Hidden Emotions
Chapter Twenty One
Sitting on her seat, fourth row up, she had her notepad in hand tapping her pen against it, waiting for the seminar to start. This all felt too familiar to her, bringing a smile to her face. The lecturer entered the room and she relaxed herself as she saw it was a middle aged woman, she probably would have left if the lecturer was in any resemblance to Grissom.
About half an hour into the seminar she cursed quietly as her pager went off, mumbling sorry to the people either side of her she checked it. "You gotta be kidding me" She mumbled. She stood up, trying not to draw attention to herself and hurried out of the hall, pulling her cell phone out of her pocket she called Grissom.
"Grissom"
"Griss, are you joking with me here?"
"Look, I'm short on staff; I need you to come here"
"Fine." She huffed and hung up. She walked to her car and drove to her apartment, changing into more work-suitable clothes then drove to the crime scene.
Putting on her sunglasses she walked towards Grissom.
"You know you pulled me away from a forensic anthropology seminar, right? It's required. It's part of the continuing education program." She was clearly angry with him.
"Well, I'm sorry, but everyone seems to have something to do today. I have a teenager who was run over by a taxi. He wasn't hit by it; that's not what killed him. He was stabbed, fatally. For now, I have no ID, no suspects and no primary crime scene." Looking at her he added, "I need you."
Sara smiled.
"How can I help?"
He smiled and held up the tape for her.
Once again things were getting better between them, but it still bothered him that she was dating this... Hank guy, what did he have that he didn't? Hell, who was he kidding? Hank was young, well built, and he wasn't risking his job for her. Grissom, well, he was the complete opposite.
A few weeks later, though, a case changed everything for him. They were investigating a case where a woman had driven her car right into a restaurant.
Catherine, Grissom, and Sara were at the crime scene, so was Hank.
Sara had just noticed Hank and Catherine and Grissom were watching the two.
Catherine leaned over to Grissom, "That's Sara's boyfriend" She said, as if rubbing it in. It felt like she was rubbing salt into one of his wounds.
"Hey Sara, typical Thursday" He said.
"Hank? Your wrist is broken" She said, looking at his injury.
Grissom could have cried. He saw how much care she had for that man.
A few minutes later everyone was working, Sara walked over to Hank where someone was attending his broken wrist.
"Mind if I take over?" Sara asked the man.
"No, go ahead" He told her.
Sara knelt down in front of Hank, gently wrapping his wrist in bandage. Grissom looked over, his jaw tensed. It bothered him seeing her caring for him.
"You okay?" She asked him.
"Yeah, I didn't think I'd see you tonight."
Sara smiled. "So that's what this is about"
"Thanks" He said as she finished up.
"Any time"
"Listen, I got to head over to the hospital, and I'm sure you got to get back to work."
"Yeah, but ... will you call me if you need anything? My cell will be on. Anything." Grissom hated that he could hear her saying those words. He wanted to be in Hanks place.
Later on Sara was at the hospital when she noticed Hank. She walked over to him smiling.
"Hey"
"Hey"
"'And the EMT of the year award goes to...'" She joked.
"Not me; death tolls now four... Could climb to four. Elaine- The girl in the wheelchair- she's one of the lucky ones."
"You were amazing"
"Eight years in the rig, first time I've actually been a part of the scene. I can't stop it going through my head."
"You never know when your life's going to change"
"Listen I- I gotta get out of here" He seemed nervous, why?
He moved to get past Sara but she grabbed his hand, stopping him.
"You need a lift?"
"No, I drove"
He turned to leave again but she stopped him.
"Hank? I'm really glad you're okay"
He smiled "Thanks"
He walked away, leaving her watching him, wondering why he had seemed in a rush to leave.
Later that day, Sara and Catherine were looking at photos from the scene.
"Who's Elaine Alcott?" Catherine asked Sara.
"Who?"
"Oh, well, she was seated with Hank. I just thought maybe that..."
"Oh" Sara knew that information was slowly mounting up.
"Anyway, um ... apparently, she told P.D. that she was returning from the ladies' room at the time of the impact."
"They must be friends, I saw him with her at the hospital"
"Okay" Catherine knew there was something more.
Not long later they were going through everyone that was in the restaurant, trying to find out of there was any particular target for the car crashing into the restaurant.
"Okay... Top to bottom, Cameron Black, deceased; from Jersey. First time in Vegas. Unlikely mark." Catherine started.
"Second table: Rachel Krandall, and ... Tom Krandall. Both died at the scene. Both worked for Sillmont Healthcare."
"Table three: Hank, and... Elaine Alcott, also works at the insurance company."
"Three out of five of the people sitting in the window work at Sillmont Healthcare. Maybe I should go talk to her." Sara said.
Catherine nodded. "Yeah. Maybe you should" She knew what Sara would find out.
At Elaine's Sara interviewed her, not long into their conversation she noticed a picture of Elaine and Hank. She picked it up.
Elaine noticed and smiled. "My boyfriend. Saved up my miles and took him to Hawaii last year. He's going to take me to Tahiti in a few weeks. I can't wait."
Sara put the picture down. She was shocked. She couldn't say that she didn't see it coming, though. Everything made sense now, it was why he had rushed to leave the hospital, she was there. It was why he ended their date early a few weeks ago, Sara remembered her from being one of the woman in the car park of the restaurant.
The next day they had interviewed Elaine, and Sara walked out of the room to find Hank waiting for her.
"I'll meet you at the car" Sara told Catherine.
"I called the lab, they said you were here." He swallowed nervously. "I heard you met Elaine."
"Yeah, she's really something" She paused, sighing. "I didn't tell her about us, by the way, if that's what you're wondering."
"I'm really sorry Sara"
She nodded sadly. "Yeah, me too"
"I don't know what else to say"
"I'll see you around" She said sadly, and walked away.
When she got into the car Catherine asked if she had plans.
"Nope"
"You want to go get a beer?"
Sara smiled, she knew Catherine had been there, done that, and got the T-Shirt.
"Drive"
A/N: There you go, a longer chapter, and Grissom will be happy!