A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing! Enjoy!
I don't own CSI. Some inspiration and dialogue are taken from episode 406, "Jackpot."
November 2003
"Hey, Griss, can you look at something for me?"
"Sure," Grissom replied, changing the direction of his steps to join Nick in the layout room.
"Look at this," Nick said, indicating the blood spatter on the sweatshirt he had spread out on the table.
"Cast off," Grissom replied.
"Right," Nick agreed. "The owner of the sweatshirt claims he was standing behind the as of yet unidentified knife-wielding assailant at the time of the murder. But, it seems more like he was the one doing the stabbing, doesn't it?"
"If he was standing right behind the assailant, how could your murderer still be unidentified?"
"He claims the guy was wearing a mask."
"Yeah, I'm sure he was," Grissom said sarcastically.
His phone beeped, interrupting their conversation. Grissom picked it up, and pressed the button to read his text message from David.
Doc just received a perishable package. Size suggests a head.
"Sorry, Nicky," Grissom said. "I'm needed in the morgue. But, have Catherine take a look at the spatter pattern. She's the expert."
"Sure," Nick replied. "Thanks."
With one last glance at Nick's evidence, Grissom left the layout room. He felt a something like a little boy as he hurried through the lab to the morgue. Perishable packages were always an adventure.
He arrived just as Doc Robbins was pulling the lid from the bucket containing, as David had guessed, a human head. Grissom slid to a stop next to his friend.
"I heard you got some head," he teased.
"Just came in," he replied, ignoring the baser subtext. "How did you know?"
"I arranged house seats for David to see Celine, so he pages me the minute you get anything perishable."
"Sell out."
Doc Robbins pulled the head from its formaldehyde-filled bath, and they made initial observations. A long, deep cut on the man's cheek proved that he had been murdered, but they could not definitively say much else.
"Who sent this to you?" Grissom asked.
"The coroner in Jackpot, working on orders from the county sheriff," Robbins replied.
"Jackpot? Where's that?"
"Way out. Definitely an over-nighter."
"Well, it looks like I'll be gone a few days, then."
Robbins raised his eyebrows. "What do you mean? You want to go to Jackpot?"
"Someone has to, right? We've got a murder victim sitting in our morgue. This is what we do, Albert. Solve murders."
"Yes, but, generally, they're a bit closer to home. There are plenty of cadets you could send up there to help local law enforcement."
"Come on, Doc. Where's your sense of adventure?"
"I get plenty of adventure right here."
Grissom smiled. "I'll send you a postcard."
"Yes, well, I'll send you all the information I can get from this head," Robbins replied, pulling his glasses on to begin his examination.
"Thank you," Grissom said as he left the morgue.
"Oh, think nothing of it."
November 2015
"Why do you have to leave?"
"Because I have to talk to a group of scientists," Grissom explains.
Anna's lower lip trembles. "I want you to stay here with me."
"I know, lady bug." Grissom hugs his little girl tightly. "I'll miss you very much."
Anna nods against him.
"I'll bring you a present from Sacramento," Grissom adds as a peace offering. "You'll like that, won't you?"
"Yes," Anna sniffles.
"And, you'll be a good girl and help Mommy while I'm gone, won't you?"
"Yes," she says again.
"Good." Grissom kisses her little cheek and releases her. "I love you, Anna."
"I love you, too, Daddy."
He taps her nose with his finger, then straightens up to meet Sara's eyes. She smiles.
"I'll miss you," she says.
He smiles. "You know I'll miss you."
He opens his arms and envelops her in a warm embrace. "I love you," he whispers against her hair.
"I love you, too."
He pulls back enough to kiss her. "I'll see you in four days."
Sara kisses him again. "Be good. No flirting with any conference attendees."
"I only did that once," he replies with a wink.
Sara gives him a mischievous smile. "How did that work out for you?"
"Pretty well," he replies. "I got her number."
"You're a lucky guy."
"I know." He kisses her one last time. "Okay, girls. You take care of each other."
"We will," Anna says seriously.
Grissom grins and blows them a kiss before picking up his carry-on bag and heading through airport security. Anna blows a kiss back, and waves until they can't see him anymore. Once he's gone, she turns to look up at Sara.
"What do we do now, Mommy?"
