Disclaimer:
All things CSI are not mine. It would give me a major headache if they were.
1.
Sara Sidle leaned slightly against the cool metal of the Denali and quietly slipped off her pale green sweater to reveal a tank top beneath. It clung to her thin frame attracting appreciative glances from the officers standing watch on the periphery of the crime scene. She hated to take off the sweater, it really complimented her eyes but the heat of the September Vegas morning was already starting to scorch. Smiling at her frivolous inner thoughts she tossed it into the open passenger door and took a long drink from a water bottle. Once upon a time when at a crime scene her only thought would have been directed towards the case. When had that changed? She asked herself ruefully. The answer she didn't want to acknowledge crept into her head, she was getting old…old and jaded.
"Hey you got one of those for me?" Brass' gruff voice asked jovially as he joined the brunette against the SUV. She gave him one of her rare true grins.
"For you Jim, always" and handed him a bottle from a small cooler.
"So what do you make of this?" Brass asked nodding toward the taped off crime scene.
"No evidence of foul play, it looks like suicide unless Doc Robbins turns up something in autopsy". Sara sighed looking at the body slumped over on the ground. David was busy processing the poor soul. She could be accused of being reckless but she didn't have a death wish. She had seen too much death to ever consider ending it all prematurely. Life was too …fascinating. There was always something more to learn just around the corner. To end it all with a gunshot to the head was a foreign concept to Sara.
The sun cleared the hills in the distance causing the two to adjust their sunglasses against the glare. As it rose, the desert heat doubled in strength. A childish part of her wished she could strip down even further… it was going to be a hot day.
The pair continued to lean against the Denali in companionable silence as the body was packed up by David and an assistant. Brass pretended not to observe her out of the corner of his eye and Sara pretended not to notice. She finally broke down.
"What?"
"I don't know you just seem ….happy". Sara just smiled looking straight ahead. When she didn't bite he continued.
"Is there a new guy maybe?" Brass inquired. He hated to admit he liked to be in the know on the lab gossip. Finding out first that Sara had a new boyfriend would be primo fodder for the water cooler.
"Don't I wish" she denied laughing at the older man's raised eyebrows and interest in her dull personal life. "Things are just …good right now I guess". Brass smiled, hiding his disappointment that he hadn't gleaned anything juicier. He opened his mouth to probe further when her cell started to vibrate on her belt. Relieved at the distraction Sara answered it.
"Sidle". A look of surprise crossed her face followed by a smile as she listened quietly.
"I'll be there in twenty". She silently closed her cell.
"Got to go" She sighed. "I'm done here anyway".
Brass nodded and watched her pack away her kit quickly.
"What's the rush? Got a hot date?" Sara just smiled and gave his shoulder a slight punch as she passed him.