(one apology- sorry for anyone offended by my calling San Francisco,
Frisco. I live in England, so anything I use is what I've picked up in
books or in films. No excuse, but there ya go. No insult intended.)
Sara wasn't sure that when they were meant to make two teams, that splitting into the cops versus CSI was what Elliot had in mind. But here they were, the four of them, at some remote drop off point. Arguing.
They had been here for the sum total of five minutes, and so far, they had established that no one wanted anyone else to do the map reading.
Sara sighed as she flopped gracefully onto an upturned tree root. 'When you boys have finished with the macho crap, you tell me.' She said to deaf ears, as Greg raised his voice even louder to try and talk over Nick.
'Or,' Sara said, spreading the map on her knees, 'I'll do it myself and beat all of you down there.'
They had two days to cross fifty miles of mainly forestry to get to a certain point ahead of the other team. Or the cops, anyway. Where they were starting from, Sara didn't know, but it was at roughly the same sort of distance away as they were. Sara wondered how they were getting along, considering they had six of them fighting out to be alpha male.
Sara heard another sigh as Greg flopped down next to her. 'I give up.' He said, his hand settling neatly on her thigh as if it just belonged there.
Sara wasn't gonna argue that point at all.
'You think if I mention that Nick is holding the map upside down, they'd listen?' She asked.
Greg looked over at Nick, then turned his head so that he was looking upside down, seeing that Sara was right. The arrow that told them where north was, was pointing up, when Nick was facing south, and the way they had to go was south. Greg shook his head as he laughed. 'So, have you figured out which way to head?' He asked.
'Yep.' Sara answered simply.
'Did you tell them?'
'Yep.'
'Are you gonna just sit here and wait for the fisticuffs?'
'Yep.'
'Are you ever gonna answer me with anything more than yep?'
'Yep.'
'Good. So where are we meant to be going?'
'Well, the suns in the east, which puts south thataway.' Sara said pointing, 'which means we should probably be following that path for about the next couple of miles or so.'
'And how did you figure all this out?'
'It's on the map.'
'Oh. Grissom was only joking when he sent us here to learn how to be a team, right?'
'I hope he likes our sense of humour.'
Nick and Warrick were still arguing about something, gesticulating, pointing. Sara and Greg exchanged looks, before getting to their feet. They walked up to them unnoticed, Greg behind Nick, and Sara behind Warrick, before they began to push them in the right direction.
'Oi, what are you doing?' Warrick exclaimed, trying to twist out of Sara's grasp.
'Leading the way.' Sara grunted back. 'Are you gonna walk?'
'Yes, I'll walk.'
'Fine.' Sara let go, as had Greg. They shared grins.
'How do you know this is the right way?' Nick asked, still walking, not daring to stop.
'I read the map. Honestly, the way you two where going on about it, anyone would think it was brain surgery.' Sara told them.
'We were just discussing the way.'
'Well we were bored.' Greg said. 'And weren't gonna wait anymore.'
'They've been together five seconds and they're already ganging up together.' Nick moaned with a slight grin to show he was joking.
'This has nothing to do with that, and everything to do with the fact that neither of you can admit you might be wrong, and Nick you're still holding your map upside down.'
Nick looked down at his map, turning a bright red when he saw that Sara was right.
They made fairly good progress after that. The way was hard going, the paths barely there in some places, overgrown or worn away. They had several climbs of varying heights, at one point breaking out at the summit of one hill to spectacular sites stretching as far as the eye could see.
Trying to distract from the hard work and aching muscles, Nick started teasing Sara. They were slightly behind Warrick and Greg, who had gone ahead for what Greg had termed break time. 'You and Greg.'
Sara looked over at him, just about managing to not roll her eyes, waiting for the rest of it.
'Didn't see that one coming.' He finished, not looking round at her.
Sara stayed quiet waiting out the teasing.
'Didn't see it coming at all.'
Sara however, didn't have that much patience. 'Is there a point to this?'
'I'm just saying.'
'Well stop just saying. If you've got an opinion, spit it out, otherwise I would keep it shut.'
'Ooo, a bit touchy, aren't we? Anyway, what happened to your no dating in the work place rule?'
Sara laughed quietly. 'I forgot all about it.'
