Monkey Love
Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone in regards to CSI; the show and its characters belong to a bunch of people who aren't me. I am merely borrowing the characters for my own amusement. Dance puppets, dance.
Author's Note: This is a gift fic for a very dear friend of mine who gave up a Saturday to play tour guide for myself and my parents in New York City. Thank you for being so incredibly generous. This was beta-ed by the always phenomenal EllipsesBandit who never fails to catch my rouge commas and the lovely Mingsmommy, who is simply wonderful. Thank you ladies.
I hope you all like this, and if you have time, please leave a review as they always make me smile :)
She had to be hallucinating. There was no other explanation.
It was possible she'd contracted a virus from the monkey, and this was a fever induced illusion. Or she'd somehow suffered a severe blow to the head, and she was seeing things. It might even be a dream, but then again her dreams never, never felt this good.
Either way it couldn't be real. No way.
So Sara kept her eyes close lest this was a delusion or coma or dream. After the kiss, her head rested on Grissom's shoulder. Breathing deeply, she inhaled the wonderfully familiar scent of his skin. It didn't matter that he'd probably been trekking through the jungle for hours, he smelled faintly of vanilla coffee and cinnamon waffles; he smelled like home.
They stood wrapped in each other's arms for what felt like hours. Finally, it was Grissom who broke the silence. His soft lips brushed against her ear as he whispered, "I've really missed you."
The tears she'd managed to hold back slipped freely down her cheek at the sound of his low, gentle voice. Several deep breaths later, she finally managed, "You're here?"
His beard tickled her skin when he nodded, "I'm here."
"And you're real?"
Chuckling, he squeezed her tighter, if that was possible. "I'm real."
"Really?"
"Yes, really."
"Then I'm not sick? This isn't a dream?"
"This isn't a dream," he replied, pinching her side with a bit of pressure.
That earned him a playful smack to the back of his shoulder. But his action prompted Sara to finally open her eyes, and she found Grissom's beloved face. His bright aquarian eyes sparkled with warmth and life. But from the way his lips twitched and the rate of his breathing, she could tell he was nervous.
Taking a fortifying breath, he finally spoke. "Sara, before I say anything, I need you to know that I want to stay."
"Here?"
Grinning, he shook in head in amusement. In a light, yet loving tone he said, "Yes, here. Yes, with you. And yes, to whatever length of time you're willing to have me." His smile grew. "Any other questions?"
The heavy weight that had settled in heart for the past four months felt much lighter. It hadn't completely disappeared as she knew there were many, many things they needed to discuss. But, there was a gentle firmness that reinforced his words.
Grissom came for her.
Having him there for as long as she wanted (which would be forever) bounced around Sara's brain as though she couldn't quite process it. Or maybe it had hit her that the whole thing was real, and that's why her knees wobbled and she felt a little short of breath. All she could manage was a slight shake of her head before she leaned forward to bring her lips to his.
Burying her hand in his damp curls, Sara deepened the kiss. She sank into his arms, reveling in the feel of Grissom's big, soft body all around her. Dimly, she realized she still held that damn camera and the piece of infernal equipment was interfering with her ability to run her hand down Grissom's back. Surely there was a way to set the camera down without letting go of her beloved entomologist…and without breaking it, of course. Maybe if she…
"Don't you dare drop that camera, Sidle. Those orchid pictures haven't been uploaded yet, and I'll have to send you on the seven mile hike if the camera breaks."
Sara let go of Grissom only to find the smug smirk of the man standing under the tent just behind them. She glared angrily at the voyeur before glancing at Grissom; a deep pomegranate color crept over his bearded cheeks and his eyes remained averted from her and their uninvited guest.
The six-foot-nine man in the faded, dirty New York Mets cap didn't seem to mind the situation at all. In the fact, judging by the wide smile on his face, the guy was having a good time.
He stepped toward the couple. "Now, Sara, if you're going to be greeting all our new scientists like that, I'm going have to warn Doctor Barry before he arrives; I don't think his seventy-year old heart could handle it."
"Oh you're so funny, Joe, I forgot to laugh," Sara deadpanned. Smiling slightly, she waved her hand at Grissom, "Joe, this is-"
"Doctor Grissom, I presume," he finished for her, holding his hand out to the older man. "I'm Doctor Joe Santona, head researcher. It's nice to finally put a face to three months of emails."
Recovering quickly from his embarrassment, Grissom cleared his throat and returned the handshake. "Likewise, and please call me Gil."
