Disclaimer: I don't own them

A/N: My Christmas challenge reply. Thanks to Joan for the great beta. This is for Chris, Dana, Kacee, Kimberly, Kim, Lisa Megz, and Myra.

Silver Bells and Red Lace

Grissom had his head underneath the Christmas tree, trying to figure out which gift was his Secret Santa present. By some off change he'd managed to pick Sara's name; he still thought Catherine had rigged it somehow, but lacked the evidence. So now he held the book shaped presents in his hand. He looked between the two, desperate to remember which was for the work party. "I sure hope it's this one."

"You sure hope it's which one?" Sara appeared at the doorway wearing a long satin dress. It was black at the top, red at the bottom, and blended somewhere in the middle. It was set off by a rhinestone strip that wrapped around her breast bone. Her hair fell in soft curls framing her face.

Grissom turned to Sara and just stared. "Umm nothing…" Shaking his head he placed the gift down on the table before walking over to her. "You look…" He couldn't think while he looked her over. "Amazing."

"You don't look so bad yourself." Sara ran her hands down the front of Grissom's black dress shirt. She loved how he was dressed in all black, with the exception of a red tie. Black made him look youthful and alluring. "I think this group limo thing is a bad idea. We don't want them to know something is up." She closed the space between them and leaned in to whisper in his ear. "After all, I'm sure they'll start to talk when we dance."

"I…don't dance." Grissom gulped hard as he felt Sara's body pressing against his. While he tried to control his breathing, he slid his arms around her waist. He took in a deep breath, getting a large whiff of the seductive scent that made his head spin into ecstasy.

She always knew the smallest things that made him tremble. Being with her was the best ride of his life. He often compared being with her with combining every rollercoaster he had ever ridden and multiplying it by an infinite number. Being with Sara brought him joy and excitement; it thrilled and moved him. At times it even scared him. When his life started to feel out of control he used to hop on a coaster, now he took her into his arms. Yet with all the fear and excitement she brought he found it harder to pull away from his job. He finally had one someone, someone that could be taken out of his life in a moment and it frightened him.

"Hmm, I think you might be persuaded otherwise." Placing a small kiss just under his ear, she moved her hands to rest on his shoulders. She gave him one of her seductive looks and pushed past him, making sure she remained close to his body.

"Do you have to do that?" He asked while watching her hunt for her Secret Santa gift. 'If we only had a few minutes to spare...'

"What?" Sara turned to him while puckering her lips. "I didn't do a thing." As she turned back to the tree she smiled to herself. She knew exactly what she had done and found it amusing.

"Hmm, alright my dear, but just remember one thing." He walked over to her when she turned holding the shiny silver and red wrapped gift. Two could play the game she'd started and he had every intention of continuing it. He pulled her body close to his and placed his lips so they were hovering over hers. "Turn about is fair play." He looked into her eyes then abruptly pulled away to retrieve the gift he had placed on the table moments before, leaving Sara standing there with her mouth hanging open.

"You know…this means war." After giving him a wink, Sara headed back to the bedroom to retrieve her shawl.

Grissom smiled as he took his jacket off the back of the chair and slid it on. He looked at his watch; the limo would be there soon. He'd managed to talk Catherine into sending it to his place first without getting hit with loads of questions. Hearing a knock at the door, he knew who it was. "Honey the limo's here." After answering the door, Sara walked up behind him.

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The annual party was finally coming to a close and it had been filled with many laughs and embarrassing moments. The ballroom had been decorated in reds, greens, and white. Glowing candles added the right magical touch as center pieces on the table. The best part were the cameras that had been placed on all the tables and chairs. Cameras that held the images of a drunken mind; images that would surely get lots of laughs once developed.

Grissom and Sara walked close together while they headed off to the limo. They were hoping to have a couple minutes alone. The entire night they had been teasing each other with sexual suggestions that only they were aware of, such as brushing up against each other. It was a beautiful clear night with a hint of chill in the air. When the door was opened for them, they both chuckled peering inside. "That's where you two ran off to."

