Title: Not Quite Myself
Author: Roxanne Kowalchuk
Feedback: roxettemts.net
Category: Romance/Humor
Pairing: S/G (Sara/Grissom)
Disclaimer: I don't owe anyone.
Spoilers: IE. Just the Job.
Summary: Sara is having a bad day.
Notes: I gotta stop writing while on a sugar rush. Gotta love Hallowe'en
candy. :)
An Extra Big Thank You: To Kelly, my beta reader.
Archived: Yes, please!
Feedback is welcomed.
....................

"Oh man," Warrick commented as he covered his mouth with the back of his
hand. "This guy is one sick puppy."

Remembering to breathe through his mouth, Grissom approached Warrick.
Looking beside him, he saw what he saw, two very badly decomposing bodies. "That's why he shot first, ran second," Grissom said as he bent down to investigate. "David will have to come get these bodies. I can't make heads or tails of them."

"So why did Sara suspect this guy?" Warrick asked knowing Grissom didn't
know the answer. "And what was the case she was working on?"

"I couldn't tell you," Grissom admitted. "We'll have to find out later when
we get back to the lab or you do. I'll be going back to the hospital."

"Ya sure, I can do that," Warrick replied as he went back to his case and
took his own camera out. "I'll start processing."

"Alright, I'll continue looking around," Grissom said as he wandered off.
..........

Outside the house, Catherine was busy collecting evidence and talking with
Brass.

"How did Grissom react to the news?"

Taking a quick look at the door, Brass then returned his attention to her.
He had exited the house a few minutes ago after informing Warrick of his
find. And that house was clear. He posted a deputy inside and went to see if
Catherine had found anything. "At first he thought, she had done something.
But once I told him that she was hurt, the second victim, he seemed to
care."

Looking up, Catherine eyed him. "Seemed to care?"

"Well his first answer to me telling him that it involved Sara wasn't ...
what's the word I'm looking for," Brass said as he racked his brain. "Nice.
He thought she had started something."

"That is how Sara is," Catherine replied.

"Ya but she was the innocent victim here," Brass told her.

"Trust me I know. I'm feeling extremely guilty here," she said as she
returned to searching the ground for clues.

"Why's that?" Brass questioned as he watched her.

"Because I snapped at her earlier tonight, and it wasn't her fault at all,"
Catherine answered. "Maybe I'll go visit her later."

"I'll tell her you're coming to visit later," Brass said as Grissom exited
the house. "Grissom."

Looking up again, Catherine saw Grissom. "Brass said you found two bodies?"

"Yes, David will have to come get them. But Warrick is processing the house. Would you help him after you are done out here?" Grissom explained as he carefully walked around the crime scene.

"Sure. Where will you be?"

"At the hospital talking to Sara," Grissom replied.

"Alright, phone us if there is any news," Catherine said as she stood up and
watched Brass and Grissom head towards Brass' car.

..........

"Excuse me?"

Stopping at the door to Sara's room, Grissom turned to the voice. "Yes?"

"May I ask who you are?" A nurse asked.

"Gil Grissom and this is Jim Brass," Grissom quickly introduced. He wasn't
in the mood to talk to anyone but Sara.

"Captain Brass is fine to go in, but Mr. Grissom I'm sorry, Miss Sidle does
not want to see you," the nurse explained. "You'll have to wait out here."

Grissom's jaw could have dented the floor. Sara didn't want to see him. Now
it was his time for questions. "Excuse me?"

"She requested that only a few people be allowed to come in her room."

"Is this the pain medication talking?" Grissom questioned.

"No, she made it clear who she wants," the nurse said. "But if you'll excuse
me, I must get back to work."

Watching her leave, Grissom made his mind up that he was going in any ways.

Sticking a hand out, Brass stopped Grissom from completing his mission.
"Don't be crazy Gil. Do you want to be thrown out of the hospital?"

"I'm going in Brass," Grissom stated.

