Sara closed the door of her locker and slumped against it. Physically and emotionally, she was exhausted. This had been the roughest two months she had experienced since her arrival in Las Vegas.
It had all started with the forensics seminar. The Las Vegas Crime Lab had garnered considerable attention from Sara�s attendance at the conference in Baltimore several months before. While there, Sara was questioned at length about aspects of the lab. Many people had been impressed by the quality of their equipment and the freedom they seemed to have to work independently. A stream of e-mails encouraging her to hold a seminar to showcase the lab followed her return home. At first resistant, she soon could not ignore the volume of interest. With Grissom�s approval and encouragement, she had begun enthusiastically planning the event. Hours of preparation were required. Decisions on format, presentations, security issues, personnel and resource allocation monopolized every free moment of her time.
Then, the entire event was jeopardized when the only feasible date to allow open access to the lab appeared to be a mere three weeks away. Grissom took Sara off cases and gave her time to schedule the seminar and accelerate her planning timeline. She had hardly seen Grissom during that month except to coordinate some element or another for the seminar. She worked mostly during the day while he continued to work nights. There was no time for �them�.
While Sara was busy with last-minute preparations, Grissom received a phone call from the University of Oxford in England, asking that he conduct a two-week intensive course on entomology. The professor originally scheduled had been in a serious accident and they needed a qualified replacement quickly. Grissom graciously declined, explaining that he didn�t have adequate time to prepare and that the lab would be left short-handed without him.
Two hours later, the sheriff paid Grissom a visit. He had just received a phone call from the State Department �suggesting� the cooperation of the Las Vegas Law Enforcement agencies in assuring Dr. Grissom�s leave of absence and timely departure for England. The son of a Duke, who was an amateur entomologist, was registered for the class. When he heard that Grissom had been approached about teaching the course, he eagerly anticipated learning much about his beloved insects from one of his favorite authors. British authorities had requested the State Department see what they might do to facilitate Dr. Grissom�s participation. The Sherriff assured the State Department official that Grissom would be available. He would leave for England on what would be the last day of Sara�s seminar.
During the seminar itself, Sara stayed at the hotel with the participants to troubleshoot any problems that might arise, of which there were many. She invited Grissom to stay with her, but he wisely pointed out that she would be occupied with the conference and they wouldn�t see each other anyway. There was also the danger of exposure to their relationship. In addition, there was now his need to prepare for the class and his departure for England.
The conference had been a great success. The Sheriff received positive feedback from attendees representing some of the most prestigious departments in the nation, including Quantico. Totally out of character, Ecklie gave Sara full credit and congratulated her on her ability to organize such a complex event in such a short period of time. Totally in character, he never mentioned the past difficulties in their working relationship.
Sara couldn�t appreciate the accolades without Grissom there to share the joy in her accomplishment. Nor could she take any time off to rest after the hectic schedule of the conference. As Grissom had predicted, his departure had left the lab short-handed. No one was taking any time off. Even scheduled days off were suspended and overtime was authorized with no limit.
In the midst of this schedule, the unthinkable happened. Five days ago, two days before Grissom was scheduled to come home, tragedy struck the Las Vegas Police Department. Undercover Officer Brian Beckstrom had been scheduled to testify against Van Scott, a mid-level drug dealer. There was nothing unique about the drug arrest and the testimony would be routine. But if convicted, it would be Scott�s third strike, leading to a long prison stint. Scott, out on bond, abducted Beckstrom�s fourteen year old daughter, threatening to kill her if Beckstrom testified.
It was all hands on deck, three CSI shifts working around the clock to locate and save Amy Beckstrom. Circumstances had benefited Scott. All of his known associates were interviewed repeatedly, but no location suitable for concealing a kidnap victim could be found. Two days into the ordeal, they had no leads. Even with the experience of all the CSI�s, no viable evidence emerged to indicate where he might be keeping her.
Grissom came straight from the airport, assessing the situation upon his arrival. He felt a particular sting as it was he who had supplied the evidence to Beckstrom which led him to Scott in the first place. Although not the lead on the case, he took over upon his arrival. His first directive was to send one third of the force home for five hours, hoping they would sleep. Every six hours thereafter, he sent a group home for rest. Only fresh minds would solve the case. The longer the case remained unsolved, the longer the mandatory rest periods became. Not once had Grissom and Sara been on the same rest period.
Four days after the abduction, Archie found Scott on surveillance video brought in from a convenience store near the Valley of Fire. From this, the team was able to track the direction from which he arrived and which way he left, taking the search away from Las Vegas. Going through other surveillance video in the area, the search was narrowed to a trailer park near Overton. After several hours of observation, Scott stepped from one of the trailers and officers swarmed from everywhere, catching Scott by surprise.
Amy Beckstrom was found in the trailer. Screaming for her abductor, demanding to see him before she would leave with officers, she was forcibly taken to the hospital. A thorough exam revealed that she had been raped. Her insistence that she loved Scott and he had done nothing wrong prompted a psychological exam as well. It was quickly determined that she was suffering from Stockholm syndrome. It would be a long recovery for her. For the amassed army of law enforcement officers, the ordeal may be over. For Amy and her family, it was just beginning.
