Learning Curves
San Francisco- 1999
Sara Sidle collected her purse, snatched her keys up from the bedside table and ran down the stairs of the apartment she shared with her friend and co-worker, Kelly.
"Hurry up Sara! We're going to be late for the first lecture of the day!" Kelly yelled.
"I'm coming, keep your pants on, woman!" she yelled back, running out the door.
They rushed into the car and Sara got as far as the end of the drive-way before Kelly realized she'd forgotten her glasses.
"Oh for Pete's sake, hurry! We really, really have to go!" Sara urged.
The conference was going to start in exactly ten minutes.
XXX
Dr. Gilbert Grissom was scheduled to give the first lecture of the day. Introduction to forensic anthropology. Speaking at these conferences always made him nervous, though he couldn't really understand why. He knew the subject matter like the back of his hand and could give the lecture in his sleep, but he could never get used to having an audience. He checked his watch and saw that there were five minutes until the CSIs he would be teaching were going to start filling the seats in the auditorium. He read over his notes quickly and ran his fingers through his hair, something he frequently did when he was nervous or uncomfortable. He inhaled and exhaled rhythmically in an attempt to calm himself down. It worked a little. One of his assistants walked in.
"Hello Dr. Grissom, how are you this morning? Is there anything I can get you?" the short, plump woman asked him.
"I'm fine, Gloria, thanks for asking. I don't really need anything at the moment. I'll let you know if that changes, though," he replied, trying to hide his nervousness.
Gloria nodded, put a hand on his shoulder and smiled.
"You'll be fine, doctor. You've done this countless times," she assured him.
He thanked her, and she left the room. He checked his watch again. Time for the students to come in.
XXX
"Red light, red light!" Kelly cried out.
Sara hit the brakes and the car screeched to a halt.
"Sorry about that," Sara replied sheepishly.
"I'd like to get there in one piece," Kelly teased.
When the two young ladies finally arrived at the building where the conference was being held, they were already five minutes late for the first lecture. They found a spot to park and dashed to the auditorium indicated on their schedule. They weren't eager to sit in for this particular lecture, but attendance was mandatory if they wanted to receive the credit for their continuing education program. They'd both heard that doctor Grissom was dull and nervous when he gave lectures. They sighed and walked into the auditorium.
XXX
Grissom was only slightly distracted by the young women's late arrival. He politely invited them to sit down and asked them to come see him after the lecture so that he could mark them as "present", then moved on with the subject matter.
Halfway through his lecture, Dr Grissom realized that the young blonde with the glasses was nearly falling asleep, while the pretty brunette seemed genuinely interested and was asking challenging, pertinent questions. She intrigued him and he became determined to learn more about her.
XXX
Sara was actually a lot more interested in Dr. Grissom than in what he was teaching; she was hoping that he would be impressed by the questions she was asking him.
After the lecture, Kelly and Sara went up to see Dr. Grissom.
"You'd think they wouldn't need to take attendance at a CSI seminar," Kelly complained.
"You'd think no one would be late at a CSI seminar," Dr. Grissom replied, a smirk on his face.
Kelly blushed.
"What's your name?" he asked her.
"Kelly Jones," she replied.
"And yours?" Grissom asked, turning towards Sara.
"Sara Sidle," she answered.
Sara wasn't sure if it was just her mind playing tricks on her, but it seemed that Dr. Grissom was paying close attention to her name.
He marked them both as present.
"You asked a lot of pertinent questions, Ms. Sidle. You've followed courses on forensic anthropology before, if I'm not mistaken," he stated.
"You caught me, doctor Grissom," she replied, smiling meekly.
Kelly raised an eyebrow and cleared her throat.
"If you'll excuse us, doctor, we have to get to our next lecture. It starts in five minutes," Kelly stated.
"Of course; I wouldn't want you ladies to be late again. If you'd like to, Ms. Sidle, we can discuss further after you've finished with your lectures for the day," Grissom offered.