"No your not!" Brass said as Grissom glared at him. "Let me go in and see
what's up."

He knew Brass was right. If he walked into her room, he might just be thrown
out of the hospital completely. "Fine."

Opening the door, Brass walked into Sara's room. Quickly looking over his
shoulder, he made sure that Grissom hadn't followed him. When he was
satisfied that he hadn't, he moved over towards the side of her bed. "Sara?"

She liked being in her drugged up little world. It felt safe, but she knew
she had to open her eyes. Opening them a bit, she answered the person.
"Who's asking?"

She still had her sense of humor. "Brass."

Opening her eyes further, she continued. "What can I do for you?"

"We need some information," Brass told her.

"We?"

"Grissom is outside, waiting to come in."

"He isn't coming in," Sara pointed out. "And I'm not changing my mind."

"Well Sara, Grissom would like to know what happened."

"So what?" she said as she closed her eyes again.

He knew it was better if he had a CSI in the room with him. "What about
somebody else? Warrick, Catherine, Nick?"

"No, no, and no," Sara answered.

He was starting to see a pattern. "So if I told you that Catherine was
coming later to see you..."

"You can tell her not to bother," Sara said as she cut him off.

He gave in. "Then who would you like in the room with me."

"Greg."

He wasn't sure if he had heard her right. "As in Sanders?"

"Yes. Only him. No one else."

"Okay, give me some time."

"Sure," Sara said as she didn't bother opening her eyes and to watch Brass
leave the room. She was starting to love her drugs, as she felt no pain,
none of them could hurt her anymore.
..........


He had been pacing the hallway. He'd walk to the end of the hallway and then
he would turn around and walk to the other end. As he passed her room, he'd
stare at her door imagining Brass was stepping out and indicating that he
was allowed in. But it never happened. Brass did emerge from the room a few minutes later, but the permission that he had been waiting for never came.

"Gil."

Walking over to Brass, he spoke. "You have that look like you don't want to
tell me what she said."

"I do," Brass admitted.

"What did she say?" Grissom questioned. He knew he had to know.

"She doesn't want you, Catherine, Nick or Warrick in her room with me when I ask her questions on what happened," Brass explained as he watched Grissom carefully.

Opening his mouth, no words came out. He was in a state of shock. Closing
his mouth, he took a minute to himself, and then spoke. "Did she say who
she'd let in?"

"Sanders."

"Greg?" Grissom replied with a sharp intake of breath.

"Yes."

None of this was making sense His mind was reeling. "What the hell is she up
too?"

"I'm not sure," Brass admitted.

She could be so stubborn. "Alright, I'll call Nick and get him to bring Greg
over."

"Alright," Brass agreed. There was nothing else for him to say or do. All
they could do now was wait.

..........

Nick was on a mission. He had just gotten off the phone. It had been
Grissom, he had told Nick to grab Greg and get down to the hospital. It was
rather important for him to get Greg there. But at the moment, Greg seemed
to be missing in action.

Checking the lab again, Nick spotted Greg sweet-talking some intern. Usually
he wouldn't bother him but this time, he had no choice.

"Greg!"

Looking up at who was calling his name, Greg went to ignore Nick but as he
turned back to the intern, she was gone. "Thanks a bunch Nick," Greg told
him as he headed for his chair.

"We gotta go, Greg."

Greg wasn't sure what Nick was talking about. "Go where? Nick, remember I
work here. In this lab."

"Ya, I know that but Grissom wants you."

"He isn't here," Greg pointed out.

Why was he making this harder than it had to be. "Get your coat and let's
go. I'll explain on the way."

There was no way of getting out it. "Sure. Give me a minute."

Nick was only willing to give him thirty seconds.
..........
"How's the deputy?" Grissom asked as he rubbed his face.

"They're keeping him for observation," Brass answered as he returned from
talking to a nurse at the nurse's station.

"Do all deputy's wear their vests?"

"Not usually, I will ask him about that," Brass said as he noticed Nick and
Greg. "Over here."

