A/N Sorry for the delay in posting this chapter, have had essays to write.

Disclaimer: The characters in C.S.I are not mine. No matter how much I wish Gil Grissom was locked in my closet, it's not gonna happen.

Love in the Dark- Chapter 5

Grissom, Sara and Nick arrived at the new crime scene after dropping Greg off at the lab. He had left the car quietly, not wanting to upset Grissom anymore than he inadvertently had.

Entering the third student house he had seen in three days, Grissom looked around. This one seemed different to him somehow and it wasn't until he entered the kitchen that he realised why. There was no excessive mess anywhere and that indicated to him that there had been no party.

Sara and Nick followed Grissom into the kitchen where they also found Catherine and Warrick. There was a very shaken youth being interviewed by police officers in the corner of the room.

"It's not the same. There was no party here tonight." Grissom addressed Catherine as soon as he reached her.

"No. The only person here was our victim and he's not got much to say for himself."

"You know better than that Catherine, our victims always talk."

"Not this one Gil, well not that we've found anyway."

"Sara get in the closet and look for fingerprints, Nick you check the perimeter with Warrick and Catherine you talk to the friend over there. Find out everything he knows. We have to stop this before there's another murder."

Everyone moved quickly to start their designated job while Grissom stood still in the middle of the kitchen. He needed a moment to adjust to the new feeling he had. He'd never been so content before as there had always been his longing for Sara in the back of his mind. But now he had no worries and it felt strange since he had become so accustomed to being tense when they were in the same room together.

After a considerable amount of time, he went in search of the closet that held the latest victim. Reaching the door of the upstairs bedroom that included the closet, he stood under the threshold for a minute just watching Sara work.

As he stared, he saw the edges of her mouth curl up into a smile as she appeared to find some evidence. He chose this time to speak to her. "Have you got something?"

She turned swiftly at the sound of his voice and grinned. "I think I have."

He walked over to her for a closer look at what she was doing. He hovered at the opening of the closet. His gaze rested on the inside of a box she was dusting before moving up to her face. He wrinkled his forehead unsure of her discovery. "We don't know that those are the killer's prints, what made you even dust in there?"

"It's possible they are the killer's prints, they're the only clear ones we have to work with. And as for your question, certain experiences can help you better understand crime scenes."

"You mean like experiences in aeroplane bathrooms for example?" He raised his eyebrows slightly.

"That's one example, yes." She replied as she blushed slightly forgetting she had ever told him that story.

She watched his face as he registered her words before adding more. "Well this is different."

"Is there something odd about the fingerprint?" He was puzzled.

"Oh no nothing like that. I was just thinking how strange it is to be in a closet and not have you in here with me. It was getting to be a bit of a habit."

Being careful not to touch anything inside the closet, Grissom moved inside and stood extremely close to Sara. One small move and their bodies would have been pressed against each other. "How do you feel now?" He spoke in a very low and sexy tone.

"I'm sure it's a feeling I shouldn't have when I'm at work. Especially when there's a dead body next to me."

He stepped back out of the closet whilst smirking at her. "I have to go check on how everyone else is getting on but we can continue this conversation after shift." He stared at her for a reaction before adding "Breakfast?"

"How could I resist an invitation from the elusive Dr. Grssom?"

"I like you calling me doctor!" He winked at Sara and it made her stomach jump. He could see that she was taken aback and he left the room before she could recover.

He ambled slowly downstairs not believing that he had just winked at Sara, he had no idea what had possessed him to do it. Judging by her reaction, however, he was glad that he did it.

He would look forward to their breakfast date but first they all had the small matter of a multiple murder case to solve.

Walking back into the kitchen, he saw Catherine. She had finished talking to the friend of the victim and was now standing with Brass.

"The victim was Michael Alexander, lived here with three other students. All of whom were out tonight." Brass filled Grissom in on the details. "We were talking to the housemate who found him and he said Michael had arranged to meet him at 9pm but never showed up."

"Mind if I have a word with him?" Grissom approached the student before receiving an answer.

"Excuse me." The teenager looked up. "He never turned up to meet with you?" The teenager, Evan, was willing to help. "We were supposed to all go to a party, he was going to meet us at my girlfriend, Julie's, house because he had an assignment to finish."

Something clicked in Grissom brain. "Your girlfriend, were you with her all night?"

"Most of the night, we got split up when we got to the party because she went to see some friends."

"Where is she now?"

"She's been in the bathroom for the last half an hour throwing up. She was with me when I found Michael and it hit her pretty badly. Can I go see how she is?" He was fidgeting in his skin, obviously concerned.

"Yes, tell her that we need to talk to her."