"Now, we go home and have dinner," Sara replies. "What would you like to eat?"
"Macaroni and cheese."
Sara smiles, knowing it to be her daughter's current favorite dinner. "Why am I not surprised?"
"Can I have chocolate milk, too?"
"Sure," Sara agrees, taking her hand to lead her out of the airport. "How about some broccoli, too?"
"Okay," Anna agrees only slightly reluctantly.
Sara smiles. "Come on, baby. Let's go home."
November 2003
"Catherine!"
Catherine stopped and turned to see Grissom coming down the hall toward her. "Hi," she said a bit cautiously. She didn't altogether trust the look of excitement in his eyes.
"I need you to take the shift for a few days."
"Why?" she asked, her guard leaping up.
"A coroner sent Al a disarticulated head. I want to find out what happened to pull it from its body."
"So, you're going to a crime scene?"
"An out of town crime scene that we haven't found yet."
Catherine sighed. "And you're leaving …?"
"As soon as possible."
"And you're taking …?"
"I'm going alone," Grissom said. "I'll let you keep the team."
Her eyebrows shot up. "You're sure about that?"
"I'll be fine."
"Okay," she said, obviously unconvinced. "If you need anything …"
"I'll call you." He smiled at her. "Thanks, Cath. I'll see you when I get back."
He rushed past her, and she shook her head. After watching him go, she decided a trip to the morgue was in order. She needed to see what had Grissom so excited.
Grissom, for his part, continued to the locker room. He thought he had enough things in his locker that he wouldn't need to go home before leaving for Jackpot.
To his surprise, Sara was standing at her locker, putting her bag of toiletries away.
"Hi," he said.
She looked up and smiled. "Hey. You're lucky you weren't here fifteen minutes ago; I smelled pretty awful. I had to take a shower after I went dumpster diving."
Grissom made a face. "Sounds like fun."
"Yeah, well, I found what I was looking for. What are you up to?"
"Packing."
Sara looked at him in surprise. "Where are you going?"
"To Jackpot."
"Jackpot?"
"Yeah. Their coroner sent ours a disarticulated head. I'm going to find the rest of it."
"Oh," Sara replied. "Would you like some help? I could come along."
"No, don't worry about me," he replied. "I don't want to take you away from your case."
"Are you sure? I'm working with Warrick; I'm sure he can handle it without me."
"No, really, I'll be fine."
"Okay," Sara said slowly. "I … um … I guess I'll see you when you get back."
He nodded and winked at her. "Yeah, you will."
He tossed the last of his things into his bag, and slung it over his shoulder while Sara watched.
"Be careful," she said.
"I will."
With those parting words, he was gone.
November 2015
"Okay, Anna, what story do you want to read tonight?" Sara asks.
Anna runs to her bookshelf and selects a Fancy Nancy book. Sara smiles, not at all surprised. The book, a birthday gift from Lindsey, is one of her favorites.
They settle on the bed together, Anna snuggling against Sara, to read the book. They take turns, each reading a page before passing off to the other.
"Okay, time to sleep," Sara says softly as they finish the book.
Anna nods and slides down into the bed while Sara stands up. She tucks the covers around her daughter and kisses her forehead.
"Sweet dreams, baby."
"Mommy?" Anna asks sleepily.
"Yes?"
"Will you be here when I wake up tomorrow?"
"Yes," Sara says. "I'll be here with you the whole time Daddy's gone."
"Will you make me breakfast like Daddy does?"
Sara smiles. "I'll make you breakfast – but, I offer no guarantee that it will be just like Daddy does it."
"When will Daddy be home?"
"In a few days."
"I miss him."
Sara smiles wistfully. "So do I, sweetie. But, we'll be fine without him for a few days."
Anna nods. "I love you, Mommy."
"I love you, too, baby," Sara said, turning out her lights. "Good night."
"Good night."
November 2003
Jackpot was very much what Grissom expected: A small town full of people who had seen nothing, knew nothing, and didn't want to talk to a stranger. His first introduction was to Lieutenant Alan Brooks, who was supremely unconcerned about the discovery of a human head in his town. His brother, Leland, who was having breakfast with him when Grissom met up with them at the town's diner, suggested that the dead man had been a hiker or transient who had fallen in the mountains.
