The Bet
Author: Michelcz
Disclaimer: CSI doesn't belong to me. It all belongs to Anthony E. Zuicker.
Spoilers: Way to go, Built to kill part one
Characters: Catherine Willows, Gil Grissom
Summary: What will happen if we found that the end of Way to go was only game. That it was only bet between Catherine and Gil. What was in a pool?
A/N: This story was written for November Challenge for Graveshifhtcsi yahoo group. It was written for Jac. I hope that she liked it and I also hope that you will like it. Please read and send me feedback what do you think about this little fic.
Grissom laid and propped up on his elbow on the bed in a blue and white shirt, pondering death. His eyes were wandering around the room which he wanted to see only in his worst nightmare. He knew that he must go along this game if he would like to win Catherine' s hand and her acceptance of his proposition. He proposed her. It all started like an innocent bet with Cath about the paperwork. Who will do it for next few months. And it all escalated this way.
"I don't know. Most people want to die in their sleep, I suppose. Never know that it's happening."
Grissom continues to think out loud.
"Like a crime scene. Surprise, you're dead. I'd prefer to know in
advance that I was going to die. I'd like to be diagnosed with cancer,
actually. Have some time to prepare."
Grissom sighs as he stares off in the distance and continues to ponder death.
"Go back to the rain forest one more time. Re-read 'Moby Dick.' Possibly enter an international chess tournament."
Sara entered the bedroom and heads toward Grissom while he continues to ponder death and good-byes.
"At least have enough time to say good-bye to the people I love."
Sara kneeled down in front of the bed, her arms reaching out along the bed
cover. She shook her head and smiled as she responded.
"I'm not ready to say good-bye."
"Sara, but I'm ready to say goodbye, especially to you." he told her with joyful face.
"What? How d-do y-y-ou mean it, Gil?" she asked him. She tried to be calm but he could see how much she was trembling.
"I mean it exactly how I said it. I AM prepared to say goodbye to you. I enjoyed the game which I played with you, and by the way I wasn´t the only one who you were made a good laugh. You can guess who is the second person, Sara."
"Catherine." She stated.
"Touché, Sara. Yeah, it is Catherine," he said while he was tried to find his mobile so he could call Cath.
"I won the bet. I hope that you're prepared, Cath", he said into the mobile at the moment when he heard Willows in the phone. He got up from the bed where he was laying before.
"Thank you for the several funniest weeks. Have a nice evening, Sidle." he told her in the moment when he was on his way from her apartment.
This all happened a few weeks ago when the crew was trying to find their lost balance after the attack on Jim. They all were so vulnerable and Grissom found the best moment in his life when he could let Sara Sidle down. She seemed that she couldn´t catch any hint which he sent her. 'I don' t want you. I'm not interest in you, girl.'
He has been thinking about the way how it all started.
+++flashback+++
Cath and he were sitting in their favorite dinner and they were bickering each other when suddenly someone came on. He caught glimpse of the person form and he groaned.
"Gil, what happened?" Cath asked him.
"Sidle," was all he could said.
"Holy shit, Gil, you know pretty well that I am telling it you for a few years but you were so stubborn and didn´t want to acknowledge it. You know she' s got a thing for you but you are trying to ignore it."
"Ok, ok, I know you´ve got true and the right be so sharp at me. I am going to do something with it," he told her.
"You, Gil Grissom, are going to do something about it? Are you kidding me, Gil? You, as you like to say himself, are non-person man and you are going to let Sara Sidle down. It's absolutely impossible thing." She said in disbelief.
"Ok, Catherine, we are going to make a deal. It would be a bet between us which we used to have some time ago."
"Sounds good. What' s in a pool?" she asked.
"If… if I win that bet you are going to marry me," he told her, "and if you win it, I will be your slave in everything what you will desire."
"What did you just said? Marry you? Gil, I can help myself but I'm starting to think that you're insane. By the way, have you said after the first shocking sentence that you will be 'my slave for one long year'?"
"Yeah, I said it."
"Even if I told you that you will be doing all paperwork for me, honey." She asked him mischievously.
All what was heard after that suggestion was Grissom's groaning.
"Are you afraid that you will lose it?" she teased him.
"No way. I suggested it because I know very well that I will be winner."
"Man, don't be so sure with yourself."
"So, Cath, did we make a deal or not." he winked at her.
"Yeah, it's a deal."
"So, what' s your plan, pal?" she asked.
"No, I am not going to tell you, Ms. Willows."
