Flashback
Gil Grissom remembers his third solo crime scene.
During a lunch break, the guys talk about accidents on the job. Grissom reveals that the strip strangler was not his first injury on the job.
Chapter One: The Lunch Break
Warrick walked in and sat down at the table. Everyone had already begun eating lunch.
"Thanks for waiting." He said sarcastically.
"Hey man, you were taking too long." Nick said.
"Yeah, no wonder there isn't any hot water in the showers here." Greg added. Grissom turned around and closed the mini fridge. He sat down with the rest of the group, but close to Sara.
"So Rick likes to smell good, do you blame him?" He said.
"That's easy for you to say, you never shower here." Sara said smiling. Gil shot a hurt look at her.
"I'm a private man." Gil answered. Sara just smiled as if to say, sure you are. Gil rolled his eyes. Catherine walked in. she was holding her elbow with a bloodied tissue to it.
"Does anyone know where the first aid kit is?" She asked. Gil got up and helped her.
"You know, this is going to have to be written up." Gil said. Catherine looked bewildered.
"What? No, I just bopped my elbow on a table." She explained.
"Yeah, but I'll have a much worse injury if you don't." Gil said.
"What, does Sara beat you if you don't file your paperwork?" Catherine said jokingly.
"No, I'll have Ecklie up my ass." Gil said, throwing out the bandage's wrapping. The group laughed. "I'm serious, if any of you get hurt, report it to me. Ecklie's getting tired of me not reporting injuries. Even the small ones." Gil answered Catherine, before she could argue her point. Gil sat down and Catherine joined him.
"Huh. I remember my first injury on the job. I tripped on my own shoelace and landed on a razor blade in a pile of garbage. I had to get three or four shots for that." Nick said. Gil nodded.
"I remember that." He said. "I remember all of you guys' first injuries. I should know; I did the paper work."
"No way! You remember everyone's?" Greg asked. Gil nodded.
"Yup. Nick: razor blade in the knee, Cath: slice on your left palm, Greg: ran into the door frame, Sara: twisted your ankle-" Gil was interrupted by laughter.
"Hey, I was braking in a new pair of heals!" Sara defended herself.
"Rick: you set your hair on fire." Gil finished. The room broke out with a roar of laughter. Warrick just shook his head.
"Don't ask, man. Just don't ask." He explained. Gil chuckled.
"That's why he doesn't help me with experiments much." Gil said.
"What was your first Gil?" Greg asked. Gil thought for a moment.
"It was my third crime scene." Gil started.
Chapter Two: Boom, Boom
1986
Gil Grissom was thirty years old. He was investigating a break in gone wrong. The intruder had woken Mrs. Fenton, an eighty-two year old widow with a bad hip, she probably yelled in fear and he had shot her three times in the chest. Then the perpetrator took what he wanted, without a care in the world. Little did he know, he now had Gil Grissom, fully fledged level one CSI on his tail. It was Gil's third solo case. His first two had gone well. He solved them within a week.
He lifted a full palm print. Idiot. I'm glad these guys are so stupid, it makes my job easier. Gil thought. He liked working alone. He preferred it. Suddenly, a noise came from the old lady's bedroom. Gil turned around. He went for his gun. Damn! He had forgotten it again. He wouldn't be in trouble; CSIs weren't required to carry one. Gil proceeded to the bedroom with care. A tall, husky man with a ski mask came out holding a shot gun. Shit! Gil thought and turned to run.
BOOM!
White, searing, hot pain shot threw his right shoulder. Gil fell and bumped into the wall.
BOOM!
Another shot of pain. This time, it was almost on his right arm. Gil screamed in pain. He quickly ran towards the palm print he had left on the counter. He grabbed it in hopes he could hide it.
BOOM!
Gil fell. He was panting. He couldn't breathe. He saw his shirt was turning red. Gil focused on hiding his best piece of evidence. He laid down on the kitchen floor, on his stomach. He kept the print underneath his chest. He heard footsteps.
"Please. I'm a scientist. I-" Gil plead. But before he could finish his sentence:
BOOM!
"Aaaahh!" Gil screamed. Tears rolled down his cheeks. The pain was too much. His breathing was short and painful now. He was getting dizzy. Help me, please help me. Gil plead. He didn't know who he was pleading to, but he hoped it worked. Then, the perpetrator left. He just walked out of the house, as if nothing had happened. Gil breathed heavily. He crawled over to his forensics kit. He reached for his walkie-talkie.
"This is Gil Grissom. Requesting paramedics." He paused to catch his breath. "Perp returned to scene, armed. Could be around premises." Gil stopped talking. He couldn't say another word. He blacked out.
Chapter Three: The Recovery
Gil woke up in the hospital. He was bandaged from his right hand up to his shoulder. Doc Robbins was waiting for him.
"Hey." Gil said. Al looked up.
"Hey." He said with a smile. Al called in the rest of the team. George, Robert and Samantha all came in with big smile on their faces. After a few minutes of reassuring the rest of his team, Gil turned to Gerard, who had just entered.
"Did you get my palm print?" Gil asked. Gerard nodded.
"Get some rest, Gil. You're lucky to be alive. I've got an APB out on the guy and his already got warrants. He won't get far." Gerard reassured Grissom. Gil rested his head on the pillow and fell asleep.
Chapter Four: The Aftershock
"Four shots to the back and you lived?" Catherine asked. They were all mortified.
"They all hit my shoulder blade." Gil explained.
"That's what those four scars are?" Sara asked. Everyone looked at her. "What? I've been with him for two years and you think I haven't slept with him?" Everyone returned their attention to Gil.
"But you're okay now right? They caught the guy, right?" Nick asked, urgently.
"Eventually, but he overdosed while awaiting trial." Gil explained. Then, Grissom got beeped. "Damn. The proctologist is calling. See you guys." Gil left. The rest of the team sat in aw.
"When Holly Gribbs got shot, do you think…?" Catherine trailed off.
"Yeah, he must have been spooked. At least a little." Warrick said.
Later that morning, Sara sat on their bed, thinking. Gil sat down at the edge of the bed. He slipped off his slippers and started to turn to lie down. Sara stopped him. She rubbed his shirtless back, noting the four quarter sized scars on his shoulder. She felt them gently. Then kissed Gil on his back. Gil turned and smiled. He kissed her gently back. Then they lied down together and fell asleep, holding one another, tightly, in each others arms.