Saddened By An Unexpected Encounter

Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own any of the characters in this story

"Well we should head back to the lab - and extract the DNA from this knife." Grissom nodded to Catherine's suggestion.

Minutes passed, Grissom and Catherine were on their way to the Crime Lab, they made no attempt for a conversation, it wasn't until they stopped at a red light - Catherine looked to her right, "Man, that's tragic." Grissom looked to his right to see what his friend of at least two decades was talking about. An elderly woman was wearing a tank top and a mini skirt. "Hey Grissom, if I ever start to show signs of that - tell me." Grissom raised an eyebrow then looked at Catherine and smiled.

"What?"

"Nothing." Grissom watched the lights turn green, and then accelerated the vehicle. Catherine shrugged off the confusion.

"Hey, Gil take a left here will you?" Grissom glanced at her,

"Why the lab is straight on."

"I know, I need to go potty." Grissom sighed,

"Can't you wait?"

"Do you like your car seat?" Grissom sighed again, and turned right.

"Where are we going?"

"Well, we are less than two blocks away from Sara's place…" Grissom shot a glance at Catherine, and braked the car suddenly. Catherine looked at Grissom, puzzled about his reaction, until she saw a bus pulling out, but that didn't stop her talking, she continued but carefully - not to start up any other erratic behaviour.

"I heard her telling Greg that she was off today, and that she was going to re-decorate her bedroom." Grissom gave another glance in Catherine's direction, she was looking out of her window. Grissom thought of what he'll say to her, the last time he saw Sara they had a heated discussion over the way a victim was treated. Then she stormed off into a dark red car, but she wasn't driving it - a guy was.

Gil Swallowed hard as he began to drive up her street, he glanced at Catherine who was crossing her legs and humming - obviously trying hard not to have an accident.

"Why didn't you go when we were at the crime scene - the was a diner nearby?"

"I didn't want to go then!"

Grissom turned off the engine, Catherine ran out and slammed the door – Sitting there quietly, he heard a bang to his left, Catherine had jumped at his window - and was knocking on the glass,

"Are you coming - I don't know where she lives" Grissom didn't want to, he wanted to wait a few more days, then she would have forgotten about their argument- he didn't need her to be uncomfortable with his presence.

Grissom walked up the stairs to her flat slowly - not wanting to be there - while Catherine was running up a few steps then stopping to look back to see if he was still following, then when he'd caught her up, she'd run up another flight.

"Come on Gil!" He sighed, he was getting butterflies already, and he wasn't near her door yet.

They came to her floor, Catherine waited for Gil to walk to Sara's door,

"Hurry, I can't last much longer." Gil gave Catherine a worried look

Grissom knocked on her door, while Catherine did a mini-jumping dance.

The door opened, slowly - Catherine's and Grissom's faces were a picture, they expected Sara to opened the door wearing old clothes with the occasional drop of paint - not a man standing in nothing but his light grey boxer briefs.

Catherine was unable to look away, she had totally forgotten why she was there.

"Uh…. wow, this is unexpected, uh…. are you looking for Sara?" Catherine was able to come back from the shock sooner than Grissom - who still had his mouth open.

"Uh I wondered if I could use your, well Sara's bathroom?" The man nodded,

"Uh, yeah… course…uh, Sara has gone to the store - but she'll be back soon." He stood to the side to allow Catherine pass, he then looked at Gil - who wasn't as impressed as Catherine, the two men stood there for a moment, glaring at each other. The man was aware of Grissom's admiration of Sara, he was also told by Nick that they had a past and that Grissom was protective of Sara. He stood to his left - to allow Grissom to walk in, Gil slowly passed the newly acclaimed arch enemy.

As Sara's boyfriend closed the door, Grissom stood by the kitchen cupboards. The guy not knowing what to say asked a question to break the ice.

