Title: Last Minute Decisions
Rating: PG
Pairing: Warrick/Sara
Archive: At my site, The Band Gazebo ()
Summary: A scene from an airport
Author's Notes: For the LiveJournal CSReports "Last Minute" challenge
***
Sara could feel her face pale as she stared at Warrick. "Warrick-" she began, and he held up a hand, silencing her.
"Sara… I know this isn't the time… but stay. Please."
Sara shook her head, looking around her. "Not the..? Warrick, they're calling my flight."
He shrugged. "So it's now or never." Her jaw dropped at the words, and she ran a hand through her hair. He stepped closer to her, close enough to touch her, but not making any moves to do so. "Look, I know you're all ready to leave…"
"I've been ready for weeks Warrick," she reminded him. "You knew that."
"Yeah, I did. And I thought you were looking forward to it…"
"I am."
It evidently sounded as false to him as it did to her. "That's why you asked me to drop you off here, instead of taking a cab? That's why you waited until the last minute before going to the gate?" His voice trailed off as he looked at the screen where her flight number was flashing. "I thought I could do this. But now we're here… and I don't want to let you go."
His voice was a whisper, her reaction a sigh. "We were over a long time ago…" she began, but he had an answer for that.
"And we were never that serious to begin with, I know. And I know I can't offer you what San Francisco can… I know about the great job, and the opportunities and about getting away from Grissom and everything that's happened here, and I know I shouldn't be asking you to do this…but I'm asking. Stay."
She closed her eyes as she heard her flight number, along with a request for passenger Sidle to please report to the gate. She didn't open them when she spoke. "I have to go."
He didn't touch her, maybe he knew that she'd fall apart if he did. Maybe he would too. His voice was heavy when he spoke. "Call me when you get in?"
"OK." Turning, she walked away from him, ticket in her hand, ready for inspection. She was going to have to run, she knew that, was beginning to already.
Then she stopped.
When she started again, it was in the other direction.
She couldn't see him at first, then she did, called his name. He turned, surprise written all over his face, and then she was in his arms, her feet off the ground as he lifted her.
He was grinning when he put her down, and she just stared at him. "What did I just do?" she asked. He didn't reply, and she continued, "I have no job…"
"Gris'll take you back."
"All my luggage is on its way to San Francisco."
"I'll buy you clothes."
"I have no place to live."
"You can stay with me."
With that, his lips descended on hers, and Sara knew that last minute or not, this was the best decision she'd ever made.