DISCLAIMER: Don't own it... No money made... Just for fun and enjoyment.

SUMMARY: Sequel to Displacement. The CSI team and their recently hired coroner Stephanie are back to work solving cases, sharing companionship and generally making their way through the dire world of criminal investigation with humor and friendship... This one will show the development of the relationship between Grissom and Sara and there should be some other surprises down the road as well. Romance/Drama/Angst/Mature Situations

RATING: M for Mature - I'm starting this one out at "M", since we won't be waiting quite so long for the smut this time out ;)

A/N: I hope everyone is recovering from tonight's episode. I am fairly certain that there was a progression of "squeeeage" traveling across the country as the episode aired (6.22). BTW-Does anyone else remember anything about the case they were investigating? ;)

I have one beta working through her technical difficulties, and the other is still breathing heavy after the episode, but we seem to be making some progress on the upcoming chapters.

REVIEWS: I am always looking for ways to improve my writing, and your reviews let me know if I am hitting my mark. Thank you in advance for the time you take to review this story.


Chapter 3

The bald and lanky man paced back and forth behind his desk, as he gave his animated lecture to the man seated in front of him. While the color of the lanky man's face continued to go from normal to a very angry red with each exaggerated gesture, the other man appeared to be completely nonplused by the conversation.

"And another thing, Grissom. You need to understand that your actions reflect directly on this office and me, and I will not have you dirtying my reputation with your sexual escapades!" That was the line that finally got a rise out of Gil.

"Conrad, you can question the hours my team puts in, you can question our expenditures, and you can question my staffing choices, but you may never, in no uncertain terms, make another disparaging remark regarding my, or anyone else's, personal lives. And if I even hear you have made another comment like that to anyone, I will make it my personal mission to see that your precious reputation is brought into the full light of your gross and immeasurable incompetence, as I should have done years ago. DO NOT push me, Conrad." With those words, Gil rose from his seat and left a completely shell shocked Conrad Ecklie in his wake.

Storming through the halls of the CSI lab, Gil Grissom was not a man to be trifled with at that moment. He threw open the door to his office and found himself standing in the center of the room as the steam continued to pour out of him with his fury. Gil hated one thing more than anything; losing control of his anger. However, Conrad Ecklie seemed to have a natural knack for releasing the beast he held within. He was still fuming when he barely heard the click of his office door as it closed and he whirled around to see who had entered his domain. He found her with her arms raised in surrender, "I give!"

He turned back around and planted his hands firmly on the top of his desk, desperately trying to regain control of his rage. "Not now, Catherine," he said through clenched teeth.

"Let me guess; Ecklie?" She waited to see if he would lash out, but when she realized he had gotten his control back, she continued, "He finally decided to call you to the carpet on this thing with Sara, right? And I'm sure the little weasel did a bang up job of getting around to the topic." She thought about that statement one more time, "Ya know… If you had even one politic bone in your body, Gil, Ecklie would've never gotten the job."

"I never wanted the job, Catherine." His words were terse, but Catherine knew that he was being sincere. Grissom had never wanted to be more than a scientist on a lifelong search for answers. Administration was not something he wanted, or would likely to ever be any good at. Gil Grissom was the epitome of the absent minded professor.

She walked over to his side and placed a hand on his shoulder, "You know he can't do anything, right?"

He nodded his head, "But that doesn't mean he can't use it to push my buttons."

As much as she hated to admit it, Catherine knew that Gil was right. Ecklie would use Gil's relationship with Sara as a starting point in every altercation with Gil, until the man finally broke and tried to take Ecklie's head off. That was what he was looking for, so that he had an excuse to fire him. Ecklie knew it would have to be something big in order to convince the director and the sheriff of the move to get rid of Grissom.

Catherine tried to come up with something to tell her friend that would help the situation, but before she had done that, the phone on Gil's desk rang. He picked it and had not even made a proper greeting before Catherine could hear the voice of the patrol captain yelling into Gil's ear. "No… They have not even gotten back to th-… Yes, I will get to th-… No that won't be neces-… Dammit! IF I could get a word in edgewise, I might be able to give you a better answer… Right… I'll look into it and call you back… Bye." He put the receiver down and held a hand up to his head to rub his temples.

"Warrick or Nick?" Catherine had heard enough of the conversation to know that something had happened between the CSIs and the officers at the hit and run scene.

"Warrick… I know he's been on edge lately, and I suppose I should have said something sooner." Catherine was shocked to hear him admit to knowing what was going on around him. She assumed now that he was not devoting so much attention to ignoring Sara he could see the forest for the trees.

"Well, don't take too long… I imagine you have better things to do than babysit Warrick this morning." Catherine was on her way out the door when she heard him mumble something to himself.

"If she's still speaking to me by then." When Catherine turned around to ask him about his comment, she saw him pulling out his cellphone and decided to get back to him about that one. She turned back to the door and walked out, thinking that it's a good thing they both have tomorrow off.