The characters aren't mine, I just like to play with them. They belong to a bunch of rich people who don't know what to do with them.
A million thanks to Lady Kes…
All my different personalities are taking turns writing this fic, so you have fair warning.
AN: This is a CSI/X-Files crossover and for the sake of this story seasons 8 & 9 of XF never happened. Mulder was never abducted by aliens and Scully was never pregnant. For the most part this is a GS story with a little Mulder and Scully. It's goofy but I just couldn't help myself. I had to put my four favorite characters together.
Science…the Geek frontier. These are the voyages of the Las Vegas CSIs. Their continuing mission: to explore strange new crime scenes; to seek out clues and evidence; to boldly go where no forensic scientist has gone before!
Crime LabBeginning of shift
It began as an ordinary night. The team was assembled around the table waiting for assignments. Sara was flipping through a forensics magazine, Catherine was busy drumming her fingers on the table, and Warrick and Nick were discussing which celebrities they would like to seduce. Grissom strolled in and everyone sat at attention waiting for the night's assignments.
"All right, people, the citizens of Las Vegas seem to be acting civil tonight. We have two cases. The first case might be a murder-suicide and the second is two bodies found in the desert, but that one will involve a little traveling. So, who's up for a road trip?"
"How far away is the scene?" Nick asked.
"I was told it's a little over a hundred miles. It should take no more than a couple hours to get there. But from what I was told on the phone, it may take a while. We may end up having to stay there a day or two."
"Well, you can count me out. I promised Lindsey a little more mother-daughter time." Catherine stated.
"Yeah. Sorry, Griss, but that leaves Nick and I out, too. We have a meeting with the DA after shift and we may have to be in court. Every day they postpone the case another day." Warrick gave an apologetic smile.
"Well, Sara, am I gonna have to take Greg?"
"Only if you want to. I'm up for a little road trip. Besides, you and Greg together, alone for a few days…I don't think that would be a good idea. We're all quite fond of him and you might end up killing him."
"All right, Catherine's in charge while I'm gone. You and the boys can handle the murder-suicide." He handed Catherine the assignment slip, which she glanced at and handed to Warrick.
"Oh, yay! I get to play boss again."
"Great! Just what we need—Catherine on a power trip." Nick tried to look serious but couldn't hide his grin.
"Yeah, Griss, have we managed to piss you off in some way? Or do you like torturing us for no reason?" added Warrick.
"Laugh it up, boys. But just remember, while Grissom's gone I'm in charge. So, if we get a decomp, I won't be the one handling it."
"Okay, that's enough joking for now. You all have a job to do." Grissom said, and with that Warrick and Nick left to head off to their scene.
"Catherine, if you need any extra help you can take Greg out with you," Grissom continued. "If you do keep a very close eye on him, don't let him screw anything up."
"Got it. Now, you two get going. I can handle things here just fine."
"All right, see ya later, Catherine. Sara, meet me in my office in five minutes." Grissom disappeared down the hall to his office.
Catherine turned to Sara with a wicked smile on her face. She would love to be a fly buzzing around during Grissom and Sara's little trip. They were either going to kill each other or jump each other.
"So, Sara, you and Grissom, alone, on a road trip, together…for maybe a couple days."
"Working, Cath. We're going to a crime scene not a romantic getaway. So whatever you've got going on in that head of yours, you can just forget it. Not going to happen, ever. One of us might end up coming home in a body bag." Sara said firmly.
"Things aren't that bad between you, are they?"
"You have no idea. Don't you have a scene to get to?" Sara's tone indicated that the conversation was over.
"I guess I probably should go check on the boys." Catherine sighed and grabbed her jacket off the back of her chair.
"And I have to go see Grissom. I'll see you later, Cath." Sara grabbed her things and headed to the door. She was almost in the hall when Catherine called her name. She turned in the doorway and waited for her to speak.
"I just wanted to say good luck and have fun. Try to bring Grissom back alive and in one piece."
"Thanks, Catherine, I'll try."
"Oh, and Sara?"
"Yeah?"
"Don't do anything I wouldn't do."
Sara stood there for a second with a baffled expression and then continued her trek to Grissom's office. Catherine finished grabbing her things and headed off to her crime scene sporting that well-used smirk of hers.
Grissom's OfficeSara stood leaning against the doorframe watching Grissom and waiting for him to notice her presence. He sensed she was there and looked up at her and gave her a ghost of a smile. He waved her in and she sat down in a chair across from him. He seemed to not feel like talking much today, so she sat in silence and watched him flip through some papers and write a few things down. He appeared to have forgotten she was there and she couldn't take the silence anymore.
"Grissom, where are we going, exactly?"
"We are going to a little town, north of here, called Rachel." He said without looking up from his papers.
"Rachel?"
"Yeah. It's a very small town and there isn't much there from what I hear. But I've been told it's quite the tourist attraction. It seems to be a hot spot for…"
"UFO activity." She quickly interrupted.
"Yeah. And it's also the town closest to…"
"Area 51." She interrupted again.
He finally looked at her then. "How do you know all this?"
She contemplated telling him the truth for a second but decided to make him wonder. She flashed him one of her smiles—her Grissom smile, as he liked to think of it. She leaned closer to him conspiratorially and whispered. "I could tell you but then I'd have to kill you."
He let out a small chuckle which surprised Sara. Note to self: Grissom is capable of something as human as a little chuckle. He smiled at Sara, his eyes twinkling. She smiled back, her eyes mirroring his. This was one of those special moments to be cataloged into her memory--one of those wonderful times when his walls were down and she could almost see what he tried so hard to hide, maybe even one of those moments where just for a minute they were both comfortable to be just lost in that moment.
Sara was unaware that Grissom cataloged these moments too. He soaked in every bit of that moment and burned it into his memory. For a brief time it was almost like it used to be, with a tension and a charge in the air between them. Those types of moments used to be frequent but were now few and far between. Both knew that as soon as eye contact was broken the spell would be too, so they relished the current indulgence. Grissom was the first to look away and Sara knew the walls were quickly building back up. She leaned back in her chair waiting for 'Supervisor Grissom' to kick back in.
"Do you need to go to your apartment and pack a few things?" he asked.
