Disclaimer: They belong to someone else which is too bad for us GSR fanatics.
Spoiler: Season 5 after Mea Culpa
AN: Response to Unbound Challenge (1000 words, first and last lines provided) for the week of November 7th.
It hasn't stopped for weeks now that gnawing feeling that something bad was on the horizon, a prickling of the hairs on the back of his neck. Grissom watched the weather to see if it was causing the feeling, but it didn't seem to be. The feeling just got worse finally peaking when she sat down across from him and spoke. The conversation shifted from professional to personal.
"You've always been a little more than a boss to me." She smiles but it doesn't quite reach her eyes. "Why do you think I moved to Vegas? Look, I know our relationship has been complicated. It's probably my fault. It's probably definitely my fault."
"You, uh, completed your counseling, right?"
"Yeah. Yes."
"And ... ?"
"Let's just say that ... I sometimes ... I look for validation in inappropriate places."
"Look ... let's, um ..." She cut him off.
"It's okay. Okay. You know what, we did our session. Don't forget to document this for Ecklie."
"Right."
"Thanks."
It wasn't the storm he'd been expecting and the gnawing feeling had only gotten worse after she left his office. He tried to identify the source, but the answer still eluded him. Frequently during shift he'd stop to observe the crew closely. Everyone seemed pretty much back to normal and the Lab seemed the same as always. Stopping in front of the Layout Room he watched the friendly exchange as Sara was teasing Greg about something. Grissom found himself wishing that her easy smile was directed at him when he realized what was different.
Sara had changed since that conversation. The tension she normally radiated, that he'd learn to expect in her presence over the years was gone. She wasn't the happy woman who had first arrived in Las Vegas and teased him about his old fashioned CSI techniques, but for the first time in a long time Sara seemed content and peaceful. It was only now looking back at the conversation that he realized that she'd been closing that door. Letting him know he was off the hook and that she was done pursuing their non-existent relationship.
Gently setting his glasses on the desk, closing his eyes, he rubbed his temples trying to avoid the headache that threatened now that he'd identified the problem that had been nagging at him for weeks. He wondered if there was a solution or if this was just the way things would be from now on until she found someone else. That thought had him clenching his teeth, as he remembered her dating Hank Pettigrew. Mentally forcing himself to unclench his jaw, relaxing each muscle individually, he tried to slow his pulse.
The rapid clip clip of heels in the hallway brought his head up. Catherine was running through the crime lab. "I'm late. I'm late for a very important date…" Grissom did a double take as Catherine dressed as a Playboy bunny ran past pushing a baby carriage. Stopping to dump a handful of rose petals and then she was off again. Grissom's curiosity was raised, so he left his office to follow her. He didn't see her, but the rose petals were an obvious trail to the morgue.
The Morgue looked different with the New Orleans Mardi Gras decorations strung across the steel surfaces. As he entered the room he noticed the music and spotted Warrick sitting in the corner of the room playing what looked like an organ that seemed to be made of human bones. Standing nearby a Robert Goulet-like crooner in a tuxedo was singing the song, My Love Forgive Me (Amore Scusami). Doing a double take he realized it was Nick singing.
"My love, forgive me,
I didn't mean to have it end like this,
I didn't mean to have you fall in love, in love with me.
My love, please kiss me,
Arrivederci amore, kiss me,
Remember when we part, you'll have my heart,
I love you so.
It was just a slight flirtation,
That was all it was to be,
How could I know this fascination
Would turn to love for you and me.
How to tell you of my heartache?
How to tell you I'm not free?
How can I bear to see your heart break,
To see your heart break over me."
The words washed over him as he glanced around the rest of the room. Sophia and Brass were shoving Sara and Greg into what looked like a two-person straight jacket. Neither resisted, which Grissom found odd until he noticed they were standing in front of Paul Millander dressed in his Judge's robes repeating the traditional words to the wedding ceremony.
"Do you Greg take Sara to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have, to hold in all the ways you've fantasized about…"
Grissom's attention was pulled from watching the ceremony by the smell of burning. The smell came from the bar-be-que that Conrad Ecklie was standing in front of. The Assistant Director was wearing a large cowboy hat and an apron that said 'Kiss the Chef.'
"Robbins is that pound of flesh ready yet?" Ecklie asked Dr. Al Robbins who was performing an autopsy on a body in a clear coffin.
"Almost."
Stepping closer Grissom gaped in horror as he realized the body in the coffin was his own. He watched fascinated and sickened as the Coroner removed Gil's heart placing it on a silver platter which he handed to Ecklie who stood nearby ready to take it and throw it on the grill a thought bubble with 'HMMM MMMM GOOD!' floating over his head.
"Night Grissom."
Opening his eyes Grissom realized it was a dream and swing shift must be over since Warrick had changed into a casual black suit and was carrying a single red rose. "So where are you headed in such a hurry Rick?"
"Taking Tina out for a late dinner and dancing."
Watching the newlywed leave Grissom thought, 'Maybe there is such a thing as happily ever after.'
AN: The song is My Love Forgive Me (Amore Scusami) (English lyrics by Sydney Lee, Italian lyrics by Bito Pallavicini, Music by Gino Mescoli) and all rights belong to them.