DISCLAIMER: Don't own anything associated with the show… I just like playing with the characters in it from time to time. Dance Monkeys! Dance!
RATING: M - Mature (language, sexual situations, adult subject matter)
PAIRINGS: GSR & Yo!Bling pre-established in previous fics of this timeline.
SPOILERS: Sequel to "Displacement", "Transitions" and "Vicissitudes" - Number 5 in the Discovery Series
SUMMARY: Sometimes, the best way the deal with the changes all around you is to stop fighting and evolve in response to them. GSR/Yo!Bling/Nick-OC

A/N: Looks like I didn't lose anybody with that last chapter. :D So, this one was kind of fun to write. You'll see why. ;)

REVIEWS: Reviews are the way I know if people are enjoying the work or not. So, if you leave one, THANKS! And if not, I hope you found at least a little something to brighten your day, and thanks for taking the time to read.


Chapter 54
16:30 – 2007.03.01
Metrocenter – Las Vegas Metropolitan PD & Clark County Sheriff Offices

Grissom slowly made his way through the maze of offices and cubicles comprising the Metrocenter building. All throughout his tenure with the Las Vegas Crime Lab, he never enjoyed being in the building, but this would be his last expedition through the catacombs that made up the Metrocenter offices, so his face bore the evidence of his pleasant mood.

He nodded and smiled at each person taking notice of his journey through the building. It felt strange to be so happy about ending his career, but he knew it was the right thing to do. He had given a lifetime of service as a forensics investigator, and he more than earned the right to live the rest of his life as he saw fit.

It was that thought which produced the smile residing on his face as he continued his path to the sheriff's office to break the bad news. And it was that smile which seemed to fade as he watched Nick walk toward him as he spoke angrily into the cell phone.

"No, I don't want to leave another message… I'll just leave the same one. Please ask her to call Nick, as soon as possible. Yes, that's all… Yes, I'm sure she knows the number… Thank you." He closed up the phone with an agitated snap just as he was about to plow right into Grissom.

He stopped just short of the collision and struggled to gather his wits about him. "Well, you are either very late into a shift, or starting very early," Grissom noted as he checked his watch to be sure of the time.

"Neither… Well, it's not-" Nick closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. It was obvious he was attempting to hide his problems from his former boss and mentor. "I had court… And I stopped by after to pick up the evidence from the ADA."

Grissom decided to give the younger man a break, and went along with the dodge. "Ah yes… Good plan. Those ADA's are always losing the evidence they scream and holler for us to acquire."

"Yeah…" Nick found it hard to keep up the front. He just did not have the heart to follow through with the lie.

"Yes…" Grissom looked at his watch again and said, "I have an appointment with the firing squad. So, I'll let you get out of here. I'm sure you'll want to get a little sleep before your shift."

"Warrick told me to take the night off, so I'll just be hangin' out. But thanks." Nick was about to turn and walk away when he offered, "Good luck in there."

"Thank you." Grissom suddenly came upon an idea for how to draw the young man out. "Actually, since you have the night off, maybe you can do me a favor."

Nick looked back at the older man with a little hope. "Ah, yeah, sure."

"I have a date with the poker table at Brass', and Sara will be home by herself tonight. If you could call and see if she wants to grab a bite, or something…I would greatly appreciate it." Grissom knew Nick would never fully open up to him, but Sara was always able to get at the problem with minimal effort. Of course, after the entire night shift had contacted them over the course of the week expressing their concerns for the sullen and troubled man, he knew someone had to reach out to him.

"Yeah, sure… I can do that." Neither of them were fooled by the ploy, but they both went along with it in order to save face for the other.

Grissom watched the younger man walk away. As soon as he was out of voice range, he flipped open his phone. "And a fine hello to you, too… No, I understand, but I wanted to warn you… Well, I ran into a very long faced Texan, and I convinced him that you needed some company tonight… Yes… Not yet… I'll be walking in there shortly… Yes, dear… I promise… Not too much smiling… No, I will not do anything to make things harder for Catherine… Okay… Love you, too… Love you, too." He closed the phone with a beaming smile that took a few more moments to fade sufficiently enough for him to proceed to his meeting.

Upon reaching the door to the Sheriff's outer office, Grissom took a deep breath, removed all emotion from his face, and prepared for the worst. When he opened the door, he found it; Conrad Ecklie.

"Gil." The rancor in the inflection of the man's voice as he spoke his name could not have been any clearer than if he spat the word in his direction.

"Good afternoon, Conrad." He nodded at the sheriff's administrative assistant and then moved to take a seat in the reception area. "I hope this meeting wasn't too disruptive for you."

The insipid little man gave a curt snort, but Gil was fully aware that Ecklie had been digging around to find out about his possible employment status since he first mentioned the leave of absence.

Before anymore could be said, Catherine walked into the outer office, after Under-Sheriff McKeen opened the door for her. They were already engaged in a conversation as they entered, "Well, with this new grant, I can't see why we couldn't upgrade all of the outdated equipment, but I also want to be sure we make allowances for some additional support staff."