"I'd like that very much," she replied.
They set a time and a meeting place, and the two ladies left for their classes.
"Teacher's pet." Kelly teased.
"Oh, shut up," Sara answered, blushing.
XXX
At the end of the day, both Kelly and Sara were wiped out. Kelly was more than ready to call it a night, but Sara was still adamant on meeting Dr. Grissom.
"What are you thinking Sara?" Kelly disapproved.
"What? We're just going to be discussing anthropology. It's not like it's a date, Kel," Sara assured her.
"Yeah, right. I've heard that one before. Just remember that he's, like, twenty years older than you, okay?" Kelly replied.
"Yes, yes. Stop worrying about me. Go home; you look exhausted. Take the car, and I'll take a cab," Sara said.
"Okay, be safe. Don't stay out too late," Kelly cautioned.
"You sound like my mother," Sara chuckled, "now go!"
Sara headed off to find Dr. Grissom. She was surprised at how fast she had taken a liking to him, because she was usually more reserved and she'd never really been smitten by an older man before. Not that this is a date, or anything, Sara thought.
Grissom was already waiting for her with two cups of coffee.
They found a place to sit, and he handed her a cup with some creamers and a few packets of sweetener.
"I didn't know what you took in your coffee," he shrugged apologetically.
She thanked him for the coffee, and after a few minutes of silence, they began talking. The conversation flowed quite easily between them, and before they knew it, two hours had passed.
"Oh, shoot. Look at the time! I'm sorry to cut our conversation short, Dr. Grissom, but I have to be up pretty early tomorrow morning," Sara explained.
"Not at all. I'm the one who should be apologizing. Allow me to drive you home," he offered.
Sara gratefully accepted his offer.
Once they'd arrived in front of her apartment building, Grissom began to say goodbye.
"I enjoyed the time we spent together tonight, Sara," Grissom told her.
"I enjoyed it too. If it's not too forward, may I ask how much longer you're going to be in San Francisco?" she asked him.
"Three days, then I head back to Vegas," he replied.
Sara nodded, pensive.
"I'd like to keep in touch, though," he added.
"I'd like that as well," she replied.
They exchanged information, and Sara smiled at him as she got out of the car.
Grissom felt he had only begun to elucidate the mystery that was Sara Sidle. Something about the way she carried herself betrayed a painful past and he wanted to know more about what lurked beneath the surface.
Sara felt a certain attraction to the doctor. She found him handsome, and she enjoyed their discussions.
When Sara walked into the apartment, Kelly was still awake.
"What are you still doing up? It's nearly midnight!" Sara exclaimed.
"I wanted to hear about your date," Kelly answered, a sly smile on her face.
"First of all, it wasn't a date. Second, we had a very agreeable conversation over coffee," Sara replied, a little flustered.
"You got a number, didn't you?" Kelly asked, that same sly smile on her face.
"Yes. Yes I did. Now let's get to sleep. We have to be up early tomorrow." Sara replied, embarrassed.
XXX
About one year later
"Hello?" Sara groggily answered the phone.
"Oh, I'm sorry; I didn't mean to wake you." Grissom apologized.
"It's fine, Grissom. I was just taking a little nap," she replied.
"How have you been?" he asked tentatively.
"Just fine. Really. Yourself?" she asked in return.
"Sara, I know you took a leave of absence from work. The San Francisco lab told me you didn't specify when you'd be back," he said, sounding concerned.
"I just needed some time off," she replied hesitantly.
"They told me what happened to Kelly," he said seriously.
"I don't want to talk about that right now," she snapped.
"I understand. Unfortunately, this isn't a social call. I have a bit of a problem with one of my CSIs," he announced.
"Okay…" she replied, urging him to continue.
"I need you in Vegas. Just for a few days, the time it takes for you to interview my CSI and write up a report. I need someone unbiased. I'm asking you because I trust you," he explained.
There was a long pause as she thought about it.