"If we're going to be gone for a day or two, I do."
"I have a few things to do before we leave. I'll pick you up at your place in an hour. If that's enough time for you?"
"That's plenty of time for me."
"Good. I'll see you in an hour."
"Do you know where I live?"
"Yeah. Your address is in your file."
"Okay, see you later."
Sara sullenly walked out of Grissom's office. He watched her leave and wondered what he did this time to bring her down. Things were fine just a few minutes ago but in that short amount of time he had managed to do or say the wrong thing again. In that moment he resolved that this trip would be the perfect opportunity to fix their strained relationship.
On the road…Northbound 93
Silence had encompassed the pair from the moment Grissom picked Sara up. Neither knew what to say to the other—what to say that wouldn't start an argument or make the other uncomfortable or angry. So they rode along both deep in thought. Sara was thinking how this must seem like a living hell to Grissom. Being stuck, alone with her for a couple days couldn't be high on his list of fun things to do. She hoped that they could just be civil and friendly enough to work together without any confrontations or disagreements. Why am I worried? We always work well together. It's the non-work related things that get to us. She actually was a little happy to be getting out of Vegas for a couple days. It was a great place for tourists but living there was a different thing. The place was always buzzing and people were always out and about no matter what time it was. Getting out of the city and to a small quiet little town might end up being a good thing for both of them. Rachel was probably a town of easy-going people with a laid back attitude, which was a far cry from the fast paced, "gotta get ahead" temperament of Las Vegas. She tried to be optimistic about this whole situation, as she gazed out the window trying to see what scenery she could in the desert night.
Grissom, who seemed to be concentrating on driving, was actually deep in thought also. He was trying to come up with ways he could try to renew their friendship, ways he could get her to open up to him, but mostly he was trying to decide how to open up to her. He knew that if they could get back on track as friends the rest would come easily. He needed to get her to trust him again and he had no clue as to how to make that happen. He had, over the course of the last few years, destroyed any faith she had in him and he knew it. These few days away could provide him with the perfect opportunity to get their relationship back in shape. If he only knew how to begin, it would all be a lot easier. He let out a quiet sigh as he tightened his grip on the steering wheel.
Sara heard him sigh and slowly turned to look at him. He cast a quick glance at her before turning his attention back to the road. She watched him for a moment, studying his face. He knew she was looking at him and it took all the restraint he had not to look at her. She knew he knew she was watching him and so she let a smile appear on her face. He finally looked at her for a second and let his own lips curve into a small smile. She was still watching him with that smile. Focusing back on the road he could no longer take the silence. "What?" he quietly asked.
"What?" she asked in response.
"Why are you smiling at me like that?"
"No reason. Sometimes I just can't contain my smiles. They just sneak out without permission."
"I thought that maybe you saw something you liked."
"Yeah. Well, that too." She added with an even bigger smile.
"There's that famous Sidle Smile. It's nice to see it again. It's been quite a while." He said his smile growing even bigger.
"Yeah…I haven't had much to smile about lately." Sara solemnly added the smile slowly disappearing from her face.
"I'm sorry." Grissom spoke with a hint of guilt.
To say she was shocked by his last words would have been an understatement. "What for?"
"For you not being happy, for you not having much to smile about, for being an ass, for pushing you away…but I'm mostly sorry for not being the friend to you I should have been. You've been going through a lot this past year or so and I haven't been there for you."
Sara was astonished. "Wow! I…didn't think you noticed…or realized…those things."
"Well, I do." He said quietly.
"Wait a minute! Who are you and what have you done with Gil Grissom?" She teased, her lighter mood evident in her voice and her smile.
"Hey, I'm still me!" He remarked.
"I may have to run some tests to prove that. We're out here in the desert, Area 51 is not too far away, maybe you were abducted by aliens and they tore down all those walls you have before they returned you."
"Speaking of Area 51 and aliens, you never told me how you knew about Rachel being a UFO hot spot."
"That's highly classified information, Griss."
"Come on, Sara. Just tell me…please?"
"You know, Grissom, whining doesn't suit you. I might tell you but only when I feel you're ready to have that information."
"When will that be?"
"When you're ready."
"Okay. I guess I can wait."
They both smiled at each other and focused their attention back on the road in front of them. After a few minutes of silence Sara reached over and turned the radio on. She looked to Grissom with a silent question in her eyes and he simply nodded at her. She tuned it to a classic rock station, which she figured he would like. She leaned back in her seat and let the tunes lull her into relaxation. Twenty minutes had passed and Grissom hadn't heard a peep from Sara. He thought she had fallen asleep, so he was a bit startled when she spoke.
"Don't we have to take a left up here and head west on 375?" She asked.
"Yes, we do."
"Do you know that 375 was officially named the Extraterrestrial Highway?"
"No, I didn't. How do you know all these things?"
"It's killing you, isn't it? It's just driving you crazy wondering how I know these bits of info." She let out a small laugh.
"Have you ever been to Rachel?" He asked extremely curious.
"I'm not telling."
"If we get there and I start hearing people say 'welcome home, Sara'…"
"You won't, I promise. Besides, I thought you liked a little mystery."
"Usually I do, but my curiosity is driving me insane."
"Well, for the time being, try to keep your sanity. Hey, here's 375…time to go west."
The Extraterrestrial Highway…Or Highway 375
Just after getting on highway 375, Grissom looked at Sara and saw her smiling again. She's smiling again. Maybe she's the one that got abducted by aliens. She hasn't been in a mood this good in a while. He snapped out of his thoughts when he noticed her pointing to the side of the road ahead of them. He looked and saw the sign that boasted 'The Extraterrestrial Highway'. He looked shocked, his mouth slightly open. He turned to Sara and she just smirked at him. He decided then and there that this Sidle Mystery had to be solved.
"Sara, what do I have to do to get you to tell me?"
"Tell you what?"
"About aliens, Area 51, UFO hot spots…The Extraterrestrial Highway."
"What are you willing to do?"
"What do you want me to do?"
"I want you to…forget I ever said any of that stuff."
"Not gonna happen. Come on, I'll do anything."
"Anything?"
"Almost anything."
"This could be interesting." She tapped her right index finger on her lips, trying to think of an idea.
