Rating: PG
Summary: The team at Tuscadero High School, Nevada...
Spoilers: None, really.
Disclaimer: Not mine.
A/N: OK, so I HATE this chapter, but maybe you don't. Why don't y'all tell me what you think? Please?
***
The following Monday, inescapable condolences followed Catherine, Nick, Warrick, Sara and Gil. For the most part, they were sincere, but Lindsay had been no cheerleader – people weren't crying in the hallways. 'Sorry' was just a word. Something that, after the massive argument they'd had on Saturday, they all knew was too easy to say.
Sara sat alone for five minutes while Grissom got his food at lunchtime. She picked at the pasta salad, sighing discontentedly. "Hey." a boy put his tray down on her table, making her look up. His hair was dirty blonde, ruffled into spikes, and his appearance full of spunk. A tour t-shirt of some unknown rock group, and acid-washed jeans created an air of grunge about him. "I hear about what happened." he told her. She rolled her eyes.
"You and the rest of the world."
"You must be tired of condolences by now, but for what it's worth, I hope you know that not everyone is lying when they say it."
"You mean, you're not."
"Yeah. I wish I could make it easier for you." he said, shyly. Sara's cold heart warmed a little. "Thanks. What's your name?"
"Greg Sanders."
"Thank you, Greg."
"I'll see ya around." he picked up his tray and left, replaced instantly by Gil. He gave her an encouraging smile, and they ate.
Catherine was refusing to talk to Gil, because of what he'd said before; Sara for taking Gil's side. Nick was mad at her for saying he didn't love Lindsay – maybe it was true, and that was what worried him – and Gil because he wanted to move on, and Sara for taking Catherine's side over Lindsay. Warrick was snubbing contact with all of them, for their petty ignorance.
That afternoon, as Sara asked Gil to go somewhere with her, she wondered how they'd ever be OK, after this. "It's like the world is shattering around us." she whispered, and Grissom nodded. "Or the illusion is."
They were sitting in the park on a bench, far away and hidden by foliage. Sara loved it there, because it was secretive and enclosed. Only mottled sunshine provided light; a huge, shimmering canopy of leaves, lime green in colour, arced over their heads.
Gil was the first person she'd even taken there before. "Look, Gil, I brought you here because I wanted to apologise for running before." she murmured. He looked at her oddly, and didn't know how to handle the situation. But the words came tumbling out of his mouth all the same. "Why, though? Why did you run?"
"I was scared." she replied, "But I'm not any more."
She kissed him, brazenly. Showing him that she wasn't afraid. Her tongue traced his lips, and he opened his eyes in shock. 'Not as innocent as I thought the was.' he thought, surprised at the sensations coursing through him. All caused by this *seemingly* innocent little girl. As Sara deepened the kiss, evoking arousal in him, Gil realised that she was not who she looked to be.
The moment broke when Gil's phone rang. 'Bugger'. With a muttered curse, he answered it, stroking Sara's hand as he spoke. He listened to Warrick explaining the bizarre situation, sounding as bemused as Gil himself. Catherine and Nick were drunk, at Nick's house. With his parents due home any second. 'How did they get ahold of drink? More importantly, WHY?' Gil wondered, snapping his phone shut and briefly telling Sara what was going on. She grabbed his hand and dragged him to a bus stop on the park border.
They caught the first bus in to Nevada Square, and paid their fares. The rattling old bus made is senile way to the Square, stopping annoyingly at regular intervals. On the way there, they spoke hurriedly about their plan of action. "How drunk?" Sara asked, curiously. Shrugging, Gil replied,
"I have no idea. I imagine they started out with a bit of wine, and got curious. Dug into the alcohol cabinet." he surmised, knowing the possibility hanging in the air – the possibility that their friends had wanted to numb the sadness in them. Both Sara and Gil had seen people there before.
"Maybe they wanted to forget."
"Sara." Gil warned.
