Love Actually
Disclaimer: I just watched the film Love Actually and I thought the scene between Keira Knightley and Andrew Lincoln with the carol singing presentation thingy at the door step was frickin awesome and tear jerker-ish, so I'm basing this fic on that scene, but I've modified it slightly. I don't own any of the characters and I suppose the idea isn't technically mine, but like I said, I modified it. Call it inspiration if you will.
A/N: Please don't shoot me for the groom.
"May I present to you for the first time, Mr and Mrs Hank Peddigrew." The vicar led the congregation in applause as Hank grabbed Sara around the waist and kissed her. Everyone looked genuinely happy for the newlyweds, everyone except the Las Vegas Nightshift, especially Gil Grissom. As Sara and Hank walked past the guests, she caught Grissom's eye. He tried to form a smile, but she was whisked away before he could attempt.
"Come on Gil, try and be happy for Sara." Catherine patted his shoulder as she walked past him. "I know it's hard."
"You can't possibly know Catherine." He stormed out of the church.
"Ok now everyone!" the DJ spoke over the noise of the guests. "I want everybody to make way for the newlyweds first official dance and as of ten seconds ago, have a very Merry Christmas!"
Hank led Sara to the middle of the dance floor and wrapped his arms around her. They began to dance to "Always" by Bon Jovi and Grissom turned away. "Catherine, I'm leaving." He told the blonde who was standing next to him.
"No, Gil, you have to stay for Sara." She grabbed onto his arm.
"She's seen me, she knows I'm happy for her…"
"Bull shit Grissom!" Catherine snapped at him. "You're no more happy for her than the rest of us. Everyone knows it should be you and Sara getting married today instead of that sleaze ball, but you're too much of a coward to do anything about it, so deal with the consequences!" Grissom wrenched his arm out of her grasp and walked towards the exit. Sara watched him leave, but could do nothing as she was still dancing with Hank.
Grissom drove home and slammed the front door behind him. He paced around his kitchen for a few minutes before slamming his fist into the fridge, making a dent in both the fridge door and his knuckles. He calmed his breathing and sank onto the sofa. "I am such an idiot." He whispered to himself.A year later
"What's this?" Grissom asked Sara as she dropped an envelope onto his desk.
"It's my resignation. Hank and I are moving back to San Francisco next month. He's got a job in a hospital there." She leaned against the door and watched him. His eyes moved from the envelope to her, then he yanked the letter out of the envelope, signed it and shoved it back in before handing it back to her.
"There you go." He said, not looking at her.
Sara sighed and took the envelope back from him. "Thank you." She walked out of the room but looked back at him before she left. "Merry Christmas Griss." He went to reply but she had gone.
"I've lost her."
"Sara! Can you get the door please?" Hank yelled from the bedroom where he was packing stuff into boxes.
"I got it!" she yelled back and walked to the door in time to hear the bell ring again. "Hold on." She opened the door to find Grissom standing there holing a portable stereo and some large pieces of card. She was about to greet him but he raised a finger to his lips in the universal sign for silence. He held up the card to show the message 'Say it's carollers' in marker pen.
"Who is it?" Hank yelled.
Sara looked at Grissom curiously and yelled back "It's carollers."
"Well give them some money and tell 'em to go away!" he shouted.
Grissom placed the stereo on the ground and pressed play. 'Silent Night' sounded through the speakers. He removed the first card and put it on the ground next to him to reveal the next one and continued to do so.
'With any luck by next year
I will have got my hands on one of the following perfect and rare butterflies'
Sara laughed at this because it was complete with pictures of several endangered species of butterfly, including the Queen Alexandra's Birdwing, and nodded for him to continue, wondering what this was all about.
'But for now let me say
Without hope or agenda
Just because it's Christmas' and this was complete with a picture of a Christmas tree and snow falling on it.
'And if you can't say it at Christmas, when can you
'To me you are perfect'
Sara gasped at this card and stared at him.
'And my wasted and foolish heart will love you
'Until you look like this' and he revealed a picture of a decomposed foetal pig in a jar, the same one that was in his office.
Sara laughed again and wiped away a tear.
He revealed the last card with the message 'Merry Christmas' written on it. Sara mouthed "Merry Christmas" back at him and he picked up the cards and the stereo and walked away.
Sara watched him go. "Are you still at the damn door?" Hank shouted. He came down the stairs to find her standing next to an empty doorway. "What are you doing?"
"Hank." She walked up to him, slid her wedding ring from her finger and put it in his hand. "I'm sorry, but I'm not moving with you, I'm staying here. I can't stay married to someone I don't love." She started to walk to the door but he grabbed her arm.
"What are you talking about? Where are you going to go?" he looked distraught. Sara leant towards him and kissed him on the cheek.
"You're a great guy Hank, but…"
"But I'm not him." He finished for her, knowing she was still in love with Grissom. "He was at the door wasn't he?" Sara nodded and he sighed. "Go to him. I want you to be happy. Go." He gave her a little push and smiled grimly. She hugged him one last time and ran out of the house.
She looked up and down the street but couldn't see Grissom anywhere. She turned right and ran up the street which had no room for parking so he must have gone around the corner. She turned the corner of the street and saw his car pulling away. She ran at him. "Grissom! Grissom!" he didn't hear her and continued to drive away. She cursed and jumped into her own car.
Grissom arrived at his townhouse and parked. He got out of the car, opened the boot and took out the stereo and the cards. He sighed and closed the boot. He walked up the driveway and slid the key into the front door, opened it and put one foot in the door when he heard the screeching of tires. He turned and saw Sara's Prius "parked" at the side of his SUV. He put the stereo and cards on the ground as she scrambled out of the car and ran at him, literally. She jumped at him, wrapped her arms around his neck and crushed her mouth to his. Grissom lifted her off her feet and stumbled over the threshold, falling over onto the carpet of the lounge. They kissed for a few more minutes before Grissom pulled away.
"Hello Sara."
"Hi Gil."
"Do you mind if we stand up?" he asked her.
"Ok." He kissed her one more time and then she got up and helped him up. "Sorry about that." She smirked at him.
"No, don't be." He chuckled. "I enjoyed it." He looked at her for a minute. "So, to what do I owe this visit?"
She kissed him again and he embraced her. "I love you Gil. I love you. I don't know why I married Hank, I don't love him, I never did. You're the only person I've ever loved."
"I've always loved you Sara, I just didn't know how to tell you." Grissom whispered. "But I do now." He dug into the pocket of his jacket and pulled out a small velvet box. "I've had this ring for 5 years, I bought it when I came back to Vegas after we met at my seminar and I've been waiting 5 years to give it to you. Marry me."
Sara smiled and took the box from him, opening it and gazing down at the white gold ring with three emeralds set in a row. "Yes." She whispered and slipped the ring onto her now empty ring finger. He beamed at her and kissed her hard.
"Merry Christmas Sara."
"Merry Christmas Gil."
The End
Yes, I know it's not Christmas, but I've just watched the film again and I thought this scene was awesome and this idea wouldn't stop pecking at my brain, so here we are. I've just posted chapter 5 of my fic "A Week To Remember" and this was just a little break from it, but I'll get writing again a.s.a.p! Please R&R because your comments seriously mean the world to me!