Disclaimer: I own nothing
AN: A special thanks to jenbachand for editing.
Grissom was in one of those stores. The ones with cards, and gift-wrap, and little stuffed animals.
He groaned involuntarily. It was not because he was in a Hallmark store, but because he really had no idea what to get Sara for her birthday.
First, he thought a new CD would be good, but dismissed it because, well, she could get a CD any time. He then tried to get concert tickets, but for once, nothing good was playing in the Las Vegas area. Even Vegas had an off-season it seemed.
Everyone always thought he was so mysterious, but somehow Sara always seemed to get him the perfect thing. A new entomology book or the telescope she got him for Christmas last year. She always got him the perfect gift.
There were times that Gil pondered what really made Sara happy.
Grissom left the card store and began to wander through the mall. He passed lingerie stores, jewelry stores, and even a pet store.
Grissom sighed and gave up for the third day in a row with nothing to show for his efforts.
The next day he decided to go to the source. He planned to monitor her activities to see if he could find a clue. He was good with clues.
The day went as usual, with one exception, Grissom actually went to the break room for lunch. He found Sara there eating a salad while reading a book.
Grissom rolled his eyes internally at himself; he knew she loved to read. He could buy a book, but he had wanted to get something…special.
They both ate quietly without talking. It wasn't uncomfortable. Actually sort of nice.
Thump!
Grissom looked up from his pasta with a slight jump.
Sara had closed her book and was headed to the sink to rinse out her salad bowl.
She wiped her hands on the towel, grabbed her book, and headed to the locker room to put it away. He looked closely as she walked out and was able to discover the subject of her book.
It was a nature book on wolves.
Grissom finished his pasta and cleaned up his plate with a happy whistle.
A few days later Grissom passed by a store while trying to find something for Sara. An idea struck him and a plan was forming as he walked back to his car.
He was running out of time, but at least he had an idea now.
Sara was in her apartment trying to decide whether to play solitaire or read the new biography on Man O' War when her doorbell rang.
She wondered who would be at her door. It was the middle of the afternoon, everyone she knew was at work or in bed, where she should have been.
Sara opened the door and her jaw dropped. It was Grissom. At her door. And there wasn't even a personal tragedy in her life at the moment.
"Hi," he said.
Sara looked in wonder for a second. Ho w could he stand there, looking like the proverbial cat who got the canary and like a shy little kid at that same time?
"Ah, come on in," Sara stepped back and noticed he had a decorated gift bag in his hand.
"What, um, brings you here?" she asked as Grissom moved to stand in her living room.
Grissom looked around the sparsely furnished apartment. It was clean, no surprise, but there really was a large number of books. He knew she read, but honestly, it reminded him of his apartment. Stacks everywhere.
"I, uh," Grissom rubbed his beard and shifted the bag to his other hand, "I have something for you," he finished a little meekly.
"Really? Why?" Sara asked, genuinely puzzled.
"Um," Grissom coughed nervously. "Your birthday is tomorrow…" he started
"Oh, yeah," Sara said turning a little pink in the checks. "It must have slipped my mind."
Grissom smiled a little and handed her the bag.
Sara took it and waved her hand toward the couch and they both sat down.
She placed the bag on the table and started to pull the wrapping paper out.
"You know you can just pull it out. It's a present, not a piece of evidence," Grissom chuckled a little.
Sara cleared her throat and reached in the bag pulling out her gift.
It was a leather-bound omnibus edition of the Julie of the Wolves stories by Jean Craighead George.
"How'd you know I would be interested in this?" Sara asked, puzzled and curious at the same time by his actions.
"I have my sources," Grissom said smugly.
Sara raised an eyebrow.
"And no, it wasn't Greg," Grissom replied, even more smugly.
Sara opened the book and gasped, "Oh, my, this is signed," Sara said completely caught up in the gift. It was dated at the bottom of the page a week ago. It was personally signed to her, as well.
"Oh, my," Sara said again running her hand over the signature. "How'd you...?"
"I have my contacts," Grissom said mysteriously as he sat back watching Sara continue to flip through the book.
Sara was looking at the illustrations when several pieces of paper fell out of the book. Sara bent to pick them up and froze.
They were two tickets to Minnesota…and the International Wolf Center in Ely.
Sara dropped the tickets and covered her face with both her hands in shock.
"I called ahead and we'll being doing everything, even a seminar," Grissom explained.
"Gil…oh, my gosh…" Sara stuttered.
Grissom bent to pick up the tickets and when he was halfway between the floor and properly sitting up…
Sara kissed him.
It was a gentle, quick kiss, but it made both of them smile and hide their eyes from each other.
Grissom smiled, "We leave in a few weeks."
"What," Sara gulped in some much needed air, "ever possessed you to do this?"
"I realized your birthday was coming up." Grissom responded with a small smile as he placed her book on the table with the tickets on top of it.
"But how'd you know?"
"Observation my dear."
"Gil…" Sara insisted, "What really …pushed you?"
"I was wandering alone and saw you and…the rest is history," Gil finished sincerely, as he leaned in for another kiss.