Moved - 1/24
Author: Daniela
Fandom: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Pairing: Greg/Grissom
Rating: PG
Category: Romance, Humor
Series/Sequel: Breaking the Ice
Summary: Greg's first day at the Las Vegas Crime Lab
Warning: Pre - Slash
Disclaimer: I don't own them, but I love them dearly.
Feedback: Yes, please. It's the icing on my cake.
Email: daniforblue@yahoo.de
Word Count: 1706
Released: September 2003
Revised: January 2021
Beta: Anomaly, Monika
Floating. Falling. Into arms. Holding him. Comforting him. Coziness. Closeness. Forever safe and sound.
A touch of light tickled his face and Greg bolted upright. Gee! I overslept after all. He looked at the clock at the bedside table and realized he was wrong. Enough time to get ready and go to work without the morning becoming chaotic. He yawned and fell back on his pillow.
His first day at the Las Vegas Crime Lab. As a chemist. He felt his stomach cramp at the thoughts floating through his mind. This day should be a new start. After his breakup with Alan, he had left San Francisco and moved here. Well, after Alan's breakup with him. Greg hoped the distance between them would make it easier to forget Alan. He desperately needed to get over him.
In a different city with new people and a new job. Enough to forget Alan. How would it be to work at a Crime Lab with such an excellent reputation? Top people. Would he fit in? Would he be as good as them? Not much time had passed since he had graduated. He only had one year of experience. He took a deep breath. Would he fail? No way. I'm good at what I do. I won't fail. Come on now. It was time. He got up, showered quickly, brushed his teeth with ambition - he liked his smile - and wasted three minutes for picking the right shirt for the day.
The lab was only fifteen minutes away, yet Greg worried his car would break down and ruin his first impression. But the old Civic had a good day.
First he had to meet the supervisor of the CSI unit. Captain Brass. Okay. Hurry. He parked his car and went through the main entrance. The security protocol cost him another couple of minutes. Then he could enter the sanctuary - the lab. Wow! They had fantastic equipment here. The best of the best. He approached a young woman. "Excuse me. I'm looking for the office of Captain Brass."
"Down there and then to the left." She rushed on.
"Thank you!" Greg called after her. "Gee! Busy people here." A few moments later he knocked at the door labeled 'Captain Jim Brass'.
"Come in."
He squared his shoulders and entered. "Hello. I'm the new lab tech. Greg Sanders."
"Sure. I've been expecting you. Sit down." The man with the good-natured face and balding hair give him a peculiar look.
It's my haircut, right? Or my boyish looks? Greg wasn't offended because he was used to it.
Brass didn't say a thing about the subject though but went right to the instructions about his duties. Afterwards he showed Greg his workplace and left him alone. Well, not exactly alone, in the middle of technicians working or moving around. Alright. Greg sat down at his desk. Let's begin.
Shortly after an African American CSI rushed in, introduced himself as Warrick Brown and gave him some samples. Greg was hardly able to mention his own name before Warrick rushed out again. Gee! Not much time for a little chat in this lab. That was okay. He came here to work anyway. He began to test the samples.
"Hi, I'm Nick. Are you the new guy?"
Greg turned around, looking at the man approaching his desk. Wow. Handsome face. Great smile. "Yes, I am. Greg Sanders. You can call me Greg."
"Nick Stokes." He nodded at the samples. "So, how's your first day?"
"A bit hectic."
"Yeah. Much to do around here, though we are nice people. Even Captain Brass is okay. For the man who is in charge."
"That's good to hear." Greg couldn't help but smile back. Charming, too.
"See you later." Nick walked away.
Greg eased off. The first day had turned out to be a good one. Nick was a nice guy, though not his type. Yeah. He was the opposite of Alan. Thinking about his ex still hurt. They had been together for eight years. Until Alan had found himself a new lover and dumped him. Alan had been his first and only. Greg had been sixteen when they had met. Alan had been ten years his senior and had taken his breath away. Greg's mind was drifting to pleasant memories.
"Already asleep?"
He jumped. "No! No, I was just thinking."
A stunning red-head was grinning at him. "If you say so. I'm Catherine Willows. I guess you are the new guy?"
"Sure. That's me. Greg Sanders."
"How's it going? Having a good time on your first day?"
"Oh yeah. Perfect."
"This is Gil Grissom," Catherine continued and stepped aside.
The man standing behind Catherine glared at him.
Gee! Mature. Confident. Blue eyed. Definitely my type. Greg cleared his throat. "Hello."
"Hello!" Grissom barked, not taking his blue, piercing eyes off Greg.
What! Greg shifted.
Catherine handed him a bag of samples. "Test these, please. As fast as possible. Top priority case."
"No problem. It's practically done." He winked at her. She was gorgeous.
