Title: Tilting
Author: ScullyAsTrinity
Rating: PG-13
A/N: I know Karen wasn't thinking of something like this when she gave me the quotes. But eh.
And thanks to Holly, Sam, Mike, Kat, Dani and Karen for saving me from myself.
Summary: And she smiled; when he touched her she smiled. And laughed.
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Michael Vartaan wasn't alone when he entered CSI headquarters. Sara Sidle was standing right behind him, but he held back to open the door for her, ushering her forward with a sweep of his hand.
And she smiled; when he touched her she smiled. And laughed.
And Gil Grissom's heart cracked. They made their way down the hall and he assumed that they, for one reason or another, were out checking on a lead together. But before shift? Why would they be checking on a lead before-
The taller, tanned man dropped a kiss onto her head before walking in the opposite direction of her, she to the A/V lab, he to the reception desk, flashing his teeth at an enamored Judy.
Grissom's face fell, watching the younger man speaking with the younger woman, admired the way he made her laugh. Sara came back out of the lab and moved to tuck a sheet of paper into his pants pockets before once more laughing and moving away.
Vartaan watched as she walked away and tucked a shy smile onto his face as he turned back to the receptionist.
Gil watched as the young detective handed the short woman a folder, winked and walked away. And Grissom, well, he couldn't help the scowl that overtook his features.
Back in the A/V lab, Sara checked on the status of a digital recording she'd logged into evidence. Since Archie had made no leeway, she trudged over to Nick, and adorned a smock. She began sifting through debris with ardor.
"You and Vartaan eh?" Nick posed, pretending he was far more interested in the evidence than he was in her answer. She turned to him, slowly, deliberately.
"And you know this how?"
Nick smirked, just a bit, knowing if he showed more amusement that she'd most likely hit him. Hard. "Saw him give you the tell-tale 'have a good day' kiss before shift." The Texan returned to his work, catching glimpses of his co-worker out of the corner of his eye, waiting for her response.
Sara grabbed a piece of rubber and began examining it. "That's right Nick, you... the expert on relationships. You haven't had one in..."
"Touché. But really, are we competing here because if we are-"
"Shut up." She ordered, smirking herself. They fell into companionable silence for a few moments.
"Dating?" Nick searched.
Sara's smirk grew, knowing it was nothing more than brotherly interest. "Dinner, twice. We have... fun." If he only knew. If he only knew...
"We have fun..." She repeated, lower.
They did, they had a lot of fun. And they hadn't meant to go to dinner together. Her car had broken down and as she stood swearing in the parking lot, cursing AAA, getting their busy signal repeatedly, he'd stumbled upon her. And he'd laughed at her. She was standing there, sweaty, disheveled, her hood popped.
Sara told him to shut up and turned her back but he'd laughed harder, mostly because she wore a huge oil smudge on her cheek. After moments of listening to his subdued laughter she turned to him and smiled, making faces as she listened to the AAA representative speak.
Just like that he offered to drive her home and she'd accepted. They'd stopped at a restaurant on the way, randomly. They'd laughed... and laughed, and talked and went home.
And he'd found her number and called her, asked if she wanted to get something to eat before her shift. She acquiesced easily. He was easy to talk to, good looking, not afraid to touch her. And yet, she knew, like any woman would...
"Don't think I'm gonna see him again." Sara supplied without emotion.
"Why?" Nick asked, tossing a piece of rubber into a plastic container.
"Well..." Sara began, thoroughly unable to contain the grin that was spreading across her face. "For one, he's not... we're not..." She couldn't come up with the words. Nick saw her drift off and knew instantly that she wasn't thinking of the striking detective.
"Broke your heart? I'll... Sara, you don't even... how do you feel?" Her friend stood up straight, squaring his back, silently asking if he had to kick some ass. Sara laughed and then... in explicably, her face fell.
'Feel like I want to die.' She thought. 'Felt like I've wanted to die for the past nine years.'
"You can't die from a broken heart. You only wish you could." Sara supplied thinking of... of...
Then she smiled. "No Nick, no broken hearts here. I just didn't want to come in between Mike and his boyfriend."
Nick's face paled and he sputtered just a bit. Then he laughed and turned back to his task. "That wasn't what I was talking about."
Sara was confused. "Huh?"
Nick looked at her, straight in the eye. And she knew. She knew that he knew. When he saw that she realized what he was getting at, he supplied softly, "He doesn't know what's good for him, he doesn't know what's best for him. He's still stuck in the third grade Sara."
Sara hid her face in her evidence and made no signal that she was listening to what Nick was saying to her.
"Girls are like apples." He continued. "The best ones are at the top. Boys don't want to reach for the high ones because they're afraid of falling and getting hurt."
Sara's head whipped around so that she met his eyes.
Nick laughed. "And damned if you're not one of the tallest I know."