Disclaimer: These CSI characters do not belong to me. 'nough said!
Rating: T.
A/N: First off, I would like to thank everyone who reviewed! Your comments meant a lot to me! If you didn't have time to review, thanks for spending the time reading also! Secondly, I just found out last week that someone nominated this story for the Pre-Vegas Poll and I was absolutely speechless! I would like to thank that anonymous person and also those who voted for this story! I feel so honored at the compliment! Me love you much!! Thirdly, just a little shout-out to my buddy amisha.pineapple for her moral support! It's always fun to have someone to discuss the hotness of Gil Grissom with! Here is the latest chapter and you didn't even have to crack your whip!! ;) And last but not least, enjoy and comments are always welcome! Thanks again for reading! Peaceā¦
Chapter 03
"Sara, you have a minute?" Joe Maddox called out to her as she was about to leave for the day.
"Yeah, what's up?"
"Come into my office and we'll talk."
They both entered the day-shift supervisor's office and he gestured for Sara to sit down across from his desk. Once settled, Sara immediately ran through a mental checklist to see if she had done anything wrong at a crime scene lately.
Joe saw her serious face and chuckled, "Don't worry, you're not in trouble."
Sara smiled shyly at him, "You had me worried for a minute there!"
Joe opened a file folder with the name Sidle, Sara typed boldly across the cover and said to her, "You have done an excellent job so far and I am recommending you for CSI Level Two."
Sara tried to contain her excitement as she calmly thanked him, "I am sure I won't let you down, Joe."
"I am sure you won't. But there is the issue with your continuing education." Joe fingered the personnel file folder in front of him.
"Joe, I am more than qualified considering my background educations." Sara spoke up quickly, afraid that he might change his mind about the promotion.
"Sara, you're a physics major and we investigate crimes, not how Newton dropped his damned apples. Unless, of course, those apples happened to crack somebody's skull while coming down." Joe mused at her briefly before continuing, "That's why I have signed you up for a couple of advanced forensic science classes to be offered at Berkeley next month."
Sara eyed him, waiting for the catch.
"Ace those courses and you'll get your new badge." Joe said simply.
Sara let out the breath she was holding. That wasn't so bad. She had always breezed through school and these classes would not be any different. Sara was contemplating about her new promotion when Joe said something that stopped all her thoughts, breathing included.
"Oh, forgot to mention. Dr. Gil Grissom, entomologist extraordinaire, will be teaching the classes." He looked at Sara, trying to hold back a grin. "I heard he's a very good lecturer."
Sara's brows crunched into a surprised look. "Dr. Grissom?"
"Yeah. The guy's an amazing criminalist. He comes here to help out once in a while with some hard to crack bug cases." He paused in mid thought and looked at Sara, "Hmm... I guess you weren't here yet the last time he came to consult on a case. Next time he's here, I'll let you work with him."
Work with Gil Grissom? She wondered what it would be like working side-by-side with a man like him. She could learn a lot from him, considering his experiences in the field. Great mind... great smile...
"Not so great sense of humor though." Joe verbally finished her thought, jerking her out of her own. "Anyway, just to let you know so you can prepare for the classes. Good luck and hope you will earn your new promotion soon!"
"Thanks Joe." Sara said gratefully and got up to leave. Now, all she needed to do was to concentrate on four more weeks of work before seeing Professor Gil Grissom again. It had been five months since his last lecture, Sara wondered if he still remembered her...
"Hey!" Catherine entered Grissom's office and unceremoniously flopped down onto the guest chair facing his desk. "What's going on? You're leaving again?"
Grissom looked up from his paperwork and answered shortly, "Just another lecture."
"But you just came back from the last one." She whined at him.
"That was six months ago, Catherine."
"So, how long am I supposed to hold up the fort this time?" Catherine asked while scanning around his office, her eyes suddenly narrowed at a something she saw.
"Three weeks." He shrugged and continued shoving folders into his briefcase.
"Three weeks?" She looked at him in surprise, "What does Brass say about it?"
"Brass knows about my lectures." He said indifferently as he stood up to remove some glass jarred specimens from his desk to the shelves. "Never had a problem before... shouldn't have any now."
Catherine grimaced at the preserved radiated fetal pig before she spoke up again. "You have never taken off this long before."
He sighed and addressed her like an adult explaining ground rules to a small child, "Cath... just so you'll know, two weeks for two different classes and one week vacation."
"You? Vacation?" She stared at him in disbelief. "That's a new one!"
"To see my mother, Catherine!" He sounded exasperated.
"If you say so." She shot him a look, clearly stating that she didn't believe his explanation about the time-off.
"Do me a favor Cath?" He quickly changed the subject.
"Sure, as long as you don't make me move into this office." She gave him a mocked grin.
"Keep an eye out for Nicky. He's new and anxious as a puppy at a crime scene."
"No problem. Anything else?"
"That's it. Thanks."
"By the way, what's with these butterfly displays?" Catherine's hand made a grand gesture at Grissom's latest office decorations. "Since when are you interested in butterflies?"
Since I met her... His most private inner thought almost slipped out loud. "Since I find them beautiful."