"Nothing embarrassing."
"All right, I've got it."
"What?"
"You have to…" She paused making him suffer a little.
"I have to, what?" He asked overly impatient.
"You have to………take me out to dinner when we get back to Vegas."
"That's all, just dinner?"
"Yes."
"No, 'let's see what happens'?" He asked a little disappointed.
"Oh, I know what will happen."
"So do I. So, are you gonna tell me or keep me waiting?"
"I'll tell you over dinner when we get back to Vegas."
"That's just not fair. This is gonna bug me until we get back."
"Well, since you're the 'bug guy' you shouldn't mind being bugged."
He didn't have a response. He was too busy devising a plan to get her to talk before they got back to Las Vegas. They rode the rest of the way to Rachel in silence.
Rachel, NevadaPopulation Humans 98, Aliens??
It was the middle of the night when they arrived in Rachel. Grissom was wondering if he had imagined seeing the town sign. There seemed to be nothing here but a few run down mobile homes. There certainly were no signs of life anywhere. He continued down the road, as he was directed during his earlier phone conversation with the local authorities, to meet up with the sheriff. He was beginning to think he had made a wrong turn when he finally spotted the sheriff's car. He slowly pulled up behind it and turned off the engine. He looked at Sara who in turn looked at him. She flashed one of her smiles at him and he couldn't help but smile back. The closer they had gotten to Rachel the more anxious she had become. She seemed overly excited to be here. He had a quick mental image of her bouncing out of the truck and skipping off to the crime scene. He shook the thought from his head as he saw the sheriff get out of his car and head towards his window.
The sheriff, a tall, thin man probably in his fifties, took his time walking the small distance between vehicles. Grissom rolled down his window as he approached and waited, an eternity it seemed, for him to get there. He finally made it to their truck and looked in at Grissom first, then Sara. His gaze seemed to linger on Sara, which made Grissom a little angry.
"You Gil Grissom?" he asked. Glancing at Grissom a second before looking at Sara again.
Annoyed, Grissom responded, "Yes. And you must be Sheriff Maxwell."
"Last time I checked. And who might this pretty lady be?"
"This pretty lady is one of my CSIs. Sara Sidle meet Sheriff Maxwell."
"Sara Sidle, huh?"
"Last time I checked." She added dryly.
"She's a feisty one." The sheriff commented.
"You have no idea." Grissom quietly added.
"It's good you brought an extra pair of hands. For a second there I thought you had brought your wife along with you. Is it Miss or Mrs. Sidle?"
Before Sara had a chance to respond Grissom replied to his question. "It's Miss Sidle, but I wouldn't get any ideas, Sheriff, she's spoken for."
"I guess all the beautiful ones are taken." The sheriff added a little disappointed. He recovered quickly though. "Well, then…I guess I should take you to the scene. Follow me." He slowly strolled back to his car.
After the sheriff walked away Grissom rolled up his window and started the truck. He turned to look at Sara, who was staring at him her mouth open slightly, a look of shock and amusement on her face, a smile threatening to appear. "What?" he asked a little perplexed.
"I'm spoken for?"
"Did you really want that guy ogling you the whole time we're here?"
"Oh, I see. You're trying to protect me from the big, bad sheriff who thought I was pretty."
"Did you not see how he was leering at you?"
"It wasn't bothering me. Believe it or not I've had guys look at me like that before."
"Oh, I believe it."
"In fact, I've seen you look at me like that before."
"Not like that. He was practically undressing you with his eyes."
"And you've never undressed me in that mysterious mind of yours?"
"Okay, we're slipping into this dangerous territory of information that you don't need to know."
"All right, I'll drop it for now, but only because the sheriff is pulling onto the road and if you don't get in gear and follow him, we might lose him."
They followed the sheriff down the highway a little more and trailed him down the dirt road he turned on. The sheriff drove extremely slowly, which was probably a good thing considering how much dust was being kicked up. At times it they couldn't see the taillights in front of them because of it. After what seemed like an hour-long drive, the sheriff finally pulled to a stop. Grissom pulled up behind him and parked. After turning off the engine he and Sara got out of the truck and grabbed their kits. They both walked around to the front of the vehicle and stood waiting for the sheriff to get out of his car.
After more than five minutes of waiting, an impatient Sara Sidle started pacing back and forth in front of the Tahoe. She would stop, kick a rock out of her path and continue her laps. Her actions, somewhat amusing, were making Grissom impatient also.
"Sara, can you please stop pacing? You're making me dizzy."
"Sorry, Grissom. I'm all for being laid back, but this is just…"
"Infuriating?"
"Yeah, a little."
"I think he's on the radio. I'm sure he'll be with us soon."
"Well, he can take his time, those bodies aren't getting any deader and they're not going anywhere."
Sheriff Maxwell chose that moment to finally exit his car. He sauntered over to the pair and cast another lingering glance at Sara. She turned to Grissom trying to bite back a smile, while he let out a frustrated sigh. Sheriff Maxwell looked back and forth between the pair noticing they seemed to have some form of silent communication. City folks they just keep getting stranger and stranger.
Every silent, inactive second that ticked by only served to add to Grissom's aggravation. "Care to show us to the scene, Sheriff?"
"Uh…yeah. Right this way. It's not too long of a walk."
There was no path to follow, so they slowly made their way over the rough desert terrain. Rocks and cactus scattered around were only made visible by the probing beams of their flashlights. Grissom and Sara were both wondering what 'not too long of a walk' was for this guy. Sara was looking off to her left when the sheriff stopped walking which caused her to bump into him. "Sorry." She muttered. "No big deal," he responded with a small grin. She went to take a step back but tripped over a rock. She fell backwards but Grissom was there just in time to catch her before she hit the ground. He held on to her for a second before helping her back on her feet.
"Sara, you should be more careful. You're always falling for me." Grissom tried to look serious but failed miserably when he couldn't contain his smile.
"Yeah, but you usually don't catch me." She added.
Sheriff Maxwell, being the astute observer he was, saw the little spark that passed between the pair. He suddenly felt like a third wheel and was greatly appreciative that he had somewhere else to be. "The first body is buried right here." He shined his flashlight a few feet in front of him. "The second is about fifteen feet over that way." He turned his flashlight to his left. "Will you two be all right out here by yourself? I got a call I need to go check on."