"Alright. Yes. I'll come over for a few days. I need a bit of a change," she finally answered.
"Thanks, Sara. I'm really sorry for your loss," he replied earnestly.
She hung up.
Sara closed her eyes. Lately, she'd been trying to avoid thinking too much about it. Kelly had been her best friend. The apartment they shared now seemed too big, too empty. Sara could barely bring herself to get out of bed—let alone go to work—for the past three months, and though it hadn't surprised her, it had stung when she'd been passed up for a promotion to CSI level 3. She just couldn't stop replaying the events of that night over and over again in her mind.
Sara had needed the car, because she'd been out on a date with a loser a co-worker had set her up with. Though she was surprised to see that Kelly hadn't returned from work, she hadn't been alarmed at the time. She'd figured that her friend had been called out to an urgent crime scene and was working overtime. Sara had simply gone to sleep, expecting Kelly to wake her up when she was back. Early the next morning, Kelly still hadn't come back home, and Sara had become increasingly worried. She tried calling Kelly's cell phone, but it went straight to voicemail, which was unusual, as she always had her cell phone turned on. Just as she was debating whether or not she should call the lab to see if Kelly really was there, Sara's phone had rung, and she had immediately known that the news wasn't good.
"Hello?" she answered.
"Hi Sara, it's Pat," said her supervisor. He sounded tense.
"That's never good," she replied.
"Look, uh…There's not really an easy way to say this. Kelly…Well, I guess she was walking back to your apartment when she was accosted by an armed man. He robbed her, but I guess it wasn't enough. He stabbed her multiple times. She's at Pacific Heights hospital," he announced, his voice breaking.
"I'm on my way," Sara had replied, distressed.
"Sara, wait—" he began.
Sara had hung up before he could finish. She'd sprinted out the door, her heart pounding so hard she could feel practically feel it in her head. She'd driven as fast as possible to get to the hospital and had run into the waiting room. Pat was already there. His brow was furrowed. That was a very, very bad sign, and at that moment, Sara had simply known. Kelly was gone. Pat had shaken his head, and Sara shoulders had slumped, her legs had suddenly felt heavy, and she'd needed to sit down. What happened after that was kind of hazy, though she distinctly remembered the emotions she had felt.
Thinking back to that day suddenly made them all those emotions real again. Sorrow, pain, hatred, anger, bitterness, helplessness, and worst of all, guilt. She felt guilty because, if she hadn't had the car, Kelly wouldn't have had to walk back home. She'd told this to the departmental psychologist, whom she had been forced to see, and he had just told her that it would pass, and that she shouldn't feel responsible for what had happened. Needless to say, she's stopped seeing him as soon as her mandatory sessions were completed.
Now, Sara was staring at the ceiling, thinking about Grissom's offer. A few days away from this apartment, where she was constantly reminded that someone she'd cared so much about was now gone forever, might do her some good. She realized that Grissom's call couldn't have come at a better time.
XXX
"They told me I could find you here," Sara said.
Grissom looked up from his microscope, smiling.
"Sara Sidle! You wouldn't believe how glad I am to see you. Have you been briefed yet?" he asked her.
"No. Your supervisor—Brass, I think his name is—told me you'd fill me in," she replied, slightly confused.
"Of course he did", Grissom said, rolling his eyes. "We haven't exactly been seeing eye-to-eye on this case. Basically, what happened is that one of my CSIs, Warrick Brown, left a rookie, Holly Gribbs, alone at a crime scene. She was shot when the suspect returned to the scene."
"So, you want me to interview CSI Brown and find out if he had a valid reason to leave the crime scene," she concluded.
"Exactly," he stated, nodding.
Sara pursed her lips.
"Where is Holly Gribbs right now?" she asked.
"In surgery. It's not looking good," he replied gravely.
"And Warrick?" Sara inquired.
"Try one of the casinos on the strip. I don't know where else he'd be," Grissom answered.