"Hmm... Since the last San Francisco trip..." She eyed him suspiciously, gauging his reactions.
He put on his best poker face at Catherine's inquisition.
"So, what's the latest on The Bet?"
Grissom instantly regretted that he had told her about the infamous games involving the women from his lecture circuit. Trust Catherine to have a keen eye for things out of the ordinary. He made mental notes to himself to take home most of his butterfly displays. He sat back down on his chair and pouted at her, "You know how it is... too many women... so little time..."
Catherine burst out laughing at his remark. "Ok Casanova! Apparently you haven't taken your head out of the microscope long enough to hear the latest gossip about you!"
He lifted his coffee mug to his mouth, trying to hide his curiosity. "What gossip?"
"Gil... are you gay?"
Grissom choked on the black liquid that was making its way down the wrong pipe. "Excuse me?"
"You know, it's ok if you are." Catherine continued her rambling. "Society is a lot more tolerant these days. Besides, I --"
"Catherine!" He practically had to yell at her to get her to shut up. "What are you talking about?"
"As I was saying, I fully support you if you are batting for the other side."
He gave her an annoyed look. "Which side I am batting for is none of anyone's business. And where the hell did this come from?"
"Those lab techs you have been flirting with." Catherine's lips curved into a sheepish grin. "One of them, I think it was Charlotte. Well, I overheard she told the other girls that all you do is talk but never really carry out your intentions."
Grissom felt a headache slowly forming at the base of his neck and quickly searched his briefcase for his medications. He took out a couple of pills, popped them into his mouth and gulped down a mouthful of acrid coffee. He was glad at that moment that he was going away for three weeks. He was open-minded enough to not really care what people thought of his sexual preferences, but to have them speculating and discussing his actions as a result of it, and behind his back no less, was just utterly mind boggling. "You go see fireworks every year on the Fourth, Cath?"
She nodded silently at him, perplexed.
"You like them?"
"Yeah..." Unsure where he was heading with his train of thought.
"Do you take them home with you?"
"No..."
"Exactly!" He gave her a duh! look. "I may have given a compliment or two to people but that doesn't mean I want to jump into bed with them."
"Ok..." She dragged out the syllables long enough to indicate that either she didn't really believe what he was saying or she had no clue. "Well whatever it is... I just want you to know that I am a hundred percent behind you!"
Grissom just rolled his eyes as Catherine quickly jumped on her feet and prepared to leave. Catherine could really have an one-tracked mind sometimes, he thought.
"Have fun with your mother by the way!" She just couldn't help leaving without a parting shot.
Two could play this game... "Catherine?" He called out to her with a straight face. "I'm going to miss your tush."
Catherine turned back to face him and smiled, "Save it for whoever it is that manages to draw you away from the lab for three whole weeks!"
"You should stop stalking me like this."
Sara looked up from her turkey sandwich to find Professor Gil Grissom grinning down at her while holding a lunch tray. The man's audacity never ceased to amaze her. He had carried flirtation to a hold new level and she was teetering between really disliking the man and completely succumbing to his boyish charms. "Since I am obviously stalking you, are you expecting me to ask you to sit down?"
"Thank you Ms. Sidle!" He set down his tray and helped himself to the chair opposite hers. "I would love to join you!"
She cocked a brow at him, surprised that he remembered her name from this morning's introductions. "You can just call me Sara."
"Sara." He was still grinning at her when he picked up his glass of milk and started to drink it, his gaze never left her.
She could not help but smile back him. His grin was contagious and she was mesmerized by the lopsided upward curve of his lips which synchronized with the corners of his mischievous intense blue eyes to form a very charming expression.
Suddenly his right eye narrowed in puzzlement. "Something funny?"
Her index finger immediately came up to touch the strip of skin right above her upper lip. "Milk mustache."
"Oh." He quickly wiped it away with his paper napkin as she briefly glanced down at her lunch, suddenly feeling very shy.
In a cafeteria full of people during lunch hour rush, Sara couldn't seem to hear anyone else except for the quiet sound of her and Grissom's silent exchange. Awkwardly, she spoke up, "I --"
"I --" to have him voiced up at the same time.
They both laughed, then again exclaimed simultaneously, "You first!"
Being a gentleman, he nodded his head at her, gesturing for her to speak first.
"I just wanted to say that I find your class quite interesting so far today."
"I am glad." His eyes were piercing into hers, piercing into her thoughts. "You were quiet all morning, I was afraid that I had bored you to death on the very first day of lecture."
"No...oh, no," Sara shook her head adamantly, "I was just taking notes. Besides... I was waiting for everyone else to finish with their questions before I'd ask mine."
He chuckled at her then, "At the rate you're going, I don't think you'll ever get your questions answered."
"I'll take my chances."
"You believe in chance Sara?" His voice suddenly lowered, his face serious.
He caught her off guard with a question she couldn't answer, not with the way he was looking at her at that moment. Something passed between them that she couldn't quite grab a hold of. She suddenly realized that her pulse was racing faster and wished that she was somewhere else but here, being scrutinized by this handsome man in front of her. Oh God! Did she just say handsome? You don't need this Sidle... He'll break your heart like the others... She gazed at his face... Yes, he had the potential to hurt her, deeply. Think of all the women he discarded before you...
