Say Hello to the Past (CSI fanfiction)

Surprise!

(AN: This takes place on August 18-21, 2006. A month before season 7 starts.)

                                                                  August 2006

Emma Grace was sitting at a table beside Nick in Frank's Diner. The whole team was together to celebrate Grissom, whose birthday had been yesterday, and Nick's, whose birthday was today. Grissom and Sara were sitting farthest down the table from Nick and Emma Grace. Kaitlin was sitting on Grissom's lap while the two talked about bugs. 

"Uncle Grissom, what's the difference between the ants that hurt Dad and regular ants?" Kaitlin asked.

"Well, Kaitlin, the ants that hurt Nick are called fire ants-" Emma Grace heard Grissom start to explain, but it was Sara who held her attention. Emma could tell by the look on Sara's face that she and Grissom were in some sort of relationship.

Ashley, Nick's niece who had an internship at the lab, was talking to Henry, Hodges, and Wendy.

"I still think I could invent a new board game," Hodges said.

"The last four attempts have been a disaster!" Wendy exclaimed. 

"I'm never going to play another board game with you again, Hodges," Ashley stated. 

Emma Grace had to agree with Ashley while she watched the group, Hodges and Wendy liked each other.

 Jake, Ashley's boyfriend, was talking to Greg, probably about the mobsters of Vegas, if Emma had to guess.

Sofia and Warrick, who was holding a nine-week-old Amelia, was talking to Lindsey. "And then, Jenny McAllister jumped into the pool in the middle of the night!" Lindsey's excited voice had Warrick smiling as she gave a detailed recap of what had happened to her at summer camp. Tina, Warrick's wife, wasn't with the group. Warrick had said that she had a shift at the hospital, but Emma had her suspicions.

Mindy and Archie were keeping Marie entertained. They were probably discussing something about computers and technology.

Catherine, her mother Lily, Brass, Doc Robbins, and his wife Judy were all talking. Emma heard the name "Sam Braun" and guessed that Lily and Catherine were talking about the things the older man was doing to try and get to know his daughter and granddaughter.

'Super' Dave and his fiancee Amy, who was holding sixteen-month-old Maggie, was talking to Nick.

"Are you excited to be going back home for a while?" David asked Nick. 

"Yeah. I'm mostly excited for my sisters, Gina and Kimberly, to meet Amelia." Nick smiled as he looked at where his youngest daughter was safely in his best friend's arms.

Frank, the owner of the diner, came over to wish Nick a happy birthday and offered to take a picture of the group. It took a while to get everyone's attention, but the photo turned out great.

A few hours later Nick was sitting between Jake and Emma Grace on an airplane. Nick held Amelia while Emma held a sleeping Maggie Hope on her lap. The row of seats in front of the trio held Marie, Ashley, and Kaitlin. Both girls had wanted to sit beside Ashley, so Jake had told them he would sit beside Nick. 

Catherine and Lindsey were watching Tiger and Smokey, Katilin and Marie's kittens, while the family was gone. Usually, Grissom watched Gladiator when Emma and Nick went out of town. Gladiator and Grissom's dog, Hank, got along surprisingly well for two dogs that had alpha personalities. However, Nick wanted to bring Gladiator on this trip because the dog was getting so much older.

"Oh my gosh! Let me see her!" Gina rushed to Nick's side and held her arms out for Amelia when he walked through the Stokes childhood home. Jillian and Bill Stokes had picked up the party of eight, plus Gladiator, at the airport in the family van.