'Still, there is a reason why work place romances are bad.'
'It's not like we work together that much. We only see each other when there's some results or something in a case.'
'So, be honest, how serious is this?' Nick asked. 'Because it's all a bit sudden.'
'I don't know. All I know is that till this trip the most personal I've been with Greg is to tell him to get a move on with my results. We spent a lot of time together, and I've really started to get to know him.'
'Cause, you know, he's had a crush on you since you came here.'
'I know.' They were silent for a moment, till Sara said quietly 'it's funny what you find when you're not looking for something.'
Nick looked over at her.
'I came on this trip, expecting to hate it, just wanting to come back again. And then you and Warrick seemed content just competing all the time. But it let me get to know Greg better.'
All thoughts of teasing slipped from Nick's mind as he thought over Sara's words.
They kept going until the sun slipped down behind the mountains and it was no longer safe to move. They stopped at the nearest flat(ish) opening, gathering firewood and setting up the fire before they did anything.
They ate the reconstituted pasta because they were hungry rather than through any desire to actually digest the cardboard disguised with watery sauce. The air was still all around them, completely silent except for the crack of the fire. So peaceful, Sara thought as she lay back against Greg, using him as a pillow.
Then Nick had to speak. 'This reminds me of camping as a boy. You know, all sat round telling ghost stories, or playing truth or dare.'
'I've got a ghost story.' Greg offered, making them all groan.
'If it's that email one you sent me last week, then we've all heard it.' Nick told him.
For a moment, Greg was silent. 'ok, I've got a different one.' He announced.
Sara looked back at him, seeing his face illuminated in the fireplace. 'It's a good job we're out in the wilderness, cause this ghost haunts the CSI lab.' He started.
'Yeah, right.' Nick said with a laugh, but was quickly shushed by Greg.
'I'm telling you, man. This ghost is real. How else do you explain what happened to me last month?'
Nick sighed, before asking what happened.
'Just sitting in the lab. Working away on a sample.'
'You were working?' Sara asked teasingly.
'Yes.' Greg said with a pout. 'Anyway. There was a knock on the door. Now, you know, after regular hours, the doors get locked, and it's all swipe access only.'
They nodded, beginning to wonder where this was going.
'So I went to the door, wondering if one of you had forgotten your card or something. Except there was no one there. I thought it must be kids or something playing around, so I walked back to the lab. Five minutes later, the same thing happened. I was seriously tempted just to leave it, but I thought it might be something important so got up again. And again, there was no one there. Now I was getting annoyed at having all my work interrupted'
Sara giggled
Greg ignored her. 'So I opened the door, and walked out, looking around. Completely forgetting that I'd taken off my id while I had been working and that it was lying on the desk. Of course, the door shut behind me, and I was locked out. That wasn't good- I was working on samples for Grissom, and I knew he would not be impressed if some of them got ruined because I was locked out. So I walked around the building, hoping that there might be a window open or something. There wasn't anything, I mean, the building's air conditioned, there are never any windows left open.'
'What did you do, then?' Nick asked, trying hard to stop being compelled by the story.
'I'm glad you asked, Nicky-boy.' Greg said. 'Because as I walked round to the front of the building again, what should I see already slotted in the card swipe but my id.'
There was silence for a moment. 'Friendly ghost then.' Warrick finally commented.
Sara, who had been quiet up to then, sat up suddenly and whirled on him, hitting him across the thigh. 'Hey- you nicked that.'
'What?' Greg said.
'Well, you changed some of it, but that was a story off Dawson's Creek.' She exclaimed.
'Wasn't.'
'Was so.' Sara answered. 'Gran's story about Jen in the radio station. It's all the same.'
Greg pouted. 'You had to spoil it, didn't you?'
'That's actually very scary. What were you doing watching Dawson's Creek? Both of you?' Nick answered.
'It's funny.' Sara said defensively.
Nick and Warrick looked at Greg for his excuse. He shrugged. 'What she said.' He answered hooking a finger at Sara.
'You watch it for the girls.' Nick corrected.