Grissom didn't even blink. "Let's go, Catherine."
"What's the hurry, huh?" she said, though she followed him right away.
Holy smoke! Greg sighed. A great disturbance.
"A little too old for you, don't you think?"
"Huh?!" He whirled around.
Nick leaned against the doorframe. "Well, Catherine. She's an incredibly attractive woman, but..."
"I noticed. But I'm not here to flirt, only to do my job."
"Oh, got yourself burned," Nick said in the softest voice.
"Yeah, badly."
"Yet you were checking her out."
Greg flushed. Great! My first day and I almost outed myself. "Well, she's stunning, and I'm only a man."
Nick shrugged. "Sure. How old are you anyway?"
"I'm way over eighteen. Not that it is your business."
"All right. Just kidding. Peace." Nick shook hands with Greg and then he walked away, whistling.
Greg sighed. That was close. Be more careful. He started to test the new samples.
Warrick Brown came by and fetched his results. Once more he didn't waste time for a chat.
Having no further distractions Greg finished the testing of the top priority samples in record time. At once he went looking for Grissom and Catherine. He strolled down one or two hallways, and was about to turn another corner, when he heard their voices.
They were standing a few feet away right behind the corner. He couldn't avoid eaves-dropping.
"Isn't he a little bit young to be trusted with this responsibility? He is running some important stuff."
"Give him a chance. Even though he looks like he just graduated from school and his hairstyle is a bit odd, too. That doesn't say anything about his abilities."
"Well, maybe," Grissom granted reluctantly. "Though I'll keep my eye on him."
Sweet! Greg made a few steps backwards and kicked deliberately against a trash can.
The voices of the conspiracy duo fell silent at once.
He rushed around the corner.
The two CSI's looked guilty but calm.
"Hi again," he cheered. "I have your results."
"Already?" Grissom took his glasses off and wiped them clean.
Catherine suppressed a laugh.
"Yeah, well, I'm moving as fast as my hair grows."
Grissom scanned the papers. Astonishment flitted across his face. "Good work... erhm...."
"My name is Greg, sir."
"Well, Greg, don't call me sir. Call me Grissom, like everybody else."
"Very well, Grissom." He beamed at the most handsome man he'd ever met.
Grissom frowned.
Catherine bit her cheek.
Greg still didn't move.
"You can go back to work," Grissom barked, putting his glasses back on.
"Thanks - Grissom." He let the name roll over his tongue. Then he sprinted away.
"You see. He's a clever boy," Catherine said. "I'm certain he will fit right in here."
Gil didn't say a word.
"What's up, Gil?"
"Huh? Right. He's better than I expected. Fast. And the results look promising." He fell silent again. Just standing on the same spot, acting moony.
Catherine touched his arm. "Okay, let's go. We have a lot of work to do."
"Exactly, and no time for affairs of a different nature," Gil mumbled, sliding his glasses up his nose.
"What?"
"Nothing. I was talking to myself."
"Ah, Gil Grissom. Not talking to other people, only to himself." She smiled.
Gil glared briefly at her, then he moved along after all.
In high spirits Greg went back to his workspace. He allowed me to call him Grissom. On my first day. Wow! I have nice co-workers and did a good job on my first challenge. I also made a good impression on Grissom. The guy even let me forget about Alan for the first time. That's good, isn't it? Humming, he continued doing his paperwork.
One hour later Nick was visiting his desk again. "I heard you passed your first test."
"Huh? What test? By whom?"
"Catherine said you were awesome."
"I only handed some results over to Grissom and Catherine."
"You are new. You impressed the most dreaded of all, Gil Grissom."
"He didn't look impressed."
"Sure, he didn't show it. But Catherine noticed. She knows him better and longer than me."
"Mm. Did I really impress him?"
"You can bet."
Watch it! Don't be upfront with your feelings. He rummaged through his papers. "Why's Grissom dreaded?"
Nick laughed. "Dreaded is a little over the top. He's overambitious. Accurate. Strict. Obsessed with his work. He always demands the best from himself and from all others."
"I see."
"He is also very much admired."
"Doesn't his family suffer due to his obsession with work?"
Nick shook his head. "I know of no family. He lives alone."
Greg's heart skipped a beat. He lives alone. So what? That proves nothing. He certainly has a girlfriend. Or a boyfriend. Or a lover. Men with his looks always have.
"His private life is a mystery, even to Catherine," Nick prattled on.
"Whatever." Greg shrugged. "Sorry, but I have o load of work to do."
"Oh, I see. You just started but already want to compete with Grissom."
"Yeah, right!" Greg delved into writing his notes. So, he's a workaholic. Obsessed. Well, I'll prove I'm as good as he is. Rather I'll prove I'm better. Gee! Take it easy on your first day.
