Chapter 13

Explosion at the Lab

Disclaimer: Just own the story not the people involved.

Rating: M

There's gonna be a few words exchanged if you know what I mean.

Grissom was surprised that he made it to his office unnoticed. Well people saw him they just didn't acknowledge his presence. Catherine had brought everyone in the lab up to speed as to what was happening with Grissom. And everyone was behind him 100.

Brass entered and told him that the Mayor, Sheriff, and even Ecklie were here looking for him. Grissom nodded and proceeded to the break room for some coffee. He sat down and opened a case file and started to read. Then Catherine, Nick, Warrick, Greg, and Brass entered and took seats around him. Just as they were beginning to start discussions a shrill voice echoed out through the halls of the lab.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the elusive supervisor Dr. Gil Grissom."

"Oh, can it Ecklie." Catherine shot back. Grissom raised a hand toward her and shook his head.

Following Ecklie was Sheriff Atwater, and the Mayor. "Dr. Grissom I am very disappointed at your actions earlier. Do you have a good explanation as to why you snuck away from an active high profile crime scene?" Atwater asked.

"Yes I do." Grissom stood and turned to face the trio. "I'll summerize it for you, my wife had an emergency c-section at 32 weeks, our son is in the NICU fighting for his life. Oh and I haven't slept more that a few hours in close to 40 hours. Is that a good enough excuse for you."

"Oh come on Grissom. Surely even you the wonderful Dr. Grissom can think of a better excuse than that."

"Go to hell Conrad." he said blatantly pointing a finger at his chest.

Sensing the situation take the next step Brass, Nick and Warrick stood behind Grissom.

"Alright Gil, what I need is to know that are you going to be able to handle yourself and resolve this situation?" Atwater said calmly seeing where Ecklie was going with this.

"Yeah I can handle myself, I might need to take a few hours to sleep, but me and my team will get this mess figured out as soon as possible. And when I know something you'll know something."

"Oh, come on Gil your team help conspire that little charade you pulled at the Mayors residence. I think when this is solved your team will receive the harshest disciplinary action I can think of."

" Yeah, well I at least have the respect of these people. They are willing to help me when I need it. That and I can at least see straight."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Ecklie fired back.

"Well your head is shoved so far up the Sheriff's ass that you are in the dark to everything that goes on around here."

Atwater just looked on realizing the tension between the lab and Conrad sensing that it was more than just this one case.

"You better keep your mouth shut Gil or you might just be looking for a new job."

"Ha, not in a million years, so back off Conrad I'm only going to warn you once." Grissom's temper had just reached it's boiling point but had yet to spill over.

"Your warning me. Ha. Fuck you Gil." And with that it was on. Grissom laid a right fist square on Ecklie across the face. Brass and Warrick grabbed Grissom's arms and pulled him back. Ecklie turned and drove his shoulders into Grissoms abdomen like a lineman driving him back onto the table and knocking Brass to the ground. Catherine was calling for reinforcements as Atwater grabbed for Ecklie as he and Grissom slid over the table and on to the floor. Brass became a casualty of war as Grissom kicked out and hit his knee instead of Ecklie. Atwater and Warrick pulled him away from the two fighting on the ground. Nick and Greg stood helpless and watched Grissom get the upper hand. They wanted to see Ecklie get what was coming to him.

Grissom pulled Ecklie to his feet and ducked as Ecklie threw a punch. Unfortunately he hit Atwater square in the nose breaking it in the process. Grissom landed another solid hit to Conrad's stomach. And just as everyone thought they were done, while doubled over Ecklie drove into Grissom pushing him back into the corner. Grissom groaned in pain as the solid wall made contact with his head and back. That's when Nick and Warrick grabbed Ecklie and pulled him back. They held onto him until everyone got their cool.

Catherine call for paramedics for the Sheriff as he was bleeding out his nose. Brass sat on the couch clutching his leg next to the bleeding Sheriff. As everyone was catching their breath Ecklie let another insult fly.

"Why don't you just go crawling back home to your alcoholic wife."

And like lightning Grissom drove his shoulder into Ecklie like a linebacker picking him up off the ground not stopping until they both went crashing through the glass of the break room and landing in the hall next to Hodges trace lab. Everyone ran over to them. Ecklie was unconscious, and Grissom was breathing heavily next to him laying on his back he looked up at everyone's faces.

"Sara's not going to like this." And with that he passed out. More from exhaustion that anything.

Catherine shook her head as the paramedics arrived. "Take care of the Sheriff, and this one." she said pointing to Ecklie. "Warrick, you and Nick take Grissom to his office and lay him on the couch. I have a feeling that he won't be waking up any time soon."

Warrick grabbed him around the shoulders and Nick grabbed his legs. They picked him up and walked through the onlookers towards his office. Catherine gave the Sheriff and Mayor the low down between Grissom and Ecklie. Neither liked what they heard but she told them the truth. Brass walked to Grissom's office to join his friend and ice his bruising knee. He opened his phone and dialed the number that was written on a card.

"Yes, I need room 314 please. Thank you."

"Hello."

"Hey Sara, it's Jim how are you sweetie?"

"I'm fine. So have you heard on what's happening with Grissom and the Sheriff?"

"Oh...yeah."

"Come on Brass spit it out."

"Well lets just say the discussion was short and I have no idea what course of action the Sheriff is planning on taking."

"Well where's Gil? Can I talk to him?"

"Uh, he's sleeping at the moment. But I'll tell him to call you when he wakes up. Ok. Look I gotta go, I'll come by and see you later." he hung up before she could reply. Knowing Sara, she knew that he was lying to her and that she would uncover the truth shortly.

Catherine came in with a blanket and covered up Grissom. She looked at Brass smiled and walked out.

Several hours later Grissom woke up. He quickly put a hand on his head and groaned. Looking around he saw Brass asleep in one chair with his feet propped up in the other chair. Catherine came in to check on them.

"Hey, your awake. Do you remember what happened?"

"Yeah. And my head is killing me."

"Take these." she handed him some aspirin. "The Sheriff told me that in a few days he is going to meet with you and Ecklie to figure out what to do with you two. Have you talked to Sara lately?"

His eyes got real big as he remembered he was supposed to call her.

"Don't worry Gil. She called me a while ago and I gave her a play by play. Or I guess you could say a blow by blow of what happened. She didn't sound too mad, but she felt better when I told her you were sleeping."

He laid his head back down and fell asleep again.

Grissom woke up to the sound of his phone ringing. He didn't recognize the number but he answered anyway.

"Grissom" he said groggily.

"Hey I'm trying to find my husband. From my understanding he was trying to impersonate Mike Tyson."

"Ha ha, very funny. I was going to call you but I'm so tired. Is everything alright, do you need me to come back right away?"

"No we're fine. You get some sleep I know you have been needing it. Just as long as you are here by this afternoon. Dr. Hathaway says I can hold and maybe feed Gabe later today, and I want you to be here."

"I wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Ok, you get some sleep and I'll see you later. I love you."

"I love you too. Bye."

He hung up and put his phone down. "God, look at you, gone all mushy over a girl." Brass said from his propped up position between the two chairs.

"Shut up Jim. Like you were never in love before."

"No, correction, I was married not in love. I don't know how anyone could love that bitch."

Grissom laughed and they chatted for a while then fell back asleep.