Mandy jumped as she and Nick pulled away from each other. The couple's faces were beet red as Sara and Grissom slid into the limo. The couple noticed that the limo was decked out with all the trimmings. There was even a small Christmas tree that sat on the floor of the limo with all their gifts pilled underneath it.

"Could we keep it rated at least under R please?" Grissom sat back into the seat. He looked over at Sara who was adjusting her dress.

"We're under the mistletoe. We're just upholding one of the best traditions of the holiday season." Nick explained to the two without taking his eyes off of Mandy. "Plus, I leave in two days. I'm going to miss this beautiful woman for the next two weeks."

"I'll miss you too." Mandy gave Nick a quick kiss.

After everyone finally found their way back to the limo Catherine cleared her throat. "Alright since we are all nice and drunk, well besides Sara…"

"What? I just didn't feel like drinking tonight, that's all. One of us needs to stay sober to have the blackmail material come the next decomp." Sara smiled at everyone before they burst into laughter.

"As I was saying, I think we should open the gifts now." Catherine shouted above the laughter. "Brass you're the oldest in here, so you get to play Santa."

Before Brass could react, Greg moved and sat on his lap. "I'd like to have new shinny red Porsche, Santa."

"Sanders if you don't get off my lap the only thing you'll be wanting are your two front teeth." Brass shoved Greg off of him. Then he grabbed a gift and looked at the name.

"To Wendy." Brass handed it to her. "Too small for it to be a leash for your boy here."

Everyone laughed as Wendy took the gift. She noted whom the gift was from, and then opened it. Inside the small box there was a free day pass to the newest spa. "A spa day…thank you so much Mandy, but this had to cost a lot."

"You're welcome. My sister is a co-owner and she owed me." Mandy smiled at Wendy.

"Okay next victim." Brass pulled another gift out of the pile. "Catherine."

Catherine opened her gift from Brass, which was a makeover for her, Lily and Lindsey, followed by a family photo shot. It was the first of a set of normal gifts. Warrick's turn was up after Catherine, who had his name. Her present was a weekend trip away for him and Tina.

Nick was next in line to open his gift, which was from Wendy. She had heard he liked to invent toys so when she went to Lafayette Indiana to visit friends they went to Tippecanoe Mall and in the window of Walden's Book Store found a book, What Wakes a Great Invention: Toy Edition.

After Nick had thanked Wendy, Brass randomly pulled out his gift, which was from Greg. He gave a slight groan as he carefully peeled off the paper, as if something was about to pop out and bite him. Once opened, he was glad to see it was just a photo album with the name Ellie engraved in the front. "Thanks." He thanked Greg for remembering that he had once said he wanted a special album to stick all the pictures of Ellie he had. He had them scattered in about twenty photo albums, but he wanted to get them into one, but he hadn't found the perfect album yet.

"Mandy, you're up." Brass handed Mandy her small package.

Mandy opened the box and pulled out a paper and opened it. "Two weeks of vacation transferred to Mandy…" She looked up at Sara.

"I had nearly fourteen weeks of vacation and they aren't doing anything just sitting there. I knew how much you really wanted to meet Nick's family this Christmas, so I'm giving you two of my weeks so you can go with him." Sara explained it all out, leaving Mandy in tears.

"Sara, I don't know what to say." Mandy moved across the limo and hugged Sara. "Thank you, it's the best gift someone could've gotten me."

"Three to go." Brass pulled another gift out. He read the name and looked up at Grissom who was staring at Sara. "Heads up Gil."

Grissom tore the paper off to reveal a season pass to the new rollercoaster that was opening in the spring. "Thanks."

"Alright kids, who wants to go first Greg or Sara, Sara or Greg?" Brass pulled both gifts out from under the tree.

"Me." Greg took his gift and tore the paper off as if his life depended on it but he was instantly confused about what was inside. His gift contained a box of fifty corndog scented car air fresheners, a box of one hundred corndog flavored mini condoms, and a jar of scented and flavored corndog liquid latex. After he showed the others, everyone cracked up. "What's so funny? Why all the corndog stuff Nick?"

"You are what you eat." Warrick explained, only to have everyone laugh even harder.

