A/N: As always thank you for reading and commenting. You all are awesome. Just saying the more review the more motivated I am to work on this instead of the other fun things like cleaning homicide data to test hypotheses regarding the changes in economy effect on homicide rates across nations.

Chapter 2: Not Meant to Be

The autopsies were difficult for all involved. However, the difference between a CSI that could do the job for a lifetime, much like Grissom, and a CSI who would eventually burn out, was the ability to push down any emotions that might arise due to a case. The horrific deaths, especially of the children, bothered Grissom, but it mattered more that he found answers in the evidence. It did not help that he occasionally glanced over at Sara and saw tears in her eyes, when the tears were not there, she would have a glare aimed at him. Two questions circled around his head. The first, why did he not allow himself to reach over and embrace her somehow, to comfort her. That was an easy question to answer, it was too costly, emotions were better ignored. Emotions were too messy. It was easier to ignore them.

The second question was what had he done now to piss her off? He thought they had gotten past his inability to open himself to her, to put his career on the line, his very wellbeing on the line to be with her, despite what he felt. But most of all on his mind was the migraine that was ever present, and threatened to reach a level of pain that would disable him. It was a blinding pain right in his frontal lobe, that would throb to the point he was nauseous and eventually he would vomit. The progression of this migraine was no different from the others before it. However, the timing was horrible. This case needed to be solved, and the first 24 hours would be important because of the nature of the crime.

Dr. Robbins stated, "From my initial examination I would say the deaths occurred in the order of the little girl, the son, mother, and finally the father. There are defensive wounds on the mother. She fought them. The injuries to the mother, son, and girl were all caused while they were still alive. This includes the sexual assaults. DNA techs will have to confirm, but I believe each victim was sexually assaulted more than once." His voice remained professional but each word he said stabbed him in the heart, it was difficult when the victims were kids, and the deaths were horrific. Possibly some of the worse he had seen in awhile. Doc Robbins knew tonight he would go home and hug his wife, call his kids, and talk to his grandchildren.

Those words made Sara's stomach turn threatening to lose its contents. It all was just too horrific. She was a strong female, but no one could stand here and look at the horrific acts that were done against these people and not feeling anything. Well no one but Dr. Gilbert Grissom. She could even notice the sorrow in Doc Robbins eyes. As Robbins went through each of the injuries and finally the causes of death it was too much for anyone to suffer, let alone four different people. It was her problem she knew, she often identified too much with the victims. She let their deaths become personal, but it was what drove her to work hard to solve each case. It was getting justice for these people that mattered. She found her passion in the job by finding justice for those who could not do it for themselves anymore. Justice was not revenge, nor would it bring back these people, but it would rebalance the world.

"Thanks Al." Grissom said stifling a yawn, he was exhausted, and the harsh florescent lights of the morgue were notching his migraine up to a level of almost unbearable pain.

"Judy has been asking me about when you are going to come around for breakfast or dinner on your night off?" Al stated as if it were any other day and there were not a family lying on his slabs. While this may seem cruel, it was his way of dealing with the harsh things he had to see throughout his day. Compartmentalizing was important if one wanted to be the Chief Medical Examiner in a city like Vegas where people did some of the most horrific things to each other.

"Been a bit busy." Grissom said with a frown. It was not that he did not like having dinner or breakfast with Al and his wife, it was more that Judy kept trying to set him up with her friends. The woman did not seem to understand that Grissom was happy alone, and that he was not searching for someone to complete him. He knew she meant well, but he was running out of creative excuses for not wanting to date whoever she had in mind.

"I'll tell her you'll let me know when." Al said smiling knowing why the night shift supervisor did not want to have dinner with him and his wife. Judy had been one a one person mission to find Mrs Right for Grissom.

"If that is all I guess we'll go process some more evidence." Grissom said indicating it was time to leave.

The conversation back to the lab was all work related. Grissom started, "So it looks like a professional job."

"Yeah but why? There is nothing in these people's past that indicates why anyone would want to harm them. Let alone torture them."

"Maybe Brass will have more information on their background." Grissom said closing his eyes for a brief moment. "Why don't you go home and get some rest? This is your second double and we are only into the fourth day of the workweek. Aren't you supposed to be off today?"

"Yes." Sara said, "What about you? Are you going home to rest."

"I have some paperwork to finish."

"I'll work as long as you work. This case is still hot." Sara said, "We need to find the killers before they leave town."

"We can only do our best." Grissom said, "And you would do better to rest. Looking at the evidence and case with rested eyes will help you find more information."

"Are you saying I'm not capable."

Grissom stopped her, "No I'm not saying that. I'm saying that we both need the rest. You are the one who can go home and rest. I will finish the paperwork and go home myself."

God she made his head hurt more from her pure stubbornness. There was no reason for her to push herself this far. Was this a game of whatever you can do I can do better? Because he was not interested in playing that game right now. He wanted to go home, but he knew that was not an option. Sara was right the case was hot right now, and he needed to make sure all the i's were dotted and the t's crossed before he finally got to take the pills that would dull the pain in his skull, and maybe if he was lucky he would sleep.

Sara had been talking, but Grissom would not have known, too wrapped up in his thoughts about her. Sara waited for a response from Grissom and when she got none she asked, "You ok?"

"Yes." Grissom said almost as a growl. He did not want this right now, whatever Sara was trying to prove she did not need to prove it.

"Did you hear a word I just said?"

