Chapter 3
Grissom snapped his head up and sent a small smile their way. "Hey."
"Hey yourself." The person waved to the visitor's chair. "May I?"
Sitting up he nodded. "Yes, sorry. Have a seat Terri."
As she sat she looked at the spider tank and smiled. "She's happy."
Looking at the tank he sighed. "At least one women is."
"Oh?" Terri looked at him surprised.
He smiled. "Erm. You remember Sara Sidle?" Terri nodded. "I sent her to the other side of the world and I'm now regretting it." He leaned on his desk once more and removed his glasses. "So, What can I do for you?"
Terri shook her head. "It's more of what I can do for you."
Standing abruptly he clicked his fingers. "Right." He moved towards the door and waited for Terri to join him. "Skeleton in autopsy room 5. Lets go."
"This Sara, seems to have you in a bit of a state. Something wrong?" Terri asked as they turned the corners and walked towards autopsy.
He hesitantly shook his head and cringed. "Sort of. She's not taking it well."
"I don't understand." She stated as he opened the door to the large room for her.
Nodding at Doc Robbins he continued. "I made her take a vacation, but also a week long conference."
"He has no idea how much trouble he's got himself into." Doc Robbins said uncovering the skeleton.
Grissom chuckled. "Not you too?"
Doc Robbins nodded and grinned. "Afraid so. When she gets back. I suggest you let someone else pick her up from the airport."
"You're right. I'll ask Nick, but right now that's 11 ½ days away and I'm wanting to live my life to the full. What have we got?" He asked turning to the body.
Terri looked at Doc Robbins who started laughing. "She's counting the days till your judgement and you're here with a skeleton rather than doing things you wanted to do in life before you die? You're either stupid or brave that she's not going to grind you to dust." Terri smiled at Grissom who seemed to just figure out that he should be doing something before his life light does go out.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
'YOU'VE GOT MAIL'
Grissom lifted his laptop and pondered whether to yank out the Internet connection. Sighing he placed it back on his workstation and grabbed a handful of jelly baby's. Popping one into his mouth, he tapped the keyboard.
**EMAIL**
If you don't want to talk to me, then tell me first. It's been two days and I'm getting the feeling that you've either signed up for a new identity or found a woman. Which is it?
If I promise to kill you fast, will you talk to me? I've had a bad day and need someone to talk to. I know you're not one to talk, but can you listen, even if you don't reply.
Let's start with yesterday. Two males (CSI level 2) approached me and each made a move on me. It was really scary seeing as both looked like they were born on Mars. Red hair and too short to use a measuring tape. Nice to talk to, bad to be subject to their chat up lines. Please god help me.
This morning I lost my sun cream. I look worse than a lobster. I've seen the hotel nurse and she gave me some sort of home made after sun cream. It smells nice, but looks oddly blue.
9 ½ days left. I hope you're all missing me, because I miss you guys.
I did find the perfect present for you and I'm hoping you'll like it. I wasn't sure at first, but the more I looked at it, the more I thought 'Grissom'.
From Sara
**END**
Grissom frowned at the screen as he reread her e-mail. Had it really been two days since he last e-mailed?
Immediately clicking the reply icon, he began typing.
**REPLY**
I'm sorry about not e-mailing. I didn't realise it had been two days. I've been busy with juggling two cases and people coming in and out of the lab. I'll make sure I check my inbox each day.
I seriously did think about a new ID, but decided against it, I'm sure we can figure something out when you get back. I am not going to lie about not seeing other women while you're away, but I don't think my tarantula counts, do you?
Here's some advice, wear a hat, sunglasses, light clothes and stay out of the sun for a while. I don't want you coming down with sunstroke so far away.
Tell those jerks who 'tried' to chat you up to stay away from you or I'll tear them to pieces.
Don't spend your money on me Sara enjoy yourself. What did you find?
If you have another bad day, tell me and I'll cheer you up the best I can.
See you in a week and half. Not long now before you can get Ecklie to help you drive the nails into my coffin. Everyone thinks I have no chance of coming out of this alive, but I'm going to rely on my charm and intellect to get me out of this very big rut I dug myself into.
Your friend always, Grissom
**SEND**
Turing his laptop off, he grabbed his bag of jelly baby's and put them in the fridge before heading to his room to sleep.
