Chapter Two: A New Case

Two months had gone by. Ashleigh's luck was looking up. She landed a job with the crime lab. Today was witnessing her first autopsy. She was in the locker room putting on what she called doctor clothes.

"Having fun?" She looked up and saw Greg standing in the doorway.

"Oh yes. I'm just having my own little party." She said sarcastically.

He laughed and sat down next to her. "How are you enjoying graveyard shift?" He asked.

"Well, it's a lot of work. I like it though." She said.

"I heard that Uncle Nick has a new case." He said.

"Really? I didn't see anything come in."

"That's because it's from Dallas."

"Greg..."

"You didn't hear it from me." He said.

"Why is it here? Why couldn't it stay in Dallas?" She asked burying her face in her hands.

"I'm not sure. I only told you because I thought you had a right to know."

She sighed and stood up. "I'm going to talk to Nick."

She stormed down the hallway to the break room. She walked through the open door and stopped. She looked around and only saw Grissom leaning against the counter drinking coffee.

"Are you ready for the autopsy?" He asked as he sat his cup down.

"I need to talk to Nick." She said not explaining why.

"Did Greg tell you about the case coming in from Dallas?" He asked her.

"Grissom, please tell me if it's my parents case." She pleaded.

"Yes, but you're not allowed to get involved with it in any way. However, you are entitled to know about any leads we have." He said.

"Whatever. Where is Nick?" She asked getting impatient.

"He said that he was going out of town. He left his car at home so you can get to school and to here." He said.

She sat down in a chair next to the table and sighed. She looked up at him and said, "You know, I see how Nick and my mom were alike. My mom kept things from me to protect my feelings."

"Now Nick is doing what your mother did." He said.

"Don't tell Nick I said this, but I'm glad he has been there for me. If he hadn't talked to me at the funeral I would've been dead."

Grissom looked at her and she continued, "I looked at one of those books in your office. It said something about a person who comes across a murder victim from their own family may be at risk of committing suicide. If they were close to that family member the risk is even higher."

"Do you still feel that way?" He asked her.

"No."

"If you ever want someone to talk to someone you can talk to me."

Ashleigh smiled and said, "Thanks Grissom."

"Now, let's head over to the autopsy room."

Ashleigh walked into the locker room and sat down on the bench. She noticed one of the lockers were open and kicked it shut out of frustration. "Ouch! Damn. My hand was there!" Greg yelled.

"God Greg, I'm so sorry. I didn't know you were still here." She said standing up.

"That's okay." He said looking at his hand. "I heard you needed a ride home."

She raised her eyebrow and said, "Yeah, I guess word travels fast around here."

"Not really. I think somehow it was put off on me when everyone else had to stay over late. I don't mind." He said smiling.

"Thanks Greg. I want you to listen to something when we get there." She said.

He nodded and the two of them left the building and got in his car. As he drove down the highway he asked her, "How was your first autopsy?"

"It was fine. I've seen worse though." She said.

"How could you have seen worse?" He asked.

"I found my parents after they were murdered. I'll leave it at that."

They arrived at the house and went inside. He looked around and smiled. "What did you want me to listen to?" He asked.

She hesitated for a second then said, "It was just a new CD I bought."

"One perk to being a CSI is that we can read people's emotions. That way we can tell if someone is lying to us or not."

"I just want to say that I have a feeling." She said.

"A feeling? What kind of feeling?"

"It's not just one feeling. It's many. I think I have feelings for you."

He leaned down and kissed her. She put her hand on his chest and pushed him away. "Greg, if this happens, will it be the only thing that happens?" She asked him.

"No, this won't be the only thing that happens. I promise." He said. He really meant it. She smiled and grabbed his hand. She turned out the light and led him down the basement steps to her room.

He ran his fingers through her hair. She wouldn't look at him. "Ash, what's wrong?" He asked.

"I feel dirty." She said.

