Title: Probe

Author: Evidence

Rating: PG

Author's Notes: After the Recipe for Murder fiasco I had to reason out my thoughts. The ideas for this story came from the various wonderful posts on the Since I Met You message board (especially VIgirl). This is just my take on it.
I haven't read any other post RfM stories yet so any similarities is pure coincidence but if you feel the need to contact me, please do.




Warrick Brown searched in the mini-refrigerator for the sub he had brought. "Greg, did you eat my Italian sub?"

"What did it look like?"

Warrick rolled his eyes. "About this big," he held out his hands, "covered in cheese, pepperoni and roast beef."

"Oh, sorry, I took it." Sara had entered the room.

If Warrick had been shocked before now he was utterly confused. "Sara, that has meat in it."

"Yeah, I know, I took the meat out. Sorry, Warrick I don't know what I was thinking."

Greg raised his eyebrows and waved goodbye. So he is going to let me deal with this on my own, Warrick thought.

"Sara, are you feeling okay?" Warrick asked motioning for her to sit down on the Breakroom sofa.

"Of course I am." Sara applied a grin to her face. "I made a mistake that's all."

"You've been doing that a lot lately."

Sara's head shot up. "Warrick, what are you talking about?"

"Two nights ago you were unprofessional on the job."

"Unprofessional? I've never been unprofessional."

"Remember we went to that girl's apartment, Hank was there, you said..."

Sara abruptly rose. "Warrick, I'm not talking about this with you."

"Fine," He titled his head, "but you need to talk to someone." He paused wondering how to phrase his next question. "Why are you with Hank, when you should be with Grissom?"

Sara seemed taken back to Warrick's probe. "That's...that's none of your business."

"I'm concerned, okay? I can see how prefect you and Griss are for each other, why can't you?"

"I do see it." She looked out of the Breakroom door to make sure there were no spying ears. "He's the one who doesn't see it."

Warrick shook his head. "Yes, he does."

Sara sat back on the sofa. "Last year we were getting really comfortable with each other but nothing happened. It never will. He doesn't want it to." She looked down at her jeans and began tracing the seam with her finger.

"How do you know that? Griss is a closed off person, it is hard for him to get comfortable with someone. Gosh, he never told me that he played poker until the case we had. That's him, and you love that about him."

Sara's face grew pale. Warrick knew he was getting to her, now he had to make her see the light of day.

"Look, Sara I've seen the looks between you two- there is something there. Both of you need to take the plunge."

"I'm with Hank." She said it abruptly.

"For now, not forever. I thought you weren't dating him? Didn't you say that in court and to Catherine?"

Sara ran her fingers threw her hair. "This is why I don't tell anyone my business. I tell Catherine something and she immediately runs to the rest of you."

Warrick stroked his chin. "It wasn't that way."

"Last year I told you I was going on a date with Hank and soon everyone knew. This time I wasn't letting anyone know."

"Well you blew that now, huh?" Sara threw him an icy look. Warrick continued, "Grissom and you seemed really happy together on that last case you worked."

Sara sighed. "Yeah, we were. It was like old times. I thought for a moment...nevermind."

"You thought that maybe there was a chance for the two of you?" Warrick finished for her.

The look on her face answered the question but she added, "I've gotten my hopes up before only to have nothing happen. I enjoy working, being with Grissom."

"Expect you're seeing Hank."

Tears trickled on Sara's eyelashes. "I like Hank. He's a great guy. He works the same hours that I do. He's single." She looked deeply into Warrick's green eyes. "I want to get married and have kids. I want a real life for myself. Hank's is giving me that."

"Grissom could, too."

"Leopards don't change their spots." She let out a small smile. "Grissom is Grissom. He's not going to change. He doesn't want to be that close to another person."

Warrick, voice low said, "He will if you ask him."

"I couldn't ask him to change. I like him the way he is even with all his faults." A tinge of sadness was reflected in her voice.

Warrick put his head back on the sofa. "All this time I thought you were so perfect but you're just as screwed up as the rest of us. Sara, if you love Hank, then fine be with him but if it's Grissom that makes you're heart beat rapidly, tell him. Don't settle for less. To use a metaphor Grissom is the car you've always wanted but couldn't afford. Hank is the car you buy with your meager money. Sometimes it is better to go without a car than take a lesser grade and hurt your chances of attaining your dream car."

Sara shook her head. "Great metaphor, Warrick," she said sarcastically.

Sara wiped away her tears with the cuff of her sleeve. "Sometimes I feel like I'm going Mack 80 and I can't stop. I start to do things I'm not even realizing I'm doing. I look back and think, was that me? What's happening to me, Warrick?"

"Talk to someone, a professional."

Sara made a sound. "Not the answer I was looking for."

Warrick touched her shoulder. "When do you feel at your best? Ask yourself that question."

Just then Grissom entered and grabbed a juice from the fridge. "Is everything okay?" He looked directly at Sara.

"Fine," she said.

"Okay," he paused looking like he wanted to say something more but continued on his way.

"He knows something's up with you." Warrick said.

"No, he doesn't."

"Yeah, he does. You two can read each other's mind." Warrick got up and left Sara sitting on the sofa. He knew he had given her a lot to think about. He just hoped that true love would win out in the end.