"No, go ahead, please, speak your mind!!"
"I'm not going to tell you. I figured out what I must do but I'm not going to say it you." He answered her calmly and his voice told her that she wouldn' t find anything even though she would be trying all her tricks on him.
+++ end of flashback +++
"Gil, honey, are you ok?" Catherine asked him when she came in the room where he was sitting.
He was so comfortable that he didn't notice her. So she was able to watch him for a few moments. He had a goofy smile in his face.
Suddenly she has been feeling that he registered her. She didn't know how he was doing it but when it came to her he had some six sense. He knew almost every time when she was in the room or somewhere near to him. She decided she will discovered his secret.
"Yep, I am Ok. No Ok is bad word how to describe what I am feeling just now, darling. I've got the best time of my life. And everything it' s due to you and our little bet."
"Yeah, our little bet. It was the best moment in our relationship for twenty years. I am glad we made a deal how you had been insisted on it. I was never more happy than I am now and same thing I can say about Lindsey. She' s glowing with happiness that you're with us now and you will be for the rest of our life. We are forming a family just now and maybe one day we could try to have another baby, Gil."
"Are you sure, Catherine? I know you are afraid that something bad could happen but I' m pretty sure that everything will be fine. We will figure out our future soon, darling."
She was gazing at him lovingly. She could see a man who found his way through the life. He found that everything don' t have to be like a cocoon. He survived so much in his life and had been afraid of the world around him that he had built thick wall around his heart and himself. She was only one whho could go through it and was able to discover the path into his heart and soul. He was so amazing when he was with her daughter. He had a heart full of love and passion. He's sweet, caring, and unbelievably hot. He was so natural with children although it was a thing which was the last thing about him who would be thinking people in the lab.
"By the way, love, what were you thinking about before I approached you?" she asked curiously.
"I was thinking about the day when we made a deal and our life story started." he answered her when he was gazing into her eyes.
"And were you thinking also about the day D when everything had became clear for Sara?" she asked.
" Of course that I was thinking about it but you was one who broke track of minds of mine, " he answered.
"Oh, I am so sorry, mister." she told him. "Would you like to share our memories together?"
"Yeah, you can bet on it, He told her back while he was standing up from the couch where he was sitting during their talk.
He walked slowly to her and grabbed her a bit roughly by one of hers hand. He caught her in his arms and held her tightly. His arms were doing a slow way from her waist to her face which he had been holding between both of his hands. He was longingly looking into her eyes.
+++ flashback +++
Grissom was so much pleased with himself how he found the best way to let Sara Sidle down. He was goofing. He was so non - gruesomely Grissom. He was happy. He found a way how to trick his Catherine that she' s going to marry him. He loved for so long time as it seems so unbelievably.
He had been grinning also cause he had caught Sara absolutely out of balance. She was thinking all the time when Cath and he were playing 'the relationship game' with her, he would have to have something with her. Why she was so foolish? She was nothing for him. She was like a daughter or baby sister to him.
He was impatiently waiting before the Bellagio fountain for Catherine. He was clothed in his suit which he wore when Catherine came back from Miami. At that time he hated each moment when he had to wear it. Today was but different situation. Today was finally day when he will married love of his life. When he will find his sun in the sky.
"Hey handsome, are you waiting for someone? Would you mind if I will be waiting with you?" someone whispered in his ear. He was startled by Catherine.
"Argh, Catherine Willows, what did I tell you about sneaking on me from behind? By the way, how is it possible cause I was looking for you through the crowd of the people?" he asked her with raised eyebrow.
"I … I came here from the Rampart. I needed to leave Lindsey with mom cause Nancy is out of the city. So you know why I could approach you from behind." she said innocently.
"Did you tell Lindsey about our plans?" he asked without the comment on Rampart situation.
"Yeah, I told her. She was so happy that she was going to call the rest of team at the first moment. I must stop her and I needed to said that it´s our big secret for a while. So she swore on his favorite uncle Gil."
"Great, so why are we still standing here, soon -to-be-Mrs.Grissom? I think that it´s time for us to go to married." he said and pulled her out of the Strip. They went into small chapel near the Strip where they are going to be married.
How he led her behind him he turned a bit his head around and said:
"By the way, Cath, I love you."
+++ end of flashback +++
Catherine came into the club with Nick. He was annoying her if she had knew about Grissom and the rest of team. If she knew if they will come too. She tried to be patient with him so she told him that Grissom told her yes. He was happy cause Gil Grissom was a man who was very important for Nick, especially after he was kidnapped almost two years ago.