Grissom did not answer, and luckily he did not have to when his phone rang.

"Brass." He said as way of explanation of why he was cutting their argument short to take the call.

"Where you at?" Brass asked before Grissom could say anything.

"On our way back to the lab." Grissom said, "What do you have?"

"The father is Mark Howard, 40 years of age. The mother is Augusta Howard, 42 years of age. The son is Wilson Howard and is a freshmen at the Advance Technologies Academy. The daughter is Maria Howard and is 4 years old."

"Anything else?" Grissom asked wishing he did not sound as annoyed, just in pain.

"Mark Howard worked at a bank. He was the President of the bank."

"Do we know what Augusta Howard did?" Grissom asked noticing Sara paying attention to him waiting for him to fill her in on the conversation. If he had thought about it, he probably could have turned the speaker on his phone so she could join the conversation.

"So far it appears she kept house. She had a bakery that failed a few years ago." Brass replied. "I will fill you in on the rest when you get back to the lab."

"has anyone talked to Mark Howards co-workers yet?" Grissom asked wondering if the bank had something to do with the murders. So far the family seemed like a normal family, not one that would all die the same night after being tortured. Neighbors had been shocked to hear about the families untimely death. They seemed like nice normal people. The kids were respectful.

"Not yet." Brass said, "I was going over with couple of my detectives now."

"Let me know what you find." Grissom said knowing he would not be able to function enough to be an assets when questioning the co-workers.

Grissom quickly filled Sara in on the information as they were walking back to the lab. Once there, Grissom kept walking until he reached where Greg or someone should have been working on the DNA that was collected at the scene.

Walking in Grissom regretted it within seconds when the loud music reached his ears, making his brain feel like it was imploding, the pressure inside felt like too much. Halos entered his vision, and he knew this migraine was going to be one of the worse ones. There were two types of migraines the bad ones that made him non-functional for a hours, and the worse ones that would take a day at the least before he could even function properly.

It's never enough to say I'm sorry
It's never enough to say I care
I'm caught between what you wanted from me
And knowing if I give it to you I might just disappear
No body wins when everyone is losing

"Can you please turn that down." Grissom said grasping a counter as he felt the world start to narrow in his vision.

"Sorry." Greg said looking at Grissom worried, Sara did not seem to notice or care that Grissom looked like he was about ready to pass out. "You ok boss?" Greg asked searching Grissom.

" I am fine." Grissom said following up with, "Just tired."

Sara and Greg both looked at each other, something was wrong if Grissom was willing to admit he was tired. It was not just exhaustion.

"I ran the DNA you gave me."

"And?" Grissom asked a bit more testy than he wanted to, but he wanted to get to the cool dark office, and place the cold compress on his head.

Greg was talking, but Grissom just saw lips moving, and he was not going to try to read them.

"Cut to the point please." Grissom said tuning back in knowing he probably missed little while he had taken his little trip away.

"I believe there are multiple DNA profiles. I am trying to get them now. I'll run them through the system for you and email the results to you all."

"Thanks Greg." Sara said, both now worried about Grissom who seemed to sway on his feet.

"Greg this is your priority case." Grissom said, "The Sherriff is going to want results and soon. So get it done."

"I am working on in as fast as I can." Greg said feeling defensive because he had been working diligently on getting the DNA profiles. He did not even stop for a coffee break.

Before leaving Grissom ordered, "Sara go home now. There is not a lot left to do on the case. Brass will call if he gets anything."

Sara was going to protest, but before she could Grissom was out of the office. He moved faster than she thought possible given he had just been swaying on his feet.

Greg shrugged his shoulders at her before turning his music back up, "I would say go after him, but he might actually bite your head off."

It's like one step forward and two steps back
No matter what I do you're always made
And I can't change your mind
It's like trying to turn around on a one way street
I can't give you what you want and it's killing me
And I'm starting to see maybe we are not meant to be

Grissom was rushing back to his office, hoping he made it in time. He felt the coolness greet him the minute he was inside. Not bothering to turn the light on he made it to the garbage can before what little contents in his stomach came out. Retching over the can he waited until he was sure he was finished, and than he leaned back in his chair trying to regain some strength. He felt cold, but he was sweating.

He never heard the knock on the door or the door open. He was completely unaware of Sara until the light flipped on in his office. The florescent sent a searing pain through his head causing him to groan in pain, and move his hands up to his eyes to block the light.

"Please turn the light off." Grissom asked trying to sit up straight in his desk chair.

"You're sick." Sara said knowing she was stating the obvious but what else was she going to say.

"I'm fine." Grissom said, "Just a headache."

Sara wanted to call bullshit, but decided if Grissom wanted to be this way, than she would let him. He was an adult, and it was not like he was her significant other. It was not as bitter as it sounded, she told herself. No it was a simple fact he made it clear he wanted her to stay out of his life.

"I am not going home." She said, "I will leave before shift starts if we do not have anything new. There is still some evidence to be processed, and I'll work on that." Sara left the office closing the door behind her. Part of her wanted to slam it but she knew it would just be cruel.

As soon as she was gone Grissom slowly pulled himself to his feet, he felt like he suddenly weighed too much for even his own legs to carry him over to the couch. When he finally made it, he lay on the couch putting his arm over his head. Closing his eyes, he hoped he was wrong about this migraine being one of the worst.

A/N: The song Not Meant to Be is by Theory of a Deadman.