CSI TRACE LAB- MONDAY 15TH JUNE - 12.45 AM

As Sara and Greg entered the trace lab Nick and Warrick were on there way out. The pairs exchanged 'hellos' and 'how's the case's' and they were on there way.

David Hodges had worked in the trace lab for around 2 ½ years. At first he wasn't well liked but as he had become a permanent fixture in the night shift people had no choice but to like him. Although they didn't want to they had to or they were scared that there work wouldn't be done on time or at all.

"And what can I do for you on this great evening"

"Easy tiger"

"Greg you don't understand how happy I am"

"Not sure I want to"

"You see a women has taken my heart" Hodges seemed very happy with this statement

"Good for her"

"Look" Sara said "I don't want to disturb you from your dream world"

"But"

"Is there any chance we can get our work looked at today"

"5 minutes"

"Thank you"

As the pair exited the room Sara said goodbye to Greg and made her way to see Grissom. Gilbert Grissom had taught Sara in college. Gilbert Grissom or Grissom as he was known was a well known and a well respected criminologist. As well as being a criminologist Grissom decided to branch out a bit further he became an entomologist. This meant he was able to understand the lifecycle of a bug. Sara knocked on his door.

CSI LAB - MONDAY JUNE 15TH - 10.45 PM

"Come" the voiced boomed from behind the door

"You O.K?"

"Yeah just a little tired"

It was common knowledge around the lab that Sara never got enough sleep. Most nights she was lucky if she reached 4 -5 hours. It wasn't the sleeping part that she had a problem with. She could muster up tiredness like there was no tomorrow but it was the things in her head which kept her awake at night. The things that Sara had seen moved around her head like a record that had become stuck on one particular part. No matter how she tried she couldn't get rid of them. She had begun to feel like they were a presence which would never leave her. She couldn't get rid of them, not by lack of trying though. Grissom disturbed her from her trail of thought.

"You OK."

"Yeah Can I have a word?"

"Yeah sure"

"This homicide in Henderson"

"What about it" Grissom said before giving her a chance to finish her sentence.

"Well we need your help"

"Go ahead"

"Well we found some bugs at the scene that didn't belong"

"Where about's"

"In the footprint"

Sara placed the photographs that Greg had taken off the footprints in front of him and explained how the bugs had been placed in the print. She gave the details on how the body had been found and how it looked to be strategically placed in the middle of the floor. Grissom made observations to the footprint and made notes about the footprint.

"Any ideas" Sara said after a while

"Not yet"

"Mind if I keep these files I think they need a little bit of extra research is in order"

With that Grissom walked straight out of the room as he did Greg was making his way up the corridor.

"What's his problem?"

"You know the bug man"

"Any news on the tool marks"

"Just about to go in and see care to join me"

Sara and Greg entered the trace lab and Hodges were still smiling contently to himself

"Ah" he said "I was just about to page you"

"Well were here now so you don't have to" Greg said with a smirk

After a few minutes silence Sara piped up

"Care to tell us what the results were"

"Yeah I found impressions of Iron in the wound and I also found particles of Silicon in the wound"

"Silicon" Greg said a little bemused

"Yeah, your vic was male right"

"Sure was"

"The wound was centred just below his elbow on his left wrist right?"

"Yeah and the ear was taken clean off"

Sarah and Greg began to muse over the concept of the victim may be a medical proffessional. The deceased wounds were consistent with an amputation preformed by a professional. After all how did that ear end up clean off if the suspect didn't know what they were doing?

Sara and Greg thanked Hodges for his worked and they promised to keep him updated on any developments the case took.

"Silicon in the wound" Greg said "How did silicon end up in the wound"

"Could have been via a glove interfering with the wound"

"What about via injection"

"It's a possibility"

CSI LAB - AUTOPSY - MONDAY JUNE 16TH - 12.25AM

"David you see any puncture marks"

"Not sure, you checked up on his ID yet"

"Yeah a Ryan Jacobson is a practicing surgeon up in Henderson and I think it's about time we took our cut"

Sara and Greg said there thanks to David and they both exited. As they passed down the corridor Sara made her excuses and went to see if Grissom had made any progress on the bugs in the shoe.

GRISSOM'S OFFICE - MONDAY JUNE 16th - 1AM

"I've found no information on the bugs found in the shoe" Grissom said to her before she had eleven had chance to open her mouth.

"How did you know that's what I wanted?" Sara exclaimed

"Lucky guess was there something else"
"No I just ….. Look it doesn't matter"

"Go on"

"I wanted to ask about some time off" Sara said with a look of depression and mourning in her eyes.

Sara and time off never really mixed. She had roughly worked up about 6 weeks of the vacation time this year already and it was only Feburary. Even last year she took no vacation time what so ever and racked up an office record of 7 months. That was pretty impressive. That's why Grissom was a little take bemused by her statement, and the term bemused was not used lightly. Something was wrong Grissom just didn't know what.

"When were you thinking?"

"Friday to start with"

The request for time off couldn't have come at a worse time for Grissom. Cath was already out with flu and Warrick had a court appearance on Friday so is department would be stretched to the limit. But how could he say no to her. She had never asked him for anything like this before and if he said no she may ever ask him for anything again and he wasn't prepared to take that risk. What did she mean to start with? Grissom was now beginning to get worried.

"Is everything ok?"

"Why wouldn't it be?"

"No reason it's just that you have never asked for time off before"

"First time for everything"

"Friday"

"Yeah I know Cath's off and Warrick is due in court but this is important please"

"Sure"

Sara made a move to exit his office but just before she left she moved her head back around the door frame and looked directly into Grissom's eyes.

"I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important, will you keep me informed on the bugs"

With that she left. The first thing Grissom did after that would surprise even him.

"Jim Grissom listen I need a favour"