"What?" she snapped. Not wanting to inflame the situation, Gil backed off. The evening had set in with great speed, and twilight pressed at the windows, the town eerily empty as it flashed by. Well, the bus was not the fastest mode of transport. The scenery more... drifted by... than 'flashed'.
***
Nick grinned, taking a swig of alcohol, and lounging across the worn out sofa. His living room was full of toys, books, and games, the fireplace chipped. The once powder-blue carpet had degraded and was now grey, the white walls smeared with dirt, chalk, and lots of other nasty stuff. He didn't mind. His horrible life was disintegrating into a world of pink elephants and colourful spinning tops and 'The Green Fairy.' He glanced at the bottle he was holding. Had he been remotely sober at the time he'd grabbed it, he would've known he was holding absinthe, maybe he would have wondered why his parents even had that, anyway. As it stood, he didn't. So he was pissed, hallucinating and very dizzy.
Catherine stumbled across the room. "Hello!" she yelled. Nick yelled back.
"You're blitzed!"
"Nuh-uh. You are." she shouted, unsteadily taking a sip of beer. She winced. It didn't taste nice. 'Or maybe... Maybe I'm too drunk to tell. No, if I was drunk, I wouldn't be drinking any more. Wait, I am. No! It doesn't taste nice, so I'm not drinking, so I'm drunk. Or not drunk...' she gave a groan, feeling slightly giddy. "But you're moving!" Nick said. Come to think of it, everything was moving at that point.
Catherine stubbornly shook her head, absently turning into a white rabbit. "I think-" the rabbit slurred, "we should..." she stopped. What was the word? Never mind.
"CATHERINE!"
"Mmm?" she hummed, falling over. Grissom's eyes widened. 'Oh crap. They're reeeally drunk.' Sara picked her friend off the floor, as Warrick came into the room. "Oh man." he muttered, and took the bottles from his friends. "That's enough of that." he told them, sternly.
Catherine grinned. "You're much more fun when you're kissing." she said, giggling. Sara glanced, tauntingly at Warrick, and looked back at her friend. "Come with me, Cath. Or do you want Warrick to hold your head under the cold tap?"
"Warrick." the young woman yelled. Sara winced at the noise, helping her friend up.
When the other two went into Nick's bathroom, Gil raised his eyebrows at Sara, smirking at their discovery. "OK, Nick. You're going to get sobered up, while I get rid of these bottles." he ordered, as Sara half-dragged, half-supported Nick to the kitchen.
"You know, you're such a co-dependant boy." she mused, switching on the tap. She shoved his head under the freezing spray, and held him there. "Interrupting important things, so I can come save you from your parents." Nick's reply was something along the lines of a series of gurgles. "You know, you can be such a pain." Sara turned her head, smiling at Gil when he entered with the trash, and left through the back door to put it straight in the garbage collection. "Sober yet?" she asked, and Nick made the best nodding motion that he could, under the circumstances. Sara let him up, shutting off the cold water.
He shook the water out of his hair, glancing over at Grissom, who had just re-entered the kitchen. Grissom didn't smile at his friend, but left the room without saying a word. Nick looked imploringly at Sara, and she retorted, "Come on. You're going to bed." she steered him out of the kitchen and up the stairs, crossing paths with Warrick and Catherine. Nick and Catherine avoided each other's eyes as they passed one another. "You taking her home?" Sara enquired, and Warrick nodded.
When everything at Nick's house was sorted, Sara and Grissom found themselves alone in the living room. They were silently reflecting the evening's events, when Sara said, "Well, I should be getting home. What time is it?" she looked around for a clock, suddenly slightly panicked. Grissom checked his watch.
"Six fifteen." he replied, "Before your curfew."
"I'd better be off." she said, leaving. Gil caught her arm, and kissed her softly. She stepped back after a few seconds. "Bye." she smiled at him, closing the door behind her.
'Interesting end to the night.'
