Title: Life's Challenges
Rating: R Category: Angst Pairing: G/J and ?/? Summary: Grissom is married and when a new CSI is hired it brings back intense feelings. Disclaimers: I do not in any way, shape or form own CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Note: This is the trilogy for College Break and Camping Trip. Isn't it strange how I just can't stop writing sequels? I really do need to get a job and a life. Oh well, in the mean time back to writing.
My advice is to take this story with a pinch of salt and a bag of crisps. Enjoy.
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CHAPTER 1
A memo arrived on his desk later that night. Six hours into shift and the team still hadn't got back from a crime scene. Sheriff Brian Mobley made sure the memo was hand delivered to his office. Knowing the reaction to the choice, his office receptionist was to keep an eye out for him.
Walking through his office door nearing the end of that night's busy shift, he flipped through his messages and memos. He flipped past one and he stopped at the name, pulling the rest away until the sheriff's memo lay by itself in his hand. Staring at the name, he felt his stomach tightened and his fist clenched around the thin piece of paper.
He stormed through the Sheriff's door, but the receptionist had already buzzed the sheriff rapidly as a warning of the scientist's aggressive state.
"Gil, before you start."
Gil Grissom leaned over his desk and talked over him. "You can not hire new personnel behind my back Brian, it's against the rules."
Brian stood and backed away a little. "I didn't. The board did."
Straightening up, he stared at the sheriff. "I would have been notified and asked for an opinion."
"You were, you missed last weeks meeting with the board and were sent numerous messages." Brian explained watching the older man carefully as he walked towards the door. "Gil, she's arriving tomorrow and starts that night. Don't let your personal feelings cloud how you work with her."
Grissom glared at him. "There's nothing wrong with her working here Brian." He lied. "I wish I was told." Grissom turned and slammed the door in the process.
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* * * *
Grissom walked into his house late that morning and headed straight to the shower. After he showered, he grabbed something to eat and climbed into bed. Rolling over, he pulled his wife to him. She mumbled in her sleep and cuddled closer. Hours later after a fitful sleep, he watched his wife sleeping. She'd obviously spent the entire shift at the hospital. Joanne Grissom is an A&E doctor and they had been married almost 3 years. His life had been rocky those 3 years, although they didn't always see eye to eye, they had a good marriage. Not many arguments, but when they did it was pretty intense. Grissom was not a violent man and would leave the house to calm down. The arguments usually started when Jo had a bad day and started to pick everything that upset her and made her angry out of the woodwork and blame whom ever were in her path. Grissom would try to defuse the situation, but it never worked. Still 3 years down the line and he still didn't really know his wife. He'd stuck by her because he thought he loved her and she loved him. It was by chance they met, it was one evening when a suspect was attack and rushed to hospital. They bumped into each other and her files fell to the floor. He helped her collect them together and it all started from that one encounter.
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* * * *
Night time came and the night shift filed into the break room. Warrick was playing with Greg's gameboy. Nick was reading a case report he still hadn't completed. Catherine was on the phone talking to her daughter. The room went silent apon the door opening and revealing a newcomer to the team.
"Slacking guys?"
Everyone approached the young women and hugged her. "God, Sara is that you?" Nick asked checking her out and grinning. "Wow girl."
Warrick kissed her cheek and smiled down at his friend. "It's good to see you Sara, it's been too long."
Catherine hugged her and squeezed her tight. "What are you doing here?"
Sara looked at them confused. "Have you not spoken to your boss?"
Before anyone could answer the sound of someone clearing there throat cut through the room. "I only found out yesterday, so no they haven't heard."
Sara turned and stared at the man occupying the doorway. "Gil Grissom?" She looked him up and down in shock.
"The one and only." He retorted taking a small step into the room. "It's been a long time Sara."
She nodded and continued to stare. Nick noticed the tension building and stepped up to Sara. "So you working here?"
Sara glanced at him briefly and nodded. "Yeah. I got transferred. Brian said there was an opening and that the job was mine if I wanted it."
