Chapter 10

Sara stood there in the shock and if truth be told she felt intimidated by him, there was something sinister in his tone. She thought that maybe this was over her head and decided it best that she report it to her next in command and then stay well clear. She cleaned up and got back to work. She tried looking for Grissom but he was still out in the field.

She had finished processing her evidence and went to see if Greg needed a hand with his. She found him in the garage under one of the vehicles they had towed back from the scene. "hey Greg, I just finished processing my evidence, I came to see if you needed any help with yours?"

Just as the blond, spikey-haired, youngster was about to speak, a menacing voice appeared from the trunk of the car, "no we've got it all covered here Sara but thanks anyway" said Lemmur with a satisfactory smile on his face. She said nothing but just walked away. "great, he's gotten to Greg now too!" Sara said to herself as she aimlessly wandered the corridors in search of someone who needed her help until they had a post processing briefing. But at that precise moment her cell went off, it was a message from Grissom, "post-processing briefing- break room 10minutes, no exceptions!"

Sara went and got her files and notes ready and headed for the break room. Grissom, Brass & Catherine were already in there talking amongst themselves, about the case she presumed. She was in the room and sitting down until grisssom spotted her, "Sara, thanks for coming, you spot any of the others?"

"em, no I haven't" she replied honestly. Then they all came in and sat down. Brass was the first to speak. "right I just got word from the hospital, death toll is now at 5. The mayor has already rang the chiefs office looking for info, so I ask, what have we got?"

What felt like hours but in reality was only one hour, the CSIs were released from the break room and were paired up into new tasks for the case. Sara and Catherine were on re-interviewing the witnesses, Greg & Lemmur stayed on the vehicles and Nick went with Grissom and Brass back into the field.

They had 17 eye-witness accounts, 10 of them were tourists, 3 were homeless, 1 drug dealer and 3 gang bangers that weren't saying anything. So they split up and got through them, one by one. Half way through Sara seemed to hit a slump, she suddenly got very tired and found herself wishing she could go home to bed for once. Catherine seemed to notice a change in her demeanour, "hey, you ok? Don't seem like yourself since you came back, everything alright at home?" Sara eyed the experienced CSI suspiciously and wondered how much Grissom had or hadn't told her. "fine, I'm fine, just tired that's all. IL be glad when this case is over and I can go to sleep!"

Catherine looked at her like she just told her something horrific. Sara caught the stare and asked, "what?" at first Sara thought Catherine wasn't going to reply only stare at her, but then she finally found her tongue, "what's going on with you?" she said more demanding this time, " in all the years we've worked difficult, taxing, gruelling hours on the worst drawn out cases, I've never heard you look forward to close so that you could sleep? So SPILL, What's going on?"

Sara thought about lying, about making up a fabricated story about being sick of it all but then thought, it was going to be only a matter of time before she found out anyway, so there in the corridor of the police station she told Catherine, her and Grisssom's best kept secret.

Catherine was flabbergasted, but very supportive. "I know this is a scary time Sara but remember, regardless of what's going on with grisssom and you or anyone else for that matter, all that matters now is this baby, so take care of yourself ok?" Sara knowingly nodded, thanked her and reminded her to hold it a secret for just a while longer. "so, how bout we pair up and interview these gang bangers together?" Sara agreed, "lets do it"

Sara & Catherine caught a break, useful info from a gang member that folded in exchange for protection. Grissom, Nick & Brass obtained a warrant and made 3 arrests. And just like that, they were done. Case over. "thank god" Sara thought. All she had to do was file away the interviews with the logging evidence, sign out and she was home-free. She had planned on going to grisssom office to speak with him about what happened earlier with Lemmur but she thought, "it can wait".

She arrived home an hour later and she wasn't even fit to have a shower, make food or read her mail. There was only one thing on her mind right now and that was bed. Her phone went off again and as she went to turn it off assuming that it was Grissom, LEMMUR read across the screen. Intrigued, she answered, "Sidle"

"Sara, its Lemmur, just wanted to ring, I didn't catch up with you after shift there, you snook off pretty fast"

Annoyed at this point, Sara replied, " I didn't sneak anywhere, I did a double shift, it was a long case, I'm exhausted, so if you don't mind,"

"oh, I thought you were well able for cases like these, eh, never mind, I just wanted to say, well done in that break in the case today"

Sara was listening confused, she was so tired that she wasn't sure if she was hearing things now, "I'm sorry, what? Your praising me? Well no offense Lemmur but you're not my boss"

Lemmur cut across her, "oh I'm sorry, I thought you knew, I was approached by Ecklie and Grissom after shift and was told that Grissom will no longer be your direct superior for whatever reason and as I am more qualified than you, myself and Catherine will be your acting superiors, so that kind of does make me your boss doesn't it?..sweet dreams Sara" and with that he hung up.

Sara was livid. She didn't know who she was more angry with, Lemmur, Ecklie, Grissom or herself for letting a smarmy, egotistical ass get the better of her. She dialled Grissom. He didn't answer. She cursed him. Then lay down on her bed, and soon fell asleep.

On the other side of town, Catherine willows walked into Grissoms office. "so, Ecklie tells me I direct supervisor of Sara from now on?" grisssom glanced up at Catherine, not really in the mood to go into this with her right now but knowing she deserves a honest answer. But at last minute, chickened out. "eh, ya I think he wants to split up the team for evaluation purposes?" It was a vague response and Catherine saw right through him.

"ya I suppose it would be pretty conflicting evaluating the mother of your child on a annual basis" at this, grisssom eyes snapped up to Catherine's, she had his full attention now.

"how did you.." grisssom started to babble, "save it, Sara told me, well I bullied it out of her, I'm not stupid, I knew something was up and you're forgetting I've been there before"

At this Grissom nodded knowingly, a feeling of guilt washed over him for not confiding in her when he knew he could of trusted her. "I'm sorry Catherine. I should of told you I know but to be honest I'm still just trying to process and figure out how I'm going to get through this, I feel like I'm in way over my head"

Catherine felt sorry for him, he genuinely did look lost. "Gil, I know this is scary for a normal person, for you it's terrifying I get it. I'm not gonna lie, that scariness doesn't go away, but you become more comfortable with it, if that makes sense?"

Grissom just sighed, "I don't know how to be a father, I don't even know how to be a supportive partner at the minute. She doesn't want anything to do me, not that I can blame her, I hurt her"

"Saras not vindictive Gil, she'll get over it, just don't mess it up again."

He nodded and came around and sat at the corner of the desk facing Catherine as she sat in the chair. " how was she working on the case today? I didnt see much of her."

Catherine thought about the question, I thought it best not to lie to him, "she was….tired. she needs to know her limitations, her body is changing more than she knows and she shouldn't be pushing herself"

Grisssom was worried now, they were only at the start and he was already failing as a father. "what should I do Catherine?"

Catherine gave him a motherly look, "IL make sure she doesn't push herself, even if she doesn't want to hear it. Another suggestion Gil, TELL THE TEAM! They can help. They might be a little shocked at first but they're you're friends, they'll support ye and they are more eyes looking out for Sara when she's in the field."

"I know I know, we were planning on telling the team before this case started but then everything just got hectic. That's definitely the next step, they need an explanation as to why there are changes in the team anyway. Thanks Catherine"

Catherine took her que and got up to leave, she patted him on the shoulder and then stopped at the door, "oh and Gil? Congratulations, you'll make a great father, don't doubt it" and then she was gone leaving Grissom contemplating a more positive attitude to impending fatherhood.