,” Lindsey mumbled. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“Do I look like I’m lying?” Catherine asked her daughter, staring across the table at her. “Don’t call my bluff; I’m doing this for your own safety.”
Lindsey immediately stood up from the table, pushing back her chair. “I HATE YOU!” she yelled at Catherine. “I HATE YOU, AND I WISH YOU WERE DEAD!” With that, the young girl stormed out of the kitchen, and stomped up the stairs to her room.
Catherine’s breath hitched in her throat, as she stared down at the table in sorrow. She knew that most children uttered those very words at least once in their life time, but hearing them did not make things very easy. “Well I don’t hate you,” she whispered, a tear starting to slide down her cheeks. “And that’s why I can’t let you go to the party; I don’t want to have to process your dead body.”
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The drive home
“Wow,” Greg cleared his throat, after having listened to Catherine’s story. “I’m sorry to hear that she said that to you.”
“I am, too,” Warrick added. “But Cath, kids say those things all of the time. I understand that hearing her tell you that she hates you and wants you to die is distressing to hear, but it’s pretty normal, as I understand it.”
“I know,” Catherine quietly admitted, once again staring down at her hands. “And it isn’t so much that she said those things to me; it’s more that she’s ignoring what I’m telling her. The parties, the drugs, the kids that she wants to hang out with; it’s dangerous, and I can’t get her to see that. I don’t want anything to happen to her. She’s still my baby girl, you know what I mean? I guess my goal for this coming year is to get things with Lindsey back under control.”
“I know what you mean,” Nick kindly told her. “But you need to keep in mind that you are a great mother, and that you are doing your best to curb her unhealthy behaviors; we’ll do our best to help you, as we mentioned before.”
Grissom cleared his throat, turning around in his seat in order to once again make eye contact with Catherine. “Right; I’ll call Lindsey the moment that we get home,” he assured her. “And then perhaps we can all take her out for dinner?” he suggested.
“All of us?” Nick asked. “Won’t that intimidate her?”
“Nah, man,” Warrick shook his head, studying the road signs in front of him. “It’ll be fun.”
“Actually,” Sara finally spoke up. “Catherine, I don’t exactly know how to ask this, but how is she around—” she trailed off.
“Men?” Catherine supplied, raising an eyebrow. “She’s pretty flirtatious for a fourteen year old.”
“Well, although Grissom is going to talk to her by phone first, what if I took her out tomorrow night, and then perhaps met up with Grissom, Warrick, Nick, and Greg for dinner? That way she might not feel as threatened.”
Catherine mulled the idea over, carefully turning her face in order to study Sara’s expression. “Do you think that you can, uh, handle her without me?” she cautiously asked.
Sara tried not to frown. Are you implying that I’m bad with children? “I know what it’s like to try to fit in,” she replied. “And I’m female, meaning that she has no one to impress. Let me just take her out miniature golfing or something, and then we’ll meet up with the guys for dinner. We might be able to talk to her, without, uh—” You being around.
“It’s okay, I know what you mean,” Catherine smiled at Sara. “And it’s fine.”
“I don’t know about this,” Nick started to say, before Sara turned around to glare at him. “But I suppose it’s worth a try.”
“Fine by me,” Warrick chimed in.
“Me, too,” Greg added.
“That could work,” Grissom quietly said. “Or rather, it’s a good start.”
Catherine nodded, still unsure. “Are you sure that none of you mind taking my daughter out for an evening? It will be better if I am not there, meaning it will just be the six of you plus her.”
“We’re sure, Cath,” Warrick assured her. “Lindsey is a good kid; we just have to figure out what is going on with her.”
Catherine nodded, a smile slowly spreading over her lips. “Okay, then. Thank you.”
“Any time,” Warrick told her. “Any time at all.”
After a couple of minutes of silence, Grissom cleared his throat. “Alright, who wants to go next?” he asked.
“I will,” Greg chuckled from the back seat.
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TO BE CONTINUED
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Disclaimer: I do not own any part of CSI or its characters. That honor goes to the good folks over at CBS.
Title: Catherine’s Goal: Lindsey
---------------
On the path back to the campsite
“That wasn’t very nice,” Greg grumbled to his colleagues, as they trudged back up the well-worn path to their camp site. “Seriously, why is it always ‘pick-on-Greg-day?’” he asked, wrapping the towel more tightly around himself.
“Because it is oh-so-easy, bro,” Nick grinned at him, lightly punching him on the shoulder.
“But we only do it because we care,” Warrick immediately added with a slight smile.
“Uh-huh,” Greg mumbled. “So everyone comes after me during the tag game, because you care? Why didn’t you go after Grissom? He would have been ‘it’ forever!” he pointed out.
Grissom raised an eyebrow, turning around to glance at the younger man. “What are you implying, Greg?” he half joked.
“Uh, nothing?” Greg stuttered.
“That he’s older and wiser than you are, right, Greggo?” Catherine asked with a wink of her eye.
“Uh, right,” Greg agreed, running a hand through his hair. “Yeah, that’s it. That you’re older and wiser.”
Sara rolled her eyes at Greg, as they neared their campsite, while Nick chuckled.
“Whatever you say, Greg,” Grissom told him, standing in the middle of the campsite, and staring at the tents.
“Are we leaving now?” Sara cautiously asked, standing beside Grissom.
“We can’t,” Greg interjected “We still have more talking to do, don’t we?”
“Yes, we are leaving,” Grissom answered Sara’s question. “And yes, we have some more talking to do.”
Warrick squinted at Grissom, before clearing his throat. “So, when are we going to have this discussion? After we load the van?”
“Not quite,” he replied, shaking his head no.
“When we get home?” Greg persisted.