Chapter 4
Catherine came running down the corridor at top speed towards the break room. A huge smile spread across her face. Warrick and Nick stood talking outside the room by the water cooler. Grissom was sat at the table with his laptop open. He was typing up a report when Catherine skidded into the room, grabbed Grissom by the lapel and pulled him into a standing position and dragged him out of the room.
"Cath, what the." He stopped when he heard a familiar voice coming from Archie's lab.
". Oh course, god. I tried it and nearly killed myself." The voice crackled over the speakers.
Grissom was standing in the doorway and grinned. "You do look like a lobster." He chuckled.
Archie enlarged the computer window and enhanced it on the large wall screen. Sara's image came through clearly. She was sitting in her hotel room in a white T-shirt, and a baseball cap on.
She looked from Archie and laughed. "Bugman." She cried and buried her head in her hands. "I told you I got burned. Your fault." She looked up and grinned.
Archie and Catherine left the room so quietly Grissom didn't notice. "How did you get hold of a web camera?" He asked peering at the connection programme.
Tapping her nose. "My little secret." She leaned back and stretched. "What's Catherine up to? I saw her look over Arch's shoulder, then vanished."
Grissom shrugged. "She grabbed me by my jacket and literally dragged me here."
Raising her eyebrows she asked. "Dragged you? You didn't want to talk to me?"
Shaking his head. "She could have said 'Gil, Sara's on the phone' I would have been here in flash, instead my drag marks are coating the corridor." Sara burst out laughing. Grissom cleared his throat and asked seemingly non- interested. "What did find that screamed out 'Grissom'?"
Sara looked at him seriously for a few seconds, then shook her head. "Nope, you'll have to wait."
"Sara." His tone was that of an impatient child.
She leaned forward and grinned. "Are you whining Grissom? The great Gil Grissom is whining."
"I am not." He objected to her question and statement. "I." He shrugged innocently. "I just want to know."
Smiling widely she leaned over the table her laptop rested on and picked up what seemed to be heavy. "This." She held up a white box.18 inches by 14 inches.
"So?" His eyes examining what he could of the simply plain white box.
"Wait and see pal." Her tone was teasing.
Nodding at her, he smiled sweetly. Sara's mouth dropped open. Grissom chuckled. "What?"
Shaking the shock from her head, she pointed at him. "You smiled." Shooting her a look of confusion, he wiped the smile from his face and frowned. "No, What's wrong? I didn't mean to offend you Griss, I really didn't." Sara looked down at her keyboard, then to the side. She picked up a photo and bent it in her hands
"Sara, I'm not offend, just shocked by the question." He wasn't sure what she was doing, but didn't like the look on her face. "Hey." He shouted slightly.
Sara looked up and stopped vandalising the photo. "I'm sorry. Erm. I have those pictures you wanted to see. I hope it makes up for being rude. I didn't mean to. I'll send them in minute."
Grissom nodded and sat down in Archie's chair. "It's ok. It must have been scary to see a smile from me huh?"
"No, it was nice. Just rare and wish I had my camera." Grissom's eyebrows shot up, questioning her and she shrugged. "Do you realise how much I could get from that single photo on e-bay?" Her face and voice was serious, but he watched her for a few seconds and saw her mouth twitch slightly.
Playing his own cards, he reached across the table and picked up Archie's digital camera. He angled it on a stack of VHS cassettes and time delayed it. A second later a flash went off and the picture came up on the computer monitor. He quickly sent it through the system and he glanced at Sara as her laptop bleeped. She opened the file and smiled. "What do you think?"
Tilting her head to one side, she bit her lower lip. Grissom's eyes zoomed in on her mouth as her tongue wet her lips before going back to biting her lower lip. Sara looked up at him and caught him staring. She shyly smiled and tapped the web camera. "Stop staring Bugman." Grissom cleared his throat nervously.
"Grissom." He turned to the door at the sound of his name and cringed.
"One minute Conrad." Grissom looked up at Sara and waved a small goodbye, before clicking the connection off. "Bye." He said as her form disappeared.
"Mobley wants to see you and Catherine in his office in ten minutes." Ecklie informed.
Grissom nodded and went in search of Catherine.