"Well, lets get straight to work. It's a busy night." Grissom said handing out assignments. Nick and Sara get a homicide at the Eiffel hotel. Warrick, Catherine and Grissom get a triple at the Aces hotel car park.
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* * * *
Nick grinned and patted Sara's knee. "I can't believe you're really here." He exclaimed driving down the busy night rush.
"Believe it." Sara said looking out the window.
After processing the scene and closing the case, Nick took Sara to get some food at the diner around the corner from the lab. Sara sat opposite in silence. Nick watched as she picked at her food.
"It's a shock to see him again huh?" He asked.
"Yeah, I suppose." Sara pushed her egg to one side and her toast to the other.
"When was the last time you two talked?" Nick asked thinking he should warn her before she found out through gossip.
She shrugged. "Four years maybe longer." Picking up her coffee, she smiled. "We kept in touch after college and visited each other for a while until he moved and we lost touch." Her smile faded.
Nick sighed. "Then you might want to know before you stumble across it." She nodded and looked up at him. "He's married, has been for 3 years now." Nick watched for a reaction and worried when he saw none.
"I know Nicky. I'm not an investigator for anything. He was wearing a wedding band." She said sadly.
Nick reached across and held her hand. "I'm sorry Sara."
"What's there to be sorry about? He's moved on and got himself a life, good for him." She stared into her coffee and squeezed Nick's hand. "I'm fine really, it was just a shock seeing him that's all. Brian didn't tell me he was here."
Nick snorted. "Not surprising. They don't get on at the best of times."
Sara looked up with curiosity. "Why?"
"Haven't a clue. You remember Ecklie?" Sara nodded. "He's the dayshift supervisor and he sucks up to the Sheriff big time and you know Grissom and Ecklie have never liked each other from the beginning."
Sara laughed. "Yeah I know. Who else from the gang is here?"
"Let's see; Cath, Warrick, Greg, Me, Grissom, Brian, Ecklie, Jim and Al."
Sara gaped at him. "No way. How the hell did everyone manage to get lumbered together?"
Nick grinned. "We're the best Sara. You need the best people to run the second best lab in the country."
"I'm going to see Al, I haven't seen him since college. We finished?" Nick chuckled at her eagerness and nodded. "Cool, lets go."
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CHAPTER 2
Albert Robbins was standing over a body and staring at it intently when the doors to the autopsy room flew open. He turned and laughed. "Well I'll be. What are you doing here?"
Sara threw her arms around his neck and hugged him close. "Work here why else. I missed you Al."
Al pulled back and looked at her. "You are definitely a sight Sara Sidle. How have you been?"
"Very well thank you, what about you? I heard you had an accident." She looked at him with concerned eyes.
He pulled her to him again and laughed. "I'm fine now, it was a while ago. I got new legs and am as busy as every with my dead bodies. You busy?" Sara shook her head and put on some shrubs.
"It's been a while since I assisted." She grinned and looked into the open chest cavity of the body on the slab.
Al chuckled. "It's like riding a bike. I'll lead you follow ok?" Sara nodded and watched him carefully.
Later as the body was patched together and the x-rays and tests had come back, they sat drinking coffee and going through there findings. Al turned as the door opened and stood. "My body ready yet?"
"It is. Why didn't you tell me Sara was coming here?" Al asked Grissom as he read the results to the tox screen and the autopsy report. He saw the two signatures and glanced at Sara over the brim of his glasses.
"I didn't know myself Al. Good work on the body." Grissom pushed the papers into a file and turned to leave when he stopped. "Erm, Sara?"
She turned from looking at something on Al's desk. "Yeah Griss?"
Grissom closed his eyes at the sound of his nickname. He turned and waved her to walk with him. "Got a new case in. Nick's waiting."
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* * * *
They were walking down the corridor in silence, when one of the storage room doors opened and pushed Sara into Grissom. "Sorry." She said stepping away.
Grissom adjusted his glasses nervously and looked at her for a few seconds while she just as nervously brushed out her jacket. He smiled shyly and took her elbow. "I'm sorry about earlier. It was a shock seeing you like it was only yesterday, standing with the guys, you know."