“In the van,” Catherine spoke up, heading toward her tent. “If we’re leaving now, and we still have to talk, then I’m sure that we’re going to have this highly enlightening conversation on the way home,” she sighed.
Grissom simply nodded, glancing around the fire pit at Nick, Warrick, Sara, and Greg. “The evidence never lies,” he commented, before heading toward his own tent.
“What evidence?” Greg muttered under his breath, following his supervisor into their tent in order to pack. “There was no evidence.”
“Au contraire, young Skywalker,” Nick chuckled, unzipping the flap of his own tent. “Logic can be helpful in figuring out the answers, too.”
“Uh-huh. Well the Jedi-force must be strong with you, Obi-Wan Kenobi,” Greg chuckled, disappearing into his tent.
---------------
The drive home
“Alright, everyone,” Grissom said from the front passenger seat, as Warrick hopped into the driver’s seat. “Last year, we talked about your fears, your hopes, and your dreams, and this year, we’ve talked about what you like about yourselves. Now, I’d like to take everything one step further. What personal goal would you like to set for yourself?” he asked, turning around in his seat in order to make eye contact with Nick and Greg in the far back seat, and Catherine and Sara in the middle seat. “What would you like to accomplish over the next 365 days?”
“365 and a fourth days,” Greg immediately corrected him.
Warrick chuckled from the front seat, glancing at Greg through the rearview mirror. “Way to be specific, man,” he commented.
Greg shrugged. “We’re scientists,” he flashed Warrick a smile. “It comes with the territory.”
“Boys, can we stay on task, please?” Catherine asked, glaring at each of them. “So you want to talk about our goals, Gil?”
“I do,” he confirmed. “Would you like to go first?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.
Catherine swallowed, glancing down at her hands for a moment. “It’s ironic, you know that?” she questioned everyone.
“What is?” Nick asked, slightly confused.
“My goal,” she replied.
“What do you mean?” Greg asked, clearing his throat.
“Well, think back to last year’s retreat,” Catherine quietly ordered everyone. “My fear was that I was a bad mother, and that Lindsey would have issues. And then,” she continued. “My hopes and dreams were for my daughter to be a well-adjusted young woman.”
“Right,” Sara confirmed, nodding her head. “I remember that.”
“Well the truth of the matter is,” Catherine frowned. “She has gotten worse over the last year. She’s hanging out with an even more potentially harmful group, and our fights are getting worse as the days go by. I’m concerned about her,” she admitted. “I really am, and my goal is to get her back on track.”
---------------
The Willows Residence, one year prior
“Whose party is it? And will his or her parents be there?” Catherine calmly asked her daughter, digging into a large plate of blueberry waffles.
“Just some kids that I know,” Lindsey nonchalantly shrugged, picking up her fork, and ignoring the rest of her mother’s question.
“Which kids, specifically?” Catherine persisted, her mother and criminalist instincts already making her suspicious of the request.
Staring across the table at her mother, Lindsey narrowed her eyes, as if preparing to dig her heels in for a fight. “Just some kids from school, Mom. What’s the big deal?”
“What’s the big deal?” Catherine slowly repeated the question, raising an eyebrow. “The big deal, Lindsey, is that I’m your mother, and I want to ensure that you remain safe. I need to know who will be at this party, whether or not there will be adults there, and where it is going to take place,” she informed her. “I’m not joking around.”
Lindsey glared at her mother, setting her fork down, and folding her arms across her chest. “It’s Toni Enright’s party, her older brother will be supervising, and it’s going to be at Greenfield Park,” she finally admitted. “Okay? Can I go to now?”
Scooping up another forkful of waffles, Catherine tried to stop the horror from registering on her face. Toni Enright? Oh, shit, oh, shit, oh, shit. Brass was telling me about her and her brother just last week! Lindsey can NOT go to that party. Toni, even though she is only sixteen, already has several charges against her relating to drug paraphernalia and dealing. And her brother? Even worse. Clearing her throat, Catherine took a deep breath, steeling herself up for the worst. “No, Lindsey,” she finally said. “I’m sorry, but you can’t go to the party.”
“Why not, Mom?” Lindsey asked, once again narrowing her eyes in anger.
Catherine bit her lip, staring at the determination in her daughter’s eyes. She knew that she couldn’t explain about the drug charges—it was told to her in confidence—but maybe she could say something else, instead. “I understand that you’re upset, Lindsey, and perhaps even a little bit confused. But you have to trust me that I love you, and that I have my reasons.”
“Yeah, that you want to make my life miserable,” Lindsey muttered under her breath. “You always do this to me!”
“What? No I don’t,” Catherine softly said. “Lindsey, I love you. But you’re only fourteen, the party will be unsafe, and I don’t want you to get hurt. I can’t let you go to Greenfield Park tonight.”
“You’re not going to ‘let me’ go?” Lindsey gruffly asked, lacing each word with the venom and contempt that only a teenager could muster up. “You’re not going to ‘let me’ go to the party?”
“No, I’m not,” Catherine confirmed, raising an eyebrow, as if daring her daughter to challenge her even further.
“You’re not the boss of me,” Lindsey matter-of-factly informed her mother. “And you can’t stop me from going, so don’t even try.”
“Excuse me?” Catherine asked, a look of anger instantly flashing into her eyes. “I’m your mother, young lady, and that makes me your boss!”
“You might be my mother, but you have no say over what I can and cannot do,” Lindsey persisted. “So I’m going to that party, whether you give me your permission or not.”
“No, Lindsey,” Catherine repeated. “You better not step foot out of this house tonight, is that understood?”
Lindsey just started laughing. “And what are you going to do about it? You’ll be working, just like you always do; you won’t even know that I’m gone.”
