It had been two weeks since they'd met at the bar and Grissom was growing ever inpatient because of Sara's response to his query about seeing him away from work. Finally, he took matters into his own hands. As he sat at his desk he wondered how he would broach the subject and after careful consideration he decided that the direct approach was the best approach, but how would he her alone? He could get her in the locker room, the break room or he could summon her to his office under the pretense of a case she was working on. He waited patiently until she would come in. She was usually early by an hour or so,
so he didn't have too long to wait. He looked down at his watch and it was 18:00hrs; one hour and she would be there. He thought about what he wanted to say and how she might react to his words; he'd have to be careful and very cautious.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Standing in front of her open closet, Sara was trying to decide what she would wear today. In her bra and panties she was mulling over jeans and a crop top and flat front slacks and a casual blouse. She was in mid-decision when someone knocked on her door. She threw on her bathrobe and went to look through the peephole. Brass was on the other side of the door with a big smile on his face. She opened the door and let him in, following her to her bedroom. Showing him the clothing selections she was deciding on, she asked his opinion.

"Jeans or slacks?" she asked

After a few seconds he spoke.

"I like the jeans and..." moving towards her closet "This shirt." he said, pulling it out

He excused himself so that she could dress in private. In the living room he sat on the couch and waited while she dressed. He made her a travel mug of coffee and by the time he had fixed it just the way she liked it she was done dressing and presently sitting on the couch lacing up her boots. Standing by the door, Jim waited anxiously.

"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon. We're gonna' be late." he said tensely

Sara had finished with her boots, got up and grabbed her jacket. She and Jim left the apartment and drove to the lab in his car.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Still at his desk, he waited as the minutes ticked by. Finally, he saw her walking down the hall, but she was with Jim. His heart sank to see the two of them together; so close as they were. Grissom couldn't figure out if the two of them were involved or if they were just close friends. But he was determined to make his feelings known and today was the day he would do it. He got up from his desk and walked down the hall to the locker room to find Sara sitting on a bench staring blankly into her locker. She had something on her mind; he could tell. Maybe this was the way he'd get her alone to speak to her about seeing her after work.

He stepped into the locker room and sat beside her on the bench in silence. After a couple of uncomfortable moments, he spoke up.

"What's the matter?" he asked

She slowly turned to him and responded.

"Nothing, really. I'm fine. I've just got some issues to think through. But as I said, I'm fine."

He sat beside her for a couple more moments before he got up and made to leave. He turned round' and smiled.

"You want to grab dinner after shift? Or I could cook for you." he offered

Without hesitation, she answered.

"Sure, that sounds fine. I'll see you when shift is over."

With a certain spring in his step, he bounded down the hall and back to his office to pick up the slips for the evening. They were already piling up and it wasn't even the start of shift. As he thumbed through them and let out a heavy sigh. Things in Vegas were turning to shit and there was little or nothing he or anyone could do about it.

Still in his office, he watched as the team began to come in and tried to decide which assignment to give to whom. Maybe he could just let the team decide for themselves. He walked to the break room and as everyone was assembled around the conference table he held the slips out in his hand in a sort of fan arrangement. Everyone got up one at a time and took their slips, grabbed their kits and left. Nick had a DB in Henderson, Warrick teamed up for a B&E in the downtown district. Greg had a triple homicide in Summerland, Sara had suspicious circs at the MGM and Grissom had two dead campers at Meade.

They all departed for their scenes and did their thing. They all processed their scenes and when they were done they began to return to the lab. It was a long shift; or so it seemed. However, when it came time to leave for home, they all got in their cars and drove home.

Grissom sat in his office waiting for Sara to arrive when she knocked on the jamb of his office door. She stood in the doorway and after a few seconds she came in and sat across from him, her head in her hands. Seeing the obvious stress on her face and body posture, he had a feeling she was going to cancel on him. He wouldn't have been surprised if she did; as she was a solitary creature.

"I need to cancel for today." she said bluntly

"That's fine. I'll take a rain check." he said, trying not to sound disappointed

"'I'm sorry. I'm just in no mood for dinner. I just need to be alone." she replied

That having been said, Sara got up and left Grissom's office for the locker room. She took her purse and left the lab for the lot. Standing in the hallway, Grissom could see Sara get into Brass's car and drive off. He was confused. She had cancelled with him and apparently went off with Jim for some reason.

"Maybe they're seeing each other. Maybe that's why she cancelled." he thought to himself

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Sitting at home, alone, Sara was dressed in sweats and thick wool socks. She curled on the couch going over things in her mind. She knew that Grissom was beginning to open up and show her feelings for her. However, on the other hand, she and Jim had gone out a few times and she was torn between the man she'd loved since she'd met him back when she was in college, or the man that she had grown to love over the last several years. It was truly a toss up. On the one hand she had a man, both brilliant and complex, but emotionally stunted and solitary. On the other hand she had a man that was open with his feelings and emotions and wasn't scared to show them.

It had been a couple of hours on the couch when her cell phone rang. Picking it up, she could tell that it was Greg. She answered it; much to his delight.

"Hey. No, nothing. Just sitting on the couch contemplating my navel. Sure, if you like. Ok, I'll see you in a bit."

