Sorrows over Tea
Change wasn't always a bad thing. It could mean the start of something new; add to the sum of experiences, the thing that made a person. Sometimes it was a hard pill to swallow. And it wasn't always easy on the people that it affected. It also didn't help if there were tense relationships around in the first place.
It was the first couple of days back and a case was on the table and Sage Parker hadn't failed to notice that things seemed tense. Call it the curse of her ability to observe but she noticed that there seemed to be bad blood with attempts of trying to get along. The source came from the new supervisor of the grave shift.
D.B. Russell was odd when she first met him, but she liked him. She had always been good at reading people and she sensed that Russell was a good man and a good CSI. His record from Seattle spoke volumes once she took a look at it. It was a little awkward though when she introduced herself. She was going to reveal that she was married to Nick when he revealed he already knew that. It caught her completely off guard in the manner he said it.
Right married to Nick Stokes. Team act huh?
It stunned her and left her walking away trying to figure out if that was meant as a warning or something else. She knew that the lab knew she and Nick were married, going on three years and trying to reach four. They were always careful not to be working on the same cases and it worked since she was busy with her caseload and that of her teams. There was the possibility that Russell was warning her about that and then there was the Langston incident.
Her role in that was just as deep as anyone else. After all she was the one that spent the most time next to Ray with Nate Haskell and the psychopath baited her as much as he baited Ray. She went off the grid after Ray ditched his escort in LA to follow the bread crumbs. She knew she pissed off Catherine and worried the hell out of Nick by not answering calls until the last moment. And she had to go into that house… so much like Nick would do, or John Wayne it.
She didn't talk about it much considering that she came out of that with a nasty bump to the head and some contusions from being knocked out. Her statement to IA told the truth: she couldn't really give much on what happened except what she saw and heard due to her injuries. As a result, she didn't suffer too much from the backlash of what happened as she found out when she and Nick got back from Hawaii. He was there for the entomology training and she was there for a convention and book signing, one of the concessions she made when she almost quite writing as Page K. Sarre completely. She still had her job as a supervisor and that was when she noticed the tension.
She and Catherine got along well as professionals and occasionally sharing understanding. Hell, it was Catherine that made her fess up when she was suffering from the effects of her concussion aka the migraines after Nick had been kidnapped and recovered and then proceeded to make sure she was taken care of. To say that they were friends, she would say they were acquaintances, but it didn't even feel like that at time.
Ever since she had been revealed to be Page K Sarre, the relationship between her and Catherine was strained. Catherine had said things were good but a couple of blowups had Sage doubt that and it made her self-confidence take a nosedive. Since then, she was wary when alone with Catherine, and made an effort to keep focused on work. She offered help if it was warranted and she could but it was mixed results and more often ended up with Catherine spitting mad at her and telling her to stay out of it.
It felt like Catherine was angry at her when she got in to the lab. Sage avoided the issue since there was a case and she had a stack of paperwork to take care of. Until it came to a head and she overheard it. She overheard it and…
Don't bother Parker. Of course they couldn't fire or demote you. Too valuable. Must feel good.
She hadn't even opened her mouth, but it left an impact. She had to pretend that it didn't matter and she refused to talk about it to her husband. She didn't even answer the summons from Russel saying that he would buy everyone breakfast. Instead, she hid in her office citing work to do. A truth but it allowed her to mull over everything. In the end, she opted the route that felt safe and that was keeping it professional, even to her husband. And it caused him to worry.
It was mostly ignored since Sage made an effort to be polite and professional with everyone. It seemed normal, except to those that she was close to and to Russell. She thought it best to keep boundaries and she took Russell's comment to heart, thinking that he was doubtful of her and Nick keeping it professional. She told herself it was a new supervisor and like anything else, she had to show rather than tell.
In keeping with her new policy, it was in her office that Russell found her working on a report. She was absorbed in what she was reading when he knocked on the doorframe. Her policy was an open door one unless she needed to have privacy. It surprised Russell that she didn't look up but instead said, "Take a seat and I'll be with you in five."
Russell couldn't help but say as he came in, "You say that to everyone or just me?" He took a seat and watched as she looked up with a wide eyed expression.
Sage studied Russell. She felt the prick at the question even though the tone had been lighthearted. She held her pen as she stared at Russell, not sure how she was supposed to answer that. Tired of tip toeing, she went with the answer she usually gave, "Anyone who walks in my door and I happen to be busy. Even my husband."
Russell chuckled at that, "Equal opportunity, huh?"
"Even for a team act." Sage put her pen down and folded her hands on top of her paperwork. "What can I do for you, Russell?"