“Grandma will, though,” Catherine told her, starting to feel a little bit hurt. Lindsey was speaking the truth, and she knew it. At last year’s retreat, Catherine had admitted that her biggest fear was that she was being a bad mother to Lindsey, and that Lindsey was going down the wrong path, by hanging out with the wrong kids at school. Although Catherine had tried to reconnect with her daughter just after returning home, and despite the fact that things had actually started to improve a little bit, Lindsey once again started hanging out with the wrong crowd. Things were worse than ever in the Willows household, and every day was a constant struggle between the two strong-willed women.
“Grandma falls asleep at eight, Mom,” Lindsey pointed out in triumph. “Hang it up, I’m going to that party, and you’re not going to be able to do a damn thing to stop me.”
“Want to make a bet?” Catherine calmly asked, the tone of her voice not betraying how nervous she truly felt. Hold strong, because that party is going to be unsafe.
“You can’t stop me,” Lindsey repeated, this time a bit more hesitantly.
“Perhaps not,” Catherine admitted. “But if you do go out, expect to see a police car or two at Greenfield Park.”
“You wouldn’t,” Lindsey mumbled. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“Do I look like I’m lying?” Catherine asked her daughter, staring across the table at her. “Don’t call my bluff; I’m doing this for your own safety.”
Lindsey immediately stood up from the table, pushing back her chair. “I HATE YOU!” she yelled at Catherine. “I HATE YOU, AND I WISH YOU WERE DEAD!” With that, the young girl stormed out of the kitchen, and stomped up the stairs to her room.
Catherine’s breath hitched in her throat, as she stared down at the table in sorrow. She knew that most children uttered those very words at least once in their life time, but hearing them did not make things very easy. “Well I don’t hate you,” she whispered, a tear starting to slide down her cheeks. “And that’s why I can’t let you go to the party; I don’t want to have to process your dead body.”
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The drive home
“Wow,” Greg cleared his throat, after having listened to Catherine’s story. “I’m sorry to hear that she said that to you.”
“I am, too,” Warrick added. “But Cath, kids say those things all of the time. I understand that hearing her tell you that she hates you and wants you to die is distressing to hear, but it’s pretty normal, as I understand it.”
“I know,” Catherine quietly admitted, once again staring down at her hands. “And it isn’t so much that she said those things to me; it’s more that she’s ignoring what I’m telling her. The parties, the drugs, the kids that she wants to hang out with; it’s dangerous, and I can’t get her to see that. I don’t want anything to happen to her. She’s still my baby girl, you know what I mean? I guess my goal for this coming year is to get things with Lindsey back under control.”
“I know what you mean,” Nick kindly told her. “But you need to keep in mind that you are a great mother, and that you are doing your best to curb her unhealthy behaviors; we’ll do our best to help you, as we mentioned before.”
Grissom cleared his throat, turning around in his seat in order to once again make eye contact with Catherine. “Right; I’ll call Lindsey the moment that we get home,” he assured her. “And then perhaps we can all take her out for dinner?” he suggested.
“All of us?” Nick asked. “Won’t that intimidate her?”
“Nah, man,” Warrick shook his head, studying the road signs in front of him. “It’ll be fun.”
“Actually,” Sara finally spoke up. “Catherine, I don’t exactly know how to ask this, but how is she around—” she trailed off.
“Men?” Catherine supplied, raising an eyebrow. “She’s pretty flirtatious for a fourteen year old.”
“Well, although Grissom is going to talk to her by phone first, what if I took her out tomorrow night, and then perhaps met up with Grissom, Warrick, Nick, and Greg for dinner? That way she might not feel as threatened.”
Catherine mulled the idea over, carefully turning her face in order to study Sara’s expression. “Do you think that you can, uh, handle her without me?” she cautiously asked.
Sara tried not to frown. Are you implying that I’m bad with children? “I know what it’s like to try to fit in,” she replied. “And I’m female, meaning that she has no one to impress. Let me just take her out miniature golfing or something, and then we’ll meet up with the guys for dinner. We might be able to talk to her, without, uh—” You being around.
“It’s okay, I know what you mean,” Catherine smiled at Sara. “And it’s fine.”
“I don’t know about this,” Nick started to say, before Sara turned around to glare at him. “But I suppose it’s worth a try.”
“Fine by me,” Warrick chimed in.
“Me, too,” Greg added.
“That could work,” Grissom quietly said. “Or rather, it’s a good start.”
Catherine nodded, still unsure. “Are you sure that none of you mind taking my daughter out for an evening? It will be better if I am not there, meaning it will just be the six of you plus her.”
“We’re sure, Cath,” Warrick assured her. “Lindsey is a good kid; we just have to figure out what is going on with her.”
Catherine nodded, a smile slowly spreading over her lips. “Okay, then. Thank you.”
“Any time,” Warrick told her. “Any time at all.”
After a couple of minutes of silence, Grissom cleared his throat. “Alright, who wants to go next?” he asked.
“I will,” Greg chuckled from the back seat.
---------------
TO BE CONTINUED
CSI_Trainee
CSI Level One
Great update and don't worry about the chapters taking longer cause of your classes. Take your time there is no rush. Just remeber that we will still be here to read what updates you can get and up and will wait for the ones you need to complete and find the time to get up. Worry bout your studies not bout us wanting more updates ok? LOL Anyway I loved your update and the whole thing with Catherine and Lindsay was great. I have been like that with my mom since I was twelve and I am sixteen now. Difference is my mom isn't a cop or CSI and she lets me make my mistakes lol.