Evan left the room and Grissom indicated with his eyes that Brass should follow him.

"Did you know there was a girl here Catherine?"

"Yes, in the bathroom. She needed time to collect herself."

"Or maybe to collect her thoughts, think through her story." He noticed her unconvinced glare. "First to find the body equals first suspect. There was no forced entry into the house which means the victim knew the killer enough to let them in.

They played a game of seeing who would turn away first from the fixed stare they had until Brass came back with the girl. Neither won the contest as they both turned toward him at the same time.

She was a petite girl with long, brown hair, obviously dressed for a party in a short skirt and a pink button up shirt. Grissom took in her demeanour and deduced that she really had been physically sick.

"Did you know that Michael was going to be home alone tonight?"

"Yes, but only when Evan told me at my house."

"Were you friends with Michael?"

"We were all friends, I don't know what you're getting at."

Catherine thought up a new line of questioning. "What colour lipstick do you wear, Julie?"

"Erm, berry red. What has that got to do with anything?"

"We found passion pink lipstick on Michael's lips and we believe that who ever murdered him did so by administering a small amount of poison in the form of a lipstick."

"I don't wear passion pink, it doesn't suit my skin tone and hair colour. It's more the kind of colour that Alyssa Pembrose would have."

"Alyssa?" Catherine enquired whilst nodding in agreement at her beauty tips.

"A girl in my psychology class. I saw her out at that party tonight." She rolled her eyes in remembrance. "She's a real party girl, never misses a good one."

Catherine and Grissom looked at one another, both drawing the same conclusion at the same time.

"You wouldn't have a number for her would you?" Grissom asked.

"You wouldn't be the first guy to ask for that." She replied tactlessly and with a tinge of envy.

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Brass, Catherine and Grissom tracked Alyssa down to a bar near the university campus. They immediately knew who she was when they saw a blonde girl surrounded by four guys, wearing a bright pink lipstick. She was drinking what looked like a glass of coke.

Grissom eyed the glass, knowing he could get good prints from it if necessary.

"Alyssa Pembrose?" Brass called passed all the young men and she peered up to his face.

"Yes." She was smiling so sickly sweetly it would give you toothache, and she flicked her long hair back.

"Can we talk to you for a moment?"

"Sure. Guys give me a sec ok. I'll finish my story about cheerleader camp later." All the young men got up and left space for Catherine, Grissom and Brass to sit down. Alyssa watched Grissom for a moment and then smiled in recognition.

"Ah, Dr. Gil Grissom, this is a pleasure. We've studied some of your work in my classes and we were all hoping that one day you might come in as a guest speaker. I was particularly interested in the case with Paul Milander. I'd love to see your notes on that, maybe we could get together to discuss it one day."

Grissom was flattered by Alyssa's interest in his work and blushed slightly. "Maybe. But first we'd like to ask you a few questions Miss Pembrose."

"Go ahead, I'm all yours." She said enticingly.

"Did you know Michael Alexander?" Brass started.

"I knew of him, never actually spoke to him. Why, what has he said?"

"Nothing, and that's all he'll ever say now. He's dead, he was murdered tonight and found in a closet."

"Oh my God, that's horrible. How many is that now, in that way I mean?"

"Three young men have been killed in closets in the last two days. We did some research and it seems that you were one of the few people who was seen at each of the parties where the murders occurred." Brass stated matter of factly.

"I go to a lot of parties, I'm not surprised I was at all of them."

Grissom decided to intervene in the conversation. "You have lovely lips." Catherine eyed him disbelievingly.

"Why thank you Dr Grissom." She flicked her hair back again in flirtation and flashed him a big, perfect toothed grin.

"That colour is just beautiful. My girlfriend would love it. What shade is it?"

Alyssa's smile faded at the mention of a girlfriend while Catherine's grew at the thought of Grissom with a partner. Especially a partner who would wear bright pink lipstick.

"Oh, I don't know, some kind of pink." Feeling uneasy, Alyssa decided to end the conversation. I'm sorry, but I must be leaving. It was nice meeting you guys. Especially you, Dr Grissom. I hope to see you again."

"Oh yes, me too Alyssa. Sooner rather than later I hope."

With that she got up out of the booth and left, with boys following her like lost dogs.

"I hope I didn't just witness you flirting with a college student Gil." Catherine didn't hide her amusement.

He glared at her. "I was simply trying to find out what lipstick she uses."

"She seemed to get edgy when you said that. The conversation wasn't very helpful." Brass said dejectedly.

"It was more helpful than you could imagine Jim." He pulled out a glove from his pocket and put it on. He then lifted up the neglected glass and showed it to Brass. "We have something to compare those prints Sara got to now."

