AN: Thank you for the continued support, here is the next chapter. And while some details in this upcoming case might seem similar in some ways, it is different, and it did come from inspiration from CSI Season's 1 Too tough to Die. Warning: Mention of crime scene details and maybe a questionable word.
Chapter 17: A very good team
March, 2001
Grissom is in the kitchen making breakfast when he hears his daughter's voice behind him. "Morning, daddy."
Grissom turns around with a smile. "Morning, butterfly. I'm making you pancakes, I hope that's ok."
Belle walked up to her dad with a head nod and smile so they could share a hug. "That's fine. I'll get the milk if you can get the glasses down for me, please."
"Gladly. Thank you for the help."
"You're welcome."
The table was set by the time Sara walked into the room.
"Well, what is all of this?"
Belle proudly replied with a smile. "Daddy made breakfast, and I set the table."
Sara walked to her daughter first and gave her a kiss on top of her head. "I can see that."
She then walked towards Grissom before they share a kiss, then she asked with a raised eyebrow, seeing a missing plate and glass from the table. "No Nick?"
He shook his head. "Nope, his vehicle wasn't in the driveway when I got up."
Belle then smirked. "He's probably with Aunt Ashley."
While Nick was still technically 'living' with them, they have noticed he had been spending a lot more time over at Ashley's place.
They gave each other smiles, but didn't comment further, and continued on with their breakfast routine.
Afterwards, while Sara was cleaning up since she was already ready for work, Grissom and Belle were in their rooms getting ready for their day, then it was time to get Belle to school and them to work.
30 minutes later
Grissom and Sara were now in the locker room at the lab when Nick showed up, and Grissom spoke with a smile. "Nice to see you, Nicky."
Sara then commented. "Yeah, it feels like we haven't seen you in our house forever."
Nick smiles a little shyly. "Yeah, sorry about that, I know I've missed a few dinners and breakfasts here and there, I..."
Sara cuts her off with a chuckle. "Nick, we didn't give you rules that you had to have meals with us in order to stay with us, you're a grown man you can come and go as you please, for as long as you need to, we are just messing with you." Nick chuckled with a nod before Sara gets a little more serious. "But on a more serious note, you and Ashley, you two doing ok?"
Nick nodded with a wider smile, the biggest/happiest smile they have seen from him since he moved to San Francisco. "When I first moved here, I honestly wasn't sure if I would find someone who would make me feel this alive, I can't imagine spending my time with anybody else. It's been a blessing getting to know her, you have an amazing friend."
Seeing he was genuine with his words about her friend, Sara walked up to Nick with tears in her eyes and gave him a hug. "I'm so happy for you two."
Nick gives Sara a hug in return as Grissom smirks while closing his locker. "I think you finally got the full Sara approval."
Sara mumbles a 'shut up' while Nick nodded with a chuckle.
Once they pull back, Sara shook her head and wiped a few tears off her cheeks and replied. "Sorry about that, I'm just so happy to finally see Ashley find a man who truly cares about her."
Nick nodded with another smile. "It's ok." He then gets a little more serious. "And I do, very much, she's safe with me, Sara. I promise."
Sara nodded, then clears her throat before closing her locker. "Ok, I'll meet you two in the breakroom."
After the guys nodded, Sara left the room to go to her office to get her gun and CSI kit while the guys headed for the breakroom once Nick had his gun and they both had their kits stocked how they were supposed to be.
Five minutes later, Sara was in the breakroom just in time for Peter to be passing out assignment sheets to the team, he then saved the last one to the three people he considered his dream team, which for a while it had just been Sara and Grissom he thought of as his dream team, considering how good their solve rate was, especially when they worked together, but Nick was added to that 'team' when he saw firsthand how valuable he actually was.
"Ok everyone, good luck out there and be safe."
Peter left the room while the six of them stood up, and as the other three members walked out of the room, Nick spoke. "Have you guys noticed Peter has been staying in the lab a little more these days?"
Grissom raised an eyebrow as he asked. "What are you getting at, Nicky?"
They walked out of the room with their kits as Nick continued. "I'm just saying that we shouldn't be surprised if someone will be getting another promotion sometime soon."