"We should be fine." Grissom said.
"All right then. If you need anything just give me a call." And with that the sheriff started off back to his car.
"Hey, Sheriff Maxwell?"
He stopped walking and turned around. "Yes, Mr. Grissom?"
"Is there a motel in the area?"
"Back in Rachel there's the Little A'Le'Inn. They should have a couple rooms available but they don't open 'til 8 in the morning."
"Thanks, Sheriff."
"You're welcome." He turned and walked away, slowly disappearing into the darkness.
Grissom and Sara watched him walk away. When Grissom figured the sheriff was far enough away so that he couldn't hear them he turned to Sara and asked, "The Little A'Le'Inn?"
"Cool name, huh?"
"If they have flying saucer shaped beds, or alien head bathtubs we're not staying there."
"Where's your sense of fun and adventure, Griss?"
"I left it in Vegas with my sanity."
Sara hid her smile and got into investigator mode. "So, what's the game plan here, boss?"
He shined his flashlight all around them taking in their surroundings. He walked up to where the first body was with Sara following closely behind. "This has got to be one of the worst scenes ever. They didn't tape off the area. There was no one out here keeping an eye on things. Half the town was probably out here looking around." He continued searching the area with his light. "Well, we've got a couple more hours 'til the sun comes up. We should just gather what evidence we can see with our flashlights. When we finally get some light we can start working on the bodies."
"Sounds like a good plan to me." Sara said, beginning to meticulously search the ground.
Daybreak
Middle of nowhere or just outside of Rachel, NV.
They had searched the area around the bodies over and over again. Neither found much evidence. As Grissom had suspected there were about a hundred different sets of shoeprints, which all led off into different directions. There were no tire tracks, no fibers, no blood—no trace evidence whatsoever. They had expanded their search further away from the bodies but still came up with nothing more than some old aluminum beer cans that had probably been there for years. With the sun on the rise Grissom figured it would be a good idea to get started unearthing the bodies. Soon, the unrelenting desert heat would be bearing down on them and the sooner they could finish this the better.
He walked over to Sara who was crouching down next to where the first body was buried. In the early morning light he could see the fingers of a right hand poking up through the sand. Sara seemed to be deep in thought, studying what was before her. He crouched down next to her to get a closer look. She didn't acknowledge his presence and so he took that moment to look at her. He knew that look on her face well. She was thinking, her brows furrowed in deep concentration, trying to put the puzzle together.
"Care to share your thoughts?" he asked.
"What?" she asked.
"I can hear the gears in your brain working. So, spill it, Sidle. What are you thinking?"
"Oh. I, uh…was just thinking how odd this is. We've found almost no evidence. There should be something, right? But we have nothing, really. And take a close look at this hand, the skin is this weird gray color and have you noticed there is no smell. These bodies have been out here a couple days, at least. Where's the stench of death? Where are the bugs?"
"I was actually thinking the same thing."
"Well, you know, great minds think alike."
"They do."
"And you and I have the greatest minds of all." She added.
"That's a little narcissistic, don't you think?"
"You know we're both great."
"Well, I am…you're still learning."
"Who's narcissistic?" she asked with a laugh.
He allowed himself to join her in a laugh. He went, quickly, back to business, though. "You get started digging this one up and I'll get started on the other. If you need a hand just yell."
"Sure thing, boss."
They both quietly set about their tasks, unknowingly mirroring each other as they worked. Slowly and meticulously they uncovered the bodies. From a distance it would seem that this was all a well-choreographed exercise. The symmetry in their actions was amazing. Both bore shocked expressions as they carefully swept the sand away from the face of the separate bodies.
"Uh…Grissom, you gotta come see this." Sara yelled.
"Ditto." He responded. They both stood and walked towards each other with an astonished look across their faces.
"What do you have?" he asked.
"I'll show you mine if you show me yours."
"All right, come on."
She followed him over to where he was working and stopped dead in her tracks when the body came into view. She stared at it for a second and then looked towards her work area and then looked back at the body. She then looked up at Grissom, her mouth hanging open not knowing what to say.
"I take it you found the same thing?" He asked.
"Uh…yeah…they can't be what they look like, can they?"
"I don't know…I guess they could be costumes." He tried to rationalize.
"Those are some damn good costumes, Griss. Who found the bodies?"
"Sheriff Maxwell said some local teens came out here to camp for a few nights to watch the sky and found the hand sticking up out of the sand when they went to pitch their tent."
"Well…what…we…" she sputtered trying to form a thought.
"Maybe we should finish uncovering the bodies, before we jump to any conclusions. For all we know those are just very well made costumes."
"You're right. We need to get moving though. It's starting to get hot."
Grissom nodded in agreement. He followed Sara over to her body and looked at it for a second. She grabbed the bottle of water she had brought with her and took a long gulp and then offered it to Grissom. He hesitated a second before accepting it. "I don't have cooties," she said. He smiled before taking a big sip of the water. He handed it back to her with a simple, "Thank you." Taking a deep breath and releasing it he said, "All right, let's get back to work."
They both returned to their painstaking tasks of uncovering the bodies. The time passed quickly and soon both bodies were clear of all sand and debris. Sara carefully studied the body—looking at it as closely as she could, poking it here and there. That's real scientific of you, Sidle. You don't know what it is so you decide to poke it. Her thoughts quickly left her mind when she noticed a shadow looming over her. She turned her head to see Grissom standing directly behind her leaning over her shoulder. She got up from her crouching position and stood beside him. They both looked at the body and sighed.
"What do you think, Grissom?"
"I don't know what to think. All I know is that my guy is not wearing a costume. I couldn't find a zipper, button or even a seam anywhere on him."
"Same here. How do you know it's a guy, Griss?"
"I don't." he answered honestly.
"They sure don't have any plumbing, either way." Sara noted.
"So, what does that make them?"
"Well, I know what I would call them. But what would a serious scientist like yourself have to say?" She asked with a smile.
"We'll have to take them back to Vegas, have Doc Robbins look at them and run a few tests…" he trailed off.
"Yeah, but seriously what would you call them? They're obviously not human, so what are they?"
