Grissom returned to the park every day for the next week, but Sara did not. Every morning he'd sit on the bench and wait for an hour sometimes, Hank seemingly sharing in his expectancy, only to head home disappointed, downcast and wondering. She showed up for shift every night, acted like everything was normal between them and Grissom did the same, trying his hardest to keep his mask up and hide his feelings for her. It was getting harder to.

He just didn't understand why she would go as far as changing her route, her routine, in order to avoid bumping into him. And he knew she had. She must have. It was a great source of sorrow to him. He worried he'd done something, said something during that first encounter at the park to offend her, but try as he might he couldn't fathom what it was. Several times at work when they were alone he almost broached the topic – he even paired himself up with her on a couple of cases – but the words never came.

It wasn't doing his blood pressure any good though, so he decided to take matter in his own hands once and for all. He needed to mend fences, return to a status quo with her, a happy medium where they could both be themselves again. His health and wellbeing depended on it. It took ten days for him to finally muster the courage.

"Enjoy your night off, Sara!"

Grissom looked up from the case file he was reviewing, checked his watch and gave a start. It was the end of shift already.

"I will."

Quickly removing his glasses, he got up from his desk and rushed out of his office, following Sara's voice down the corridor.

"Have a good day, Griss!"

"You too, Rick," he called a little breathlessly over his shoulder, stopping outside the locker room. Sara was there, alone, changing out of her lab coat. Checking that the coast was clear, Grissom stepped just inside the doorway. His heart was beating a little too fast. "Sara, huh…" His eyes lowered uncertainly. He dug his hands deep in his pants pocket and swayed on the ball of his feet. "Come on," he told himself, "you know what to say. You've practised what to say." He looked back over his shoulder, checking for prying eyes and ears.

"You need me to stay on?" she asked, refocusing him.

Snapping his eyes back to her, he shook his head and offered a smile. "No. It's not that. I―you've got the night off tonight and…"

"So have you."

"Yes, and well, Hank and I, we're going to Lake Mead tomorrow, for the day and…we were wondering if you'd…huh…like to join us. I mean, if you're free of course."

"Oh." Sara's mouth pursed; her shoulder rose. "I don't know. I―"

"I know it's short notice," he cut in before she could refuse. "I've been meaning to…" he sighed, "ask you, for a few days now, but…" his words trailed off uncertainly. "Well, Hank and I, we'd love it if you could come."

For a moment she looked conflicted. Then she turned to her locker, took out her jacket and paused. The wait was excruciating. "Yes," she finally said, turning toward him, her reply so quiet that he wasn't sure he'd actually heard it and not just imagined it.

Shock registered first on his face, then it lit up tentatively. "Yes?"

A smile growing of her face, Sara nodded at him. "Yes."

"You sure?"

Her expression softened with amusement. "You want me to change my mind?"

"No. No." He removed his hands out of his pockets and rubbed at his face, playing it cool when really he was floating on air. He couldn't believe how easy it had been. "That's great," he said, a wide, happy smile breaking, "Hank will be over the moon."

His words brought about a smile. "You want me to bring anything?"

Grissom gave his head a shake. "No. Just yourself." He paused, smiled, looked over his shoulder toward the corridor, at a loss as to go from there. "Anyway, we'll come to pick you up. How's ten o'clock work for you?"

"Ten's good."

"Great. Great." He took a step back, smiled wider, then turned on his heels hesitantly before looking back at her over his shoulder. "See you tomorrow then."

"See you, Grissom."

Grissom hurriedly returned to his office, picked up the lab budget report file needed for the meeting scheduled for five minutes ago and made his way to the first floor. Normally he'd be dragging his feet, but not today. Today he took the steps two at a time, almost skipping the rest of the way. He'd organised for Hank to stay at the sitter an hour longer, which meant that they would miss their walk to the park, but hey, she'd said yes!

When he eventually picked up Hank he could swear the dog was watching him strangely, and if he didn't know better he might even add with a questioning frown. Grissom let Hank in the car and took his place behind the wheel, all the while feeling the dog's eyes on him. Grissom glanced at him through the rearview mirror, and suppressing a growing smile started the car and set off.

"I did it," he said, smiling widely as once again he glanced at Hank through the mirror. "I asked her, and she said yes. Happy?"

Hank opened his mouth in a long, languid yawn.

With a pout, Grissom turned his attention back to the road. "You could show a little more enthusiasm. I did this for you, you know."

Hank's tail began to beat against the car seat, and he gave a yelp.

"All right, all right," Grissom said, pacifying, "I did it for me too."

Grissom drove the rest of the way in silence, deep in thought, until he turned into his street. "I hope it's not a mistake. I mean…" With a sigh he slowed down and scanned the condo's parking lot for a spot. Once parked, he turned toward Hank. "What do you think, huh?"

Panting, Hank leaned forward between the two front seats. Glancing out of the car window he gave a whine, clearly wanting to be let out.

Grissom opened his car door and stepped out, Hank swiftly following suit. "You're right," he said, "Let's just take it as it comes."