Russell studied her, a bit taken aback that she hadn't continued the joking. It occurred to him that she was reminding him of what he said when he first met her and her reaction. He thought he struck a nerve and tried again but she was like she was now, polite and professional around him. He asked Nick about her quirks and it surprised him at how offended Nick got when he said the word. Nick was accommodating and explained what it seemed everyone forgot about Sage Parker.
He explained she was a gifted adult and didn't always see the world like everyone else. It also revealed to Russell that she was pretty young. It answered the questions he had when he noticed how open she was with Greg, the lab technicians and Morgan. With others, it seemed to vary and it seemed that she was making herself distant from everyone. And it had Russell concerned. He replied to her question, "Just wanted to see how you were doing."
"As well as it can be."
Russell had also been told that Sage had grown up as a debutante. She knew how to carry on conversation and could be polite but never revealing. And it seemed that he was getting that and he found that it wasn't enough. "Come on, Sage…"
The slight taken aback look Sage gave surprised Russell. She sat back in her seat and he realized that she was retreating from him. Not with words but her body language. He corrected himself, "Parker… come on. What's really going on?"
Sage looked at Russell. "Nothing."
"Come on. You don't talk to people unless you have to. You didn't even join us for breakfast when I called the team together."
"I'm not a part of your team."
"Don't give me that."
"In case you haven't read the sign on the door and gotten the update from Ecklie," Sage pointed at her door, "I am in charge of my own team specializing in behavioral analysis. So I am not a part of your team."
"But you've worked on grave cases."
"Only when the assigned CSI asks for it and it is warranted. We have our own caseload."
Russell thought that this was going nowhere. Sage was clearly making the boundaries and sticking to them. He was going to have to take a different approach if he was going to get to know her since she was going on the grave rotation soon. He learned about this team's schedule. "Ok, enough with the clinical approach. In fact, let's go." He stood up and gestured, "Come on."
Sage looked at Russell before looking at her pile. She made a slight face as she closed the file she was working on and placed her pen on top. She stood up with the grace she learned in deportment and walked towards the door. She stood outside, waiting for Russell to close it and lead the way.
Russell looked at her as she waited with her hands folded in front of her. She was determined to keep some sense of professionalism. He gestured again for her to follow, "Come on."
It was tempting to go back to his office but Russell decided against it. Instead, he decided to go to the stand that served coffee and tea not far from the lab. It was a popular hangout for a coffee break. He led the way and didn't bother checking to see if she was following. He knew she was following. It was disconcerting that she was so quiet, but also nice. It gave Russell time to observe her as he placed his order and asked what she wanted.
"Assam tea, Dr. Parker?"
"Yes, Shirley. Thanks."
Russell grinned, "Come here a lot, Parker?"
Sage gave a smile, "Too often. But the tea is great."
Russell chuckled as he accepted his coffee and handed the tea to Sage. He offered the cash for the drinks and gestured for Sage to move towards a set of benches. He picked one and straddled it. Sage did the same and he couldn't help but chuckle since she was dressed like she was going to court and she was straddling a bench. "Heard you were a coffee mogul."
"Used to be," Sage replied as she sipped her tea. "Had to look for other sources. Ease the stress. Less migraines."
"From that case where Nick was kidnapped. Right?"
Sage looked at Russell, "Case file or Ness?" She took a sip of her tea, giving a slight smile. "Never mind. Ness would have told you. Trying to explain my quirks."
Russell frowned at that once he started making the connection of who she was talking about. "Yeah, Nick got upset that I called them quirks. Any reason for that?"
"Ness had always been my hero. He… understands more than most about me." Sage nodded as she said that as she lowered her cup, holding it near her lap. "He was the one that… uh… chased me down and brought me back."
"Chased you down?"
"I put in my resignation my second year in after recusing myself from a case. The suspect had been killing people following story plots of crime novels and in particular the ones by…"
"The PK Sarre killer," Russell pointed out. He peered at Sage and took a sip of his coffee. "That had to be tough. Realizing that your stories was inspiring a killer. Yeah I'd wanna quit too."
"It wasn't that," Sage replied shaking her head. "Sin City had just come out and it didn't take long for the team to figure out that the characters were about them and even faster to figure out the author was me. And that didn't go over well."
"So you left?"
"I thought it was better. The team was good and me being there would make it the squeaky wheel." Sage looked at Russell. She took another sip of her tea. She wasn't going to throw Catherine under the bus. That was their issue. "Ness, thought different and convinced me to stay."
"Must have seen a lot in you."
"Oh we were partners then, working on friendship." Sage gestured with her tea cup. "But… he made the effort for me and was the first, apart from Greg, that learned that I'm… gifted."