"Can I get you anything Mr Grissom?" Gil didn't answer he just stared at him - with a look that could kill, but then he decided to say something,

"You could put some clothes on…." The guy had forgotten he was just in his Boxers,

"Uh yeah, I'll…uh, ok.." He walked quickly to the bedroom. Grissom sighed and bowed his head. Then the new enemy emerged from the bedroom, wearing jeans and a grey t-shirt, he smiled at Grissom awkwardly, Grissom didn't smile back.

The front door opened, the men looked towards the brunette carrying a bottle of wine and a pizza box. She saw her guest first, and gave him a smile that lit her face, she held up the bottle and the take-away. He smiled back, then tilted his head towards the unexpected visitor, Sara looked towards the kitchen cupboards and her smile slowly faded, she saw a saddened Grissom, saddened but annoyed, as she slowly lowered the objects that she was holding.

"Is there something wrong Grissom?" Asking why he was here rather than why he was wearing the expression.

Before he could answer she heard the toilet flush, her eyes darted towards the bathroom door.

"Oh Sara, hi… I've met your guest – I hope I haven't interrupted anything." Catherine looked at the wine in her hand, Sara sighed and placed the bottle and box on the kitchen unit. Then she turned towards Catherine who was wearing a very amused smile, she knew what Sara had intended to with her guest.

"Sorry we burst in like this, but I was desperate to use the little girls room." Sara smiled to herself, and nodded - slightly amused.

"It's alright Catherine." The two women smiled at each other, Catherine shot a glance at Gil who was still glaring at the gentleman, much to Catherine's disappointment he had gotten dressed, Catherine caught Grissom eyes - knowing what he was thinking.

" We better be off, we have evidence to get back to the lab." Grissom understood that she was making an escape, so he made his way to the front door, Sara smiled at him, to say hello – but he just walked passed and stood by the doorframe, Catherine was about to walk though the door, but stopped as she stepped into the hallway.

"Thank you Sara, you two kids have fun…" Catherine shot Sara another amused smile. Sara smiled back and glanced at the man - who also knew what the two women where indicating. Catherine slowly walked down the hallway, as she took her second step Sara looked at Grissom, and gave him another smile - he yet refused to smile but gave her a look, then he bowed his head. Sara walked over to the door, to say good-bye. Grissom didn't give any eye contact, he walked down the hallway, Catherine watched him, confused and slightly worried, she looked back at Sara,

"I mustn't keep him waiting - he's upset with me, it's not my fault I need the toilet," Sara smiled again,

"I'll see you tomorrow Catherine,"

"You sure will." Catherine turned to walk down the stair, where Grissom had walked away in a sulk. Sara was just about to close her door when she heard Catherine,

"…And see you tomorrow Detective Alex Vartann..." Sara laughed and closed the door.

"Hey wait up…. Why did you just walk on? It's rude not to say good-bye..." Grissom said nothing and just opened the driver's seat door, and climbed in, starting the engine before Catherine had reached the vehicle. As she climbed in herself, Grissom sighed, and gave Catherine a pitiful look. She smiled to cheer him up.

"Now lets get the knife back to the lab…. And not more stops for the bathroom." Grissom made a poor attempt to smile, as he pulled out he saw Sara's car, and next to it was another car - it was dark red…. Grissom felt anger and heat emerge from his stomach - he had to concentrate on someone else, like the victim or maybe he needed comfort and contact - but wasn't sure where to seek it.

Gently and carefully the wine hit the insides of the glass, holding the bottle was Alex, Sara was heating up the four cheeses and tomato pizza. Sara closed the oven door, Alex walked over to her with a full glass of wine in each hand, he handed her a glass - their eyes met, and they both smiled….

"A toast…. To the hope that friendships will turn to happy relationships…." Sara gently smiled

"To friendships that will turn to happy relationships." Sara repeated, Alex smiled and walked over to the wine bottle, sat on the table by her sofa - to replace the cork. While he wasn't looking Sara's smile turned to a saddened frown. Tomorrow she'll have to act like today never happened, also that what happened three weeks ago didn't happen either.

Chapter Two up soon!