Sara nodded. "Yeah, it's ok. I understand that you probably didn't want me working here, but when Brian asked I was glad to get out of San Francisco."
"I didn't say I didn't want to see you Sara." He said opening the lab door for her.
"Doesn't matter anyway. I'm here now. We'll be working together and hopefully we can be friends." Sara stopped outside his office as he opened the door.
Grissom dropped his head and sighed heavily. "Why don't you wait in my office for Nick. He's talking to Greg about some drink fest next month."
"No, it's ok. I'll go find him. Bye Griss." She turned and walked away. Grissom watched her disappear round the corner and wiped the sweat away that had formed on his face.
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* * * *
5 weeks into her new job, Sara was signing out in the morning and was pushed out of the way as she walked out the front door. "Excuse me." She mumbled moving around the lady rushing out of the rain.
Grissom saw as he stood by his office. Sara left and Grissom walked towards Sara's impatient intruder. "Hey honey." Grissom smiled and kissed his wife.
"You ready to go? I've got to work a double tonight and need to do loads of errands." Grissom nodded and they left together.
Sara was pushing a CD into her player and turned it on. Sitting up and starting the engine, she looked up and saw Grissom and the lady she presumed to be his wife headed for his car. Grissom looked up at her with strange distanced and pained eyes. Sara sent him a small sad smile and left the car park.
Grissom watched Sara's Tahoe disappear and took a shallow breath. "You ok?" Jo asked.
He nodded. "I'm fine, just tired."
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* * * *
It was one of those special one day and night holidays that the whole team got off together. A skeleton crew from days would take the nightshift while the nightshift team enjoyed themselves. Nick had planned this day for months and Greg was helping. The BBQ was all set up and the counters were covering in food and alcohol. The night was a beer fest of sorts and the one and only rule motivated everyone; everyone had to wake up with a hangover, no exceptions.
Nick was talking to Sara about college antics over the BBQ, Greg and Catherine were drinking martini's glass for glass to see who could drink the most. Al and Grissom were sat on the garden loungers watching the others and chatting about anything from dead body's, bugs and college.
"You remember that time at college break. We all went camping?" Greg shouted to Nick after hearing Al bring it up first and Grissom went quiet.
Nick looked up and grinned. "Oh yeah. Itching powder and trickery. Who did the sneezing powder, I don't remember?" He asked truly confused.
Everyone talked quietly trying to remember until Grissom took a long swig of his beer and smirked. "Sara did."
Sara gaped at him. "That was so not true."
Grissom glared at her in shock. "You liar."
Al and Catherine burst out laughing. Sara picked up another beer and a bowl of crisps. She sat down on Al's seat and leaned against him. "Ok, I put it together, but it was your idea." She said popping a crisp into her mouth and munching away.
"Liar. It was your evil plan the whole time. I went along with it so not to end up on my ass on the highway."
Sara laughed at him and nodded. "Really? It was your idea to put that plastic snake in Catherine and Jim's tent."
It was Grissom's turn to gape at her. Catherine's head snapped up and to top it off Jim was standing behind his chair. "You little shit. I blamed Nick and Greg for that cheap trick." Jim chuckled opening his first beer.
Grissom cringed at the sound of Jim's voice and grinned. "What can I say? It was an impulse thing." He noticed Sara's head turn away from him and rest against Al's shoulder. He sighed lightly and downed the rest of his beer.
Later that night, Sara and Al were still sitting outside. Everyone had retreated indoors. "You've been quiet, are you ok?"
Sara nodded and rests her head on his shoulder again. "I was just thinking. About camp."
Al squeezed his arms tighter around her. "We've tried telling him you know?"
Sara lifted her head up slightly. "Tell who?" She honestly didn't know what Al was talking about.
"Grissom."
Sara snuggled back to his shoulder. "Grissom?"
"Yeah. When we were all called to work here he was still just a CSI level 3, but then he was promoted and asked for the best in the country. All of us. We tried to tell him we were one short, but he wouldn't listen and ignored all the hints we gave him. I'm glad Mobley brought you here. I've missed you." Al kissed her hair and leaned his head against hers.
