Thank you to everyone who read 'Life in the Shoes of a Paperdoll' I hope you all like this.

(I'm fairly certain this can also be read alone.)

Please make my day and review.

Disclaimer: I own zilch.

In the Life of a Tourniquet

(Part One)

The sun had already set over Las Vegas but the night seemed to bring about a life of its own as the neon lights settled heavily in the sky line. Greg took a deep breath as his eyes surveyed the view from his apartment, comfortable shivers settling into his system as he felt at home for the first time in a long time but there was something missing- someone rather. Sara had promised to return to his side once everything between her and Grissom had reached a formal end- she felt she owed him that much but the few weeks without her had left a hole in his life. Returning to an empty apartment every day had simply just reinforced how much he needed Sara there.

Greg turned back to his apartment his eyes washing over the freshly vacuumed carpet, the neatly stacked magazines on coffee table and the organised cushions on the sofa. He had spent most of the day cleaning up and making sure the space was as presentable as possible for Sara's return. He checked his laptop again the word 'delayed' still hovering by her flight number. He realised that he had almost obsessively been checking it for the past few hours even though it he knew it would take time to change. With a wary sigh he made the short walk to the bedroom the laptop cradled in his arms.

A small smile of satisfaction tugged at his lips as he drank in the sight of crisp white sheets covered in rose petals and a small amount of glitter. He had taken it a bit far he realised, and Sara would most likely be amused by his gesture but he wanted tonight to be perfect. It was the start of the rest of their lives and just being there didn't seem like enough. Placing the laptop aside he sat himself down on the floor leaning against the bed, switching the television on as the boredom of waiting and the anxiety of seeing Sara settled like a strange cocktail in his bloodstream.

He flicked through the channels realising in that moment why it was that he watched such little TV. Settling on a channel intent on driving their viewers to insanity by playing re-runs of "Will and Grace" Greg thought of the last time he and Sara had been together. The rain had been crashing down on El Paso as they stood at the airport ready to let go of each other. But somehow, they both had lost their hearts that week and realised that sometimes you can't just walk away. You have to do what's right for you and take a leap of faith.

They had worked as CSIs long enough to realise just how painfully short life really could be, how it could only take one decision to tear everything apart. As they looked into each other's eyes in the lobby of the airport that day as people ignored their presence, rushing to get to where they needed to be, they both realised that they weren't ready to let their chance at happiness go. Greg's heart welled up with an emotion he couldn't explain as he realised that he finally had a forever- he had someone who claimed to love in the way he did.

They had seemed to fit so perfectly together in such a wrong situation that he had never realised the full consequences of what they were doing. It was while watching Sara remove the gold ring that seemed to be holding her captive as they sat in a greasy diner drinking bad coffee that made everything they had done, said and felt real. He felt guilty- he knew that much. Grissom had taught him and helped in so many ways through his time in Vegas it seemed impossible to hurt him. But you can't help who you fall in love with- he thought as Sara tugged as his heart strings.

And they were in love.

That much was true. It's wasn't the undeniable lust that they felt when they were alone, skin-on-skin that had Greg reeling it was the need he felt to protect her from the moment he woke up to the moment he fell asleep. It was as if their hearts were magnets, tethered together by an undeniable force. They would weather every storm, they would drink in the sun and they would survive everyday knowing that they were really in love. He smiled as he realised that he could wake up with her every morning from now until forever because he knew that he would never let go.

Greg picked himself up off the floor checking the laptop screen again before sitting himself down on the bed rustling a few of the rose petals. The coffee he had been drinking all night had seemed to be making little impact as his body attempted to slowly shut down. He had worked a double shift in order to be able to take the night off, as he glanced at the clock he realised that he had been awake for almost twenty four hours. The thought itself causing a yawn to bubble up- Greg stretched his arms lying on the bed as his limbs felt like weights.

Sara opened the door quietly as she could attempting not to drag her suitcase through as she entered Greg's apartment. She wore a small smile of familiarity when she had found the spare key under the flower pot. The sound of the television came from the bedroom filling the apartment that otherwise seemed strangely silent. The lights were on but Greg did not appear as she shut the door behind herself abandoning her suitcase by the sofa as she went in search for him.

The bedroom door was wide open- Greg lay sprawled out on the bed his eyes shut to the television screen that was attempting to sell him hair growth products. Sara couldn't help but laugh slightly to herself as she switched the television off and approached the sleeping man. Planting a gentle kiss on his forehead she pulled the covers so they were over him, moving slowly in order not to wake him.

"You're home..." He grumbled turning to face her, a rose petal stuck defiantly to his cheek. With a smile Sara brushed it away, his finger tips caressing his clean shaven face.

"I'm home..." She whispered back, planting another kiss on his cheek. "Go to sleep..."

"I've missed you." Greg's voice was low as he attempted to wake himself up as the grasp of sleep refused to let him go.

"I've missed you too." Sara replied her eyes welling up slightly as she realised that what they had was finally legitimate. Taking off her shoes and her coat Sara climbed into the bed resting her head on Greg's chest as he wrapped his arms around her.

There was no longer a need for either one of them to hide their feelings, or lie about what it was that they wanted because they could finally be together. They could finally start thinking about the future. But as Greg slowly opened his eyes meeting Sara's as she looked up at him they realised that there was only one thing they knew they wanted for the future.

Each other.