DISCLAIMER:Don't own anything associated with the show… I just like playing with the characters in it.

RATING: T – Teen (language and adult issues)

PAIRINGS: GSR & Yo!Bling pre-established in previous fics of this timeline.

SPOILERS: Sequel to "Displacement" and "Transitions"

SUMMARY: Everything is changing around Nick Stokes. Can he deal with it, and how it will affect him in the end?

A/N: Okay, here's a little break from the Nick torture. I have tried to put these little breaks in throughout the whole story in order to keep people from lynching me. Hopefully you like what I have for this little break. :D

REVIEWS: Reviews are the way I know if people are enjoying the work or not. So, if you leave one, THANKS! And if not, I hope you found at least a little something to brighten your day, and thanks for taking the time to read.

Chapter 15

08:00 – 2006.12.08

UNLV Earth Science Building: Geology Lab

Striding up to the geology laboratory door, Gil knocked quietly on it. When he looked up, a young woman with a mass of striking, reddish blonde hair waved him inside.

"Dr. Grissom! I didn't know you were stopping by." Her warm and inviting smile was a welcome treat after a long shift.

"Well, I had another meeting on campus and I phoned Dr. Desmaiseaux to see if I could get a preview of her newest report." They exchanged a quick handshake and Sandi gestured for him to follow her into the next room. "It's good to see you again, Sandi… Stephanie tells me the wedding plans are going according to schedule."

"As long as my dissertation is approved next month, I should be presenting in February and FINALLY have my Ph.D." She walked him through the lab as they spoke. "And I'm starting to think David is more excited about it than I am."

"Well, that's because he has more riding on it." Dr. Desmaiseaux spoke from the other side of the lab, as she heard the pair enter the room. "Dr. Grissom…" She rose from her stool and began to cross the room using her crutch. "I'm glad you had some extra time this morning."

"Well, I have to admit, I am anxious to read about your findings on climate differentials in the Sonoran Desert." As the two began speaking, Sandi quietly slipped back out of the room. "I have a sneaking suspicion your conclusions are going to change a great many things in my own field."

"Improvements, not changes, Dr. Grissom, only improvements. It should give you the opportunity to date things with much more precision in the future, IF they approve my findings." She remained guarded about her research, and Gil found that to be refreshing, when so many in the research field tried to bully their theories onto others.

"Judging from your previous field work… I have no doubts in regards to its veracity."

They walked into the next room where there was a table and some chairs, and two copies of an official report waiting for them. Being his normal self, he pulled out a chair for her and then waited for her to be seated before taking his own seat.

"Thank you." He could sense a slight bristling in her speech in reference to his gesture, but he had a reputation for his genteel behavior. However, his greater reputation came from his equal treatment of all people, so she was able to accept his gesture without any outwards signs of irritation.

"I also wanted to stop by and thank you for your assistance while we work the case from your research site. You've certainly upped the learning curve for my team and I think that knowledge will be of great value to them in the future." Gil was laying it on thick, but he knew that sometimes you had to play to a person's ego in order to achieve a goal. In this case, his goal was more cooperation between the university and the crime lab.

"Yes, well, they do appear dedicated to their work. And obviously Ms. Sidle has been taking lessons from you in how to engage a scientist and play to their egos." She gave him a sly grin and he held his hands up in mock surrender.

"You caught me… But seriously, Sara is actually quite an accomplished scientist herself. She was close to finishing her doctoral work in theoretical physics when she was bit with the forensics bug." He tried to take some of the beaming pride out of his description of Sara, but it was difficult for him under any circumstance.

"You and those puns… Good to see you've managed to keep your sense of humor in such a demanding and draining field, Dr. Grissom." Dr. Desmaiseaux obviously had an immense amount of respect for the man.

"Recently re-discovered, actually… Had a bad patch there for a while, but I managed to find it again, with a little help." His look became wistful as he spoke, and he knew exactly where that help had come from.

"Yes, well good luck to you both." Gil looked at her with a questioning glare and she replied, "Sandi told me about your impending marriage."

"Oh right… Hadn't considered that angle…" He nodded his head to show his understanding. "Yes, just a few more weeks now, but thankfully someone else is handling all the arrangements, and all I have to do is show up."

"Best way, really… Are you having it here in Vegas?"

Her expression was slightly pinched and Gil understood the reasons for it so he worked quickly to change the subject. "Ah yes, no sense having it anywhere else, really… So, I hope we can count on your further assistance with the case, because the timeline and the original scene are still a mystery to us."

She sat up a little straighter and said, "Yes, well I have the data and photos from your people, and I was just finishing up this report before I went over them. We'll probably go over them at the site this weekend… Get the whole team's input."

"Sounds like a solid strategy and thank you for the time you've given to this. I know it may not seem important on the surface, but your expertise is invaluable in this kind of investigation. Plus, there is the added benefit of expanding forensic science into the realm of geology and climatology." Gil was doing his best to make the prospect worthwhile to the woman.

"Definitely… And besides, if the entomologists and the geologists can't get along, there's no hope for the rest of science." She gave him a sideways grin and he chuckled.

"That reminds me of the one about the Dung Beetle that was carrying around a dirt clod…"

"Oh God! That one always cracks me up." They were both laughing heartily as she began to explain the findings in her report. Reassuring them both that there was always hope for science.