Grissom and Catherine boarded a bowing 747 Air America plane in the Las Vegas International Airport at 6:30 that evening. The couple was settled into their compact seats that were in business class. Gil took the window seat, even though Catherine protested wanting to use the window as a pillow to lean against. However, when Gil suggested that she could use his shoulder instead she jumped for the aisle seat.
Catherine had herself tucked up into a nice tough ball in the small seat, with her long legs tucked under her bottom and her head resting on Gil�s shoulder. She watched as other passengers, ranging from men in business suits to mothers carrying crying babies walk by. Directly across from her there was a little girl, who looked to be the splitting image of Lindsey when she was about six years old.
The little girl had shoulder length blonde hair that at the moment was pushed away from her fact with a hair band. Her eyes were hazel and skin was as white as a sheet. She looked tired, as if she had just woken up from a nap. The girl�s lips were red, as if she was wearing lipstick. The clothing she was dressed in was a pair of comfortable and warm unicorn pajamas. In her right hand she held a small teddy bear, someone to keep her company on the long journey to Bermuda.
Catherine smiled at the little girl but the girl did not do one in return. She just shrugged it off, assuming that the little girl was shy and snuggled up close with Grissom once again. Catherine just shut her eyes thinking about Lindsey when she was that young. She could remember taking her to the lab when her ex husband, Eddie, wouldn�t look after their daughter for the evening.
Catherine would bring her to the DNA lab so she could hang out with, who Lindsey believed, to be the coolest guy in the place, Greg for a few hours and pretend she was a scientist. That dream she had when she was six had now transformed into a dream of becoming a professional dancer. Not an exotic dancer like her mother when she was in her early twenties to help pay for her schooling. Lindsey wanted to become a ballerina, and go all the way to Julie Art.
Catherine opened her eyes to the sound of a moan as the little girl who was sitting beside her moments ago had vanished. Confused, Catherine sat up and looked up and down the crowded aisle to see if she could see the little girl. There was no way in a few seconds she could disappear without a trace.
Gil could no longer feel Catherine leaned against him, using his shoulder as a makeshift pillow. He opened his eyes seeing her standing up in the middle of the aisle looking as if she was searching for someone or something. Gil tried to straighten out his body but a large pain shot through his body as he slumped back down into the seat with a thump. A kink was beginning to form in his neck as well from laying lopsided like he was. No matter how hard you tried there was no way to get comfortable in the airplanes seats.
�Catherine, sweetheart, are you alright?� Gil asked as he extended his hand and lightly touched her hands.
Catherine spun around, almost knocked her head off of the over head compartment door that was at her eye level. Gil could see the fear and confusion in her eyes. Something he had never seen before. Gil knew that his wife was claustrophobic, and he wondered if all of these people standing in the small crowded aisle were what was causing this panic attack.
�Gil, did you see a little girl sitting here?� Catherine asked still searching for any sign of her. She knew she wasn�t crazy.
�No,� Gil replied and grabbed a hold of Catherine�s hand.
The last thing he wanted was for Catherine to create a scene and the two of them having to be escorted off of the plane. That would be the most embarrassing moment in his life, and so much for a romantic getaway. Gently he guided Catherine back to her seat as Gil could see some of the impatient passengers trying to get passed her to their assigned seating near the rear of the plane.
�I�m sure she just went to the bathroom, she�ll be back.�
Catherine glanced over at her husband; a stern look was plastered on her face. She took her seat once again, cuddling up into a ball and never letting got of Gil�s hand. She was positive she was not imagining this.
�I�m not crazy, I know what I saw.� Catherine rebutted with a sigh. She refused for her husband to think she needed to be placed in the Lonnie bin.
�Don�t worry sweetheart, I believe you. She�ll be back.�
The couple attempted to get back into their original comfortable positions. The plane was about to take off, and the take off was the worst part for Catherine to endure in a flight. It was bad enough that she was claustrophobic and the plane was packed with passengers, but now she had to deal with her sanity that was on the rocks. Maybe Sara was right, maybe she did need to see a shrink.
The light for the seatbelts dinged on as everyone in one fluid motion buckled the small strap that extended across their stomachs. The flight attendants soothing voice came over the PA system explaining the flight they were on, their destination and the safety precautions incase of an emergency. Catherine tightened her grip on Gil�s hand as the plane began to roll across the runaway, preparing to take off.
Gil could sense his wife�s fear; he could feel the sweat dribbling off her hand that was crushing his against the armrest. The plane began to pick up momentum as Gil and Catherine were jolted back into there seats, there heads pressed against the cushions as the plane made its accent.
The take off was a smooth one, for there was no bad weather brewing outside. There was a bit of rocking back and forth, however Catherine had her eyes squeezed shut and her head pressed against Gil�s shoulder as the plane began to level out. The G force toned down as there were a bit of bumps in the air that shook the passengers like rag dolls for a few seconds.
Catherine refused to open her eyes until she heard the ding of the seatbelt light flicking off. She knew that once the passengers were able to remove these belts the worst of it was over. It felt like eternity, when it was really on a split second after her thought of the seatbelt light that she heard the ding. She wasted no time in removing the flimsy nylon belt that probably would not have saved her life if need be. She relaxed her hand, wiping the sweat on her pants and smiled at Gil.
