Summary: Four months after Nick and Sara found each other, a life-altering, career-changing opportunity presents itself at the Las Vegas Crime Lab. Will this chance bring the Graveyard shift closer together, or tear them apart?
Author's Note: I'm having a lot of fun writing this! BE WARNED: There is a little fluff in this chapter, but it's not stupid-fluff, k?? READ AND REVIEW!
Disclaimer: No, I do not own CSI stuff. I do own Anisha, Maile, Dylan, All of Nick's family, Haylie and her family, and all the other characters you don't realize, k?
Rating: PG-13
Request: Read and review!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sara woke up Saturday afternoon at three o'clock due to her ringing phone. She groaned, pulling her pillow off of her head and reaching for the phone. She looked at the I.D and answered.
"Bubba's Pool Hall, eight ball speaking?"
She grinned as she heard Nick's laughter over the line, "What are you doing still asleep?"
"I'm not late am I?" Sara said, sitting up straighter in
bed.
"No," Nick replied, laughter
still evident in his voice.
Sara groaned, "Nicky, it's three on Saturday afternoon, why are you waking me up?"
"Would you believe I wanted to hear your voice?"
Sara scoffed, laying back
on her pillow, "No. Why did you call, really?"
Nick laughed, "I don't know, just wanted to talk to you."
"Well you talked to me, I'm going back to sleep."
"Come on, Sara!"
"Nicky, I'm tired!"
Nick rolled his eyes, even
though she couldn't see it, "So am I, but this bed is way too lonely."
"Well get a dog, because I'm not
getting out of bed!"
Nick laughed, "Yeah right."
"Goodnight, Nicky."
"Sara, come on," he pleaded as he heard her groan.
Sara pulled her blankets up over herself.
"Nicky, you know I love talking to you, but I really am tired."
"All right. I'll see you tonight."
Sara yawned, "Yep."
"Goodnight, babe."
"'Night, cowboy."
Sara hung up the phone and laid her head back down on the pillow. She smiled as a picture of Nick flashed through her mind and she fell back to sleep.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Hi Mommy!" Lindsey called as she entered the house that afternoon.
"Shhh sweetie, Dylan is sleeping," Catherine said as she hugged her daughter.
"Uncle Grissom is going to teach me how to hold Dylan when he gets home!" Lindsey informed her mother in a whisper.
"I know, sweetie. Let's go upstairs, I have to talk to you and you need to get changed."
Lindsey quietly went up the stairs with her mother following.
Lindsey quickly changed out of her school clothes and sat on her bed with her mother.
"I'm not in trouble, am I?" Lindsey asked quietly.
"Of course not, sweetie," Catherine told her daughter as she pulled the little girl into her arms.
"Good," Lindsey said, "Because I didn't do anything."
Catherine laughed as she looked at her daughter.
"Linds, do you know what adoption is?"
"Adoption?" Lindsey asked, "I think so. A girl in my class named Amelia was adopted. She's Chinese but she lives with Americans."
"Yes, Linds, that's one type of adoption. When a child with no parents gets adopted, they go to live with new parents. But there is another kind of adoption."
"There is?" Lindsey asked, looking at her mother.
Catherine nodded, "Yes. I'm going to try and explain this, and if you don't understand, tell me, okay?"
Lindsey nodded as she waited for her mother to continue.
"You know how when Daddy and I were married, I had his last name?"
Lindsey nodded, "Willows."
"Exactly. And when you were born, you had that name too.
"But now that I'm married to Uncle Grissom, do you know what my name is?"
"Catherine... Grissom?" Lindsey said, using deductive reasoning to find the one name her mother would have.
"Yes. Uncle Grissom and I have the same name now. And Dylan has that name too. But you don't."
"I know," Lindsey said, her voice getting smaller.
"But," Catherine said, "If Uncle Grissom adopted you, you could have that name too."
"But I already have parents. You and Daddy."
Catherine nodded, "Yes, you have me, and you still have Daddy, even though he isn't here. But if Uncle Grissom adopted you, he wouldn't be Uncle Grissom any more."
"Would he be my new dad?"
"Yes, he'd be your dad, but he would never replace Daddy."
Lindsey thought for a moment, "So I would get adopted, but not really?"
Catherine laughed, "Yes, pretty much. If Uncle Grissom adopted you, he would legally be your dad."
"Legally?"
"It means the rules would say he's your dad."
"So I could give him something on Father's Day?"
