Hi guys. New chapter time. I hope you are enjoying the story. Lots of surprises to come. Evil hat is primed! :P

A huge thank you to my current Pat reon supporters – Nat, Mrs Crabby, Dbackfan, AliceC, ChristineS, DawnS, Jillian, IngridT, Tracer85, Nati and NancyB.

As always, thank you to calim for the beta and suggestions.

On we go…

Chapter 9

Waking before the alarm went off, Sara left Grissom to sleep and headed to the kitchen. A yawn spilled from her lips as she activated the coffee maker and pulled down two cups from the cupboard.

Considering the circumstances, she'd slept okay and, since she'd not been disturbed by him all night, she presumed he had as well. That was a good thing.

Pouring a cup, she sat in the lounge and turned on the TV, keeping the volume low. Just a few moments later she heard the toilet flush. He's up. Moving to the kitchen, she poured another cup of coffee then headed toward the bedroom.

"Good morning," she announced, seeing Grissom buttoning up his shirt.

Turning, he smiled then accepted her kiss.

"Morning," he said, taking the coffee cup she held out. "Thanks."

Rubbing his arm, Sara smiled. "I'm so glad we have a coffee maker this time around."

"Oh? Don't fancy a little 6am roulette?"

She laughed. "Ha. No thanks, I'll pass."

Grissom smirked as he took a sip from the coffee.

"How did you sleep?" she asked, taking the drink from him so he could finish dressing.

"Better than last time we were here."

"I'll take that as a positive."

"Well," he began, grabbing his jacket, "something about my wife insisting I relax."

Sara's lips puckered. "She sounds like a right pain in the ass."

"Oh, she can be," he agreed slyly.

"Hey!" Sara warned then chuckled. "Careful, Mister. Or your wife might stop being so attentive to your needs."

He smirked, leaning close. "I wouldn't want that now would I?"

Her eyes narrowed and then she smiled into him as he kissed her.

"I'll let you off," she said when their lips parted. "This time."

"Thank goodness for that."

Sara watched as he walked to the nightstand, opening the drawer to get his watch. She knew he'd put the gun in there Max had insisted he take. Hers was firmly clipped into the holster on her hip, his she suspected would remain in the drawer. As he stepped back, clipping the watch around his wrist, her suspicion was confirmed as he made no effort to retrieve the firearm.

She wasn't about to make a fuss about it. At least for now. Long gone were the days when she would even attempt to overrule his decisions, especially when it came to something like this. He was a grown man and could make his own choices.

"Do you want to grab some breakfast downstairs or wait until we get to the lab?" she asked.

As his mouth opened to answer, her cell rang and she pulled it from her pocket.

"Hold that thought," she said. "Morning, Cath. You're getting an early start aren't…." Sara trailed off, looking right at Grissom as Catherine interrupted her and she frowned. "Where?" she asked, noticing Grissom frowning back at her. "Are you sure it's the same?"

Sara continued to listen and then swallowed. "Okay. Text over the address and we'll meet you there." She nodded. "Okay. Bye."

Sighing and shaking her head, Sara lowered the phone.

"What was that?" Grissom asked.

"They've found another scene," she told him. "Another victim."

Grissom's frown deepened. "Another copycat scene?" She nodded. "Which one?"

"Catherine didn't say. She said it would be better to tell us in person."

"I'm not sure I like the sound of that," Grissom griped.

"Well, if you're ready, I guess we can go find out."

Letting out a long breath, he nodded and took her arm. "Let's go."

CSICSICSICSICSICSICSI

Driving to the address Catherine had sent, Sara pulled up just shy of the flashing lights and yellow tape.

Noticing a couple of press vans as she looked through the window, she wondered if they'd gotten wind there was a new serial killer in Vegas or just doing their usual vulture routine. She'd never been a fan of the press. Always too happy to ruin a career rather than help.

"Ready?" she asked Grissom.

He nodded and they both got out of the car, Sara grabbing a kit from the backseat before they moved towards the yellow tape and line of onlookers and press. Both held up their badges to an officer when they reached the tape, and he lifted it for them to enter.