Gil smiled back, placing an arm around his wife, bringing her in as close as she could go with the armrest that was situated between the two of them. Catherine rested her head on his chest, her breathing beginning to go back to normal as her eye lids began to get heavy once more. It was darkness when they left the airport, and the only thing they could see now was transparencies of clouds they passed through.
Catherine tucked herself back up into that little ball, taking one quicker glance over to the seat beside her. The little girl still had not returned. The feeling of Gil running his fingers through her soft hair distracted Catherine�s mind away from the girl as she shut her eyes. Gil did the same, shutting the drape on the window as well and drifting off to sleep. For the entire flight, the little girl in her unicorn pajamas never returned.
Two hours later, that felt more like thirty minutes the ding of the seatbelt light turning on awoken the slumbering couple. Catherine tried to straighten herself out as Gil was fumbling with the small belt to click into place.
The whole cabin shook as it hit a patch of turbulence, making Catherine knock her head off of Gil�s shoulder. Both of them moaned in pain as bone impacted bone. Gil helped Catherine put on her belt as another patch of turbulence shook the cabin. Catherine gripped Gil�s hand with hers, squeezing as hard as she could and staring at her husband. She was so scared that tears began to well from her eyes.
Gil opened up the curtain that covered the small window as sunlight hit their eyes. He could see the landing gears of the plane beginning to emerge from the undercarriage as white cloud passed by the window in small puffs. The ground was still not able to be seen from their window.
The plane then began to make what felt like a nose dive towards the earth below. Catherine shut her eyes, still rocking back and forth in her seat feeling as if she was going to be sick. Landings were sometimes worse than take offs.
Suddenly a large jolt was felt through the plane as the wheels landed on the tar mat and bunny hopped a couple of times before completing its final landing. Gil watched the whole thing through the window as his hand was becoming numb from his wife squeezing so hard. They had made it to Bermuda.
The soothing ding of the seatbelt light turning off filled Catherine�s ears as she ripped the belt off and tried to make a bolt for the door but Gil held her back. All she wanted to do was to get off the plane. However, the plane was still moving at a slow pace across the tar mat towards the terminal. Gil attempted to advert Catherine�s attention towards the window so she could view the peaceful and beautiful Bermuda.
Beautiful palm trees lined the runway as the smoldering sun beaded down from the crystal blue sky. The sun was so hot that you could see the heat rising from the asphalt on the tar mat. This was a big change from the bright lights and endless casinos of back home. A change that was well overdue for both of them.
The couple was glued to the small window, watching as the plane made a sharp right turn on the tar mat, pulling up as close as possible to the terminal that looked exactly like the buildings back home. Catherine smiled, finally making it here in one piece and finally being able to get off of the plane. Quickly she glanced over at the seat beside her to see if the little girl had returned and the seat was still empty. Catherine was beginning to second guess herself, and wonder if she really did imagine the little girl being there in the first place.
Everyone began to stand up and grab their overhead bags from the top bins, filling up the once empty aisles again. Catherine stood up, her legs shaking from the frightening decent and grabbed their bag and her purse. Everyone was eager to get off the plane and step outside into the fresh, warm air.
Neither Catherine nor Gil had ever been to Bermuda, but from the pictures in the travel magazines the island looked like paradise. Silky sand beaches and clear blue ocean were a vacationer�s dream. Nothing could be better then relaxing with the one you love for an entire week.
Gil stood up, shuffling out to the aisle to join his wife who looked like she was about to engage in another panic attack from her claustrophobia kicking in. The line moved slowly, single file in the narrow aisle with Catherine in front and Gil behind her. She extended her hand backwards reaching out for Gil�s to make sure that she was not alone in the sea of people. Gil grabbed it and squeezed it gently to let her know that he was still there and he wasn�t going to leave her alone.
After what felt like an eternity Catherine and Gil had finally made it to the closest exit off the plane. The lady standing near the door gave each of them a flowered necklace and welcomed them the Bermuda. Catherine and Grissom smiled and walked out into the beautiful sunshine.
The couple descended the stairs and walked a little ways across the tar mat towards the inside of the terminal. The heat the Bermuda got was not dry like the desert heat back in Las Vegas. There was a warm breeze that went along with the scorching sun that cooled you down just when you were beginning to not be able to take the heat any longer.
Catherine and Gil walked into a small building and stood with many of the other passengers near a conveyer belt waiting to receive the rest of their luggage.
�We need to find a yacht,� Gil said standing behind Catherine with an arm wrapped around her waist.
�I already booked one at the Marina,� Catherine replied as she watched the luggage go around, waiting for their blue duffle bags.
�How come I have a feeling that this trip was planned and booked months ago?�
Catherine smiled as she escaped Gil�s grasp for a moment to go and retrieve their duffle bags from off the conveyer belt. She plopped them down in front of Gil, her smile never leaving her lips. She was so happy that this trip was able to happen.
Gil reached down and grabbed his as Catherine grabbed his chin and tilted his head up towards hers. She gave him a kiss on the lips, making it last longer than any normal kiss.
�Sara and I planned this last year.� Catherine whispered and smiled giving him another quick peck on the lips. �Happy Anniversary darling.�
Catherine couldn�t help but burst out into laughter as she began to walk down the corridor towards the customs desk to get her passport stamped. Gil was right on her heels.
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