Disclaimer – Nope they don't belong to me last time I checked! Please don't sue, I am only a very poor fanfiction writer.
A/N The story will be GSR, set around mid season 5, a kind of AU how they got together mixed with lots of other drama, angst, fluff and stuff, no main CD, and will be quite a long story, although no where near as long as my Dead Bodies New life Story. I have the whole storyline set out, the beginning, guts and ending, but will probably add more as the story unfolds. I don't want to give too much of the story away too soon, but if I get enough of a response I will update on a weekly basis, most likely at the weekends. The story rating will go up and include adult themes. Story beta'd by myself so any remaining mistakes are all mine, so I apologize in advance. I hope you enjoy this short story, not sure how many chapters it will run for yet, but please take the time to leave a review at the end. R & R Enjoy!
Fall Out Boy
Working on yet another damned performance report for his nemesis Conrad Ecklie, Grissom quickly scrawled his signature at the bottom of the page before snapping the file closed and depositing it in his out tray.
Leaning back in his seat, he pulled the glasses from his face, then dropping them on his desk, he used his pressure with thumb and index finger to the bridge of his nose to ease the mild migraine that was threatening to grow. He knew he had to try to relax or take a break from coming in three hours early to rid his desk of files and paperwork, or he wouldn't get through the impending shift.
Just as he opened his eyes to glance up at the clock, Jim Brass stepped into his office after a meagre tap on then door.
An hour to go before he would be giving out the nights assignments, but seeing Jim wafting a piece of paper he knew it would be an early start tonight.
"You up for a road trip to Warm Springs buddy?" Jim said passing over the slip to Grissom.
He sighed heavily grabbing for his glasses as he looked over the slip "Two DB's found in a lodge by the owner, one hour ago, animal control en-route " he looked up at Jim frowning "How come Carson City isn't picking up the slack on this one?" he asked.
"Because there's a dog going berserk in the property, and the Lodge owner reported that there was a kid with the couple originally when they signed the rental agreement, but there's no sign of one now, so they think we have better resources to deal with it" Jim said shrugging his shoulders.
Looking back down at the slip in his hand, his mind went into planning mode as he thought of who to send out to the scene. He knew he couldn't with a migraine pending that would surely distract and possibly incapacitate him if not careful.
"So you taking it Gil" Jim asked as he watched his friends brow slightly wrinkle in thought.
Grissom had seen Sara come in an hour after him and go into the break room carrying her forensic journals that she often browsed through before shift, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to risk her becoming to involved with a case where he wasn't easily accessible to intervene if necessary, plus the fact that her recent admission of her childhood trauma had left him troubled as to what cases to assign to her in future.
"Urmm....Sorry Jim....Was there any indication of there being a third party involved, or are we looking at a domestic case with this one?" Grissom asked, hoping to be able to better decide who to send on the case.
Jim frowned a little then stepped towards the door "All the details I know, are on there" he said indicating to the piece of paper before he pulled out his cell phone "So I can tell them you'll have a couple of CSI's out there in a couple of hours then?".
With little else to go on in making his decision, he decided the trip might actually do Sara some good being away from the lab for a couple of days possibly "Uh yeah, I'll just call Nick in early to assist with Sara" Grissom said as he stood and grabbed his own cell phone to call Nick, as Jim left his office making his call.
After placing the call to Nick and telling him to pack a small overnight bag, Grissom grabbed his empty cup and made toward the break room.
Catching someone in her peripheral vision as she read, Sara looked up to see Grissom enter the room and go over to the coffee machine "Want a refill?" he asked turning to her indicating to her cup on the table, then grabbing the coffee jug.
Sara smiled lightly, he'd been trying ever so hard to be more personable with her since he came to her apartment and she'd spilled her guts about her fathers murder at the hands of her mother "Yes please" she answered then looked down at her journal to hide the wider smile she was now sporting.
"A case just came in out at Warm Springs, two DB's, animal control and a couple of officers are at the scene as we speak. There might also be a missing child involved, that may need other resources being called in. But It's your and Nicks. Nicks primary on it okay" he said with his back still to her as he poured their drinks then turned and sat down across from her.
She bristled a little at him giving Nick the primary on the case, but then rationalized he was probably just trying to ease her back into cases that could potentially mirror her own past and spark more memories for her.
"Thanks" Sara said with a small smile taking the offered cup "Soooooo........We get a road trip. Any idea if we'll have to stop over, if I need to take an overnight bag?" she asked.
