Author: Kat -- [email protected]
Rating: PG
Category: C/G friendship
Disclaimer: They're not mine. CBS, Bruckheimer, et al, have that pleasure.
Feedback: Is always greatly appreciated.
Author's notes: (1) This is my first CSI fic though I've watched the show since its inception. Hopefully, you enjoy it. (2) The signs written herein are factual though the quality of them may have been watered down in transcription.
Summary: A request from her daughter helps Catherine figure out Grissom's secret.
**
They had been working a great deal of overtime lately and it was beginning to show. Nerves were frayed. People were tired. When the little girl asked her mother to get her a sign from Grissom without further explanation, Catherine didn't put too much energy into trying to figure out what she meant.
The next night, at the end of her shift, she was exhausted but remembered her daughter's request just in the nick of time. Walking back up the corridor, she entered his office.
"Grissom?"
"Yeah?" his answered softly, eyes still on the crossword of the day.
"Lindsey wants a sign. I have no idea what that means but she wants it and I'm too tired to fight her right now."
He brought his eyes up to look at her. "I'm going to give her a sentence but you need to pay attention."
"What?"
Pointing to himself, "I", then crossing his arms over his chest "love", finally pointing at Catherine, "you". Make sure you get it right so she does."
Making a face, "Couldn't you start her out with a letter or something?"
"We covered that already. We're onto words now."
"But that's a sentence." she corrected.
"Which she can build upon." He repeated the sentence while she followed him, gesture for gesture. After the third time, he finally said, "Good night, Catherine."
"G'night." She rolled her eyes as she left the office.
Each night, she'd stop by his office and each night he'd give her another sign. Touching his thumb to his chin, fingers pointing up, "mother"; to his forehead as if in salute, "father". Crossing his index and middle finger into the letter "r", and running it down his chin, he stated "sweet". Putting one index finger crossed over the other, "friends". Acting as if he was milking a cow, "milk".
"Why are you doing this, Gil?" she'd finally asked at the end of the week.
"Because she asked me to."
"Since when do you do something just 'cause someone asks you to?"
"When it's Lindsey." he answered simply and she left it at that. Leaving his office that night, she wondered if she'd make it through her day off without giving her daughter a new sign. 'Might just have to visit him if she doesn't leave me alone about it.' she thought, pushing through the doors and into the cool night air.
**
Happily, she did make it but when Catherine was due back to work, her daughter was also back to waiting patiently for the next sign.
She made her usual pilgrimage to his office at the end of her shift. He seemed to be enjoying this more then she thought he would.
Placing his thumb between his index and middle finger, he shook it side to side, declaring "toilet".
As with the previous week, she showed up in his office at the end of each shift, he supplied the instructions to pass onto Lindsey. Rubbing his thumb on the underside of his index and middle fingers, he said, "no". Clasping both hands over each other and repeating the motion the other way, he said "sandwich". Tapping his hand to his chin and removing it quickly, he told her "thank you". Rolling his hands over each other away from his body, "going" and doing the same thing in reverse going towards his body, "coming".
**
Two weeks had now passed and the hours had long since returned to normal. Catherine had more energy to pursue her daughter's latest interest and Grissom's willingness to help.
"Gil?" She was supposed to be leaving his office, the latest sign still fresh in her mind. "What do you get out of this?"
"Helping Lindsey."
"Yeah, but why?"
Shrugging, "Because she asked me to."
Her face took on the expression she has when she's trying to piece together the latest evidence puzzle. "There's more to it then that."
"Then tell me."
"Don't do that. Why are you being so helpful to my daughter?"
Though others might have been bothered, he didn't rise to the bait. Without raising his voice, he offered, "If it bothers you, I'll stop."
Her hand moved as if on its own to her hair. Moving a few strands, she finally answered him. "It doesn't bother me. Don't stop. She's enjoying this. She's actually got an adult in her life who's teaching her things she wants to know unlike her school teacher who wants her to learn, and I quote, dumb things, end quote."
He smiled briefly. "Glad to be of service."
"Why sign language?"
"She caught me doing it the last time the three of us went out to eat."
"I didn't see you."
Raising his eyebrow, "You do have to go to the bathroom sometime, Catherine."
"Yeah. And?"
