Title: Breakfast
Author: HomiSidle
Description: An alternate ending to Crash and Burn, with a definite twist. G/S.
Spoilers: Crash and Burn
Disclaimer: *Sigh* I don't own CBS, CSI, or even Jerry Bruckheimer. I also don't own Evanescence, who sings the song below, called "My Immortal". I just borrowed it. I just borrow these characters and make 'em do what I'd like 'em to do on TV.
Thank you to Jessi, aka Snick, whose writing constantly inspires me. You were my first fan! I dedicate this to you because you pushed me to write it, and I thank you for it. I also want to thank everybody at UtB for helping me get over the drought of Geek Love we've been experiencing lately.
***
"When you cried, I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you'd scream, I'd fight away all of your fears
And I held your hand, through all of those years
But you still have all of me..."
Sara Sidle looked him over, disbelieving. He had lied to her. He'd been lying to her for months, and yet there he stood, looking as smug as ever. She was sure there was a hint of shame in his expression somewhere, but all she could see was the man that had cheated on her, and that instantly granted him the image of a ruthless son of a bitch. He hadn't ruined her life - no, Sara wouldn't fall for that nonsense. She was too smart for heartache, at least in her own opinion. This, though, was something she'd never had to deal with before.
He'd told her to get a life, and she did. She always did what Gil Grissom asked of her, because she respected him. He was her boss. Never mind the fact that she was deeply in love with him. Of course, that was why it had hurt so much that the life she'd gotten wasn't with him. It had hurt both of them. Sara Sidle and Gil Grissom weren't together. He was banging a psycho dominatrix and she had fallen for a lying scum. One could assume that neither was very experienced in keeping positive relationships, and one would be quite correct in that assumption. They were socially awkward... geeks.
He wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, Gil Grissom. He was brilliant when it came to entomology and forensic science, but when it came to women, he was utterly clueless in every aspect. She'd thrown him lines all over the place, hoping for a response, but eventually gave up. Sara Sidle was tired of the game, but this game with Hank was one she truly had no interest whatsoever in playing. She surveyed him again, silent and calm on the surface.
"Sara, I-" Hank begun, looking as though it was insane that Sara didn't get what was going on. Yes, he'd cheated on her, but hey, he was just a guy.
Sara stared at him blankly, her eyes flickering over him. Her mouth was thin and completely straight, though it turned down slightly at the edges. She wasn't going to let him get away with this.
"No, Hank. I'll... I'll see you around," She mumbled. Damnit. She couldn't even find the words to tell him off. She felt like an imbecile, letting him get away with it. There had been a definite note of finality it her sentence, at least.
That was when she heard her supervisor come up behind her, and the little hairs on the back of her neck stood on end like they always did when he walked by. A tiny shiver passed over her as Grissom came up beside her and looked from her to Hank, back to her, to Hank again, his gaze finally resting on Sara, making her smile slightly, despite the situation.
He was carrying a folder and a few papers, and hunched over somewhat to look at them, like he always did. He peered over his glasses to survey the scenario. Sara suddenly noticed her lips go dry, but was too awkward to moisten them.
"What's... going on, Sara?" Grissom asked, concerned.
"Nothing," Hank said, with the voice of a ten year old boy caught reading porno magazines in his room. He turned back to Sara.
"I have to go," Hank said abruptly, turning around and walking out. Sara felt defeated. Her shoulders slumped, and she stared up at the ceiling to prevent tears from forming in the corner of her eyes, turning away to try and hide her emotions from Grissom.
"Sara, what's going on?" Grissom questioned, moving closer to the back of Sara. He could smell her. She always smelled beautiful. He used to stand so close to her just so he could breathe in the air that surrounded her.
"Nothing, Grissom," Sara replied, her voice shaking to an extent. She sounded aggravated and despondent at the same time. She twisted back around to face him, and found him standing much nearer than before. She looked down at the floor, her voice breaking as she spoke.
"You ever... trust somebody so much, and then they... go and fuck everything up?" She asked, snapping her head up to stare him in the eyes.
"Yes," He responded simply, reaching up absent-mindedly to brush a strand of hair out of her eyes. She looked surprised. He looked surprised, too, when he realized what he'd done. There was a silent pause before she spoke again.
"Who, Grissom?" She questioned, unwilling to break the eye contact.
