Fourth instalment of my mini-stories. I only intended to write one, the first one with Lady Heather because I was so outraged at how the episode ended… but here I am again.

Spoilers for season 9 so far.

This one was harder to write because we don't know much about Ecklie (apart from the fact that he's a jerk!), so review and tell me if I've got them in character.

It's set some time between epi 8 (Young man with a horn) and epi 9 (19 down) of season 9. You may want to read my previous story first (up the ante) as it slightly refers to it but it's not essential!

Thank you.

He slowly walked down the corridor past the A/V lab where Archie was busy sieving through more video evidence on the latest case, another 419 in the Palermo, his letter firmly held in his hand when Hodges called out to him. Grissom turned round and said more curtly than he intended to:

"David, now's not a good time, whatever it is, put it on my desk. I'll get to it as soon as I can."

Bar Archie, Hodges and Mandy in prints, the lab was deserted and oddly quiet although it was the middle of the afternoon. He made his way up the stairs as he had done so many times before, walked past a couple of closed doors before pausing outside the third one which was half open. He knew what he wanted to say, he had rehearsed his speech in his head on his way to the lab but he was not looking forward to it. He didn't know what kind of reaction to expect. If he could help it, he would be straight in and out.

Ecklie and he had not seen eye to eye over the years, for the former was a condescending pompous man but Grissom still regarded him as a fine CSI and respected him as a colleague and superior, a man who was doing a job Grissom would not have wanted even if he had been so inclined. How anyone could play, let alone understand, the political games linked to their work, he didn't know. Even though their relationship had been fraught at times, Ecklie had been there professionally for Grissom recently as regards Warrick's case, so he felt it was only polite to inform the man of his intentions before word got round. How long would Catherine be able to keep quiet about this was anybody's guess.

Grissom hesitated for an instant and gently rasped his knuckles on the doorframe. He had made up his mind, no turning back now, not that he wanted to but he wasn't relishing the prospect of this meeting with Ecklie. He wasn't in the mood for an interrogation and hoped that his supervisor would keep his questions to a minimum and not pry into Grissom's reasons for his leaving in too much detail.

Ecklie looked up from the paperwork he was perusing when he heard the knocking and motioned for Grissom to come in and take a seat. He slowly closed the folder he had in front of him and put it to one side.

"What can I do for you, Gil? It's a bit early, even for you, isn't it?"

Grissom entered the office closing the door behind him and made his way further inside favouring one of the chairs facing the Assistant Director's desk as opposed to the couch that he and Sara had shared a bit more than a year ago when they had all agreed Sara would move to swing. Was it only just a year? It felt like a lifetime.

"I've got some business to take care of before shift starts" replied Grissom absent-mindedly while sitting down. He was toying with the sealed envelope he was holding or rather clutching in his left hand, his right hand gently resting on his thigh. He paused slightly before continuing:

"I've been meaning to talk to you for a few days now and I've been putting it off" he said intently looking at the steaming cup of coffee on Ecklie's desk. "There's no easy way to say this, Conrad" he continued lifting his gaze to look him in the eye, "I've… well, I've decided that…that it's time for me to do something else". That hadn't somehow come out the way he'd rehearsed it.

"Have you been approached to do a seminar?" asked Ecklie.

"No, no nothing like that… I've decided to leave the lab. This is my letter of resignation" he said holding out the letter. Ecklie took it but did not open it. He merely put it down on his desk. Did he hear right? Grissom has been at the lab longer than me, it is true that he has not progressed up the ranks as one would have expected but that has been to my advantage…

"Well, this is out of the blue, Gil…"

"Actually, it's been on my mind for a while now."

"What brought this on? Has something happened? Surely if you want some time off, I'm certain we can work something out. You have plenty of holiday leave to take…" Ecklie said with slight panic in his voice. Grissom had his own way of doing things and Ecklie didn't always approve but he was excellent at his job and the lab's reputation had only been enhanced by his affiliation to it. Was he thinking of offering his services elsewhere?

"No, Conrad, I want to leave CSI, here in Vegas or anywhere else. I've had enough."

"Well, I don't know what to say."

"There is nothing to say. My mind's made up. I'll make sure to clear my case load and leave everything in order."

"May I ask the reason…?" He motioned loosely towards the letter resting on his desk.

"The reason?" Ah! There we go. "I've dedicated most of my life to my work, to Science, to the lab and for a long time it was enough. Not anymore. I've realised that the lab is not my life and more importantly that I don't want it to be. I want to concentrate on the living rather than the dead." He rattled off rather more enthusiastically than he had wanted.

Ecklie nodded his head slowly understanding that Grissom's mind was set and that nothing he could say was going to get him to reconsider. After an awkward silence, he wondered:

"Sidle?"

Grissom cocked an eyebrow. "No disrespect, Conrad, but I think that's none of your business." He was not going to go into anymore details. His reasons were private.

Grissom moved to stand up and go but stopped mid-movement; "I've got one last request, if I may; I hope you'll have the professional courtesy to agree."

"I think I can guess what you're going to ask, Gil and the answer is of course. Catherine is the ideal candidate and I'm sure she'll do an excellent job."

"She won't let you down, Conrad; as you know she is an excellent, very dedicated criminalist" he added, "Oh and one more thing, if I may?"

"Please…"

"You'll need to think of hiring a new CSI soon to pick up some of the slack, I don't want to leave my guys short…"

"Of course." Well, they're not going to be your guys for much longer now. "Gil, listen," he added with some hesitation in his voice, "you've got lots of leave due, you could take some of it in lieu of your notice."

"That's very thoughtful of you but it won't be necessary" Grissom replied offhandedly, He can't get me out of the door fast enough, can he?

"When you've done whatever it is you need to do, would it be possible… well would you consider… if we needed your expertise… you know on a case or whatever…"Ecklie didn't get to finish his sentence:

"I would be glad to be of help, Conrad, but not straightaway, all right?" Grissom interrupted. You had to give it to him; Ecklie was as tenacious as a dog with a new bone and one track-minded when the lab was concerned.

And with these parting words, he got up from his chair; Ecklie did the same and extended his hand to shake Grissom's. Ecklie did not know what had just happened. Grissom had maybe been in his office for five minutes and that's how long it took for the future and the reputation of the lab, of the night shift of CSI to be put into question. The man had been a pain in the ass at times but he would surely be missed.

Thanks for reading and taking the time to review. I'll appreciate any kind of criticism, good or bad.