"They kinda look like…" he paused not wanting to say it.
"They kinda look like, what?" she prodded.
"Aliens. Are you happy? They look like aliens."
"I didn't know you believed in that kind of thing, Griss"
"I don't. I'm not saying that's what they are, I'm just saying that's what they look like."
"So, what do we do now?"
"We have to get the coroner out here to pick up the bodies."
"I know that. Shouldn't we inform the government or something? I mean, if these really are aliens, we should tell somebody."
"Who do we tell?" he asked.
"I don't know, maybe the FBI."
"The FBI? I hate those guys. God, I hope we don't have to call them."
"Maybe we can let Sheriff Maxwell deal with them. It's his jurisdiction, we're here as a courtesy."
"Maybe…"
"Hey, Grissom, it looks like we're gonna have some company."
Sara pointed off in the distance at the cloud of dust approaching them. They both stood and watched as it got closer and closer.
"Maybe that's the sheriff coming back to check on us." Grissom said.
"That's not the sheriff's car." Sara noted as the vehicle parked behind their Tahoe.
A tall, somewhat attractive man, dressed in a suit, got out of the car and started walking toward them. A short woman with red hair, dressed in a trendy but business-like pantsuit soon followed him. Grissom and Sara exchanged confused glances and started walking toward the pair. They stopped within a few feet of each other and both pairs studied the other. Grissom turned to look at Sara, who just shrugged, then focused his attention back on the duo on front of him. "Can I help you?" he asked.
"Who are you?" the tall mysterious man asked.
"Who are you?" Grissom countered.
"I'm Special Agent Fox Mulder, this is Special Agent Dana Scully. We're with the FBI." He informed. They both flashed their badges at Grissom and Sara.
"Now that you know who we are, who are you?" Scully asked.
Grissom shared another glance with Sara before responding. "I'm Gil Grissom, this is Sara Sidle. We're with the Las Vegas Crime Lab. Now that we all know each other, what are you doing here?"
"We're out here investigating several UFO sightings in the area." Mulder answered.
"The FBI investigates UFO sightings?" Grissom asked, incredulously.
"Yes. We're with a special unit. We investigate paranormal phenomena, things like that." Mulder responded.
"Would you mind showing me your badge again?" Grissom asked.
Mulder laughed. "I know it may sound incredible to you that the FBI would investigate such things, but if you only knew the things I know…well, let's just say you'd wish there were more people like me out there who cared about such things."
"Okay, that's all fine and dandy. But why are you out here at our crime scene?" Sara asked.
"We were informed that there were two bodies found out here." Scully answered.
"Yeah. I'm sure the FBI has better things to do than help crime scene investigators dig up bodies." An irritated Grissom said.
"I guess that depends on whether the bodies you dug up were human or not." Mulder replied.
Grissom and Sara shared a look, which didn't go unnoticed by the agents. Sara lightly grabbed Grissom's arm and leaned in to whisper, "Grissom, can I talk to you for a second?"
Grissom nodded. "Will you excuse us for a second? We need to have a word in private." Mulder and Scully nodded their assent.
Sara dragged Grissom far enough away so that they wouldn't be heard but they spoke no louder than a whisper anyway. "Grissom, why don't we just tell them about what we found and let them deal with it?"
"This is still our scene, Sara."
"Yeah, but we were just trying to figure out who to tell about this and here they are. They investigate this kind of thing."
"I'm not convinced that they're real FBI agents. Why would the FBI bother investigating such things when there are other more dangerous threats in this world?"
"I don't know, but their badges are real. It's their job let them do it."
"I…don't know…I just have a bad feeling about all of this. Everything since we got here has just seemed…strange."
Mulder and Scully watched the pair who appeared to be having a disagreement. They couldn't hear what was being said but could only imagine it had something to do with them. Mulder turned to Scully, turning his back on the CSIs. "What do you think, Scully? Do they seem like they're trying to keep us from seeing those bodies?"
"Mulder, it's their scene. We just showed up here for no real reason. If I were them I wouldn't show us the bodies. We have no cause to be here, other than that cryptic phone call you received. What should we tell them? We got a phone call from an unknown informant telling us there were dead alien bodies in the desert?"
"Scully, we are close to something here. I can feel it. They found alien bodies; they just don't understand the importance. We could finally have real proof."
"And what if the bodies are human?"
"They're not."
Mulder turned back around as Grissom and Sara returned. Sara looked like she was enjoying this whole experience while Grissom looked a little apprehensive. They approached the agents and shared a quick glance before Grissom spoke. "You are real FBI agents?"
"We've been asked that a million times, sir. The answer is yes." Scully responded with a smile.
"Actually, it's a million and one times, Scully." Mulder added.
"Okay. Sara and I discussed this and we decided it probably would be a good idea to show you what we found."
"So, if you'll follow us, we'll show you the bodies." Sara chimed in.
They lead the agents to the scene. Mulder's smile growing bigger the closer they got. Scully walked shaking her head at his evident excitement. "Mulder, if those are alien bodies, please try not to pee your pants."
"I can't make any promises, Scully."
As they got to scene Grissom went in one direction and Sara went in the other. The agents looked at each other and shrugged. Scully followed Grissom and Mulder trailed Sara. When the body came into view Mulder's mouth fell open. He knelt down and touched its chin. He moved its head to where the face was looking his direction…the big, lifeless black eyes staring into his own.
"Oh, my God." Was all that came out of Scully's mouth as she knelt down next to the other body. She reached out and touched its skin, quickly pulling back in shock. She recovered in an instant and continued examining the body. Grissom knelt down next to her and watched her inspect the corpse. He turned to look at Sara and was hit with a little pang of jealousy.
Sara and Mulder were kneeling side-by-side, shoulders touching and seemed to be talking. She and Mulder turned their heads to look at each other and their faces were mere inches apart. Mulder said something that made Sara smile and Grissom's jealousy kicked up another notch. Why is she smiling at him? I knew he was bad news. She's giving him my smile. Hey, Sara, that's your 'Grissom Smile'; it's only supposed to be directed at me. He couldn't take it any longer. He stood and walked over to Sara and Mulder. Sara noticed him approaching and stood to meet him with a smile.