Sara's eyes widened and her jaw slowly fell open. Three months of emails? Grissom had been apparently planning on coming to Costa Rica for a while.
Joe placed his meaty hands in his pockets. "I cannot tell you how good it is to finally have an entomologist on the team. We've been waiting a long time for someone of your caliber."
Grissom shrugged modestly. "Well, I'm just very happy to finally be here."
Turning to Sara, Joe's smirk grew bigger than before. "And apparently Sara is glad you're here too." He carefully took the camera from her hands. "I will take this; we don't want to lose those pictures." He turned back to Grissom. "The rest of your stuff should be here soon. In the meantime, Sara can show you where you can get some water. Afterward, she can give you a tour of the camp, and then we can all go over the projects we're working on here." Joe looked back to Sara, his eyes dancing with mirth. "You don't mind do you?"
Sara pursed her lips at him, but her tone was even and light. "No, I don't mind at all."
Hopefully, Grissom didn't mind either, because her tour of the camp was going to involve a walk to a small pond just outside the southern edge of the site. The area was quiet and further from everyone; the perfect place for them to talk. And then there would be the decision of where he'd be sleeping…
After Grissom picked up his rucksack, she grabbed his fingers to lead him away. She figured they would get some canteens of water and then head out for a little while. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard someone call, "Sara! Sara! Hey, Sara!"
She groaned internally as she watched two of the younger graduate students, jog quickly toward her. She couldn't believe the timing of her colleagues.
"Hey guys," she greeted without much fanfare. "What's up?"
"We need a little favor. You see, the water jugs for laboratory need to be filled," the black haired man explained. "Everyone else is out in the field, so…"
"So you want me to help you two haul those five gallon jugs on that uphill path," Sara finished with a raised eyebrow.
"Well…yeah," the girl nodded meekly.
Blowing out a long breath, Sara refrained from closing her eyes in frustration. Grissom followed her to the Costa Rican jungle, and all she wanted was more five minutes alone with him. Was that really too much to ask?
She introduced the pair as Kurt and Anna, and then said, "Okay, I'll come with you guys." The two students then went to the main laboratory tent to collect the water jugs. She then turned to Grissom. "You can stay here if you want. I'm sure Joe can take you around the camp when he's done."
"Actually, I'd rather be with you," he replied earnestly.
Her heart rate sped up at the double meaning behind his words. "Are you sure you're not tired? It's a long walk to the river."
"I want you to show me your jungle."
She immediately decided that it wouldn't be that bad going down to the river, even if she did have to carry one of those full water containers back to the camp.
But then she noticed the playfulness shining in his bright eyes. She had seen that many, many times before. There was no doubt as to what else they'd be doing besides walking.
Finally, she waggled her eyebrows at him. "And of course you'll want to see the insect life around here."
Slinging his rucksack around his shoulders, he smiled impishly. "Well…that too."
Each carrying an empty large jug, the foursome headed to the river. The air was rich with the fragrant scent of flowers and fresh soil. The deep green leaves of the trees provided perfect contrast to the brilliant reds, yellows, and oranges of the orchids blooming among them. Even though the many of the native jungle animals couldn't be seen, their chirping and howling echoes throughout the area. Despite the stifling humidity, Sara remained captivated by the scenery around her, probably even more so now. But maybe that had to do with a certain entomologist.
Grissom seemed to be enjoying himself too as he stopped every few feet or so to examine a nearby bug. His eyes widened in boyish delight at some of the insects they saw along the way including an army of leaf cutting ants and a butterfly with bright, sapphire colored wings.
The students didn't seem to mind his frequent stops; in fact they took the opportunities to ask him questions which he answered eagerly. As they started walking again, Grissom let his fingers brush discreetly against her's before he picked up his container.
About twenty minutes later the group finally arrived at the river. The water moved slowly enough that it was safe and relatively easy to fill up the jugs.
It was when Sara had removed the first lid that a piercing screech had disturbed the otherwise quiet scene. The squalling continued along side the rustle of tree leaves.
Brows drawn together in alarm, Grissom immediately turned around to the source of the noise. Sara and the two students looked to, but the three just laughed at what they saw.
There in one of the nearby trees, were two Capuchin monkeys, one behind the other. Both jumped excitedly on the branch as they continued to shriek loudly. Although it was fair to say the monkey in the back was having a better time judging from its extremely animated movements.
"Oh look," Anna smirked. "We're just in time for one of Paddy's show."
"Who is Paddy?" Grissom asked.