But the urgency was over for the Las Vegas Crime Lab. All evidence in the trailer was bagged and taken to the lab, where it was checked in for further processing over the next few weeks. The victim was safe, the perpetrator in custody. Time was no longer their enemy. The processing could be done in a leisurely fashion. Las Vegas� finest now needed some rest.
Sara reflected on the events of the past two months as she meandered into Grissom�s office. He took little notice, head bent over the report on which he was working. Sara plopped into the chair facing Grissom, her exhaustion evident. Watching him work, Sara realized how little time they had spent together in the last two months. And how much she missed him.
�How much longer are you going to be?� she inquired.
�At least another hour. I want to get this report done while it�s still fresh in my head.� Grissom�s head never lifted. It was unusual for Grissom to be prompt with a report. The mound of paperwork pushed to the side of his desk was evidence of his usual reluctance. His diligence in this case was a good indicator of how much it had affected him.
The case had affected them all. And Sara, coming from the stress of the conference, was probably least equipped to deal effectively with the pressures of the case. Her exhaustion dissolved and the taut emotions she had managed to control throughout the ordeal now snapped. After all that she had been through, how could Grissom just ignore her like this? She was furious at his lack of attention. She began tapping her foot and making sounds indicating her impatience. Grissom continued to work, never looking up.
Sara�s anger morphed into hurt. Hadn�t he missed her as much as she had missed him? Didn�t he ache for her while he was away, lying in bed at night, empty inside? Did their relationship not mean as much to him as it did to her?
Anger reared its ugly head again. Grissom claimed he loved her, then ignored her like a servant. He had proposed to her not three months before. And now, he acted as if she didn�t exist. So much for a life of commitment. As she opened her mouth to say something hateful, she stopped, realizing that she would hurt the one person she loved above all else. She took a deep breath.
With that pause, she was suddenly aware of what was happening. Forensic Psychology 221. Her emotions were raw from the intensity of the last few days. These emotions, held in check to allow logical thought to solve the case, were now moving with fluidity from one extreme to another. She took another deep breath in an attempt to calm her raging emotions. She tried to empty her mind, listening to the sounds of the lab echoing through the halls outside the office door. The emotion which emerged was a surprise and not really an emotion at all. Arousal. Sara took another deep breath. She became more aroused. A fourth breath had the same result. At least there was consistency with this reaction. And it could have a positive outcome � and release.
But any action worth pursuing required Grissom�s participation. And he seemed unusually diligent in his responsibilities.
Sara was tired of waiting. She stood and moved behind Grissom. Bending over his shoulder as if looking at the report she said softly, in a low voice, �It�s been a long time, Gil. I�ve missed you. I�ve missed your lips on mine. Your hands on me. You in me.� Grissom�s hands stopped moving over the keyboard. His eyes remained on the screen. �I�m going to go home and take a hot bath. I think I�ll use that bath oil you like so well. Rub the oil into my skin. All of my skin. To make it soft - for you. Then I�ll just lie naked on the bed and wait for you. Hurry home.�
Sara straightened up and sauntered to the door, where she stopped. Turning her head, she saw that Grissom was staring at her, mouth open. She said, seductively, �I�ll try not to start without you.� Turning, she left the building and went straight to her car.
Sara had every confidence that her last comment would bring a conclusion to the report in rapid fashion. Sara had once asked Grissom to divulge his deepest fantasy. His response surprised her � he wanted to watch her masturbate. Sara had agreed to act out this simple fantasy. Grissom had gotten so hard so fast, that her solo performance was short-lived. It was some of the best sex they had ever had. They had attempted the fantasy once more, with the same results. Sara felt a bit evil putting that visual in his head. But the results would be well worth it.
Upon arriving at her apartment, Sara went straight to the bathroom and began running her bath. She rummaged in her cabinet for the bottle of Grissom�s favorite bath oil, pouring a generous amount under the running water.
The aroma floated up and Sara took a deep whiff. A smile spread across her face. The smell reminded her of Grissom. On a shopping excursion early in their relationship, they had wandered into a boutique. Looking at a butterfly plaque, Sara had declared that this was the only bug she ever wanted to see in her apartment. Laughing, Grissom urged her to purchase the grouping. While Sara negotiated a price, Grissom gravitated to the body care section, sniffing the various options. Sara had been puzzled by his interest in such feminine products. Her curiosity was rewarded several days later when Grissom arrived at her apartment with the full array of products offered in that scent. It was the first intimate gift he had given her.
Sara wearily pulled off her clothes and climbed into the tub. The warmth of the water was soothing. She began running her hands over her body, encouraging the oil into her pores. The Las Vegas desert was wicked on delicate skin. Her hands wandered between her legs and she was tempted to find her own release. But that pleasure was nothing compared to coupling with Grissom. She would wait for the greater reward.