Summary: The team at Tuscadero High School, Nevada...
Spoilers: None, really.
Disclaimer: Not mine.
A/N: OK, so I HATE this chapter, but maybe you don't. Why don't y'all tell me what you think? Please?
***
The following Monday, inescapable condolences followed Catherine, Nick, Warrick, Sara and Gil. For the most part, they were sincere, but Lindsay had been no cheerleader – people weren't crying in the hallways. 'Sorry' was just a word. Something that, after the massive argument they'd had on Saturday, they all knew was too easy to say.
Sara sat alone for five minutes while Grissom got his food at lunchtime. She picked at the pasta salad, sighing discontentedly. "Hey." a boy put his tray down on her table, making her look up. His hair was dirty blonde, ruffled into spikes, and his appearance full of spunk. A tour t-shirt of some unknown rock group, and acid-washed jeans created an air of grunge about him. "I hear about what happened." he told her. She rolled her eyes.
"You and the rest of the world."
"You must be tired of condolences by now, but for what it's worth, I hope you know that not everyone is lying when they say it."
"You mean, you're not."
"Yeah. I wish I could make it easier for you." he said, shyly. Sara's cold heart warmed a little. "Thanks. What's your name?"
"Greg Sanders."
"Thank you, Greg."
"I'll see ya around." he picked up his tray and left, replaced instantly by Gil. He gave her an encouraging smile, and they ate.
Catherine was refusing to talk to Gil, because of what he'd said before; Sara for taking Gil's side. Nick was mad at her for saying he didn't love Lindsay – maybe it was true, and that was what worried him – and Gil because he wanted to move on, and Sara for taking Catherine's side over Lindsay. Warrick was snubbing contact with all of them, for their petty ignorance.
That afternoon, as Sara asked Gil to go somewhere with her, she wondered how they'd ever be OK, after this. "It's like the world is shattering around us." she whispered, and Grissom nodded. "Or the illusion is."
They were sitting in the park on a bench, far away and hidden by foliage. Sara loved it there, because it was secretive and enclosed. Only mottled sunshine provided light; a huge, shimmering canopy of leaves, lime green in colour, arced over their heads.
Gil was the first person she'd even taken there before. "Look, Gil, I brought you here because I wanted to apologise for running before." she murmured. He looked at her oddly, and didn't know how to handle the situation. But the words came tumbling out of his mouth all the same. "Why, though? Why did you run?"
"I was scared." she replied, "But I'm not any more."
She kissed him, brazenly. Showing him that she wasn't afraid. Her tongue traced his lips, and he opened his eyes in shock. 'Not as innocent as I thought the was.' he thought, surprised at the sensations coursing through him. All caused by this *seemingly* innocent little girl. As Sara deepened the kiss, evoking arousal in him, Gil realised that she was not who she looked to be.
The moment broke when Gil's phone rang. 'Bugger'. With a muttered curse, he answered it, stroking Sara's hand as he spoke. He listened to Warrick explaining the bizarre situation, sounding as bemused as Gil himself. Catherine and Nick were drunk, at Nick's house. With his parents due home any second. 'How did they get ahold of drink? More importantly, WHY?' Gil wondered, snapping his phone shut and briefly telling Sara what was going on. She grabbed his hand and dragged him to a bus stop on the park border.
They caught the first bus in to Nevada Square, and paid their fares. The rattling old bus made is senile way to the Square, stopping annoyingly at regular intervals. On the way there, they spoke hurriedly about their plan of action. "How drunk?" Sara asked, curiously. Shrugging, Gil replied,
"I have no idea. I imagine they started out with a bit of wine, and got curious. Dug into the alcohol cabinet." he surmised, knowing the possibility hanging in the air – the possibility that their friends had wanted to numb the sadness in them. Both Sara and Gil had seen people there before.
"Maybe they wanted to forget."
"Sara." Gil warned.