"Me," He retorted, and she grinned, causing a warmth to spread throughout his entire body. Grissom continued, "People are always asking me for help, or advice, or... attention... and I never end up giving it to them, even when they truly need or deserve it."
Sara laughed, her voice wavering. She cursed herself inwardly for being so emotional regarding all of this. She looked up at him.
"Are you going to be alright?" He asked, reaching up to tuck more hair behind her ear. Her face was hot. She was nervous, he could tell. He knew he should back off, but he just couldn't find his feet. The second she protested, he'd be down the hall in 0.2 seconds. Honest.
She surveyed him. He was truly concerned, which surprised her. Sara presumed that he knew about Hank. Everyone knew about Hank, even though very few of those people enjoyed his presence aside from her. Had Catherine told Grissom about Hank's other girlfriend? His... real girlfriend? Most likely. They were best friends, after all. She'd have to thank the blonde later.
Sara paused, her breath catching in her throat, before saying, "Eventually."
He grinned. She never stopped being tough, even when most people would give up completely.
"Would you... like to go for breakfast?" Grissom proposed, startled at his own words. Was he actually going for this? After three years, was he asking Sara out to breakfast?
"Yes," Sara replied simply.
Apparently, he was. He smiled at her and she smiled back, pulling them both out of a temporary trance. She laughed again, looking to the floor, then the back door, and then wiping her eyes roughly.
"Don't tell anyone I cried, alright? I'll have you hunted down and killed," Sara said, causing Grissom to laugh. It was a laugh she hadn't heard in a very long time. He'd become so sullen lately. Why had he come to make her feel better? Had Catherine finally pushed him to it? Maybe Nick, or possibly Warrick? She'd most likely never know.
"Wouldn't dare," Grissom replied softly, putting his hand around hers. Her eyes grew wide for a moment, but then settled back into their sockets. Just touching her was exhilarating.
"It'll be okay," Grissom offered, trying to be sympathetic, which wasn't exactly his strong suit. This was awkward for him, but it was worth it for Sara.
She looked up at him, disbelieving once again. Did he actually care?
"Damn right it will," She laughed, but still squeezed his hand. It seemed like she'd never stop the act, but that was alright with Grissom. Her hand in his was enough proof that beneath the rough exterior, she'd just been burned bad.
Walking out to his Tahoe, Sara already felt better, but her heart was beating like a jackrabbit. In five minutes she'd gone from heartbroken to giddy like a little girl. It felt like she was back in Grissom's forensic seminars, when he took her to the San Francisco forensics lab for the first time. She'd been so excited to be in an enclosed space with Grissom that she hadn't even noticed when they arrived. Of course, she was soon enthralled with all the bugs and bodies, but she'd never forgotten that car ride.
Opening the door to the passenger side, Sara looked across the car to Grissom, who was just unlocking the driver's side door.
"Grissom," She asked slowly, catching his attention, "Why are men such assholes?"
He smiled, slightly shocked by her unusual supply of profanity.
"It keeps me in a job," He replied, causing her to beam. They got in the car and he began to drive.
Halfway to the restaurant, as Sara sat in a confused daze thinking over the events of the day, her cell phone rang, causing her to jump slightly. At first she thought it was Grissom's, and she looked over at him, smiling when she saw his hands shifting uncomfortably on the wheel. He was nervous, as well. It made her feel better.
Absently she picked up the phone and flipped it open, still looking at Gil as he peered back at her out of the corner of his eyes. He was trying not to smile, just like her.
"Hello?" Sara asked, tearing her gaze away from him.
"You owe me. He is the most stubborn man in the entire forensic world," Said a familiar voice, belonging to Catherine Willows. So this was her doing. The brunette grinned even harder.
"Thank you," Sara replied childishly, trying to hide her smirk.
"Like I said, you owe me," Catherine replied, laughter in her voice. Then she hung up.
Sara flipped her phone shut, grinning. He may not have had the initiative to comfort her originally, but he still did it, and that was a step in the right direction.
"Who was that?" Grissom asked curiously, his eyes on the road.
"Wrong number," Sara responded, looking at him. He looked back for a moment and as their eyes locked, they both grinned like awkward teenagers.
"Watch the road," Sara smirked. Grissom turned back to stare through the windshield.
Breakfast, huh? Sara hoped it would lead to more than that, but she assumed it would. They'd come this far. It had taken them three years, but they had come this far. Right now, this breakfast was the only thing in the world that mattered.
She'd have her desert later.