Catherine laughed, "Yes, you could. He wants to adopt you, Linds, but he wanted to ask you first. Would you want to be Lindsey Grissom, or are you happy with Lindsey Willows?"
Lindsey sat for a moment, looking at her pink carpet.
"May I tell you before bed?" She asked her mother.
"Sure, Linds. Take as long as you want."
Lindsey nodded, "Thanks Mommy."
"You're welcome, sweetie. I love you."
"I love you too, Mommy. And I love Dylan. Is it okay to love Uncle Grissom?"
Catherine laughed at her daughter and hugged her close, "Of course it's okay to love Uncle Grissom. I love him, and Dylan loves him too. So you can."
Lindsey hugged her mom as her little mind raced through what her mother had told her.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Have you had anyone in the house that may have robbed you?" Warrick asked as Nick watched from behind the glass.
"I don't remember anyone," Mr. Joseph Fuller said as he wiped his forehead.
"How long have you and Mrs. Fuller been married?"
"Two years," Mr. Fuller replied, "Since we were twenty."
"Young," Nick whispered to himself, "Carefree. Maybe careless."
Apparently Warrick was thinking along those same lines, considering he asked, "Do you always lock the door when you leave?"
Mr. Fuller looked taken aback, "Yes, always. I also set the alarm and there is gate around the property."
"Does anyone know the number for the gate or the alarm system?"
Mr. Fuller shook his head, "No. Only my wife and I."
Brass exchanged a look with Warrick before saying, "All right, Mr. Fuller, you can go. But we may need to talk to you later on, so we'll be in touch."
"Thank you," Mr. Fuller said, "Please, please find who did this," he added as he left the room.
Warrick looked toward the glass where he knew Nick was. If he knew Nick like he thought he did, Nick was thinking the exact thing he was. Warrick stood as he and Nick went to the other interrogation room to speak to the homeowner's wife.
~*
"The wife just recently came back from Canada," Warrick informed Nick as they headed toward the interrogation room, "And I looked up all six houses. Apparently, all six have been entered and appraised and stuff by the very same freelance real estate agent."
Warrick held up a photograph of a thin, pale man with slicked-back black hair, sharp black eyes, and a pointy nose.
"Suspect?" Nick suggested.
"That's what I thought," Warrick replied, "Plus, I still say the wife had something to do with it too."
"Theory?" Nick asked as they stopped outside the room.
Warrick scratched the back of his neck, "Well, those alarm systems are good, and the thief seems to get in and out without being seen as suspicious or without getting caught by anyone. And the wife is kind of a social butterfly. I'm thinking she knew the gate number and security codes for all those houses. I'm saying the real estate phony goes through the houses, maybe with a hidden camera or something, to learn his way around. That makes the robberies quick and almost fool-proof."
"Possible," Nick replied as he made for the hidden room, "But we need evidence to back it, 'cause you know what Griss is like about theories.. Afterwards we'll get Brass to see if he can bring in the agent."
Warrick nodded as he entered the room.
"Hello, Mrs. Fuller, I'm Warrick Brown, CSI."
"Hello, Mr. Brown. I do hope the investigation is coming along."
"We believe it is. I just have a few questions for you."
"All right."
"What were you in Canada for?"
Mrs. Fuller looked calm and collected. She was a very attractive woman, with red hair and bright green eyes, and a very charming smile.
"My sister was getting married. I was invited, but Joseph couldn't make it."
"Work?" Warrick questioned.
"Yes," she replied.
Warrick held up the picture of the real estate agent, "Do you know who this man is?"
"Um, I believe he was the real estate agent that came to appraise the house and land," Mrs. Fuller replied.
In Nick's opinion, she was far too calm for a woman who's belongings had been stolen. However, he reserved any more judgement until they got evidence to back up Warrick's theory.
"Would he know your gate number or security code?" Warrick asked.
Mrs. Fuller shook her head, "Absolutely not," she replied, "Only Joseph and I know the codes."
"And there is no way the agent could have gotten them?"
"Not unless he recorded them or was looking over my shoulder," Mrs. Fuller replied, "Which is possible, considering he was taller than I am."
"Mrs. Fuller-"
"-Please, Mr. Brown, call me Angela."
"All right, Angela, are you familiar with the Edward Andersons, Andrew Hiltons, Jeremy Stevensons, Jas Devlins, Richard Richardsons, and the Kevin Micalsons?"
"I believe so. They're all neighbors of mine. I'm part of the neighborhood book club, and all of their wives are in it. Why?"
