CHAPTER TWO
Grissom was getting ready to hand out his assignments to the team as Iris walked in quickly. He glanced at her as she came in. She was usually one of the first ones in and all ears when he made ready to give out the duty list. A ghost of a smile remained set on Iris's face as she sat down beside Sara. Grissom could tell something was bothering Iris but also knew she would not let it disrupt her work. Not the time or place to ask her Grissom thought and began to hand out the assignments, making one quick adjustment as he did so.
Warrick was still home sick with the flu and would be out again that day. Iris made a mental note to call him and take him some homemade chicken noodle soup. Iris was then surprised to hear Grissom say she was being assigned to him to work a DB case.
She made quick notes about the circumstances, her kit was ready to go and she could meet Grissom promptly to leave. Everyone got up to go to his or her respective tasks.
"I'm with you then, boss?" Iris asked Grissom as they exited the break room. "I don't think I've had that honor yet and I've been here nearly a year."
"Has it only been that long? It seems like you've been here forever with us," Grissom replied with a very slight smile as they headed out to his Tahoe.
"I seem to make folks think that of me, well, nearly everybody," Iris stated absently as she touched the gold heart pendant Brass had given her not long after they had begun dating. Treasuring it as she did, it was something she rarely took off. Her mind was forcing itself to stay focused, her heart aching to know why about Annie's sudden appearance and Brass making no mention of it.
Seeking a fresh subject to keep her mind elsewhere, Iris asked Grissom how he and Sara were progressing. She was aware they'd been exceedingly discrete of seeing each other outside of the CSI lab and also that it was not looked well on for a supervisor to be romantically involved with a subordinate.
"Things are coming along but you know how it is with having a relationship with someone you work with." Grissom said candidly, knowing Iris could relate especially to this. "Look, I saw Annie come in a little earlier this morning to see Jim. He'd mentioned she was in town to visit." He glanced at Iris to see her reaction.
Her eyes dropped downward for a moment as he heard her take a deep breath. "I was clueless. He never said a word about it. I have to admit to being a bit confused." She looked at Gil and he saw a tremulous smile and her glistening doe-like eyes behind her glasses. He gave her hand a squeeze of encouragement which she accepted gratefully as they drove on.
