And So it Goes...

By: Manigault

Thanks for everyone reading this story and the reviews are wonderful! I've been on the outs with a mega sinusitis problem so my apologies for being slow on getting this chapter out there. I wish that I could blame a stuffy head for any dullness of the chapter. LOL

My apologies for the shortness.

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Sara found Hodges in the trace lab.

"Hodges? Where's Greg?" asked Sara.

"What? No greeting? No..."

"David." Grissom, who had followed close beside Sara, now asked with a bluntness that earned him a feigned hurt look from the lab tech. "Where is Greg?"

"I believe that he went back to your place to collect more stuff. We found nothing on or in the things that you brought me earlier." Hodges looked from Grissom to Sara and then back to Grissom. "I could help you figure out how to stop this person from harming Sara."

Narrowing his eyes on the lab tech, Grissom frowned. "I hope that's what everyone here is trying to do, Hodges."

Looking back at Sara, Hodges nodded thoughtfully. "Why did you need Greg? I could help you with whatever it is."

Sara felt the photograph pressing against her breast, but did not consider for a second showing it to Hodges, the lab gossip. She shook her head slightly. "I'll wait for Greg." Turning away from the doorway she pivoted back with a sudden thought. "Hodges? You are helping, thank you."

Temporarily flustered by her sincerity, Hodges mumbled something about it being no problem.

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"Greg went back to the townhome?" Sara was two steps ahead of Grissom as they entered his office. "I wonder what else he could be collecting? It looked like you left nothing untouched."

"I'm sure he'll check in with us as soon as he's able." Grissom walked over to the collection of miniatures that were displayed throughout the room. The person who made these dioramas was brillant, if not insane. It occurred to him that often brillance and insanity went hand in hand, but that was not a subject he wanted to dwell on-not when Sara was being threatened.

Sara watched him study the diorama from the first case and then said without rancor. "You admire him."

"Greg?" The arch of his eyebrows met her gaze as he looked over his shoulder.

"The diorama killer." Sara corrected, knowing that her words would not make him happy.

"Nooo," Grissom drawled out the word as he searched for an explanation that would make sense. "I wouldn't say that I admire him, but I do respect the fact that he's evaded us thus far and has been extremely careful with the manner in which he's killed. The dioramas are fascinating, but not so that I couldn't have lived without ever experiencing this particular challenge."

"It's so precise, such a perfectionist." Sara grasped his hand, lacing her fingers with his as she stood beside him and stared into the Izzy diorama. "There must be a connection with each of the victims."

"If there's a connection with the latest victim then, hopefully, Judge Rainer allows us to open her patient files and we'll find out what that connection is." Catherine spoke from the doorway, her eyes flickering over the interlaced hands before she stifled the smile threatening to turn up the corner of her lips.

Pulling apart, Grissom swiveled around to face Catherine while asking when Judge Rainer would let them know her decision.

"Soon. Jim is in her office as we speak trying to convince her of the urgency."

"A CSI is being threatened," Grissom said with a sharpness that earned him a concerned look from both women. "Isn't that enough of a reason?"

"There's a bit of red tape involved, Gil, you've got to be patient." Catherine held up one hand to ward off Grissom's protest. "You have more pressing issues, both of you do. Ecklie asked me to have you come to his office since he's had trouble getting through to you on your phone."

Grissom smiled wryly. He knew that Ecklie had been attempting to reach him and was only surprised that the man hadn't stormed his way along the hallways in search of him or Sara.

Beside him, Sara grimaced and motioned towards the doorway. "Let's get it over with, Gris."

Grissom, placing a hand on the small of her back, followed her out of the room after exchanging meaningful looks with Catherine.

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Ecklie wasn't alone in his office. Sheriff Burdick was present, along with several people that neither Grissom nor Sara recognized. Not bothering to exchange pleasantries, Sara entered the office first and scanned the room, meeting each persons eyes with a bravado she wasn't feeling. She and Grissom had counted themselves lucky for the past two years, aware that someday they would stand in this office facing those who had no understanding of their relationship or the fact that they could separate work from their personal lives.

Refusing the chair that Ecklie indicated, Sara chose to stand her ground and wait for the repercussions of the fallout from the outing of their relationship. Grissom was more vocal as he stood beside her and faced Sheriff Burdick.

"Let's get this over with, shall we?" Grissom felt Sara tense beside him. He realized that this wasn't the plan of attack they had agreed on months ago when discussing the possibilities of discovery, but he was anxious to continue with the diorama investigation.

Ecklie had that familiar smirk as he gave Grissom a hard stare and spoke with a sarcasm not lost on any occupant of the room. "So, Gil, how long have you and your subordinate been having an affair?"

"Conrad."

Everyone, including Ecklie turned with surprise towards Sheriff Burdick, who was shaking his head at the day shift supervisor.

"We didn't call this meeting to rake Gil over the coals for his personal affairs." Burdick met Grissom's eyes and gave him a slight smile. "I'm sure that peeled away everyone in this room has secrets that are best kept private."

His statement sent a ripple of disbelief through both Grissom and Sara who stared back at the Sheriff with suspicion. It wasn't possible that the Sheriff would call this meeting just to let them off the hook for breaking a few office rules.

"Why did you call this meeting, if it wasn't to call us out on our private lives?" asked Grissom.

"I'm glad that you asked." Burdick nodded towards the two unfamiliar participants in the room. "I'd like to introduce Agent Bryan Parker and Agent Irene Sims. They are here to assist your team in the invesigation of this diorama debacle."

A horrified look stole over Grissom's features as he stared at the Sheriff with sudden comprehension of the situation. "You brought the FBI into this? This is my case and now you're giving it to outsiders?"

"It moved from a local case to one of higher importance when it hit the public eye, Gil. You know how this works. I'm not removing you and your team from the case, but I'm requesting that you work very closely with these two agents to catch this killer."

Sara, who couldn't trust the direction of this whole conversation, had to clarify the situation. "Are you telling us that our relationship will not be brought up again, Sheriff Burdick? There will be no consequences?"

"That's what I'd be interested in hearing." Ecklie said with a scathing look at Grissom.

Sheriff Burdick kept his eyes on Grissom as he offered an explanation. "Until this miniature was delivered to the office I'm to believe that nobody, not even your team, suspected anything was going on between the two of you. Now that it's in the open there are the obvious adjustments that will have to made. CSI Sidle will now report to Catherine Willows but she'll remain on your team. Catherine will do all of her evaluations. That's it."

"That's it?" Ecklie echoed Grissom and Sara's disbelief.

"Well, that and Gil has to work with the FBI on this case. That's it."

Grissom didn't speak as he kept his eyes fastened on Burdick. He knew there was a catch and probably should have welcomed that it was such a light one considering the possibilities that he and Sara had discussed back in the beginning phase of their relationship. He turned towards the two agents who, to their credit, appeared uncomfortable with the entire exchange.

"If I refuse to work with the FBI?" Grissom couldn't resist asking the question and knew the answer before Burdick replied.

"Then we discuss your personal affairs and how they relate to your position."

Grissom turned to look at Sara and she gave him a faint nod.

It was Sara who requested that the agreement be in writing and signed before they left the room. Whatever else happened, they would keep working together.

TBC