3

Since the Christmas party at Catherine's he'd spent a lot of time feeling sorry for himself. He'd spent most of his days locked in his townhouse with all the blinds shut, never even getting out of his lounging pants. A couple times, he'd come to campus or gone to the grocery store. He couldn't get Sara out of his mind. It was literally driving him mad. On two occasions, he thought he'd seen her. Once he followed a woman across campus and even grabbed her arm, thinking she was Sara. After apologizing about a hundred times, he went home and scolded himself for being such a lunatic. All of this free time was not good for him. With only two days left before classes started, he watched out his office window at the hustle and bustle of returning and new students. He was surprised to learn how many students started mid-year.

His schedule had been increased to four classes this semester and he was eager to be busy again. He was teaching two beginner and one advanced forensic science course and one beginner entomology course which he was very excited about. If all went well, he would be adding an advanced entomology course to his schedule next year. His classes were larger than average this semester. During his research into the college, he'd found that normal class size was thirty students. This semester, he had over that in each of his classes. Priding himself in the fact that he was good with names and faces, he told himself that he could do this. These were people he'd see two to three times a week. The first few classes would be hard, but he'd make it through. Besides, it would give him something to concentrate on other than Sara.

He was right, of course. Once the students started rushing in for his first class, his mind focused on his teachings and his students. This was one of his beginner forensic science classes, so all the faces were new. The class flew by faster than he thought and he watched his students file out of his classroom like kindergartners rushing out to the playground for recess. As he sat behind his desk, he smiled to himself. His decision to teach was a good one. There were a few instances where he missed the lab and the experiments, but he loved teaching. It was the only aspect of being supervisor that he actually enjoyed. To be able to share his knowledge with someone and watch young minds grow really gave him meaning.

Last semester he'd had a very bright young man in his class. His name was Jeff Storrs and he fascinated Grissom with his questions and intuitive manner. It made it worthwhile to teach the class when there was just one student who retained all the knowledge that was there to be shared. He hoped, with four classes, that he would have more students like Jeff.

His second beginner course showed promise with two young woman who asked several questions just about the course syllabus. To his dismay, though, one of his students was the woman he'd mistaken for Sara a couple weeks ago. He'd spent the whole class hoping she wouldn't remember him, but knew she did when she walked toward him after class.

"Can I help you, Miss Thomas?"

"Beth, please."

"Okay, how can I help you, Beth?"

"Don't you remember me?" After a tilt of the head and a raised eyebrow, "I'm the woman whose arm you grabbed thinking I was someone else. Sara, I think you called me. Then you apologized about a billion times before you walked away?"

The last sentence was formed as a question as if she was pushing him to remember, "Yes, I do recall that. Again, I'm very sorry."

"Did you ever find her?"

She was very inquisitive, "Uh, no I didn't."

"I'm sorry. How long has she been missing?"

"Uh, do you always ask this many questions?"

She smiled and showed her perfectly straight, sparkling white teeth. "Yes. Sorry, it's my nature. I'm nosy. But hopefully that will help me with my career. I hope to become a CSI like you."

"I'm a professor."

"Dr. Grissom, everybody knows who you are. You're the CSI from the Las Vegas Crime Lab. You have an amazing reputation. You're one of only fifteen entomologists in the country." As she continued on with his resume, he wondered when he'd gone from doing his job to becoming famous. Either way, Beth was obviously his number one fan.

When she finished, "You know, you make me sound like some sort of hero. I'm not. I'm just a guy who enjoys his work."

"Well, I think you're a hero. Everyone needs a mentor, and you're mine. Can I ask you a question, though?"

"Would it stop you if I said no?"

Again with the smile, "Maybe for a day or so."

"You might as well just get it over with then."

"Why'd you quit?"

"I didn't quit. I made a career move."

"Do you miss it?"

"Sometimes, yes."

"Well, I won't bother you any more; at least not today. I'll see you Wednesday Dr. Grissom."

"Bye Beth. Nice talking to you."

As she walked away, he told himself that he'd have to keep his distance from her. He only saw Sara when he looked at her and it would be easy to lose himself in her.