 | ShatterStorm Productions
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| ShatterStorm Productions
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Disclaimer: "CSI: Crime Scene Investigators," the characters, and situations depicted are the property of Jerry Bruckheimer Television, Alliance Atlantis, and CBS Productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes. Previously unrecognized characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. This site is in no way affiliated with "CSI: Crime Scene Investigators," CBS, or any representatives of Jorja Fox or Marg Helgenberger.
Author's Notes: There is mild swearing but otherwise it gets a PG rating. Unbeta'd as usual and feedback welcomed.
Sheriff's Office 6 a.m.
Grissom and Catherine walked into the Sheriff's office and were invited to sit across from the large oak desk that the Sheriff was currently seated at. Ecklie was standing off to the left of the Sheriff with his arms crossed and a smug expression on his face. Jim and Sofia were already seated and Catherine and Sofia made eye contact both surprised to see the other. Jim and Grissom kept their eyes on the Sheriff, waiting for an explanation.
"Good, everyone is here. Let's get this started.," the Sheriff had several files in front of him that he flipped through.
"I've called all of you here because I've finished reviewing the Davis case and I want to go over a few disturbing points that have turned up."
Grissom was the first of the group to speak. "May I ask why we are reviewing this now, several weeks after she was apprehended?"
"Grissom, the fact of the matter is that you and your team could have handled this better. Lives could have been saved." Four sets of eyes bore holes through Ecklie in disgust. He was an ass-kissing pencil-pusher that was always critical of everyone else when he himself did nothing of value.
The Sheriff held a hand up to silence Ecklie.
"Mr. Grissom, it says here that one of the miniatures sat on your desk for weeks before it was discovered."
"Yes, that's correct."
"When it finally was discovered, you had two days to identify the victim which was done successfully. However, an officer lost her life in the process."
Sofia felt a cold chill run through her at the mention of Officer Kayman. She had unknowingly witnessed the officer's death since she had been on surveillance duty.
"Perhaps if C.S.I. had been more thorough and the police department more vigilant, this could have been prevented."
Grissom said nothing as he relived the guilt at not discovering the timing device hidden in the fireplace that released the carbon monoxide that killed the officer.
"Detective Curtis, you were on surveillance duty the day Officer Kayman was murdered. Did you periodically check in with the officer during that time?"
"I checked in with Officer Kayman when she first layed down and the feed was good. We felt that further communication would compromise the success of drawing out the killer."
"So Officer Kayman never reported feeling strange?," Ecklie asked, his eyes pinning Sofia.
Sofia looked back at him unintimidated. "No, she never said anything."
"Conrad, let's move on.," the Sheriff interrupted. He flipped through more pages of the file.
"Captain Brass, you were present when Detective Curtis questioned Natalie Davis correct?"
"Yes, I was outside of the room but I was listening."
"Is it standard police procedure to allow one of your detectives to accept drugs from a suspect as a bargaining tool?"
Sofia felt anger flare up and interrupted. "That wasn't Jim's fault. It was my decision and I take responsibility for my own actions."
"You will take responsibility, Detective.," Ecklie was smiling now. "Your mental fitness for this job has been called into question due to your actions. We have to ask ourselves, are these the actions of a mentally stable person? Offering up your life in the hopes that the suspect wouldn't lie to you about C.S.I. Sidle's location?"
Grissom spoke up now. "Detective Curtis saved Sara Sidle's life. Are you just going to ignore that?"
"While the outcome was positive, I'm not sure that I'm comfortable with the means. We can't have a loose cannon with a badge and a gun making up her own rules.," the Sheriff interjected.
Brass was fuming in his chair between Sofia and Grissom. How dare they talk about her like that.
"A few weeks ago you offered her a medal and now you're calling her a loose cannon?" Brass' deep voice filled the room as he glared at Ecklie and the Sheriff.
"I don't care for your tone, Captain Brass.," the Sheriff said.
"I don't like where this discussion is headed. If Detective Curtis goes, then I go.," Brass crossed his arms firmly in front of him.
Sofia was beyond seething. Her whole body was hot and her hands were practically shaking. She placed one of her hands on Brass' shoulder and took a calming breath. "Jim, I can't let you do this."
The Sheriff had turned to Ecklie and from the look of it Ecklie was not happy with their sidebar conversation. Before Brass could reply, the Sheriff said, "Can you offer an alternative solution?"
Brass was ready for the question. "Have Detective Curtis evaluated and let them decide if she's sound. She also gets to continue to work during this period until otherwise found unsound." Ecklie looked livid at this proposal but the Sheriff seemed appeased and agreed. He was not about to lose two officers.
"We will have a psychologist contact you, Detective Curtis." Sofia remained silent. She really wanted to knock Ecklie into next week but at least Brass was okay.
Catherine had been sitting through all of it wondering why they had invited her to this meeting when so far everyone but her had been questioned when the Sheriff turned to her.