(first of all, sorry for the double post… I just wanted to post this story. Second of all, funny story! Okay, not really. But I’ve had some writer’s block with this particular story, and on my way to class today (two hours away), Elton John’s “The Retreat” popped onto my ipod. What do you know, words came to my brain! But I was wondering if people were actually still enjoying this story? I’m just trying to figure out if I should keep writing it or not, so… if you like it (or even don’t like it), could you by any chance please just let me know? I would really appreciate it! Oh, and just in case Starbucks is not an international chain, it’s a coffee shop.)
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Disclaimer: I do not own any part of CSI or its characters. That honor goes to the good folks over at CBS.
Title: Goals, Goals, and More Goals
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The drive home
“Okay, Greggo, we’re listening,” Nick lightly elbowed his colleague in the ribs, smiling at his friend. “So, what’s your personal goal for this coming year?”
“Go easy on him, Nicky,” Catherine warned him. “There’s no need to beat him up just yet, is there?”
“Yeah, Nicky,” Greg teasingly echoed Catherine. “Go easy on me!”
Warrick just chuckled, glancing through the rearview mirror at both Greg and Nick. “So what is your goal, Greg?” he asked, trying to get everyone back on track. “Does it have anything to do with coffee?”
“Yeah,” Sara mused, turning around in her seat to study Greg’s expression. “Didn’t you mention at least year’s retreat that you wanted to open up your own coffee shop?” she raised an eyebrow.
“I did say that,” Greg confirmed. “But nope, it actually doesn’t have anything to do with coffee,” he chuckled. “I want to find someone, or something, to care about.”
“What do you mean, Greggo?” Nick curiously asked. “Like, a girlfriend?”
Greg blushed, running a hand through his hair. “No, not exactly.”
Catherine raised a confused eyebrow. “Well what, then?”
“I don’t know,” Greg shrugged, making eye contact with her. “I have work, and I play video games, but I want someone, or something, to take care of! I want people to take me more seriously, and I want to take on more responsibility,” he tried to explain himself, but knowing that he was actually making very little sense.
“Greg,” Grissom cleared his throat, turning around to study the younger man. “You should want to take care of someone or something for reasons other than to be taken more seriously,” he told him. “You should do it because you want—” he trailed off.
“Permanency?” Sara suggested.
“Right,” Grissom agreed. “Permanency.”
“I know,” Greg sighed. “And I do want that, too. I think I just want a cat, though. Or maybe a dog.”
Warrick couldn’t help but chuckle. “You want a pet, man?”
“Yeah,” Greg enthusiastically nodded. “I think I want a calico-colored cat! And I want to name her Starbucks. Yeah, that’s my goal,” he continued. “To get a cat named Starbucks!”
Nick shook his head, laughing. “You want to name your fictitious cat Starbucks?”
“She is not fictitious!” Greg retorted. “I’m going to buy a cat tomorrow!”
“Don’t forget to buy the litter, the food, and the toys,” Sara reminded him.
“And the collar,” Catherine added, slightly smiling. “But good for you, Greg; really.”
“I won’t forget,” Greg mumbled. “I’m not an idiot.”
“We know that, Bro,” Nick smiled at him. “But you’ve also never owned a pet before, so… good luck! Although I know that you and Starbucks will be very happy together,” he teased him.
“Yes, we will be,” Greg grinned, his eyes wide with excitement. “We will be very happy together! But anyhow, Warrick, tag, you’re it!”
“I am, am I?” Warrick replied. “Well ain’t that a bitch,” he announced, squinting out the windshield at a passing thruway sign. “Well,” he mused. “My personal goal for this coming year is to be the best that I can be.”
“That’s not specific enough, Bro,” Nick informed him, raising an eyebrow.
“What do you mean?” Warrick shot back. “That’s my goal,” he frowned, staring straight ahead of himself. I guess it is, anyhow, because I really don’t know what my goal could be! I’ve never really thought about it before. “I mean,” he trailed off, clearing his throat. “Okay, how about this one? I want to travel to New York,” he told everyone.
“Uh… why?” Sara hesitantly asked, slightly confused. “What’s in New York?”
“Besides sleet, ice, hail, snow, blizzards, rain, thunder, lightning, flash floods, wind storms,” Greg chimed in.
Warrick chuckled. “Well,” he shrugged. “You know my little brother?”
“The one from Big Brothers/Big Sister?” Catherine questioned him.
“Yeah,” Warrick confirmed. “Well, anyhow, his name is Antoine, and he has never left the inner city. I’d like to take him to New York, you know, just to look around.”
“But again, why New York?” Sara repeated her earlier question.
“Because if you recall,” Greg interrupted for the second time in as many minutes. “New York has bad weather, bad weather, and more bad weather. So yeah, why New York? Why not take him to San Diego, or some place warm?”
“Because New York has Niagara Falls,” Warrick pointed out. “It has parks, mountains, lakes, Canada. We can walk, and talk, and explore.”
“‘Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience,’” Grissom finally spoke up. “Ralph Waldo Emerson.”
“I like that, actually,” Nick mused. “Is that what you’re trying to do for him, man? Make him slow down a little bit?”
“Yeah,” Warrick confirmed. “I mean, damn. He lives in a neighborhood riddled with violence, noise, and bad influences. I want him to learn how to relax, to understand that there are places of beauty in this world that do not involve picking up a hand gun, and killing someone. Not that he would ever do that,” his eyes suddenly widened. “But some of his friends want him to join their gang,” he explained.
“So let me get this straight,” Catherine cleared her voice. “Your personal goal is to take Antoine to New York State?” she asked, trying to process the small piece of unusual information. “I guess that’s admirable,” she mused. “But can it really be considered a personal goal?”
