chapter 1
Thinking back, Gil Grissom didn't know when it had really started. All he could think was, since I met her. So, he blurted out "Nine years ago". Then Conrad had said something about getting stories straight and he was baffled by that. When he asked Sara about it, she had told Conrad two years ago. Technically, that was correct...but they had become entwined in each others lives from day one.
San Francisco - 1999 Forensic Academy Conference
Sara made her way into the conference room. There were about 20 tables set up, all facing the front towards a white screen and overhead projector. As a forensic scientist, it was required to continue learning, and bugs were unfortunately a part of forensics. Her boss had suggested to her and her coworkers they sit in on this particular session. She took a seat in the second row on the right next to her colleague Tony.
"Hey, Sara. Ready to take a nap?" Tony quipped in his usual sarcastic tone.
"Well, I don't really like bugs, but it is a part of our job. So, I guess I will have to give it a try."
"UGH! I heard this guy talk at last years Forensic Academy Conference in Buffalo. SNOOZEFEST!! He actually gets into the whole bug thing...acts like it's the most exciting thing. I don't get it. They are bugs...ick!"
"Well, Tony, he's an Entomologist, so im assuming loving bugs is a prerequisite. I heard he is a well respected scientist and he has been published quite a few times. Besides, he works in the Vegas Crime Lab! They are what, the number TWO forensics lab?"
"Yeah, yeah." Tony scowled and leaned back in his chair, acting like a child forced to sit through school.
Sara glanced around the room, many familiar faces, some she didn't recognize. "Hmmm...he is cute" she thought to herself when her eyes landed on a tall blonde in the corner. "He is NOT cute" was her thought on the tall balding man eyeing the crowd in speculation as he sipped his coffee near the back. He caught her staring and smiled at her. "Uh oh, yuck!" she said out loud. Sara turned back towards front and shot a smile at Tony who was looking at her questioningly. "Nothing. Just creep alert back there."
Just then a man walked into the room from a door off to the side of the front area of the lecture hall. He walked up to the table set up there and was shuffling papers around , his glasses perched near the end of his nose. His hair was graying, but he wasnt what shed consider OLD. The grey worked for him; it made him look distinguished, Debonaire even. Sara guess he was in his fourties. He wasn't very tall. When he looked up, his eyes landed on her. "Shit!" Sara mumbled and looked away, but not before noticing how blue his eyes were.
She chanced a glance back in his direction and he was flipping through a spiral notebook. He was leaning on the table, both hands flat on it surface on either side of what he was reading. He was handsome, Sara thought. Usually she didn't think men of his age were, but there was something about him that intrigued her. He looked up again and his gaze landed on hers and he flashed a boyish grin at her as he stood. She held his gaze. They stayed that way for a moment, just staring. Then he looked away, took his glasses off and pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers. He looked off to his right and Sara noticed her supervisor was at the podium.
"Take your seats everyone. We will begin in a moment.."
People made their way to their seats and an eventual quiet came over the crowd as they waited for things to get started.
"Ok, Welcome! I know you are all busy people, but continuing our learning is a MUST in Forensic Science. So, today's topic is based in Entomology. I know its not everyone's favorite topic but establishing a time line can be based on insect activity on a DB. So, without further ado, I would like to introduce you to today's Speaker, Dr. Gilbert Grissom."
Everyone began to politely clap and the grey haired man made his way to the podium. "Great" Sara thought. "HE'S the speaker! Well, at least he is good on the eyes!" She smiled to herself and listened to him begin his lecture. She was amazed by his brilliance. You could see the passion he had for science and learning. As he flipped through slides and made timelines on the overhead, she was totally intrigued by him. She would LOVE to pick his brain, among other things. She smiled to herself.
"First opinions are crucial", he was saying. "But if the evidence changes, so must the theory."
His eyes landed on her and scattered applause broke out as he finished. He smiled that crooked boyish grin again but looked away as a few people made their way to the front to shake his hand and speak with him.
"UGH! Im so glad this is over!" Tony got up and stretched his arms above his head. "So, was he boring or what?" He looked down at Sara, who was still staring at Dr. Grissom.
"HEY! Earth to Sara" Tony snapped his fingers in her face. She looked up at him then, "WHAT!"
He just looked at her and shook his head. "Im going to go get a donut before the next lecture" and he strolled off towards the back. When Sara turned back to the front, she noticed that he was looking straight at her! He was talking to her supervisor and they were BOTH glancing in her direction. What is that all about, she wondered.
She turned her gaze back towards the table and her notes. She flipped through the handouts to find the Biographies on the lecturers. She was reading the story of Dr. Gilbert Grissom when a voice in front of heard said "not a very interesting story. But they insist on putting those on all the lecture materials."
She looked up into the bluest eyes. He was grinning again and she couldn't help but smile back. "I don't know. He seems interesting to me." She said in a somewhat flirty tone.
He extended his hand to her "Im Dr. Gil Grissom. My friends just call me Grissom." She took his hand in hers, relishing the warmth of his grip. "Sara Sidle. SFPD, CSI-Level 2. Nice to meet you Grissom."
"So, Dennis is your supervisor?" He walked around to her side of the table and took the empty seat next to her, turning slightly to face her.
"Umm, yeah. He's great." She turned herself to sit at angle facing him. "I really enjoyed your lecture, by the way. Im not really into insects, but it was very informative. I didn't realize how much they can tell us about a crime scene."
