A/N: Don't own CSI and all that. Thanks for reading. Almost done with this one, currently working the next chapter for Stay, also.
High Incident
Chapter Ten
Grissom's Office…
As luck would have it, there weren't any major crimes to solve that night. Somehow, Grissom did not think that Nick, the only one with an open case, would appreciate the entire nightshift joining him on his missing person investigation.
Basically, this meant that the remainder of the team would be confined to the lab to catch up on paperwork or pick up a cold case from the cork board. Staying in the office also meant that there was a greater possibility of running into Sara, who he'd been successfully been avoiding since assignments.
Sara. Just thinking about the woman kicked the pain from his migraine up several notches.
Talk about good intentions gone bad. Breakfast ended rather abruptly as his proposal ended in disaster. Not only did she turn him down flat, but left little doubt that she would be interested in the concept anytime in the near future or quite possibly ever.
He had been so stunned by her angry response that it took several minutes for him to realize that she had left his home. By the time that he reached the front door, Sara's car was speeding around the corner. He tried to contact her on her cellular phone but she would not answer. It was just as well, since he had no clue what to say.
What do you say, when you are dumped by the woman you have loved for more than a decade and that also happened to be pregnant with your child? It wasn't so much that she refused his offer of marriage - okay, that stung a bit, but it was the look of anger and disgust in her eyes that devastated him.
Grissom understood her initial confusion. It's not like they had ever defined their relationship, the focus had always been on the baby. In hindsight, he realized that the proposal sounded way too casual. He imagined she felt as if he had given the idea little thought. Hell, he'd even forgotten to present the engagement ring he'd purchased, that at the time was lying in a box only several yards down the hall. Mental note to self: No more spur of the moment proposals due to complete inability to think fast on your feet.
The delivery sucked, he got that. But that did not take away from the sincerity of question. Was the thought be being in a committed relationship with him so appalling, when she not long ago claimed that she loved him? Was this payback for all of the years he'd been distant and unkind? Surely, the scene couldn't have come as that big of a shock - they were going to have a baby for Pete's sake. It was a natural progression.
So, what now? Did they go on as if nothing happened? And what about the baby?
Grissom reached into his drawer for an over the counter pain pill. It was going to be a long night.
Several hours later, Grissom made a quick round through out the Lab, making his presence known. Or he thought he should a least pretend to be in control.
He spotted Sara in the Trace Lab. Although he could tell that she was tired, she wore that look of determination on her face that he loved. She was beautiful. Motherhood definitely agreed with Sara. He wondered briefly where she went when she left his house earlier and if she had gotten any rest at all when she returned to her home. Had she remembered to eat? He certainly hadn't. He'd spent the remainder of his time replaying one of the worst moments of his life. Grissom had thought that things would work out between them, now he had no clue what to do.
As if on cue, Sara glanced up from the table and met his eyes. They stared unblinking, trying to gauge the other's reaction.
Grissom was the first to look away as his name was called by a Lab Tech from an open office door across the hall. When he turned back, Sara's head was once again bowed as she resumed her work. Sighing heavily, he returned to his sanctuary.
"Damn!" Sara swore as two dozen crime scene photos scattered to the floor. She glanced up quickly and was relieved to find that Grissom had gone.
She was completely distracted and ineffective on the job tonight and it was Grissom's fault. Sara had finally managed to not think about the man for more than two seconds, when he suddenly appears out of thin air staring at her like she was naked.
Or was that a look of longing and appreciation in his eyes? Maybe. She missed that look. It had only been hours since she left his home and she missed him terribly. What was it about him that kept her in a constant state of confusion? Should she even care after that earlier debacle? But he looked so…lost…and handsome…and…God he was infuriating!
He was ruining everything. Why couldn't he have left things be until he was truly ready to be with her? It's not like he wasn't going to be a major part of her and the baby's life. Sara had been careful, until this point, to give him the time and space he needed to make his own decision. She tried to keep the pressure off and he ruined everything by rushing. Sara wanted a lifetime commitment from Grissom not a relationship filled with regret later down the road.
"Damn." She swore again. Quickly, she packed the photos into the evidence box and returned them to the vault. There was no sense in continuing with the charade. She wasn't going to be able to crack the cold case when she couldn't even figure out her present predicament.
Heading into the locker room, she joined Warrick who was already in route.