"Their houses were also robbed. And just as cleanly as yours was."
"Oh dear," she replied, and Nick didn't buy the shocked surprise on her face. He personally thought it was fake.
"Do you have any idea who could have done this?" Warrick asked, clearly seeing if she could suggest the agent.
"No," she replied, shaking her head, "I have no idea."
Warrick and Nick both bought that as an answer.
"Thank you, Mrs. Fuller. We'll be in touch."
"Thank you, Mr. Brown," she replied as the guard escorted her out of the interrogation room.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"So you're saying I have to tell the team and they can apply for it?"
"Exactly."
"And then I have to choose one of them to get it?"
"Precisely."
"Why not from day shift? Ecklie has plenty of people he can give this to."
"We want someone from the night shift. Ecklie claims he needs all his people."
"He needs all his people? My wife is out for another six months at least and two of my CSIs are going to Dallas for a week in March!"
Grissom shook his head, as the man said, "I'm sorry. There's nothing we can do."
"This is impossible. Ecklie has twelve people. I'm short one and I have two leaving. You have to get Ecklie to give it to someone."
"The choice is the night shift," the man said over the phone line, "We'll need the final decision by the decided time."
And with that, the man hung up.
Grissom placed the phone back in its cradle and put his fingers on his temples, already contemplating who would go. Catherine was the veteran CSI - he himself couldn't go because he was the head. But, Catherine needed to work nights. If she got the promotion, she'd be working in the daytime, and then their son would be being raised by Catherine's sister.
Warrick worked well with Greg and Catherine. Warrick, however, could handle anything. But Grissom still wanted him on the team. Warrick was their best audio/visual technician, and Grissom couldn't afford to get rid of him.
And that's what it felt like. It felt like he was having to choose who to kick off the team.
Nick. Nick could handle the switch. Plus, Nick had good instinct and got along with pretty much anyone. But in a way, Nick was still green. Also, Catherine thought of him as more of a son. If Nick got the promotion, Catherine would definitely be upset. And so would Sara.
Sara. She could do any job anywhere. She was one of their best ever, and ever since Holly had died, Sara had done more than her share of work. It was almost like she was trying to prove she was worthy of working with them. Sara could do it. But she and Nick, while a couple, worked together easily and nicely.
Grissom groaned. They all clicked. They complemented each other in ways that made them the most coveted crime scene investigators in the U.S. Now one had to get this promotion?
Grissom decided he needed to discuss this with Brass.
~x
"What do you mean they're taking one of ours?" Brass asked after Grissom had informed him. Grissom handed Brass the folder, and Brass scanned its contents.
"This can't be," Brass said, "Ecklie has a dozen people on his team, and we only have four for now!"
"That's what I said," Grissom replied, "But it seems they wanted someone from my team. Plus, Ecklie told them that he needs his people."
Brass laughed harshly, "We've solved half of the cases the day shift deemed 'unsolvable.' I don't know what he needs his people for - they don't even work."
Grissom shrugged.
"I'll discuss this with them," Brass said, "I may be able to explain it to them. Until then you might as well inform the team of the possible promotion."
Grissom nodded as he picked up his case files and headed to the break room.
~x
"So there's a possible promotion?" Warrick asked after Grissom had informed them.
"Yes. One of you has to be promoted."
"Why not Ecklie's group?" Greg asked as he made the coffee, "They have a dozen people."
Grissom shrugged, "They want one of you."
"That can't be fair," Nick said, "We only have four people now that Catherine is home with Dylan."
"That's what I said," Grissom informed them, "Brass is looking into it, and he's going to try and change some minds. Until then, I have to start deciding which of you is going to be promoted. Before I do, I want to know if any of you are remotely interested in it?"
Sara nodded, as did Nick. Luckily, neither saw each other nod.
"All right," Grissom said, "But I want you guys to know that Brass and I are trying to get this switched to dayshift. We won't, however, if one of you really wants the promotion. Let us know if you decide you're more interested in a higher position, all right?"
Everyone on the team nodded as shift ended and they headed home.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A/N: I'm trying to make these parts as long as possible, but you guys gotta remember I'm switching to different angles in the story: One part may be Nick, one may be Sara, the next Grissom, the next Catherine, the next Greg, and so and so forth, so please have patience with me!! *Begs*
Next Chapter: Sara and Haylie's phone call, Grissom talks to Nick and Sara about the promotion, AND they find out each other wants the promotion! UHOH! R&R and I'll give ya more ;)