"I'd take one if I were you, if you have one, but I really don't have any indication as to how long you'll both be up there so it's anyone's guess right now" he said before taking a sip of his drink, and so he could take a little time to prepare for what he was going to say next to her.
Nodding, Sara picked up her own cup a little nervously seeing that Grissom was debating in his mind what to say to her next "Okay, I always have one in my locker in case I need it, so I'll take it along with me" she said then took a drink herself breaking their gaze.
"Sara....." Grissom started then broke off not really sure how to word his concerns for her with the case.
"Yeah" she said looking directly at him and sensing his internal battle with his words, she decided to help him out knowing what he was probably thinking in the recent light of her disclosure to him "It's okay really, besides you gave Nick primary on the case" she said trying to reassure him as usual.
Taking a steady breath then letting it out slowly before he spoke, he put down his cup breaking her gaze and following the cup to the table "Sara...... If the case gets too much for you,......You know if....Or.......Or you feel you need help with it, you will let me know wont you" Grissom said awkwardly, hoping she'd understand that he was trying to be the real friend to her that he should have been doing over the past couple of years.
He now looked up at her with a pleading look, as he nervously played with his cup.
Letting out a long sigh Sara then smirked at him "Sure. And even I'll try not to get to involved in the case too, okay" she said hoping she'd convince him of her sincerity of her words, and hoping he'd not make her promise.
"Sara...." Grissom said breaking off from saying the rest of what he was going to say, she seemed as though she was getting some kind of mild amusement from his concern for her, which slightly upset and unbalanced him, with not being quite sure how to deal with the extra emotions she'd stirred in him recently.
"Really. I'll be okay, I'll just follow Nicks lead on this" she said waving the slip for emphasis.
Smiling softly and nodding at her reply, but not entirely sure she'd comply to his sincere request, he handed over the slip for her to read the location and details "Nicks on his way in, so he should be here soon" he said standing up and grabbing his cup "Call me if you have any problems, and keep me regularly updated Sara" he said pointedly as he caught her gaze, and he smiled before turning ready to leave.
"Huh, yeah we will" she said locking her eyes with him and getting the meaning of his words exactly before he went on his way to his office again.
Arriving at the scene of the lodge set in an almost idealistic setting on the edge of the small town at the start of some glorious looking woods, Warm Springs seemed like a good tourist spot for any nature lovers, but the lodge was situated apart from the others and set back a little, the scarce signs of any life of the inhabitants within were scattered around the porch and grounds.
Taking in the bright flashing lights of the law enforcement vehicles, and the animal control van parked out front, Sara tried to focus away from them and the bright yellow crime scene taping off the residence to look more closely at the porch and garden going straight into CSI mode as both her and Nick approached the entrance.
The sound of what appeared to be a large dog barking incessantly, and raised voices broke her concentration of her scan of the front garden where she had already spotted a child's discarded book and a single sneaker.
Coming to a stop next to two officers with their backs to them Nick cleared his throat "CSI's Sara Sidle and Nick Stokes, what's the situation at present? I can hear the dog, so I take it animal control hasn't secured it yet".
Both officers turned to them, one, the younger of the two in his early 30's eyed Sara appreciatively, as the older officer in his 50's spoke "Yeah those guys are having a time of it in there. A full grown boxer dog is in with the female victim in the master bedroom attacking the door or anyone who tries to enter. We haven't been able to clear the house until they have the dog under control" he said pulling out his little black notebook.
"The lodge owner said he rented this place out to a Charlotte Meridian and Martin Jacobs for a twelve months lease two months ago, said there was a kid sat in the back of the car when they paid up full in cash, didn't indicate if it was their child. That's all we got" he added closing the book and putting it back in his pocket.
Sara feeling a little uncomfortable at the younger man still eyeing and smiling at her, shuffled her feet looking anywhere but at him.
Noticing her discomfort Nick cleared his throat hoping the man would get his message to stop staring at his friend and focus on relaying the details of the case "Okay, so are they going to sedate it, so you guys can go clear the scene for us? He asked taking a quick glance at Sara who was now making over towards where she had seen the book and shoe.
"That's what they're doing right now. They didn't want all us lot in the house agitating the dog any more than it already is" the younger officer put in, his eyes still trained on Sara momentarily before turning to Nick with a cocky smile.
