Natural Progressions

Disclaimer: Mine no! CBS, Anthony Zuiker et al Yes! Pity :o( "Any Man Of Mine" belongs to Shania Twain.
Author's Note: Blame Billy, Marg and Shania for these little pieces. They keep Acting these out in my head! Have only seen up to LHB so don't Know how accurate I am on some things so please be kind!
Dedication: To Aby as always and you certainly know why girl! To VividlyBlue for Reading all my crap no matter how bad or sick! LOL


Chapter 15: Any Man Of Mine

Gil Grissom sat listening to the cordial banter making it's way back and forth between Catherine Willows and her daughter, Lindsey, as both females completed last minutes task hurriedly in an effort to be ready on time.

The last few weeks had been a rocky period for the strengthening family unit. The spectre of Eddie Willows had raised it's ugly head and in a manner too startling for the introverted man to cope with adequately.

Gil hadn't known how rough a time Lindsey had given her mother at the time of her father's death. Catherine had done her best to hide it from the team and for a large part had succeeded.

Catherine had never said as much, but Grissom often thought it had been Eddie's untimely demise that had made her so determined to let him know how she felt about him, and had brought about the wonderful, miraculous change in his life. He only hoped the letter and pictures burning a hole in his pocket would not ruin all that, but he knew now was not the time to discuss them with a very stressed out Catherine Willows.

Eddie's anniversary had started all of Lindsey's old resentments, how angry she was at her mother, that she and her friends hadn't tracked down and prosecuted her father's killer when they seemed to be able to manage it for everyone else. She'd started getting in to trouble at school again and when Grissom had tried to help she'd turned on him as well. Accusing him of trying to replace her father, obliterate his memory and make it seem as though he had never existed. That had really hurt Gil and he'd had no idea how to respond.

Surprisingly, it had been the intervention of Eddie's parents that had helped reset the balance and bring peace back to their home. Neither Eddie's mother or father blamed the CSI team or the police for the lack of prosecution. Grissom and Catherine had made sure that both Willows' had been given as much access as possible to the investigation carried out by Sara Sidle and Lieutenant Varga. They were satisfied that they'd both done their best, even when Catherine hadn't been at first, and both knew that there was no statute of limitations on murder. If any new evidence came to light they knew the investigation would be picked straight back up again and attacked with gusto.

Both Mary and Eddie Willows senior had spent a two-day visit with Lindsey explaining all this to her and, where the child had been sure she was being fed a story by her mom and Uncle Gil, she had accepted it as the truth from her grandparents.

And now, if both ladies could get their acts together, tonight was meant to be a pressure release after all the tension they'd been suffering, and the three of them had Warrick Brown to thank for it.

The young Las Vegan had seen a few cracks appear in the perfect harmony façade his two senior colleagues had been projecting to the outside world, and had decided to do something about it. He'd made arrangements with Lindsey, behind their backs, and as a result the young girl was spending the evening with Uncle Warrick before her usual sleep over at her Aunt Nancy's, and Catherine and Gil had dinner reservations at a local chic restaurant.

Any man of mine better be proud of me
Even when I'm ugly he still better love me
And I can be late for a date that's fine
But he better be on time

It was a reservation they were going to be late for if Catherine didn't get a move on.

"Lindsey!" Grissom called out as he saw a car pull into the driveway, "Warrick's here!"

"Yes!" came the exclamation of delight as the mini tornado propelled herself into the room. She slammed into Grissom so hard that he was knocked back onto the sofa, breathless. "Whoa there Munch kin," he gasped trying to get some air back into his lungs, "I need my chest to breathe with you know?" and he smiled down at the child now sitting in his lap.

Lindsey giggled looking up into his face, and then her little eyes went deadly serious. Grissom's heart skipped a few beats as he wondered what was coming next. "I love you, Uncle Gil," the girl said, tears pricking her eyes, "and I'm sorry I hurt you and mom." She looked so desolate it almost caused him to tear up as well.

