"Sara, you and Greg are to meet Brass his place. Your case is the other side of the state. You'll be gone at least a couple of days so take a change of clothes or two. Meet him in an hour. Keep me posted. Now, get going." Grissom continues handing out assignments as Sara and Greg leave to get organised.
An hour later they pull up at Jim's on time and raring to go. They've already had the "who's driving" argument and as usual Greg lost and is now sulking.
"Look Greg, I'll make you a deal" Sara was regretting opening her mouth immediately so she thought of the craziest thing ever. "If I get laid while we are on this assignment, you can drive back okay?"
Greg just stares at Sara but his mind is doing overtime. Was that a come-on? She knows I've always fancied her. We, well I, flirt all the time. Has it finally paid off? Has she just been waiting for an opportunity like this? Is it me she wants? If not she's going to have to prove that she did or did not get laid! How can she do that if it's not me? Do I get to pick who she goes with? Can I watch? This is going to be the best couple of days of my life!
Sara follows Jim in the truck and thinks about what she has promised Greg. Oh God, now I am in for it. What if I do? No, that's silly; I wouldn't do that on an assignment. Still... if the occasion presented itself! I mean it's been a while and we all know why! Concentrate. Concentrate on the car in front of you. Jim's car; Jim's smile; Jim's... CONCENTRATE. Better. I hope this place isn't too far or I am not going to be able to see straight let alone think straight. It's true that I have not been able to get him off my mind for a while. Everyone thinks it's Griss I want. What a joke! I only flirt with him when Jim is around cause I don't trust myself not to do anything foolish. Of course, it's all immaterial. He would never go for me. I know he has that whole surrogate daughter thing going on because of Ellie. How could I persuade him that that's not how I want to be seen? I don't want him to be my father. No, there is a better role for him to play! This is going to be the longest couple of days of my life!
Jim is of course oblivious to all this commotion going on behind him. If he did know, who knows what he would be thinking about! Personally he is having an argument with Grissom about his choice of CSI's.
"Gil, it's not that. I like and trust Sara you know that, she's a damn good CSI. And Greg under her supervision will be fine as always. It's not the professional bit of this trip, it's the sleeping arrangements bit. But, Gil, I'll have to share a room with Sanders! I would prefer one to myself, I think at my age I've earned it! Ha Ha. I think there are rules against that one and Sara would kill you if I told her that you suggested it! And she's not sleeping in the same room as Sanders either. Hell would freeze over before I let that happen! Fine, I'll just have to deal with it, but if he snores, talks in his sleep, or even worse wants to stay up all night telling ghost stories I will kill you when I get back. Got it? I would not laugh if I were you Gil! Yep, will do. Talk later."
I can't believe he even suggested it! Even without the rules against that kind of thing, everyone knows how he feels about her and vice versa. I've seen how they flirt. I'll worry about it tomorrow when I have to do something about it. You never know, the motel may have three rooms after all and there'll be no problem. Of course, if she wanted to share with me... Down boy! Bad idea. Whatever would she see in you? Again, I've seen how they flirt, and how she flirts with the others. Never with me though! Course don't get me wrong, we get on really well, I'm sure that she wouldn't even bat an eyelid if we had to share a room. But then I would get even less sleep than if Sanders was telling those ghost stories because I would not be able to trust my unconscious side. Why me? Right, forget it. Focus on the job at hand. Let's just get up there and solve the case. Then we can all go home in one piece. Separately. This is going to be the worst couple of days of my life!
A couple of hours later.
"Ok Jim, We're done for now!" Sara stretches as Jim helps her up like he always does. "Thanks, ever the gentleman. Now if you could continue in that vain, as well as being hunter-gatherer, I could do with food, a bath and sleep. Not necessarily in that order! Greg, let's go. We need to lock this evidence away at the Sheriff's office before we can switch off for a couple of hours."
They drive back to the Sheriff's office and get organised. Jim finds out where the motel is and the best place to eat in town. Greg falls asleep in the truck. Sara locks the evidence in the safe and gets the Sheriff to sign the chain-of-custody paperwork. Outside again Jim tells Sara to follow him to the motel so
they can freshen up and wake Greg up before going to the cafe that has been suggested. While Jim checks them in Sara phones Grissom to update him with what they know, don't know and their plans for the day. As she hangs up Jim comes out of the office shaking his head.
"What's up Jim?"
"There are only two rooms. Guess I have to share with Sanders. Has he been snoring while asleep?"
"No, but he must of been having one hell of a dream cause he was shouting something incomprehensible. Jim, relax. I was only joking! He's sleeping like a baby. If fact, why don't we just leave him where he is? He is so out of it, he won't know!"
"As much as I appreciate it Sara, I don't think that's fair on Greg. Come on, wake him up. I'll just have to grin and bear it!"
Twenty minutes later they pile into Jim's car to get something to eat. Sara is feeling strange and she can't put her finger on why. What was that thought she'd had while brushing her teeth? That was what she was afraid of. Clearing her mind, again, of inappropriate thoughts she focuses on her stomach and the fact that she hadn't eaten for at least twelve hours. She was right. Already it was the longest couple of days of her life!
