Disclaimer: All right everyone, sing along… "I don't own CSI, its characters, or anything associated with the show. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is the sole property of CBS and Alliance Atlantis." This document was written purely based on the fact that my muse will not stop nagging me. For the entertainment of you folks only.
Spoiler: Unbearable. (spew)
A/N: Okay, so it is time to get moving here. Time to bring in some other folks and move this story along. So now, without further ado, I give you…. Chapter 10.
Warrick knew something had gone down, something big, but he wasn't sure what it was.
Sophia had given notice two weeks ago. Tonight was her last night, and she was only coming in to clear out her stuff, so Warrick was working her cases now.
Catherine had come to him and asked if he'd like to work some additional overtime to cover for the loss of Sophia. He agreed, and although he wasn't quite pulling double shifts, it was close, and he was anticipating some serious dough.
Warrick was thrilled to earn the extra money. No one knew, but Warrick wanted to buy a house. Everything was getting tucked away for a downpayment. So the long hours didn't bother him, he was working towards a goal.
He had started the OT last week, first working with Sophia to transition all of her cases, and now, finally, on his own.
At first, he didn't notice anything different.
Sara was cranky, Grissom was withdrawn, and Greg was Sara's puppy dog. This was the same old song, replaying over and over again.
Yet, the melody had changed slightly, and Warrick couldn't quite put his finger on why.
He pondered this while comparing fibers under a microscope. Nick interrupted his thoughts.
"Yo! So how's it going? Exhausted yet?"
"Nah, man. I'm all right." Warrick looked up from the scope.
"I think your nuts, working all this OT," Nick chided him.
"It's cool. I could use the extra dough."
Warrick studied Nick, knowing how he and Sara were friends. Maybe he knew what was going on.
"Hey, you talk to Sara recently?"
Nick replied rather solemnly, "No. I know something's botherin' her again, but she won't talk to me about it. Says it is nothing. Not to worry."
"I think something went down between her and Grissom again."
"Well, that's nothing new."
"I know, it's like a broken record with them. But something is off this time. It's different."
Warrick had a great view of both hallways from where he was sitting, and he noticed Sara walking towards Grissom, papers in her hand, and pointed her out to Nick.
"Here. Watch this."
They both tried to be nonchalant as they watched the scene unfold.
Sara approached Grissom, her back straight, her attitude professional and confident.
Grissom noticed her and paused, looking slightly uncomfortable.
Sara's mouth moved as she handed the papers to Grissom.
He replied to her, and although they couldn't hear either of them, it was clear Grissom was being his supervisory self.
Sara nodded and turned away from him, walking back to wherever it was she came from, still maintaining her professional air.
Grissom's eyes watched her leave, his shoulders slumped a little, and he turned and walked slowly in the opposite direction.
Nick turned to Warrick with a bored expression on his face.
"Ok, man. That was fascinating and all, but, like, nothing happened. You need to stop the people watching and get yourself a woman. You are way too nosy."
Warrick sighed, "Yeah, yeah, I know. But something isn't right. I think it's with Grissom. He's .. distracted. And sometimes, I get this feeling like he lost something."
"When isn't he distracted? The guy is weird. Maybe his pet spider died. No loss there."
"Hey. I happen to like Grissom, okay? And I've worked with him for a while. Something is definitely off with him."
Nick looked away, thinking, and recalled what he'd seen a few weeks back. He hadn't thought much about it, other than it was odd.
"You know, I saw Grissom a few weeks back and he was weirder than usual."
Warrick was curious. "What'dya see?"
"Okay, this is going to sound really strange, but I was leaving shift and I saw Grissom coming into work. It was late, and night shift had started about 2 hours earlier. I was late leaving b/c I had to finish up on something, and I thought it was odd that Grissom was just coming in. I mean, he lives here."
"Anyways, I was walking to my car, and Grissom walked by me… didn't say anything… nothing new… but, he seemed, like… frustrated."
"So? Maybe something happened with his car."
"No, I mean… frustrated. You know… guy frustrated."
Warrick stared at Nick. "You've gotta be kidding."
"No, I swear, and that's why it was so weird, because, I mean… Grissom? And I was thinking, 'No Way', but I've seen that look a million times before at the frat house, guys coming back, not getting what they expected… and I'm telling ya, that was how he looked."
"You don't think that he and Sophia…."
The whole lab knew about Grissom and Sophia's "romantic dinner", courtesy of Loud Mouth Hodges, but nobody could figure out whether the two were dating or not. Or why Sophia had resigned.
"See, I don't know. She wasn't there. It was just him."
Nick thought for a moment, remembering the evening.
"Actually, I know it couldn't have been her. She was here in the lab. I remember because she was mouthing off to Mia, your 'pretty pretty' lab tech." Nick's voice turned all sugary, taunting his friend.
"Knock it off, man."
Realization dawned, and Warrick frowned as the pieces of the puzzle started to fit into place.
"Aw shit, do you think its Sara?"
Nick echoed the frown, "I hope not."
Nick's voice turned hostile as he continued, "If Grissom crossed that line with Sara, and then chickened out and went for Sophia instead, that would be very uncool."