When he looked at Sara as he said that Sara too raised her eyebrow. "You realize he's only five years older than us, meaning he hasn't even reached 35 yet, that's a little too young to be hanging them up."
He shrugs, still having a strong feeling about this. "I don't know, he recently got married and didn't they just announce he's going to be a first-time dad a few weeks ago?"
"Yeah, but when we became first time parents, we didn't hang them up."
Nick nodded as they headed for the parking lot. "True, but by the time you became a full fledge CSI you were already a mother, so you had time to really think of the risks and were still willing to go through with it. I'm just saying that other people might have different reactions to becoming a new husband and a first-time parent in a job like this."
Before Sara could speak, Grissom spoke after clearing his throat. "You know he could be right, because I had thought about it too when I found out I was going to be a father."
They stop at the back of vehicle and they both looked at Grissom with wide-eyes, unexpected of Grissom's revelation, which caused Sara to speak in surprise. "You never mentioned that to me."
Nick placed his kit in the back of the vehicle before moving towards the passenger side while Grissom responded to Sara. "Because while it was a thought, a long thought at that I'll admit, I knew at the end of the day I couldn't let this job go. Don't get me wrong, I love our daughter, and I think about her more than I probably should while out in the field, but I still need to be out there, fighting and speaking for those who can't."
Seeing him so passionate about his job, makes Sara feel warm and tingly inside, then she took a breath and looked around to make sure they were alone before cupping his cheek with a smile. "Is that why you keep stalling about these teaching jobs that's been popping up the last few months?"
He took a breath before replying. "I know we talked about this, and I would still love to teach, even maybe full time one day, I'm just not there yet."
"I get it babe, this job, while challenging at times, still drives you, and that's ok. I want you to do anything that gives you that feeling and whatever makes you happiest, so if you're not ready to give this job up, I'm behind you 100%"
He smiled with love in his eyes. "And if what Nick says is true about Peter, I'll definitely be putting my recommendation that you become Supervisor Grissom."
While she still doesn't officially have that name yet since they are thinking it will probably be a May wedding, it still sent a pleasant shiver down her spine hearing it, then she cleared her throat and took her hand off his cheek before smirking. "I think your recommendation might be a little biased."
He smirked as he shut the back of the vehicle once he had placed his kit inside. "So, all they have to do is see your solve rate and know that I speak the truth when I say you're the right woman for the job." As Sara smiled shyly, Grissom continued. "And Nick would be the best right-hand man."
Sara smirked. "No offense to Nick, but I already have my right-hand man."
Grissom chuckled. "Honey, I meant in the..."
She cuts him off with a smile. "I know where you meant it, but my statement still stands." She sighed. "If I had my way you would officially be my right-hand man here."
He gave her a warm/loving smile. "I know, but honestly I'm ok. I like the position I'm in."
She smirked one more time. "Less paperwork for you."
As they headed for the driver's side, Grissom smirked in return. "Exactly."
After another round of chuckling, they both sighed and he asked softly, getting their minds into case mode. "Are you ready for this?"
Once they got their assignment sheet, they could see what they were in for today with their case.
She sighed. "As ready as I'll ever be when it comes to this job. Be safe."
"You too, and I love you."
"Love you too."
They gave each other comforting looks before he turned to get in the driver's seat while she headed for the other vehicle so she could go to the hospital where their victim was, after suffering a sexual assault, had been beaten and left for dead on a practically deserted road, thankfully someone was driving on it this early morning and called it in.
Hours later
After gathering all the evidence that she could from the unconscious woman, whom they still didn't have a name for, Sara headed back to the lab, turned in what she had gathered and headed for the computer lab to see if she could find her description in the missing persons files, even though she knew it could be a little early for the report to come in, but she had to do something to make herself feel useful.
More hours have gone by, and when Grissom arrived at the lab, he was informed that Sara had been in the computer lab for a while now, so he headed in that direction, and when he got there, he could see a frustrated look on her face, so he walked in, speaking softly. "Honey."
Sara turned her head to look at Grissom to acknowledge to him that she was aware he was in the room, before turning her attention back to the computer.
Grissom was watching her for several minutes as she kept clicking for the next missing person's report, now feeling her sadness as he walked to the empty chair next to her.
