‹ Prequel: I'll Follow You Into the Dark
This Vegas Sky Is Tainted
VI
Steph’s POV
Once me and Nick were ready to leave I got Brandon ready as he picked up a couple of small cars to take with him. The two of us left the house at the same time but took each of our cars both working different shift hours for once. As I fastened Brandon into his car seat I was surprised to see how happy it appeared to be with his mum going away for hat was a considerable amount of time to a 4 year old boy. I wondered if for now it had sunk in and after tomorrow he would be different and start to maybe act out more.
It didn’t take us long to get to the labs traffic pretty light on the roads tonight which I was grateful for. I smiled as we pulled in and Brandon’s eyes were filled with thought similar to that of Grissom’s. As he sat on my hip one arm hooked around my neckthe other holding his cars I smiled carrying him up the stairs to the building where a couple of officers passed by saying hello. As we got onto the floor of the labs I bumped into Grissom who spoke to Brandon as we made our way down the corridor into the light room.
As I stepped into the room I noted Grissom had already set out all the evidence and images he wanted me to go over no doubt trying to make it easier for me to finish up the case ready to send someone to court with it in a few days time. I grabbed the stool that Nick was usually perched on and on more than one occasion swung back to far on it and fell off. I placed it against the table and stood Brandon on it allowing him to see what was on the table whilst freeing both my arms. Grissom was soon to disappear as I would ask Brandon to help me by picking up various images for me as I worked through checking theories against evidence and interview’s and statements.
I got a page after an hour or so from Hodges informing me the last pieces of DNA results and prints form the fume cupboard were finally ready to help finish the case off, or so I hoped. I picked Brandon up into my arms knowing that on occasion there would be a lab rat dart down the corridors in a hurry. As we stepped into the DNA lab where Hodges was stood no doubt annoying Wendy more than helping her I had a piece of paper brandished at me.
I took the paper from Hodges grasp and read it through thanking both him and Wendy before exiting my plan was to head to Grissom’s office as this evidence combined with fingerprint evidence gave us one killer. As we passed AV Archie waved at us Brandon waving back happily. It was as I passed toxicology and saw Mandy and Henry both at work that I stopped. Henry had just left the lab as Mandy jumped back from her desk as I spotted sparks coming form her workstation before flames were quickly seen.
As I leant into the doorway I noticed that Mandy was shaking her hand and so asked her if she was ok. She nodded as she started to put out the flames until there was a click and the labs sprinklers started to take effect and doused the flames in a matter of seconds. As I escaped the water making sure Brandon stayed dry and stepped into the corridor I jumped as the corridor sprinklers started to soak us. I pressed the piece of paper to my chest as I pulled Brandon against me using my free arm to try and keep his head as dry as I could as I darted out over the sprinklers. Mandy had soon darted past us to no doubt heading to the first aid room to see to the burn on her hand.
As I placed Brandon down and asked him kindly to hold the paper Henry appeared again.
“Hey you two ok? What happened in the lab and where’s Mandy?”
“I’m not sure something sparked then set alight and burnt her. I guess she’s gone to first aid. We are fine only a little bit of water.”
Henry nodded as the sprinklers stopped again and disappeared back into the lab no doubt o find out what had caught fire. As I turned taking Brandon’s hand and started to make our way to Grissom’s office again I heard a familiar voice behind me before a very strange sounding yelp.
As me and Brandon turned round I couldn’t help but smile as Greg, covered in a ton of slime slipped in the water form the sprinklers and landed onto his arse on the floor. His face alone was hysterical as he sat there seemingly shocked by the fact the floor was soaking wet to start with. As I tried to force myself to stop from bursting out laughing I heard a giggle break out beside me and looked down to see that Brandon was giggling so much at what he just witnessed.
His giggle made Greg look up and I couldn’t help but break out in a full smile then. I watched as Greg attempted to get up form the floor slipping once more before managing to finally stand on two feet again and head over to us. As Greg approached us he to wore a smile on his face clearly seeing the funny side to what just happened like Brandon had.
“Sorry Greg don’t mean to laugh but your face was hysterical. It’s not just me that think’s so either. It would be you to slip though Sander‘s”
“OI”
I smiled more as he tried to look offended as Greg appeared to go to walk straight past us. Instead though Greg pulled me into a tight hug and after he had done I realised why he had hugged me. As I looked down at my damp clothes I could see that half the slime he had been wearing was now also attached to me.
“Wait til Lottie here’s about this. Also revenge will be very sweet Mr.”
As Greg’s grin dropped slightly knowing that when I said revenge was sweet I usually meant after the last time I made him go do a street run for a hit and run I was doing meaning he was on his own down a 100 yard stretch of road in sweltering heat. As I turned around the three of us were greeted with Grissom now stood clearly having heard some form of commotion and had come to investigate what had happened.
