Comfort Zones
By Miss Jazz
Category: Romance/Humor, GSR.
Spoilers: Season 7.
Summary: Grissom and Sara try to have some fun.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
Author's Note: I hope you enjoy this! I will be updating my other stories soon. Sorry for the wait.
Sara stood in front of Grissom, giggling lightly, her cheeks flushed a deep shade of red. She pulled her keys out of her pocket and dangled them in front of him, her dancing eyes urging him to take them quickly. With a sneaky smirk, he took them and he led the way to the Tahoe. Sara trotted after him, shaking her head in surprised delight.
Their game was fun.
Grissom had been somewhat hesitant when they first started it, but now he was very much into it, and he was pretty sure that his newest idea would make Sara proud.
Sara climbed into the passenger seat, grinning and eyeing Grissom carefully."You realize that we're taking a big risk here...right?" She cleared her throat anxiously. "I mean...you've never taken the game this far before."
Of course, she didn't need to say that. Grissom knew very well that he was taking a risk. But for the first time in his life, he didn't really care. It wasn't like he was about to break the law, and he was pretty sure that no one would get hurt. So, five minutes earlier, he'd taken a few deep breaths and he'd decided to go for it. He was going to knock Sara's socks off.
So to speak.
"You're just worried that I'm going to win," he said, winking at her as he started the vehicle.
Sara pursed her lips, suppressing a laugh. "You're counting your chickens."
"No, I'm not."
"Yes, you are. You're counting your chickens before they've hatched. Admit it. We haven't done this yet, and it might not go as planned." She paused. "And, if we get caught, it doesn't count."
Grissom thought for a moment. "I don't remember that rule."
"Griss!" Sara elbowed him playfully. "You made that rule."
"Hmmmm, so I did."
He smiled, and he drove, with one hand on the steering wheel and one hand wrapped around Sara's. He liked this new side of himself, and although it still scared him, he wanted to become more familiar with it. Sara seemed to like it too. She squeezed his hand tightly and occupied herself by stealing glances at him as he drove. Grissom could feel the heat in his cheeks.
It was still unusual to him...being so close to someone, sharing thoughts, dreams, a bed. But when Sara looked at him, he felt so loved, so treasured, and the feeling was worth all the unfamiliarity. It would become familiar, he reminded himself. It would become familiar just like their game had become familiar. In fact, it was surprising how familiar their game had become. When Sara had first suggested that the two of them engage in activities outside of their comfort zone, Grissom had been very uncomfortable with the idea.
"We've stepped outside of our comfort zones a lot in the past few months," he'd reminded Sara, as they lay in their bed, tangled up the sheets. "I think we've done a good job of it."
Sara had smiled. "Yes. We have. I definitely agree, but..."
"But?" He had kissed her then, and in that kiss he'd remembered how far they'd actually come. They were a couple. An actual couple. Sleeping together. Living together. Working together. Stepping out of their comfort zones together. It had taken them–or rather him–a long time to be able to do that. And he was spent.
"Griss," Sara had objected, her laugh muffled by his lips. "C'mon."
He'd pulled away, eyeing her carefully. "Okay...you want us to do...adventurous things...that we would never think of doing...just so we'll 'continue to grow as human beings and be even more comfortable with the changes we've made to our lifestyles.'"
She'd given him a grin. "I believe that's exactly how I put it."
"I was listening carefully."
"No, you weren't. You were already trying to think of all the crazy things I would make you do."
"I have the brain capacity for multiple thought processes. You know that," he had teased her.
"I just want you to think about it. It would be good for us. And geez, Griss, we might even have a little fun. That's something we've both missed out on. We've gotta make up all the time we've missed."
He'd changed the subject then, but only weeks later, he'd found himself engaged in a full-out dirty, flirty game with Sara, to see who could come up with the best activity. Sara was currently winning, but Grissom was determined to change that status.
He parked the Tahoe on the side of a dark, empty road, and he sighed contentedly. He had already one-upped Sara and they hadn't even started. She'd been giving him nods of approval–and astonishment–the entire ride.