The others in the restaurant seemed to share this opinion; talk swirled around them about bears, mountain lions, and even a satanic cult. Brooks made it clear that no one from the community had been reported missing, which meant that the case was of very low priority to him.
"Lieutenant, the preliminary autopsy revealed a single, straight, two inch cut on the victim's jaw," Grissom said. "It was a blade mark. So, there's not just a body out there – there's also a killer."
Judging by the look on his face, Brooks was going through intense mental debate. Grissom could almost see the pros and cons as they were weighed. Pursuing the case would mean potentially labeling one of the people in town a murderer – but, refusing to do so would potentially leave one of those same people as the murderer's next victim.
"Okay," he said at last, his desire to protect his friends and neighbors winning out. "How can I help you?"
"Can you tell me where the head was found?" Grissom asked.
"I can tell you who found it," he replied. "Better yet, I'll take you to her."
"Excellent."
They got up from the table; Grissom waited a moment while the other men settled the bill. They walked outside together, and Leland left them to head to work. Grissom was following the lieutenant to his SUV when his cell phone rang.
"Grissom," he said as he answered it.
"Is the service actually bad out there, or are you just keeping your phone off?" Catherine asked.
"I'm sorry; I should have called," Grissom replied.
"This trip wouldn't have anything to do with you ducking case reviews, now would it?" she asked.
"How can you think that?" Grissom asked. "You wouldn't mind taking care of those for me, would you?"
"Oh, your job, my pay? Why would I care?"
"I'll make it up to you."
"Yeah, you had better."
Grissom smiled, trying to think of something other than a week off that would pacify Catherine after she saw the stacks of files on his desk.
Catherine launched into a description of the leaf litter Hodges had identified from the head. "He's emailing you a detailed report," she finished.
"Good," Grissom replied. "Thanks. I owe you one."
"You sure do!" Catherine hung up.
Grissom closed his own phone, mulling over the very exacting description of a mountain forest that Hodges had been able to create.
"Trouble with the wife?" Alan asked, shaking him back to the moment.
"Yeah," Grissom replied with a slight smile. "She hates it when we're apart."
Somehow, thinking of Catherine as his wife wasn't a stretch – they had certainly been through enough together over the years. Yet, his thoughts strayed to the other woman in his life … the one who ignited a totally different passion in him, one more fitting of a spousal relationship …
A secretive smile played on his lips as he climbed into his SUV to follow the lieutenant. Remembering how Sara's lips tasted, how her skin felt under his fingers …
He suddenly hoped his case would be solved quickly.
Sara tossed fitfully, unable to find a comfortable position for sleep. She had been home from work for five hours, and unable to sleep for the past three. Finally giving up, she got out of bed and padded to the kitchen. Maybe a glass of wine would calm her nerves and lull her to sleep.
She knew exactly why she couldn't sleep: Grissom had left without her, even though she had offered to join him. She couldn't understand why he didn't want her to go with him. It would have made his job easier to have another pair of hands, and brought him home sooner. She wanted to go along to work, not to spend a romantic weekend with him. She smiled slightly at the thought. From what Catherine had said after speaking with Grissom, Sara had a feeling that nothing about Jackpot could be considered "romantic."
Her smile faded as another thought intruded. What if their recent romantic evening was the source of his current distance? She had refused to have sex with him. And, although he had said he was fine with waiting, although he was nothing other than the perfect gentleman in the moment … What if it did bother him? What if he was pulling away because she had been unwilling to take their relationship to the next level?
"No," Sara said aloud. "No. Grissom's not that type of man."
But, even as the words sounded in her empty kitchen, she wondered if they were true. What did she know of Grissom's sexual desires and drives? Until recently, their physical relationship had gone no further than a kiss on the cheek. Maybe …
Sara drained the last of her wine and made her decision. When Grissom came home from Jackpot, she'd make sure he had a night he'd never forget.
November 2015
After putting Anna to bed, Sara curls up on the couch with a book she has been meaning to read for the past month. The dog comes in and lies down on the floor beside her; she absently reaches down to scratch behind his ears.
"It's quiet," she whispers to him.
She sighs. She misses Grissom.