There was another moment of silence, except for the clicking of the keyboard as she kept hitting next while she felt his worried eyes on her, then just as he was about to speak again, she spoke softly as she turned to look at him. "I know what you're about to say, but I can't help it, this one is special to me."
She goes back to looking at the computer screen and started clicking away as Grissom took a breath and placed his hand on the table so he could discreetly run his thumb back and forth on her arm for as much comfort as he could give her right now. "I know."
After a few more clicks on the keyboard, she asks. "Do you have anything new?"
"No, not at this moment. Nick is looking over the button that was at the crime scene to see if there any fibers off it."
Sara shook her head with a sigh. "A shirt button."
Grissom, trying to keep her positive. "Hey, we've had worked with less before, and you did say she fought like hell, right? So, there still is a DNA angle, it's still being processed."
She nodded with another click on the keyboard. "Yeah, I know, I just want this one."
"I know you do, and I wish I could promise you that we will, but..."
She cuts him off as she looked at him with nothing but love and understanding. "We don't always get them, which that's something you been preaching to me since I told you I wanted to become a CSI."
"And you remember what else I told you?"
"I needed a diversion that's outside of law enforcement." She then gave him a small smile. "Thankfully I already had that."
"Yes, and you helped me with that too, besides my rollercoaster riding. And speaking of a diversion, I think it's time you have one right now."
She was about to speak. "Griss..."
But this time he cuts her off in a low, but strong tone. "You need to eat, you're not going to do anybody any good if you don't, and you need something better than extra sugar coffee to keep you going."
As much as she wanted to decline the offer, she knew for her own health and to stop Grissom from being completely worried about her, she needed to eat something, so she nodded. "Ok, as long as the place is close by."
He's getting her to actually stop and eat was a win in itself, so he'll compromise to that. "Ok."
Next Morning
As much as they hated the waiting game, that's what this case turned out to be, and even towards the end of that shift they were nowhere close to finding out who the victim was that was still unresponsive in a hospital bed, so they did leave the lab when it was that time, knowing they had a daughter to take care of. But the case never went too far from their minds, especially Sara's, which had caused her to toss and turn all night, until finally she gave up on trying to sleep altogether and headed back to the lab.
When Grissom woke up a few hours after she had left, he sighed, knowing why Sara wasn't at home, then got ready for his day.
A few hours later Belle walked into the room with a smile at first, then she lost it when she noticed two things, her mom wasn't at the table and there was a bowl of cereal in her usual seating spot. "Where's mommy?"
Sitting at the table reading the sports section from the newspaper, Grissom replied to his daughter while lowering the paper down so he could see her. "She's already at work, and I'm sorry but breakfast is going to have to be on the quick side this morning and your Aunt Ashley is taking you to school."
When Grissom moved here, they had promised one another that there will always be at least one of them to make sure Belle got up and ready for school, no matter what, now whether they needed to call reinforcements to actually get her to school, depended on the type of case they were working on.
Belle nodded in understanding as she got in her usual chair and started to eat her cereal, which actually wasn't her favorite thing to eat, but realizing a case must be really serious if her mom wasn't here and her dad didn't have time to make his usual gourmet breakfast, or at least it was gourmet to her, and honestly in her opinion that was anything he made.
When Ashley showed up not long after, Grissom thanked her, which she just waved it off and was happy to do it, then he hugged and kissed his daughter before leaving the house, stopping at Sara's favorite coffee shop then headed to the lab.
Once he arrived, and was done in the locker room, he headed right where he thought she would be at, in the computer lab.
Sara felt Grissom's presence before he even said anything, and when she looked in his direction, he was holding out the coffee cup and a muffin to her.
She shyly smiled as she took them from him. "Thank you."
Grissom gave her a nod. "I figured this would be better than what you were probably drinking for most of the night, and I'm going to take it you didn't stop to eat anything at all."
Sara sighed. "Griss..."
He cuts her off with a soft, understanding tone. "I get it. So, I take it you still got nothing?"
Sara shook her head. "I figured we are at the 24-hour mark, so someone should be missing their friend and or wife by now."