“Of course it can be,” Warrick immediately replied. “I mean, hell, when I see Antoine trying new things, and having fun, I feel successful in that I got him to stay away from a gang for one more day. He’s a good kid, you know? I just want to open his eyes up to something new. And besides, it’s no different than you and Lindsey.”
“Good point,” Catherine conceded. “And good luck.”
“Yeah, bro,” Nick grinned at him, before returning his attention to the scenery outside of his window. “I hope you enjoy New York, when you get there.”
“Thanks,” Warrick chuckled, before sighing. “Okay, so who’s up?” he then asked, changing the subject.
“I’ll go,” Nick shrugged. “No big deal, right?” he raised an eyebrow at Greg, who was currently the only person making eye contact with him. “Okay, so let’s see,” he frowned. “What’s my personal goal?”
“That’s the question, man,” Warrick spoke up. “But only you actually know the answer.”
“This is an easy one,” Nick continued. “I would like to buy a house, rather than live in an apartment. And aside from that particular personal goal, my professional goal is to attend an academic conference.”
“Really?” Grissom asked, raising an eyebrow, and turning around in his seat to study Nick’s face. “You’ve never really expressed an interest in attending a conference before, Nick, but of course you can,” he told the younger man.
“What brought this on?” Catherine questioned Nick, equally as surprised as Grissom.
“I don’t know,” Nick shrugged. “Things change, I suppose; and I feel like I have more in my field to learn. I love what I’m doing, and I think that I can be a pretty good hair and fiber analyst,” he continued. “But I just also think that it’s time to become my own man, you know what I mean? Start pursuing my own career, rather than worrying about what my parents want of me?”
“Are they still talking to you about you not going into law school, Nicky?” Warrick asked, raising an eyebrow, as he gazed at his friend through the rearview mirror.
“Yeah, they called a couple of weeks ago,” Nick sighed. “My mother said that there’s an opening in her office, and that I should come back home to them. But that’s just it—” he trailed off.
“What’s just it?” Sara softly asked.
“My home is here with you guys. I don’t want to be a judge, like my father, or a defense attorney, like my mother. I want to be Nicholas Stokes, crime scene investigator. And I’m done trying to be what they want me to be; I am ready to solidify myself in my chosen field, which is why I want to start going to conferences and conventions.”
“Aww, our Nick is all grown up,” Greg grinned, slightly teasing his friend.
Grissom simply nodded, processing everything that Nick had been telling him. “Okay,” he replied. “You can go to a conference or two.”
“Really?” Nick raised an eyebrow.
Grissom again nodded, still studying his expression, as if searching for the truth. If you want to better yourself by going to a conference, I can help you with that. “Yes, Nick. We’ll look at the conference catalogue when we get back to the lab, and you can decide what you would like to attend.”
Nick slowly smiled, staring down at his hands. “Okay, then. So,” he cleared his throat. “Next?”
“I would go,” Sara hesitantly spoke up. “Except for the fact that I really don’t have any personal goals that I would like to reach at this point in time. I’ve actually… met them all,” she admitted with a small smile.
“That’s impossible!” Greg chimed in from the back seat.
“No, it isn’t, Greg,” Catherine told him, turning around in her seat to glance at him for a moment. “It’s just improbable. You really have nothing that you would like to strive for, Sara?” she asked the other woman.
“Not really,” Sara shrugged. “I mean, at last year’s retreat, I said that my greatest fear was being depressed. I’m not depressed anymore,” she informed everyone, smiling at Grissom, who had turned around to look at her.
Yeah, I’ll be you’re not depressed anymore, Nick thought to himself. [/i] You’re the one in the relationship. [/i]
“Well, I’m glad that you’ve found happiness,” Catherine spoke up, looking over at Sara. “Happiness can keep you sane.”
“And normal,” Sara added. “Being normal was my hope from last year, if you all remember.”
“I remember that, girl,” Warrick nodded, glancing at her through the rearview mirror. “You said that you just wanted to have a normal life, right?”
“Yes, which I do,” Sara again smiled. “I’m in a—” she trailed off, before remembering that Nick was sitting in the back seat; things were still slightly awkward between them, and she did not want to further upset him. I’m in a loving, stable, and very normal relationship. “I’m in a good place in my life,” she finally said. “And I like that; I just hope that it continues.”
“So do I,” Grissom spoke up. I like it when you’re happy; you being happy makes me very happy. “But you really don’t have any goals?” he prodded, raising an eyebrow at her.
Clearing her throat, Sara sighed. “Well, I suppose that I wouldn’t mind improving my self-esteem a little bit; you know, believing that I have value, which is one of my weaknesses,” she reminded everyone. “But that will come with time, I think.”
Catherine nodded. “Yes, it will. But remember, Sara, you do have value.”
“Yeah,” Greg agreed. “You have a lot going for you,” he pointed out. “You’re smart, you’re talented, you’re—”
“I know,” Sara chuckled, turning around to look at Greg. “I know, and thank you; I just have to learn how to see it for myself… which I will, with time.”
“Your turn, Grissom,” Nick spoke up. “What’s your goal?”
Grissom, his eyes closed in contemplation, frowned. “I’m not sure,” he finally admitted, cracking one eye open.
“Come on, Grissom,” Warrick raised an eyebrow. “You must have some idea. Besides, last year, you never even told us what your hopes and dreams were.”
“Hey, that’s right,” Greg nodded. “You said that you needed more time to think!”
“And I still do,” Grissom quietly replied.
“Are you sure that you’re just not afraid to tell us, Gil?” Catherine softly asked. “Because I get the feeling that you’re trying to avoid us.” What kind of an example are you setting? she wanted to ask him.