"You two seem to be getting along well." Grissom pointed out.
"Hey, Griss. Agent Mulder here, was just telling me about a case of spontaneous human combustion he investigated."
"Spontaneous human combustion? That's science fiction."
"Actually, it's not. There are a couple well documented cases." Mulder said.
"Really? As a scientist I find that hard to believe."
"Ask Agent Scully. She's a scientist. She was actually assigned to work with me to provide a scientific approach to my cases. She was a skeptic when we were first partnered but I think she's starting to come around."
"She's a scientist?" Grissom asked.
"Yeah…actually she's a medical doctor."
"My ears are burning. What are you saying about me, Mulder?" Scully asked as she approached.
"I was just telling Grissom and Sidle here that you are a skeptical scientist, doctor, FBI agent, superwoman."
"Oh, Mulder, you do have a way with words." Scully joked.
"So, what do you think, Scully? Do we finally have proof?" Mulder asked.
"I won't know anything until I can thoroughly examine the bodies. I'll need to run some tests and do autopsies on them."
"Where are the closest lab facilities?" Mulder asked Grissom.
"Well, aside from the ones they probably have at the top secret Area 51, the nearest is probably Las Vegas."
"And it just so happens that the two of you work at the Las Vegas Crime Lab. We could use your help."
"Why do you need our help?" Grissom asked.
"We need to get these bodies back to your lab and let Scully do her slicin' and dicin' magic before someone else finds out about this."
"Who's gonna find out?" Sara asked.
"There are men working within our government who are trying hide the truth about extraterrestrial life on this planet. It's a conspiracy, the key figures…"
"Don't mind him, he'll go on forever." Scully interrupted.
"Scully, I was trying to…"
"Mulder, you were only making yourself sound crazy, which would make it less likely for them to help us."
"Don't worry about it. We'll help you." Sara said.
"Sara…can I have a word with you?" Grissom tried to pull Sara to the side, but she wouldn't budge.
"Grissom, they need our help and we can help them. So, why not help? As a scientist I would think that you'd be more interested in finding out the truth about what we've found. Do you have any idea what this means? There is no greater scientific discovery—the proof of alien life on earth. Just think about that for a second."
"Mulder, we finally found your soul mate." Scully joked.
"I know, I'm getting a little turned on right now." He responded with a grin.
Grissom glared at Scully first, then Mulder before turning his attention back to Sara. He let out a heavy sigh and simply said, "Fine."
"Cool!" was all that Sara said.
"We'll have to call the coroner and get him out here to transport the bodies." Grissom informed.
"No. No one else can know about this. We'll have to transport the bodies ourselves." Mulder said.
"Transport them in what?" Grissom asked.
"Your truck." Mulder simply said.
"I'm not transporting dead bodies in my truck. Not gonna happen."
"Fine, we'll put them in our car then." Mulder said not deterred from his mission.
"You want to drive all the way back to Vegas with dead bodies in the car? Where are we going to put them? In the back seat? Mulder, think this through for a second."
"Scully, what else can we do?"
"I saw a couple box trucks back in Rachel. Maybe we can rent one from the whoever owns them and use it to transport the bodies."
"All right, go back to Rachel and see if you can make that happen. I'll stay with the bodies."
"Sara and I have been going nonstop for over twelve hours. We're going back in to town. We need to rest and at least get something to eat. We'll give you a lift, Agent Scully, that way he won't be left out here without transportation." Grissom said.
"Sound good to me." Scully said. "Mulder, are you sure you'll be okay out here alone?"
"I'll be fine, Scully."
"We'll leave you all the water we have. It's only going to get hotter and you'll need to keep hydrated." Sara said. She walked off to the Tahoe to get the water.
Grissom watched her walk away and turned back to Mulder, who seemed to be enjoying the view of the retreating Sara Sidle, the jealously and annoyance with the younger man growing with every minute that passed by. Mulder seemed way too happy that Sara had dropped her keys and had to bend over to pick them up. Grissom cleared his throat, which caused Mulder to look away from Sara. Scully, who was nonchalantly watching the two men, bit back a smile at the look of guilt on Mulder's face.
Sara returned carrying several bottles of water. She handed them to Mulder and he tossed them into the front seat of the car. She walked over to Grissom and flashed him her 'Grissom Smile'. "You ready to go?" she asked.
Grissom couldn't help but smile back. "You have no idea."
"Agent Scully, you ready?" Sara asked.
"Yes. Just give me a minute."
Grissom and Sara walked to the Tahoe and got in. Grissom didn't seem to be too happy about this whole situation. He sat in the driver's seat hands gripping the steering wheel. He looked very…uneasy. Sara, on the other hand, couldn't hide her excitement. She was full of energy and was just itching to get moving. She looked at Grissom a minute before looking out her window at the agents. It appeared to Sara, that Agent Scully was having a hard time saying goodbye to Agent Mulder.
"Mulder, are you sure you're going to be all right out here?"
"Scully, I'll be fine. I'm an FBI agent and I have a gun. I can take care of myself."
"You can take care of yourself? Since when?"
"That was a good one, Scully. You should do stand up."
"Mulder…"
"Scully, you should go, they're waiting for you. If I get into any trouble I'll call. I mean, how much trouble can I get into in the middle of the desert?"
"Famous last words of a fool? All right, I'm going. I'll be back as soon as I can."
"Be careful, Scully."
"You, too."
"Always."
Scully hesitantly left Mulder and joined the CSIs in the Tahoe. She gave Mulder one last look as they started their drive down the long, dusty dirt road. He waved a goodbye as Scully watched him become smaller and smaller. She only turned back around when she could no longer see him. She had a gut feeling that something bad was going to happen. It was a silly thing but she had learned long ago, with thanks to Mulder, to trust her gut. She hoped they could quickly make it back to Rachel and find someone to let them use a truck. The sooner she could get back to Mulder the better she would feel.