"Grissom, Brass," Nick greeted as they stopped beside them. "How's Sara?"

"Doing good," Brass answered for Grissom. "Greg, why don't you go in."

With his hands deep in his pockets, Greg did what Brass had suggested. He
wasn't in the mood to argue because he didn't know the whole story. Only
knowing one side and arguing with half the information could get him in a
lot of trouble.

As he walked to the door, Nick spoke up. "So what exactly happened?"

He would of stopped and listened, but he probably would have been yelled at. Knocking on the door, he then pushed it open. "Sara?"
..........

"She was serving a warrant with a deputy, when the suspect opened the door
and fired a shotgun," Grissom explained to Nick.

"The deputy?" Nick questioned.

"In good condition," Brass replied. "He took most of the shot. He shoved
Sara behind him, but she got hit on the right side with some of the shot."

"He had a vest on?"

"Yes," Grissom said as he stared over at the door. "That's all we know so
far."

"Okay," Nick said as he too, looked over at the door.
..........


She had heard the knock and told whomever it was to come in.

Walking into the room, Greg looked at her in awe. "Wow Sara, have you
realized that you have almost all the machines in the hospital hooked up to
you? You have more then what I had."

It wasn't all the machines. It was just some. "You sound jealous?" Sara
teased.

Moving over to the side of the bed, Greg took a hand out of his pocket and
put his fingers together out in front of him. "Just a little."

Sara snorted. "Sorry."

"Can't laugh, huh?"

"No, it hurts."

"I'd tell you ya, but I don't know what has happened to have you in here," Greg told her.

"You don't?"

"No, Nick grabbed me from the lab and brought me here. All he explained in
the truck was that you were in here."

"Nice of Nick to do that," Sara replied. "I was shot."

"What?"

"Well sort of," Sara said in a hurry. "There was deputy in front of me and
he pushed me behind him."

"And the deputy?"

"Fine, he had his vest on."

"Lucky guy," Greg commented. "So besides being drugged up, how ya doing?"

"I don't know how to answer that," Sara admitted. "Your life does tend to
flash before your eyes."

"Probably does," Greg agreed. "So tell me something Sara, why me?"

Sara didn't understand. "You?"

"Ya me. Why not Grissom, Catherine, Warrick or Nick?"

Now she understood. "Had enough of them already."

Greg understood, too. "The lab charm."

"Lab charm?" Sara questioned.

"Ya well, I have another word for it, but since we're in a hospital," Greg
started. "They tend to charm you one minute and the other, you're to blame
for everything."

He knew how she felt. "They do the same to you?"

"Oh ya. But I just let it slide."

"I did too, but two can play that game," Sara said as she yawned. "Sorry."

"Don't be."

"Listen Greg, can you do me a favor?"

"Of course." She didn't have to ask him twice.

"Tell Brass I'll talk to him later on. I'm too tired. Or just tell him what
I told you."

"Sure," Greg agreed. "I'll be back later."

"Can you ask about the deputy?"

"Sure, of course," Greg said as he watched her drift off to sleep.
..........


"What are you talking about?" Grissom snapped at Greg.

"Look she's the one who got shot," Greg said as he stood up to Grissom. Sara was his friend. "She needs her rest. She basically told me what happened."

Speaking up, Brass wanted to calm Grissom down. "Listen Grissom, I'll go see her later."

"And I'll stay here," Greg replied.

"No way, we need evidence processed back at the lab," Grissom told him as he turned to Nick. "Drive him back."

"Sure," Nick said as he clamped a hand on Greg's shoulder. "Come on. Let's
go back to the lab."

Not even bothering to look at Grissom, Greg let Nick lead him down the
hallway.

When they were gone, Brass continued on. "Take it easy, Grissom. Don't blame Greg for Sara's decision."

"Let's go back to the crime scene."

"Sure," Brass said as he remembered he was Grissom's chauffeur.
......................

Feedback welcomed! :)