He continued to look at her, his glasses dangling from the fingers of his left hand that was resting on the table. He thought a moment before he spoke, thinking about what he would say. "Well, im glad that someone was paying attention and was interested in what I had to say."
"Most definitely" she said smiling.
"Well, Dennis has invited me back to your lab after this is over. Maybe you can show me around? I 'm curious to see how other departments run their labs." He put his glasses back on his face. "So, what is your area of expertise, Ms. Sidle?"
"Sara." She grinned at him again. "I have a masters degree in Theoretical Physics but materials and element analysis is my forte as a CSI."
"Intriguing." That was all he could think to say. Snap out of it Gil. You're practically old enough to be her father. She's just being polite you old pervert. His mind was reeling and he was beginning to lose it in those beautiful brown eyes. And her voice! Low and seductive when she made her short comments full of double entendres. Or was he imagining that?
Dennis Paddock watched them with interest. In all the years he had known Gil, he had never seen him take the time to sit and talk casually with anyone, let alone a young female. Gil could talk a long streak about science, but never really anything informal. He was usually closed off when it came to the private aspects of his life. Hell, he didnt even know if the guy was married or not. He walked towards them and saw Sara give him on of her business cards and flash him a sultry grin saying "I will look forward to hearing from you".
"Hey, Gil!" Grissom and Sara looked up guilty expressions on their faces. "I see you met one of our brightest CSI's. Sara has been a real asset to the department. You aren't trying to lure her away to Vegas are you, Gil?"
Grissom stood and pushed his chair in, standing behind it. "No, Dennis. Ms. Sidle just had some questions. It was nice to see someone was paying attention to the lecture. Half the time people are falling asleep or tuning me out. It comes with the territory of leading lectures, but its always refreshing when you make an impression on someone". He turned towards Sara on the last sentence and winked at her. She sat up straight and stiffled a chuckle and was grinning ear to ear.
Dennis furrowed his brow at the exchange of looks these two had just made. Was he trying to lure her away? Or just lure her? This was so out of character for Gil Grissom. "Well, when this is over, Gil, you want to head back to our lab? Get a tour?"
"Yes, Dennis. I was just saying that and Ms. Sidle has grasciously volunteered to show me around."
Dennis just stared at them. "Ok" he finally said. "After your tour, maybe we can grab some dinner? I know a great steakhouse. My treat."
"Sounds great Dennis"
"Well, sit down Gil. Your colleague Conrad Ecklie is about to begin his talk about handling the Press. Im sure Sara wont mind if you join her." He smiled at Sara and walked up to the podium to introduce the next speaker.
Sara looked up at Grissom and smiled at him again. "Yeah, sit down. No ones sitting here" she lied and hoped Tony would get the hint and sit somewhere else. Grissom sat down next to her with a smirk on his face and light that danced in his eyes.
"I'll nudge you if you fall asleep. THIS GUY is boring. I work with him. Hes the day shift supervisor. HUGE butt kisser. He lives for this stuff." She chuckled at his comments. She had a nice laugh. What are you doing, Gil? Keep your hormones in check.
Tony walked up towards the front and noticed Sara talking to someone who had taken his seat. He was about to say "hey, move it, im sitting there" when he noticed how she was looking at him. It was the bug guy. ICK! Was she FLIRTING with him? He was OLD! He had grey hair for Petes sake! Then he looked at him. Well, obviously this guy was a goner. He had fallen for the charms of Sara Sidle. Many a man in the lab had, but he had never seen HER respond this way to affections before. It was usually some She-woman, liberal, you're a pig because you are a man comment.
Tony continued on his way and found a seat on the other side of Sara at the table. The speaker had already started, but he couldn't help himself. He leaned in to Sara's ear and whispered "what's he got that I don't?" Sara whipped her head around at him and gave him a glare that would peal paint off the walls. "Sorry" he said raising his hands slightly and sat back to listen to the lecture. Now THIS guy was interesting.
Gil Grissom was a goner. He looked into those brown eyes and all thoughts left his head. He knew he was asking for trouble the moment he shook her hand. But he couldnt help himself. He had to find out who she was. And before he knew it, he was exchanging business cards and inviting himself on a personal tour given by the amazingly beautiful Sara Sidle. He glanced over at her during Ecklies speach. She caught him looking and flashed her smile at him. He smiled back and lightly chuckled to himself and turned back towards the front. Could she possibly be interested in him?
"You're right...Hes BORING!" She breathed into his ear. He gasped and turned to her. There was that smile again. He could still feel her breath on his neck. He flashed her a crooked grin and leaned in to her ear to barely whisper "Hes no Gil Grissom".
The smile again. Another grin. The bareley controlled laughter bubbling up inside each of them. He dared not look at her again for fear he'd totally lose control and embarrass himself with his outburst of laughter.
"So, in closing..." He barely heard a word Conrad had said but was relieved that it was over. He glanced over at Sara and she was smiling at him, controlling her laughter, barely. He smiled and laughed. People were beginning to move around them, but they held the look. Just smiling.
"Come on" he said holding out his hand as he stood. "Lets see what other trouble we can get into". She got up taking his hand and followed him out the back and into the main hallway. Never letting go of his hand. Never hearing Tony asking her if she needed a ride back to the lab.