"Alright last but not least, Sara." Brass handed her the last present of the evening.

"You drew my name?" Sara smiled at Grissom. She pulled her eyes away from him so she could open her gift. Once the paper was off of it she wrinkled her nose a bit. "You got me Ecklie's book?" She turned to see the color drain from his face.

Grissom sat there speechless. He had made a terrible mistake. "Umm."

"Sara, can I see? I want to read a part to you guys," Not waiting for an answer, Catherine pulled the book from Sara's hands.

"This part is really nice…" Catherine opened the book and looked in it. "What the…" She put her hand in the book and pulled out a red laced pair of underwear and bra. "Nice gift Gil, but isn't a little inappropriate?"

Sara and Grissom both sat there for a moment, their faces as red as the garment Catherine was placing back into the book. Both fought for something to say. They knew they needed something fast to push the others off the thoughts they were clearly thinking.

"Sorry Sara." Grissom snatched the book out of Catherine's hands. "Your gift and my…umm…girlfriend's got mixed up. Both the name tags fell off and…well I'm sorry, I'll bring your gift in tomorrow."

"You've got a girlfriend?" Nick perked up with curiosity.

Brass looked around the limo at all of the shocked faces, all but two. One of course was Grissom's, the other was Sara's. He felt it was odd that Sara didn't seem shocked to know her boss was dating someone. He brushed it off as her possibly knowing. "You couldn't untie her for one night and let her join us?"

"My love life is nobody's business." Grissom gave everyone in the limo a stern look and that was the end of that.

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Grissom and Sara walked back into their home. He placed the bag containing the gift he got moments before on the counter all the while watching Sara. She had placed the blunder of the gift he had given her earlier on the table. Feeling bad about the embarrassment he caused her, he walked up and slid his arms around her from behind. "I'm sorry about what happened."

Sara turned around in his arms. "It's fine. I know you didn't mean it."

"That's why I love you." Grissom rested his head against Sara's forehead. "What a crazy night, huh?"

"Yeah." Sara brushed her nose against his.

"I think I'm going to head to bed." Grissom placed a kiss on her cheek and walked back to the bedroom. He was smiling the whole time. He didn't want to be the one to give in, but he was on the edge of surrender.

As Sara watched as Grissom walked away and suddenly got an idea. She was going to end the war, leaving him begging for nothing but mercy. Smiling as she walked over to table, she laughed to herself. She opened the book and retrieved the underwear and quickly stuck it down the top of her dress.

"What took you long?" Grissom was seated on the bed taking his shoes and socks off as Sara walked into the room. After getting a shrug, he went up behind her and kissed her shoulder. "Let me help you out of this." He took the zipper of the dress and pulled it down. When he reached the bottom of the zipper's run he ran the tip of his fingers up her spine. Leaning in he whispered in her ear. "I'm going to bed."

"Okay." Sara turned to smile at Grissom before heading to the bathroom. Closing the door behind her she pulled out the tiny string of skimpy little number from her dress. She smiled evilly while thinking about what she was about to do. After stripping down she slipped on the red lace. "He better like this, because this dental floss going up my ass is uncomfortable." Sara mumbled under her breath.

Grissom's mouth fell open when the bathroom door finally opened. He ran his hands over his face trying to regain his composure, but even with his eyes closed he could see her standing there in that red devil of temptation. His eyes fluttered open again and watched as he walked around the room. "You should put something else on, you'll get cold."

Sara put Grissom's clothes on one of her arms. "Nah, I'm fine. Kinda hot really." She fanned herself with her free hand a bit then ran her hands down her neck and along her collarbone. "I'm going to the dry cleaners tomorrow; do you have anything else you would like me to take?"

Grissom just shook his head, but when Sara bent over to pick something up, he had enough. He moved off the bed as she placed the clothes in the chair which sat in the corner of the room. Taking her by the shoulders he spun her around. He didn't wait for her to say anything he just pressed his lips hard against hers. He pulled away, cupping her breast while breathing hard. "If I surrender, can we stop this game? 'Cause…"

Sara pulled him into a kiss. "I thought you'd never ask."

----The End---