Curveballs and Truths-Chapter 4

Introductions and assignments

For disclaimer, please see the first chapter.

Libby got out of the car. She smoothed her blue button down shirt. She wore black boot cut pants and her favorite Steve Madden boots. She grabbed her purse and her case and headed towards the front door.

Her heart was racing with anticipation and trepidation but she was ready for this. She had to be. There was no turning back now.

As she reached for the door, a hand flew in front of hers.

"Here, let me get that for you." A deep voice said. She turned her head to see a very handsome African-American man. He had a mini-fro and magnificent green eyes.

"Thank you." She said as they walked in together.

"I'm Warrick. Warrick Brown." He said just as they walked in.

"Libby Porter."
"Libby?"

"Elizabeth. I prefer Libby or even EJ."

"Hey, I like that. I think I'll call ya EJ."

"That's totally fine. I don't mind at all."

He could've called her anything as long as it wasn't his baby's mamma. He was certainly very nice on the eyes.

"So you're the newbie. Welcome."

"Thank you."
"Hey no problem. Where do you need to go?"

"I guess I need to report to Gil Grissom's office."
"Oh of course, right. He is the supervisor. I'll take you there."

"Thanks."

They walked up a flight of stairs and to the second level and followed a series of corridors until they reached the end of the doorway.

"Here it is. Good luck, EJ."

"Thanks again, Warrick. I appreciate it."

"No problem. See ya in a few."

She knocked on the door quietly and waited for a few moments.

"Come in." A voice said. She remembered that voice from the phone.

She walked in and looked around. There were specimen jars on various shelves throughout the office. She saw a fetal pig and several bugs. "What the hell did I get myself in to? Paul wasn't even this weird."

She saw the woman first. She was a few years older than Libby with brown shoulder length hair and brown eyes. She saw Libby and gave her a weak smile.

She looked over at the desk and then froze.

It was HIM; the man from her parents funeral. She felt a pit grow in her stomach and her mouth suddenly became dry.

"Can I help you?" he asked.

She swallowed a couple of times. "Mr. Grissom?"

"Yes. I think that's me but I'm not sure who you are." He said, matter-of-factly.

"I'm Elizabeth Porter, the level three from Minneapolis."

"Oh yes. I'm sorry. I forgot you were coming in today. I'm sorry."

"That's okay." She said quietly.

"This is Sara Sidle. She's one of your colleagues on graveyard." He said, introducing the brunette.

"Hi, Elizabeth." She said rising from the chair. She walked over and extended her hand. "It's nice to meet you."

"Oh please, call me Libby. I prefer it. And it's nice to meet you, too, Sara." She said, shaking her hand.

"Well Griss, I'll see ya at them meeting."
"Okay, Sara." He returned his gaze to Libby. "Please, have a seat and welcome to the Las Vegas Crime Lab. I'm your supervisor, Gil Grissom."

"Thank you, Mr. Grissom. It's nice to finally put a face to the name."

Boy was it ever.

He went over the basic procedures and had her fill out the paperwork. He even took a pint of her blood, "Just in case." He had said. She wondered but didn't question his motives.

She also didn't question him about why he was at her parents' funeral. It wasn't the time or the place for that.

As she sat there, her thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of singing.

"Take me to the river. Put me in the water!" She glanced up above the door to see a Big Mouth Billy Bass.

"It the best alarm I've ever had." Griss said with a smile. Then she glanced down to the door and felt her heart leap out of her chest.

In the doorway was a younger man, about 32-34 years old. He had dark brown hair and soft brown eyes. He was built like a god and totally gorgeous. His eyes met hers and he smiled.

"Hey, Griss, are we ever going to get those assignments?" He asked. There was a very subtle Texan accent in his pleasantly deep voice.

"Sure, in a few minutes Nick. Why don't you be a gentleman and introduce yourself to our newest CSI." Griss said.

He walked over and Libby's heart began to race even more. He stood before her and extended his hand, much like Sara had.

"Hi. I'm Nick Stokes, Level 3." He said.

She stood up and took his hand. "Libby Porter, also a Level 3. I just transferred here from Minneapolis."
"Isn't it cold there?" He asked.

"Not all the time." She said with a laugh. "Believe me, I get that a lot."

"I bet. So, what's your specialty?" he asked.

"Forensics and Fiber Analysis."
"Cool! Maybe we'll end up working together." He said.

"I'm sure we will."

He left and Libby got a warm feeling.

"Well." Grissom said.

"What?"

"I assumed you would be very astute. I can't believe you didn't notice that."
"Huh?" She said confused.

"I think Nick saw something he liked."

"Well, that's too bad. I'm already involved." She said lightly.

"You are?" Grissom questioned.
"Yep, married to my career."

"You sound like me." He said.

If only he knew.

After the paperwork and such, they walked down to the break room. When they walked in, she saw Sara, Nick and Warrick, sitting together on a couch. The only person she didn't know was another woman.

She was in her early 40's with strawberry blonde hair and dancing blue eyes. Something about her said she was a tough woman and Libby decided she liked her already.

"Everyone, this is Libby…" Grissom started.
"EJ!" Warrick interrupted.

"Libby Porter. She's our new CSI Level 3 from Minneapolis. Libby, you've already met Sara and Nick…"
"And Warrick." She said.

"And then there is Catherine Willows."
Catherine got up from her chair and like the others before her, shook her hand.

"Hello Libby. It's nice to meet you."
"Thank you, Catherine. It's nice to meet you, too."

"My pleasure." She said with a smile. "C'mon. Sit over here by me."

Just as she was about to take a step, the door to the break room flew open and in raced a huge ball of energy.

"Holy shit do I ever have results…" he started. Libby turned around to stare at the ball of energy that had burst through the door.

He was about her age with spiky blonde-highlighted brown hair and dancing brown eyes. He was wearing a vintage t-shirt, blue jeans and Converse tennis shoes under a lab coat.

"Well hello there hot stuff!" He exclaimed. "I'd like to check out your DNA sometime."

"Not likely." She said which resulted in a smattering of laughter from the others.

"Oh but I haven't even begun to seduce you with my charm."

"Well, I hope you have plenty of Viagra cuz right now, you're a little flat."

"Libby. This is Greg Sanders. He is our lab tech. Greg Sanders, this is Libby Porter. She just transferred here from Minneapolis."

"Papa Olav loved Minnesota. Said it reminded him of the homeland."
"Huh?"

"Never mind, Libby. We'll explain Greg later. Much later." Grissom said. "Anyway, here are the assignments. Nick. Warrick. A 419 in Summerlin. Catherine. Sara. You have a BNE in Henderson. Libby, you and I are going to the Monaco. There's a 419 there."

"Hey! How come you get to work with the newbie?" Nick asked.

"Someone has to keep her away from you two." Grissom said.

"Not funny."

"Besides someone has to evaluate and compare and why not me?"

"Sure Griss. Sure.