As Grissom nodded, he gets paged, so he starts to leave the room, but was stopped when Sara spoke. "And Griss, thank you for covering for me this morning with Belle."
Grissom turned to look at the woman he loved and smirked with a sparkle in his eye. "You can thank me later."
They just share a warm smile before he walked out of the room, then she moved the coffee cup closer to her mouth so she could take a sip while she continued to click away until a few minutes later when everything seemed to stop, she found the description of her victim to a 'T', causing her to smile slightly as she finally saw her victim now had a name.
Grissom was in one of the labs talking to Nick, when Sara came rushing in. "Our victim now has a name, Caitlin Rodgers. Her best friend filed a report when she found out Caitlin didn't actually make her flight to Hawaii to meet her husband. They are both nurses, and she's meeting me at the hospital."
When she saw something click in Grissom's eyes, she asked. "What?"
"And there is a chance that button came off a doctor's jacket."
"So, they could have known each other?" As Grissom nodded, Sara was ready to go so she walked out of the room, eager to get more information.
Grissom then looked at Nick, and Nick gave him a small smile. "You two go ahead."
Grissom nodded and followed Sara out of the lab, and when they got to one of the CSI vehicles, Grissom took the keys from her with a smile. "I'm driving."
She just nodded with a smile, which was the biggest smile Grissom had seen since they got the case, and got into the passenger seat.
After talking to Caitlin's friend, Kimberly, which they were both nurses from a different hospital so that's why no one recognized Caitlin, they felt more surer than ever they were in fact looking for a doctor, whom Kimberly always felt he was little creepy towards the nurses, especially Caitlin. But while they had the break that they needed, she also said that he hadn't been in work since yesterday, and when they went to his apartment to ask the doctor some questions, his neighbor informed them that he hadn't been home since yesterday, which he did look a little beat-up, like he was in a fight, so their person of interest was now in the wind.
A few hours before the end of shift, Peter, who was updated on the case, walked into the breakroom with a smile. "They have him, he's at PD as we speak." All three of them had wide-eyes and smiles while Peter continued. "Now why don't you go down there and close the case."
Sara was the first one to stand-up. "Yes sir." Then the two guys stood up and followed Sara out of the room.
When the group made it back to the lab with the last piece of their puzzle solved, they worked on the paperwork in the breakroom until Sara dismissed them for the night, but before Grissom left the room, he asked. "You going to be ok to make it home?"
Sara nodded with a smile. "Yes, and I'll see you there soon."
"Ok, I love you."
"Love you too."
After Grissom left the room, Sara continued on with her paperwork in silence for a few minutes before she hears Peter's voice. "Ah, the joys of being a boss, huh? Getting to stay later than the others and work on paperwork."
She looked up with a nod and small smile. "Yeah, but someone has to do it, right? And I think it's worth it."
Peter gives her a smile in return. "I'm glad you feel that way."
Sara gave her supervisor a frown "Sir?"
Peter looked around to make sure it was still just them in the room before sitting down in a seat across from her. "I'm sure the rumors have already started that I might not be around here much longer, and I want you to know from me there is some truth to that."
Sara gasped slightly as she started to speak. "Peter..."
He cuts her off with a smile. "I'm not saying it's happening in this moment, or that I've reached that conclusion, I'm still mulling things over." He paused for a second before he does a sigh. "But I got to tell you, since Patty told me she was pregnant I've been a little more anxious going out in the field, worried that something might happen to me, and I won't be able to see my little one grow up. My head isn't where it's supposed to be at times, and this team deserves a better, stronger leader, deserves you."
Sara started to shake her head with a smile. "Peter, I don't..."
He cuts her off again. "You are the most senior CSI I have on this team, outside of Gil of course, but you know the many reasons why he'll turn it down, so I need to know when, or if I choose to leave sooner rather than later, you'll be the one to take the reins for this team, that you'll continue to show the other cities why this lab is now in the top five."
She took a breath with a nod. "I would be honored, but nothing is official, right?"
"No, it's not." He then asked with a smile. "But, you're sure?"
She nodded again with a smile. "Yes, and thank you for believing in me."
He chuckled. "I believed in you the moment you walked into this lab. Always eager to learn, passionate and dedicated on finding the truth and justice for the victims and their families."