"That's the way it should be, Catherine." They both quieted their conversation when they became aware of the two men waiting in the office. "Conrad, Gil… Did we get the time wrong?" Jeff McKeen innocently looked to Catherine for an answer, even though they were both fully aware of the meeting particulars.

The sheriff chose that moment to enter the reception area from his private office. "No… Right on time as usual, Jeff." The man turned to regard Catherine and greeted her, "Catherine, glad you could make the time." His glance then fell onto the other men in the room. "Conrad, thank you for coming in… Gil…" He tilted his head and said, "This is your dog and pony show, shall we get started?"

Gil simply nodded. "Of course, Ben."

The sheriff held out a hand to gesture for everyone to enter the office as he stepped to the side. Catherine was the first one in, thanks to the old school mentality of the men in her present company. Once inside the private office, everyone moved to an available seat, though they all waited until she had taken hers, before they finally sat down.

Once comfortable, Grissom looked up to find four pairs of eyes staring back at him. The tension in the room was so thick he doubted even a chainsaw could cut through it and emerge unscathed. When he received a nod from the sheriff, he cleared his throat and prepared to drop the bomb.

"Just to clear the air first… Ben and I had a meeting this morning, and he felt it was important we present this to everyone, in order to avoid any miscommunication." Conrad Ecklie visibly shifted in his seat, glaring at everyone in the room, but the majority of his hostility was directed at Grissom.

"As you are aware, I chose to take an extended leave of absence, in part to clear my head after a very tumultuous year. However, there was an additional reason for my need to free myself from the tensions and strains of the lab. Over the last few years, I have grown increasingly unhappy with the current climate in forensic investigations. It has transformed from a realm of practical science and objective analysis of the evidence to one of political maneuverings and subjective manipulation of the truth." Grissom looked directly at Ecklie as he spoke those words, which earned him a look of acrimonious fury.

"Truth be told, the only reason I lasted as long as I have is because I simply didn't believe there was anything else out there for me. That has proven to be a faulty assumption on my part, in more ways than I could have ever hoped." When he looked in Catherine's direction, he could see the glassy reflection from her eyes. Grissom felt comfortable in the knowledge that Catherine was equally happy with his decisions in recent months. And if he had been the least bit worried about her opinions on the matter, her declaration following a shared dinner over the weekend washed all of his doubts completely away. She had stood up at the table and offered that in all the years of their friendship she finally felt like he had his head screwed on straight. Catherine never was one to mince words.

"As such, when I was approached by the Dean at UNLV with the prospect of forming a graduate program in forensic science, I began to seriously consider a return to the world of academia." He heaved a sigh and explained, "In recent years, training and instruction have become disposable in municipal forensics, and are often met with the decree that there simply wasn't room in the budget for making certain that our people were properly trained. It became an individual's burden to further their education and training. With these practices running rampant throughout the system, it has furthered my conviction that our scholastic programs are in dire need of overhauling, if we are to continue to have properly trained and prepared investigators for the future of forensic science to remain viable."

Grissom scanned the room for their general feeling and then delivered the bad news. "So, I will be making my leave of absence the transition into my retirement from the Las Vegas Crime Lab. The work I have done throughout my career has put me in the position I now find myself, and I sincerely believe it is time for me to move on. I will be taking the position with UNLV, in addition to an At Large Fellowship in Entomology with the Jeffersonian."

There was only a moment of silence before it was violently destroyed. "You pompous, self-righteous son of a bitch!" Conrad Ecklie was quite obviously unhappy.

Rising to his feet, Conrad turned to the sheriff as he pointed an accusatory finger at Grissom and declared, "He planned this all along! He set this whole goddamned thing up from the very beginning!"

Catherine did her best to chew back the smirk threatening to envelope her face as Conrad lost it. His attention shifted to her and he exclaimed, "You knew about this, too… Didn't you?!" He did not wait for her to answer before he launched into another tirade, "Don't even try to deny it! You two have been working against me this whole time!"

Finally, having taken all of Ecklie's hissy fit that he could stand, the under-sheriff stood up and flatly said, "That's enough, Ecklie!" He turned to get a nod of approval from the sheriff before he continued. Upon receiving it, he turned to Grissom and offered, "Gil… Thank you for letting us know about your decision before the end of your leave. And we will do our best to keep the lab progressing in the direction you have worked so hard to bring it. I'll have HR give you a call to discuss all of the particulars of your transitioning out of the position." Grissom nodded his head in understanding. "I hope you will allow us to celebrate your years of service to the lab, before you are officially gone."

"Thank you, Jeff. I have already promised my wife that I would not slip away into the darkness, so yes…I would be honored." Grissom gave Catherine a quick glance when he noticed that her struggle to contain her smirk had been lost.

Catherine cleared her throat, as she fought against the laughter being stirred in her gut. "Gil… I have one request… On behalf of the lab." He nodded and she asked, "As the pre-eminent expert in entomology in this region… May we still call on you for the occasional consult?"

"Of course, Catherine. I could never deny such a request…" He gave an amused look to the sheriff and added, "Besides, I think my wife would make my life a little difficult if I even tried."