Grissom snapped his head up and sent a small smile their way. "Hey."
"Hey yourself." The person waved to the visitor's chair. "May I?"
Sitting up he nodded. "Yes, sorry. Have a seat Terri."
As she sat she looked at the spider tank and smiled. "She's happy."
Looking at the tank he sighed. "At least one women is."
"Oh?" Terri looked at him surprised.
He smiled. "Erm. You remember Sara Sidle?" Terri nodded. "I sent her to the other side of the world and I'm now regretting it." He leaned on his desk once more and removed his glasses. "So, What can I do for you?"
Terri shook her head. "It's more of what I can do for you."
Standing abruptly he clicked his fingers. "Right." He moved towards the door and waited for Terri to join him. "Skeleton in autopsy room 5. Lets go."
"This Sara, seems to have you in a bit of a state. Something wrong?" Terri asked as they turned the corners and walked towards autopsy.
He hesitantly shook his head and cringed. "Sort of. She's not taking it well."
"I don't understand." She stated as he opened the door to the large room for her.
Nodding at Doc Robbins he continued. "I made her take a vacation, but also a week long conference."
"He has no idea how much trouble he's got himself into." Doc Robbins said uncovering the skeleton.
Grissom chuckled. "Not you too?"
Doc Robbins nodded and grinned. "Afraid so. When she gets back. I suggest you let someone else pick her up from the airport."
"You're right. I'll ask Nick, but right now that's 11 ½ days away and I'm wanting to live my life to the full. What have we got?" He asked turning to the body.
Terri looked at Doc Robbins who started laughing. "She's counting the days till your judgement and you're here with a skeleton rather than doing things you wanted to do in life before you die? You're either stupid or brave that she's not going to grind you to dust." Terri smiled at Grissom who seemed to just figure out that he should be doing something before his life light does go out.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
'YOU'VE GOT MAIL'
Grissom lifted his laptop and pondered whether to yank out the Internet connection. Sighing he placed it back on his workstation and grabbed a handful of jelly baby's. Popping one into his mouth, he tapped the keyboard.
**EMAIL**
If you don't want to talk to me, then tell me first. It's been two days and I'm getting the feeling that you've either signed up for a new identity or found a woman. Which is it?
If I promise to kill you fast, will you talk to me? I've had a bad day and need someone to talk to. I know you're not one to talk, but can you listen, even if you don't reply.
Let's start with yesterday. Two males (CSI level 2) approached me and each made a move on me. It was really scary seeing as both looked like they were born on Mars. Red hair and too short to use a measuring tape. Nice to talk to, bad to be subject to their chat up lines. Please god help me.
This morning I lost my sun cream. I look worse than a lobster. I've seen the hotel nurse and she gave me some sort of home made after sun cream. It smells nice, but looks oddly blue.
9 ½ days left. I hope you're all missing me, because I miss you guys.
I did find the perfect present for you and I'm hoping you'll like it. I wasn't sure at first, but the more I looked at it, the more I thought 'Grissom'.
From Sara
**END**
Grissom frowned at the screen as he reread her e-mail. Had it really been two days since he last e-mailed?
Immediately clicking the reply icon, he began typing.
**REPLY**
I'm sorry about not e-mailing. I didn't realise it had been two days. I've been busy with juggling two cases and people coming in and out of the lab. I'll make sure I check my inbox each day.
I seriously did think about a new ID, but decided against it, I'm sure we can figure something out when you get back. I am not going to lie about not seeing other women while you're away, but I don't think my tarantula counts, do you?
Here's some advice, wear a hat, sunglasses, light clothes and stay out of the sun for a while. I don't want you coming down with sunstroke so far away.
Tell those jerks who 'tried' to chat you up to stay away from you or I'll tear them to pieces.
Don't spend your money on me Sara enjoy yourself. What did you find?
If you have another bad day, tell me and I'll cheer you up the best I can.
See you in a week and half. Not long now before you can get Ecklie to help you drive the nails into my coffin. Everyone thinks I have no chance of coming out of this alive, but I'm going to rely on my charm and intellect to get me out of this very big rut I dug myself into.
Your friend always, Grissom
**SEND**
Turing his laptop off, he grabbed his bag of jelly baby's and put them in the fridge before heading to his room to sleep.