"So I take it there is a child then" Sara shouted over holding up the sneaker in her gloved hand "Anyone know where it is yet?" she asked as she deposited the shoe into an evidence bad before sealing it.
"Well unless he's in the master bedroom with the dog and the victim, then no we haven't located one yet" the older cop said raising his voice so Sara could hear "I've got an officer looking into to the possibility that he may be staying with a relative. Oh and the coroner is en-route" he finished saying as Sara stood and walked back over to them with her kit and to evidence bags containing the book and shoe.
"Well at a rough estimate, I'd say going by the kids book I found, that we are looking for a pre-teen" Sara said standing next to Nick "You want me to take the perimeter while we wait for them to clear the house?" she asked Nick, wanting to get right on with the case as soon as possible.
The barking suddenly stopped after a loud yelp was heard by them all.
A nagging feeling was gnawing at her stomach that this case was going to not only a tough one, but this missing child business in the equation wasn't sitting right with her somehow, it was making her feel really uneasy right now.
Looking at Nick who was just about to answer her, the door to the house opened and two men came out carrying a muzzled and clearly sedated male boxer dog, making their way over to a van which had been opened by a third office anticipating their move to get the animal in a dog carrier.
Moving towards the house and drawing their guns the two officers that were stood next to them a minute ago, one yelled "Lets us check out the bedroom then your all clear to go in".
Another cops cell phone rang and he answered it as he got it his vehicle to talk, Sara and Nick edged their way closer to the front door awaiting the all clear signal to enter, as the animal control van drove off.
"Hey" called over the cop who'd now finished his call and was walking over towards them "There's no trace of any relatives for either of the deceased, so the kids not with an aunt or uncle, so that only leave a friends house possibly" he said coming to a stop by them then adding "Charlotte Meridian worked at the drug store in town and was quite friendly with the locals, looks like they were considering staying on in the area. The guy Jacobs just did general labour work where it was available according to some of the woman's co-workers", he was about to walk back to his car when he added "Oh and we have no idea about the kid, no one our officers spoke with even knew they had a kid, and there is no kid registered at the local schools, hospital or physicians under the name Meridian" he finished with as he carried on back to his car.
Frowning deeply, that uneasy feeling increasing in her as time passed, Sara turned to Nick "I'm not liking the sound of this no evidence of a child having been registered Nick. We need to check if they had a child living with them first, and if it looks that way we need to get out a search party in these woods very quickly, because the child will be scared at what's happened to them and possibly his parents right now" she said edging closer to the house as they heard the yell from inside.
"All clear" one officer said stepping outside onto the porch "No sign of a kid, let our guys know if we need to arrange a search party or anything. The male vic is in the kitchen" he said re-holstering his gun.
"I'll take the male DB downstairs and you take the bedroom with the female vic" Nick said as they both stepped into the darkened home clicking on their flash lights.
On entering the master bedroom, the smell of copper in the room hitting her nostrils immediately brought up memories Sara was still trying to suppress.
Charlotte Meridian was laid on her stomach on the bed, her head tilted to one side, eyes staring hauntingly at her, blood covered the upper part of the bed and spatter was evident on the nearby wall, anyone seeing this scene could quite easily asses that the woman's throat had been cut.
Momentarily her gaze went back to the spatter on the wall again, an upright void of about about three foot in height by a foot wide could be seen clearly.
Placing her kit down on the floor and shining the light around the room she observed signs of a struggle, a lamp knocked over, framed picture on the floor smashed, and some books covered in blood on the floor.
Grabbing her camera she turned towards the victim again and started to take positional shots before her close up ones.
Clicking away for ten minutes and ready to move in to get the close up shots of Charlotte Meridian, Sara heard a muffled sound up in the roof.
Taking the camera off from around her neck she placed it on top of her kit, then stood stock still listening again, she could barely make out the sounds of the officers outside the lodge, but filtered them out to listen intently for any more sound from above.
Probably just some wild animal she thought just as she was about to resume taking pictures again, when she heard a distinctive muffled sneeze and soft thud.
A/N - I Hope you like the story so far and have got you all intrigued on how it's all going to play out, I need plenty of feed back from you to see if its worth while me continuing on with it. I have already given you a few subtle hints so far to something that will be quite important to the story and a certain entomologist you all know.
Please take the time to leave a review so I know you want me to continue, or just leave me a general comment on what i've wrote so far. I really do appreciate you helping me to be a better writer with your reviews.