"Quite right, Gil…" The sheriff stood and walked toward him. "I've already thanked you once today, but just to be clear…" He held his hand out to Gil and said, "Thank you for everything you've done. Without you this lab would be a far cry from the level it has been lifted to since your arrival. I have personally and professionally benefited from your extensive and prestigious work over the years."

"Thank you, Ben. I have been very proud of the things I was able to accomplish as a part of this lab." Grissom nodded politely to everyone assembled, but it was obvious that Conrad was not happy.

The sheriff glanced in Ecklie's direction and then asked, "If you don't mind… I think we have some work to do."

"Thank you all for your time." Grissom turned to exit the room, as Catherine excused herself for a moment to walk him out before he left the reception area.

"Best performance, ever… Oscar worthy." She gave him a pat on the shoulder and a quick peck on the cheek for good measure.

When the door closed behind her, several stern voices leaked through the walls. "Thanks, Cath…but I really think you want to be in there for that." His sarcastically raised brow brought a smile to her face and she simply shook her head before heading back into the office.

Once inside the office, Catherine was immediately thrust into the melee when Ecklie made his accusation. "And you! You've known about this all along! You probably planned this with that arrogant bastard from the start. Anything to get your little boy toy int-"

"ENOUGH!" Even the sheriff had finally taken all he could stand from the ranting and raving Conrad Ecklie.

Conrad looked practically stricken with the sheriff's rebuff. "Ben… He set this whole thing up."

"Then thank God for Gil Grissom." The sheriff moved to sit behind his desk, as Catherine and McKeen moved to the guest chairs, which left Ecklie out of the loop. "If he hadn't, we'd have been left with a political, ethical and logistical mine field to negotiate. By not announcing his retirement until now, his departure never affected the lab rankings. Plus, we weren't forced to completely re-staff a shift, and play a serious gamble that a green crew could pull it off. Having Brown in place during several high profile cases as the interim supervisor, while still improving in the rankings with all of the hard work being done by Xiang and his day shift crew, we should be able to not only move back up into the top five, but we could actually be as high as number three."

Conrad was not ready to give in quite so easily. "Fine… Then who are we going to get to replace Grissom? We already spent the discretionary budget getting Xiang in here."

McKeen spoke up first, "My recommendation would be to promote Brown to the full supervisor's position. He's more than proven himself during the interim assignment, and that country club case alone was enough to garner him some serious accolades throughout the entire legal system in Nevada. He's received honors for his work with reconstruction theories, and his re-creation analysis procedure has become SOP throughout the forensic investigative community."

With his mouth open to protest the recommendation, Ecklie was stopped cold when the sheriff agreed. "With that decided… What should we do with the swing shift position?"

Catherine immediately offered her analysis of the situation before anything else could be said. "Blake Reynolds is the likely choice. He has the seniority, the experience and he's been getting his feet wet on the administrative end of things. I believe that the swing shift spot is the perfect match for him. He's not our strongest investigator, but he's good with the staff, and he's a real wiz on the administrative side of things. We all know that the swing shift isn't much more than a shuffle job; making sure that cases are moved around to the appropriate shifts, and keeping all the paperwork in order."

"Then we're settled… Brown will take Graves, Reynolds will phase into the Swings spot, and Catherine…" The sheriff made a few notes on a pad and then looked up again. "That leaves you with finding two more CSI's to fill in the gaps. And both will need to be Level Three's to make up the difference."

She nodded and then asked, "So, this means we'll move Sibley to the Swings second lead, and Stokes on Graves?"

Just as the sheriff was about to agree, Ecklie started up again. "Ben, you have to know this is a rigged game. You can't possibly think Stokes is stable enough to handle the second lead. Even Grissom didn't think he was ready!"

The sheriff sat back in his chair and pondered that thought for a few moments before he started to shake his head. "If you had asked me a few months ago, I would have agreed with you. But from what I've seen of this young man in the time since then, I think he's evolved into a very capable investigator, and has done a fantastic job with training that new girl on Graves, as well as working very well with the DA's office to get convictions on every case he's pulled in the last two months." He looked directly at McKeen when he asked, "A hundred percent conviction rate in the last sixty plus days, isn't it, Jeff?"

"That's correct. He also managed to help us get back into the good graces of the folks in the science department at UNLV with the work he did with their head of geology." McKeen was practically smiling when he finished his answer.

"Then it's settled… Catherine, go ahead and put out the call for those positions, and get the paperwork for the promotions to my office by the end of the week." Burdick went back to some of his own paperwork as the two stood to exit.

Catherine stopped as a thought occurred to her and then asked, "How would you like to handle the announcement of Grissom's retirement?"

He shrugged and then simply said, "The three of you can handle that… I'll make my speech at the retirement party. And Catherine… I'll leave the party details to you. I have it on good authority that your parties are legendary."

The two left the office and Conrad Ecklie behind. Neither one was interested in the temper tantrum he was about to throw. When McKeen held the main door open for Catherine to exit out into the Vegas sun he finally said, "I'll give you four to one, Ecklie'll be lucky to get away from that little fit without a suspension."

"I never bet against a sure thing." They laughed all the way to their cars.