A/N: I know this chapter is quite short, but I will post the next one very soon to (hopefully) make up for it. I had wanted to keep this brief section separate from what happens next. I am so grateful to everyone who keeps reviewing this story, especially to those of you who have come back and reviewed it multiple times! Thank you so much! Enjoy!
Chapter 5: Dazed
They got back to CSI and Catherine left him in the locker room to change while she dropped off the boatload of evidence at DNA and Trace to wait for Greg's return.
Grissom sat on the bench and stared into his locker for several long minutes. He was entirely drained, his head was spinning, and everything hurt. And his stomach, although hollowly empty, still felt queasy. He finally forced himself up, found a clean pair of pants, and took them into the back room with the toothbrush and toothpaste he was glad he always kept in his locker. He changed and brushed his teeth, and by then Catherine had returned to get him.
She dragged him over to Brass's office to give the police captain an update. On the way there, she explained to Grissom how one of the daytime technicians had agreed to start on some things until Greg got back because she currently had a very light caseload. Then Catherine's beeper went off, letting her know that Dr. Robbins was ready with the preliminary autopsy of the woman they had found in the blood-filled house. She told Grissom about this as they reached the entrance to police headquarters, and he just nodded. He hadn't uttered a word since they had gotten back into Catherine's SUV on the side of the road. He looked terrible, and she wanted nothing more than to allow him to lie down on Brass's couch and sleep for several hours.
"Well, here's something useful," Brass informed them as the trio stood in his office. "We may have an ID on the dead woman. I checked the tax records, and the listed owner of that house in Henderson is Jessica Rosen, 36. Don't know if that's our mystery vic, but we have a possible name now, at least. We'll run her prints to see if she's in any of the databases."
"Thanks, Brass," Catherine said. "We've got a ton of evidence to sort through. Maybe it'll tell us more about her."
Brass nodded, then squinted at the silent, subdued Grissom, looking him up and down. The scientist's attention seemed focused on a spot on the far wall. "Gil?" he called. "Hey, Gil?" He turned to Catherine, concerned. "What's with him?"
She touched Grissom's arm to bring his awareness back to her and Brass. "He's just completely exhausted, Jim," she explained. "I hate to ask this again, but can he sack out on the sofa for a while?"
Grissom was now looking at Jim, his eyes heavy-lidded and glazed; he rubbed a hand over them. "I'm sorry, Jim, did you say something?"
"Not feeling any better, Gil?" the captain asked.
"Not really," Grissom admitted.
And based on how he looked, Brass understood.
Then Grissom pulled a handful of tissues out of his pocket and sneezed three times, which also started him coughing.
"Bless you," Brass began before addressing the other CSI. "Why don't you just take him home, Catherine? We don't need him here that badly, do we?"
"I'm afraid we do, Jim. I'd be the first one to get him out of here if I could, but we're short-handed without Nicky and we've got all that evidence—with more coming as soon as Sara and Warrick finish collecting. We need Grissom here." After a pause, she went on, "But he needs to sleep—at least for a while. So, can we use the couch?"
Brass smiled. "Sure. Use my office as long as you need to, pal," he told Grissom. "I'll just set up shop in one of the conference rooms again." He began gathering up some important things from his desk and tossing them into his briefcase.
Catherine turned to Grissom. "Why don't you go stretch out?"
He took off his gray suede jacket, which he had swapped the "FORENSICS" windbreaker for, hung it up, and sat on the couch while he removed his shoes.
"Do you need anything?" she asked him, handing over the pillow and blanket Brass had returned to the closet earlier.
"I don't think so," came his tired reply.
As Brass moved toward the door, Catherine stopped him. "Could you get him something to drink before you go?" she requested.
"Yeah, I'll be right back," he promised. Only a minute or so passed until he came back, carrying a bottle of water. "Here you go," he said, handing her the bottle. "I'll put a 'do not disturb' order on my office again. Use it as long as you need."
"Thanks, Jim," Catherine replied.
"I'll see you later," he called over to Grissom.
"Thanks, Jim," Grissom repeated, adjusting the pillow. Catherine gave him the water and he cracked it open and drank some. Then he placed it on the floor next to the couch and lay down.
Catherine covered him with the blanket, tucking it in in the right spots to make him comfortable. "Sleep," was all she said, leaning over and running a hand through his hair.
He closed his eyes and nodded, pulling the blanket tightly around him and trying to relax.
She darkened the room, shut the lights, and locked the door behind her as she headed to see Dr. Robbins and their female victim.
* * * * * * *
Catherine was in the lab with Greg, discussing the DNA results they had at this point. All the blood he had tested so far belonged to the female vic. They still weren't sure if she was Jessica Rosen, the listed owner of the house where she'd been found. Greg was about to start on the next batch of blood samples when Sara and Warrick came in, toting a huge quantity of swabs and evidence bags, and looking worn out.
"How'd it go, guys?" Catherine asked them.
"I think we got it all," Warrick replied in a weary voice.
As Greg started sorting and separating the new set of swabs, Catherine glanced around at her tired team. "Why don't we all take a break, guys?" she suggested. "I know we can all use one." Catherine was automatically taking over, her unofficial "second-in-command" position bumped up a notch with Grissom out of it. "I'll order some food. Does Chinese sound all right?"
Everyone agreed rather enthusiastically to the thought of sustenance, and the boys went off in opposite directions, hoping to take advantage of the few minutes' pause until the food arrived. "Is Grissom in Brass's office?" Sara asked Catherine.
"Yeah."
"For how long?"
Catherine looked at her watch. "Nearly three hours."
"Is it all right…" Sara began, then stopped, hesitant to continue. She started over, asking almost sheepishly, "Can I go look in on him?"
Catherine understood her motivations, and smiled. "Sure. Here are the keys. We locked it up tight."
Grinning, Sara grabbed the small key ring. "I'll be right back," she assured. "Order me something vegetarian, and don't forget something for Grissom." She walked quickly down the hall and outside.
* * * * * * *