Don’t you trust us? Nick thought to himself, staring down at the ground. [/i] I mean, what are we going to do? We’re not going to laugh at you or anything. [/i]
“I would just rather, uh,” Grissom cleared his throat, slightly blushing.
“What?” Greg prodded him.
“I would just rather not say right now,” he calmly informed everyone, rubbing his beard. “It’s—” Personal.
“It’s what?” Catherine tried to prompt him, frowning, as he turned around to stare at her. “What are you so worried about?” she pressed him.
“I’m not worried about anything,” he replied. “It’s just personal.”
“It was personal for all of us, though, too,” Warrick reminded him, making a turn off of the thruway.
“I understand that, but,” Grissom sighed, swallowing, and remembering a quote from Simone Signoret: ‘Chains do not hold a marriage together. It is threads, hundreds of tiny threads which sew people together through the years.’ And that’s just it, he thought to himself. In one year’s time, I would like to be married to Sara. But how can I tell everyone else that, before I’ve even had the chance to process my own thoughts and feelings? No, it’s best to remain quiet on this one.
“Fine, Gil,” Catherine sighed. “If you don’t want to share with us, that’s fine. But if you ever change your mind, you know where to find us.”
“We’re really going to let him get away with not sharing?” Greg asked, raising an eyebrow. “I don’t believe it!”
“Remember, though, Greg. Grissom always told us that we never really had to share; we just all chose to do it,” Warrick pointed out. I guess that this is just another example of Grissom not trusting us.
I know, but, Nick frowned, furrowing an eyebrow. What could his goal possibly be, that he does not feel comfortable enough to share it with all of us? Is it about… Sara?
You’ll tell me later… Sara thought to herself. I hope so, anyhow. No secrets between us, remember? That’s what you told me.
Before Grissom had the chance to say anything further, however, Greg turned around in his seat, and grabbed the bag of marshmallows from the back of the van. Peeling it open, and dipping one hand in, he plucked out two of the gooey treats, immediately popping them into his mouth. “Excellent,” he mumbled to himself.
“That’s gross, man,” Nick muttered, watching Greg eat the marshmallows.
“But they’re good,” he repeated, swallowing what he had his mouth.
“Toss those up here,” Sara ordered them.
“Please?” Nick rolled his eyes at her.
“Now,” Sara grinned, smiling, as Greg actually handed the bag over. “Thanks, Greg!”
“Welcome,” he replied, before throwing a marshmallow at her head.
“Oh, you so did not just do that!” Sara laughed, turning around in her seat, and glaring at him.
“I do believe he did, girl,” Warrick chuckled.
Tossing another marshmallow at Sara, Greg raised an eyebrow. “And what are you going to do about it?” he asked.
“This!” Sara shouted, as she grabbed a handful of marshmallows, pelting Greg with them one at a time.
“Hey!” he shouted.
“You started it, Greg,” Catherine reminded him. “You started it.”
Marriage; I have to find a way to propose to Sara, Grissom anxiously thought to himself, rubbing his beard, and ignoring the antics of his team. And hopefully, she’ll say yes, once I do.
---------------
TO BE CONTINUED
---------------
Disclaimer: I do not own any part of CSI or its characters. That honor goes to the good folks over at CBS.
Title: Goals, Goals, and More Goals
---------------
The drive home
“Okay, Greggo, we’re listening,” Nick lightly elbowed his colleague in the ribs, smiling at his friend. “So, what’s your personal goal for this coming year?”
“Go easy on him, Nicky,” Catherine warned him. “There’s no need to beat him up just yet, is there?”
“Yeah, Nicky,” Greg teasingly echoed Catherine. “Go easy on me!”
Warrick just chuckled, glancing through the rearview mirror at both Greg and Nick. “So what is your goal, Greg?” he asked, trying to get everyone back on track. “Does it have anything to do with coffee?”
“Yeah,” Sara mused, turning around in her seat to study Greg’s expression. “Didn’t you mention at least year’s retreat that you wanted to open up your own coffee shop?” she raised an eyebrow.
“I did say that,” Greg confirmed. “But nope, it actually doesn’t have anything to do with coffee,” he chuckled. “I want to find someone, or something, to care about.”
“What do you mean, Greggo?” Nick curiously asked. “Like, a girlfriend?”
Greg blushed, running a hand through his hair. “No, not exactly.”
Catherine raised a confused eyebrow. “Well what, then?”
“I don’t know,” Greg shrugged, making eye contact with her. “I have work, and I play video games, but I want someone, or something, to take care of! I want people to take me more seriously, and I want to take on more responsibility,” he tried to explain himself, but knowing that he was actually making very little sense.
“Greg,” Grissom cleared his throat, turning around to study the younger man. “You should want to take care of someone or something for reasons other than to be taken more seriously,” he told him. “You should do it because you want—” he trailed off.
“Permanency?” Sara suggested.
“Right,” Grissom agreed. “Permanency.”
“I know,” Greg sighed. “And I do want that, too. I think I just want a cat, though. Or maybe a dog.”
Warrick couldn’t help but chuckle. “You want a pet, man?”
“Yeah,” Greg enthusiastically nodded. “I think I want a calico-colored cat! And I want to name her Starbucks. Yeah, that’s my goal,” he continued. “To get a cat named Starbucks!”
Nick shook his head, laughing. “You want to name your fictitious cat Starbucks?”
“She is not fictitious!” Greg retorted. “I’m going to buy a cat tomorrow!”
“Don’t forget to buy the litter, the food, and the toys,” Sara reminded him.
“And the collar,” Catherine added, slightly smiling. “But good for you, Greg; really.”
“I won’t forget,” Greg mumbled. “I’m not an idiot.”