Finis!
Author: HomiSidle
Description: An alternate ending to Crash and Burn, with a definite twist. G/S.
Spoilers: Crash and Burn
Disclaimer: *Sigh* I don't own CBS, CSI, or even Jerry Bruckheimer. I also don't own Evanescence, who sings the song below, called "My Immortal". I just borrowed it. I just borrow these characters and make 'em do what I'd like 'em to do on TV.
Thank you to Jessi, aka Snick, whose writing constantly inspires me. You were my first fan! I dedicate this to you because you pushed me to write it, and I thank you for it. I also want to thank everybody at UtB for helping me get over the drought of Geek Love we've been experiencing lately.
***
"When you cried, I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you'd scream, I'd fight away all of your fears
And I held your hand, through all of those years
But you still have all of me..."
Sara Sidle looked him over, disbelieving. He had lied to her. He'd been lying to her for months, and yet there he stood, looking as smug as ever. She was sure there was a hint of shame in his expression somewhere, but all she could see was the man that had cheated on her, and that instantly granted him the image of a ruthless son of a bitch. He hadn't ruined her life - no, Sara wouldn't fall for that nonsense. She was too smart for heartache, at least in her own opinion. This, though, was something she'd never had to deal with before.
He'd told her to get a life, and she did. She always did what Gil Grissom asked of her, because she respected him. He was her boss. Never mind the fact that she was deeply in love with him. Of course, that was why it had hurt so much that the life she'd gotten wasn't with him. It had hurt both of them. Sara Sidle and Gil Grissom weren't together. He was banging a psycho dominatrix and she had fallen for a lying scum. One could assume that neither was very experienced in keeping positive relationships, and one would be quite correct in that assumption. They were socially awkward... geeks.
He wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, Gil Grissom. He was brilliant when it came to entomology and forensic science, but when it came to women, he was utterly clueless in every aspect. She'd thrown him lines all over the place, hoping for a response, but eventually gave up. Sara Sidle was tired of the game, but this game with Hank was one she truly had no interest whatsoever in playing. She surveyed him again, silent and calm on the surface.
"Sara, I-" Hank begun, looking as though it was insane that Sara didn't get what was going on. Yes, he'd cheated on her, but hey, he was just a guy.
Sara stared at him blankly, her eyes flickering over him. Her mouth was thin and completely straight, though it turned down slightly at the edges. She wasn't going to let him get away with this.
"No, Hank. I'll... I'll see you around," She mumbled. Damnit. She couldn't even find the words to tell him off. She felt like an imbecile, letting him get away with it. There had been a definite note of finality it her sentence, at least.
That was when she heard her supervisor come up behind her, and the little hairs on the back of her neck stood on end like they always did when he walked by. A tiny shiver passed over her as Grissom came up beside her and looked from her to Hank, back to her, to Hank again, his gaze finally resting on Sara, making her smile slightly, despite the situation.
He was carrying a folder and a few papers, and hunched over somewhat to look at them, like he always did. He peered over his glasses to survey the scenario. Sara suddenly noticed her lips go dry, but was too awkward to moisten them.
"What's... going on, Sara?" Grissom asked, concerned.
"Nothing," Hank said, with the voice of a ten year old boy caught reading porno magazines in his room. He turned back to Sara.
"I have to go," Hank said abruptly, turning around and walking out. Sara felt defeated. Her shoulders slumped, and she stared up at the ceiling to prevent tears from forming in the corner of her eyes, turning away to try and hide her emotions from Grissom.
"Sara, what's going on?" Grissom questioned, moving closer to the back of Sara. He could smell her. She always smelled beautiful. He used to stand so close to her just so he could breathe in the air that surrounded her.
"Nothing, Grissom," Sara replied, her voice shaking to an extent. She sounded aggravated and despondent at the same time. She twisted back around to face him, and found him standing much nearer than before. She looked down at the floor, her voice breaking as she spoke.
"You ever... trust somebody so much, and then they... go and fuck everything up?" She asked, snapping her head up to stare him in the eyes.
"Yes," He responded simply, reaching up absent-mindedly to brush a strand of hair out of her eyes. She looked surprised. He looked surprised, too, when he realized what he'd done. There was a silent pause before she spoke again.
"Who, Grissom?" She questioned, unwilling to break the eye contact.