That night they slept out under the stars in their sleeping bags. Sara lay awake for a long time, feeling Greg's breath across her head where she was leaning against him. She watched the stars, doing a relaxation technique she had used as a child of trying to count the stars. It wasn't that she wasn't tired. She had muscles aching that she didn't know she had. Her legs, her knees, all seemed to have aged in the last few days by a whole lot of years.
But she wasn't that sleepy. Exhausted, but not sleepy. She was just enjoying being held for once. Feeling safe. Seemed ironic that she was out in the middle of nowhere surrounded by forest, and that it was here she was feeling safe.
Her eyelids were drooping, her mind just becoming blank when a hand was suddenly clamped over her mouth.
Her eyes shot open, but in the darkness she couldn't make anything out. Then something was being tied around her eyes, blinding her further, as she was lifted from the ground. A harsh whisper in her ear told her to walk.
The morning dawned early, Nick and Warrick both waking with the sun as they had been doing for the last few days. Greg was still soundo, while Sara's sleeping bag was empty, abandoned on the ground. That wasn't that surprising. Sara was always up before them.
'Do we wake sleeping ugly?' Nick asked, as Warrick looked around wondering where Sara had got to.
'Yea. Where do you suppose Sara is? I don't remember there being any watering holes near-by.'
'Probably gone for some privacy.' Nick answered. He walked towards Greg, circling him for a moment, wondering what would be the cruellest way to wake him. He leaned down, getting close to Greg's ear. 'Greg.' He whispered.
'Don't wanna go to school.' Greg mumbled in his sleep, turning over.
'Oh Greg.' Nick sung out again, a little louder.
'Go away mom.' Greg mumbled.
Nick was trying to stifle his laughter as he got a little closer. 'Greg!' He yelled, moving just in time to avoid Greg as he sat bolt upright. 'What?'
'Time to get up.' Nick laughed.
Greg scowled, before he looked around for Sara. 'Where's Sara?'
'She was already up before us.' Nick said, going back to his bag to see what he could dig up for breakfast.
Greg shrugged, standing up, seeing a white piece of paper flutter to the ground that had been trapped by his sleeping bag. He didn't like what he read.
So, what's happened to Sara? Tune in to what will hopefully be the final part to find out! The epi of DC used was all that I could remember, sorry if it wasn't quite that way.
Happy Easter.
Sara wasn't sure that when they were meant to make two teams, that splitting into the cops versus CSI was what Elliot had in mind. But here they were, the four of them, at some remote drop off point. Arguing.
They had been here for the sum total of five minutes, and so far, they had established that no one wanted anyone else to do the map reading.
Sara sighed as she flopped gracefully onto an upturned tree root. 'When you boys have finished with the macho crap, you tell me.' She said to deaf ears, as Greg raised his voice even louder to try and talk over Nick.
'Or,' Sara said, spreading the map on her knees, 'I'll do it myself and beat all of you down there.'
They had two days to cross fifty miles of mainly forestry to get to a certain point ahead of the other team. Or the cops, anyway. Where they were starting from, Sara didn't know, but it was at roughly the same sort of distance away as they were. Sara wondered how they were getting along, considering they had six of them fighting out to be alpha male.
Sara heard another sigh as Greg flopped down next to her. 'I give up.' He said, his hand settling neatly on her thigh as if it just belonged there.
Sara wasn't gonna argue that point at all.
'You think if I mention that Nick is holding the map upside down, they'd listen?' She asked.
Greg looked over at Nick, then turned his head so that he was looking upside down, seeing that Sara was right. The arrow that told them where north was, was pointing up, when Nick was facing south, and the way they had to go was south. Greg shook his head as he laughed. 'So, have you figured out which way to head?' He asked.
'Yep.' Sara answered simply.
'Did you tell them?'
'Yep.'
'Are you gonna just sit here and wait for the fisticuffs?'
'Yep.'
'Are you ever gonna answer me with anything more than yep?'
'Yep.'
'Good. So where are we meant to be going?'
'Well, the suns in the east, which puts south thataway.' Sara said pointing, 'which means we should probably be following that path for about the next couple of miles or so.'
'And how did you figure all this out?'
'It's on the map.'
'Oh. Grissom was only joking when he sent us here to learn how to be a team, right?'
'I hope he likes our sense of humour.'