“We know that, Bro,” Nick smiled at him. “But you’ve also never owned a pet before, so… good luck! Although I know that you and Starbucks will be very happy together,” he teased him.
“Yes, we will be,” Greg grinned, his eyes wide with excitement. “We will be very happy together! But anyhow, Warrick, tag, you’re it!”
“I am, am I?” Warrick replied. “Well ain’t that a bitch,” he announced, squinting out the windshield at a passing thruway sign. “Well,” he mused. “My personal goal for this coming year is to be the best that I can be.”
“That’s not specific enough, Bro,” Nick informed him, raising an eyebrow.
“What do you mean?” Warrick shot back. “That’s my goal,” he frowned, staring straight ahead of himself. I guess it is, anyhow, because I really don’t know what my goal could be! I’ve never really thought about it before. “I mean,” he trailed off, clearing his throat. “Okay, how about this one? I want to travel to New York,” he told everyone.
“Uh… why?” Sara hesitantly asked, slightly confused. “What’s in New York?”
“Besides sleet, ice, hail, snow, blizzards, rain, thunder, lightning, flash floods, wind storms,” Greg chimed in.
Warrick chuckled. “Well,” he shrugged. “You know my little brother?”
“The one from Big Brothers/Big Sister?” Catherine questioned him.
“Yeah,” Warrick confirmed. “Well, anyhow, his name is Antoine, and he has never left the inner city. I’d like to take him to New York, you know, just to look around.”
“But again, why New York?” Sara repeated her earlier question.
“Because if you recall,” Greg interrupted for the second time in as many minutes. “New York has bad weather, bad weather, and more bad weather. So yeah, why New York? Why not take him to San Diego, or some place warm?”
“Because New York has Niagara Falls,” Warrick pointed out. “It has parks, mountains, lakes, Canada. We can walk, and talk, and explore.”
“‘Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience,’” Grissom finally spoke up. “Ralph Waldo Emerson.”
“I like that, actually,” Nick mused. “Is that what you’re trying to do for him, man? Make him slow down a little bit?”
“Yeah,” Warrick confirmed. “I mean, damn. He lives in a neighborhood riddled with violence, noise, and bad influences. I want him to learn how to relax, to understand that there are places of beauty in this world that do not involve picking up a hand gun, and killing someone. Not that he would ever do that,” his eyes suddenly widened. “But some of his friends want him to join their gang,” he explained.
“So let me get this straight,” Catherine cleared her voice. “Your personal goal is to take Antoine to New York State?” she asked, trying to process the small piece of unusual information. “I guess that’s admirable,” she mused. “But can it really be considered a personal goal?”
“Of course it can be,” Warrick immediately replied. “I mean, hell, when I see Antoine trying new things, and having fun, I feel successful in that I got him to stay away from a gang for one more day. He’s a good kid, you know? I just want to open his eyes up to something new. And besides, it’s no different than you and Lindsey.”
“Good point,” Catherine conceded. “And good luck.”
“Yeah, bro,” Nick grinned at him, before returning his attention to the scenery outside of his window. “I hope you enjoy New York, when you get there.”
“Thanks,” Warrick chuckled, before sighing. “Okay, so who’s up?” he then asked, changing the subject.
“I’ll go,” Nick shrugged. “No big deal, right?” he raised an eyebrow at Greg, who was currently the only person making eye contact with him. “Okay, so let’s see,” he frowned. “What’s my personal goal?”
“That’s the question, man,” Warrick spoke up. “But only you actually know the answer.”
“This is an easy one,” Nick continued. “I would like to buy a house, rather than live in an apartment. And aside from that particular personal goal, my professional goal is to attend an academic conference.”
“Really?” Grissom asked, raising an eyebrow, and turning around in his seat to study Nick’s face. “You’ve never really expressed an interest in attending a conference before, Nick, but of course you can,” he told the younger man.
“What brought this on?” Catherine questioned Nick, equally as surprised as Grissom.
“I don’t know,” Nick shrugged. “Things change, I suppose; and I feel like I have more in my field to learn. I love what I’m doing, and I think that I can be a pretty good hair and fiber analyst,” he continued. “But I just also think that it’s time to become my own man, you know what I mean? Start pursuing my own career, rather than worrying about what my parents want of me?”
“Are they still talking to you about you not going into law school, Nicky?” Warrick asked, raising an eyebrow, as he gazed at his friend through the rearview mirror.
“Yeah, they called a couple of weeks ago,” Nick sighed. “My mother said that there’s an opening in her office, and that I should come back home to them. But that’s just it—” he trailed off.
“What’s just it?” Sara softly asked.
“My home is here with you guys. I don’t want to be a judge, like my father, or a defense attorney, like my mother. I want to be Nicholas Stokes, crime scene investigator. And I’m done trying to be what they want me to be; I am ready to solidify myself in my chosen field, which is why I want to start going to conferences and conventions.”
“Aww, our Nick is all grown up,” Greg grinned, slightly teasing his friend.
Grissom simply nodded, processing everything that Nick had been telling him. “Okay,” he replied. “You can go to a conference or two.”
“Really?” Nick raised an eyebrow.
Grissom again nodded, still studying his expression, as if searching for the truth. If you want to better yourself by going to a conference, I can help you with that. “Yes, Nick. We’ll look at the conference catalogue when we get back to the lab, and you can decide what you would like to attend.”
Nick slowly smiled, staring down at his hands. “Okay, then. So,” he cleared his throat. “Next?”
“I would go,” Sara hesitantly spoke up. “Except for the fact that I really don’t have any personal goals that I would like to reach at this point in time. I’ve actually… met them all,” she admitted with a small smile.
“That’s impossible!” Greg chimed in from the back seat.
