For Disclaimer see Default Chapter
Chapter Three – Overload"Hey Sara, sweetheart, love of my life, will you puhleeze wait for me!" Greg shouts it all over the place, so that people from the lab were turning around, obviously curious who would call that ridiculous woman ever a sweetheart.
"Greggo", she growls, "if you ever call me that again I will rip you apart. You know, violence is in my genes."
"Oh, come on, Sara, I've done it before." Greg gave her a pat on the shoulder. "Grissomed again, eh?"
She looked at him stunned. To stop her from getting into a rage mode, he offered truce.
"You definitely need one big mug of my famous coffee brand. Come on I'll make you happy." Greg smiled, took her arm and they both clocked in and headed for the break room.
"Hi there", Nick nodded to Greg and Sara. "Something's going on here. Warrick just spoke to Catherine. We are supposed to meet both her and Grissom in a few minutes to get our assignments. And the rumours in the lab tell something about reunion of shifts, perhaps we get to work together again. I missed you guys, you know. Especially working with you, Sara. Because Warrick, you know he is so not woman. You know what I mean?" Nick gave Sara a big dirty grin.
"Yeah, Texas, but you are, huh?" She gave him a hard punch on his shoulder.
"Ouch, that hurts." Nick rubbed his sore shoulder. "Wow, you have a heck of a punch, gal! Give it to me again, will you? No wait, you can do better, come one gimme a smile instead."
Sara couldn't help but smiling at Nick. Sweet Nicky, he's like a big brother to me.
"Nicky, I would also be so happy to be together with you again", she replied to his play in a soft seducing tone, "I missed you so much" and embraced him in a theatrical gesture. Then Warrick entered the break room, followed by Cath and Grissom. "Hey, Sara! Me too!" He greeted her with arms wide open.
"I so do not want to have you around at one of your bad days, Sara. But if this is gonna be one of your good ones, I wanna have my share!", Warrick grinned.
Grissom just briefly glanced at Sara but managed to pretend that he overheard their flirtative conversation.
Catherine looked around. "Well, now that everybody is in and on time… even myself", she tried to warm up the atmosphere, "we can start to hand out the assignments."
"Wait a minute", Warrick cut in. "Did I miss a memo? Where is Sophia. Isn't she supposed to be a part of the team. What is with the team anyway?"
Grissom took a deep breath. "Well, Sophia has already left and took some vacation days before her new assignment. We will have to work without her support in the future, I guess. She will be missed. And about the team, well Catherine, it is your turn now."
Catherine gave Gris a glare. "Thanks for that little introduction of yours, Gil." She gave back ironically. "Well, guys! Ecklie decided to put us together again at Graveyard and this time it would be" – she paused – "me leading the shift. So now that everything is clear can we please start working?"
Sudden Silence! Greg managed not to drop the coffee he'd just prepared and even he did not find one single word. All eyes were centred on Grissom. Nobody dared to ask what would happen next to Grissom. Had he been fired or would he resign? Is he going to take over dayshift? Grissom, although still disappointed and weary felt that he had to do something. With an intense look Catherine was so pleading for support here.
"Alright guys, let's do what we are paid for. Let's uh, let's just talk later about it, ok? Cath, will you please continue?"
With demonstration of respect Gris turned to her showing that he will be ok, at least for now. Cath whispered a toneless thank you.
"Nick and Greg, you are on another B and E on Charleston. It seem to be a serial pattern showing up in that area. Warrick and I will continue working on the child abduction case. Warr, I will meet you in the morgue. Doc Robbins is already there. And Gil, we have a special request from a Sheriff Brooks in Jackpot. He discovered two DBs in a recent landslide and asked for your help. Take Sara with you."
After the others left the break room, still stunned from what they've just learned but shifting into professional mode for the meantime, Sara and Grissom were left alone.
"You ok?" Sara asked.
"I'll be fine." Gris nodded. "Let's roll and head home to pack some stuff. It will probably take one or two days. I'll catch up with you later and pick you up."
Sara just waved her hands but hardly understood that he did not want to talk about it right now. Disapproving but willing to him space to retreat she left. In the locker room she picked up her kit and weapon, slammed the locker door and ran full speed into Brass.
"Hey, cute girl, I have the feeling that you are just in the mood to kill somebody, Ecklie, I guess. But well, that's just me thinking. Look, I have heard what just happened", Jim calmed her down, "and I know best what Grissom might be feeling right now. Been there myself, remember? Give yourself and Gil a break and wait for him to deal with it, will you?"
Jim patted her gently, gave her a big bear hug and she allowed him to do so, resting for a second on his big chest, being comforted. "Take care, I have to rush and prepare for the encounter with the new big boss Catherine."
Good Jim, Sara watched him leaving. He always cared for her, made her safe. Once she thought he had a crush on her, because he was looking out for her when nobody else seem to care. Some times they watched movies at his house and she even got his keys to come over whenever she felt to need it. But their relationship remained strictly platonic. Sara once asked Jim bluntly how far he would think their thing could go. And he laughed at her. What do you think? It is still me, he stated amused about her upcoming embarrassment. The truth came out, as Jim admitted how deeply he missed his daughter and somehow adopted Sara to take over Ellie's role. What did he say? It just felt nice to have somebody around again. Jim definitely needs a woman. Somebody he can really care for, he deserves it.
Cath entered the locker room and discovered Sara, still lost in her thoughts. "Sara, you still here?"
"I'm about ready to go, just got my stuff. Catherine, what have you done? I know that I was inappropriate to you and Grissom declined to fire me despite my insubordinate behaviour and now you are going to take it out on him?"
"Sara, calm down. It wasn't my decision. It was Ecklie's."
"But you started it! You are right in the middle of it, Catherine."
"Look, Sara. Grissom is fine with it, so should you. Now go work on the case. Perhaps you can get im into a talking mood. We will discuss all when you both are back from Jackpot, ok?"
Fine! Furiously Sara turned around and left without goodbye. Catherine sighed and shook her head. Well, I am glad that they are out of the way. They both need a time out anyway. In the meantime she would think about the direction of the organisational changes and consequences which may occur.