"More than gifted," Russell countered. "You're a prodigy. Rated Mensa if I'm not mistaken. Graduated from high school in six weeks. Entered college and graduated with honors from Ole Miss. Graduate work at Georgetown. All in all, two doctoral degrees, a couple of masters and a dual bachelors."
Sage hummed at that. She wanted to laugh but it came out more as a hum. "All academic."
"Not to mention being the youngest to supervise the DC Metro crime lab and a consulting agent for the FBI."
Sage made a face, "I see someone's been reading."
Russell took another sip. He had opened her up and now he was getting to the meat of what he wanted to know. "I asked around and it was in your HR file. I even know that you were hired on with the agreement that you would never be in a supervisor position. Seemed that Ecklie forgot."
Sage gave a slight smile at that. It was water under the bridge. It did cement the fact that she was like a dog with a bone when on the case and could let you know when she was upset with you. It certainly brought laughs and Nick liked to tease her about it every now and then. "Water under the bridge."
Russell nodded at that. He heard as much. Now was the time. "So… can that be the same between us?"
Sage frowned at him, "What do you mean?"
"Well uh…" Russell gestured between them. "You've been… aloof about things. You didn't even join us at breakfast."
Sage looked downward and sighed. She saw the olive branch being offered and it actually scared her considering recent events. Finally, she replied, "Because… of our first conversation and it had me thinking about the whole thing with Langston."
Russell sat back and recalled the conversation. He remembered how he sounded and that was before he learned more about the woman sitting across from him. It had him wonder if he had hurt her feelings and as a defense mechanism kept everything clinical. He was aware of the Langston issue. "What about it?"
Sage gave a tolerant smile. "You know what I mean, Russell. The reason why you're here," she gestured at the bench to make a point. "And it doesn't seem to sit well with people that I still have my job as a super when others got demoted. Seems like…" She shrugged her shoulders like it didn't matter when it did. "I don't remember much of what happened when I did the stupid thing of going into that house and IA knows it. I was clocked on the head pretty good. Scared Ness a piece."
"I'll bet."
Sage gave a humorless smile at that. "D.B…. I like you. Knew it the moment we met. If there is one talent that I can be proud of… it's my ability to read people and… I could read that you are a good person, good man, good investigator, and I was right."
"So why the…"
"It was what you said and how you said it."
Russell paused and stared at Sage. He figured that as much. "I'm sorry…"
"You didn't hurt my feelings, Russell. Just had me thinking that you didn't want to be friendly." Sage shrugged again. "Then I saw how you were with the others but… wasn't going to cross that line until I got a green light."
Russell mused on that, "But I thought you were the kind to be like a dog with a bone."
"Only on a case. Personal and professional relationships…" Sage gave a slight smile as she continued, "Let's just say that when I've made an assumption, it had gotten challenged in a very bad way. So… first signs, I back away."
Sage finished the rest of her tea, savoring the taste. She lowered the cup and settled into her seat. She looked at nothing in particular as she fingered the empty cup. She felt relieved that she could get it off her chest but there were some things that you just didn't tell.
Russell studied her. She told him quite a bit but he suspected that there was more to it. He just wasn't going to push it. He knew what she was capable of in this job. Nodding, he said, "Now we have the dust cleared I need to know if we can work together since you're rotating into grave in a few days."
"You'll get the A-game on the job, Russell," Sage replied as she looked at the man in the eye. "That's a fact."
"Alright, what I mean is can we get along?"
"I thought we were." Sage gave a slow smile at Russell, waiting for him to catch on. She waited until he smiled and shook his finger in a knowing way and continued, "It won't be a problem."
Russell was grinning, "Well good." He moved to stand up since their break was pretty much over. As soon as Sage was standing up he asked, "Do you know anything about gardening?"
Sage couldn't help but chuckle at the question. She knew Russell grew mushrooms in his office and she had potted plants, one an orchid sitting on her desk. She had people, particularly Doc Robbins asking her about plants for Judith. She was astute enough to recognize that Russell was extending the olive branch and common ground for them. "I dabble," she admitted with a laugh. "But I do a lot of that kind neglect which is why I have orchids."
"Really? Nick mentioned something about you growing vegetables in your back yard." Russell was grinning at her as they walked into the lab.
Sage chuckled, "Is there anything that Ness hasn't told you?"
"Yeah. Why Ness?"
Sage couldn't help but laugh. It was a joke and one that was only revealed to the closest of friends. Now the lab accepted that it was something between them. She followed Russell to his office saying, "Oh that. Just a thing we do."
They shared a laugh. The load was lightened considerably and both were at a point to start fresh. It was the start of a good friendship and all over a cup of coffee and tea.
A/N: Russell is the new supervisor on grave and things didn't start off too well between him and Sage. Over a coffee/tea break they work things out. Enjoy.