"Sex isn't clean my dear." He said with a smile

She grabbed the pillow from under his head and hit him with it. "You know what I mean. Usually something like this happens after a date or a special moment."

He thought for a second and said, "You witnessed your first autopsy."

"You're sick." She said and sat up.

He sat up with her and planted a wet kiss on her cheek. "If you're thinking that I lied when I said this wasn't the only thing that would happen, you're wrong." He said.

"I know. Even if you were, I would have found you so I could kick your ass." She said and smiled.

He leaned forward to kiss her, but was stopped by her hand covering his mouth. "Did you hear that?" She asked.

"Yeah, it sounded like footsteps. Now, lay one on me baby." He said.

"Greg!"

He sighed and rolled out of the bed. He began to put his clothes on when she yelled at him again. "Ash, I'm not going up there in my boxers." He said.

"If someone else is in this house, I doubt they care. Those are my pants in case you haven't noticed."

He glared at her and dropped the pair of pants he was holding. Reluctantly, he walked up the stairs. Once he opened the door he was forced to the floor. "Why the hell are you in my house?" Nick yelled in his ear.

"Nicky, it's me, Greg. Please don't kill me." Greg pleaded.

"Sanders? Wait, why the hell are you in my house?" Nick asked him as he let him up off the floor.

Ashleigh ran up the stairs. The two men looked at her. "Hey! You wouldn't let me get dressed, but you did!" Greg yelled noticing her clothes.

Nick realized what was going on. He looked at Ashleigh and said, "I go into the next town for a few hours and you bring home somebody for a one night stand. What are you thinking? And of all people you were with Sanders."

"One night stand? You honestly think I would be a person to have a one night stand? I'm not the one who slept with a prostitute before she died!" She yelled.

"That's taken completely out of context!" He yelled back.

She had enough. Arguing wouldn't get her anywhere. She turned around and went back down the basement stairs, shutting the door behind her. Nick looked back at Greg. "Sit down." He ordered pointing at the couch.

Greg obeyed and went over to the couch. "Nick, listen, this isn't a one night stand. Ashleigh and I actually have something for each other." He said.

"Sanders, if you wanted to start dating her, why didn't you send her flowers or something like that? I've had this conversation with you before."

After the conflict at Nick's house it was time to go back to work. Ashleigh was put on her first major case with Catherine. The two of them went to a scene where a robbery had taken place. "Who did you do?" She heard Catherine ask her.

"What? No one. Who said I slept with someone last night?" Ashleigh asked immediately defending herself.

"I didn't say anything about that. I asked who took you home yesterday. I know Nicky went to the next town for some business. I was going to give you a ride, but I had to stay over late." Catherine said.

"Oh, sorry. Greg brought me home. I had a bad morning. Nick came home early." Ashleigh said.

"I have a feeling this is leading toward something I don't want to hear about." Catherine said shaking her head.

Detective Jones walked up to them and said, "Have fun ladies."

"Give us the low down before we ho in there Jones." Catherine said.

"The owner keeps saying that he didn't shoot the guy. Witnesses that were in the store at the time have stated there were two more gunmen in the store. That's all I know." He said and walked away.

Catherine looked at Ashleigh and asked, "Is this your first murder?"

"Nope."

"Let's get moving then."

Ashleigh smelled gun powder as she walked through the motion sensor door. She noted that in her mental notes. She bent down next to the victim and began collecting evidence.

"Do you smell something burning?" Catherine asked her.

Ashleigh stopped what she was doing and looked up. "Yeah, what is that?" She asked.

As if on cue the fire alarm went off in the store followed by the sprinkler system. Catherine dropped her head. What were the odds of this happening? All the DNA evidence that could've been collected was being cleaned away. She looked over at Ashleigh. Saved. Before the alarm went off she had started on DNA.

"Do you think I collected enough Cat?" She asked.

"I hope so. If not I'm putting you on late duty." Catherine said with a smile.