"A Little Tale"
August 2012 Fan Fiction Contest CSIFO: 1000 words or less. Sara or Grissom reveals to the other something about one of their past relationships. Must contain the phrase: "I never told you this, but..."
Total word count including "THE END": 941
Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the TV show CSI. I do not profit from these works.
Summary: Grissom makes a date with Sara so he can finally tell her his feelings.
Rating: K+
My sincere thanks to my beta, Rebecca, aka Dr. Temperance Brennan.
It was a beautiful Sunday in May. The flowers were all in bloom. Their multiple colors were pleasant to the eyes, while their many smells floated to the noses. Without a doubt, springtime was an explosion for the senses, a unique and charming court, where flowers of all sizes, colors and smells, reigned together as queens.
Grissom waited in the park for Sara. They both had the day off and he had finally decided to tell her that he loved her. It wouldn't be an easy task, but he would try. After all, he was a man, not some timid mouse, and he was tired of acting like one.
As the years passed and his feelings for her grew, he found it more and more difficult to speak to her. Grissom wanted to tell Sara how important she was to him, but whenever he tried, the words wedged in his throat as he stumbled over them, leaving him speechless.
Finally she arrived, looking beautiful as always. Before he lost the nerve to talk, he said, "Good afternoon. Beautiful day, isn't it?"
"Yes, it's very nice." She sat down beside him.
Then what Grissom feared would happen, happened. He couldn't think of how to continue the conversation. He wracked his brain, but it was silent. After some time, Sara became impatient.
"Well, Grissom, why'd you want to meet me here today? She looked him with her lovely browns eyes.
Grissom swallowed hard: he had to say something before he lost the woman of his dreams.
"Sara...I want to talk to you about something..."
"About what?"
"This is hard for me...I don't know how to start..."
"Begin at the beginning. That usually works." Sara was amused by his discomfort.
Grissom glared at her. "You aren't helping."
"Sorry!" She held back from laughing. She did not want to belittle him, but he was very funny.
"Well, you know… I've been...attracted to you, for a long time, and I thought...you know, we could...try to be together...if..." Grissom sputtered.
"Together? Like, as a couple?"
"Yes. Exactly."
Sara did not quite understand. She had hoped for years that he would declare his feelings for her, but his confession didn't go quite as she'd expected. In any case, though, she answered, "Yes," before he could change his mind.
But Grissom did not intend to change his mind. He wasn't able to have the sort of conversation with her he'd planned on, but he did his best. For him, exchanging glances was enough. A look from her could say more to him than a thousand words.
Sara knew the man beside her would never be particularly skilled at expressing his emotions, but that he would always be tender and loving. That he would bring to their relationship the same passion and dedication he brought to his work at the lab and in the world.
Suddenly Grissom slapped his forehead, as if remembering something.
"What is it?" Sara asked, concerned.
"I have to be totally honest with you...I've never told you, but…Well, I was almost engaged once."
Sara moaned, thinking he was about to tell her a sad story of an unforgettable love that left him permanently scarred.
"When I fell in love the first time, I took my mother's engagement ring from its box and proposed to the girl with it. She laughed and said, "No." She broke my heart. We were in third grade."
Grissom meant for Sara to laugh, but she didn't. She took his hand and pressed it.
"Don't worry. I'd never say, "No," to you." She said.
"Promise?"
"Yes."
"Good. Let's go a walk. We're wasting the day sitting here."
Sara saw the man beside her with more adoration than ever. He was so sweet and charming, sharing a story from his childhood.
"Had you have had any contact with her, since then? Sara asked, mostly joking but also a bit irrationally jealous.
"After grade school I never saw her again."
Sara smiled, happy that his feelings for that girl were really no more than a child's crush.
"What was her name?" She asked out of curiosity.
"Gloria. But that was a long time ago. All that matters is the present. The passed is past, my love." Affirmed Grissom.
Sara stopped in her tracks. "What did you say?"
"What? Oh. My love. Sara, you must know I love you."
Sara was happier than she'd ever been before. She jumped and his neck and gave him a kiss on his cheek. Right there, in the middle of the park. Grissom didn't understand her enthusiasm.
"I think I've finally found the right finger for my mom's ring." He said.
Grissom looked at Sara with satisfaction. He knew now the perfect person was right in front of him. The cover for his pot. A more beautiful cover than he felt such an old pot deserved.
THE END
Moral? Let me know if you found one…