"C.S.I. Willows, you were there when C.S.I. Sidle was rescued correct?" Catherine nodded and said, "Yes, I was."
"It says here that you injected Detective Curtis with a syringe that contained an unknown substance but what was proclaimed by the suspect to be an antidote to the drug that Detective Curtis ingested." Catherine nodded at the retelling of the events.
"You were informed by the medical personnel that it is against regulations to inject an unidentified substance. What makes you think it is within our policy to do so?"
Catherine didn't bat an eye as she addressed both Ecklie and the Sheriff. "Detective Curtis was fading from the poison. If we didn't act, we may have lost her." Sofia looked at Catherine in shock. She had not been aware that Catherine had saved her. She had just assumed that the medics had injected her.
"Again, Ms. Willows, the outcome was positive but I am not comfortable with the means. You violated protocol."
"I wasn't aware there was a C.S.I. protocol on administering an antidote.," Catherine sarcastically replied.
"Ms. Willows, I have been reviewing your file and you seem to have quite a history of bending protocol. A trait that you share with Mr. Grissom."
Catherine couldn't help but wink at Grissom and he slightly smiled in reply.
"Catherine has made great strides as a supervisor and in many ways surpassed me.," Grissom said.
"That is perhaps, her only saving grace.," the Sheriff said. "Ms. Willows, I am suspending you for three days without pay." Catherine's face grew hard in response as did the three faces of her team mates.
"I hope that we can all learn from this and move on.," the Sheriff said. The four team mates stood and left the room completely disgusted with the higher ups.
Grissom and Catherine walked in front of Brass and Sofia silently. Sofia could see Grissom lean down to say something in Catherine's ear and her nod in reply.
"Sophia, can I give you a lift home?," Brass asked. He didn't like the hardened look in her normally expressive face. Sophia felt numb inside and almost didn't register that Brass had spoken.
"No thanks, Jim. I'm giving Sara a lift home." Brass nodded and detoured from their path towards his office. "Sofie, if you need to talk, you know my number." Sofia nodded towards Brass and then followed Grissom and Catherine.
Grissom headed towards his office and Catherine headed towards the locker room. Sofia caught the door before it swung shut. Catherine was already in her locker pulling things out haphazardly and throwing them on the bench. She jumped in surprise when she saw Sofia behind her.
Catherine could see the pain in Sofia's eyes and part of her anger drained away.
"Catherine, I....." Sofia opened her mouth and then closed it as if she was trying to remember how to speak. But how do you thank someone for saving your life?
"Sofia, you're part of this team and we take care of our own. We're like family. Besides, I hate to lose out on a decent dance partner when Greg is around." Catherine smiled at the detective, hoping to put her at ease.
Sofia cracked a smile at the dance partner comment. "Well, it takes two to tango." Catherine could still see moisture in Sofia's eyes from tears that she wouldn't let fall. She put her hand on Sofia's shoulder and pulled the other woman close to her body in a hug. Sofia hugged Catherine back gratefully and said into her ear, "Catherine, I can't thank you enough for saving my life. I'm sorry that you have to pay the price for doing that." Catherine pulled away from Sofia but kept her hands wrapped around the detective's upper arms.
"Sofia, you and I both know that was politics in there. Natalie Davis is too nuts to stand trial and justice hasn't been served. They are looking for someone to blame."
Sara walked into the locker room and then came to a dead stop at seeing Catherine with her hands touching Sofia. She knew that she had been thinking something as she was walking into the room but her mind seemed to have gone temporarily blank. She felt confused and irritated which was fine but there were other emotions boiling up that she wasn't comfortable with. She felt anger and jealousy as well. Was she jealous that Catherine got along better with Sofia than her? She turned that thought around and then discarded it. No, that wasn't it. It definitely didn't bother her that two women were being affectionate. She swallowed as it hit her like a freight train that she was jealous that Sofia was letting Catherine touch her and she had interrupted an intimate moment between the two. Were Sofia and Catherine secretly seeing each other like she and Gil? Sara felt slightly nauseous at the thought.
"Sara?" Sara snapped her eyes up to the pair and realized both were looking at her expectantly.
"Sorry, what?" Catherine looked puzzled and Sofia looked concerned as she stared at Sara.
"I asked if you still wanted a ride?," Sofia repeated. "I'm going to head out. "I'll catch you guys later." Catherine walked past the two women to the exit.
"Um, yeah just let me grab my bag." Sara still moved in a daze as she put her vest in her locker and grabbed her bag. She and Sofia then walked out into the cool Las Vegas morning into the parking lot.
|| Part 1 || Part 2 || Part 3 || Part 4 || Part 5 || Part 6 || Part 7 || Part 8 || Part 9 || Part 10 || Part 11 || Part 12 || Part 13 || Part 14 ||
