Title: Floating Ash
Author: IrishDachsie
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Not mine
A/N: This week’s response to the Improv fic challenge. And something that I haven’t mentioned in a
while, but it needs to be said.
A HUGE Thank You! goes to Ann…for her work as a
beta and…well, everything else…because she’s…Ann. J
Floating
Ash
“So, how much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a
woodchuck could chuck wood?” Brass asked.
Grissom peered over the rim of his glasses and
stared at the Detective. “Very good
Jim…can you say ‘rubber baby buggy bumpers’ too?”
“Funny…”
Brass stepped into this dim office and leaned against the wall. “Seriously though…we have a
DB for you.”
Grissom’s eyes widened as he sat straight in
his chair. “Okay. Sara and I will take it…the others are
busy.” He pushed his chair back and
stood up, curiously looking at Brass.
“Don’t tell me that it’s someone dressed up as a woodchuck.”
Brass chuckled and shook his head. “No.
Male, 28, Woodrow Asher…he’s a floater.”
Grissom sighed as he picked up the
“He’s boxed in…”
Grissom stepped into the hall and turned around
to look at Jim. “Boxed in?”
Brass motioned for Grissom to follow him as he
walked down the hall towards the break room.
“Yeah…logs all around him. Like
someone…chucked them in…”
Grissom shook his head in slight
amusement. “Hence the
woodchuck reference?”
The detective came to a stop in front of the
break room and shrugged his shoulders.
“What? Are you the only one
around here allowed to make obscure comments?”
Grissom stuck his head into the doorway and
smiled at the brunette sitting on the couch, flipping through the latest
forensic journal. “Hey…”
Sara looked up, returning his smile with a
bright one of her own. “What’s up?”
“DB…the pond at Blue Diamond. Thought you might be
interested in coming with me.”
She tossed the journal onto the table as she
stood. “Can I drive?”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Grissom turned his head to look into the
backseat at Jim as Sara quickly navigated the SUV through the night
traffic. His brow furrowed when he
noticed his friend’s coloring.
“Are you okay?”
Jim started to nod,
then shook his head quickly. “Does your
girlfriend have to weave in and out of traffic at mach four?”
Grissom blushed lightly and glanced at
Sara. “Care to slow down a little?”
“Griss…with traffic
the way it is tonight, it’s going to take us at least 28 minutes to get there.”
Jim moaned lightly and rested his forehead
against the cool glass of the window.
“He’ll still be dead when we get there, Sara…”
Sara inhaled sharply and let up on the gas
pedal. Glancing into the rearview mirror, she caught Brass’ eye. “I didn’t know you get carsick…”
Brass closed his eyes and smiled weakly. “Only when I’m in the backseat of a car
driven by a Mario wannabe…”
Sara accelerated quickly to slip through the
yellow light. “Mario?”
Grissom reached across the console and placed
his hand on Sara’s thigh. “Andretti. Slow down, honey.”
“Wuss…” Sara muttered her breath as she decelerated a
bit more. “Okay, Brass…keep your mind off of it.
Tell me what we’re going to see…”
“Floater. Surrounded by logs.”
“Logs?”
Brass leaned his head back against the seat and
took a deep breath. “Yeah. Looks like someone has
thrown in a bunch of logs after the body was dumped.”
“How much wood would a woodchuck chuck…”
Grissom’s head snapped towards Sara as Brass
chuckled quietly in the backseat. Sara
raised an eyebrow at Grissom as she stopped for a red light.
“What?”
Grissom shook his head quickly and smiled. “Nothing…”
Sara studied him for a moment, turning her eyes
back to the road when the light turned green.
“Our vic have a
name?”
“Woodrow Asher…”
“You’re kidding, right?”
“As funny as you may think it is…no, I can
assure you that I’m not kidding, Sara.”
“Griss, think about
it.” She glanced at him quickly and
smiled. “Woodrow Asher. Woody Asher.
Ash…ash tree.”
A weak voice drifted from the back. “Woody Woodchuck…”
Laughter filled the spacious confines of the
Sara rolled her eyes. “As if you never have. Besides…it’s not his death we find humorous.”
Brass groaned as Sara took a sharp turn and
slammed on the brakes to avoid rear-ending the Mercedes stopped in the middle
of the road. “See? That’s what happens when you drive too fast…”
“Why is it that most people can’t find the
energy to talk when they’re sick…but you can?”
Brass shrugged his shoulders and chuckled. “Lucky, I guess…”
“Lucky for who?”
Grissom sighed lightly. “Lucky for you that you weren’t going any
faster…”
“If you were wearing your seatbelt like you
should, maybe you wouldn’t worry about it as much…”
“I’m not worried about…”
“HEY!”
Sara and Grissom both turned around to look at
Brass, briefly wondering where he had found the energy to actually yell. Taking a deep breath, he reached for a bottle
of water and took a small sip.
“I’m already sick, guys. I really don’t feel like listening to you two
argue over seatbelts.
Okay?”
Sara turned her focus back on Grissom and
stared at him pointedly. Opening the
glove compartment, Grissom took out a small white package. As he squeezed it, he felt the coolness
radiate onto his hands. He handed the pack
to his sick friend and smiled lightly.
“Here, this might help you some…”
Turning back in his seat, Grissom reached for
the seatbelt and firmly clicked the buckle into place. He offered Sara a small wink as he replaced
his hand on her thigh. Sara grinned a silent ‘thank you’ and placed her hand on top of
his.
Brass shook his head in mild amusement as he
lifted the cool pouch that Grissom had given him. He winced as he put the ice pack against his
head.