Chapter 4
Catherine came running down the corridor at top speed towards the break room. A huge smile spread across her face. Warrick and Nick stood talking outside the room by the water cooler. Grissom was sat at the table with his laptop open. He was typing up a report when Catherine skidded into the room, grabbed Grissom by the lapel and pulled him into a standing position and dragged him out of the room.
"Cath, what the." He stopped when he heard a familiar voice coming from Archie's lab.
". Oh course, god. I tried it and nearly killed myself." The voice crackled over the speakers.
Grissom was standing in the doorway and grinned. "You do look like a lobster." He chuckled.
Archie enlarged the computer window and enhanced it on the large wall screen. Sara's image came through clearly. She was sitting in her hotel room in a white T-shirt, and a baseball cap on.
She looked from Archie and laughed. "Bugman." She cried and buried her head in her hands. "I told you I got burned. Your fault." She looked up and grinned.
Archie and Catherine left the room so quietly Grissom didn't notice. "How did you get hold of a web camera?" He asked peering at the connection programme.
Tapping her nose. "My little secret." She leaned back and stretched. "What's Catherine up to? I saw her look over Arch's shoulder, then vanished."
Grissom shrugged. "She grabbed me by my jacket and literally dragged me here."
Raising her eyebrows she asked. "Dragged you? You didn't want to talk to me?"
Shaking his head. "She could have said 'Gil, Sara's on the phone' I would have been here in flash, instead my drag marks are coating the corridor." Sara burst out laughing. Grissom cleared his throat and asked seemingly non- interested. "What did find that screamed out 'Grissom'?"
Sara looked at him seriously for a few seconds, then shook her head. "Nope, you'll have to wait."
"Sara." His tone was that of an impatient child.
She leaned forward and grinned. "Are you whining Grissom? The great Gil Grissom is whining."
"I am not." He objected to her question and statement. "I." He shrugged innocently. "I just want to know."
Smiling widely she leaned over the table her laptop rested on and picked up what seemed to be heavy. "This." She held up a white box.18 inches by 14 inches.
"So?" His eyes examining what he could of the simply plain white box.
"Wait and see pal." Her tone was teasing.
Nodding at her, he smiled sweetly. Sara's mouth dropped open. Grissom chuckled. "What?"
Shaking the shock from her head, she pointed at him. "You smiled." Shooting her a look of confusion, he wiped the smile from his face and frowned. "No, What's wrong? I didn't mean to offend you Griss, I really didn't." Sara looked down at her keyboard, then to the side. She picked up a photo and bent it in her hands
"Sara, I'm not offend, just shocked by the question." He wasn't sure what she was doing, but didn't like the look on her face. "Hey." He shouted slightly.
Sara looked up and stopped vandalising the photo. "I'm sorry. Erm. I have those pictures you wanted to see. I hope it makes up for being rude. I didn't mean to. I'll send them in minute."
Grissom nodded and sat down in Archie's chair. "It's ok. It must have been scary to see a smile from me huh?"
"No, it was nice. Just rare and wish I had my camera." Grissom's eyebrows shot up, questioning her and she shrugged. "Do you realise how much I could get from that single photo on e-bay?" Her face and voice was serious, but he watched her for a few seconds and saw her mouth twitch slightly.
Playing his own cards, he reached across the table and picked up Archie's digital camera. He angled it on a stack of VHS cassettes and time delayed it. A second later a flash went off and the picture came up on the computer monitor. He quickly sent it through the system and he glanced at Sara as her laptop bleeped. She opened the file and smiled. "What do you think?"
Tilting her head to one side, she bit her lower lip. Grissom's eyes zoomed in on her mouth as her tongue wet her lips before going back to biting her lower lip. Sara looked up at him and caught him staring. She shyly smiled and tapped the web camera. "Stop staring Bugman." Grissom cleared his throat nervously.
"Grissom." He turned to the door at the sound of his name and cringed.
"One minute Conrad." Grissom looked up at Sara and waved a small goodbye, before clicking the connection off. "Bye." He said as her form disappeared.
"Mobley wants to see you and Catherine in his office in ten minutes." Ecklie informed.
Grissom nodded and went in search of Catherine.
