Everyday Love

In response to Veronica's "throwdown" on YTDAW (must have where Grissom follows Sara into the shower to 'help' her clean up after the dumpster dive and use the phrase "Zestfully clean!".) -and in honor of canon! Excerpt of "Everyday Love" by J.T.Byers

Warning: This is superior fluff in honor of Valentine's Day-you have been warned! LOL!

(The characters of CSI are owned by Jerry Bruckheimer Productions and no money will be made off of them or this fic…..but I have dibs on Grissom if TPTB change their minds!)

"I can't believe Ecklie made me do that, I smell like rotten, left-over breakfast!" Sara fumed, striding into the locker room. In front of her, Warrick and Nick scattered like bowling alley pins.

"Yow! Sara, what did you get into?"

"God, it smells like ….never mind!"

Giving both men the death ray eye, Sara grumbled, "If you must know, Ecklie "accidentally" needed someone to get into the dumpster behind the building. Seems he scheduled a photo op showing "your tax dollars at work" and didn't have a crime scene to show off, so he staged me finding evidence!"

"Wait a minute, Catherine told him none of us would do it!" Warrick said, grabbing a clothespin from the top shelf of his locker and relieving his nose. Sara gaped at him as Nick added, "He said he knew one of us would have "the guts" to help our image, guess he laid in wait for you to come in." Ruefully he exchanged glances with Warrick, who muttered, "Sorry" and high-tailed it out the door.

"Yeah, I'm sorry, too….see you at the diner?" the Texan asked, and Sara sighed.

"Okay, but you two jokers are buying!"

"Got it, Sara." Nick gave her a relieved grin, then left. Alone, Sara slumped onto the bench in front of her locker, then pulled out a plastic bag with lemons and a loofah, towels and her favorite shampoo.

"He'd never have pulled this if ….if…" she muttered, getting up and heading toward the private shower.

"If what, honey?"

Sara stopped in her tracks, unable to breath. In front of her, beard shining in the light, was Grissom. His smile, at first so tentative, widened as he took in both the sight and smell of her.

"Gris….you're here…why aren't you …?" she began, then melted with emotion as he gently took her bag of fruit, then putting an arm around her, walked her into the shower area. Placing it on the small stool next to the door, he pulled out his pocket knife and expertly cut half a dozen lemons as Sara hurriedly shed her overripe clothes and put them in a bag.

"Go ahead and get the water ready, Sara….I'll be right in."

Smiling, she did as he said, then stood shivering in the cold stall waiting for the water to get warm. Just then Grissom opened the door and took his place beside her, naked except for a couple of washcloths dangling off his muscular shoulder.

"Griss…are you sure?" Sara began, then he cut her off with a smoldering kiss that warmed her to her frigid toes. "Yes, honey, I'm tired of hiding….and seeing you mistreated like this. I'm going to have a little talk with Conrad." He said, finally releasing her lips then beginning to tenderly scrub her down with the juicy fruit.

Touched by his loving efforts, Sara returned his kiss, then waited until he had cut the putrid odor that clung to her skin and soaped her up to properly to snuggle against him.

"I missed you so much, Griss…I couldn't stand to go home nights until I got your gift….that was the sweetest thing…" she whispered, then kissed his favorite place, under his ear. At once he hurriedly rinsed both of them off, then quietly replied, "that cocoon isn't the only thing that's going to grow into something if I don't get you dry and home first."

Before Sara could answer, a familiar voice sounded in the locker room. "Grissom? It's Hodges, I wanted to ask you something about the class."

Grissom's face started to pale with annoyance, but Sara decided to forestall his reply.

"Hodges, Grissom's already gone, can you please not come in until I get dressed?"

"Uh, sure, Sara. I didn't see him leave, but…." The tech's voice was puzzled, as Grissom smiled and murmured, "I'll wait five minutes, then slip out the back. Meet you at the car."

"Love you…" Sara returned, giving him a quick squeeze, then hopping out of the shower. Wrapping herself up in one of his thick towels, she quickly dried off then donned her emergency clothes and padded out to the locker room.

There she found Hodges, his smile borderline leering as he took in her wet hair and damp skin. "Aw, zestfully clean I see."

Biting back a rude comment, Sara was all good humor as she opened her locker. "Yes, Hodges, a good shower after a dumpster dive will do wonders for you." Suddenly an evil idea took hold and she picked up the bag with her soiled clothing.

"Here, my friend….be a dear and put those in the trash, I'm afraid they're a lost cause." Before he could answer her, Sara thrust the smelly bag into his hands, then patted his shoulder. "Thanks, I appreciate it."

Reaching into her locker, she quickly extricated her purse, jacket and car keys, then slipped her bare feet into sandals and rushed out of the room. Behind her a crestfallen Hodges got one whiff of the odiferous bag and promptly turned green.

"What I won't do for my team." He choked, then ran out of the locker area.

Beaming, Sara managed to make her way out of the building without running into anyone else, then reached her car and got inside. Immediately she was enveloped in Grissom's arms, as he kissed and caressed her. "God, Sara….I missed you so much…."

"Not anymore then I missed you….." she gasped, her arms locked around him. Only the realization that Hodges might be making his way home finally broke them apart.

"Honey, let me get you home….I have something for you." Grissom smiled at her questioning look. "It's a good something…trust me."

"I do…as long as it comes from you." Sara told him softly, giving him one more kiss, then putting on her seat belt as he flushed with desire, then started the car and peeled out of the parking lot, barely avoiding a pale-faced Hodges.

Getting them both home in record time, Sara didn't even get a chance to open her own door before Grissom was there, helping her out then taking her hand in his.

"Is it bigger then a breadbox?" she asked, grinning with anticipation. Grissom smirked then shook his head. "Nope."

As his smile got wider with each teasing guess, Sara's stomach started to do somersaults, until they reached their door. Going to pull her house key out, she instead found a small box. Clutching it in her hand, she looked up to see his eyes bright with excitement.

"Just a minute, Sara." He whispered, then taking out his own key, unlocked the door then scooped her up and carried her inside. Surprised, she put her arms around his neck, then nuzzled his throat as he made his way to their sofa, then lovingly put her down. Getting on one knee in front of her, Grissom took a breath, then clasped her hand in his.

"I know I should have thought about what this sabbatical would do to you, honey, and I'm sorry I left you behind. I never want to go anywhere without you again…..will you be my valentine not just for today, but for everyday?"

Happy tears filled Sara's eyes as she saw him open the box resting in her hand. Inside was an Irish claddagh ring, set with a beautiful diamond, with emerald accents on each side of the heart.

"Oh, Gris….yes….yes, I'll be your Valentine….and…will you marry me?"

Now it was Grissom's turn to have tears …."Yes, Sara, I'll marry you…that's kind of what I meant…I guess I didn't say it right….but ….it means so much for you…to ask me….after everything…" Faltering, Grissom finished his words with a searing kiss, then put the shining ring on her hand.

"It's beautiful, so beautiful….Thank you, love.." she sniffed, then opened her mouth to his again. As their tongues, then bodies met, the words of a song Grissom had quoted to Sara sang in her heart.

"Like a fire in the night, like the moon shining bright, you're my everyday love.

All the things you are to me, all that I could hope to be, I am with my everyday love."

Fin