"I just ran into Greg in the hall and he said that a certain somebody in charge wanted him to make sure that you ate." He smiled, flashing a crisp twenty dollar bill as proof. "But I gladly intercepted the task."
"Well, that certain somebody in charge should mind his own damned business. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself." Sara replied angrily. It bothered her that Grissom hadn't checked on her himself. He was withdrawing from her already.
"Okay. Did I miss something?"
Sara eyed Warrick, debating on whether or not to share the disaster from the morning. Mind as well, she did decided. She needed to get it off of her chest and she knew that Warrick could keep a secret.
"Grissom asked me to marry him." She blurted.
"And…this is a bad thing?" He asked confused because Sara didn't look like a woman that had been proposed to by the man that she loved. And her finger was missing an engagement ring. He didn't make CSI Level III on his looks.
Sara took a deep breath and started from the beginning.
Grissom's Office…
"Hey Boss!" Sophia greeted as she plopped several files onto Grissom's desk.
"Technically, I'm not your boss. As Acting Supervisor, you and I are equals."
"For the moment." She agreed as she eased into the visitor's chair.
"Anything I can help you with, Sophia?" As he scrawled his signature on the files.
"Actually, I just wanted to thank you for the books and let you know how much I enjoyed working the case with you."
"Thank you." Grissom accepted uneasily. "Team work prevails."
"I agree. Your leadership style certainly promotes a certain level of togetherness."
Grissom removed his glasses and leaned back into his chair. "Okay."
"Meaning, I understand now, how the nightshift has grown so close to one another."
She pushed on when Grissom remained quiet. "With the way that everyone has 'clicked,' it would be only natural for the lines to blur between personal and professional."
"Where are you going with this?"
"Don't worry Grissom; the Department's rules on co-worker relationships are very vague."
Again, Grissom said nothing.
"Well, thanks for helping us out with the case. And I look forward to studying the textbooks you left in my office." Sophia retrieved the files, stood and moved to the door. Before exiting she turned for a moment. "By the way, I just saw Warrick and Sara together; they really do make a handsome couple."
Nick approached Grissom's office and once again found Sophia firmly embedded there- again.
While he debated on whether or not to interrupt, the decision was made for him as Sophia opened the door.
"Nick." She greeted with a fake smile.
"Sophia." He returned with one of his own as she passed by.
Nick entered the office and closed the door behind him. "Grissom."
Grissom's head snapped up as Nick's voice was uncharacteristically abrasive. "Yes?"
"I've been looking for you, but I see that you've been busy lately." Nick threw a glance over his shoulder in the direction that Sophia had gone. His tone was curt and accusatory.
"We wrapped up our case." Grissom offered; though felt he had no reason to explain his actions to his subordinate. "Is there something on your mind, Nick?"
"Plenty. But my Mama taught me not to be disrespectful to my elders."
Grissom's eyes narrowed as he felt his pulse rise. "State your business, otherwise - I'm busy."
"Doc Robbins is looking for you. I told him I'd pass that on."
"Thank you." Grissom slipped his glasses on to his nose and resumed his work, effectively dismissing the younger CSI.
"And, in case you're interested, Sara, you remember her? The mother of your child is in the locker room bawling her eyes out."
CSI Locker room…
Warrick whistled when she finished speaking. "Sara, I think that this was just a misunderstanding."
"You do?" She questioned as she wiped at the tears that had begun during the story.
"I do. When has Grissom ever done anything he hasn't wanted to do?" He continued on when Sara simply shrugged her shoulder. "Maybe you need to look at this from another angle."
"I'm listening."
"Grissom asked you to marry him. So what, if it wasn't in the perfect romantic setting and he didn't have a ring. Look at the evidence and find the truth."
"I don't know what the truth is."
"Yes, you do. Do you love Grissom?"
Sara hesitantly nodded yes, feeling uncomfortable voicing her feelings out loud.
"Does Grissom love you?"
"I don't know."
"Sara, think. This is Grissom we're talking about. Look how much he's changed since the two of you got together -"
"Technically, we are not together-"
"In what world? The two of you are together and have been since the day you stepped foot in Vegas. It's only been official since you consummated the relationship at my party."
Sara groaned in embarrassment. Would they ever live that down?
"No one knows Grissom like you, Sara. Looking past his emotional awkwardness, what did you see? What did you really hear? What does your heart tell you?"
Sara stood quietly for several seconds as she evaluated his friend's words. Had she let her own fear and paranoia ruin the moment?