It's funny, really. They have spent more than their share of time apart. In all the years that she has known him, they have lived in different cities, different states and even different countries. Even during the early years of their marriage, they only saw each other a few times a month when one or the other could make the transatlantic journey for a visit. Sara shakes her head. She still can't believe that they agreed to live six thousand miles apart for so long.
Even more than that, she can't believe that she's so lonely without him after only a few hours. After going for months at a time without seeing him at more than one point in their relationship, a four day conference should be easy for her.
"He'll be home soon," she whispers.
She picks up her book and begins to read.
The next day brings a mopey little girl who is very put out that her mommy does not butter her toast exactly the same way her daddy does. On a school day, Sara wouldn't have been too concerned. She would have merely dropped her daughter off at school, where the distractions of lessons and friends would improve her mood. However, on a Saturday, school is not an option. Certain that Anna has the capacity to make her crazy with her dismal mood, Sara knows that drastic measures are in order.
"Okay," she says as they clean up the breakfast dishes, "we're going to get dressed, and then we're going out."
"Where?" Anna asks, her interest slightly piqued.
"Well," Sara says slowly, "I thought you might like to go to the Springs Preserve."
Anna's eyes light up. "Really?"
"Really," Sara says, grinning at her reaction. "You'd like to go?"
"Yeah!"
"Okay. Let's get dressed, and we'll go."
November 2003
Forty-eight hours into his trip, Grissom regretted not bringing Sara with him. He found the rest of the body quickly enough, but finding good help proved to be considerably harder. The local law enforcement was unaccustomed to dealing with murders at all, let alone one that would require such a delicate touch.
Once they had the body pulled from the hole in which it had been partially buried, Grissom began the long task of dealing with the evidence he took from it. Although the local coroner and veterinarian was very helpful when it came to collecting the evidence, he did not have the necessary skills or time to be of assistance processing it.
"I should have brought her," Grissom sighed after working nearly ten hours to process evidence. "It was stupid to want to do this alone."
Knowing that, other than to have Sara with him, he needed to eat more than anything else, Grissom left the vet's office and headed to the diner. He took at seat at the bar; Doris, the woman he had met yesterday, was in front of him in a flash.
"Good morning," she said. "What can I get you?"
"Coffee," he said without hesitation. "And …" He glanced at the menu on the counter in front of him. "Two eggs with bacon and wheat toast."
"Coming right up," she said.
She was back only a moment later to pour his coffee. "So, you live in Las Vegas?"
"That's right."
"Must be exciting."
"It can be."
"I'll bet you have a lot of interesting stories to tell."
"That all depends on your definition of interesting," Grissom replied.
She put the coffee pot down and leaned on the counter, her face uncomfortably close to his. "I'd love to be the judge of that for you."
Grissom leaned back. "I … um …"
"Doris, back off. He's married."
Grissom looked up, glad to see Lieutenant Brooks for the first time.
Doris straightened up immediately. "Oh. I'm sorry. I didn't realize … you're not wearing a ring, you know."
"In my line of work, it's not a good idea," Grissom said, repeating what he had heard Catherine tell Eddie when he had reprimanded her for not wearing her wedding band to work. "Too much of a chance of getting chemicals on it."
"Oh," she said, obviously deflated. "I'll go get your order for you."
Lieutenant Brooks sat down next to Grissom. "She was always a flirt in high school."
"I can imagine."
"Good thing your wife wasn't here to see that, huh?"
Grissom smiled, thinking of how Catherine would have reacted to the scene. "Oh, I have a feeling she'd find it funny."
Brooks chuckled. "You've got an understanding wife."
"Yeah," Grissom said, his thoughts jumping from Catherine to Sara.
He tried very hard to see Doris' flirting through her eyes, and found himself completely unable to do so. The fact that he had known her for so many years, and was working on building a romantic relationship with her, but had no idea how she would react to something like this made him rather sad.
"Okay, so we're all clear?" Catherine asked. "Nick and Sara, double at the Four Aces. Warrick, home invasion in Henderson."
"What about you, queen for a day?" Warrick teased.
"I'm working on all the evidence Brass and I took from Grissom's vic's dorm room," she said, shaking her head.
"Any word on when he's coming back?" Sara asked, hoping that she sounded casual.
"Not yet," Catherine replied. "At last report, the villagers still aren't talking, someone broke into his SUV, his field kit was stolen, and half the town thinks I'm his wife because he's been calling so much."
