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Peja's Wonderful World of Makebelieve Import
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Published:
2020-11-05
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764
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1/1
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1,113

Father Figure

Summary:

Greg is worried about Gil

Work Text:

Father Figure
by Tayla

 

Nick and Warrick were taking up space in my lab. (Well, it was my lab. He said it was.) Normally I like working with the CSI's, especially Nick. With the work that they do, they like to bounce ideas off of each other. Sometimes they bounce ideas off me, or I just put my two cents in without waiting to be asked. But today I just wasn't in the mood.

I actually shoved Nick out of the chair and kicked them out of the lab. Warrick made some crude attempt at humor, asking me if I had forgotten to take my medication.

I know I was acting bitchy, not my usual bouncy self. I'm really surprised that they didn't ask me what was wrong, but they were wrapped up in their parachute man case.

I don't always get so deeply involved in a case. I could be running samples from four or five different cases a night. I'm more observant about what's going on around the lab. With the people. I know who's screwing who. Who’s looking for a new job because they can't stand Eckley. Who's having financial problems, who's having problems with their kids, who's cheating on his wife. Who's having medical problems . . .

Grissom is sick.

He's sick and he's not telling anyone. I don't think anyone has caught on yet. He's had a lot of doctor's appointments recently. Every six weeks.

Regular appointments.

That suggests something chronic. Or terminal.

Maybe it's hypertension. They can treat that. A pill every day, watch your diet, get some exercise.

But maybe it's prostate cancer. They can treat that too, but somehow it's scarier.

Maybe it's something weird like multiple sclerosis. He's about the right age for something like that to show up.

But he's not talking.

It's silly really. I'm borrowing trouble, as my mother used to say. Maybe he's not sick at all, maybe his screwing around with his doctor.

Yeah, right.

Even if he is sick, it's none of my business. He's my boss, not my family. No matter how much I wish he was.

Can you tell I have father issues?

I don’t know why I think Grissom would make a good father. From all appearances, he doesn't do well with personal relationships, and you can't get more personal than parent and child.

But he couldn't be any worse than my father.

He's more than a boss, though. He's a mentor. He doesn't just give orders; he encourages people to think, to use our brains.

And I can't say how many times he saved my ass here at work, when Brass was still in charge of the unit. The Captain didn't appreciate my . . . eccentricities. He was close to firing me a few times, but Grissom stepped in and saved my job. Because he appreciates my scientific talents. Maybe because he cares about me, just a bit.

My own father never gave me any kind of support.

I wonder what it would have been like to grow up with Grissom as a father.

But that's neither here nor there. He's not my father, I'm not his son and he's dying or something.

He's in his office, researching something on the computer. Catherine was just in there a minute ago. He's alone now, still looking at the computer. He glances up as I walk into his office and stand just inside the door.

"What's the matter with you?"

God, I didn't mean to blurt it out like that.

He looks up at me, puzzled. "What do you mean?"

So I take a deep breath, and ask him again.

"What's wrong with you?" He just looks at me, blankly. "You've had a lot of doctor's appointments in the past six months. Are you sick?"

His eyes go cold and flat. "How did you know about that?"

I've been so worried about him, and all he can give me is anger.

"I just . . . noticed that you've been going to the doctor a lot and I was wondering if you were okay."

"Just pay attention to your job and keep your nose out of my business." He snaps at me.

Well, that hurt and I feel my eyes start to tear up, but I refuse to let him see that.

"Excuse the hell out of me for being concerned." And I storm out of his office.

end part 1