Title: Birthday Presents
Author: Jeanine (jeanine@iol.ie)
Rating: PG
Fandom: CSI
Pairing: Sara/Warrick, Sara/Grissom
Feedback: Makes my day
Word Count: 500
Disclaimer: If it was in the show, it's not mine.
Archive: At my site Checkmate (http://helsinkibaby.ahkay.net) , Fanfiction.net; anywhere else, please ask.
Summary: Grissom gets a surprise on his birthday.
Notes: Two-for-one – for the LiveJournal CSReports Virtual Rewind challenge, back to week X, Grissom's birthday. Also posted to the LiveJournal MultiFandom1000 challenge, someone overhears a conversation.
***
Today is Grissom's birthday. Not that it's a big deal to him, because he doesn't celebrate birthdays. He got a card and a call this morning from his mother, and another card from Catherine, along with a present, another tie that he'll wear a few times to humour her before relegating it to the back of his wardrobe with all the others, dragged out for important meetings and court dates.
It's not as if he has any other dates to wear it on.
He's on his way home when a noise from the garage catches his attention, and he looks inside, pausing when he sees two shadows arguing, recognises both voices.
"Why won't you let me tell people?"
The voice is Warrick's, radiating frustration, as is Sara's when she replies, "Why do we have to make a big deal out of it all of a sudden? Why can't things stay as they are?"
"Because I love you." Warrick's words nearly make Grissom drop the folders he is holding, and his mouth is dry, and he's grateful that Sara and Warrick can't see him where he is. "I love you, and I want everyone to know about us."
"You don't want everyone to know," Sara shoots back. "You want Grissom to know."
He's curious at the use of his name, all the more so when Warrick retorts, "And is there a reason why you don't want him to know?"
"I knew it." Sara throws her hands up in disgust. "You're jealous of Grissom. Still."
"You're damn right I am!" The roar catches both Grissom and Sara off-guard, and Warrick must realise that, because he's instantly contrite. "You know how he feels about you Sara," he says gently. "How you felt about him…"
"Felt." Sara interrupts him, placing hard emphasis on the word, stepping closer to Warrick, laying her hands on his chest. "How I felt about him. But I'm with you. And I love you."
The words are a knife to Grissom's heart, and there are no words that can describe his emotions as Sara leans forward, brushing a kiss over Warrick's lips. "Then why not tell people?" Warrick wants to know, and by this point, Grissom's in full agreement.
"Because," Sara's voice is light, flirty, un-Sara-like. "I like having you all to myself." Warrick mustn't look happy at that, because she's serious when she replies, "Besides, you saw what people were like with me and Hank… I don't want to go through that again."
"I'm not Hank." Warrick's voice is gentle.
"I know," Sara sighs. "I'm just scared…"
Grissom's never heard Sara talk like this, and he's heard enough, so he turns to leave, but not before he hears Warrick telling Sara, "You don't have to be… I'm not going anywhere…" and the unmistakable sound of lips meeting lips.
Grissom doesn't turn though, just keeps on walking, his lips twisted in a bitter smile. It might be his birthday, but it looks like it's Warrick who got what he wanted.