Sara, Nick and Warrick stared at her in shock.
"Tell me you're exaggerating," Nick said.
"Nope," Catherine replied.
"So, basically, you're saying that we'll never see Griss again?" Warrick asked.
Catherine smiled. "Warrick, please. We're far better than that."
"Wait," Sara said. "How is he up there working without his kit?"
"Oh, you know Grissom," Catherine replied. "He'll find a way."
Sara shook her head wordlessly. She wasn't sure what bothered her more – the fact that Grissom had been robbed and was having such a difficult time in Jackpot, or the fact that he hadn't even bothered to call to let her know that he had made it there safely, let alone that he was having problems.
"You're right," Nick said. "He'll make it happen and be the hero once again." He looked at Sara. "Ready to solve a crime?"
"Yeah, sure," she said, getting up to follow him out.
Her thoughts tumbled around like leaves in a breeze. How could she been so unaware that so much had happened to the man who had been on the verge of making love to her only days before? Did he really feel as strongly for her as he had said? Was he at all committed to her and to making a relationship work?
For the first time since he had left, she hoped that his trip would be a long one. She needed time to get her thoughts and feelings collected and under control.
By the fourth day in Jackpot, Grissom realized that his intense longing to have Sara with him had very little to do with work. He missed her help, to be sure. It would have been wonderful to have her there to assist him – at times, to take the lead.
However, as he packed up his things to go back to Vegas, he recognized for the first time that his excitement had very little to do with merely going home or solving the case. It had everything to do with seeing Sara again.
And, following his thoughts back over the past few days, he became fully aware of the fact that for every wish that Sara had been there to help him, there had been two wishes that she had simply been there with him. He wanted to walk down the street holding her hand, to share a dinner with her in the diner, to unwind with her hiking through the mountains.
He sighed and smiled slightly. There was no other way to put it – he missed Sara, and he could hardly wait to get home to see her again.
Lieutenant Brooks was on hand when Grissom picked up his newly-repaired truck. They chatted briefly; the officer acknowledged that he had done everything in his power to thwart Grissom's investigation when he suspected that his brother could have been involved in the crime. Grissom admonished him for not seeking out the truth; Brooks gave him a disbelieving look.
"Do you not keep any secrets, Mr. Grissom? Not even from your wife?"
Grissom smiled, thinking of Sara and how long it had taken him to admit that he had any romantic interest in her at all. Now, after these past few days, he was sure that he would be more open with her. He wanted to tell her everything – he wanted to be her everything.
"I used to," he said at last. "I'm trying to change."
"It's a bitch," the lieutenant said.
Grissom tilted his head in acknowledgement.
"Have a good trip."
Grissom climbed into his truck, where he found his field kit. He looked out the repaired window at Brooks, who tilted his own head in acknowledgement. Shaking his head, Grissom pulled away from the lieutenant, the parking lot, and the sleepy town.
It was time to go home.
November 2015
"Daddy!"
Grinning widely, Grissom opens his arms to catch the little girl who races across baggage claim toward him. He hugs her tightly, standing up and pulling her onto his hip.
"Hi, Anna Banana," he says, kissing her cheek. "Did you miss me?"
"Yes!" she exclaims.
"Did you take good care of Mommy while I was gone?"
"I did," she says with a serious nod. "And, she took good care of me, too."
Grissom barely refrains from laughing. "That's good. What did you do?"
"So much! We went to the springs and we painted our nails and we went shopping and to the movies and we made ice cream from scratch and Mommy tried to make me breakfast, but it wasn't like you make it."
Grissom does laugh at that. "Well, it was nice of her to try."
"Thanks for defending me," Sara says as she catches up with them.
Grissom looks at her for the first time, his eyes taking on a familiar shine. "Hello, love," he says.
"Hi," Sara says, leaning in to kiss him.
Grissom smiles against her lips. "I missed you."
"I missed you, too."
It is much later, and Anna has been tucked in for the night, before Grissom and Sara truly have an opportunity to talk. They sit on the couch together, snuggling into each other's embrace.
"So, how was it, really?" Grissom asks.
Sara laughs. "I have a new respect for Catherine," she says. "This single mother thing is hard."
Grissom chuckles and pulls her closer. "So, you only missed me because you had to deal with Anna all alone?"
