Chapter 16
"I had to call. It's about the mission." Culpepper kept his voice authoritative as he talked with Grissom over the phone.
"Has another murder occurred Agent Culpepper?" Grissom gripped his pencil as he waited for the word to investigate another crime scene.
"No the Director believes that you two may have scared off the killer. He's requesting for you to return to your lab tomorrow. We will make travel arrangements for a flight tomorrow evening." Culpepper sighed as he fiddled with a paper holder.
"I know we haven't been able to find anything substantial, but if you would just give me a chance." Grissom was immediately cut off.
"I think if you weren't focused on beating up CSI Sidle you may have been able to find something 'substantial' Mr. Grissom." Culpepper bitterly exclaimed.
"You have nothing to back that claim up Culpepper." Grissom sneered.
"I don't need to have some flimsy forensics degree to know when a low life is beating up a woman." Culpepper yelled.
"At least I don't bait human beings in operations which may go awry! Thank God you didn't have the audacity to suggest another ludicrous mission to my CSI."
"Who says I didn't? This whole mission was based on the idea that Sidle would be bait for the killer. He hasn't fallen into our trap so that's why we're ending this. You were just a tag along to make everything seem authentic." Culpepper laughed.
"You son of a bitch! You risked my wife's life so that you could catch one of the most dangerous serials in the United States?" Grissom clenched his fist trying to restrain his anger once more.
"Your wife? Well then Mr. Grissom, who is getting carried away now?" Culpepper hung up the phone after making his final rebuttal.
"Who was that?" Sara asked.
"That was Culpepper. He wants us on a flight back to Vegas tomorrow evening." Grissom brushed back his hair as he thought about his 'slip up'.
"We haven't even made a dent in the case!" Sara protested.
"I guess you can't win them all. I think its good idea to begin moving on. Don't you agree?" Grissom kept his distance as he struggled to compose himself. Why would he refer to Sara as his wife? This was all just a game, nothing was real. Except for the harsh reality of his anger being unleashed on the one woman he loves. He had become what he dreaded the most, undoing his actions was a whole other ballgame. He still had to prove to Sara his anger was gone.
"Grissom you told me never to rush a case…" Sara quoted.
"What do you do, tape everything I say?" Grissom managed a faint smile as he was hit with another feeling of deja'vu
"Sara I was thinking since it was our last night here…I was…What I mean to say is…" Grissom blushed at his fumbling of words. Whenever Sara was in his presence he felt like a teenager all over again; minus the pimples.
"How does eight sound? I'll try not to throw up on you this time." Sara grinned once more as she walked away from Grissom leaving him stunned. Her giddiness quickly wore off as she felt her stomach cramp in pain. Immediately feeling nauseated, she ran to the restroom and locked the door behind her. This time she didn't want Grissom to see her. As she reacquainted herself with this morning's breakfast, she tried to figure out what could be making her sick.
"I'm not allergic to pineapple and whole wheat bagels. Whatever I ate for breakfast could not be aiding in my sickness. What is wrong with me?"
Deciding that a trip to the local drug store may help her sickness, Sara quietly walked out of the bathroom and exited the home from the side door. The drug store was just at the top of the street which proved to be extremely convenient in her case. As she walked the short distance, she took note of her neighbor's elaborate flower displays. Roses, sunflowers and other tropical plants greeted her from almost every front lawn.
"Popular flower choices in Miami I suppose." Sara thought as she approached the store.
The smell similar to a hospital floated in the air as Sara entered Walgreens. Each one of her steps had a purpose, she needed something to combat her sickness. She didn't want to be stuck in bed and miss another opportunity to find out what could be going on with Grissom. Somehow after all the terrible things he had done to her she still loved him. She may never be able to truly forgive him unless she could find out why he was acting the way he was. There had to be a reason, something was clouding his judgment. Never had she seen Grissom so out of control in the last week; she knew it had something to do with his emotions which he had always kept hidden from the public eye. He had burst like an aerosol can flamed under pressure. However, just like the can, something had to have been a trigger in his outbursts. A drug store clerk quickly brought Sara out of her thoughts.
"Excuse me Miss but you look lost." The friendly woman in a white lab coat looked at her with concern noting the bruises on her wrists before quickly looking away.
"Umm…I was just here looking for something for my upset stomach." Sara rubbed it once more as she felt her stomach rumble from hunger. She had thrown up everything she ate recently, leaving her with very little nourishment.
"May I ask what kind of stomach discomfort you may be experiencing?" The clerk asked.
"Every morning I throw up at seven A.M just like clockwork. I have been experiencing some sharp pains below my stomach just before and after I am sick." Sara winced once more in pain as another stabbing sensation hit her hard.
"Do you have any doubt in your mind that you could be pregnant Miss?" The clerk watched Sara's face turn pale.
"No its impossible…The doctors told me that I was physically incapable of having kids…I had an…accident which left too much scar tissue to conceive." Sara fought back the images which were beginning to resurface.
"Looking good for a fourteen year old, you must wanna do more tonight then just go to a movie huh?"
"Miss?" The clerk made Sara jump as she was grounded once more back to reality. "If you don't mind me asking, have you had unprotected sex in the last month?" The question made Sara sick, she merely nodded her head to the woman unable to speak.
"Then I suggest picking up this." The clerk took a home pregnancy test off of the display and handed it to the young CSI before walking away.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I am not pregnant. It's impossible. It's just not possible." Sara felt minutely safe as she continued to repeat her mantra to herself. Somehow she made it back home in a blink of an eye, she didn't even remember walking the small stretch of sidewalk or seeing the flowers in bloom. Everything now seemed oblivious to her. Sara continued to stare at the clock waiting for the time to pass. It said on the package to wait at least five minutes before looking at the results. Her hands trembled as she began to pick up the strip. Gripping the plastic tube, she forced herself to summon enough strength the view the results. As she looked down at the colour on the tester she felt her knees give out. All she could do was cry as she began to tremble with the rush of emotions that flooded her system. She sobbed quietly as she curled up in a fetal position trying to heal her damaged soul.