“What’s happened out here then? God you two smell awful.”
“Something set alight in toxicology Mandy burnt her hand, she’s gone to first aid. The sprinklers put it out and also soaked the corridor. Henry is now back in the lab seeing what happened exactly when Greg returned covered in whatever smells slipped in the puddle. Me and Brandon found it funny after been caught in the sprinklers then he transferred the stuff onto me.”
I watched Grissom’s face change thorough a couple of emotions as he took in what I had said before finally he settled on pure amusement as well as Brandon. I watched as Grissom knelt beside Brandon and whispered ‘what are these pair like?’ as Brandon handed him the lab results sheet he had been holding for me. I watched as Greg looked at me.
“By the way you may want to shower, that’s de-comp we are both covered in.”
I felt my own face drop taking in the thought that someone’s dead body was coating my clothes as I stood there. It would definitely explain the awful smell emanating from it however. After a few more minutes discussion me, Greg and Brandon were all heading for the locker’s so that I could get Brandon dry and warm and I could change and so that Greg could go and shower.
Standing in the locker’s I pulled a towel and fresh set of clothes form my locker using the towel to dry Brandon’s hair first before I changed into dry clothes. I then pulled open nick’s locker taking out on of his t-shirts knowing it would bury Brandon but also knowing it was all I had spare for now. I pulled the shirt over Brandon’s head and then folded it under so that it didn’t drag to much on him. His trousers however had been kept dry which was a good thing. I had placed the dirty clothes into a bag ready to take home then as Brandon stood on the locker bench I placed a finger on my lips signalling him to be quiet.
I quietly stepped over to the shower where Greg was and where his towel and clean clothes ere hung on the rail. The steam was coming from the shower loads which covered me as I leant an arm in pulling his clothes and towel off. I stepped away and placed the item’s instead in-front of Lottie’s locker which was the locker closest toe the door. I hung everything up before grabbing my cell. I text Nick and Warrick to head to the locker room for a moment and as they arrived informed them to keep phones at the ready as I heard the shower shut off.
As Greg found out his towel and clothes weren’t where they should be I watched the shower door open as he stood out hoping no-one was there. I couldn’t help but grin as Nick and Warrick snapped several pictures of him as he darted along grabbing the towel and clothes and heading back to the shower cubicle. As he got ready I said goodbye to the guys scooping Brandon into my arms and making sure we both made a quick escape form the labs and down to the parking lot.
Once me and Nick were ready to leave I got Brandon ready as he picked up a couple of small cars to take with him. The two of us left the house at the same time but took each of our cars both working different shift hours for once. As I fastened Brandon into his car seat I was surprised to see how happy it appeared to be with his mum going away for hat was a considerable amount of time to a 4 year old boy. I wondered if for now it had sunk in and after tomorrow he would be different and start to maybe act out more.
It didn’t take us long to get to the labs traffic pretty light on the roads tonight which I was grateful for. I smiled as we pulled in and Brandon’s eyes were filled with thought similar to that of Grissom’s. As he sat on my hip one arm hooked around my neckthe other holding his cars I smiled carrying him up the stairs to the building where a couple of officers passed by saying hello. As we got onto the floor of the labs I bumped into Grissom who spoke to Brandon as we made our way down the corridor into the light room.
As I stepped into the room I noted Grissom had already set out all the evidence and images he wanted me to go over no doubt trying to make it easier for me to finish up the case ready to send someone to court with it in a few days time. I grabbed the stool that Nick was usually perched on and on more than one occasion swung back to far on it and fell off. I placed it against the table and stood Brandon on it allowing him to see what was on the table whilst freeing both my arms. Grissom was soon to disappear as I would ask Brandon to help me by picking up various images for me as I worked through checking theories against evidence and interview’s and statements.
I got a page after an hour or so from Hodges informing me the last pieces of DNA results and prints form the fume cupboard were finally ready to help finish the case off, or so I hoped. I picked Brandon up into my arms knowing that on occasion there would be a lab rat dart down the corridors in a hurry. As we stepped into the DNA lab where Hodges was stood no doubt annoying Wendy more than helping her I had a piece of paper brandished at me.
I took the paper from Hodges grasp and read it through thanking both him and Wendy before exiting my plan was to head to Grissom’s office as this evidence combined with fingerprint evidence gave us one killer. As we passed AV Archie waved at us Brandon waving back happily. It was as I passed toxicology and saw Mandy and Henry both at work that I stopped. Henry had just left the lab as Mandy jumped back from her desk as I spotted sparks coming form her workstation before flames were quickly seen.