Greg wasn't thinking much. How could he know what Sara was up to if he had to share a room with Brass? Could he swop? Yeah, right. As if Sara would go for that! She'd probably handcuff him to the radiator so he couldn't get near her. That would suck. Although... Great thought! He would have no choice but to watch. Yep. The best couple of days of his life!
I am already fed up with Sanders! Just watching him trying to find stuff in his bag was painful. He forgot most things of course. His mother must be soooo proud! Maybe I could share with Sara? I'd sleep on the floor of course. Forget it. Wouldn't even trust myself from down there. I know she thinks I see her as a daughter, and honestly I do try. It's easy when we're at a scene cause I am looking out for her, maintaining her safety. Not that I don't do the same for the others but I do a little extra, if you know what I mean, when teamed up with her. I take my job more seriously. Nothing is going to happen to her while I'm
around! I have tried to analyse it all before. And failed! The fact is that the second we are away from the scene, away from possible danger, I go all mushy and want to protect her from everything at all times, not just on the job. I want to hold her when she's upset. Hold her while she sleeps... Yep. Worst couple of days of my life!
After dinner everyone retired back to the motel.
Sara, even though exhausted, no longer felt that bed was what she wanted and so got changed and into her runners deciding on five miles. Having seen the horrible things at the scene, she decided to take her gun just in case and informed Greg when he answered the phone next door, that she would be back in a while. Her feelings were confused and confusing. She thought that she had seen Jim checking her out but must be mistaken. Fathers don't do that! Well, not normal ones anyway. He seemed extremely attentive at dinner, watching her eat. No. She must be wrong. He was just as tired as her and didn't have the energy to look anywhere else. She was directly in front of him what could she expect! No. Her mind was definitely bordering on the overtime-for-nothing limits and she had to stop. Focus on the run. Each foot in front of the other; watch the scenery go by; keep your mind focused; about time to turn around and head back. Head back to what? A cold motel room with a colder bed? With Jim next door, all warm under a duvet! Would he notice if she slipped in beside him? Would he think it bizarre? Would all her dreams come true? Two miles to go. Longest days of my life? Maybe not long enough at the moment, this run needs to last a lot longer!
Greg is asleep and by the sounds of him having quite an interesting dream. Arggh, I knew this was going to happen. I wonder what Sara is doing right now? Is she in that bath that she mentioned? With bubbles everywhere? Impure thoughts but what the hell. I am so over that! At dinner it was as if I couldn't keep my eyes off her. I hadn't noticed some of her quirks before, well maybe I have but not paid attention. The way she organises the food on her plate into colour groups; the way she twizzles her fork when she's talking; the way she steals my drink when she's finished hers without asking. I could go on but my brain would go into meltdown! It was the first time in a long time that I had seen her in a skirt too. Must be behind in her laundry again. She really should wear them more often though. Seriously, I knew she had long legs but wow!
Now I am fantasising about her legs, great. Sticking out of the tub with bubbles everywhere. Please. I have to think of a reason to go next door. God, I have been a good little boy this year PLEASE can I go next door? What was that? A knock? Worst couple of days of my life? Maybe not if only I could get rid of Sanders and sneak in next door!
"Sara, where have you been? You look as though you've been running!"
"Great detective work Brass! Didn't Greg tell you? Look, don't worry and don't kill him for not telling you ok. I'm back now, all in one piece like a good little girl. I just wanted to check in before hitting the shower and the sheets. Goodnight Jim."
"Night Sara." Great! Now I have a different vision of Sara, a good little, very sweaty, Sara to keep me up for hours. Now what's up with Sanders?
"Sara, running. Running and running. Sara, running." Greg could see her, hear her feet on the sand. Running towards him in a very skimpy swimsuit like on Baywatch. He was the lucky one tonight. Oh yes. She could save him anytime! Had saved herself for him! Yep, Sara and ...Jim? What, where did he come from? It's true that there were some pretty interesting moments at dinner but did they have to intrude on his dream? It's true that she has a thing for older men, but that's Grissom isn't it? She can't possibly like Brass like that can she? I mean, gross! Well, not as gross ad Griss it's true, but still gross. Still, it would explain her reaction in the car when we were in front of his house. It could have been an unconscious slip of the tongue! Could it? And what about him? He was very attentive, but he always is with Sara. Helping her up to her feet when she's had to bend down; letting her take a drink from hers when she has none; ensuring that "punks like me" don't get anywhere near her. Oh god, why didn't I see it before? Best days of my life? They just turned for the worse if I have to watch those two dance around each other for the rest of them!
The next morning all three of them were quiet at breakfast. All with their own thoughts. One thing was sure, they got the case wrapped up in record time and Sara, rather disappointingly, got to drive back to Vegas. But they had to admit that they all had a "?" couple of days of their lives!