Come What May – A Sandle Fanfiction
A/N Thank you so much for the lovely response so here is the next chapter! Warning, I have used the internet to find out how DNA analysis works so if I am wrong, I apologise!
*Pager beeps with the message reading: Evidence on way. Be prepared. Grissom*
Greg clipped his pager back onto the hook on his jeans and made his way to get some new latex gloves to put on to be ready for his first ever analysis for an actual crime. He always had loved latex and the way the material hugged his skin. Liquid latex was the best invention ever though. He would never deny his love for latex, his dreams definitely made sure of that one. Anyway, he put his mouth inside the glove and blew into the glove causing it to inflate before placing it on one hand. He did the same with the other glove. He clambered around the lab making sure pipettes, slides, machines, microscopes and enzymes were in their place. He placed his small items of equipment on his front desk and took a huge breath the decrease his nerves. His heart was pumping like mad. He didn't understand why he was so nervous! He couldn't get it wrong. He had a degree in chemistry! He lived for this kind of thing!
Stop it. Just stop. It's not going to be bad… I wonder if Sara will give me the evidence. That would be nice… would that effect my work? Will it? I hope not. Greg kept debating the thought in his head. His heart and his brain kept battling for dominance as to how he will cope and what he should do if she ever comes into the central lab that he occupied.
To interrupt his moment, Grissom walked into the lab a way a penguin would. Greg had thought nothing of it until now but his walk was as weird as his boss was.
"Greg! The blood on this towel… Check that and compare it to the victims DNA swab that Sara collected at the scene from the mouth of our Jane Doe. Also, there was a hair with the hair tag attached on the shirt of our victim. Analysis it and check if it is in CODIS" Grissom handed him a DNA swab box, a small transparent evidence pocket and a brown paper bag where the end had been rolled up and cellotaped down to avoid contamination travelling from the crime scene.
"I'll do that right away boss." Greg gave Grissom a tiny salute with his index and middle finger before Grissom walked off towards his office. It was most likely he would be indulging in his bug collection and creating a chronological time line on how long the body of had been left for. If there was still fresh blood, it wouldn't be very long.
Greg took the DNA swab from its white box and removed the small orange cover that protected the tip of the swab. He took a pair of scissors and cut the end off and placed this into a tube that was the size of a pen lid, a microtube. This tube had already been frozen with a restrictive enzyme inside which is used to 'cut' up tiny fragments of the DNA helix to create separate pieces. He closed the lid and placed the microtube into the microcentrifuge machine when the enzyme mixes with the DNA at a fast speed due to the sample being rotated rapidly. The machine came to a stop and he took the tube and placed it into a small water bath where the temperature was 37' for forty five minutes. Enzymes work best at 37' which is why enzymes, including amylase which digests carbohydrates and turns them into sugars, work so well in the human body. For those minutes, Greg was impatient. He wanted to impress his new boss but he could not speed up the time as he would destroy the evidence; every minute was crucial with enzymes. Eventually, the allocated time was up and on the exact moment the process had finished, Greg quickly picked up the microtube and placed it inside the microcentrifuge. The machine sounded like an electric whisk but this was the purpose. From a shelf, he collected loading dye (LD) and sucked some into one of the many fresh pipettes. He took the microtube from the microcentrifuge and placed it into a separate holder and removed the lid. He squirted in 5 µL into the tube before giving the tube a quick spin, again, in the microcentrifuge. From the fridge he removed agarose gel and placed it into a weirdly shaped apparatus connected to a circuit along with a buffer to form electrophoresis. This is where the DNA that has become negatively charged is attracted to the positive metal in the circuit, called a cathode. As the broken up pieces of DNA move, different sizes move at different speeds: the lighter fragments move faster than the longer – more heavier – fragments. Greg then inserted a stain so that the DNA ladder can be seen as DNA is colourless. From this gel, he scanned it into the computer to create a typical 14 marker DNA sample which was then printed out. He was impressed on how successful his first analysis had gone.
One DNA sample down, two to go but we shall leave it there for now.
Almost two hours later, when all three samples were nearly finished, Sara entered the side door of the DNA laboratory. Unfortunately for Greg, he didn't notice her arrival as she stood behind him hardly making a sound. She contemplated what to say to the new lab rat, not wanting to make him feel uncomfortable. She decided a hello would be a good start.
"Hey! Greg, isn't it?" Greg jumped out of his skin, quickly turning on his chair to see her again. He wanted to say something but, somehow, he couldn't get the words out of his mouth as he tried to move his lips around the words. He gave up, simply nodding and gave her a small smile. "Do you have those results yet?" Greg gave no answer. "Greg?"