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* * * *
Rating: R Category: Angst Pairing: G/J and ?/? Summary: Grissom is married and when a new CSI is hired it brings back intense feelings. Disclaimers: I do not in any way, shape or form own CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Note: This is the trilogy for College Break and Camping Trip. Isn't it strange how I just can't stop writing sequels? I really do need to get a job and a life. Oh well, in the mean time back to writing.
My advice is to take this story with a pinch of salt and a bag of crisps. Enjoy.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * *
CHAPTER 1
A memo arrived on his desk later that night. Six hours into shift and the team still hadn't got back from a crime scene. Sheriff Brian Mobley made sure the memo was hand delivered to his office. Knowing the reaction to the choice, his office receptionist was to keep an eye out for him.
Walking through his office door nearing the end of that night's busy shift, he flipped through his messages and memos. He flipped past one and he stopped at the name, pulling the rest away until the sheriff's memo lay by itself in his hand. Staring at the name, he felt his stomach tightened and his fist clenched around the thin piece of paper.
He stormed through the Sheriff's door, but the receptionist had already buzzed the sheriff rapidly as a warning of the scientist's aggressive state.
"Gil, before you start."
Gil Grissom leaned over his desk and talked over him. "You can not hire new personnel behind my back Brian, it's against the rules."
Brian stood and backed away a little. "I didn't. The board did."
Straightening up, he stared at the sheriff. "I would have been notified and asked for an opinion."
"You were, you missed last weeks meeting with the board and were sent numerous messages." Brian explained watching the older man carefully as he walked towards the door. "Gil, she's arriving tomorrow and starts that night. Don't let your personal feelings cloud how you work with her."
Grissom glared at him. "There's nothing wrong with her working here Brian." He lied. "I wish I was told." Grissom turned and slammed the door in the process.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * *
Grissom walked into his house late that morning and headed straight to the shower. After he showered, he grabbed something to eat and climbed into bed. Rolling over, he pulled his wife to him. She mumbled in her sleep and cuddled closer. Hours later after a fitful sleep, he watched his wife sleeping. She'd obviously spent the entire shift at the hospital. Joanne Grissom is an A&E doctor and they had been married almost 3 years. His life had been rocky those 3 years, although they didn't always see eye to eye, they had a good marriage. Not many arguments, but when they did it was pretty intense. Grissom was not a violent man and would leave the house to calm down. The arguments usually started when Jo had a bad day and started to pick everything that upset her and made her angry out of the woodwork and blame whom ever were in her path. Grissom would try to defuse the situation, but it never worked. Still 3 years down the line and he still didn't really know his wife. He'd stuck by her because he thought he loved her and she loved him. It was by chance they met, it was one evening when a suspect was attack and rushed to hospital. They bumped into each other and her files fell to the floor. He helped her collect them together and it all started from that one encounter.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * *
Night time came and the night shift filed into the break room. Warrick was playing with Greg's gameboy. Nick was reading a case report he still hadn't completed. Catherine was on the phone talking to her daughter. The room went silent apon the door opening and revealing a newcomer to the team.
"Slacking guys?"
Everyone approached the young women and hugged her. "God, Sara is that you?" Nick asked checking her out and grinning. "Wow girl."
Warrick kissed her cheek and smiled down at his friend. "It's good to see you Sara, it's been too long."
Catherine hugged her and squeezed her tight. "What are you doing here?"
Sara looked at them confused. "Have you not spoken to your boss?"
Before anyone could answer the sound of someone clearing there throat cut through the room. "I only found out yesterday, so no they haven't heard."
Sara turned and stared at the man occupying the doorway. "Gil Grissom?" She looked him up and down in shock.
"The one and only." He retorted taking a small step into the room. "It's been a long time Sara."
She nodded and continued to stare. Nick noticed the tension building and stepped up to Sara. "So you working here?"
Sara glanced at him briefly and nodded. "Yeah. I got transferred. Brian said there was an opening and that the job was mine if I wanted it."