"Okay. I'll, uh…just drop a few things off and I'll be on my way, then," she assured him.
There was a fierce determination on her face.
"Just, please don't destroy him. Do this objectively," he pleaded.
"No promises," she replied, rather coldly.
As he watched her leave the room, he silently wondered what exactly he'd unleashed on Warrick.
XXX
Sara spotted Warrick Brown at a blackjack table in the first casino she tried.
"Warrick Brown? I'm Sara Sidle," she introduced herself, extending her hand.
He shook her hand, suspicion furrowing his brow.
"I'm assuming Grissom has already explained why I'm here. I just need to ask you a few questions," she stated.
He sighed and followed her away from the table.
"So, I understand that you have a bit of a gambling problem. It's football season right now, isn't it?" she asked.
"Yes it is. I don't see what that has to do with anything," he answered, sounding defensive.
His demeanour told her she'd struck a nerve.
"I think it has everything do with this case. A guy like you wouldn't pass up an opportunity to bet. Is it just a coincidence that there happened to be a game on the day of the incident?" she asked pointedly.
"I don't think these are exactly the questions Grissom had in mind," Warrick snapped.
Sara was about to reply when her cell phone rang. The caller ID indicated it was Grissom. She excused herself and turned her back to Warrick.
"I'm interviewing him right now, Grissom," she assured him.
"That's fine, but there's something you should know. Holly Gribbs just died on the operating table," he informed her.
Sara sighed.
"I'll let him know," she replied simply.
She hung up.
Sara turned back to face Warrick. She wanted to scream at him and tell him that it was entirely his fault that yet another innocent life was lost, and that he should hate himself for it. She inhaled deeply.
"Look, I need you to cut the crap right now. Where did you go when you left Holly Gribbs alone at the crime scene?" she asked tersely.
"Who was that and what did they tell you?" he asked in turn, ignoring her question.
"That was Grissom. Since you asked, he told me that Holly Gribbs died on the operating room table," she answered.
Warrick stared at her incredulously, unable to say a word. After a moment, he just shook his head. Sara almost felt sorry for him.
Almost.
"Now will you tell me where you went, Warrick?" she asked him for the third time.
XXX
"Hey, Sara, in here!" Grissom called to her from his office, waving his hands.
Sara walked in and took a seat in the chair in front of his desk.
He motioned for her to sit down in the chair in front of his desk.
"Nice," she commented as she spotted a pig foetus.
"My irradiated foetal pig. He gets a lot of attention." Grissom said, smiling a little. "Now, Sara, I called you in here to ask you something important."
"Okay…" Sara replied hesitantly.
"Well, I hope this isn't presumptuous of me, but we're a member short on our team. I was wondering if you'd be interested in working here," he stated.
"Shouldn't you clear it with Brass first?" she asked.
"Uh…he got transferred back to homicide. Long story short, I'm the graveyard-shift supervisor now," he informed her.
Sara thought about it. What did she have left in San Francisco? An apartment that carried too many memories which she really hadn't been able to consider her home for the past three months. She didn't even really think she'd ever be comfortable working in the San Francisco crime lab again. In the end, there really wasn't anything left for her. But was Las Vegas any different? Things would already be awkward within the team, because she had investigated Warrick. After much deliberation, Sara came to the conclusion that she had nothing to lose, and everything to gain. Perhaps most importantly, she'd be working with Grissom. Though her feelings had somewhat diminished with time and distance, she still considered him a good friend and figured it would at least be a learning experience.
"I'm in," she finally answered.
"Great!" Grissom exclaimed, a child-like grin on his face. "I'll introduce you to the rest of the team. Don't worry; I don't need you to start for another couple of weeks, so it'll give you a bit of time to settle in. You'll love Vegas," he assured her.
Sara was a bit too flustered to respond. She was already wondering how she was going to manage to find an apartment in Vegas and move her things from San Francisco to Vegas, within two weeks.