Title: Boiling Point

Summary: Grissom tells the group about his hearing loss.

Series/sequel: third in the Rivers of Life series, series can be found at www.angelfire.com/weird2/butterflywings

Archive: Fingerprints, Butterflywings, Fanfiction.net, all others just let me know!

Warnings: mentions rape, slash therein and a semi-descriptive sex scene.

AN: I finally named the series, Rivers of Life!  Ya me.  Right now there stands to be one more story, but maybe the characters will have more to say.

 

Boiling Point Part 1

 

Warrick, Catherine and Sara were all in the Tahoe driving over to Nick’s for food right before work.   “Why are we showing up at Nick’s an hour early?”

 

Sara glared at Warrick.  “Because we want to talk to Nick before Grissom gets there.  Haven’t you noticed how when they’re together-“

 

Catherine interrupted, “and they always seem to be.”

 

“they feed off each other.  We’ll never get a clear answer out of them if we ask together.”

 

Warrick couldn’t see how that was suppose to clear up his confusion, “Why do we care if we get a clear answer?”

 

Sara sighed, “oh now you’re just being dense.  We have a right to know what’s going on.”

 

“Look, mean it is their lives.  Even if the rumors are true, who are we to demand answers?  Grissom still being pretty impartial if you ask me.  Sure Nick works with him a lot more, but it’s not like he works with him every time.”

 

“Look we just have to go in there and present a united front.” Warrick reluctantly consented.  “Now-wait what is that?”  They pulled into Nick’s driveway were they could clearly hear blaring country music.  “Why is Nick’s music so loud?”  Because the music was clearly coming from Nick’s home.  By the time they reached the front door they had their hands covering their ears.  They rang the doorbell a couple of times but when no one answered they figured Nick couldn’t hear it over the music.  They tried the knob to find the front door unlocked and stared in shock at what they saw when they opened it.  Nick and Grissom……were line dancing?  How Grissom and Nick would smile or laugh when a move was flubbed, then the utter shock on both their faces when they turned and saw the three in the door way.  Nick picked up the remote and shut off the stereo.  The sudden silence was deafening.  Nick quickly signed coffee and left the room.

 

Grissom sighed, “I guess you better sit down,” Grissom waved his hand to indicate the couch and seated himself on the arm chair.  “Look, umm Nick invited you over for me.  Nick’s place just seemed a little more neutral,” ~not to mention I practically live here now.~  “I, there’s no easy way to say this, I’m going deaf.”

 

Of all the things that the three expected him to say that wasn’t one of them.  Catherine was the first to recover and asked, “what was with the line dancing?”  Grissom lowered his eyes to the ground and the tips of his ears turned pink, it was then that Catherine realized he was blushing.

 

Nick came in carrying a tray with coffee cups, “I can answer that.  The reason you guys were coming over was to tell you about Gil’s hearing loss.  When Gil gets stressed it can make the ringing or buzzing that he hears worse.  I was teaching him to line dance to help him relax.”

 

Warrick asked, “so why are you losing your hearing?”

 

“Otosclerosis.  It’s genetic, because my mother had it I knew there was a possibility I would get it.”

 

Sara looked at Grissom for the first time since his announcement.  “That’s why you knew sign language.”  It was a statement not a question but Grissom treated it like one and nodded yes.  Sara hurt that Grissom would tell Nick over telling her, “I don’t understand, why did you tell Nick?  Why wouldn’t you just tell us all?”  Sara felt overwhelming jealously and almost said something more rash, but bit her tongue and waited for it to pass.

 

“Nick was sharing a lot of information about himself and I was just reciprocating with some of my own.”  Grissom almost smirked, “besides Nick more then anyone would understand what it’s like to be deaf.”  Sara frowned, as it was one more connection to Grissom that she didn’t have.

 

She didn’t think that she could deal with anymore revelations for the day, “I’m not feeling very hungry right now.  Could Warrick and Catherine ride in with you guys?”  Sara didn’t even wait for and answer and just got up and left.  She didn’t really want to know now about the rumors.  It was enough to see that Nick and Grissom were close, closer than she and Grissom were at any rate.

 

The four sat in shock for a moment just listening to Sara’s car pull out of the driveway.  “I put the lasagna in the oven so it could re-heat.  It should be done in about five minutes.”  They continued to sit in silence until the timer went off.  Then about half-way through dinner the conversation opened up and Grissom shared about losing his hearing and Nick told a more edited version of why he understood deafness and signed.