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Two hours after speaking to Alyssa, Catherine and Grissom found themselves outside the interrogation room waiting to have the pleasure of talking to her again.

Whilst waiting, Sara approached the two.

"Good catch on the prints Sara." Catherine commended her. "How did you know where to look?"

Sara looked nervously at Grissom and it didn't go unnoticed by Catherine. "I just got er... lucky I guess. Someone else would have found them eventually."

"Maybe, but it was enough to get the search warrant on Alyssa."

Grissom nodded while desperately avoiding Sara's eyes.

"What did you find at her place?"

"On lipstick, passion pink and laced with poison. And here's Brass now so we can inform her of what we found. You looking forward to talking to your admirer again Gil?"

Sara looked at Catherine questioningly. Seeing Sara's confusion she proceeded to tell her about the events in the bar.

"Seems as though he has a fan. This girl Alyssa has been following his work and even wanted him to guest lecture one of her classes."

Sara was listening very closely as the conversation had just got interesting. "Imagine that, a student falling for the enigmatic Dr Grissom. I'd have to see it to believe it." She spoke in mock astonishment.

"Feel free to watch from behind the mirror." Catherine replied quickly.

Grissom followed Catherine and Brass into the interrogation room but not before smiling shyly at Sara.

Dropping his head down to the papers he had in his hand, he went through to the interrogation room and quickly took a seat opposite Alyssa and next to Catherine. Brass was standing against the wall in his typically laid back style.

Catherine began the interaction as Brass looked on from his position.

"Did you go to Michael Alexander's house last night?"

"Yes"

"Ok, what were you doing there?"

"I know the people he lives with and I went looking for them. They wanted to go to a party with me so I thought I'd meet them there."

"Did you see Michael last night?"

"Yes." She looked from Catherine to Grissom and found that he was watching her intently as if he was transfixed. She fluttered her eyelashes at him and smiled seductively.

Grissom reacted to her flirting by taking over the interrogation. He stuttered slightly, due to his amazement at another young woman flirting with him. "You, er, told us you had never met Michael."

"No, Dr Grissom, what I said was I had never spoken to him. I didn't talk to him." She was staring back at him with the same intensity he had used. Her tongue slipped out of her mouth to lick her lips slowly and Grissom watched the entire movement.

Catherine noticed Grissom's distraction, as did Brass. Sara also noticed it from her position behind the two way mirror where she had been watching the teenage temptress work her magic on Grissom. She wondered if he had a thing for overly flirtatious and seemingly dangerous women.

"Alyssa, we found your prints inside the closet that Michael was killed in." Catherine had to interrupt the silence that had fallen on the room.

"That must have been from when I helped them move some things around."

Catherine eyed her suspiciously as Brass walked towards the table.

"I get the impression that you don't help people move things, you just have little boys running after you and doing everything for you." Brass couldn't hide his disgust.

"Are you trying to accuse me of something?"

"We don't need to accuse you of anything, we found your lipstick." Alyssa tried not to let this information affect her but Grissom noted that she seemed shocked. "Your fingerprints were all over it and they were also in the closet." Brass continued to taunt her.

"Those fingerprints in the closet mean nothing and you know it. And as for the lipstick, I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about." She aimed her denial directly into Grissom's eyes.

As he stared back at her he realised that her eyes held no emotion. He couldn't draw any conclusion from them as they just seemed empty. He did sense though that he was looking into the eyes of a very dangerous girl.

"You can't deny the evidence Alyssa." Grissom spoke resignedly as he took his glasses from his face and placed them on the table.

Alyssa muttered something that no-one else could hear so Brass told her to speak up and she repeated her words.

"I said, concentrate on what can't lie, the evidence." Grissom immediately recognised his words and was not sure what to make of the way she said them. "Isn't that right Dr. Grissom?"

He wondered how two different women calling him doctor could produce such different reactions in himself. When Sara said it he was excited but the way Alyssa spoke those words was ominous. He realised that she had fixed her stare on him again, as had Catherine who was waiting to see how he would react.

"It is very sound advice." Was all he managed to say.

"Then why are you concentrating on me?" She shot back. "I can lie..." A strange grin spread across her face as Grissom kept watching. "I do lie."

Brass spoke from his corner. "That could easily be interpreted as an admission of guilt."

Alyssa flashed her eyes in Brass' direction, they flickered with anger until she turned back to Grissom. "Well, it's not. Now if you are going to ask me any more questions, I believe I need a lawyer."

Grissom and Catherine got up from the desk and hurried out of the room. Sara was outside waiting for them.

TBC