TITLE: Facing the Music
AUTHOR: Micky Fine
DISCLAIMER: Characters from CSI don't belong to me. The song featured in this chapter is called "Don't Say Sarah" by Wave. I have removed the "h" to make it more fitting but otherwise the lyrics are the same. All song lyrics are in italics.
SUMMARY: A post-ep for the season finale. G/S. Part 1/4.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: It's been ages since I've written any form of a fanfic so you'll have to be patient if I'm a little rusty. Also, with finals looming on the horizon quick updates are highly unlikely but feedback always give me that boost (or guilt trip) to churn it out as fast as I can. Hope you enjoy this.
Feedbacks always welcome.
It's just another dayI'm off to work
It's all the same
That's how its been
Getting used to this routine
Grissom walked down the hallway of the crime lab forcing himself to think good thoughts, positive thoughts. Today was going to be fine and he would not spend the entire shift hiding in his office as Catherine had accused him of yesterday. He was going to work an entire case today.
I hide the pain insideKeep my mind occupied
At least that's the plan
I wear the bravest face I can
As Grissom drew nearer to the briefing room he could hear Nick talking.
"...so there she is chasing after this dog, trying not to scare it 'cause she doesn't want it to bolt and just when she's almost close enough to grab it by the collar it takes off again. She does this about half a dozen times and then she decides to get flies with honey if you know what I mean."
"What did she do?" Warrick asked with a wry grin.
"She goes over to the cop whose guarding the scene, steals his chocolate donut..."
"You mean the cop is eating a donut?" Catherine asked incredulously.
"Yup, and she uses the donut to lure the dog, which she then trades for the evidence. All of this, of course, took the better part of an hour and after chasing the dog through the desert she is totally pissed. So, when she gets back to the lab with her evidence she's all set to process it when her boss takes it away, gives it to the lab rat, no offense Greg, and makes her go sift through the dirt from the scene."
Everyone in the briefing room laughed and even Grissom, who was standing in the doorway, lets out a chuckle. Hearing his mild laughter the entire group turned towards him.
"Oh hey, Griss, I didn't see you," Catherine greeted him.
"That's quite the amusing story, Nick," said Grissom,
with a nod to Catherine to acknowledge her greeting, "who's the girl you
were talking about? One of your friends in Texas?"
Just when I think I'm doing alright
Someone says the magic word again
I'm asking you please
Don't say Sara no more
Don't say her name
Because she hurt me so
And I just can't let go
Don't say Sara no more
Don't say her name
Cause things ain't like before
She's not my girl no more, no more
"Oh," Grissom whispered more than said, "How is she?"
"She sounds like she's doing fine, being the workaholic we all know and lov..." Nick slowly stopped speaking when he noticed the glare Catherine was shooting at him. Sending a glance Grissom's way, he noticed that his boss looked a little upset and then realized that the last part of his sentence was probably what had set off this latest episode.
"Oh, I'm sorry Griss. I didn't think. I didn't mean to..." Nick apologized.
Almost myself againI think my heart is on the mend
I'm doing okay
Feeling stronger everyday
Gonna give it a try
It's been a while
I think that I'll go out with my friends
Maybe I can start again
"It's fine, don't worry about it," Grissom said, attempting a smile that looked more like two invisible little people had pulled up the corners of his mouth. "On to assignments then. Warrick and Catherine you have a break and enter on Sage Street in the east end, Brass is already there. Nick and Sar...sorry, Greg there was a body found in the lake of a housing complex, go check it out. And while you lucky stiffs are out investigating I'm stuck with a mountain of paperwork that the Sheriff has dumped on me. He won't let me see the light of the moon until I finish it."
Everyone exchanged skeptical glances and then turned back to Grissom.
"That's it," he said with slight annoyance.
Just when I catch a girl smiling at me
Someone tears the band-aid off
And then, it all comes back so
As everyone gathered their things and walked out, Catherine brushed past him and muttered, "Hiding in your office again, Gil?"
He glared at her and said nothing.
Shrugging her shoulders she walked out, Warrick trailing behind her.
Nick paused before walking out, "Grissom, Sara told me to tell you that she's fine. She says her boss is great and she says not to worry, she's taking good care of herself."
"Thanks, Nick," Grissom said.
"Anytime."
Slowly Grissom walked back down the hall towards his office.
Once arriving, he shut the door and dropped into his chair. With a sigh
he flipped on the radio and the chorus of a song came rushing out.
Don't say Sara no more
Don't say her name
Because she hurt me so
And I just can't let go
Don't say Sara no more
Don't say her name
Cause things ain't like before
She's not my girl no more, no more
With a growl he quickly turned it off again. Couldn't he do anything today without Sara somehow invading it?
"Who am I kidding?" he muttered out loud. Sara had somehow at some point in his life managed to permeate everything. At work she was everywhere. He constantly saw her in the lab, at one of the worktables in the layout room, in the garage, in the locker room. Despite the fact that he knew she wasn't really there, his imagination still shook him.
And then at home, he would read some article or watch something on TV and often his first thought was that Sara would enjoy this too. And then when he went to sleep she was always in his dreams, smiling at him, her brown eyes alight with mischief and good humor.
With a sigh, Grissom once again turned the radio back on in the
hopes that the song would be over. It wasn't, once again the words blared
out at him.
Just when I think I'm doing alright
Someone says the magic word again
I'm asking you please
Don't say Sara no more
Don't say her name
Because she hurt me so
And I just can't let go
Don't say Sara no more
Don't say her name
Cause things ain't like before
She's not my girl no more, no more
With a glare at the radio, he then squared his shoulders and turned to face the paperwork lying in front of him. It managed to keep his attention for several minutes. But with a growl of frustration he suddenly threw down his pen and scrubbed at his eyes that were unmistakably red.
"Why did you leave, Sara?" he whispered, "After everything that happened, all that was so good and so right, why did you leave me?"
Don't say Sara no more
Don't say her name
Because she hurt me so
And I just can't let go
Don't say Sara no more
Don't say her name
Cause things ain't like before
She's not my girl no more, no more
Regaining his composure, Grissom sat up straight, but then laid his head back on his chair. In attempt to clear his mind he allowed himself to think about what had happened between him and Sara.
Next chapter: What happened after Grissom picked Sara up after her DUI.