Chemistry

TEASER: America's Sexiest Scientists get their reward. Response to the 4-18-05 Unbound Improv Challenge and sequel to "Sexiest Scientist."

RATING: M for language and sexual content

SPOILERS: Season 5 through "4x4".

DISCLAIMERS: Not only am I not making money on this, I have no money to pay anyone who might think about suing, so please save us all a lot of trouble and just read to enjoy!

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Reviews appreciated, archived at my site, and did anyone else miss the interaction of our CSIs in "4x4", as interesting an ep as it was? First and last lines given, 1000 word limit for the story itself; according to MS Word 2003, I made it with 49 words to spare.

CSI CSI CSI

"What the flipping holy hell is that doing here?" Catherine flailed her arms at the large black case in the middle of the hallway as though expecting it to move of its own accord. "Interested in Beauty Photography to the Stars," she read off the case.

Warrick leaned over her shoulder but didn't allow himself to touch her. "I bet that's for the GSR photo shoot later today."

"Huh?" She jumped, he hoped at the sensation of his breath on her ear.

"You know, America's Sexiest Scientists, right here in the Vegas PD Crime Lab?" Personally, he thought he and Catherine were better qualified, but she nixed any involvement. Catherine didn't hide her early life, but she didn't advertise it, either.

"Oh, right. Well, their equipment doesn't belong in the main hallway."

Hurried footsteps skittered across the granite floor. "I'm so sorry. The dolly broke and we're having to hand carry – whoa! I want your picture in General Science Review with America's Sexiest Scientists!"

Catherine snorted. "Thanks, but we would outshine them. Just be careful where you put your stuff next time, okay? This is a busy hallway."

"Sure. Are you sure you don't want to be included?"

"Thanks, man, but we're good. We've got a crime scene to investigate," Warrick said. "Besides, we really would look better than them. Better chemistry, you know."

Meanwhile . . .

Sara sat back, breathing hard and sweating from exertion. "Damn, Bugman, you are . . . you . . ."

"I rock your world?" Grissom asked, eyebrow raised and tone laden with impending laughter. He traced her bare chest with one gentle index finger while the other stroked her spine as she sat over him.

"Yeah, that. In the original sense."

He grinned. "You rock mine, too, honey. You're even more beautiful in the wake of post-coital endorphins. Good thing – it's time to go get our pictures taken."

She pouted at him. "I'd rather stay here and do it again."

Truth be told, so would he. He didn't even want to go to work anymore, so addicted to making love to Sara had he become. "We have tomorrow off," he said, willing himself to keep his hands above her waist. "Thirty six whole hours to be alone together . . ."

"And the sooner we go, the sooner we're done and can start those 36 hours." She lifted herself off of him with a deep kiss of dueling tongues. She was already at the bathroom door when she said, "I'll shower first so I can do my hair."

"I thought we'd shower together."

"Gil, sweetheart, we have to be at the lab in half an hour. You know how long our showers take."

An hour, give or take, until the hot water ran out. "Fine. Do you still want me to wear the blue shirt?"

She answered through the closed door. "Yes! And the black pants."

At the lab half an hour later, their coworkers stared and even whistled as the two made their way to Grissom's office. He doubted it was for him, as Sara's stunning purple tank and form fitting pants would stop addicts from pulling on one-armed bandits.

And apparently, even make jaded fashion photographers take notice, if the expressions on the faces of the professionals were anything by which to judge.

"Wow!" The head photographer, a man named Phil, bustled over to meet them at the door. "I knew you two looked good in person, but together . . . this may be our first ever brown paper cover."

Grissom wondered if he flushed as deeply as Sara.

"Just so I know my limits, are you two an item still?"

Sara giggled. "We, um, didn't become an item until that issue came out."

"Really? You have great chemistry. Now, I want to get some test shots, so come on in and we'll get started."

Phil moved them through many poses, including a couple that made Sara blush and Grissom shift with embarrassment. After a while, the photographer told them to take a break before they started the real thing. "These test shots are just fabulous, darlings. You'll make General Science Review the rage of labs everywhere."

They got as far as the door before a voice stopped them.

"Hey, Sara. Wow, Gris, you look . . . amazing." Catherine stood in the hall outside his occupied office, arms akimbo and toe tapping. "Aren't you glad I sent in your entry, Sara?"

"Yeah, Catherine, actually I am," Sara said, snuggling up to Grissom in a way she had never tried in public. "The sex is mind-blowing."

Grissom never thought he'd see the day that Catherine Willows would run out of things to say. But he stood witnessing her dumb look and let his grin get wider and wider.

Nick and Warrick strode up the hall with Greg, each of them smiling and catcalling at Sara.

"You think I look amazing? I just made Catherine speechless," Sara said, waving at the struggling swing shift supervisor.

"How?" the three asked in perfect unison.

Grissom didn't let her answer. Instead, he leaned her back and kissed her with more passion than he had ever shown in public. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the four others staring fish-eyed at them, so he brought the kiss to an end with a groan.

He turned to leer at them. "Sara told Catherine that our sex is mind-blowing."

Sara laughed at the expressions on their colleagues faces. "That's actually an understatement. It rocks my world."

"Good chemistry," he added. Their colleagues just continued to stare, jaws dropped and speechless.

She grinned, and he took it as a sign to kiss her again.

--FIN--