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 ;) Also, there is a sprinkling of language throughout the story.
A/N: Okay... Before the end of this fic, I'm going to need therapy from all the stuff this writing is boiling up :p However, this chapter is nice and light... Just get ready for the pain later on :) And I'm posting now, because I have a long morning, and THE Episode tonight... So, it might be my only chance to post it.
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 12
Nick was quietly making his way down to the morgue to check in on his case. He knew that David had gotten the body delivered fairly close to the start of the shift, so he figured Stephanie probably had the preliminary report waiting for him. She was, without a doubt, the most thorough and deliberate coroner he had ever met, but she also worked with a speed that he had never seen before. Thank God for hyperactivity, he thought to himself as he pushed through doors to the Autopsy Room.
Stephanie looked up from the body she was working on to see Nick come striding into her domain, "Back for more punishment?"
The man blushed at her taunt and held up his hands in a sign of surrender, "This ole boy has learned his lesson, but good. I'll stick to getting my ass handed to me by Warrick from now on. Less humiliating, that way."
She just laughed at his acquiescence, "Sorry, man… I thought for sure you knew I played in college, and were just being a typical male."
"No… I think someone neglected to tell me that one on purpose. But don't worry, I'll be sure to pay Catherine back for that one. Just as soon as that bruise on my tailbone fades away." Nick stretched awkwardly to show that he was still in a bit a pain from their recent match up.
"Sorry about that… I just get a little territorial under the net." She was genuinely sorry for his pain, but then he saw a devilish glint come to her eyes. "Just ask Warrick to show you his court rash." The sly raising of her eyebrows when she spoke elicited a playful grin on his face.
"I'll be sure to do that." Nick then put his game face on and asked his question, "So, you got the prelim on Adler, yet?"
He could see her searching her brain for the case file before she spoke, "Ah, David is prepping him right now." She could see his disappointment, "But, at first glance, I would call it asphyxia."
"Asphyxia? Based on what?"
"The amount of fluid that came out of his throat when we opened the bag." She had already returned to the work on the body before her as he mulled over the information.
"Water?"
She looked up at him briefly, obviously distracted by the case in front of her, "Um, no. Looks to be bodily fluid… Probably mucousal."
"So, we're looking at natural causes then?" Nick was somewhat disappointed at that part of the equation.
"Definitely not!" Stephanie was shocked at the conclusion he had jumped to on the case. "What perfectly healthy thirty year old, marathon runner, vegetarian male dies from asphyxiation of mucousal fluid without an agent to produce the fluid?"
"Allergies?"
"None, according to the medical record sent over by the college. I'm having a full toxicology scan and serology workup done on this one, but I haven't had a chance to perform the autopsy just yet." She gestured at the number of bodies sitting around the room, "The swing guy had a pile up on fifteen, and he's a useless stump anyway."
"I resent that remark." Dr. Robbins chose that moment to walk into the Autopsy Room.
Stephanie laughed at his assumption and welcomed him in for the day, "Good morning, Al… And I was talking about Edderlind."
"Oh, well in that case, carry on." He limped passed them and headed straight for his office, "Coffee?"
"I'd name a child after you if you did." He laughed at her reply and simply nodded his head as he made his way back to his office.
Nick gestured towards the departing head coroner, "What's he doing in so early?"
"Edderlind… Guy walked out of here half hour before I came on duty, left David with all the pile up vics and another body besides. He's here to help me clear the decks and start looking for yet another coroner to work swing shift." Nick just nodded and started to leave the room.
Calling over his shoulder, he had one more thing to add, "Well, give me a holler when you start on my vic. I'll even bring the donuts."
"Donuts… Gross!"
"Muffins?" Nick was trying to figure out what she liked.
"Only those nasty bran and molasses ones that no one else will touch." Dr. Robbins had returned carrying a carafe of coffee with him. "The girl has no stomach for junk food. Only coffee." Nick laughed at Doc's joke and nodded his head as he left the room. Once he was through the doors, Dr. Robbins spoke again, "So, how far did you get?"
"Well, this is the spare, and the pile up is what you see around the room. I'm just waiting on David to rack 'em and stack 'em for me once he finishes prepping the professor." She appeared quite pleased with herself.
"So, that leaves me with the jumper and the paperwork?" He raised his eyebrow in question.
"And anything that comes in from now on?" She was asking the question, because, after all, he was her boss.
"Deal… Now, take a break and drink your coffee before it gets too cold, and tell me where I should be looking for another swing shift coroner." He saw the disbelief in her eyes and responded, "I haven't hired another decent person in here in six months. I've become convinced you were a fluke."