"Um... Dr. Grissom..."
"You can drop the Doctor part..." The tone of his voice had lightened up a bit. "This is an informal setting, just call me Grissom."
"Uh... Grissom..." Somehow the missing title seemed to make his name more intimate to her, scaring her even more. "I think it's almost time to get back to class..."
"What's the rush?" His voice had gone back to normal, his face cheerful again. "I'm the teacher remember? Without me, there is no class."
"Are you always so cocky?" Sara could not believe she actually asked him that.
"Yes, dear." He grinned at her once again, totally captivated her. "Especially when I am trying to impress a woman such as yourself."
Wow...no one had ever said that to her... What would be a comeback for something like that? She decided it was safer to just not dwell too deeply into those words and just be casual about it. "I am sure you say that to every woman you meet."
"Only the pretty ones..."
"Are you flirting with me Dr. Grissom?"
"It's Grissom... and yes..." He was having way too much fun with her. "Do you want me to stop?"
Damn! Josie was right about this guy. She had been warned. "You haven't touched your lunch."
"Are you trying to change the subject?" He was relentless in his teasing, detecting that they both were enjoying the banter. "You haven't answered my question."
"There you are!" They both turned their heads to find Detective Amie Harris approaching with her own lunch. "Are you having a cram session without me?"
Amie pulled up a chair and sat down without waiting for an invite. Grissom stole a glance in Sara's direction before turning back to Amie, "Sara hadn't had a chance to ask questions all morning so I am giving her an opportunity to catch up."
"You should stop with these private lessons Gil." Amie eyed Grissom, her double entendre not lost on the three of them.
Sara scanned Amie's face then Grissom's and decided she needed to leave this conversation fast, especially after Amie referred to him by his given name. Apparently they were more than casual acquaintances. Sara began to gather up her belongings and her heart, and excused herself, "Um... Please excuses me but I... uh... need to go make a phone call. I'll see you both in class later."
She made a quick exit and disappeared outside for a brief walk to clear her head before the afternoon session of the course.
Sara was washing her hands in ladies room when Detective Amie Harris entered. Once Amie noticed Sara was standing there, the determined looking blonde walked purposely toward Sara and came to stop in front of her. Leaning against the sink next to her, Amie eyed her for a moment before speaking up.
"Sara Sidle?"
Amie's voice made Sara a little apprehensive and Amie's posture against that sink did not help the matter. She stared back at Amie briefly then broke out a friendly smile, "Who wants to know?"
Amie did not bother to smile back but continued with her interrogation. "What's going on?"
Sara gave Amie a confused look before asking, "I beg your pardon?"
"I saw you flirting with him." Amie clarified. "I didn't know you're in on it."
"I am sorry but I have no idea what you're talking about." Sara suspected that Amie meant Gil Grissom but she refused to acknowledge it. She was definitely not flirting with him. He was the one who kept teasing her with his remarks... and his intense blue eyes... Even if she was flirting, which she was not, it was none of Amie's business anyway.
"Look, either you're in the game or get out of the way."
"Excuse me?" Sara looked flabbergasted.
"Listen rookie, I've seen girls like you," Amie could be a tower of intimidation when she really wanted to, "Sashay in here with Daddy's paid for degrees and expect everyone to kowtow to your every whim."
Sara just stared wordlessly at Amie, a rabid canine out of control.
"You're a physics major for God's sake. How the hell did you get a job working in a crime lab anyway?" Amie smirked with malice. "Slept with someone important?"
That remark almost earned Amie a slap in the face but Sara decided to take the high road, though not without flared temper, "You know what, I don't want to stoop to your level but you're on. You wanna play? You got it!"
"Good!" Amie was smiling at Sara now. "Make sure you stick with the rules, rookie."
"What rules?" Sara was still reeling from the fact that in a moment of hotheadedness, she had been goaded into participating in something as crazy as this bet.
"The rules are, there are no rules. Don't play fair, just play dirty. And the winner must have physical evidence."
"Physical evidence?" Sara began to wonder what she had gotten herself into.
"We both work in law enforcement, Sara." Amie's grin grew wider as she spoke. "DNA evidence and I am not talking about the epithelial kind."
Sara groaned inwardly... she seriously needed a cigarette after this conversation. She could not believe that there were people with so much time on their hands that they would actually sit down and think up all these rules... no, to think up of this bet to begin with. Her brain cells must have been fried since she cared enough to ask the next questions. "And what of the loser? What is the pay up?"
"Watching the winner flaunts her trophy. Isn't that enough?" Amie paused and looked at Sara for her reaction. Seeing none, she continued as an afterthought. "Oh, and a hundred bucks to enter the bet. Contact Josie from your side of the house. What good is a bet without monetary gain? Those hind cheeks are worth every penny, even for the loser."
With that, Amie left the bathroom leaving Sara desperately trying to think up a way to back out of this bet.
TBC