She smirked. "Well, nothing has changed there."
He chuckled again. "No, and I don't really expect it to either." As Sara nodded, he continued after clearing his throat. "Now as much as I know you are dedicated, how about getting out of here for the night and doing that paperwork in the morning."
"You sure?"
"Yes, go be with your family."
She nodded again as she stood up, grabbing the paperwork with her so she could put it in her office. "Ok, you don't have to tell me twice. I'll see you in the morning."
"See you in the morning, have a good evening/night."
"You too."
Peter sighed before he got up from his seat and headed back to his office, if he did end up leaving, Sara is one of the co-workers he was certainly going to miss the most.
50 minutes later
When Sara walked into the house, Grissom was in the kitchen making dinner while Belle, who had been sitting on the recliner reading her book, got up with a smile and ran to her. "Mommy!"
Sara smiled brightly while going down on her knees so she could fully wrap her daughter in her arms, missing her from the lack of interaction she's had with her the last day in a half. "Hi, sweetheart. I'm sorry I missed breakfast this morning."
"It's ok, I know that you do something very important, you help get the bad guys."
Sara nodded as she pulled back. "Yes, I do." She then cups her daughter's cheek and speaks with emotion. "And my job is very important, you're right about that. But I want you to know that nothing is more important to me than you and your daddy, ok?"
Belle nodded with a smile. "I know. I love you mommy."
Sara brings her daughter in her arms again with a sigh. "I love you."
After they pulled back the second time, Belle went back to the recliner to read while Sara stood up and headed to the kitchen to see what smelled so good.
"Hi."
Grissom turned from his made from scratch Alfredo sauce to see Sara walk in the room, and he replied in return. "Hi."
As he turned back to the stove, Sara walked up to him and continued. "I'm sorry I'm late. I uh, I made a little detour."
Grissom hands Sara a glass of wine he had poured for them for dinner while he asked. "How is Caitlin doing?"
Of course he would know she went to the hospital before coming home.
She took a sip of her drink before speaking softly. "There is still no change, and the prognosis isn't in her favor." Grissom looked at her sadly as he cupped her cheek so he could wipe a few tears off her cheek as she continued. "I had met the husband, Mark, they only been married for two years, and they were thinking about starting a family."
He then turned the heat on low so he could give Sara his full attention as he wrapped his arms around her while she let her emotions flow out that she kept inside during the whole case.
Once she was done, she shook her head and wiped one cheek off while he did the other one. "I'm sorry."
He shook his head. "You have nothing to be sorry about, this case was a tough one."
"Yeah, but we promised we would leave work outside of this house."
He then smirked. "Well, I won't tell if you won't." After Sara does a small chuckle, he continued with love and support. "And sometimes we can't help it, so if you need to get mad, cry or talk about it afterwords so you can move on for the next one, you know I'm all ears, anytime."
She cups his cheek and replies with love and support too. "And you know I'll do the same for you, anytime."
He nodded with a smile. "I do."
After they kiss, she asked. "So, have you thought about how I can thank you for covering for me this morning?"
Grissom shook his head with a smile. "Honey, you know you don't actually have to thank me for taking care of our daughter. I have your back when you need it, while you have mine, that's how this works."
She smiled while running her thumb up and down his cheek. "And we do it so well, which is why we are a good team."
He nodded as he brings her closer to him again. "A very good team."
After another kiss, this one slightly longer, she whispered. "I love you."
"I love you too."
This next kiss was more of a peck, then once they pulled back fully, he asked. "Are you ready to eat?"
"Yes, I'm starved."
Which will happen to them when a case consumes them and they hardly eat during the duration of the case.
"Alright, can you get the plates please?"
She sets her wine glass on the island before she goes to the cupboard to grab three plates since Nick was once again not here, while Grissom turned off the stove and yelled for Belle to come in the kitchen so they could eat, and while they ate, they sat there at the kitchen table and listened to their daughter talk about her day, finally able to shut out the horrors they deal with on a daily basis, at least until the next case comes along.
AN: Thanks for reading, and please review. More to come soon. Hope you are all having a safe and wonderful weekend, until next time, remember GSR4ever!
