Title: Surprise…It's your Anniversary
Author: Taylor Andromeda Carter
Genre: Romance / Friendship
Summary: A hard day of work on your special day? Its all fun and games as Grissom surprises his wife on their special day.
Author's Note: Written during season 11, somewhere around the couple's second anniversary.
It was a hard day at work. Sara had never felt so tired in her entire life as a criminologist. Worse of all, it was a very special day for her and she dreaded working today.
The previous evenings events came rolling back into her mind. The shrill pitch of her cell phone ringing, and a glance at the caller id announced that even though it was her day-off, she was likely to be working that evening.
Reluctantly, she got dressed and hurried off to the lab, making it just in time for the evenings assignments.
"I'm sorry I had to call you in this evening, but we're kind of having an overload in cases" Catherine looked apologetically.
"It's alright", was her less than enthusiastic reply, which turned into a scowl when she had received her set of cases.
The last thing she wanted was a trash call at industrial, a bloater near Lake Mead and domestic violence at Henderson. Taking her kit, she was off to tackle the Henderson case, before continuing towards Lake Mead.
The domestic violence case was relatively easy, even though she was a sucker at such cases. She had enough evidence to build up a good case against the husband, for abusing his wife.
The bloater was no surprise, given the fact that it was one very drunk 'Mr. Swimm' who had drowned while deciding to take a dive. However, given the fact that she had to process the perimeter alone, she was not one very happy camper. A quick change of overalls and she proceeded to tackle her last case.
The trash call was not promising either, as it required her to dive into a whole week's load of trash. A revolver was retrieved from the site along with another decomp. She sighed as she began processing the scene.
All in all, it had taken her a good 4 hours to process all the three scenes. It was almost early morning when she pulled into the crime lab's parking lot. Walking through the lab, she noticed all the stares she was getting from her other colleagues. Setting her evidence in one of the layout rooms, she summoned one of the lab's staff to take custody of the evidence till she got back.
She had passed Nick and Greg on her way to the lockers.
"Man, you smell like death" commented Greg.
"Shut up" she had just about had enough.
"She's not in a good mood, Greggo. Let it go" urged Nick as they took their evidence for processing.
'Good call Nick'
Having showered down with an extensive use of lemons, she put on a clean set of clothes- a delicate white blouse which her husband had given her as a present during her birthday, black slacks and a matching black jacket. Returning to the layout room, she began processing her evidence.
By the end of shift, she was done. Her cases were all ready for court. As she walked towards the break room, she caught up with a weary looking team proceeding towards to locker rooms. Joining them, she submitted the last of her reports Catherine.
"I'm really sorry you had to come in today" said Catherine.
"Not a big deal but only next time, give me a better choice in cases, okay?" said Sara.
"I'll be sure to let our criminals be forewarned" Catherine smiled. Everyone laughed.
Yes, it had been one hell off a day and while they were on the way to the locker room, she couldn't help but listen to the conversation going on at the reception's desk.
"I'm sorry sir, but there is no CSI Grissom here. He left almost a year back." Judy the receptionist replied.
"But I was asked to give it to a 'Grissom'. Isn't there anybody else by that name?"
She couldn't help but chuckle at the absent-mindedness of the receptionist. True, she didn't go by her married name at work but rather by her maiden name, mostly for political reasons but also for reason that kept her husband from worrying about her too much.
"Excuse me guys", she made her way towards the entrance desk.
"Uh, Judy!" she tried to gain the receptionist's attention.
"Oh, I'm sorry Sara. I'm a bit busy right now"
"Yeah, I kind of noticed that. Maybe I could help you with this" she indicated to the courier.
"Yeah, oh… I forgot. I'm so sorry"
"It's alright, no problems"
Turning to the courier, she introduced herself. "Hi, I'm CSI Sara Sidle-Grissom. No one goes by my surname here. Who is it from?" she asked retrieving the parcel from the courier.
"It's from a Mr. Grissom, ma'am"
"Oh, okay. Here you go. Thanks", she gave the signed delivery notification back to the courier.
"Ma'am, there is another package for you. I just need to go get it" he said.