Greg was coming over and Sara thought that maybe he could help her with her little problem with the Grissom/Brass issue. She got up from the couch and a bit of last minute cleaning before he was to arrive.

She had just put on a fresh pot of coffee when the doorbell went off. She opened the door to see Greg with a fruit basket in hand and a goofy grin on his face. He came in, set the basket on the breakfast bar. Turning round' he could tell that there was something bothering her, so he joined her on the couch and looked her in the eyes.

"What's the problem, hun?" he asked

"If I tell you, you have to promise not to tell anyone. If you do, I will not hesitate to kill you." she said in a serious tone

"My lips are sealed. They'll have to torture me to get me to talk." he swore

Sara began to tell him of her problem.

"You know that Grissom and I have a history. And you know I have feelings for him. Well, he's just started to express his feelings for me, which is a good thing."

"So what's the problem? You two look good together." he said

"The problem is that I've been seeing Brass. I mean, we've only gone out a few times, but I feel a serious connection with him, something I don't feel with Grissom. So, my problem is that I've got two men that are interested in me and I don't know what to do." she explained

"Three men." Greg said

"Three men?" she asked

Shifting in his seat, Greg sighed hard.

"I'm interested, but I know you think I'm too immature. So, I just admire you from afar." he said plainly

"So, you see my dilemma, then?" she replied

"Yeah, you're truly in a quandary."

They both sat there for a few moments before Greg spoke again.

"This is what I would do." he said, grabbing a sheet of paper from the printer across the room

He drew a line down the middle of the page and at the top of one column he wrote Grissom and at the top of the other he wrote Brass. Then he drew a line across the middle of the page. He turned to her and smiled.

"This is a list of pro's and con's. Let's start with Grissom and his pro's. He's a genius, he's tall and handsome and he's quirky. Now the con's. He's sheltered, he's emotionally underdeveloped, he's closed off and he's kinda' creepy, what with all his bugs and snakes and spiders." Greg said

"I've got to agree with you on those counts." she said

"Now, let's move on to Brass. Pro's; he's witty, he's smart, he's emotionally open, he's a fabulous dresser and he's not afraid to show he cares. Now, the con's; he's short, he's got a receding hairline and he can be cranky at times. So, now we have our list of advantages and disadvantages for both men." he went on

"Shit. What am I gonna' do?" she said, exasperated

"Well, if it were me, I'd go with Brass. I think the two of you have more in common and are better suited for each other. And as you said, you've already been out with him a few times and you've never been out on a date with Grissom and if you had, he'd probably take you to the Body Farm or something. But, like I said, I'd go with Brass. However, the end decision is yours, but at least you've got your list now. Hope it helps."he said sweetly

"Actually, it just makes things more confusing." Sara said flatly

"Well, I don't know what else to do. But I must be off. I hear my bed calling." he said

Greg got up and left Sara alone with her list and hoped she would make the decision that was right for her. He wished her all the luck in the world and secretly stood in Brass's corner. He'd always liked the man and found it odd and saddening that Brass was alone. It was true he could be cranky at times, but for the most part he was perfect; short and balding, but perfect.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

At home, Grissom was debating on whether or not he should call Sara or not. He wanted to know what was troubling her so much that she'd cancel dinner plans with him. It had to be something of real substance, he thought. Something seriously wrong. He knew she could be moody at times and really rather reclusive outside work; almost in the same way he had a tendency to be. She'd go home, take the home line off the hook, bolt the door, draw the blinds and retreat to the comfort of her bed or her fluffy, comfy couch.

He finally decided to pay her a visit. He knew she'd be awake, as she rarely slept. He grabbed his jacket, climbed into his car and drove over to her apartment. Climbing the stairs to her apartment, he was nervous. Standing outside her door, ready to knock, he suddenly got the feeling that he shouldn't be there. Suddenly, the door opened and they were standing face to face. A blank expression on both their faces, Sara opened her door further and motioned for him to come in.

Standing in the living area, his hands thrust in his pockets, he was silent; that was until Sara spoke up.

"What brings you here?" she asked

"I need to talk to you." he said simply

"About?"

"Us." he said nervously

"Is there an "Us"?" she asked

"That's what I'm here to talk to you about." he said

They moved over to the couch and both sat down. After a moment Sara spoke up.

"I have a problem, Griss. The reason I cancelled on you this morning was because there are some things in my life that I need to sort out; you and I among them. You see, I've been seeing someone else. Its nothing serious, we've only been out a few times, but I've grown to love him almost in the same way that I've loved you since all those years back. I have to decide which man is better for me, which man I can settle down with and raise a family with. That's what I want; a family. And I'm not sure you're ready for a family, whereas the other man already has a child. I hate to sound selfish, but I really need to think about me and how I want to spend the rest of my life. Do I spend my life with a man that's open, honest and emotionally available or do I spend my life with a man that's emotionally closed off, solitary and not in touch with himself? These are the things I need to decide." she explained

All this was coming as a shock to Grissom. He had no idea Sara was seeing anyone, let alone that she wanted to settle down and raise a family. To the best of his knowledge she wasn't good with children, so why would she want kids?

"Well, it sounds like you've got a lot to think about. Things that'll change the course of your life and the way you'll live it. Serious thinking, by the sound of things."