DISCLAIMER: Don't Own It, No Money Made... Just for fun & enjoyment.
RATING: M for Mature. For language and mature situations in later chapters.
A/N: Writing is moving along swimmingly, thanks in large part to some brainstorming with my betas. Expect the sparks to start flying soon.
REVIEWS: Thanks to all who have reviewed. Your feedback has been fantasic and it's great hearing from the readers.
Chapter 8
Everyone was sitting around the break room table for another round of assignments. Greg was even the first one there. After his sentence to the Supply Room, he had not been late for a single shift. They were all patiently waiting for Catherine and Grissom to arrive.
Grissom was still in his office and looking at his watch. Catherine was late, and he was getting ready to hand out the assignments without her. He gathered up the slips and his clipboard and made his way to the office door. He looked down the hall in either direction, hoping to see Catherine, but it was no use, so he headed off to the break room.
He had a lot on his mind tonight, and he just wanted to sit in his office and out of the line of fire, but as he went through the slips once more, he knew he would have to work a scene tonight. There was only one way to get through this night; do it as quickly as possible and hope for the best.
All eyes were on him when he entered the break room with his nose in his notes, "Warrick, you've got a possible suicide at the Golden Palace." He handed the younger man his slip, "Nick, B&E in Spring Valley." He held out the slip, but Nick had something to say.
"What? Am I the B&E King lately, or what?" He was obviously frustrated.
Grissom looked at him from over the top of his glasses, "As a matter of fact, yes… Take Greg with you and let him run the scene… You're supervising tonight." He moved his gaze to Greg when Nick proudly took the slip from his grasp. "And Greg, this is part of your next evaluation, so-."
"I know, no screwing around… By the book, all the way… Got it." Greg was now under the gun and it showed on his face.
Grissom returned his nose to the notes, not looking up as he put his hand out towards Sara with her assignment slip, "Sara, a smash and grab on the Strip. Shouldn't take long, so you'll be on standby the rest of the night." He did not look at her, but continued going through his notes. Several moments passed and it vaguely dawned on him that it was awfully quiet in there. He looked up from his notes and around the room, finding only blank faces, so he figured that they were waiting for something from him.
Just before he dismissed everyone, Catherine sauntered into the room and was looking over his shoulder. He gave her a disapproving glance and then turned back to the team, "If there aren't any questions, then move out." Everyone pulled out from the table, gathered up their belongings and headed out of the room.
He waited for all of them to be out of the room before talking to Catherine. "Having fun?"
"Sorry, I got caught up in a new case… What's left?" She was not going to let on that she knew his little secret… Not just yet, anyway.
"Well, the DA would like you to do some follow up on the Speedway case." He handed her the slip and a note with it, detailing what they needed. "Go along with Sara and help her get the smash & grab put away, and then take her out there with you." This task elicited a raise of her eyebrow.
"So, am I being supervised tonight?"
"No, that's not it, Cath." Grissom was being sincere.
"Are you on paper detail?" Even with his sincerity, she was still suspicious.
"No… I have to handle a scene… Death with suspicious circumstances, over at the Pike." Grissom's smirk told her everything.
"Right… Well, tell Dad I said 'Hi.'" She hoisted her bag onto her shoulder, "I'll be taking the long way out to the smash and grab then, just to make sure I'm not seen near his place." Catherine knew that her newly public relationship with Sam Braun would affect her job eventually, but she still hated it. Dear Old Dad has too much real estate in this town for it not to affect the job.
Grissom watched her leave and felt a little guilty about having to exclude her from the case, but in order to maintain the integrity of the lab, he had no choice.
He grabbed his kit from his office on his way out to the parking lot, but was stopped abruptly by Sara as he exited the building, "Grissom, I don't appreciate being handled… If you have a problem with my work, I expect you to come out and tell me." The anger in her voice was a match for what he saw playing on her face, but he had no idea where it was coming from this time.
He shook his head in confusion as he spoke, "What are you talking about?"
"I don't need Catherine to baby-sit me!" She set her jaw with her statement and Grissom could see the muscles in her temples twitch with the action.
"Who said she was?" He was totally confused, and wondered what on earth could make her think that was what he was doing.
"She just told me she's coming along for the smash and grab and having me help her do some follow up for the DA's office… What else am I supposed to believe?"
He took the same posture as before when he answered her, and just shook his head a little when he spoke, "That I have to keep her busy while I run a scene at the Pike, and keep her out of the loop because of a conflict of interest? I shouldn't have to tell you how important maintaining the integrity of the lab is, Sara." Sara's face instantly flushed with his answer, but Grissom was still as confused as ever.
"I ah… I'm… Look, I… Okay…" She was completely flustered and could not think of a single thing to say to get out of it. She searched her mind for something; anything to respond intelligently to something that she clearly should have seen. But all the color drained out of her face when she saw Catherine walking towards them, and in a panic she just turned away and said, "I'm sorry," so that he could not see the pain in her eyes.
She quickly walked away, leaving him to speak with Catherine, who had stopped to figure out what his dumbfounded expression was about, "Gil, are you trying to catch flies with that look?"
He snapped back to reality and answered with nothing more than, "Huh?"
Catherine just shook her head and laughed, "Never mind… Must have been Sara." And with that she walked away chuckling to herself.
The only thought that crossed Grissom's mind was "I will never understand the female of the species."
