Title: Church Tongue
Rating: Anyone (K+)
Author: CSIGeekFan and Seattlecsifan (as Seattlecsigeek)
Pairing: Grissom/Sara
Disclaimer: CBS/Paramount owns CSI. We just wish we did.
Summary: Grissom and Sara debate their wedding vows…
Author's Note: This is for Jool's birthday. We hope you enjoy. We were given the prompts of: Song of Solomon 5:16, chocolate, clothes peg, and popcorn
Grissom's POV
"Grissom!" she sternly exclaimed, and he swore he could see the frown on her face, even though she was a state away in San Francisco.
"What? You don't like that?" he innocently asked, trying to hold back the humor in his voice.
"I refuse to add onto the typical vows by saying 'I will obey you in all things'," she responded, and he started chuckling. Her sardonic, "unless you say it too," had the chuckle dying down a bit. When she continued, "As a matter-of-fact, I think you should be the one obeying me," the chuckle died down entirely. She sounded way too serious about that.
"Sara, we've been going back and forth on this for weeks, and we still haven't come up with our vows," he sighed.
Silence ticked by, and Gil was lost in thought. He found himself thankful that Sara understood him so well. He'd never been able to string together words that seemed to fit any better than those of the most esteemed authors and playwrights. On the other hand, she always seemed to just talk and he understood and found pleasure and peace in the words she said.
When she said, "Baby, why don't we just write our own?" he conceded in his mind that it was probably best. He already knew what he wanted to say to her… what words made him think of her, and their life together. Smiling, he softly said, "Yeah. I think that will work."
So for several weeks, they spoke daily… sometimes discussing the wedding and at other times talking about life. They really talked about what mattered to them as individuals, and as a couple. Their understanding of each other's needs became a focus, and Grissom had never felt closer to her.
At one point, they even discussed the kind of kiss they should have at the wedding. Sara had him flip over to The Wedding Singer and watch it with her. He asked her what kind of kiss she wanted, and she'd responded.
"Oh, I don't know, Gris. I think I'd have to agree with Julia…'church tongue'. Not too hot - just hot enough." There was a slight pause, while she settled in. Then she asked, "What kind of kiss have you envisioned?"
He laughed when he answered, "I'd have to go with 'church tongue' myself."
So day after day, they spoke even more, envisioning their future.
It was a Sunday morning, and he'd just gotten off work. Shift had been light, and he kicked off his shoes and changed into jeans and a t-shirt. After making some popcorn, he laid out on the couch relaxing with the TV turned to TLC, watching 'The History of Marriage'.
When his cell phone rang, he smiled and said, "Hi, Sara."
The nervous quality of her voice wasn't lost on him, when she said, "Hey, Gris. Gil."
Frowning a bit, he asked, "What's up?" and heard… nothing.
Seconds ticked by and his frown deepened, until she said, "I was kind of… sort of… wondering if maybe we could… I don't know… move the wedding date?"
Sitting up, his heart started thumping. Since they hadn't actually set a date, he began to wonder if maybe she'd made a decision about coming home to him and Hank. Tentatively, he asked, "When?" and waited in taut silence yet again to hear her response.
He nearly fell off the couch, when she replied, "Is two hours too soon?" Only a heart beat passed before she added, "I'm already at the chapel."
X X X
He didn't know why he wasn't surprised when Jim arrived to pick him up. From the moment Sara had called, Grissom had felt as if he was in Wonderland. Only there was no white rabbit or Mad Hatter. Following the detective through the Venetian, Grissom did a double-take as Greg ran past waving, "Hey Grissom!"
Feeling stunned, light-headed, and more than a bit nervous, Grissom asked, "Jim? What's going on?"
Laughing, Jim just clapped him on the shoulder, said, "You'll see," and continued forward, past the wedding chapel in the Venetian, and up an elevator to a hotel room. Letting himself in, Jim opened the door wide, and waved Grissom in.