As I leant into the doorway I noticed that Mandy was shaking her hand and so asked her if she was ok. She nodded as she started to put out the flames until there was a click and the labs sprinklers started to take effect and doused the flames in a matter of seconds. As I escaped the water making sure Brandon stayed dry and stepped into the corridor I jumped as the corridor sprinklers started to soak us. I pressed the piece of paper to my chest as I pulled Brandon against me using my free arm to try and keep his head as dry as I could as I darted out over the sprinklers. Mandy had soon darted past us to no doubt heading to the first aid room to see to the burn on her hand.
As I placed Brandon down and asked him kindly to hold the paper Henry appeared again.
“Hey you two ok? What happened in the lab and where’s Mandy?”
“I’m not sure something sparked then set alight and burnt her. I guess she’s gone to first aid. We are fine only a little bit of water.”
Henry nodded as the sprinklers stopped again and disappeared back into the lab no doubt o find out what had caught fire. As I turned taking Brandon’s hand and started to make our way to Grissom’s office again I heard a familiar voice behind me before a very strange sounding yelp.
As me and Brandon turned round I couldn’t help but smile as Greg, covered in a ton of slime slipped in the water form the sprinklers and landed onto his arse on the floor. His face alone was hysterical as he sat there seemingly shocked by the fact the floor was soaking wet to start with. As I tried to force myself to stop from bursting out laughing I heard a giggle break out beside me and looked down to see that Brandon was giggling so much at what he just witnessed.
His giggle made Greg look up and I couldn’t help but break out in a full smile then. I watched as Greg attempted to get up form the floor slipping once more before managing to finally stand on two feet again and head over to us. As Greg approached us he to wore a smile on his face clearly seeing the funny side to what just happened like Brandon had.
“Sorry Greg don’t mean to laugh but your face was hysterical. It’s not just me that think’s so either. It would be you to slip though Sander‘s”
“OI”
I smiled more as he tried to look offended as Greg appeared to go to walk straight past us. Instead though Greg pulled me into a tight hug and after he had done I realised why he had hugged me. As I looked down at my damp clothes I could see that half the slime he had been wearing was now also attached to me.
“Wait til Lottie here’s about this. Also revenge will be very sweet Mr.”
As Greg’s grin dropped slightly knowing that when I said revenge was sweet I usually meant after the last time I made him go do a street run for a hit and run I was doing meaning he was on his own down a 100 yard stretch of road in sweltering heat. As I turned around the three of us were greeted with Grissom now stood clearly having heard some form of commotion and had come to investigate what had happened.
“What’s happened out here then? God you two smell awful.”
“Something set alight in toxicology Mandy burnt her hand, she’s gone to first aid. The sprinklers put it out and also soaked the corridor. Henry is now back in the lab seeing what happened exactly when Greg returned covered in whatever smells slipped in the puddle. Me and Brandon found it funny after been caught in the sprinklers then he transferred the stuff onto me.”
I watched Grissom’s face change thorough a couple of emotions as he took in what I had said before finally he settled on pure amusement as well as Brandon. I watched as Grissom knelt beside Brandon and whispered ‘what are these pair like?’ as Brandon handed him the lab results sheet he had been holding for me. I watched as Greg looked at me.
“By the way you may want to shower, that’s de-comp we are both covered in.”
I felt my own face drop taking in the thought that someone’s dead body was coating my clothes as I stood there. It would definitely explain the awful smell emanating from it however. After a few more minutes discussion me, Greg and Brandon were all heading for the locker’s so that I could get Brandon dry and warm and I could change and so that Greg could go and shower.
Standing in the locker’s I pulled a towel and fresh set of clothes form my locker using the towel to dry Brandon’s hair first before I changed into dry clothes. I then pulled open nick’s locker taking out on of his t-shirts knowing it would bury Brandon but also knowing it was all I had spare for now. I pulled the shirt over Brandon’s head and then folded it under so that it didn’t drag to much on him. His trousers however had been kept dry which was a good thing. I had placed the dirty clothes into a bag ready to take home then as Brandon stood on the locker bench I placed a finger on my lips signalling him to be quiet.
I quietly stepped over to the shower where Greg was and where his towel and clean clothes ere hung on the rail. The steam was coming from the shower loads which covered me as I leant an arm in pulling his clothes and towel off. I stepped away and placed the item’s instead in-front of Lottie’s locker which was the locker closest toe the door. I hung everything up before grabbing my cell. I text Nick and Warrick to head to the locker room for a moment and as they arrived informed them to keep phones at the ready as I heard the shower shut off.
As Greg found out his towel and clothes weren’t where they should be I watched the shower door open as he stood out hoping no-one was there. I couldn’t help but grin as Nick and Warrick snapped several pictures of him as he darted along grabbing the towel and clothes and heading back to the shower cubicle. As he got ready I said goodbye to the guys scooping Brandon into my arms and making sure we both made a quick escape form the labs and down to the parking lot.