"Oh! Right, um, yeah, nearly. Just waiting for the, uh, last one which… oh," and at that moment the DNA sheet from the hair printed out. He snatched the piece of paper from the printer and compared it to the two similar pieces of paper inside a brown folder. "Not a match to your vic… I'll run it through CODIS." Greg's eyes kept shifting from side to side as he tried to get a glimpse of her whilst opening the database.
Sara, on the other hand, was anxious of the results. She had been at the scene for almost four hours before returning to the building. As of yet, they had no suspects so she was dying to start that chase on several suspects that would lead to the real suspect. She folded her arms up and tapped her index finger on her left hand on the upper arm of her right.
At that moment, a large beep and a flashing image from the computer screen lit up. Greg clicked on the box that said 'match' and a person's criminal record came up. Sara walked up to Greg, leaned her right hand onto his chair whilst looking over his left shoulder. Greg's heart race began to speed up as she came closer. He turned his head slightly to look at her whilst she was watching the screen.
"A," Greg turned his head back to read the name, "Robert Addison from California. He moved to Vegas nearly three years ago." He printed out the record and held it out to Sara with the other documents.
"Wait!" Sara didn't take the documents and took another look at Robert Addison's photograph; leaving Greg sat there awkwardly with his arm out. "He was there… he was at the crime scene! I saw him when I scoped out the crowd that had formed past the yellow crime scene tape. He was there. He was inside her house…" Sara stood up properly and began to move towards the exit.
"Sara!"
"What?" Sara turned on her feet.
"You might need these…" Greg handed her the documents once again.
"Oh right," Sara walked towards Greg and took them off him. "Thanks, Greg." She gave him a half smile and half ran out of the laboratory looking for Grissom.
Greg watched her leave but left his eyes there, hoping she would come back any minute but she didn't. He gave a huge sigh and ran his hands through his hair. He was falling and he was falling faster than he had ever done before.
"Greg, where is the results?" Grissom entered the other door in the lab, causing Greg to turn again.
"I just gave them to Sara… I think she is looking for you."
"Oh… well what was the result?"
"Blood from the towel was the victims but the hair was not. CODIS came up with a Robert Addison who was apparently at the scene and has been caught six months ago for illegal drug use. Take a look." Greg pointed both of his hands at the screen as Grissom waddled over.
For some reason… he seems to walk a bit like a penguin. Weird. Greg frowned at the screen at the realisation that maybe he was looking too much into how his boss walked.
Grissom came and looked at the screen before frowning. Without saying a word, he followed Sara's path of exit and left.
"Uhm… no problem?" Greg awkwardly looked around trying to pretend that that did not just happen. He might have to get used to scientists walking in and walking straight out with little less than a murmur.
It was time for a break and he knew it. He pushed himself upwards using the chair as a support and tried to direct himself towards the break room… which had to be somewhere. Thankfully, having a transparent wall for his lab, he spotted it quite easily and made his way to it. Entering the break room, he saw a steaming pot of black coffee near the fridge. He grinned instantly and skipped his way towards the counter. He got himself a mug from the cupboard and poured himself a cup. He picked up the mug and sat down at the table.
Ahh, alone at last. Where have you been for the past few hours? I missed you, coffee! He took a gulp of the coffee before putting the cup on the table and ran to the sink. He spat out the coffee he had just consumed.
"What on earth was that?" Greg wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and pulled an ugly face.
I am definitely bringing my own coffee here. That stuff shouldn't even be legal to put in your mouth! Vile substance! Uhhhhh… I need some water after that! He got a fresh cup, filled it full of tap water before swishing the water side to side in his mouth before spitting that out as well. Ewwwwww! He took a sip of the water and swallowed. Here is the one and only time I will ever appreciate water as a drink of choice.
"I'm guessing you have found our lovely coffee?" Greg spun around to see Nick leaning against the door frame with a smirk on his face.
"Yes… it's disgusting! How do you drink that stuff?" Greg pulled a disgusted face.
"After a double shift, you tend to be grateful for the caffeine and not care about the taste," Nick replied in his Texan accent, a smile still on his lips.
"Suppose so but I will never drink that ever again…"
"Ha, I should think not but we are stuck with it. Anyway, I got to run, see you later Greggo." Nick left towards the lockers with his shift being over.
"My name is not Greggo!"Greg called after him.
"I know… Greggo," Nick smirked as he entered the lockers, got his jacket and left the Crime Lab.
New nickname, I guess? Huh! That actually suits me kind of well. Other people are stuck with this coffee but I am not and they will never know… mwahahahaar!
A/N: Okay, so a little too much science and not enough Greg/Sara stuff but believe you me, I am onto it! Please R&R! Thank you x