"I gotta say, Griss," she began, as he opened her door and took her hand. "Very risky. I never thought you'd ditch a crime scene for the game. That's pretty impressive."
Grissom took a moment to give her a triumphant look before lowering his voice and admitting, "well, we're on our way to the scene, we're just making a detour. We're not ditching it completely."
"Ah, I see," she laughed, slipping out of the Tahoe. "But still...I'm impressed."
"You think you'll still be winning after tonight, don't you?"
Sara licked her lips. "Oh come on, Griss, please. I've already pushed you to your limit."
"White water rafting? You think white water rafting is my limit?"
"You were freaking out the entire time," Sara reminded him.
"I did it though."
Sara smirked. "Well don't forget the sex afterwards. Sex in the wilderness–that's pretty much as far as you go." She frowned suddenly, looking at their surroundings. "Grissom?" she asked sweetly, a moment later. "Are you about to copy my idea?"
Grissom reached into the backseat and pulled out a blanket and some pillows. "Maybe."
Sara shivered with delight. "Sounds, uh, great, but it's originally my idea, and I'll still be winning."
Shaking his head, Grissom led Sara through the trees. "Well, Sara, you're right when you say sex in the wilderness is as far as I go. So, yes, I'm about to copy your idea, and I'm looking forward to it. Are you?"
She nodded quickly, laughing. "Yes...but I'm still winning."
"I don't know about that."
"What do you mean?"
Grissom shrugged. "We are, technically, ditching a crime scene...temporarily...for this, and the last time we did it, we were on vacation days. So I think, with that addition, this is, by far, the most outrageous activity that we have engaged in." He paused. "I'd say I'm pretty damn far out of my comfort zone right now."
Sara pretended to pout. "But it's still originally my idea."
Grissom nodded. "Right, but I'm about to add even more to it."
"Really?"
"Yes."Grissom set the blanket and the pillows on the ground and gazed into Sara's eyes. "But first, we need to alter some rules. I need you to agree to get rid of the 'if we get caught, it doesn't count' rule."
Sara was puzzled. "Why?"
"Just agree."
Sara thought for a second and then pointed at the trees. "There's no one out here, Grissom. We're not going to get caught. Getting rid of the rule won't matter much."
"Okay, so you agree?"
"Wait–does this have something to do with the crime scene we're 'temporarily' ditching? Are you thinking we're going to get caught when we get back? We have to be caught in the act, Griss. Suspicion from others doesn't count."
"That's not it." Grissom sighed. "Please, just agree, honey. I really would like to get to our activity."
Sara would have a hard time refusing that.
Her eyes sparkled. "Okay, I agree."
"Good."
And with that, Grissom whipped out his cell phone and punched in a few numbers. "I'm just going to call Nick and tell him we're running late," he explained, as Sara knelt down on the ground to arrange the blanket and the pillows.
Sara looked up at him with a smile. "Covering your ass, huh? I'm definitely still winning."
Grissom didn't have time to reply, because Nick answered his phone. "Hey, Nick," he said brightly. "Sara and I are running late." Sara began to shake her head, but Grissom didn't even pause. He kept right on going, spewing words that she didn't expect to hear. "We're not having trouble with the vehicle," he continued, a slight, nervous waver in his voice, "but we're late anyway, because we're out here in the woods. Together. You see–we're actually seeing each other, and, uh, sleeping together, and all of that, because we're a couple. I just thought it was time that you, and everybody else, knew. It shouldn't be a secret anymore. I think it's time that you all know that I'm in love with her."
Grissom ended the call quickly and sank down onto the blanket beside Sara, trembling wildly. His breaths came rapidly, and his blue eyes were wide. He reached for Sara's hand and then turned to face her.
She looked at him in shock, tears forming in her eyes.
Grissom reached up to put his hands on her warm cheeks. "I'm winning."
Sara nodded breathlessly. "Okay."