Nick and Warrick were still arguing about something, gesticulating, pointing. Sara and Greg exchanged looks, before getting to their feet. They walked up to them unnoticed, Greg behind Nick, and Sara behind Warrick, before they began to push them in the right direction.
'Oi, what are you doing?' Warrick exclaimed, trying to twist out of Sara's grasp.
'Leading the way.' Sara grunted back. 'Are you gonna walk?'
'Yes, I'll walk.'
'Fine.' Sara let go, as had Greg. They shared grins.
'How do you know this is the right way?' Nick asked, still walking, not daring to stop.
'I read the map. Honestly, the way you two where going on about it, anyone would think it was brain surgery.' Sara told them.
'We were just discussing the way.'
'Well we were bored.' Greg said. 'And weren't gonna wait anymore.'
'They've been together five seconds and they're already ganging up together.' Nick moaned with a slight grin to show he was joking.
'This has nothing to do with that, and everything to do with the fact that neither of you can admit you might be wrong, and Nick you're still holding your map upside down.'
Nick looked down at his map, turning a bright red when he saw that Sara was right.
They made fairly good progress after that. The way was hard going, the paths barely there in some places, overgrown or worn away. They had several climbs of varying heights, at one point breaking out at the summit of one hill to spectacular sites stretching as far as the eye could see.
Trying to distract from the hard work and aching muscles, Nick started teasing Sara. They were slightly behind Warrick and Greg, who had gone ahead for what Greg had termed break time. 'You and Greg.'
Sara looked over at him, just about managing to not roll her eyes, waiting for the rest of it.
'Didn't see that one coming.' He finished, not looking round at her.
Sara stayed quiet waiting out the teasing.
'Didn't see it coming at all.'
Sara however, didn't have that much patience. 'Is there a point to this?'
'I'm just saying.'
'Well stop just saying. If you've got an opinion, spit it out, otherwise I would keep it shut.'
'Ooo, a bit touchy, aren't we? Anyway, what happened to your no dating in the work place rule?'
Sara laughed quietly. 'I forgot all about it.'
'Still, there is a reason why work place romances are bad.'
'It's not like we work together that much. We only see each other when there's some results or something in a case.'
'So, be honest, how serious is this?' Nick asked. 'Because it's all a bit sudden.'
'I don't know. All I know is that till this trip the most personal I've been with Greg is to tell him to get a move on with my results. We spent a lot of time together, and I've really started to get to know him.'
'Cause, you know, he's had a crush on you since you came here.'
'I know.' They were silent for a moment, till Sara said quietly 'it's funny what you find when you're not looking for something.'
Nick looked over at her.
'I came on this trip, expecting to hate it, just wanting to come back again. And then you and Warrick seemed content just competing all the time. But it let me get to know Greg better.'
All thoughts of teasing slipped from Nick's mind as he thought over Sara's words.
They kept going until the sun slipped down behind the mountains and it was no longer safe to move. They stopped at the nearest flat(ish) opening, gathering firewood and setting up the fire before they did anything.
They ate the reconstituted pasta because they were hungry rather than through any desire to actually digest the cardboard disguised with watery sauce. The air was still all around them, completely silent except for the crack of the fire. So peaceful, Sara thought as she lay back against Greg, using him as a pillow.
Then Nick had to speak. 'This reminds me of camping as a boy. You know, all sat round telling ghost stories, or playing truth or dare.'
'I've got a ghost story.' Greg offered, making them all groan.
'If it's that email one you sent me last week, then we've all heard it.' Nick told him.
For a moment, Greg was silent. 'ok, I've got a different one.' He announced.
Sara looked back at him, seeing his face illuminated in the fireplace. 'It's a good job we're out in the wilderness, cause this ghost haunts the CSI lab.' He started.
'Yeah, right.' Nick said with a laugh, but was quickly shushed by Greg.
'I'm telling you, man. This ghost is real. How else do you explain what happened to me last month?'
Nick sighed, before asking what happened.
'Just sitting in the lab. Working away on a sample.'
'You were working?' Sara asked teasingly.
'Yes.' Greg said with a pout. 'Anyway. There was a knock on the door. Now, you know, after regular hours, the doors get locked, and it's all swipe access only.'