As they approached the townhouse, they saw Catherine, Serena and Max by the front door. Heading for them, the three ladies turned as they neared.

"Hi," Max greeted.

"Hey," Sara replied as she put her kit down.

Grissom was silent as he looked over Max's shoulder and into the open door of the house.

"So, where are we?" Sara asked.

"We haven't really done much yet," Catherine said. "We hadn't been here all that long before I called you and as the hotel isn't far, you got here pretty quickly."

"And we're still waiting on the rest of the team to get here," Max added.

Sara looked around noting several officers speaking to civilians on the other side of the tape.

"Who found the body?" she asked.

"Victim's mother," Serena told them, pulling out a notebook. "She came over to check on her because she received a call from her daughter's workplace after she failed to return to work after being away on vacation."

"When was the last time the mother spoke to the victim?"

"Over a week ago," Serena told them.

Grissom looked at the detective then Max and then Catherine before pointing to the house.

"Are you going to tell us what's inside?"

"We can go in," Max said as Catherine handed her something, "but you're going to need these."

Both Grissom and Sara looked down at what Max was holding. Shoe coverings.

"One big difference about this scene versus the original," Catherine told them as they took the shoe covers. "It's a real mess in there."

With a frown, Grissom leant against the wall to slip the plastic over his shoes as Sara did the same.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sara asked.

Clearing her throat, Catherine moved towards the door. "You'll understand when you see it. And hug the walls when you go in."

Grissom and Sara exchanged a look, his eyebrows rising as he moved past Catherine, flicking on a flashlight as he entered the house. Sara followed behind, Catherine and Max bringing up the rear.

Doing as suggested, they hugged the walls as they moved into a dimly lit hallway, Sara gaze finding the carpet to see an array of bloody shoeprints.

"At the end of the hall, go to the right, Gil," Catherine called from behind. "The bathroom is right in front of you."

As she said that, Grissom stopped, then so Sara did. He turned to look at Catherine, a twitch in his eye and a frown. Looking over her shoulder Sara noticed Catherine now appeared to look a little more nervous than she had. This wasn't going to be good, and she knew it.

Continuing on, they passed by a table. Upon it was a telephone, a book and a set of keys. Grissom quickly looked over it before moving on then turned before stopping. Sara joined him, both looking into the open doorway of what they assumed was the bathroom.

Instantly, Sara cringed and covered her mouth, watching as Grissom screwed up his nose.

"Damn," Sara cussed after a short cough. "I know you said it was a mess but given that smell, there's a fair bit of de-comp going on in there."

Max stepped up to them. "It's not official but just looking at it I'd predict the body has been in there at least 5 days."

Without a word, Grissom stepped into the bathroom, Sara almost bumping into him when he stopped dead. Frowning, she looked over his shoulder to where his flashlight was pointing. She swallowed when she saw the bathtub, smothered inside and out with what she assumed was blood. Dark red, coagulated and sticky looking. And then, as he moved a little further into the room, he turned to his right, flashlight catching the closed glass shower door.

Moving around him, Sara stood by her husband's side as they both stared through the glass.

"Oh my, God," Sara whispered upon realizing what they were looking at.

Grissom however didn't say a word. He crouched down, his flashlight pointing through the glass onto the female behind it. On her knees, bent over facing them, throat slit, blood pooling around her body.

Sara's head shook a little, her mind suddenly a whirl of memories from that case almost 20 years prior. She knew, Grissom knew and Catherine was most certainly correct when she'd said they'd understand when they saw it.

This was another copycat murder linking directly to her husband. But this one… this one hit a very different chord than the others for the both of them. They'd never discussed the case and even during the time it was happening they'd barely spoken to each other. When it was all over and she'd stood watching him through the glass, she'd finally understood why he'd avoided her. But, at the time, his words to Vincent Lurie had hurt a lot. She never thought she'd have to be thinking about that moment again.

"Sara."

