Authors Note: I love flashback scenes. This is my take on how they first met.

Chapter 2: Come With Me Tonight

Grissom woke up to the sight of Sara lying next to him. She was on her side facing him, her hair was splayed out over the pillow, hand draped across Grissom's chest. She slept with a slight smile on her face, which was a familiar occurrence now. Usually, Grissom wanted to kiss her smile until she woke up, but this morning he decided to let her rest. He enjoyed watching her sleep, sometimes laying there for hours as she slept. That's when he felt the most peaceful. Her slow and even breathing, serene expression, and the warmth of her skin as it rested against his created a tranquility for him. One which he never wanted to leave. But inevitably the alarm clock would go off and he would be forced to face the world again. The only thing that kept him going was knowing he could come home to this. To Sara. He reached over and gently brushed a strand of hair from her face, eliciting a soft sigh from her in response to his touch.

"Mmmm….hey," she mumbled, nestling in closer to Grissom's chest, not once opening her eyes. "What time is it?"

"Time to get up and go back to work."

"Ugghh…don't want to."

"Well I suppose we can stay in bed for a little bit more," Grissom whispered as he bent his head and kissed her lips.

Sara sighed as she rolled on to her back, bringing Grisson with her. She loved starting her day like this. She used to be meticulous in her morning routine, always getting to work at the same exact time every day, and always getting there exceedingly early. Before, she would spend as much time as possible at work, because that is where Grissom was. Proximity to him was all she wanted. Now she never wanted to leave home, because home meant Grissom, and Grissom meant happiness. Finally. "Gil, if we don't get up now, we're both going to be late, and then everyone will be suspicious," Sara reluctantly sighed against his mouth in between his sweet good-morning kisses.

Grissom groaned as he stopped and looked up at her. She had a tantalizing smile across her face. "Fine, but only if I get to take a shower with you," he grinned.

"I think I can handle that," she replied, sliding out from under him and looking back over her shoulder as she made her way to the bathroom.

Grissom sighed as he watched her disappear behind the door. Sometimes he wondered how he ever managed to end up being with her. It had been about 14 years since he first met her. When he asked her to stay in Las Vegas after she investigated Warrick Brown as a favor for him, he didn't think she would agree. They had a past, and she was the same fresh and bright young woman he had met so long ago in San Francisco. But she did accept his offer, and he had cursed himself for willingly bringing a silent torture upon himself. He then spent the next five years hiding from her. He couldn't deny that he still felt the attraction to her just as he did back in California. Grissom just wasn't sure if she felt the same way. Yes, she had flirted back with him all those years ago, but she was a young Berkley Grad student, full of inquisitiveness and excitement about the world.

--------------------------------------------------

It was the first day of class in his guest lecture position at the University of California, Berkley. Gil Grissom had received an offer to teach a month-long seminar on entomology in forensics for both grad students and continuing education for those in the field of forensic science. Given his excitement over the topic of bugs and the fact that he would be in California, closer to his mother for a few weeks, he readily accepted. It had been a while since his last guest lecturer position, and he had a few new interesting cases he was going to talk about. His topic for today was on crucial initial observations of crime scenes and changing your theory when the evidence changes. Just recently he had been to the scene of a double murder in a garage, which turned out to be a perfect example in theory revolution. When the bell in the lecture hall rang to signify the start of class, he looked around and saw that he had a rather meager showing of students for the day. As he progressed through his lecture, he noticed that the audience seemed particularly disinterested in what he was talking about, and most were either staring off into the distance or sleeping. All of them but one. She sat in the second row, his apt and attuned star pupil, actively asking questions on the material and seeming genuinely interested on what he had to say.

At the end of his lecture, the charming young woman from the second row came up to the podium as he was packing his lecturing material into his bag. "That was a very interesting lecture Dr. Grissom. My name is Sara Sidle, by the way. I hope you don't mind my asking, but what was it that made you go into the field of entomology?" she asked, as she firmly shook his hand and awaited his response.

"I think you're the first person to ever ask me that question," chuckled Grissom as he lifted his bag to his shoulder. "Perhaps it was all the insects that would aggregate on the dead sea-gulls and other creatures on the beach I grew up on, just south of here."

"So you're a native Californian too? Where did you grow up?"

"Marina Del Rey. But I spent most of my later time in LA. I'm guessing you're also from California?"

"Yes, umm…Tamales Bay? Do you know where that is?" When Grissom shook his head no, she nodded. "It's a small oyster farming town in Northern Cali. Most people have never heard of it. So, you mentioned earlier that you were a coroner for about 8 years before moving out to Vegas to run the Field Services Office. What made you decide to do crime scene investigation? I'm also working at the San Francisco coroners office as a work-study position, and they keep offering to transfer me over to field work and start my training to be a CSI."

Grissom looked around and noticed that the students for the next class were already filing in to the room, but he wanted to keep talking with her. "Hey, do you want to go grab a coffee and talk some more about this? We need to clear out of here before this next class starts."

"Sure, I'd like that," she smiled, as she followed him out of the building.

They walked over to a popular café and ordered some coffee and scones. When they found some seats, Grissom started telling her about his experiences as a coroner and as working as a CSI in Las Vegas. She was interested in his experience, and asked him for advice on whether she should take the permanent job offer with the San Francisco crime lab. They talked for a few more hours on everything from forensic science to the California coast before Sara had to leave for work. She told him she would be coming to another one of his lectures next week, since it was required of her to stay current on the hot subjects in forensics at the moment for her job at the coroners office.