Gilbert Grissom was not a spur of the moment type of guy. Everything he said or did had always been a deliberate and calculated move. So, why would his proposal be any different?
And while it would have been wonderful to have things play out as they had in her fantasies, this was real. This was Grissom. Without the cover of a dead poet's words, Grissom was awkward and uncomfortable expressing himself. It was one of his most endearing qualities. But he had tried. He tried to reach out to her. To open his heart to her and she slammed the proverbial door in his face.
Now, images from the morning flashed in her mind and she remembered the look of love and hope in his eyes as he waited for her answer. Now, she remembered the look of utter devastation on his face when she turned him down so rudely. It had been the truth. It had been there all along and she refused to believe it.
"Oh God." Sara sat down hard on the nearest bench. "Oh God, Warrick. What have I done?"
"It'll be okay." He tried to sooth her and the tears began, again. "Don't worry. We'll figure out how to fix this."
Grissom entered the locker room several minutes later to find Sara buried in Warrick's embrace. And he flipped. "Didn't take long."
Slowly, Sara extracted herself from Warrick's arms and turned. "What didn't take long?" She demanded, put off by his attitude.
Grissom flicked an irritated hand towards Warrick.
"Hold on Griss." Warrick started, catching on quickly. "Sara was upset-."
"Uh -uh. You don't have to explain anything to him, Warrick."
"Of course not. You're free to sleep with whomever you please." The rational part of Grissom's brain knew that his ugly words only reflected the hurt and anger from Sara's recent rejection.
"That was uncalled for." Warrick stood loosing his patience. "I understand you're angry-"
"But that doesn't give you an excuse to be an asshole!" Sara was nearly shouting.
Catherine, Greg and Nick walked into the middle of the tense moment.
"What's going on? We could hear you from the hall." Catherine asked concerned, but quickly noted Warrick's arm held protectively around Sara's shoulder.
"Nothing, other than the fact that I forgot to mention to you all that I'm sleeping with Warrick." Sara answered flippantly.
Catherine gasped in shocked.
"Since when?" Greg questioned in confusion.
"Not now, Greg!" Nick warned.
"This is all a misunderstanding. There's nothing going on between Sara and me. You know that." Warrick tried to make clear.
"That would be easier to believe if Sara wasn't stuck underneath you twenty four hours a day!" Catherine's jealousy was finally getting the best of her. She didn't believe that there was anything more than friendship between the two - at this point, but whatever it was, was definitely halting any progress in her own, hopefully, soon to be budding relationship with Warrick.
"Let's go, Sara." Grissom ordered. He didn't want the situation to get any more out of control.
"Last time I checked, I wasn't your Golden Retriever. I'm not going anywhere with you."
"Sara." Grissom warned.
"Shifts almost over, I'll take Sara home." Warrick decided.
"Don't you think you've done enough?" Catherine snapped.
"What in the hell does that mean? I never wanted to be in the middle this crap. I'm just being the friend that Sara needs right now."
"We can see." Catherine angrily retorted. "Are you sure there isn't anything you want to share with the rest of us?" Directing her accusation to Sara.
This was going someplace hysterical.
"Catherine, stop. Sara doesn't need-" Grissom bit out, but was cut off.
"Well Grissom, maybe Catherine's speculating about the wrong person's fidelity, since you're the one that been spending so much time with a certain female from the daylight shift." Nick threw his hat into the mess.
"What the hell?" Grissom's head whipped around to face his accuser.
Sara's head snapped up in attention also. So, there was something more to the Sophia thing? Grissom lied to her, after all. She did attempt to stop the tears as she eased back onto the bench, in despair.
"Nick, you're not helping." Greg added dryly.
"Maybe not, but at least I wasn't the one spinning tall tells about Sara and Warrick to begin with. You started all this." Nick countered in defense. "The last thing a woman needs is that kind of reputation."
"But it's okay if it's a man? What about your reputation, Nicky? You've probably been screwing around since you were twelve and you wear each notch on your belt like a badge of honor. The women have made you out to be some sort of God when you should be labeled as a jerk for the way you've used and discarded them." Greg shot back.
Only Catherine and Warrick knew the meaning of the pained expression that flashed across Nick's face.
"Enough." Grissom spoke quietly. "I think we've done enough damage here. Let's go home, get some rest and regroup."
Sophia didn't stay long at the locker room door. Only long enough to prove that the night shift was no more perfect than the rest of the CSIs.