Walking out of the bathroom was Nick, while Warrick muttered under his breath, "How the hell did I get talked into wearing a suite?"
"It's for Sara," Nick laughed. "As laid back as this wedding might be, you come in your street clothes, and Sar's gonna kill you, man." As if just noticing his supervisor's squirming presence, Nick said, "Hey, Grissom!"
Feeling uneasy at being the center of attention for something so intimate between himself and Sara, Grissom did something he never did. He fidgeted.
Clapping him on the back, Jim peeked out into the hall, saw Greg running for all he was worth in his direction and let the breathless man fly into the room. The garment bag he was carrying over his shoulder got slumped onto the bed, and the young CSI bent at the waist in an attempt to catch his breath. Looking over at Grissom, Greg huffed out, "Your tux."
Picking up the bag, Grissom made his way over to the bathroom, and stepped inside. The last thing he heard before closing the door was Warrick saying, "Man, Gris looks almost stoned," followed by the laughter of the rest of the room's occupants.
It took Grissom five minutes to get into his tux, and he didn't even bother to try out the tie. He knew from past experience he and bow ties were a hopeless combination. Amazingly, the tuxedo fit perfectly, and glancing in the mirror, even he had to admit he looked good.
Stepping out, holding the obligatory instructions in one hand and the tie in the other, he asked his friends, "So… who's good at deciphering these things?" He wouldn't have been surprised if Nick had stepped forward. Grissom's brows raised high when Greg stepped in, though, and said, "Let me." What outright shocked the graveyard supervisor was that Greg didn't even glance at the instructions before deftly tying to tuxedo's bow tie.
In the end, even Grissom had to admit that Greg knew what he was doing. Within moments, all five men were prepared. Looking around at the room's occupants, Grissom had to admit that they all 'cleaned up well', as Catherine would say. The nerves that had been driving him for over an hour faded, as it suddenly kicked in that he was getting married – to the only woman who had ever fully captured his attention.
"So… what's the plan?" he asked, looking at Jim.
Grinning mischievously, the detective cryptically remarked, "The plan? You're getting married… and hopefully not seasick."
X X X
Grissom couldn't believe the sight in front of him… or how completely relaxed he felt in that moment. The Venetian had a canal made to look like it wound through the city of Venice, Italy. With dimmed lights, it created a romantic atmosphere, as couples walked hand-in-hand past the shops and plazas that bordered the winding waterway. The balconies of the shops gave the feeling of being in the most romantic place in Italy, and for a moment, he just admired what he saw – in awe. In front of him stood three Gondolas… waiting to be occupied. Looking at Jim, Grissom arched a brow, and Jim smirked in response.
The lone violinist, dressed in dark traditional Italian clothing and sporting a burgundy sash began to play Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet. Grissom's heart began to pound, because he could suddenly feel her on the platform behind him. Turning slowly, his breath caught and everything faded but Sara, silhouetted by the music.
She'd forgone the traditional bridal color for the palest green. The strapless flow of the dress fit to her curves perfectly, expanding out from the hips to the floor, leaving only a hint of a train. Her hair, longer than when she'd left, curled down around her shoulders, and he smiled. Grissom knew she'd left her hair in curls for him alone, as she always felt it was nothing but a frizzy mess when she left it natural.
Stepping toward one another, he could only stare and feel his grin widen. "Hi," he said, staring into her brown eyes. And before she could answer, he gave into temptation, wound one hand through her hair, and kissed her with every ounce of pent up loneliness he'd felt the many months she'd been away. The whimpers he heard from her drove him to plunging his tongue in and wrapping his other hand around the back of her neck. When he felt his heart beating nearly out of his chest, he pulled back, and rested his forehead against hers. With a raspy breath, he whispered, "I've missed you, honey."
"I've missed you too," Sara replied, her own breaths short and fast. "I've missed you more than you can know." When she wrapped her arms around his waist, he settled his on her shoulders, and for a moment they held onto one another as if their life depended on it.