The entire next week, he looked for her in his audience every day, scanning the crowd trying to find her face. It wasn't until the end of the week that he finally saw her again. She was back in her original seat, attentively smiling at him as he organized his lecture notes. Once again at the end of class she came up to talk with him. And once again, they ended up in the café, talking until late afternoon before she had to leave once more. Grissom was starting to enjoy her company, and hoped that she would come to see him more often in the coming weeks. However, it wasn't until the end of his last week lecturing that he saw her again. She was there early, reading a forensics journal and taking notes on it. He smiled when he saw this, and thought to himself that she would make a great forensic investigator if she was that thorough on everything she did. At the end of his lecture, he suggested they take a walk along the water instead of going back to the café, and she readily agreed.

"So I read that the Las Vegas crime lab has moved from #14 to # 2 in the US Crime Lab rankings since you've been down there heading up the place."

"Well, I'm not exactly the one in charge, but I have helped bring in some more efficient techniques and more qualified employees. It is Sin City. We need people that know what they are doing."

"So are you enjoying Vegas then? It hasn't worn you out yet?" Sara asked as she stopped in front of a bench and took a seat, glancing over at him.

"No, not yet. I go to work everyday, and everyday there is always something new and strange that has happened. It's actually really exciting."

"So you don't regret it then? That's good. I'm starting my training to be a CSI level 1 next month after I finish up my masters."

"I'm sure they could really use someone with your expertise in theoretical physics. No wonder they were recruiting you relentlessly. I would too if I was in their position. You're going to make an excellent forensic investigator Sara. I'm excited to see what you accomplish"

"Well thank you. I'll take that as a compliment," she shyly replied, trying to hide the grin that overcame her from hearing his words.

"Here, let me give you my phone number and address so that you can write or call. I'd really like it if we could keep in touch." Grissom reached into his bag and pulled out his business card. Turning it over, he scrawled out his home phone number as well. "I'm going to start working the night shift, so you might be able to reach me more readily at home during normal hours."

"Thanks. I'd definitely like to keep in touch with you. You've been a great help to me these past few weeks. I appreciate it a lot. I really do."

They continued to talk for a few more blocks before saying good-bye. Grissom held out his hand, ready to shake hers and wish her all the best in her future. Instead, Sara leaned in and gave him a brief hug, offering a quick 'Thank you,' before turning around and walking out of his life. He watched her go with a melancholy slump to his stance, silently wishing he'd had more time to spend with her before heading back to Vegas.

It wasn't for another six months that he finally heard from her again. Walking into the cool air-conditioned building from a scorching 100 degree day, Grissom was handed a stack of messages and a single letter from Wendy – the receptionist. He flipped through his messages as he made his way to his office, waiting until he had some privacy before turning his attention to the letter in his hand. The return address was from a Ms. Sara Sidle in San Francisco. A reminiscent expression crossed his face as he carefully opened it and started to read of her adventures as a new CSI in training and how she was well on her way to becoming a CSI level 2. When he finished rereading the letter for the fifth time, he brought out a piece of stationary and quickly wrote her a response. They kept up the correspondence for the next 5 years, writing letters back and forth, with a few phone calls in between. It wasn't until the Holly Gribb's case that he was finally able to see her again. He brought her in as a friend, someone he could trust, but also for selfish reasons. He desperately wanted to see her again.

--------------------------------------------------

"Hey you…are you joining me or not?" asked Sara as she leaned out of the bathroom door, looking at him quizzically.

Grissom jumped slightly as he heard her voice drifting across the room. He must have been lost in his thoughts for quite some time. Raising his head, he caught sight of her standing there in nothing but her robe, leaning against the door frame. She really could take his breath away. After several speechless seconds, he got off the bed and slowly made his way over to her. One at a time, he slipped the robe off her shoulders, the silky garment falling into a pile on the floor. "Well, that all depends on what I get from the situation," he mumbled, pushing them both into the steamy room and closing the door behind him with his foot.

It was a hectic start to Sara's shift. After rushing out of the house without eating anything, she still didn't make it to work on time. The bustling activity at the lab was also a jolt to her senses after her luxurious and sensual morning spent with Grissom. As she briskly walked into the break room where everyone was assembled, Nick and Warrick teased her relentlessly about being flustered and kept asking who the mystery guy was. Sara could only slip sly smiles Grissom's way when no one was watching her. It was getting harder to hide her natural impulses to act casual and familiar with him. One of these days someone was going to notice her secretive glances his way, the way she brushed her hand along his arm or back, or her habit of constantly breaking a professional personal space bubble. She was getting tired of watching what she said, or how she said it, or what name to use for him when around other people. If she started calling him Gil at work, would anyone notice?

"Deep in thought?" came a rich sultry voice from somewhere behind her. Sara turned around from the layout table where she was inspecting a victims clothing for trace evidence to look at it's owner. She found Grissom leaning in the doorframe, a smile playing across his lips.

"Mmm…thinking of you," she said in a low, hushed tone. She arched one of her eyebrows when she saw Grissom's facial expression change from one of playfulness to surprise, and then quickly back again.

"Is that so? And what exactly were you thinking about me?" If she wanted to flirt openly and dangerously at work, he could play her game too.

"Somewhere along the lines of…you need to get the last of your boxes from the townhouse tonight before the realtor decides to sell your stuff with the place." She smiled at him. That definitely was not the answer he was expecting.

"Oh. Right. Well, if we drive over seperately, we could probably fit the rest of the stuff in both of the Denali's. Afterwards, how does dinner at Tamarine sound? I'm in the mood for some tofu pad thai."

"It's a date." She replied, before turning back to her work, trying to hide the large grin forming on her face.

Grissom looked out in the hallway to see if anyone was around before walking up behind her and bending down to whisper in her ear. Sara blushed as he kissed the nape of her neck before heading back out of the room. He was smiling to himself as he sauntered down the hallway when he first felt the vibrations under his feet.

"Everybody, get down!"

Please let me know what you think! Chapter three is on its way, but I want to hear what people have to say so far before continuing.