"Well, lets get straight to work. It's a busy night." Grissom said handing out assignments. Nick and Sara get a homicide at the Eiffel hotel. Warrick, Catherine and Grissom get a triple at the Aces hotel car park.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * *
Nick grinned and patted Sara's knee. "I can't believe you're really here." He exclaimed driving down the busy night rush.
"Believe it." Sara said looking out the window.
After processing the scene and closing the case, Nick took Sara to get some food at the diner around the corner from the lab. Sara sat opposite in silence. Nick watched as she picked at her food.
"It's a shock to see him again huh?" He asked.
"Yeah, I suppose." Sara pushed her egg to one side and her toast to the other.
"When was the last time you two talked?" Nick asked thinking he should warn her before she found out through gossip.
She shrugged. "Four years maybe longer." Picking up her coffee, she smiled. "We kept in touch after college and visited each other for a while until he moved and we lost touch." Her smile faded.
Nick sighed. "Then you might want to know before you stumble across it." She nodded and looked up at him. "He's married, has been for 3 years now." Nick watched for a reaction and worried when he saw none.
"I know Nicky. I'm not an investigator for anything. He was wearing a wedding band." She said sadly.
Nick reached across and held her hand. "I'm sorry Sara."
"What's there to be sorry about? He's moved on and got himself a life, good for him." She stared into her coffee and squeezed Nick's hand. "I'm fine really, it was just a shock seeing him that's all. Brian didn't tell me he was here."
Nick snorted. "Not surprising. They don't get on at the best of times."
Sara looked up with curiosity. "Why?"
"Haven't a clue. You remember Ecklie?" Sara nodded. "He's the dayshift supervisor and he sucks up to the Sheriff big time and you know Grissom and Ecklie have never liked each other from the beginning."
Sara laughed. "Yeah I know. Who else from the gang is here?"
"Let's see; Cath, Warrick, Greg, Me, Grissom, Brian, Ecklie, Jim and Al."
Sara gaped at him. "No way. How the hell did everyone manage to get lumbered together?"
Nick grinned. "We're the best Sara. You need the best people to run the second best lab in the country."
"I'm going to see Al, I haven't seen him since college. We finished?" Nick chuckled at her eagerness and nodded. "Cool, lets go."
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* * * *
CHAPTER 2
Albert Robbins was standing over a body and staring at it intently when the doors to the autopsy room flew open. He turned and laughed. "Well I'll be. What are you doing here?"
Sara threw her arms around his neck and hugged him close. "Work here why else. I missed you Al."
Al pulled back and looked at her. "You are definitely a sight Sara Sidle. How have you been?"
"Very well thank you, what about you? I heard you had an accident." She looked at him with concerned eyes.
He pulled her to him again and laughed. "I'm fine now, it was a while ago. I got new legs and am as busy as every with my dead bodies. You busy?" Sara shook her head and put on some shrubs.
"It's been a while since I assisted." She grinned and looked into the open chest cavity of the body on the slab.
Al chuckled. "It's like riding a bike. I'll lead you follow ok?" Sara nodded and watched him carefully.
Later as the body was patched together and the x-rays and tests had come back, they sat drinking coffee and going through there findings. Al turned as the door opened and stood. "My body ready yet?"
"It is. Why didn't you tell me Sara was coming here?" Al asked Grissom as he read the results to the tox screen and the autopsy report. He saw the two signatures and glanced at Sara over the brim of his glasses.
"I didn't know myself Al. Good work on the body." Grissom pushed the papers into a file and turned to leave when he stopped. "Erm, Sara?"
She turned from looking at something on Al's desk. "Yeah Griss?"
Grissom closed his eyes at the sound of his nickname. He turned and waved her to walk with him. "Got a new case in. Nick's waiting."
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* * * *
They were walking down the corridor in silence, when one of the storage room doors opened and pushed Sara into Grissom. "Sorry." She said stepping away.
Grissom adjusted his glasses nervously and looked at her for a few seconds while she just as nervously brushed out her jacket. He smiled shyly and took her elbow. "I'm sorry about earlier. It was a shock seeing you like it was only yesterday, standing with the guys, you know."