"Paddy is our resident male Capuchin," Sara explained. "We see him around this area and by the campsite a lot. Paddy is usually pretty calm, but he likes to share his…skills with us."
At Grissom's blank stare, Kurt translated. "Paddy always mates in front of us. Whether we're doing laundry or out collecting samples, he manages to find where we are and brings his friends."
Paddy gave one last mighty howl before leaving his partner and disappearing among the trees. Taking the now full jug from Sara, Grissom chuckled as Kurt added, "He also does an evening show just so you know. And one at dawn."
Anna shook her head. "I don't care what you all say; I'd still rather hear Paddy in the middle of the night than have a run-in with Sebastian."
Grissom cocked his head questioningly at Sara, who smiled in response. "Don't worry, Gil. I'll make sure you're introduced to Sebastian when we get back. He keeps the laboratory free of crickets and mice."
"He is creepy! That thing will just all of sudden pop up from underground." The younger woman shuddered. "And it's not even normal looking with all those hairy white striped legs."
Grissom's jaw dropped in amazement. "You guys have a Zebra tarantula?" When Sara nodded, his grin grew even wider if that was possible.
Sara thought with every trip, the full water jugs would be easier to carry back to camp. No such luck, however. It seemed those containers got heavier with each step. Sweat soaked her shirt, and the muscles in her arms and legs burned heavily. Grissom wasn't fairing any better; he was the last in their small caravan, but not because he was looking for bugs. She stopped for a moment to let him catch up, and when he arrived beside her, she observed his flushed face and his somewhat labored breathing.
"Are you okay?" She began to match his walking pace.
"I'm fine." He inhaled deeply. "I'm just not used to this humidity yet."
"It makes those days in the desert seem like a cool, autumn day."
Grissom nodded in agreement. "How long will the field research be going on?"
"It's planned for another three weeks, and then…" She paused. "Uh, we'll be heading back to main station."
"That should be plenty of time to adapt to the humidity," he said quietly, risking a glance at her to which Sara moved head in way that might be interpreted as a small nod.
She swallowed 'd desperately wanted to talk about what to about this all day. Their kiss, the gentle look in his eyes, the brief touches-all told her he was there to stay. But part of her heart was still unsure; she still expected to wake up at any moment and once again find herself in the jungle. As anxious as she felt to finally talk, she was also equally terrified.
For the rest of the walk both remained silent which only fueled Sara's fear. By the time they made it back to the camp site, she as her arms felt as if they were going to fall off. She counted down the interminable steps until they made it to the laboratory tent. They set the containers down with a huge sigh of relief. The two students offered to take the water to the attachments for the lab and thanked Grissom and Sara. Grissom sat down heavily on the step outside while Sara fetched large canteens of cool, clean water for them to drink. When she came back, she sat on a crate across from him.
They drank heavily from the canteens for a few minutes, glancing at each other every now and then. Grissom finally broke the awkward silence. "What's the schedule for the rest of the day?"
Sara looked at her watch. "We'll be preparing dinner soon, and after that it'll start getting dark. Everyone usually goes to bed after that." She let the unanswered question hang in the air for a moment. "The tents are on the opposite side of camp. You can..." She stopped, and then immediately decided to go ahead with her offer. "You can stay with me…if you want." Then her words rushed together. "Unless you don't want to! I'm sure there's another tent around here we can-"
"Sara," he gently interrupted her ramblings like so many times before. "I want to stay with you…if that's okay."
The corner of her lip lifted. "That's okay." It seemed as if they had been transported to when they had first started seeing each other; when they acted like clumsy teenagers.
He wrung his hands before continuing, "I'm sure you want to know why I'm here. I-"
But this time, she cut him off. "I am. But I don't think the middle of the camp is the place to do it." Both chuckled. "The far end of the site is pretty quiet and no one really goes there." At his dubious stare, she added, "It's not that far of a walk, I promise."
He heaved himself up, and engulfed her fingers in his thick hand. Finally, she thought. They could talk, really talk about everything like how long Grissom had been planning this expedition; what he wanted; what she wanted…
"Hey, Sara. Hello, Gil," Joe's friendly voice greeted as he walked up to the pair. They quickly dropped their linked hands. "I'm glad I caught you guys."
Probably much more than we are. Gritting her teeth, Sara cursed under her breath. She then quickly straightened. "What's going on?"
"The rest of Gil's bags have arrived along with more lab and camp supplies." He shifted to face Grissom. "I thought this would be a good chance for you to see how we unload and where we stock supplies."