Grissom squeezed her tightly and kissed the top of her head, "I know, honey, I love you too," he assured her, "and I thought we all agreed to forget that little episode ever happened?"

He knew now he could cope with a sad Lindsey, a happy Lindsey and even a naughty, cheeky Lindsey, but he never wanted to see the look of hatred and despair the child had directed at him that day ever again. That had cut him to the core and that was something he couldn't cope with.

Nodding her head, the smile returning to her pretty face, Lindsey bounded out of his lap, knocking the wind from him once more, and ran to answer Warrick's knock on the door.

Catherine and Warrick entered the room at the same time, the latter chattering animatedly with his pint sized charge and the former fussing with her hair and dress.

"I don't know, Gil," she muttered checking herself in the mirror critically, "are you sure this looks all right?"

She was asking the wrong person if she wanted a negative answer. He thought she looked stunning no matter what she wore, and the fact that she was wearing his favourite outfit just added fuel to the fire.

Any man of mine'll say it fits just right
When last year's dress is just a little too tight
And anything I do or say better be okay
When I have a bad hair day

"Catherine, you look gorgeous," Warrick said beating Grissom to the punch, "and if that goofy grin on his face don't tell you that, nothing will."

Glaring at his junior CSI, Grissom turned to his lover and said, "I've never seen you look lovelier than you do tonight."

'Whoa,' Warrick thought a grin spreading across his face, 'the man is definitely opening up.'

Warrick Brown was very glad, and slightly surprised, at the changes that had occurred in Gil Grissom since his friends had got together. He and his two colleagues, Nick Stokes and Sara Sidle, had spent years watching their two friends dance around their attraction for each other, and had despaired at them ever finding one another.

He'd thought when Catherine and Eddie had separated and Grissom had helped her so much during that period that it would finally bring them together, but no. Grissom hadn't wanted to give Eddie any ammunition to use against Catherine in the divorce and had instead got mixed up with Terri Millar. That romance, if you could call it that, had never stood a chance.

When Grissom had privately confided in Warrick, something he still found hard to believe even now, how badly their one date had gone the African American had secretly cheered.

Then Catherine had hooked up with that Paul Newsome character and she seemed to be the only one who didn't notice the light of hope die in Grissom's eyes, and the spring go out of his step. And so the song and dance routine had continued.

When Jim Brass had told Warrick of Grissom's fascination and attraction to Lady Heather, he'd been sure Catherine had missed the boat, and that combined with the shock of Eddie's murder, had sent his heart out to the older woman. The three junior CSIs had seen how awkward Grissom and Catherine became around one another after that, and had wondered if that spelled the end of any hope of a relationship between the two of them, but then Catherine had suddenly seemed to come to her senses.

They never knew what prompted her or what she had said, but the night Sara had came rushing into the lay out room to tell them she's caught Grissom and Catherine sharing a passionate kiss, had been one of the best ever on the graveyard shift. Even if Nick had grumbled about owing Greg Saunders a C note for it.

"You didn't actually bet against them getting together did you?" Sara had snapped at him angrily.

Nick had looked chagrined and told them, "No of course not!" he had that hurt puppy look down pat, "I just thought it would take a few more weeks of will they won't they, that's all," and he'd been forgiven.

"Ready, Lindsey?" Warrick asked breaking out of his ruminations as the girl tugged on his hand.

"Waaaaaaaaaay more than ready," she answered mimicking being sick and then jerking her chin over her shoulder towards her mother.

Warrick chuckled as he saw Catherine and Grissom locked in each other's embrace and sharing a passionate kiss. "See you guys," he called as he and Lindsey headed for the door.

The pair replied breathlessly and talking over on another, Grissom saying, "Fine Warrick, bye Lindsey," and Catherine with a, "Later, enjoy."

When he looked through the room window as they walked past outside, Warrick saw that the couple were lip locked once more.

'Damn,' he thought with a smirk, 'they may not even make it to the restaurant,' and he chuckled quietly all the way to his apartment as he listened to his young friend fill him in on how often this despicable behaviour occurred.