A/N: Here we are with our second Sandle story (or disaster: P). We posted our first one a few months ago, and here's another one.

Thanks a lot to Steffi (SandleLover) for the betta, we all breath, eat and drink §ndl3! Hope you like! •Marmel♪

Flowers For Friendship On Fire

Chapter 1: Home Sweet Home

After a long trip all that Greg wanted to do was to come back home. The worst thing he had ever done was accept that invitation for the most boring seminary ever, which Grissom had offered to him. In fact he told him that if he didn't go then, he would go in summer to New York, while the rest of the team was on vacation.

The trip was starting to get endless, especially when he couldn't even use his cell phone. He had the bad feeling that he had passed Las Vegas, which was the reason why he hadn't slept during the whole trip. Although he couldn't see where he was through the plane's window, he had the necessity of looking through it.

It had been two years since he left New York. To make things worse, he spent two weeks in the Big Apple, without having almost any contact with his co-workers from Las Vegas. The only thing he wanted to do was to reach the lab and tell them all about his traumatic experience.

When the plane landed, Greg got out and walked through the airport carrying his luggage, among all the people. It looked like everybody was there at that time: the old ones, the young ones and even some pets saying goodbye or receiving their owners.

He left the airport and took a cab to his place. While he was on his way, he decided to call Grissom to tell him he had reached Las Vegas...safe.

"Grissom" his boss said as he picked up the phone.

"I'm on my way to my place" Greg said as he was looked out the window. "Do you need me at the lab or can I take the day off?" he smiled at himself, knowing that was nearly impossible to happen.

"Nice try, Greg" Grissom answered smiling at the question. "I'll give you one hour to be at the lab."

"Fine; I'll be there, see you". When he was almost holding off, he remembered "Don't tell the guys I've arrived."

"Oh ok" Grissom answered a little confused "If that's what makes you happy."

"Thanks". He smiled slightly, he had a plan.

Greg reached his place, unpacked his stuff as fast as he could and took a shower.

While he was in New York, he had met some people. One of them was an old college friend, who had studied with him a few times and they also graduated together. They had time to chat after the first class:

Flashback

"How did you end up in Las Vegas?" Elliot was a tall man, of Greg's age, but with much more experience.

"I spent a few years working here, and then I got a call from my actual boss, who hired me then." He gave him a summary of his career. Then it was his turn to ask, "How did you end up in California?" he asked.

"I just moved there with my wife a few years ago" Elliot answered smiling slightly.

"You got married!" Greg couldn't hide his surprise when he heard Elliot say that, considering that they were very similar in college, and he wasn't even close to getting married nowadays, "That's great man, Congratulations."

Elliot laughed at his comment, and then moved on with another subject, "How is to work in Sin City these days?" He asked, curious now.

"Mmm...Well, I love my job. Especially now that I passed my proficiency and I'm in the field" As he was talking, his mind couldn't avoid remembering his 'professor', Sara Sidle.

He smiled without even noticing it himself. "I don't complain, I have awesome co-workers, who are like a second family to me, and the job is pretty interesting". He was being honest; his co-workers were almost the best part of his job.

"What about your personal life?" Elliot got more serious now, not knowing if Greg really wanted to discuss the subject.

"That's different." he answered as he looked down to the floor. "There's a girl...oh god I don't know how to face this" he was stammering, but never looked up to Elliot.

"I think I know what you are passing through" Greg looked up.

"Really... How's that?" He could never imagine that Elliot could have ever been in the same situation.

"My wife, Susan, was my partner. When we decided to tell our boss about us, we knew what was going to happen" He explained himself to Greg. "After a few days, both of us were transferred

to California".

"And ...How did you manage to start something with Susan?" Greg thought that asks him that might help him with his own issue.

"I really don't know… it just happened. For me It was love at first sight, but at the beginning she wasn't really interested in me", he said as he laughed at his comment. "But after we started working together, we became really close, and helped each other through tough times..."

"I see". Greg realized the situation of his friend was pretty similar to his own.

"You should talk to her...I mean, you really like her, don't you?" he asked Greg in an innocent tone.

"I'm in love with her, and I have no idea how to tell her that." Greg answered as he raised his hands in the air quickly, in sign of confusion.

"When we were at college, you told me that you knew the meaning of almost every flower". Elliot suddenly raised his voice a little and look at him, with his eyes wide open. "Well, use that, I know you can practically explain yourself without words if you do".

"Flowers...that might work" Greg smiled at Elliot and both started laughing.

End Flashback

He was on his way to the lab now, and all those thoughts didn't want to leave him alone. He really wanted to give her something, but it had to be very deep and not too romantic at the same time, the last thing Greg wanted was to scare her.

He made his way through the lab, not even imagining that he would ever be so exited about seeing his friends, he was happy of giving them the surprise to appear suddenly in the lab. He turned around the corner, and walked slowly until he was just a few steps away from the break room. He could hear voices as he was hiding behind the wall.

"Hey guys!"

Nick, Warrick, Catherine and Sara turned around, surprised. They all said something to him, but all the voices at the same time made a mess. Some people watched them in an intrigued way, and others that were walking through the lab, stopped for a few minutes.

"What are you doing here?" Sara said with a smile.

" I wanted to surprise you guys" He couldn't believe that he was so happy to see her, her smile made his day one of the best, this was the best welcome ever.

"It certainly worked" Catherine said as she was laughing. "We are going back to work in a few minutes, but we could go out and celebrate at the end of the shift".

"Sounds good" Greg answered as the rest nodded.

Nick and Warrick got up of their seats and as they were passing next to Greg, both of them gave a punch in the arm, which made Greg's arm hurt after the two 'welcomes'.

Catherine made her way out too, but this time she just squeezed Greg's shoulder. This left Sara (who was reading what it seems to be a report) and Greg alone.

He entered in the break room and sat down, staring at her with a smile.

"I missed you" He said as he kept staring at her, this time more serious.

At first she was surprised by the comment, but then she knew that she was feeling the same, just she hadn't imagine saying it. "Join the club" she said as she looked up to stare into his eyes, "I missed you too".

"Oh God, she's so beautiful when she smiles" Greg thought as Sara smiled sweetly at him, he couldn't avoid melting into her eyes.

But now it wasn't just him who was feeling thousand of emotions flowing through his heart, she was also starting to get confused.

"Are we going out to celebrate?" She said as she was smiling.

"Well, I didn't want to disappoint Catherine, but I don't feel like going out. I'm tired, you know?" He was being absolutely honest with her, he was damn tired and all that he wanted to do was lay in his bed and sleep with the sound of Las Vegas around him.

"I'll tell her you don't want to go, if you want. Or you can tell her that we can go out tomorrow, she won't get mad" Sara suggested.

"That's ok". He thought for a second about what was in his mind, but he decided that if he thought about it more, he wouldn't say it.

"What about if you come to my place? I wouldn't mind having my welcome party in my house with you". He had said it, knew the problem was what she was going to answer, though. Please I hope I didn't ruin everything

A/N: We update as soon as we have our betta done. Thanks all for reading! Please review :D