“No, it isn’t, Greg,” Catherine told him, turning around in her seat to glance at him for a moment. “It’s just improbable. You really have nothing that you would like to strive for, Sara?” she asked the other woman.
“Not really,” Sara shrugged. “I mean, at last year’s retreat, I said that my greatest fear was being depressed. I’m not depressed anymore,” she informed everyone, smiling at Grissom, who had turned around to look at her.
Yeah, I’ll be you’re not depressed anymore, Nick thought to himself. [/i] You’re the one in the relationship. [/i]
“Well, I’m glad that you’ve found happiness,” Catherine spoke up, looking over at Sara. “Happiness can keep you sane.”
“And normal,” Sara added. “Being normal was my hope from last year, if you all remember.”
“I remember that, girl,” Warrick nodded, glancing at her through the rearview mirror. “You said that you just wanted to have a normal life, right?”
“Yes, which I do,” Sara again smiled. “I’m in a—” she trailed off, before remembering that Nick was sitting in the back seat; things were still slightly awkward between them, and she did not want to further upset him. I’m in a loving, stable, and very normal relationship. “I’m in a good place in my life,” she finally said. “And I like that; I just hope that it continues.”
“So do I,” Grissom spoke up. I like it when you’re happy; you being happy makes me very happy. “But you really don’t have any goals?” he prodded, raising an eyebrow at her.
Clearing her throat, Sara sighed. “Well, I suppose that I wouldn’t mind improving my self-esteem a little bit; you know, believing that I have value, which is one of my weaknesses,” she reminded everyone. “But that will come with time, I think.”
Catherine nodded. “Yes, it will. But remember, Sara, you do have value.”
“Yeah,” Greg agreed. “You have a lot going for you,” he pointed out. “You’re smart, you’re talented, you’re—”
“I know,” Sara chuckled, turning around to look at Greg. “I know, and thank you; I just have to learn how to see it for myself… which I will, with time.”
“Your turn, Grissom,” Nick spoke up. “What’s your goal?”
Grissom, his eyes closed in contemplation, frowned. “I’m not sure,” he finally admitted, cracking one eye open.
“Come on, Grissom,” Warrick raised an eyebrow. “You must have some idea. Besides, last year, you never even told us what your hopes and dreams were.”
“Hey, that’s right,” Greg nodded. “You said that you needed more time to think!”
“And I still do,” Grissom quietly replied.
“Are you sure that you’re just not afraid to tell us, Gil?” Catherine softly asked. “Because I get the feeling that you’re trying to avoid us.” What kind of an example are you setting? she wanted to ask him.
Don’t you trust us? Nick thought to himself, staring down at the ground. [/i] I mean, what are we going to do? We’re not going to laugh at you or anything. [/i]
“I would just rather, uh,” Grissom cleared his throat, slightly blushing.
“What?” Greg prodded him.
“I would just rather not say right now,” he calmly informed everyone, rubbing his beard. “It’s—” Personal.
“It’s what?” Catherine tried to prompt him, frowning, as he turned around to stare at her. “What are you so worried about?” she pressed him.
“I’m not worried about anything,” he replied. “It’s just personal.”
“It was personal for all of us, though, too,” Warrick reminded him, making a turn off of the thruway.
“I understand that, but,” Grissom sighed, swallowing, and remembering a quote from Simone Signoret: ‘Chains do not hold a marriage together. It is threads, hundreds of tiny threads which sew people together through the years.’ And that’s just it, he thought to himself. In one year’s time, I would like to be married to Sara. But how can I tell everyone else that, before I’ve even had the chance to process my own thoughts and feelings? No, it’s best to remain quiet on this one.
“Fine, Gil,” Catherine sighed. “If you don’t want to share with us, that’s fine. But if you ever change your mind, you know where to find us.”
“We’re really going to let him get away with not sharing?” Greg asked, raising an eyebrow. “I don’t believe it!”
“Remember, though, Greg. Grissom always told us that we never really had to share; we just all chose to do it,” Warrick pointed out. I guess that this is just another example of Grissom not trusting us.
I know, but, Nick frowned, furrowing an eyebrow. What could his goal possibly be, that he does not feel comfortable enough to share it with all of us? Is it about… Sara?
You’ll tell me later… Sara thought to herself. I hope so, anyhow. No secrets between us, remember? That’s what you told me.
Before Grissom had the chance to say anything further, however, Greg turned around in his seat, and grabbed the bag of marshmallows from the back of the van. Peeling it open, and dipping one hand in, he plucked out two of the gooey treats, immediately popping them into his mouth. “Excellent,” he mumbled to himself.
“That’s gross, man,” Nick muttered, watching Greg eat the marshmallows.
“But they’re good,” he repeated, swallowing what he had his mouth.
“Toss those up here,” Sara ordered them.
“Please?” Nick rolled his eyes at her.
“Now,” Sara grinned, smiling, as Greg actually handed the bag over. “Thanks, Greg!”
“Welcome,” he replied, before throwing a marshmallow at her head.
“Oh, you so did not just do that!” Sara laughed, turning around in her seat, and glaring at him.
“I do believe he did, girl,” Warrick chuckled.
Tossing another marshmallow at Sara, Greg raised an eyebrow. “And what are you going to do about it?” he asked.
“This!” Sara shouted, as she grabbed a handful of marshmallows, pelting Greg with them one at a time.
“Hey!” he shouted.
“You started it, Greg,” Catherine reminded him. “You started it.”
Marriage; I have to find a way to propose to Sara, Grissom anxiously thought to himself, rubbing his beard, and ignoring the antics of his team. And hopefully, she’ll say yes, once I do.
---------------
TO BE CONTINUED