"No," she says, leaning up to kiss him. "I missed you for quite a few reasons."
"Oh?"
"Mm-hm." She kisses him again. "It was very lonely being in that big bed all by myself."
"Are you saying you'd like to share it with me?"
"Always. But, especially right now."
Grissom laughs and, in a feat of strength she hasn't seen in years, picks her up and carries her to their bedroom. He drops her on the bed, then closes the door. He crosses the room again with shining eyes, pulling off his shirt as he steps closer and closer to her.
"I missed you, too," he says as he crawls across the bed to where she is lying, watching him. His lips touch hers. "I missed this."
Sara moans and pulls him to her. Grissom sighs and kisses her deeply.
The ringing of Sara's phone breaks the moment.
Sara groans, and Grissom rolls away from her.
"Answer it," he says. "You've been off for four days. I'm sure Catherine needs you."
"Nice to see you got over being a CSI supervisor," Sara says sarcastically.
"You can take the man out of the lab, but you can't take the lab out of the man."
Sara rolls her eyes and picks up her phone. "Sidle."
"Sara, hi," Catherine says. "I know Grissom just got home, and I feel terrible for doing this, but I really need you at a scene."
"Okay," Sara says. "Tell me where, and I'll meet you there."
After writing down all the pertinent information, and assuring Catherine that she doesn't mind being called away from her husband, Sara hangs up the phone and looks at Grissom.
"Well, I think we'll have to miss each other a little longer," she says. "Catherine needs me at a homicide."
"I figured," Grissom replies. He kisses her gently. "I'll be right here when you get back."
"I'll hold you to that," Sara replies. "And, just in case that happens to be tomorrow morning … don't forget to make Anna's breakfast just the way she likes it. I've been screwing it up for the past four days."
Grissom's laughter follows her into the bathroom.
November 2003
Sara was lying on her couch, reading the latest forensics journal, when the knock sounded on her door. Frowning, she got up to answer it. She rarely had visitors. Thinking that maybe one of her neighbors needed to borrow something, she peeked through the peep hole.
Grissom stood on her doorstep.
Her breath caught in her throat and her hand immediately and inexplicably went to her hair. She was wearing sweatpants and a tank top, her hair was in a ponytail, and she hadn't put on any makeup. She had made such plans for his homecoming, and they didn't involve anything remotely related to her current appearance.
He knocked on the door again, and she pulled herself together. She had to either let him see her as she was, or not see him at all.
Her decision was made in an instant. She opened the door.
"Hi," she said.
"Hi," he replied.
He was barely through the door before he pulled her into a deep kiss. Sara responded instantly, pulling him closer to her and fully into her apartment.
Grissom finally broke the kiss and looked at her with a slight smile. He brushed a stray strand of hair back from her face.
"Miss me?" she teased.
"Yes," he replied honestly. "You were right, Sara; I should have let you come along." He kissed her. "I missed you." Another kiss. "I needed you."
Sara moaned and tilted her head to the side as he began to kiss her neck. "I missed you, too."
"Sara …"
She took his hand and led him deeper into her apartment, all the way to her bedroom. They collapsed onto the bed together, and she rolled on top of him.
"I want you," she whispered.
"Sara …"
"I mean it," she said. "I want us to have sex. Tonight. Right now."
Groaning, Grissom rolled them so he was on top of her. He grabbed the hem of her tank top to lift it over her head.
His cell phone rang.
They both stopped and looked at each other.
"Can we ignore it?" Sara asked hopefully.
"No," Grissom sighed. "I'm sorry, Sara."
She shrugged. "It's the job, right?"
"Right." Grissom picked up his phone. "Grissom."
He spoke for a few minutes, while Sara struggled with trying to calm down. She had a feeling that no matter who was on the other end of the conversation, their "alone time" was over.
"I'm sorry," Grissom said as he closed the phone and put it back in his pocket. "That was the DA. We've got a bit of a problem with some evidence in Warrick's case that's currently on trial."
"So, you have to go to work?"
"Yes. So do you, and so does the rest of the team. I'll call the others on the way there."
"Okay," Sara said. "To work, then."
Grissom leaned in for a chaste kiss. "We'll continue this later."
Sara smiled. "I can't wait."