CATEGORY: Catherine/Grissom, challenge response
CONTENT WARNING: Hmm, I think there's 1 swear word.
SEASON/SEQUEL: none
DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognizable characters and places are the property of TV and Alliance-Atlantis Communications. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended. Previously unrecognized characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
AUTHORS NOTES: This is in answer to the June challenge: must write a story with the title given to you. Thanks to Carol for the title, I hope this was what you were looking for, hon! Thanks to Gomes for the beta, I'm still smiling from your kind words and the muse was so happy he's jumped up and demanded we get to work on the next one. ;-)
FEEDBACK: This is a different type of story for me, I'd love to know what you think.
Copyright � Jez, June 2024.
I'll never find another you. Never, in all the world, could there be someone who can stir up so many emotions in me. You can make me laugh with just a look and a few words. You can make me cry with the way you love my daughter like your own. Seeing the two of you together makes my heart so full I sometimes wonder why it hasn't burst. You can make me so mad with the way you get focused on something and to hell with everything else. You make me happy, everyday, just by being with me and loving me. I don't think I've ever smiled so much in my life as I have since you and I got together. You calm me, when work gets too much and I don't think I can take any more and when you hold me after I wake up from a nightmare, I feel safe and secure. But most of all, you make me love with all that I have and all that I am.
~*~*~*~*~*~
"Catherine?"
Catherine sighed as she was pulled from her thoughts and looked up to see the star of them standing before her. He looked tired still, but also happy. His eyes were smiling and glittering bright blue. He looked fabulous, she decided.
"Hey," she greeted, giving him a tired smile. "When did you get here?"
He grinned a grin that still managed to turn her insides to mush. "About twenty minutes ago. I got a little sidetracked on the way."
She chuckled. "I bet you did."
He blushed a little, but certainly didn't look apologetic. "You looked so deep in thought when I walked in. I hope they were good thoughts?" he asked.
She smiled. "They were about you," she admitted.
"So were they good?" he asked again, making her laugh.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Do you remember when we realized we were more than friends? It was typical of us, really. Who else could say they realized they'd found their soul mate over a dead body and a shit load of blood splatter? But we did, leaning over that body, trying to determine how she had been killed, we looked up at each other and it just hit me as I looked into your eyes. I could see that you'd come to the same conclusion. I'd never seen so much emotion in your usually closed off blue depths. You showed me your soul that night and you've been sharing it with me ever since.
Thankfully we didn't kiss then. It would have been in bad taste to be making out over some poor dead woman, but we sure did make up for it later! And I love the way you kiss me. It makes my toes curl and my skin feel like it's on fire. I love the way our mouths fit together, like they were a custom made pair. When you kiss me the world fades away and it's just you and me.
~*~*~*~*~*~
"Cath?"
She shook her head, clearing her thoughts. "Sorry, Gil, did you say something?"
He looked worried, a frown marring his forehead. "Are you sure you're okay? Maybe I should get someone..."
"I'm fine," she assured him. "Just tired. Did you ask them to bring him in?" she asked. It was a stupid question, she knew.
His grin lit up the room. "Of course." He reached up to run a hand over his face and the golden glint of his ring caught Catherine's eye.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Our wedding day was so perfect, something else that was truly us. There was no fanfare, no glitz and glamour, just you, me and our family and friends. I think they'd been waiting a while for us to get together; it certainly didn't seem to come as a surprise to them. Then again, they are CSI's and you trained them well.
Do you remember when Lindsey said she wanted us to get married in the Chapel of Love? I'll never forget the look on your face. You wanted so much to please her, but I think on the shores of Lake Mead was a far better setting. It was such a beautiful day and I still can't quite believe we made it this far. After everything we've been through, who would have guessed that I'd end up being Catherine Grissom?
~*~*~*~*~*~
"Thank you, nurse."
Catherine was once more snapped out of her thoughts by the sound of her husband's voice. She looked across and couldn't help but smile as she watched Gil gently lift the small bundle into his arms. Aaron Charles Grissom was only a few hours old, but he already had his daddy wrapped around his finger. Catherine didn't think she'd ever seen Gil quite as happy as he was right then. He looked up at her and smiled. "He's so perfect," he whispered, in awe. There were tears there, not as many as she'd seen earlier, but the emotion was still obviously close to the surface.
"Of course he is, he's our son," she replied, her smile indulgent.
Gil walked slowly over to her bedside and then gently placed their baby in her arms. As Catherine got comfortable, Gil carefully slid up onto the bed to sit beside her. He reached out and Aaron's tiny fingers wrapped around his large one.
"If ever I could freeze time, I'd want to freeze it now," he whispered.
Catherine grinned. "You want to wait until I'm not feeling like I just pushed out a watermelon?" she asked.
His face was apologetic. "I'm sorry, Catherine. Are you in a lot of pain?"
She shook her head. "I'm tired and sore and happier than I've been in a very long time," she assured him.
He smiled in relief and went back to watching our baby.
~*~*~*~*~*~
If I could freeze time I would have done it that first instant you saw your son. You were so excited when I went into labor, but the look on your face - alternating between fear, delight and worry - made it impossible to be mad at you. But that moment that Aaron screamed as he entered the world and you laid eyes on him for the first time... I can't describe it; elation seems inadequate somehow. The way you didn't try to hide the tears as they placed him in your arms is something I'll never forget. You often hide your emotions so well, but in that delivery room you let them out for all the world to see. If it's possible, it made me love you more.
I can't wait to watch our son grow up, to watch you enjoy all his 'firsts.' I know you're going to be overprotective of Lindsey when it comes time for her to date and I can't wait to watch you intimidate all her would-be suitors. And I can't wait to spend the rest of my life loving you and being loved by you in return. I'll never find another you, Gil Grissom, and I don't even want to try.
THE END