They nodded, beginning to wonder where this was going.
'So I went to the door, wondering if one of you had forgotten your card or something. Except there was no one there. I thought it must be kids or something playing around, so I walked back to the lab. Five minutes later, the same thing happened. I was seriously tempted just to leave it, but I thought it might be something important so got up again. And again, there was no one there. Now I was getting annoyed at having all my work interrupted'
Sara giggled
Greg ignored her. 'So I opened the door, and walked out, looking around. Completely forgetting that I'd taken off my id while I had been working and that it was lying on the desk. Of course, the door shut behind me, and I was locked out. That wasn't good- I was working on samples for Grissom, and I knew he would not be impressed if some of them got ruined because I was locked out. So I walked around the building, hoping that there might be a window open or something. There wasn't anything, I mean, the building's air conditioned, there are never any windows left open.'
'What did you do, then?' Nick asked, trying hard to stop being compelled by the story.
'I'm glad you asked, Nicky-boy.' Greg said. 'Because as I walked round to the front of the building again, what should I see already slotted in the card swipe but my id.'
There was silence for a moment. 'Friendly ghost then.' Warrick finally commented.
Sara, who had been quiet up to then, sat up suddenly and whirled on him, hitting him across the thigh. 'Hey- you nicked that.'
'What?' Greg said.
'Well, you changed some of it, but that was a story off Dawson's Creek.' She exclaimed.
'Wasn't.'
'Was so.' Sara answered. 'Gran's story about Jen in the radio station. It's all the same.'
Greg pouted. 'You had to spoil it, didn't you?'
'That's actually very scary. What were you doing watching Dawson's Creek? Both of you?' Nick answered.
'It's funny.' Sara said defensively.
Nick and Warrick looked at Greg for his excuse. He shrugged. 'What she said.' He answered hooking a finger at Sara.
'You watch it for the girls.' Nick corrected.
That night they slept out under the stars in their sleeping bags. Sara lay awake for a long time, feeling Greg's breath across her head where she was leaning against him. She watched the stars, doing a relaxation technique she had used as a child of trying to count the stars. It wasn't that she wasn't tired. She had muscles aching that she didn't know she had. Her legs, her knees, all seemed to have aged in the last few days by a whole lot of years.
But she wasn't that sleepy. Exhausted, but not sleepy. She was just enjoying being held for once. Feeling safe. Seemed ironic that she was out in the middle of nowhere surrounded by forest, and that it was here she was feeling safe.
Her eyelids were drooping, her mind just becoming blank when a hand was suddenly clamped over her mouth.
Her eyes shot open, but in the darkness she couldn't make anything out. Then something was being tied around her eyes, blinding her further, as she was lifted from the ground. A harsh whisper in her ear told her to walk.
The morning dawned early, Nick and Warrick both waking with the sun as they had been doing for the last few days. Greg was still soundo, while Sara's sleeping bag was empty, abandoned on the ground. That wasn't that surprising. Sara was always up before them.
'Do we wake sleeping ugly?' Nick asked, as Warrick looked around wondering where Sara had got to.
'Yea. Where do you suppose Sara is? I don't remember there being any watering holes near-by.'
'Probably gone for some privacy.' Nick answered. He walked towards Greg, circling him for a moment, wondering what would be the cruellest way to wake him. He leaned down, getting close to Greg's ear. 'Greg.' He whispered.
'Don't wanna go to school.' Greg mumbled in his sleep, turning over.
'Oh Greg.' Nick sung out again, a little louder.
'Go away mom.' Greg mumbled.
Nick was trying to stifle his laughter as he got a little closer. 'Greg!' He yelled, moving just in time to avoid Greg as he sat bolt upright. 'What?'
'Time to get up.' Nick laughed.
Greg scowled, before he looked around for Sara. 'Where's Sara?'
'She was already up before us.' Nick said, going back to his bag to see what he could dig up for breakfast.
Greg shrugged, standing up, seeing a white piece of paper flutter to the ground that had been trapped by his sleeping bag. He didn't like what he read.
So, what's happened to Sara? Tune in to what will hopefully be the final part to find out! The epi of DC used was all that I could remember, sorry if it wasn't quite that way.
Happy Easter.