Nick didn't like the idea of Sara and Grissom together. Not that he wanted Sara for himself, but she was his friend and he knew how Sara felt about Grissom. She deserved better, and he'd tried to tell her so on numerous occasions. How she should get out, have fun, get a life outside of the lab. Meet a nice guy. Go out on dates. Get over BugMan. Please!
Warrick and Nick shot each other the same look, one of realization.
Warrick vocalized it first.
"I think it went down that way. I'll bet they did something and then Grissom chickened out, going for Sophia instead. Maybe he expected Sara to put out or something, and she said 'No'. God knows Sophia will do anything that has the right equipment. And then Sophia dumps him and quits, and now he has neither of them."
"Damn him! What a bastard! I'm glad you got stuck working with him and not me. I'll take Catherine over him any day."
"Gee, thanks. Such love."
Warrick laughed, but Nick was still angry.
"Hey," Warrick said, noticing Nick wasn't laughing with him. "Don't do anything rash here, okay? Sara can handle herself."
"I know, I know," Nick replied. "It's just that… she doesn't need this. And everyone knows how she feels, including him, and it isn't right. It just isn't right."
"You can't control other people's lives, you know. Sara will be okay. You saw her, she's holding up fine. She's actually been on the more rational side since she got suspended. Probably doesn't want to lose her job."
Nick nodded agreement, and gestured that he was going to leave.
"I'll catch you later, okay?"
"Nothing, rash, remember?"
Nick sneered, his tone falsetto, as he replied "Yes, mommy. I'll behave."
Warrick laughed. "Get outta here."
Nick thought to himself, I might not say anything now, but I swear, if Grissom and I are alone in a dark alley one day, we're going to have a nice, long conversation. A really nice, long one. Between his face and my fist.
A/N: Okay, the following section is part of this story, I had always intended it, but is in no way related to the general plotline, so you can skip it right now and I'll have Chapter 11 up soon. It was never meant to be this involved, but this is what happens when TPTB yank my chain and force me to drink spiked lemonade.
Sophia walked to her locker, for the last time, checking to make sure that she had everything.
She opened it and was surprised to find a white box, about the size of a brick, sitting on one of the shelves.
She took it and sat down on the bench behind her.
The box was wrapped in a sturdy white paper, a small white card taped to the top.
Sophia opened the card and read the text within.
"FARE THEE WELL, PLOT DEVICE"
The text was written in large black print, and there was no signature.
Sophia's face became panicked, wondering who had caught on to her secret.
Only a few were supposed to know that she was a plot device, most were supposed to think she was Grissom's newest love interest.
She looked around the locker room, but no one was there. The hallways were silent as well.
Suspicion prominent on her face, she unwrapped the box. She was surprised by what she saw.
The white paper covered a beautiful golden box, similar to one that would contain a necklace, only this box was deeper, meant to fit something larger. It gleamed in the dim light, almost asking for someone to say "Ooooh…. pretty…."
Sophia said, "Ooooh…. pretty…."
She carefully opened the lid to the box, and inside, lying on a beautiful backing of red velvet, was a plastic spoon-like utensil, a black silk bow tied at its thinnest point, near the beginning of the spoon.
Sophia thought, "I've seen these before. These are…."
Sophia couldn't remember what these utensils were called.
A voice, not her own, echoed into her head. "It's called a spork, you dope. It is a useless utensil. Just like you."
Sophia shook her head, not believing what was happening to her.
The voice continued, "Time to leave, Spork."
And Sophia found herself suddenly spinning in a swirling kaleidoscope of color, as she felt a large something pick her by the back of her blouse, like one would pick up a puppy.
When the world stopped spinning, Sophia found herself on a beach. The golden box, complete with spork, was still in her hand. There was a warm, calm breeze, and the air smelled of sand and the sea.
Well, this isn't so bad.
"Yo." A voice from behind her made Sophia start, and she turned to face a group of young people, most looking ragged and dirty. They were looking at her rather nastily.
"Who are you?" Sophia asked.
"We're the newest cast for Survivor," one of the men spoke to her.
"We're going to be left on this island with absolutely nothing. The Powers That Be on CBS think that would be a fun way to make the Survivor television show more interesting."
Another, a woman, said, "Yeah, and we aren't really happy about it. We aren't pleased with The Powers That Be and CBS. We aren't into plot devices."
From the back of the group, another woman, much younger, spoke up.
"Hey! I know you! You're that Sophia on CSI! You're a Plot Device!"
Murmurs ran through the crowd, and their tone grew much more hostile. They began approaching her.
Sophia's eyes grew wide with fear, as the crowd closed in around her.
"So whaddaya think?" the original man asked, "Should we roast her over a fire, or serve her up raw, like sushi?"
Disclaimer #2 regarding the above: Clearly the Survivor television show is copywritten and the property of CBS, and CBS is the property of itself or some other major television conglomerate.Neither Survivor, nor CBS belong to me, and it probably isn't very mature of me to yank their chain, even fictionally. However, they yanked mine and turnabout is fair play in my world.