Rachel, NevadaThey quickly arrived back in Rachel and drove straight to The Little A'Le'Inn. Scully left the pair and went in search of a truck to transport the bodies in. Grissom and Sara entered the restaurant and seated themselves at a table in the corner. They sat at the table, silently taking in their surroundings. The walls were covered with UFO pictures and alien memorabilia. Grissom looked at Sara, who seemed to be totally fascinated by the décor. She sensed that he was looking at her, so she turned her head to look back. He seemed amused by her fascination, his eyes smiling into hers. Their gaze held and they were absorbed in another one of those cataloging moments again. Of course, the waitress chose to finally acknowledge them at that moment and the spell was broken as she leaned her hip on the table and asked, "Can I get you something to drink?"
Grissom quickly averted his attention to the waitress and answered, "I'll have coffee, please."
"And for you, Miss?" she asked.
"Make that two." Sara answered.
The waitress left and quickly brought back two cups of coffee. She placed the coffee on the table along with two menus. "I'll be back in a minute to take your orders." She winked at Grissom and went to attend to the other customers.
Sara, who witnessed the wink, glared at the waitress as she walked off. She then looked at Grissom and saw that he was trying very hard not to smile, which only made her glare at him.
"What?" he asked, not being able to take the fierce look any longer.
"Nothing." She said.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you were jealous."
"You would know about jealousy."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Oh, please. You've given the evil eye to every guy we've met since we've been here. If looks could kill Sheriff Maxwell and Agent Mulder would be dead."
"It was unprofessional of them to look at you the way they did. You would think that a sheriff and an FBI agent would show a little more respect."
"Whatever. I didn't feel disrespected in any way. You're just speaking nonsense."
"You seem to bring out the nonsense in me."
"So, you're jealous because the sheriff thought I was pretty and Agent Mulder was paying attention to me. So, you figure, turn about being fair play, that you should flirt with our waitress?"
"I wasn't flirting with her. She was the one who winked at me. I can't help it if she finds me…"
"Irresistible?" Sara interrupted with a laugh.
"Whatever you say. You know, you used to find me irresistible."
"Did I?" she asked raising her eyebrows.
"Oh, yeah, big time. You know, you're quite irresis…"
"You ready to order?" The waitress interrupted.
"It figures." Sara said. Under her breath she added, "Give him an easy out."
The waitress looked at the pair a little confused as to what she had just interrupted. "Do you need another minute?" she asked.
"No, thank you. I'll just have an order of fries and a Coke." Sara said.
"And for you, Sir?"
"I'll have an Alienburger and an ice tea, please." Grissom said.
"Coming right up." She said and disappeared into the kitchen.
"So, you were saying…?" Sara asked.
"It wasn't important. Forget it." Grissom said studying his spoon.
"Yeah, I figured you'd say that." Sara somberly said.
Grissom realized he had done it again. She had been in a good mood and he had brought her down. He seemed to be good at that. He felt guilty for all the times he had been responsible for crushing her hopes, darkening her moods. It was the past and he couldn't do anything about it now, except maybe apologize, but would she even believe that he was being sincere. His apologies for the past could wait. He decided it was a better idea to change the present and work on the future.
He broke the silence that lingered between them. "Before the waitress interrupted us, I was going to say that you're quite irresistible yourself."
That little revelation improved her mood a little and she let a small smile form on her lips. Grissom was pleased to see that such a little admission from him could change her mood so quickly. It prompted him to reveal a little more. "And on top of being irresistible, you're way too distracting."
"I distract you?" she asked unsure whether to believe him or not.
"Yes. It's a big problem at work because sometimes I have a hard time focusing on what I'm supposed to be doing. You walk into a room and my mind goes blank and I can't think of what to say or do. The closer you get to me the dumber I feel. Sometimes I have to look at my ID to remember my name."
"Well, you know…the first step is to admit you have a problem." She said with a smile.
"What's the second step?" he inquired.
"The second step? I don't know…maybe doing something about your problem."
"And what should I do about this problem?"
"Well, I know what I would do about it, but this has to be your decision. I'm willing to be there for you if you need any help."
He smiled at her and reached across the table, taking her hand in his. She was a bit shocked at first, bet decided to savor the moment. She knew it wouldn't last long and was not surprised when the waitress showed up with their orders. Grissom slowly let go of her hand and let the waitress set their plates down. Sara decided at that moment that the waitress would be added to the large number of people on her shit list. They ate their meal in silence, occasionally glancing at the other. As Sara finished her meal and pushed her plate away she noticed Agent Scully walk in the door. Scully saw the pair and joined them after Sara had waved her over. She asked the waitress for a glass of water before taking a seat.
"Did you manage to find a truck?" Grissom asked.
"Actually, I did. I was talking to this old farmer in the parking lot and he said he had a truck. I offered to rent it from him, but he said I could have it for two hundred dollars. So, I bought it."
"Two hundred dollars for a truck? That's cheap. Does it run?" Sara asked.
"Yeah, it runs. It's an old truck but it runs pretty good. I wrote him a check and he took me out to his place to pick it up. He was a real nice guy. He offered to make me lunch while I was there."
"Small town people. Gotta love 'em." Sara said.
"Yeah. I just came in here to get something to drink before I head back out to get Mulder." Scully said as the waitress appeared with her water.
"Do you need us to go back out there with you?" Grissom asked to Sara's surprise.
"I couldn't ask you to do that."
"You didn't ask, I offered. We're more than willing to help you." He said.
"Thank you. I appreciate that. I have to admit that it's kind of strange having someone willing to help us." Off of Grissom and Sara's confused looks, she added, "Agent Mulder and I are kinda the black sheep of the FBI. We don't get much support on our cases and they're always looking for a reason to shut us down."
Sara leaned in and whispered, "So, having proof of alien life would really validate your work. I'm assuming with proof like that you would finally get support. How could they shut you down?"
"Yeah, well…we've had proof in our hands before. Somehow, we always wind up going home empty handed. It gets frustrating at times. We've seen incredible things, we know the truth but we have no way to prove any of it. All of this must sound insane to you."
"Not really. I actually find it very interesting." Sara said. "It would be a major bonus to aid in the proving of the existence of extraterrestrial life."
"Most people aren't so open minded." Scully said.
"And I find it odd that the Super Scientific Sara Sidle believes in such things." Grissom quipped.
"Super Scientific Sara Sidle? Say that five times real fast." Sara teased.
"If we're going to do this, we should get started. Agent Mulder's probably had a heat stroke in our absence." Grissom said as he threw some money out on the table to cover their bill.
