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, writing last night was some experience :O And you folks get to read it tomorrow :D Also... Believe it or not, the end is nigh. I hope you've all had as much fun as I did.
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 read & review this story.
Chapter 60
As Catherine sat in the break room, preparing the first cup of coffee for the night, her mind drifted back to the party. It had been amazing to see everyone together, having a wonderful time after they had been through so much. There were still things which needed to be resolved, but over the course of the night, she became convinced that no matter what, they would be able to get through anything, as long as they had each other.
At one time, she had told Gil that he needed to pull his head out of the microscope, because no matter what he wanted, people were making a family around him, and she now had to remind herself of that very same fact. She had let herself become removed from that truth during their time apart at the lab, and after everything they had gone through with Nick, she had put up even more barriers to try and protect herself from that pain again. However, just like her friend, she had to have a mirror thrown into her face to see what she had really done. Catherine had made herself an island, and it might have cost her everything that she valued in her life.
After watching her daughter coming into her own among the members of that family, she realized that she needed to take another look at their relationship. That weekend, they had talked about everything; about her father's death, her grandparents, school, her dreams and her hopes. Catherine had been surprised by the things she learned about her daughter during those talks, but more importantly, she was surprised by the things she learned about herself, because of Lindsey's questions to her. They both came to an understanding after they had finished, that they would do what they could to keep their communication lines open, and they understood that they both just wanted the other one to be happy.
Catherine also learned something else over the weekend; she wanted to share her happiness with someone else. In all of her relationships since Eddie, she had never invested much time or effort into them, and she had never gotten Lindsey involved in them at all. And Lindsey had noticed. She told her mother that she should not spend the rest of her life alone. Her wise beyond her years daughter also informed her that she should not live the rest of her life afraid to commit again, just because things did not work out with her father. How'd I get such a smart kid?
She was still clinging onto that thought when someone else came into the break room to start their day. Warrick slipped into the room and headed straight for the coffee pot. "Man… Sometimes this town still gets to me."
She pulled herself out of her head, and was able to ask, "What happened?"
Warrick shook his head as he poured the coffee, "Had to detour onto the strip, because of some construction, and some hard luck gambler comes rollin' out into the middle of the road, and then has the balls to scream at me and slam my on my hood." He slumped down into the chair beside her, still shaking his head, "I'm tellin' you, if it wasn't for the tourists-…"
"There wouldn't be a Vegas." Catherine added the comment she had heard Sam say, a million times before, to various locals over the years. Warrick nodded his head and laughed. "Do any damage?"
"Nah… I got me some Detroit steel, so he probably busted his hand for his troubles." Warrick smiled before taking a drink from his cup.
"Still hard to believe that was your grandmother's car." Catherine shook her head at the image of anyone's grandmother driving around in what could have easily been a muscle car. "But she had some taste."
"Tell me about it!" Warrick laughed at the humor of the situation and settled in until another thought crossed his mind. "Hey, speaking of her taste… I've got a huge favor to ask you."
Catherine scrunched up her nose, not quite understanding the connection between the two ideas. "What's that?"
"Well, I was talking with Linds Friday night, and it just kind of came to me…" He reached into his pocket and handed Catherine a card from one of those buildings where you could rent small office spaces or art studios. She turned the card over in her hand and found a space number listed on the back. "Do you have time to meet me there after shift?"
"Should I be worried?"
Warrick laughed, and then said, "Nah, and hopefully you might even like it."
His answer both confused and intrigued her, but before she could comment any further, they were quickly joined by Nick, Greg and Sara as they piled into the room. "Aw man… When Stephan came in with Sofia, I nearly lost it!" Nick turned to Sara and asked, "Did you know about that?"
Sara grabbed her mug from the strainer and started to fill it with water as she answered, "I didn't, but I guess Thomas knew about it."
Greg shrugged as he poured the last of the coffee into Nick's mug and started setting up a pot of his stash. "I don't know… Seems right to me, since they're both just a couple of players, ya know. I mean, we've all heard the stories about Stephan. And Sofia?… Well, she's the same kind of animal, I guess." They all laughed at Greg's logic, but none of them could deny it either.
Catherine called over her shoulder to Nick, "Hey Nicky… Has your ego healed from your brush with death?"
Nick reared his head back and guffawed at Catherine's question, "C'mon! Am I ever gonna be able to forget that one?"
They all looked at each other, smiled, and said in unison, "No!"
"You gotta admit, bro… Those girls had your number. Which reminds me, let's not give Wendy too much time with Linds from now on… Things could get dangerous 'round here." Warrick's joke had not gone unnoticed by the others in the room, and they all laughed at the memory of their lab tech and the young girl ganging up on Nick to discuss his lack of style when it came to choosing hair cuts.
"At least he finally found a decent barber." Brass had stuck his head in the door and added his own wit to the discussion.
"Hi, Jim… What's up?" Sara called from over her now steeping cup of tea.
"I need to steal you from the fun… Robbery/Homicide over in Seven Hills." Brass gestured his apology and Sara nodded.
"Gimme a sec to grab my kit, and I'll meet you outside." She quickly poured the contents of her mug into a paper cup and then turned back to smile at everyone as she left, "Sorry to cut this short, but apparently duty calls." She had walked out the door, but then leaned back to say, "Oh, and tell Archie that pot's mine… I told them Sandi was real."
Nick and Greg stared at each other in disbelief, because they could not believe the grief they had taken about the joke, "Can you believe that?" Nick was shaking his head in disgust.
Catherine sipped from her cup and then added, "Make sure he gives Wendy the money before he leaves, since they went halves on it."
They were all roaring with laughter as Grissom entered the room with the assignments for the night. "Well, it's nice to see everyone in such high spirits." He looked up from the slips in search of someone, but came up empty, "Where's Sara?"
Catherine spoke up first, "Jim came and got her for a Robbery/Homi-…"
"Homicide in Seven Hills… Got it." He flipped to the next page and said, "Catherine, you and Nick have a DB along Boulder Highway, near the on-ramp for the five fifteen." He handed them the slip and moved on to the next, "Warrick, smash and grab at the Lucky U Pawn Shop on Ogden, next to the Lady Luck." Warrick took the slip without a word and then Grissom looked up at Greg with a sinister smile on his face, "Greg, you're with me." The groans from the young man were drowned out by the laughter of everyone else. "DB in a dumpster behind the Fremont." Grissom's smile grew wider as he added the last comment, "You might want to change your clothes now."
