I Forget To Tell You Chapter Two By Marita Linde

Author's Notes: Well, I never thought that this story would actually get as far as the second chapter, but here I am so I guess I was wrong. No explanation for this needed, really, except that Michelle, Leah, Jeff, Harry, Michael, and Anetta are my own creations. Heh. So there. sticks out tongue at TPTB Thanks: Thanks to all my betas, Amber, Tash, Allison (the reverend), Meg, Z-Heidi, and to the whole G/S list for reading this before I posted it on ff.n. Enjoy.

Sara stepped out of her apartment building, marveling at the way the mist from the early-
morning temperature had gathered on the road. She inhaled deeply, letting the sweet smell fill her nose, and smiled. Lifting her head, she saw him waiting and grinned.

Grissom began walking towards her, his hands in his pockets and his eyes fixed on her. His form seemed to be surrounded by an odd sort of haze, white and misty. All she could see clearly was him, everything else around them had disappeared. They met at the traffic lights and stood inches away from each other. He was the first to speak.

"I came to say we can't go to coffee with Michelle." He was smiling slightly, and she decided he didn't do it nearly enough.

"Because she's a suspect, right?" He gave a nod of affirmation. "Why didn't you just call?" She stared at the air around them, their two forms taking up space on the white sidewalk. Her words came out sounding too harsh, so she smiled to ease the tension.

He shrugged, offering her his arm. "I thought we could go together." She stared at him, but took his arm in hers. "You look nice." In nervousness, she straightened out her jean skirt.

Somewhere inside she sighed at the way his grey curls ruffled around his head in an almost childlike halo. "Thanks." She wished she could reach out and run her fingers through his hair. Instead she pretended to be interested in the whiteness of her nails against the darker skin on his arm.

The smell of coffee wafted through the door as they walked into the little shop, and Sara breathed it in and seated herself at the table beside the window. Grissom sat across from her, never taking his eyes off of her face. "So it was a shock to see Michelle after all these years, huh?" She reasoned to herself that it wasn't such a pathetic attempt at starting a conversation.

"Yes." Grissom replied shortly, staring at his surroundings in some odd form of fascination. "I'm sure you're anxious to talk with her again."

Sara looked at him. "No. Actually, I'm a little afraid to."

"Well, the interrogation's tomorrow."

"Did she look thinner to you? She looked a lot thinner to me. Too thin." Grissom watched her for a few seconds before giving his breathy reply.

"She looked the same as she always did, Sara."

She sighed. "I thought maybe I was imagining it." Looking down at her hands resting on the table, her breath caught in her throat. "I missed having her around so much."

Grissom leaned forward. "Sara, you know I care about Michelle as much as you do." Her eyes caught fire suddenly and she stood up.
"I need to use the restroom." The sight of her form disappearing through the bathroom door made him more than a little frustrated. He ordered a large coffee and sat silently, waiting for her to come back.

Sara walked into the large classroom, her books tightly pressed to her chest and her eyes darting from object to object. Her surroundings were similar to the ones she had been exposed to every day now for a long time, but more strange because she didn't know anyone in the room. Nervously, she started to make her way to a desk sitting at the back.

She caught sight of him, then, standing at the front, dressed casually in black and writing something on the chalkboard. Her stare caused him to turn towards her and smile. She didn't dare to smile back.

Once again she made her way to the seat, but tripped on her way there. Sighing, she watched as her books and a few papers fell to the ground. She bent down to pick them up, trying to ignore the eyes she knew were looking at her.

He was by her side instantly, helping her pick up the dropped objects and staring at her intently. Her breath began to come in short gasps as their hands touched briefly. "I'm such a klutz." It was all she could think of saying. He shook his head.

"Happens to everyone." She had just gotten lost in his eyes when a voice sounded behind her.

"Sara? You said you'd wait for me in the dorm." Sara turned around to see Michelle's face frowning at her. "Now you've gone and met the teacher without me." Michelle reached out her hand to shake Dr. Grissom's, and before Sara could think twice, he was lost in conversation with her best friend.

Sara shook her head free of the memory as she and Grissom made their way into the interrogation room. Michelle was sitting, wearing a blue tank top and attempting a nervous smile. They joined her at the table, never taking their eyes off of her.

"Hey." She said simply. Sara and Gil both just nodded. "I didn't kill Leah." Her words cut through the tension in the room like a knife. Grissom leaned back in his chair and surveyed her carefully. "I told you, I came to work and found her dead behind my desk."

"We were looking at your punch card." Sara slid the aforementioned object across the table. "It says here you punched in half an hour early every morning for the past three weeks. But yesterday morning, the morning Leah died, you decided to come in an hour early." Her eyes held Michelle's. "Is there any reason for that?"

"I had extra work to do." Michelle replied. "Besides, that doesn't prove anything."

"Well, Leah died at approximately 6 AM. You punched in at 6 AM. It means you were there." Grissom said, watching as the woman sitting across the table from him grew more and more agitated.

"Sara... you don't really think I killed Leah, do you?" The two CSI's stared at the friend they once knew, not knowing what they thought, or should think, only that all the evidence they had collected so far was pointing towards Michelle.
"Michelle, you said you punched in, then went straight to the office and saw Leah, right?" Michelle nodded. "Then why did you call the police thirty minutes after you punched in?"

"I was scared. I wanted to make sure the killer wasn't still in the office. So I searched it. And I was shocked, I... I didn't know what to think when I saw her lying there." Her eyes darted around the room, landing on Sara's slouched form. "Please Sara, you've got to believe me, I didn't kill anyone. You know me better than this. We're best friends, remember?"

Sara's expression didn't change. "The last time I saw you was five years ago. You were with the man I loved in a situation that leaves little room for explanation. At the time, I didn't know what to think of you. And I still don't. I'm not here to catch up on lost memories, Michelle. I'm here to investigate a crime. A crime that is starting to look like one you committed. So don't expect any pity from me. I only believe the evidence."

Her hair bounced as she whipped around and rushed out the door, slamming it behind her. It only took three seconds for Grissom to stand up and follow her.