Twisted

Disclaimer: I don't own "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" or any related characters. I only own, well, the perspective of this story, and the person who's telling it.

Chapter One

The move to Vegas was definitely difficult on me, though I didn't mind it so much. I was getting a promotion, so moving a state away for it wasn't too much to ask. Especially when pay would be much better. Today was my first day at the Las Vegas Crime Lab, and I couldn't not say I wasn't nervous. Though I was quite sure I'd get over my butterflies by the time I finished today, I wasn't sure. I mean, what honestly could go on that would make today so bad?

I turned the keys in the ignition, killing the engine. My hands rested absent-mindedly on the wheel, the keys perched in my right hand. The sight in front of me was a plain-looking building; it didn't seem to want to stand out too much. Though this was the place I was going to be working from now on, and I had to support myself, so there was no time for first impressions here. I only hoped I'd feel the same way after I met my new co-workers.

It's habitual to not like the new person. You have to teach them everything about the job, and then they often stutter, break things, or mess up. It's all part of the learning process, of course, but the human mind doesn't like that. Instead it just sees the error and with error you must discipline. That's how it works, right? My eyes locked themselves on the outside of the building, mind telling me I had to go – but of course my body didn't listen. So I sat there for a few minutes.

Then the clock told me it was approaching 1PM, and I needed to get my butt in there. I had at least five minutes, which I speculated was about the time I needed to get out, lock the car and walk to the front desk – assuming they had one. My last job didn't, the "front desk" as we did call it, however, was really just an office. A small office, belonging to one of the few secretaries we had there. So this was definitely different. Las Vegas is a big city, and I'm not used to big cities.

Flipping my cell phone to silent, I stepped out of my car and followed the locking procedure it required, stepping up onto the sidewalk and walking to the door. Sighing, I pulled it open and walked inside.

"I'm Anna-Elise Blair," I stated to the person at the desk, who was a friendly looking woman. "The new CSI."

"Oh yes," She started, pulling out what appeared to be some sort of file. Did they already have a file on me? Probably, I decided. "Right this way. Dr. Grissom will be your supervisor." She said as she got up from her chair, walking down a hall in an expectant fashion.

I followed her down the hall, glass walls passing by. In each one, there seemed to be people hard at work, either examining something or talking, sometimes I couldn't tell which. This place was definitely fancier than my old crime lab had been, and probably much nicer, too. Though like I said, no first impressions; or so I tried to convince myself.

Eventually she led me into a room where two people were sitting. This room wasn't all glass, like the other ones seemed to be. Or it might have been, but it was covered by blinds – most likely a conference room or something. There was a long table, chairs on each side suggesting that it was for a conference as well, and there were enough for at least ten people. Sitting in two of them, across from each other, was a man – maybe forty or so? – and a young woman with shoulder-length brown hair. She looked at me and smiled, though the man (who did acknowledge my presence with a look) did not. I shrugged it off as the secretary introduced me.

"This is Anna-Elise," She said politely, indicating me, "She's the new CSI." With that said, she left me with these strange, new people.

"I'm Sara." The woman introduced herself, turning around in her chair and extending a hand; which I shook.

"Gil Grissom." The man said, copying Sara's gesture. I smiled politely and took his hand, shaking it. Maybe he was just quiet, or something? I hoped. I didn't want to be judged so early on, before I even had a chance to prove myself.

"We were just about to have lunch, we sent Greg out to get food. We thought you'd be around by now, so we got you a frescata and a Coke; is that okay?" Sara asked as I sat down beside her and nodded. "It's great, but who's Greg?"

"Greg is another CSI that has fallen under Grissom's iron fist." She smiled and laughed a little, where Grissom offered a small smile. For some reason they found it funny, but it honestly terrified me.

"I-iron fist?" I repeated, stuttering. Sara started laughing harder at this.

"Don't worry, just forget about it." She smiled to me, gazing at the door. "So where'd you come from?"

"San Jose," I replied curtly, "I was a CSI there, too. They offered me a promotion, but I had to transfer here. They said something about how you were hiring… And the Crime Lab with the highest need for hands, outside of San Francisco."

Sara nodded, as if she understood. "I worked there, in San Francisco, I mean. It got pretty bad, I can see why you wanted to be here." She said, "Though unfortunately, Vegas isn't much better."

"I know," I smiled, "I did some research."

"Oh?" It was the… fourth? No, third word I had heard Gil say, but I heard Sara refer to him as just 'Grissom' so I guess that's what he likes to be called. "Research on Vegas, how'd that go?"