"What?" she snapped. Not wanting to inflame the situation, Gil backed off. The evening had set in with great speed, and twilight pressed at the windows, the town eerily empty as it flashed by. Well, the bus was not the fastest mode of transport. The scenery more... drifted by... than 'flashed'.
***
Nick grinned, taking a swig of alcohol, and lounging across the worn out sofa. His living room was full of toys, books, and games, the fireplace chipped. The once powder-blue carpet had degraded and was now grey, the white walls smeared with dirt, chalk, and lots of other nasty stuff. He didn't mind. His horrible life was disintegrating into a world of pink elephants and colourful spinning tops and 'The Green Fairy.' He glanced at the bottle he was holding. Had he been remotely sober at the time he'd grabbed it, he would've known he was holding absinthe, maybe he would have wondered why his parents even had that, anyway. As it stood, he didn't. So he was pissed, hallucinating and very dizzy.
Catherine stumbled across the room. "Hello!" she yelled. Nick yelled back.
"You're blitzed!"
"Nuh-uh. You are." she shouted, unsteadily taking a sip of beer. She winced. It didn't taste nice. 'Or maybe... Maybe I'm too drunk to tell. No, if I was drunk, I wouldn't be drinking any more. Wait, I am. No! It doesn't taste nice, so I'm not drinking, so I'm drunk. Or not drunk...' she gave a groan, feeling slightly giddy. "But you're moving!" Nick said. Come to think of it, everything was moving at that point.
Catherine stubbornly shook her head, absently turning into a white rabbit. "I think-" the rabbit slurred, "we should..." she stopped. What was the word? Never mind.
"CATHERINE!"
"Mmm?" she hummed, falling over. Grissom's eyes widened. 'Oh crap. They're reeeally drunk.' Sara picked her friend off the floor, as Warrick came into the room. "Oh man." he muttered, and took the bottles from his friends. "That's enough of that." he told them, sternly.
Catherine grinned. "You're much more fun when you're kissing." she said, giggling. Sara glanced, tauntingly at Warrick, and looked back at her friend. "Come with me, Cath. Or do you want Warrick to hold your head under the cold tap?"
"Warrick." the young woman yelled. Sara winced at the noise, helping her friend up.
When the other two went into Nick's bathroom, Gil raised his eyebrows at Sara, smirking at their discovery. "OK, Nick. You're going to get sobered up, while I get rid of these bottles." he ordered, as Sara half-dragged, half-supported Nick to the kitchen.
"You know, you're such a co-dependant boy." she mused, switching on the tap. She shoved his head under the freezing spray, and held him there. "Interrupting important things, so I can come save you from your parents." Nick's reply was something along the lines of a series of gurgles. "You know, you can be such a pain." Sara turned her head, smiling at Gil when he entered with the trash, and left through the back door to put it straight in the garbage collection. "Sober yet?" she asked, and Nick made the best nodding motion that he could, under the circumstances. Sara let him up, shutting off the cold water.
He shook the water out of his hair, glancing over at Grissom, who had just re-entered the kitchen. Grissom didn't smile at his friend, but left the room without saying a word. Nick looked imploringly at Sara, and she retorted, "Come on. You're going to bed." she steered him out of the kitchen and up the stairs, crossing paths with Warrick and Catherine. Nick and Catherine avoided each other's eyes as they passed one another. "You taking her home?" Sara enquired, and Warrick nodded.
When everything at Nick's house was sorted, Sara and Grissom found themselves alone in the living room. They were silently reflecting the evening's events, when Sara said, "Well, I should be getting home. What time is it?" she looked around for a clock, suddenly slightly panicked. Grissom checked his watch.
"Six fifteen." he replied, "Before your curfew."
"I'd better be off." she said, leaving. Gil caught her arm, and kissed her softly. She stepped back after a few seconds. "Bye." she smiled at him, closing the door behind her.
'Interesting end to the night.'