It wasn't until he heard a not-so-discreet cough from behind him that Grissom came back to reality, and whispered, "So much for being smooth on my wedding day." After earning a quick grin from Sara, he released his hold and reached for her hand. Turning, they walked over to the group.
"So… Grissom… you and Sara always been that hot together?" Greg asked, grinning at the couple. When Grissom gave him a stern look, Greg just laughed and shook his head.
When the group parted, Sara and Grissom made their way to the gondola. After he stepped into the gondola, Grissom reached out and assisted Sara into the carriage-like interior. Seated side-by-side, he watched as Catherine, dressed in emerald green, and the 'boys' dressed in their best suits stepped into the other two gondolas.
With the sound of Tchaikovsky in the background, the minister stepped on last, and took a seat across from Grissom and Sara. As if setting their places on a stage, the boats launched out into the river, with the bride and groom's gondola between the others.
The minister did not begin with the traditional, "We are gathered here…" speech. Instead, the ceremony started with, "Everyone here recognizes that we are lucky when we find someone with whom to share our lives, our hearts, and our very souls. It's obvious to those who know Gil and Sara, that they are truly blessed. They found each other…"
The rest of the words faded for Grissom, as something that always felt empty filled completely. When the minister said, "Sara… it's time for you to say your vows," Grissom smiled at her. The smile widened, when instead of using her own words, she surprised him by using some he recognized.
"The best way to describe how I feel about you is from Song of Solomon, chapter 5, verse 16," Sara quietly stated, her voice a husky melody to his ears. "His words are kisses, his kisses words. Everything about him delights me, thrills me through and through! That's my lover, that's my man." Squeezing his hand, she leaned in and gently said, "I love you, Gil. I feel like I always have, and I will continue to love you forever. You are my beloved."
As she left off, the minister looked to Grissom and queried, "Gil?" prompting for him to begin his own vows. This time it was his turn to surprise her. For the first time, his words were not a quote, but his own.
In a quiet tone, he stated, "My dear, you have been my lover, my best friend, and my constant companion, even far away. In you I found the part of my life that always seemed to be missing. The day I met you, I could see my future, and you were it. As much as it terrified me, I feel as if I've loved you forever, and will continue to love you until eternity. You are my one and only."
Reaching out, he used a knuckle to wipe the tears from her eyes, and whispered, "My beloved."
When the minister asked, "Do we have the rings?" Grissom grinned when he heard Jim swear under his breath. Looking at the boats surrounding them, he watched Catherine, who sat next to Jim, wipe tears from her eyes, while Brass frantically searched his pockets. Eventually finding them in the interior pocket, he smiled. Reaching over, Grissom held out a hand, and in it Jim placed two simple gold bands.
Looking at the minister, Grissom nodded. The official continued. With simply repeated phrases, and the sliding of gold rings over each others fingers, Grissom stared into Sara's eyes. He barely heard, "By the state of Nevada, I now declare you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride." He would have been content to stare at her for days on end, had Nick, Warrick and Greg not yelled, "HEY GRISSOM! KISS HER ALREADY!"
Smiling, he tilted his head, laid his lips against hers, and whispered, "Hello, dear wife," before closing his eyes and kissing her hard and long, stroking her mouth with his and reveling in the taste of her. When the hoots and hollers finally broke through his senses, he grinned into his wife's lips, "Ummm… so much for 'church tongue'?"
Sara's POV
Sara removed the clothespin that was holding closed her package of chocolate covered pretzels and turned on the TV. Flipping through the channels she stopped when she found The Wedding Singer, as it seemed appropriate. She settled herself in the corner of the sofa with her cell phone, waiting for it to ring. Sara and Grissom had fallen into the habit of talking on Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday mornings, after Grissom got home from work, and it was the highlight of Sara's week.