"Me," He retorted, and she grinned, causing a warmth to spread throughout his entire body. Grissom continued, "People are always asking me for help, or advice, or... attention... and I never end up giving it to them, even when they truly need or deserve it."
Sara laughed, her voice wavering. She cursed herself inwardly for being so emotional regarding all of this. She looked up at him.
"Are you going to be alright?" He asked, reaching up to tuck more hair behind her ear. Her face was hot. She was nervous, he could tell. He knew he should back off, but he just couldn't find his feet. The second she protested, he'd be down the hall in 0.2 seconds. Honest.
She surveyed him. He was truly concerned, which surprised her. Sara presumed that he knew about Hank. Everyone knew about Hank, even though very few of those people enjoyed his presence aside from her. Had Catherine told Grissom about Hank's other girlfriend? His... real girlfriend? Most likely. They were best friends, after all. She'd have to thank the blonde later.
Sara paused, her breath catching in her throat, before saying, "Eventually."
He grinned. She never stopped being tough, even when most people would give up completely.
"Would you... like to go for breakfast?" Grissom proposed, startled at his own words. Was he actually going for this? After three years, was he asking Sara out to breakfast?
"Yes," Sara replied simply.
Apparently, he was. He smiled at her and she smiled back, pulling them both out of a temporary trance. She laughed again, looking to the floor, then the back door, and then wiping her eyes roughly.
"Don't tell anyone I cried, alright? I'll have you hunted down and killed," Sara said, causing Grissom to laugh. It was a laugh she hadn't heard in a very long time. He'd become so sullen lately. Why had he come to make her feel better? Had Catherine finally pushed him to it? Maybe Nick, or possibly Warrick? She'd most likely never know.
"Wouldn't dare," Grissom replied softly, putting his hand around hers. Her eyes grew wide for a moment, but then settled back into their sockets. Just touching her was exhilarating.
"It'll be okay," Grissom offered, trying to be sympathetic, which wasn't exactly his strong suit. This was awkward for him, but it was worth it for Sara.
She looked up at him, disbelieving once again. Did he actually care?
"Damn right it will," She laughed, but still squeezed his hand. It seemed like she'd never stop the act, but that was alright with Grissom. Her hand in his was enough proof that beneath the rough exterior, she'd just been burned bad.
Walking out to his Tahoe, Sara already felt better, but her heart was beating like a jackrabbit. In five minutes she'd gone from heartbroken to giddy like a little girl. It felt like she was back in Grissom's forensic seminars, when he took her to the San Francisco forensics lab for the first time. She'd been so excited to be in an enclosed space with Grissom that she hadn't even noticed when they arrived. Of course, she was soon enthralled with all the bugs and bodies, but she'd never forgotten that car ride.
Opening the door to the passenger side, Sara looked across the car to Grissom, who was just unlocking the driver's side door.
"Grissom," She asked slowly, catching his attention, "Why are men such assholes?"
He smiled, slightly shocked by her unusual supply of profanity.
"It keeps me in a job," He replied, causing her to beam. They got in the car and he began to drive.
Halfway to the restaurant, as Sara sat in a confused daze thinking over the events of the day, her cell phone rang, causing her to jump slightly. At first she thought it was Grissom's, and she looked over at him, smiling when she saw his hands shifting uncomfortably on the wheel. He was nervous, as well. It made her feel better.
Absently she picked up the phone and flipped it open, still looking at Gil as he peered back at her out of the corner of his eyes. He was trying not to smile, just like her.
"Hello?" Sara asked, tearing her gaze away from him.
"You owe me. He is the most stubborn man in the entire forensic world," Said a familiar voice, belonging to Catherine Willows. So this was her doing. The brunette grinned even harder.
"Thank you," Sara replied childishly, trying to hide her smirk.
"Like I said, you owe me," Catherine replied, laughter in her voice. Then she hung up.
Sara flipped her phone shut, grinning. He may not have had the initiative to comfort her originally, but he still did it, and that was a step in the right direction.
"Who was that?" Grissom asked curiously, his eyes on the road.
"Wrong number," Sara responded, looking at him. He looked back for a moment and as their eyes locked, they both grinned like awkward teenagers.
"Watch the road," Sara smirked. Grissom turned back to stare through the windshield.
Breakfast, huh? Sara hoped it would lead to more than that, but she assumed it would. They'd come this far. It had taken them three years, but they had come this far. Right now, this breakfast was the only thing in the world that mattered.
She'd have her desert later.
Finis!