Disclaimer: Characters contained within do not belong to me.

Author's Notes: What can I say about this story except…Cinco challenged me. I hope you enjoy the results.

Got Ink?

by Kristen Elizabeth

And this tattooing had been the work of a departed prophet and seer of his island, who, by those hieroglyphic marks, had written out on his body a complete theory of the heavens and the earth, and a mystical treatise on the art of attaining truth. -- Moby Dick

"Are you absolutely sure about this?" Before he could reply, Sara rushed on. "Because if you're not, it's okay. I won't think any less of you, I promise."

"Well. That's certainly good to know." Grissom took her hand and laced his fingers through hers. "But I've already made up my mind. And I'm sort of curious as to what it's going to feel like."

"I wish I could tell you, but I was so drunk last time, I can barely remember anything about it."

"I hope you never repeat that sentence in regards to me."

Sara laughed, bumping her hip against his. "Never."

"Maybe I should have had more than two glasses of champagne," he mused.

"It'll be okay," she assured him. "Catherine says this guy is the best."

"Catherine?" He paused for a second. "Where's her…?"

Sara cut him off. "I value my life too much to answer that question."

"Gil?" A heavily muscled and even more heavily tattooed man came out into the waiting area. "Ready?"

Grissom nodded at him before looking at Sara. "Are you coming with me?"

Her eyes twinkled. "Do you really need me to hold your hand?"

"Need? No. Want?" He lifted his shoulder. "I hear it hurts."

"You've got tough skin." As if to prove this, she reached around and pinched his butt. It gave her untold glee to see his cheeks flush pink. "Of course I'll go in with you." As walked into the back of the shop, she couldn't help but add a quick, "Baby."

Instead of replying to her, Grissom addressed the tattoo artist. "Do you know what I think, Rob? I think my lovely new bride and I need to share this experience."

The mirth drained from Sara's face. "Gil…c'mon. I was kidding."

"Couple's tat's will cost more," Rob warned them.

"I've got the cash," Grissom said, watching Sara's face with amusement.

The man shrugged his huge shoulders. "Then I got the time."

"I've already had this experience," Sara protested. "Want to see my foot?"

"But I thought you wanted to commemorate our wedding day in unconventional manner. Unconventional to us, at least."

"Come to think of it, the rings pretty much do the trick." She looped her arms around his waist as seductively as possible. "Why don't we get out of here and get on with the honeymoon?"

But he wasn't falling for it. "You don't want to get inked in honor of our marriage?"

"Get inked?" she repeated. "Okay, you're not allowed to watch TLC anymore."

Having reached the private room where the tattoo equipment was set up, Rob cleared his throat. "So is it gonna be one or two?"

Grissom gave Sara a significant look. "What would I get?" she asked him, exasperated.

"Gil's Gal?" he suggested. Her eyes narrowed. "Gris's Missus?"

"You're also not allowed to drink anymore," Sara informed him, flouncing into the room.

One week later

"What a freaking night," Catherine said to herself as she shrugged out of her crime scene vest after what had seemed like the longest shift of her career. "No one better be in the shower."

Coming around the corner of the bank of lockers, she caught sight of Sara pulling her tank top over her head. On her left breast, just above the cup of her bra, there was a white square bandage. "What happened?" Catherine asked, pointing to it.

"Nothing!" Sara replied too quickly. "Had a mole removed," she amended her answer.

She folded her arms across her chest. "Really? A mole?" There was a pause. "I didn't know Rob's services extended that far."

Sara scowled at her. "What do you want me to say? I got a tattoo. Happy?"

"Let me see it," Catherine said with devious grin. "Come on," she cajoled when Sara's brow furred even further. "I won't judge unless you got a cartoon character. Or something tribal."

With a sigh of extreme reluctance, Sara yanked her shirt up with one hand, and the bandage down with the other.

After several seconds of study, Catherine shook her head, confused. "What is it?"

"It's half a butterfly, all right? It hurt too much, so I—I had him stop halfway through."

"Don't worry," Catherine told her as she put her clothes back in place. "Someday, we'll get you really drunk and finish it off."

Sara's explanation of her strange tattoo satisfied Catherine's curiosity all the way up until the day a minor injury at a scene forced Grissom out of his shirt…and she saw the other half of the butterfly over his heart.

Fin