She blinked.

"Sara."

Hearing Catherine's voice a little clearer she looked in her direction.

"The rest of the team is here. Max wants to assign duties."

Sara looked down to find Grissom still staring at the victim and it didn't seem like he'd even acknowledged Catherine's words. Placing her hand gently upon his shoulder, his head tipped her way.

"The team is here. Max wants to talk to everyone together so we can start processing," she said softly, unsure of what else to say at that point.

Right then and there, the scene was their priority, plus, there wasn't exactly much privacy for anything else.

Letting out a long huff of breath, Grissom straightened up and nodded. They all followed Max back outside and Sara found her eyes were flicking to her husband every few seconds. Her concern regarding what they may find had been building before they got to Vegas. Now it had turned into uneasiness and was off the chart.

Everyone headed out of the bathroom and toward the team waiting in the living room. All looked their way as the approached.

"We've got another one then, have we, Boss?" Josh asked.

Nodding Max looked around. "Looks that way. Where's Beau?"

Grissom and Sara looked at each other being unfamiliar with that name.

Holding up her phone, Allie waved it through the air. "Stuck in traffic. He'll be here as soon as he can."

"Okay," Max answered.

Allie slipped her phone away. "Where do you want us?"

"Chris, take the front externals. Footprints, fibers, any signs of forced entry …"

"Got it, Boss," he cut in. "I know the drill."

Max nodded. "Allie, start just inside the front door. We have bloody prints on the carpet leading up to the bathroom. We know the EMT's made some of them as well as the victim's mother. I need to know if anyone else left us any."

"You got it," Allie confirmed.

"Josh," Max continued, "why don't you start inside the house and…"

Suddenly Grissom's head shot around making Sara frown at the sudden action.

"You'll need someone out back," Grissom said to Max oddly calmly.

Max looked at him. "Out back?"

"Yeah. Alleyway, garden… whatever is out there. There'll be another body. In the trash cans."

Sara's mind ticked over as Grissom looked at her and then at Catherine and both women's mouths dropped open.

He was right.

Looking a little confused, Max frowned. "Another body?"

"Yeah," Catherine confirmed. "If this is the same as our case, there will be two victims here. I just didn't think about it until Gil just mentioned it."

Folding her arms, Max thought for a second. "Okay, um, Josh why don't you take Penny out back with Detective Chavez and .…"

"No!" Grissom said sharply.

Everyone looked at him and Sara took a step back quite shocked at the outburst.

Grissom sighed and held up a hand.

"Sorry," he apologized, his focus on Max. "I don't think you should send Penny back there." Max again frowned. "It's going to be a mess." His eyes flicked to Penny who suddenly looked very nervous and uncertain. "Absolutely no offense to you, Penny, but you'll understand. I promise."

Penny just looked at her boss not really sure what to say.

"He's right," Catherine agreed. "I'll go back there with Josh. Penny can help Gil and Sara in the bathroom maybe? Beau can then start in the house when he arrives."

Max's attention drew back to Grissom. "Is that okay with you?"

"Fine," Grissom replied.

Sara knew the bathroom was messy, but her heart skipped a little at her husband looking out for Penny. If there was a second body back there the same as what they'd had to deal with, she completely understood why he didn't want Penny having to see that. She was young, inexperienced and it was likely to make someone with the strongest of stomachs throw up.

"Okay," Max agreed. "I'll go with Catherine to see what we're looking at out back and I'll come and catch up with everyone shortly, okay?"

Most sounded their agreement, and everyone dispersed to begin processing. Sara turned to face Grissom as he seemed to just stand there.

"Are you okay?" she asked concerned, her eyes flicking to Penny who waited patiently for them looking more nervous than she had a few minutes ago.

"Yeah," he said quietly, letting out a long breath.

Although she suspected otherwise, she had to let it go for now.

"Shall we get on?"

Nodding, Grissom turned to Penny. "Ready?" he asked her.

Penny held up her kit. "Yes, sir."

A/N: A very shocking blast from the past…