Sara nodded. "Yeah, it's ok. I understand that you probably didn't want me working here, but when Brian asked I was glad to get out of San Francisco."
"I didn't say I didn't want to see you Sara." He said opening the lab door for her.
"Doesn't matter anyway. I'm here now. We'll be working together and hopefully we can be friends." Sara stopped outside his office as he opened the door.
Grissom dropped his head and sighed heavily. "Why don't you wait in my office for Nick. He's talking to Greg about some drink fest next month."
"No, it's ok. I'll go find him. Bye Griss." She turned and walked away. Grissom watched her disappear round the corner and wiped the sweat away that had formed on his face.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * *
5 weeks into her new job, Sara was signing out in the morning and was pushed out of the way as she walked out the front door. "Excuse me." She mumbled moving around the lady rushing out of the rain.
Grissom saw as he stood by his office. Sara left and Grissom walked towards Sara's impatient intruder. "Hey honey." Grissom smiled and kissed his wife.
"You ready to go? I've got to work a double tonight and need to do loads of errands." Grissom nodded and they left together.
Sara was pushing a CD into her player and turned it on. Sitting up and starting the engine, she looked up and saw Grissom and the lady she presumed to be his wife headed for his car. Grissom looked up at her with strange distanced and pained eyes. Sara sent him a small sad smile and left the car park.
Grissom watched Sara's Tahoe disappear and took a shallow breath. "You ok?" Jo asked.
He nodded. "I'm fine, just tired."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * *
It was one of those special one day and night holidays that the whole team got off together. A skeleton crew from days would take the nightshift while the nightshift team enjoyed themselves. Nick had planned this day for months and Greg was helping. The BBQ was all set up and the counters were covering in food and alcohol. The night was a beer fest of sorts and the one and only rule motivated everyone; everyone had to wake up with a hangover, no exceptions.
Nick was talking to Sara about college antics over the BBQ, Greg and Catherine were drinking martini's glass for glass to see who could drink the most. Al and Grissom were sat on the garden loungers watching the others and chatting about anything from dead body's, bugs and college.
"You remember that time at college break. We all went camping?" Greg shouted to Nick after hearing Al bring it up first and Grissom went quiet.
Nick looked up and grinned. "Oh yeah. Itching powder and trickery. Who did the sneezing powder, I don't remember?" He asked truly confused.
Everyone talked quietly trying to remember until Grissom took a long swig of his beer and smirked. "Sara did."
Sara gaped at him. "That was so not true."
Grissom glared at her in shock. "You liar."
Al and Catherine burst out laughing. Sara picked up another beer and a bowl of crisps. She sat down on Al's seat and leaned against him. "Ok, I put it together, but it was your idea." She said popping a crisp into her mouth and munching away.
"Liar. It was your evil plan the whole time. I went along with it so not to end up on my ass on the highway."
Sara laughed at him and nodded. "Really? It was your idea to put that plastic snake in Catherine and Jim's tent."
It was Grissom's turn to gape at her. Catherine's head snapped up and to top it off Jim was standing behind his chair. "You little shit. I blamed Nick and Greg for that cheap trick." Jim chuckled opening his first beer.
Grissom cringed at the sound of Jim's voice and grinned. "What can I say? It was an impulse thing." He noticed Sara's head turn away from him and rest against Al's shoulder. He sighed lightly and downed the rest of his beer.
Later that night, Sara and Al were still sitting outside. Everyone had retreated indoors. "You've been quiet, are you ok?"
Sara nodded and rests her head on his shoulder again. "I was just thinking. About camp."
Al squeezed his arms tighter around her. "We've tried telling him you know?"
Sara lifted her head up slightly. "Tell who?" She honestly didn't know what Al was talking about.
"Grissom."
Sara snuggled back to his shoulder. "Grissom?"
"Yeah. When we were all called to work here he was still just a CSI level 3, but then he was promoted and asked for the best in the country. All of us. We tried to tell him we were one short, but he wouldn't listen and ignored all the hints we gave him. I'm glad Mobley brought you here. I've missed you." Al kissed her hair and leaned his head against hers.
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