"A deaf person came in, had a question, I answered her in sign. Lindsey liked the idea of talking with her hands and wanted to know if I'd teach her."
"Keep going."
"I liked the idea that she wanted to learn. That she wanted me to be the one to teach her. It makes her one less person who'll make fun of deaf people. That's all there is to it, Cath."
She leaned on his desk for a few seconds before stating, "Keep teaching her."
Bringing his hand to his chin and quickly removing it, he winked at her and quietly said "Thank you."
"Good night, Gil."
"Yeah." He was already back into his crossword.
**
She showed up at his townhouse a good thirty minutes before she was supposed to. Figuring he'd be home anyway, she rang the bell. As it chimed, she thought she saw something flash inside but decided not to pay it too much attention. 'He's probably studying bugs for fun at home.' she thought to herself.
"Hey." He opened the door and ushered her inside while simultaneously looking for Lindsey.
"She's with Eddie this weekend. He gets to spoil her for a while."
"That's always nice." Moving into his kitchen area, he asked, "Something to drink?"
"Orange juice and water."
"Together?"
"That's disgusting, Gris."
"Just asking. One can never be too sure when it comes to you." he teased.
"Just pour. I'll even clean the glasses myself if you'd like." She sat herself on one of the stools.
"Not necessary."
"Good." she chuckled. "I was actually just offering to be polite."
"I have an hermetically sealed townhouse, remember? I'm assuming I have to keep it extremely clean in order to maintain the pristine look."
"I'm never gonna live that down, am I?"
Smiling, he gave the sign for "no."
"Hey, you expect me to remember all those signs you've been teaching Lindsey?"
He nodded in the affirmative. "I've been teaching them to you first so you can teach her. I thought you might be learning along with her."
There was something in his eyes she couldn't quite place. Not knowing if he'd get upset, she let it go. "I think I know most of them. She tries to talk to me so she can remember..."
"Practice is good. It makes it harder to forget."
"Gil?"
"Yeah?"
"I know the thing about your mother being deaf being the reason you can sign in the first place. I just didn't think you continued doing it."
"I usually don't. Only if the situation calls for it."
"Okay." Drinking some of her orange juice, followed by some of the water, she continued. "It also explains why you're more sensitive to deaf people being picked on."
"There's a but coming up somewhere."
"But...I don't get why you look the way you do when you talk about it."
He took a sip of his own juice before answering. "I don't talk about it often."
Just then the phone rang and she saw another flash. Pretending not to notice, she picked up the two glasses and again took sips from both. When he was back from the phone call, she picked up where they had left off. "I'm glad you didn't put these together."
"You're doing a fine job of that yourself."
She bit her bottom lip carefully, lost in thought. "Gil?"
"Just ask, Cath."
"Are you going deaf?" She was going to try beating around the bush a bit but straight to the point is how she deals with things and he would demand nothing less.
Though he expected her question, admitting the truth out loud made it more real. He hesitated then nodded slowly and in a barely audible voice, he answered, "Yes."
Getting up from the stool, she covered the short distance between them quickly. Wrapping her arms around him, she whispered into his ear. "I'm here for you, no matter what, you know that, right?"
"Yeah." He tried to pull away from her embrace. "I don't want your sympathy, Cath. I don't want that from anyone. Plus, I'm not giving up hope."
"In the meantime, you'll keep teaching us?"
"Yes." Moving slightly away from her, he added, "You've got to remember the signs too, Cath. Practice with Lindsey so you both can talk to me." Seeing the sadness wash over her eyes, he quickly added, "Just in case." Then trying to add some levity, he smiled and said, "And I can read lips so you can cheat sometimes."
"You gonna tell the others?"
"When I have to."
"You weren't gonna tell me?"
"You were gonna be the first to know, Cath, I swear. Lindsey just got a head start with the signing thing but she doesn't know anything else. Just that it's how I talked to my mother."
"And now it's how you'll be able to talk to us, too."
"Yeah."
Embracing him once again, she felt his arms tighten around her. It was unlike him to let his emotions come to the surface so she stayed there until he released his grip. Then, feeling safe to look at him, she took a step back.
"I'm glad I came over today."
"Always a pleasure." he teased. "Sit down. Finish your juice and water cocktail and talk to me."
"About what?"
"I'm feeling generous. You pick the topic."
The end