Title: Making the Most of Life
Author: Maggienhawk
Disclaimer: I just spent the money from my "I'm going to eventually buy CSI Fund" on a new car….so I don't own them.
Summary: Compainion to She Smiles More Now. Sara POV, WS friendship, GSR.
A/N: I don't even know where this came from, but it manifested itself in a matter of hours. I just want to thank everyone for the great reviews on She Smiles More Now. Especially J9, who is by far the expert on all things Warrick and Sara. It's because of you that I get all giddy when they work together…and I'm a diehard GS shipper….
I should really tell him.
But it's still so new to me and I want to make sure that its going to last this time. I don't want to get my hopes up too high. Or his. He's been banking on this for a long time.
He worries about me, more than anyone ever has. He's been the best friend a girl could ever ask for.
And to think that I was upset when Grissom didn't fire his ass after I was brought in to investigate him. Go figure.
Our relationship seemed to change after the second "investigation" I had to do on him. He told me if I ever wanted to know anything about him, that I could go right to him. Don't go behind his back. And I haven't since then.
I can't recall a time when we haven't worked seamlessly since then, always joking around, or being serious when need be. He quickly became my second favorite work partner.
Second behind Grissom, of course.
I've learned to accept him for who he is, gambling addiction and all. And once I got past that, I realized what a wonderful person he truly is. He's come from a rough childhood. He didn't know his father; his mother was "a cokehead whore," – his words, not mine – but his grandmother made damn sure that he would not end up like them. And he didn't.
Except for his gambling. Growing up around Vegas, and running with the crowds he had no choice to run with, all added up to an addiction. It funded his education and his first car, but also cost him a lot more. And money was the least of it.
But since Holly's death, he's beaten it. He still plays a bit, but he knows the time and the place, and more importantly when to stop. The best bets are the silly ones between him and me about a test result here, or a rumor there.
When people look at him, they think what a laid back kind of guy he his, but not before they notice his striking green eyes. I think they get distracted by the eyes, that they are wrong about his demeanor. He's not laid back; he's intense. Put him in a layout room full of evidence, and he'll spend hours just looking at it, until he finds what he's looking for. Or put a piano in front of him, and he'll play you the most beautiful music. Most musicians are intense.
That was the most surprising thing about him. He is a musician. And a good one at that. I found out at a crime scene when he began to play a piano in a hotel room. It was beautiful, even if it was simple.
He told me later that morning, at breakfast, that he was tempted two years before, to quit being a criminalist and focus on his music. He also admitted that a woman had a substantial influence on that decision.
I had never seen him so upset about a woman before that morning. Everyone sees Nick as "the ladies' man," but it's a bunch of hoo-hah. No offense to Nick, but I swear that man hasn't had a date since the prostitute that he was accused of killing. But Warrick, he's a real ladies man, and he treats his women right. He just keeps it on the low.
But the situation with the jazz singer really hit a nerve. He told me there was something the moment he saw her. It was something he had never felt before. He just couldn't put himself in that position, having to deal with a heroin addict. Like he told her, life is too short. He wants to make the most of it.
He actually wishes that everyone would make the most of life. One of his childhood mentors helped teach him that, by running a youth center. It really upset him when the center closed down, and he felt as if his mentor was a hypocrite for assaulting that punk.
He wants me to make the most of my life. Apparently being a criminalist is not enough to keep me happy. And he's always the first to tell me that. All the while that he was going through rough phases, he would listen to what was going on with my personal life.
Especially, my relationship with Grissom.
Which is what I need to talk to him about. I haven't told him yet that Grissom and I are together. And have been for about a month now. This is the first time I've kept anything from him.
I wanted to call him up the moment that I returned from my six weeks in Boston, and tell him that Grissom, on his impromptu vacation, flew out to meet me. We spent a whole week working things out, and finally decided to try a real relationship with each other. It was the most wonderful week of my life, but I didn't want to jinx anything by telling anyone just yet.
But I know he'll be happy, because this is how I can make the most of my life. He's been telling me that since I finally admitted to him that I loved Grissom.
I walked past him this morning on my way out to my car. I would have invited him over for breakfast, but Grissom and I have already made plans for today. I told him that I'll see him later, and proceed to walk outside.
I'm diverted to Grissom's car when I spot him leaning against it, and we spend a few moments chatting about shift. Surprisingly, he leans forward and plants a sweet kiss on my lips.
A few moments pass and we break apart, just smiling at each other. I turn without a word and head to my car, and the thought of telling Warrick about my relationship with Grissom pops back into my head.
It must have been a psychic moment, because not three seconds later, I look up to see him standing in the middle of the parking lot, staring in the direction of Grissom and me.
Our eyes lock, and we both smile ridiculously large smiles. I guess I don't have to worry about telling him anymore.