They'd been discussing wedding plans off and on for the last month. Where to have the ceremony, who to invite, how formal, whether or not to have it catered; but the biggest point of contention had been the actual wedding vows. They'd finally decided to write their own, although Sara still hadn't made much progress with hers.
When the phone rang she smiled and flipped it open, "Hey, babe. Guess what I'm watching?"
"I have no idea, Sara, what?" Grissom's voice bathed her in warmth and she sat back, tucking her feet under her.
"Turn to Spike and you can watch too." She couldn't help but smirk, knowing he would find it amusing to watch that particular movie with her.
"The Wedding Singer? You know…that's something we haven't talked about yet, dear. What should we do about music?" Sara could hear the chuckle in his voice.
"Gris…lets just watch the movie, I don't think I'm up to any heavy decisions tonight." Grabbing a handful of pretzels from the bag, she popped one into her mouth.
When he said, "Fine with me, watching movies with you is one of my favorite things," Sara smiled to herself.
"Me too, babe." Turning her attention to the TV screen she added, "This is one of my favorite parts. The kiss scene."
"Hmmm…What kind of kiss do you want for our wedding, honey?" he asked.
"Oh, I don't know, Gris. I think I'd have to agree with Julia…'church tongue'. Not too hot - just hot enough." Sara stretched her legs out on the sofa, "What kind of kiss have you envisioned?"
After a moments silence, and with a hint of laughter in his voice, Grissom answered, "I'd have to go with 'church tongue' myself."
"I miss your kisses, Gil…I miss your mouth." Suddenly Sara sat up straight on the couch and grabbed a pen and note pad, jotting down a few lines. Grinning, she sat back - she'd finally decided on her wedding vows.
XXX
"Catherine, I can't tell you how grateful I am that you agreed to help me make the arrangements." Sara sat nervously in front of the mirror, "I couldn't have pulled this off without you."
Standing behind her, the blond patted Sara on the shoulder. "You're lucky I know some people, who know some people, Sara. I just had to ask a few casino hosts to let me know of any last minute wedding cancellations." Reaching up, Catherine fluffed Sara's curly hair. "You make a lovely bride. I like your hair when you leave it natural this way. Okay, here's your phone. Time to call the groom."
Sara reached out to take the phone with a slightly trembling hand. She wasn't nervous about being married, but she was nervous about getting married - the ceremony itself had her stomach full of butterflies. She chuckled to herself as she hit speed dial. It was a damned good thing she was marrying an entomologist.
Grissom picked up on the second ring and Sara could hear the smile in his voice, "Hi, Sara."
She swallowed the butterflies down, before saying nervously, "Hey, Gris…Gil."
Grissom's, "What's up?" made Sara realize that this was really it, her wedding day.
Her mouth seemed preternaturally dry, and she swallowed again. Finally taking a deep, calming breath she said, "I was kind of…sort of…wondering if maybe we could…I don't know," Sara closed her eyes tightly and finally spit out, "Move the wedding date?" Grimacing at her own verbal fumbling she shook her head, thinking, Smooth, Sara, real smooth.
Grissom asked in a voice that was barely above a whisper, "When?" and she realized he was probably worried she was going to back peddle on the wedding.
Rushing to assure him, she said, "Is two hours too soon? I'm already at the chapel." She grinned when she heard him drop the phone at the other end.
After listening the phone scrabble across the floor for a moment, she finally heard Grissom's, "I'll be there as soon as I can…Sara, where are you?"
Feeling her nerves start to settle a bit, Sara told Grissom that Brass would be at the townhouse to pick him up at anytime. Catherine and Brass had taken care of all the details, everything was set in motion.
XXX
Sara couldn't believe her eyes as Catherine led her from the elevator, through a shopping area and past several restaurants. She had never spent much time in any of the casinos when she wasn't working a case, and had never ventured into the Grand Canal Shoppes. It was an amazing site, there was actually a water filled canal lined with plazas, restaurants, and shops; all with an arched ceiling overhead that imitated the sky.