"That sounds fine," Grissom replied. Joe led the way to the front of the site with Grissom and Sara following somewhat unenthusiastically behind him.
A few small piles of boxes and coolers stood in the clearing while Grissom's bags were put off to the side. Grissom looked questioningly to Sara as he was being led to the supplies.
"Don't worry about your stuff," Sara picked up one the black shoulder straps. "I'll take care of it and then catch up to you guys."
He managed to work in an "okay" before he was engulfed in conversation with Joe and one of the other researchers.
Sighing, she watched as he carried out a box of specimen jars. As she bent down, she noticed the sun had slowly dropped in the sky. She was grateful it would be night soon; maybe she and Grissom would be able to hide from everyone in the darkness.
She grunted with the effort of picking up the other bag; it felt twice as heavy as the water containers from earlier in the day. What in the world did he pack? Large boulders?
Because of the intense weight, she had to shuffle, instead of walking normally, to the tents. She now regretted pitching her tent the furthest away from everything. She figured she would put his things with hers, before she…or he lost their nerve.
Not even six feet from the zippered door, the handle she held started to pull away at the seams. In just a few seconds, the contents spilled everywhere.
This time she cursed loudly as she unceremoniously dropped the other duffle bag. She started to pick up his things that spilled out: his Cubs hat, a magnifying glass case, and many books. With bag now gaping open, she could see he apparently packed a small library. She smirked at knowing these were the things he couldn't wait to have shipped. As she rearranged some items, a thick book in bubble wrap caught her eye.
Hands trembling, she unraveled the wrapping to reveal a deep brown cover with gold tipped pages. The embossed title, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare greeted her eyes.
It was the book she had given him for his birthday the summer they'd first gotten together. The book included all of Shakespeare's plays as well as his poems and essays. She'd found it in an online auction, and immediately knew she had to have it. The book never made it to the bookshelves because it had earned a permanent place on his nightstand in the townhouse they shared. She vividly remembered many peaceful afternoons falling asleep with her head against his chest, listening to the low smoothing rhythm of his voice as he read aloud the words of the author she still never quite understood.
When he left for Williams, she panicked as to whether he would return because the book had disappeared from their bedroom. But he later explained he brought it because he needed a piece of her while he was away.
Running her fingers over the cover, her vision blurred as she tried to hold the tears at bay. The remaining weight of doubt had been chased away with the appearance of the book. She closed her eyes, and tried taking deep breaths to calm her rapidly beating heart. Grissom wasn't in Las Vegas anymore. He came to her. And he was there to stay.
She wasn't sure how long she had been kneeling on the ground, but like earlier in the day, she felt her skin tingle with Grissom's presence behind her. She turned, and sure enough he was walking toward her. She immediately rose to her feet with the book in still in her hand.
Upon noticing the broken bag, Grissom winced. "I'm sorry about that. I thought it would hold up a little better."
She wiped her cheeks. "It couldn't possibly have anything to do with the bag being overstuffed with books."
He shrugged. "I didn't think the research station would access to some of those. I brought the ones I needed."
Lips trembling, she held up the thick book.
He stepped slowly to her, so now they stood within a couple of inches of each other. "There are some of those I wouldn't be able to find anywhere."
Despite the tears, she chuckled. "And here I thought you were here to collect some bugs."
Shaking his head solemnly, he enclosed his fingers around her upper arms. "This isn't just a visit; I quit CSI. I…I want to stay." His lips lifted into a teasing grin. "Here in the jungle, with you, for however long you want to stay, and to the next place you want to go."
She relished in the warm feeling that encompassed her body at his repeated words from earlier. So it was actually true; happy endings do exist.
Leaning closer, his beard prickled against her skin. His soft lips skimmed across chin before settling upon hers in a deep, yet gentle kiss. Her free hand moved down the length of his back to her desired destination of-
"Sara! Dr. Grissom!"
They jumped apart immediately, and Sara heard Grissom mutter something that suspiciously like, "You've got to be kidding me." Just behind him, Sara noticed the approaching figure of Anna. Sara couldn't help but roll her eyes. Would the interruptions ever stop?
"Joe said you might be back here. It's like you guys are trying to hide from us," the graduate student said.
"Oh believe me I'm ready to," Sara mumbled. Then out loud she sweetly asked, "Is there something you needed?"
"I was just letting you know dinner's going to be ready in about fifteen minutes or so."