"Sure, can you do me a favor? Will you bring that to the break room, please? You can ask Judy for the directions, okay?"
"Sure thing, ma'am"
Sara never though her husband would go through such pains in sending a present for her anniversary. Picking up the box (boy, was it heavy), she made her way towards the break room.
Eyes tearing up as she extracted a lovely stain glass pendant from the box among many others, she felt an overwhelming tide of emotions hit her, and realized that she did miss her husband, even though they were miles apart; 6000 miles to be precise.
She didn't look up as she heard a sound at the door and thinking it was the courier, instead directed it with a "Set it on that table, will you?"
When nothing happened, she persisted. With still nothing going on she turned to see what the matter was. She hadn't expected this.
As Gil Grissom made his way through the hallways, he'd never expected the halls of CSI to look this inviting. It had been a while since he had been here, and he could still feel that lingering feeling of home.
Waving out to Judy, who was indeed shocked to see him, he picked up a visitor's badge.
"It's is good to see you Mr. Grissom, sir" stammered Judy.
"All the same, but not a word to the others, alright?" She nodded.
He had arranged it with the courier beforehand, as a wonderful surprise for his wife. He had never expected her to be working today, but as an ex-CSI he knew it was likewise.
Walking towards the break room, he couldn't help but notice the looks he was getting from the other staff- some with shocked looks on their faces. He had not yet bumped into any of his old team members or lab staff; and he certainly didn't want anyone to spoil the surprise he had planned for his wife.
He couldn't help but take in his wife's beauty; even in her late thirty's she looked radiating. He stood where he was even as she beckoned-unaware that it was him.
It was only when she turned around; he knew that he had done his job well. The look of surprise and shock on her face showed.
"Gilbert Grissom!" she was glaring at him.
"Yes dear?"
"Don't you 'yes, dear' me. You know better than to do that every other month that you see me"
"Do what dear?"
"You taken it upon yourself to surprise me very often, honey", she could only hug him.
Love was what had kept them together, throughout these years and even though his parting words were "Absence makes the heart grow founder", she never the less found these to be true, words that strengthened the everlasting bond between them.
"I love you darling" Grissom said. "Better still, I decided that we could celebrate our special day together".
"Sure honey" Sara pulled him into a fierce hug, to which he responded with a passionate kiss.
"Is that Grissom?" asked Greg, as the team was leaving.
"You've got to be kidding me" replied Nick.
"No really, look in the break room"
"You saw Grissom? Where?" pestered Hodges.
"Wow, Grissom is going all out for it"
"Put a sock in it, Greg. It's his wife after all" said Catherine, as Doc Robbins joined the group.
"Whose wife are we talking about" inquired Doc Robbins.
"Grissom and Sara are in the break room making out" replied Greg.
"Gil's here?" he asked, then looking in that direction, he could only look on amazed.
"We should probably consider taking this home. After all this is the Crime Lab" Sara said.
"Since when is kissing a crime?" asked Grissom.
"Ever since you've had an audience" Brass said coming fully into the room, and then pointing out to the labs where everyone was intensely watching.
"Oh dear" Said Grissom as Sara blushed.
"It's alright Cookie. We're more interested in 'stone wall' here. After all you were putting up quite a good show." said Brass.
"I'm never going to live this down" said Sara as the team came forward to greet them.
"Why didn't you tell us" inquired Catherine.
"What was I suppose to say- 'It's my anniversary today, I can't work?'" said Sara.
"No, but if we had known he would be here, I would have atleast kept you more presentable" said Catherine
"By giving me less decomps?" laughed Sara.
"You were working decomps?" asked Grissom. "No wonder you smelled like lemons"
"Better than death, I suppose" she glared at him.
"What was I to do?" replied Catherine.
"Alright ladies, I was going to invite you all out, but if you want to keep going at that, I don't mind taking the boys and having a good time" sneered Grissom.
"Gil Grissom, you wouldn't dare" said Sara
"Not on your account Grissom" said Catherine
"Come on. Let's have a Happy Anniversary"
As they left, Sara couldn't help but think that she may have the best husband in the whole world.