As they turned a corner into a large open plaza Sara could hear a violin playing Tchaikovsky, and all at once she just knew that Grissom…Gil, was there. As the crowd of people shifted she could see his back, As if he knew she was there, he turned and looked straight at her; his blue eyes twinkling brightly.
He was looking exceedingly handsome in his classic black tuxedo; it always took Sara's breath away when she saw how he looked in a suit. He'd let his beard grow back since she'd seen him last and it was trimmed close to his face, framing his mouth.
They stepped towards one another, staring into each others eyes, until they were close enough to touch. Grissom said, "Hi," just before he plunged a hand into her hair and pulled her into a kiss. Sara rested her hands on his waist and opened her mouth with a whimper. They kissed each other deeply for several minutes, finally breaking away and resting their foreheads against each other. "I've missed you, honey," he finally whispered.
Sara's breathing was short and fast, but she managed, "I've missed you too, I've missed you more than you can know." She slipped her hands around him and held him tightly against her until she heard Brass coughing discreetly behind them.
"So much for being smooth on my wedding day," Grissom murmured, good humouredly as they turned to face the rest of their wedding party.
Grissom squeezed her hand when Greg asked, "So…Grissom…you and Sara always been that hot together?"
Walking together to the edge of the canal, Sara's breath caught in her throat when she saw the gilt trimmed white gondola waiting for them. After stepping down into the small boat, Grissom helped Sara. They sat in the fancy, carriage-like interior and watched as their friends boarded the two black gondolas that flanked them. Brass, Catherine and the violinist in one and Nick, Warrick, and Greg in the other; all the men wearing their best suits, Catherine in an emerald green dress that complimented Sara's light green gown.
The minister began with, "Everyone here recognizes that we are lucky when we find someone with whom to share our lives, hearts, and our very souls. It's obvious to those who know Gil and Sara, that they are truly blessed. They found each other…" Sara squeezed Grissom's hand in her own and leaned against his shoulder, listening to his even breathing, not even noticing the minister until she heard him say her name.
"Sara…it's time to say your vows." Looking at Grissom, she squeezed his hand tightly before releasing it.
"The best way to describe how I feel about you is from Song of Solomon, chapter 5, verse 16." Sara focused on his lips before continuing, "His mouth is so sweet: yes he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend…" Raising her eyes to meet his she said softly, "I love you Gil. I feel like I have and will continue to love you forever. My beloved."
When the minister prompted Grissom with, "Gil?" Sara saw him sit up straighter before quietly reciting his vows.
"My dear, you have been my lover, my best friend, and my constant companion, even from far away." Sara felt a grin split her face when she realized he wasn't using a quote, but his own words. "In you I found the part of my life that always seemed to be missing. The day I met you, I could see my future, and you were it. As much as it terrified me, I feel as if I've loved you forever, and will continue to love you until eternity. You are my one and only. My beloved." Sara could feel a tear start to trickle down her cheek and Grissom reached out to wipe it away, caressing her face softly.
She heard Brass swearing softly under his breath when the minister asked for the rings. Looking over to smile at him she saw that Catherine's eyes were glittering with tears. Grissom carefully took the two rings from Brass and turned back to face her.
With the more traditional pledge of, "With this ring, I thee wed…" they slid the simple gold bands onto each others' fingers.
After the minister proclaimed, "With the powers vested in me by the state of Nevada, I now declare you husband and wife," Sara and Grissom just sat and stared - until Greg, Nick, and Warrick shouted in unison, "Hey Grissom! Kiss her already!"
With his lips barely caressing hers, he whispered, "Hello dear wife." The kiss started out gently. But as soon as Sara's lips parted, Grissom's tongue plunged in, swirling around her mouth. They moaned in unison as the kiss deepened. When Sara heard their friends shouts and calls she started to giggle. The giggle turned to a laugh when Grissom grinned at her, saying, "Ummm…so much for 'church tongue'?"