Chapter 9 - A Bullet Runs Through It

SARA:

What a rough couple of days. We got called out to investigate a shootout involving the police, but not just anyone in the department…Jim and Sophia. Now I'll be the first to admit that Sophia is not my favorite person, but I wouldn't wish this on anyone. And Jim, he's like a father to me and unfortunately in the end, he ended up being the one who accidentally killed a fellow cop.

I need to get a few other things off my chest though…Sophia and Jim were put on suspension, pending the conclusion of our investigation. And then who do you think turns up in Grissom's office when her ass isn't supposed to be anywhere near us…Sophia. I don't care if she wants to screw up her career by breaking protocol, but dragging Grissom into it too is where I have to step in.

When I walked into Grissom's office and saw her, there was no longer a jealous vibe which would usually fill the air around us three, but instead, I was more concerned for Grissom breaking the rules, and completely pissed off that Sophia would risk Grissom's job and even the lab's credibility by coming in to talk to him. I was so hot, I don't even remember what I said to her, but she looked toward Grissom for help. He gave her none. After Sophia left Grissom's office, I gave him my, 'What the hell are you thinking?' look and said, "You know we can't afford to mess anything up on this case." And I left without giving him time for excuses.

Back at the scene of the shootout, it is so hard for me to stay mad at Grissom for very long. It's not even worth trying. He had an idea about how some witnesses said they saw the suspect without a gun in his hand while the cop said he definitely was holding a gun, and wanted to test it out. But he needed me. "I have other things to do, per Ecklie," I said, keeping my eyes down on the notebook in my hands. If I looked up into his cute puppy dog eyes, he would have me hooked.

"Well, this is per me?...C'mon, it'll be fun?" I looked up at him, he caught me, and reeled me in. So we walked down the alley to meet up with Hodges and a couple of officers. Grissom was gonna have Hodges throw the gun up on the roof, but you know Hodges, he is panicky all the time just in the lab, so he could barely move his feet now that he was actually out in the field in the middle of an investigation. After Hodges hesitated for more then a second, Grissom quickly turned to me for help. I stepped in and did everything Grissom needed done without him having to say another word. "That's my girl," he whispered to me. I helped him finish his the little experiment and then had to get back to my own work.

GRISSOM:

This is why I'm not a cop. This is why I don't want to carry a gun. This is why I worry about Sara every time she leaves the lab…a police shootout. And this time Jim and Sophia were involved. They are both fine, but it turned out that an officer dying from friendly fire was because of Jim. The officer had jumped up right in Jim's line of fire, but it didn't really matter why or how it all happened…it just did and shouldn't have.

Jim and Sophia were sent on suspension while we investigated, but that didn't stop Sophia from coming to my office to discuss what happened. She could have costs both of us our jobs, not to mention the reputation of the lab and reliability of the outcome of the case. I have gotten along fine with Sophia ever since she joined the lab. Maybe a little more then I should have, judging by Sara's jealous stares in the past, but at the moment she stepped into my office where she wasn't allowed, I showed no emotion.

If it had been Sara, I would have risked my job or even my life, just to comfort her, but I lost all worry for Sophia because of how she had decided to blatantly ignore the rules and drag me down with her. Then when I didn't think the situation in my office could get worse, Sara walked in and caught us. Of course I had to have looked guilty, I was breaking the rules by even speaking to Sophia. But rather then a Sara death glare, she looked instead fairly concerned for me. She said a few harsh things causing Sophia to leave, then turned to me and said, "You know we can't afford to mess anything up on this case," and walked away.

Sara didn't stay mad at me for long though after I roped her in to help me with one of my many experiments. A decomposing pig, electricity conducting pickle, hamburger bullets, throwing dummies off the roof, tearing down countless walls in an apartment building, watching ice melt, 'Pin me down,' 'Tape me up'…good or bad, I could always count on Sara. I tried to get Hodges to help since he had finally set foot outside the lab, but that was useless.