"I didn't believe half of it." I replied – I really hadn't, I guess if you don't read it out of a book, it's never reliable. But then again, there are some pretty weird books in print. Guess you're never really safe.

"Good girl." He said in a praising sort of way, which somehow made me feel like a dog. I stared at him for a minute before I heard the door open again, and I looked behind me to see a man with very spiky brown hair nearly tumble in with at least four – maybe more – fast food bags.

He put a few down on the table, pulling stuff out of them. He handed Grissom a salad and a drink – I couldn't tell what it was – and he handed Sara a hamburger, though I thought I didn't see any meat on it. Oh well. He also handed her some fries and a soda. He then pulled out what I was presuming was his, and he got out my frescata, drink, and fries – that I'm assuming are mine.

He took the two other bags – he had at least six, now that I had a good count – out the door.

"I'm surprised," Sara remarked, eating a fry. "He didn't notice Anna-Elise here."

"Was he supposed to?" I asked, curious. She smiled and nodded.

"Greg has an… Unusual talent for forking out the female personnel." Great, a pervert, I decided, opening up my sandwich's bag. "Is this a bad talent?"

"Oh, no. But don't be shocked if he asks you out or something. He might not, right off the bat, but I'm sure at some point within the next week or so, he will." Sara nodded, taking a sip of her soda. Grissom was just quietly munching away on his salad. "He considers himself a ladies man."

"Oh." It wasn't much, but I was about to bite into my food, so saying anymore would be rude and distasteful.

About the time I had finished half of my fries, Greg walked in again, sitting down to his own food before finally noticing me.

"Who's this?" He asked, though not impolitely, "Our new CSI?"

"Yes, she is." Grissom replied, having just about finished his salad. I noticed Greg looked at me again, as if he was surveying me, and I felt very conscience of his gaze as I continued munching on my fries.

"I'm Greg." He stated, which I already knew, but you know it was polite. He started eating though, and I didn't hear too much out of him after that.

"Anna-Elise."

"Catherine will be in soon," Sara remarked, looking at me. "She, Warrick and Nick are out right now… Doin' stuff." I looked at her confused. "They're getting food too, but they…"

"Hey! You made me get them food, and they're already getting some themselves?" Greg protested, seemingly finding it hard to choke down the food he had been in the process of swallowing.

"Oops…" Sara said in an airy way, not really feeling any sympathy. Greg just sort of sulked in a mock-hurt way. I smiled through my straw, which I was using to sip my Coke. It was definitely interesting how today was going, and almost all of my nervousness had evaporated. Almost.

Though the silence, or silence that had evolved from the conversation, pressed on only to be broken by the sound of a cell phone. Grissom reached around to pull it out of something, putting it up to his ear.

"Grissom," I heard him say as a greeting, "Yes?" He added, nodding his head despite the fact the other person could not see him. "Mmhm, yeah. She's right here, so is he. Yes, mmhm." Were the fragments of the conversation that we caught. And I found Sara watching him with as much enthusiasm as I was, and even Greg showed a mild interest – but seemed more entertained by keeping up his mask of fake hurting. "Okay."

Eventually, after what seemed like a year of "Yes," "Okay" and "Mmhm"ing, Grissom clicked the phone shut, looking at both Sara and Greg for a moment, before resting his eyes on Sara.

"That was Brass, we've got a homicide, at a very important person's house." He said easily, as if it was nothing. I was fairly used to this, of course, but how he could take something so easily I don't think I'd ever understand. But I'm sure years of experience had something to do with it. "Anna-Elise," He started, looking at me – I was in between Sara and Greg, so I guess that makes things easier. "You're coming too. It'll be a good chance for you to get used to things."

"Okay." I agreed, not wanting to seem afraid of the fact that right now, on my first day, I was being put in a case. Of course, what was I to expect? That was the job field I was in, so I had better get used to it. "Greg, Sara, you're coming too." They nodded in uniform and got up, picking up what was left of their food. I watched, quietly, for a second before mimicking them; following behind Sara like a stray dog.

We took two cars, which I was at some point unsure of as to why we were taking two cars, but then I decided it was to take evidence that we may need to process in the lab, so I didn't question their motives as I got in the car with Sara. Greg went with Grissom, which sort of surprised me, but not too much. If I didn't want to be judged by them, then I probably shouldn't judge them. We drove for a while, ending up in a suburb that was near my house. We parked in front of the house with the yellow crime-scene tape and walked inside. Though I thought I heard Greg say something along the lines of;

"Welcome to Paradise."

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