"Yeah. I was worried about leaving him out there all alone. I hope he's okay." Scully said.
"All right, let's rock and roll!" Sara enthusiastically said.
They stepped out of the restaurant and into the unrelenting desert heat. It was getting to be late afternoon and the hottest part of the day. They made sure Scully was able to start the old truck before they got in their own vehicle. Grissom started the engine and quickly turned on the AC. He let out a sigh as the cool air hit his hot skin. He waited until Scully pulled out onto the road and followed her. Both Sara and Grissom were enjoying the cool air steadily blowing on them. But Sara suddenly felt guilty. "We're cheating, Griss." She said.
"What are you talking about?" He asked.
"I just feel guilty. Agent Mulder is out in the middle of the desert probably having a heat stroke waiting for us. Poor Agent Scully is driving that big ol' piece of junk with no air conditioning. And here we are being wussies with the AC on."
"Just because they have to suffer doesn't mean we have to. If the roles were reversed I'm sure they'd be doing the exact same thing." He tried to reason with her.
"Fine you big wuss. You can't handle a little heat."
"A little heat? It's at least 100 degrees out."
"Whatever."
"If you'd rather suffer in the heat, I'm sure Agent Scully would be happy to have some company in that big ol' piece of junk."
"No, it's okay. I'd much rather stay here and torture you."
"You do it so well."
Sara had no reply. She just smirked at him and focused on the road ahead of them. The rest of the drive was made in silence.
Back out in the middle of nowhere…Mulder sat in the shade that the car provided. It wasn't much of an escape from the heat but it helped a little. Throughout the course of the afternoon he had started to shed clothes. His tie was the first to go, his shirt soon followed. He managed to keep his pants and undershirt on and had made better use of his tie—tying it around his head. I look like Rambo, he thought. The heat was taking its toll on him and he was feeling quite exhausted. He leaned his head back against the car door and closed his eyes. He was starting to drift off when he heard the sound of a vehicle coming down the road. He quickly got to his feet and let out a sigh of relief to see Scully and the two CSIs finally return.
Scully quickly got out of the truck and walked up to Mulder. "Mulder, how are you doing?"
"I've never been better, Scully. I've just been thinking how this would be a great vacation spot." He replied with a smile.
Scully took that moment to finally notice Mulder's attire. She tried not to laugh but failed miserably. He shot her a disapproving look, which only made it all the more comical to her. "You should see yourself, Mulder." She said as her laughter subsided.
"Laugh it up, Scully. I'd like to see what you'd look like after spending a few hours out here alone."
Grissom and Sara approached the pair and tried to hide their amusement with the way Mulder was dressed. It took all the restraint Sara had to not laugh. Grissom was fairing a little better, but not by much. He wasn't laughing but he couldn't contain his smile. "So, are you ready to get these bodies out of here…Rambo?" he asked. With that question, Sara couldn't hold it in any longer and burst out laughing. Mulder, who could always find the humor in any situation, joined her in laughter. And after a second Grissom and Scully couldn't help but join in. For a few minutes four brilliant people succumbed to laughter in the middle of the Nevada desert.
Mulder was the first to get back to business. "We should really get moving. We need to get these bodies out of here and to a safe location."
"All right, how do you want to do this?" Sara asked.
"Scully and I will grab one, you two grab the other. We'll throw 'em in the truck and hit the road." He replied.
"Let's do it, then." Sara said, with a little too much enthusiasm for Grissom's liking.
The four of them quickly loaded the bodies in the truck. Mulder and Scully hopped in the truck, leaving their rental car behind, and started back to town. Grissom and Sara shared a smile before getting in the Tahoe and following the agents. Grissom turned the AC on full blast, which caused Sara to roll her eyes. "Like I said before, just because they have to suffer in this heat doesn't mean we have to." He said.
"And like I said before, you're a bug wuss." She replied.
He didn't respond. His attention was focused on driving. That same feeling that something wasn't right was gnawing at him. He couldn't put a finger on it but he just knew that this was all very strange. He had a gut feeling that something bad was going to happen. He just hoped that that something bad didn't happen to him or Sara.
Rachel, Nevada…again
It was 5:30 p.m. when they arrived back in Rachel. Mulder pulled the truck into the parking lot of The Little A'Le'Inn and parked. He and Scully got out and waited for the Las Vegas CSIs. Grissom parked the Tahoe next to the agents' truck and he and Sara got out to meet the pair. The four of them stood between the two vehicles somewhat hidden from prying eyes.
"Now what?" Grissom asked.
"We just stopped to work out a game plan with you." Mulder said.
"So, what's the plan?" Sara queried.
"Well, we need to get gas first thing. This truck is a gas hog and we're just about on empty."
"We're pretty low on fuel too." Grissom put in.
"I say we fill up and then go like hell to Vegas." Sara added.
"I'm pretty sure there's a gas station just down the road. I think it's the only one for a hundred miles." Scully informed.
"An oasis." Mulder said. "We should get going then."
They piled back in their vehicles and made their way to the gas station. Mulder felt a sense of dread as he pulled up to the pump. There was no one around and no lights were on inside. He hopped out of the truck and walked up to the door. Several colorful words flew from his mouth and he read the closed sign that was hanging in the window. He kicked the trashcan that was near the entrance and walked back over to the truck. He climbed in and rested his head on the steering wheel. "Damn, son of a bitch!"
"Mulder, what's wrong?" Scully asked worriedly.
"It's closed. It's open from 8 to 5. Don't you just love small towns?" he huffed.
Grissom and Sara had watched Mulder's display of frustration and had quickly deduced that the gas station must be closed. Grissom pulled the Tahoe up beside the agents' truck. Sara rolled down her window and said, "I'm sorry, Agent Mulder."
"It's not your fault." He said. "It looks like we're gonna have to spend the night here. This place opens back up at 8 a.m."
"Yeah. With our luck they won't have any rooms available at the motel." Sara said with a laugh.
"Don't talk like that. You're gonna jinx us." Mulder joked.
"I guess we'll see you back at the Inn." Grissom said.
"Yeah. We'll be right behind you." Scully replied.
They headed back to The Little A'Le'Inn, disappointed with the turn of events.