Sara was beginning to feel drowsy from the warmth. The long hours they had worked the last few days had taken their toll. If she didn�t get out, she would fall asleep and be a prune when Grissom arrived. A cold bottle of water would revive her. Stepping from the tub, she grabbed the towel and dabbed at the moisture; a brisk drying effort would negate the effects of the bath oil. She started for the kitchen for her water, naked. Sara stopped in her tracks and turned, reaching around to the back of the bathroom door. She decided wearing her terry robe was a better choice. She had seen too many crime scenes where the victim had been struck down in a vulnerable state of undress.
Sara loosely tied the robe, wandered into the kitchen, and opened the refrigerator to grab a bottle of water. Door still open, she opened the bottle and downed nearly half in one gulp. Water dribbled from the side of her mouth as she lowered the bottle. Wiping it away with her sleeve, she still felt warm from her bath. She opened her robe and let the cool air of the refrigerator wash over her skin. She took another sip of water and heard the key in the door.
As she turned at the sound, more water escaped and dribbled down the front of her. Distracted by the dripping water, she didn�t see Grissom enter. He stopped in the door, hand on the knob, key still in the lock. His face grew dark as he looked at Sara standing by the open refrigerator, dabbing at her chest with her sleeve. Her now open robe revealed a completely naked Sara. Pulling the key from the lock, he moved in and shut the door hard behind him, startling Sara. Dropping his brief case on the floor, he threw the key on the table near the door. It skidded across the table and fell to the floor. Grissom didn�t notice. With long, quick strides, he was in the kitchen, standing in front of Sara. One hand closed the refrigerator door while the other pulled Sara to him, hard. The bottle of water slipped from her hands and went flying across the floor, spilling water as it rolled. It, too, went unnoticed. Grissom�s lips found hers as his body pushed her into the counter and his free hand found its way inside her open robe, roughly foundling her right breast. His tongue forced its way into her mouth.
Surprised by the intensity of the moment, Sara didn�t have time to respond. The vigor of his kisses pushed her head into the cabinet, bumping it hard. Grissom�s mouth stopped its ravaging when he heard her groan. Seeing that she was forced into the cabinet, he reached his hands behind her, grasped her buttocks and lifted. Instinctively, Sara wrapped her arms around Grissom�s neck. Grissom swung Sara around to sit on the edge of the island counter. Vaguely, Sara wondered if this athletic move was made possible by his work at the gym or his intense arousal. She didn�t care.
Releasing her, Grissom stepped back and unfastened his belt and zipper. He had his pants and boxers down in one fluid motion, his penis leaping forth like a spring. Her robe now splayed around her, Sara put her hands on the counter behind her and leaned back, pushing her hips forward to the edge of the counter. His eyes never leaving hers, Grissom put his hands between Sara�s thighs, still damp from the spilled water, and spread her legs wide enough for him to step between them. The heat from his hands was scorching. Sara braced her feet on the cool refrigerator. Taking his rigid cock in hand, he positioned it at Sara�s opening and thrust � hard and deep.
Grissom grunted. Sara gasped. Because of his size, Grissom had always been slow and gentle in his penetration. This sudden entry took her breath away. Grissom grasped Sara�s hips and pulled out almost all the way. With another grunt, he thrust again, deeper still. Sara gasped again. It hurt so good. Slowly at first, Grissom closed his eyes and began a methodic repetition of this motion, as if each thrust was an effort. Grissom was forcing himself to go slow in an attempt to prolong his pleasure. As this methodical, deep penetration continued, Sara�s discomfort was replaced by an increased arousal. He felt so good. She knew it would be worth the wait. Gradually, the thrusting increased in intensity. Soon, he was pumping into her, hard and fast, his hands pulling Sara�s hips toward him with each plunge. The decorative basket on top of the refrigerator began to shake from the rocking of the appliance and tipped over.
The guttural sounds Grissom made at the apex of each thrust were exciting Sara in a way that almost scared her. It was bestial in nature, a wildness Sara had never envisioned. Grissom�s movements were growing more and more frantic. Sweat beaded his brow, furrowed by a grimace. Sara knew from experience that he was getting close. Closer than she was. She shifted all of her weight onto one hand and reached her other hand between them. Placing the flat of her hand at the top of her pubic area, she pushed downward, forcing her clitoris into closer contact with Grissom�s thrusting penis. Mere strokes later, Sara felt her muscles contract as she reached an orgasm like she had never experienced before. Her undulating vaginal muscles sent Grissom over the edge and he grunted like an animal as he came, quaking as if in a seizure.
Sara fell backwards and lay exhausted on the hard, cold counter. Spent and legs shaking, Grissom collapsed forward onto Sara, bracing himself on his forearms to prevent crushing her. Sweat from his face dripped onto her exposed breasts. The tranquil ticking of the Howard Miller clock on her desk was in contrast to their wildly thumping hearts. As her ragged breathing began to calm, Sara muttered, �You are an amazing lover.�
Grissom pulled himself off of Sara and gave her the look he gave to suspects who lie to him. �That was not making love, Sara.�
Sara smiled at him. �Oh, I know. Love making will come later. But sometimes, a girl just needs a good fuck.