When they came into the club the music doesn´t play and Nick had mischievous look in his face. It looks how he knew something what was very important for this evening. Almost how he had known that she'd got a small box with two rings in her purse. Two rings whose she received from her husband. She didn't know how he every time found what she loves when it came to jeweler. He told her that he had got almost twenty years for it. He was looking for the right ring every free moment, of course, if he wasn't hiding in his office before Ecklie. He searched so long as was possible but he found it. He chose matching rings. It was platinum and diamond wedding band with accent area of pink gold set with nature pink diamonds. You could see also white diamonds whose were set on three sides of the ring and the pink diamonds set in the center pink gold section. She loved her engagement ring and she thought that nothing can' t be more beautiful but in the moment when Gil pulled out the matching band from his pocket, she was stunned. She was speechless. She was glad the part 'I do' was behind them cause she knew she would be in trouble. Gil and she decided that it was the best time for their secret. They decided to bring to light that they were married for several months.
"So do you think Grissom will show?" asked Nick
"Not if he thinks he as to dance," she answered him although she knew he will come.
Nick chuckled. They turned their attention to the stage exactly in the moment when the moderator was announcing John Mayer.
"Ooh, I like him," Catherine said after she heard it.
"You got to dance," Nick took Catherine' s hand and led her to the dance floor, "Come on, let's go. My God."
John Mayer started his performance with the song 'Waiting on the world change' and Catherine and Nick started dancing. Cause they both were the great dancers they were making amazing pair in dance floor. When the song was ending and the audience applauded and cheered, Nick saw a blonde-haired woman he seemed to recognize.
"I think I know her," Nick told her suddenly.
"Yeah, I bet you do," Cath chuckled.
"Ask her to dance," she said.
"Yeah?" asked her.
"I'm going to get a drink," she told him firmly.
"You're sure?"
"Go for it," she was saying while she was leaving the dance floor and headed over to the bar.
Catherine sat at the bar. The bartender leaned over and pointed to a man
who was sitting at the far end of the counter.
"The guy down there wants to buy you your next drink," he said.
Catherine turned and looked at the man. She shook her head."
"No, thanks," she said back to the bartender.
When the bartender left Catherine looked suspiciously at her drink and pushed it aside, she turned and was listening to the music as she watched Nick on the dance floor. She had been watching how he was dancing with his 'new victim of his south charm' on the next John Mayer' s song. She was enjoying the picture in front of her when she suddenly felt someone' s arm sneaking around her waist.
"Hey beautiful," she heard well known voice in her ear, "can I buy you next drink?"
She leaned into the man who had been standing behind her and lazily said.
"You are allowed to do it always, honey."
"Wow, that's the best news which I received today. But I … I know about something better than is another drink," he said huskily.
"And what is it?"
" I can't say but I can show you, " he whispered and turned her in his embrace and captured hungrily her mouth.
Nick who was planning to disappear from the club and trying to catch Catherine's attention, was caught by picture which he saw. He could see his boss how he had been hungrily kissing his best friend. He was stunned cause it looks like someone found his courage to do the most important step of his life. Suddenly he caught something glitter on Catherine's left hand. It looked like a wedding band. He chuckled to himself.
They two was meant to be together. He was glad that they managed to work it between them. He thought he was discrete but the contrary was the case. He was watched by his friends and his co-workers if he saw it.
"Hey Gil, do you think he saw us?" she asked him.
"Yeah, darling, I can said it. Turn and you will see," he winked at her.
When she turned around, she could see Nick on the side of the dance floor how he was pulling out his cellular phone and dialing someone' s number.
"Hey Rick, bro, I'm sorry that I am bothering you but I have to tell you something important. Catherine and Grissom are married," he talked excitedly in the phone during his way out of the club.
When he was almost out he could hear how the moderator said that John Mayer is going to sing a song which is dedicated to one amazing woman, Catherine Grissom. He also caught first words of the song 'Just the way you look tonight.
Someday when I'm awfully low
When the world is cold
I feel a glow just thinking of you
And the way you look tonight.
Oh, but you're lovely with your smile so warm
And your cheek so soft
There is nothing for me to love you
And the way you look tonight
With each word your tenderness grows
Tearing my fear apart
And that laugh that wrinkles your nose touches my foolish heart
Lovely, never ever change
Keep that breathless charr
Won't you please arrange it?
'Cause I love you
Just the way you look tonight...