"Thank you, Anna," Grissom replied ever so politely. "We'll be there in a little bit."
Smiling brightly at the two (and completely oblivious to their tones), she turned on her heel and headed back to the main area.
As soon as she was out of ear shot, Grissom shook his head. "I'm going to make sure she becomes very good friends with Sebastian."
Dinner turned out to be a long affair, with the other researchers wanting to speak at great length with Grissom. She made sure he had enough to eat, but she could tell by the slow slumping of his posture that he was getting tired. She squeezed his hand under the table, and he made a small nod of agreement. They made a short, yet polite goodbye to the group and managed to ignore all the questioning whispers as they made their departure. But Sara made a slight detour away from the tents.
The sun had almost disappeared completely by the time they made to the small, wooden enclosure. "It's been a long day," she told him. "I thought you might like a nice cool shower." As he heaved a breath of relief, she gently directed him. "Go ahead. I'll bring you some towels and fresh clothes and leave them on the bench inside." He left a kiss on her cheek before going inside.
In the meantime she busied herself in the small tent, rearranging their gear and where the sleeping bag lay. The fit would be tight with the two of them together, but luckily Sara had opted for an extra wide sleeping bag.
Grissom came back to the tent twenty minutes later, looking fresh from the shower, but he still collapsed on the sleeping bag heavily. She then left for her own shower, and when she returned she found a lone lantern on in the tent and Grissom already tucked inside the sleeping bag, snoring softly.
Kneeling next to him, she brushed her knuckles against his cheek, and his eyes open. She smiled when the blue depths finally focused on her.
"Hi," she whispered.
"Hey," he said hoarsely. "I was just waiting for you." He then unzipped the sleeping bag and scooted over.
Turning off the small lantern, she climbed in next to him and his arms instantly came around her. She fitted neatly next to him, settling herself completely against his warm, familiar bulk. And almost immediately, their lips came together in that sweet way she had longed for ever since they were first interrupted.
They spent long moments getting reacquainted with the simple delight of kissing each other again. He threaded his fingers though her hair while his hand found its way under her t-shirt. It was when the need for oxygen became pressing that they broke apart. But even then their limbs remained fully entwined.
He whispered her name over and over as he worked his mouth down to her neck. She closed her eyes, and relaxed fully into him as he leisurely suckled and nibbled on the skin there. She moaned quietly as his fingers glided higher and higher up her chest…
The snapping of branches caused Sara's lids to flutter. But it was the low, whistling breathing next to her that caused her eyes to finally snap open; it reminded her of Darth Vader, and for a moment she wondered why she was sleeping next to Darth Vader. When she found she couldn't move her arms and legs, she remembered it was Grissom next to her. As the fog cleared in her head, she realized her fingers still lingered in his curls, and as for Grissom, his face remained buried her neck, his lips grazing her skin, and his palm just under her breast.
She couldn't help but giggle at their predicament. How could she not? She tried to be quiet, but didn't have much luck as her chortles startled Grissom, who awoke with a surprised snort, and pulled back.
Even though she couldn't see his face, she knew his eyes were wide with embarrassment. "Did I fall asleep?" His question only caused her to laugh even more. "Honey, I am so, so sorry. I just closed my eyes for a second!"
"Don't feel too bad, baby. I fell asleep too."
"I guess I'm more tired than I thought." She heard him release a frustrated breath. "Sara, I…I really want…Honey, the mind is more than ready and willing-"
"But the body isn't capable of movements below the shoulders?"
He nodded slowly, and she placed her hand on his bearded cheek. "Don't worry, Gil. We have plenty of time."
"Time," he echoed, understanding the weight of her words.
Grissom shifted until he lay on his back while Sara rested her head on his chest, where her ear was just over his heart. Both of his arms came around her, holding her body tightly against him. She rubbed her cheek against his t-shirt, the steady sound of his heart beat lulling her to sleep. But she could feel his body shaking slightly. Just as she was about to ask what was wrong she heard him whisper fiercely, "I love you, Sara."
She raised her head enough so her lips were right next to his ear. "I love you, Gil," she murmured before settling down again.
Just as she drifted off, a loud, familiar screeching came from outside the tent. Tree leaves rustled as a pair of monkeys howled.
"Paddy came to wish us goodnight," she snorted.
Grissom groaned, and then called out, "Show off!" making her chuckle even more. He pressed his lips to her forehead. "We'll show him in the morning."
And soon they fell asleep in each other's warm embrace, and to the sweet sounds of monkey love.
The End