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: Despite spending a bunch of time on emergency projects, I managed to sneak a little writing in this weekend, so here's another chapter. I was really happy to hear the last one was so well received. You can expect a few more of those in this story. :D

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 6

With her feet propped up on the coffee table and a stack of journals beside her on the couch, Stephanie was broken from her concentration by the sound of something vibrating on the table top. When she peered over her copy of the most recent report from the Royal College of Pathologists, she found someone's cellphone going off. Upon closer inspection, she realized that it had to have belonged to Warrick. "Hey 'Rick!"

His voice wafted in from the garage out back, "Yeah?"

She picked it up and noticed that it was Sara calling him, "Sara's calling your cell… You want me to grab it before it goes to voice?" She did not wait for his answer and instead opened it up and answered, "Hold on, Sara. He'll be here in just a sec."

When Stephanie looked up, Warrick was standing in front of her and holding his hand out for the phone. "Hey, Sar, what's up?... No, I ain't got nothing going tonight… Sure, I'll cover you, but you owe me this time… Okay, see ya Monday." He closed up the phone and used his sleeve to wipe the sweat from off his forehead.

"There's water out in that fridge." Stephanie leaned back into the comfy couch and went back to her reading. "Are you getting everything sorted out in there?"

"Yeah." He winced with his statement, and decided he had to ask again, "So, are you guys sure it's okay to have all my crap in there, 'cause I can always get a sto-…"

"Would you knock it off? As long as there's room for the Thing, we're golden. Thomas can get used to parking on the street. Besides, it's going to take you at least a few weeks to get everything sorted out before you can even start looking for another place." She put her journal down to show her seriousness, "And when I said you were welcome here for as long you needed, I wasn't just talking. Thomas even had your name put on the security service index and you got the keys he made, right?" Warrick nodded sheepishly, "So there… Until you can get back on your feet, consider this your home."

He nodded his head again, but this time he smiled, "Well, you guys know that I'm gonna owe you for a long time, right?"

"I'll hear none of that… Anyone willing to put up with the two of us is worth the investment in our books." Thomas had come up behind him and then flopped down on the couch next to Stephanie.

"Well, I can at least make you guys some dinner before I roll out for shift tonight."

"Now, that sounds like an interesting prospect." Stephanie looked away from her journal again, "You can cook, right?"

Her appraising eye gave Warrick a chance to laugh. "On more than just the basketball court. Which puts me up by two on my homeboy there."

Thomas clutched at his chest in mock pain, "Owww… Man, that one hurt, deeply. I'll get you next time."

Warrick shook his head as he turned to the leave the room, "In your dreams, leprechaun."

CSI GSR CSI GSR CSI GSR CSI GSR CSI

When Gil looked over at Sara, he saw her faced screwed up into a virtual question mark. "What is it, honey?"

She shook her head, trying to clear the confusion that had formed over her brain when the phone had begun, "I'm not sure."

Gil was still not sure what was bothering her, but his curiosity got the better of him, "So, were you able to get Warrick to cover for you?"

"Oh yeah, no problem there." Her face had remained in a quizzical expression.

"Then what is the problem?"

After he spoke, she walked back to the couch crawled up next to him before putting her head on his shoulder, "A woman answered the phone first."

Then it was Gil's turn to have a face like a question mark. "A woman? Not Tina?"

She shook her head again, into his shoulder that time, and said, "And I swear it sounded just like-… Steph."