When he and Hank arrived at her apartment building the next day Sara was already waiting in the lot next to her car. Grissom parked up and Sara got in next to him, giving Hank riding at the back a warm welcome. She wore beige cargo pants that unzipped just above the knee, a plain blue tee-shirt and hiking boots and her hair down. She put a daysack by her feet and buckled up, turning her bright smile toward him.

"So where are we headed?"

"Lake Mead Harbour." It wasn't so far that the drive would take forever or too busy that they'd have to fight for a car parking space. He reversed out of the spot and joined the main road. "You want to put some music on?"

Sara's mouth pursed as she pondered her reply. "No. This is good."

They shared a look and a smile, and he nodded his head. She looked how he felt, happy, relaxed, and carefree. Let's hope it stayed that way. The drive out took just over one hour. The traffic was light, the scenery beautiful, the weather too. He couldn't ask for more. Every so often he would look over at her and smile when he found her watching him before once again refocusing on the road. Sara didn't speak, and he didn't either, simply content to have her by his side.

Grissom easily found a parking spot in the lot at Lake Mead Marina, let a grateful Hank out of the rear and opened the trunk. He transferred water and their picnic from the cooler to his backpack while Sara followed Hank to the water's edge and the boats moored there. He secured the car and slinging the bag over his shoulder met them there.

"You got everything you need?" he asked, and refocusing on him she gave a nod.

Sara slid a ball cap on her head and the three of them set off along the pebble shore in a northerly direction. As they walked and talked, Grissom bent down to pick up stones which he skimmed on the shimmering water. Every time, Hank fearlessly launched himself in the frigid water, intent on fetching the stones only to draw a blank and come back forlorn, much to their amusement.

Once again he'd forgotten to bring a ball, but Sara found a stick which she was happy to toss over and over again. It turned out that Hank loved the water, and Grissom loved watching Sara play with Hank. The dog acted with Sara as if he'd known her for ever, as if her presence there with them was an everyday occurrence, and she with him the same. It felt so natural, so normal, for her to be there and share in his downtime, in his life, just like he never allowed himself to hope it could be. If only he could suspend time.

Once again Hank bounded out of the water, dropped the stick at Sara's feet and shook himself, spraying water all over them. Sara laughed and looked down at herself dripping with water. Tail wagging Hank gave a little yelp, and patiently Sara picked up the stick and tossed it back out for him. She looked like she was enjoying herself. Then she glanced at Grissom from the corner of her eyes and moved away to sit down on a boulder. Grissom watched with puzzlement as she lowered her backpack to the ground before taking her boots and socks off, rolling up her pant legs and joining Hank for a paddle.

The look of shock that registered on her face as she first dipped her feet in made him laugh out loud. Standing her ground, she turned and cocked her brow at him, daring him to join her. His smile wide and pleasurable he obliged, much to her visible surprise. "The water's freezing," he cried, swiftly jumping back out of the water as soon as he'd stepped in.

Sara burst out laughing, a warm giggle that warmed him to his core, and he grinned at her. His heart swelled painfully. Hank returned, dropping the stick and shaking himself. Grissom moved back and cast his eyes out to the vast expanse of still water ahead. The sky was a brilliant blue, the temperatures in the high nineties, but the slight breeze blowing off the lake made the heat bearable. In the distance, colourful boats of every size gently bobbled in the breeze.

"You like fishing?" Grissom asked, keeping his eyes on the scenery.

"I've never tried it."

"Neither have I." He turned to her; she was watching him with a sad, far-away expression. "I was thinking of…you know…getting myself a rod maybe and come out here with Hank."

She smiled. "Sounds nice."

"It does, doesn't it?"

The freezing water was bad enough, but the sharp pebbles stinging the soles of his feet were far worse. Gingerly Grissom walked back up the beach and found a spot in the shade under the sparse canopy of a Joshua tree where they could share their picnic. He laid a rug down and spread the food out on it – salad stuff and sandwiches, nothing too fancy – and Sara and Hank soon joined him there.

Sara dumped her bag and boots nearby then sat down on one corner of the rug while Grissom poured some water in a plastic bowl for Hank and opened a container he'd filled with kibble. Without missing a beat Hank began to chomp hungrily on his food while Grissom held out the water to Sara and she took it gratefully.

"I wasn't sure what you'd like so I edged my bets," he said, pulling lids off the various containers as she drank. "But I remembered about the meat thing…" He looked up and met Sara's soft gaze.

She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, recapped the bottle and put it down near him. "Grissom, this is great. Really. You shouldn't have gone to any trouble for me."

He paused, held her gaze. "I wanted to."

Sara gave him a smile and picked up a sandwich, checking what was in it. PB&J, he hoped that was okay.

"There's cheese and tomato too," he offered helpfully.

"Thank you." She bit into the sandwich and as she chewed cast her eye out toward her surroundings. "This place is beautiful," she said, glancing at him, "I don't remember the last time I came here that wasn't case related."

"Me neither," he said.

"It's so quiet, so peaceful."

"I worried you might find it too quiet."

Her smile was soft. "I like quiet."

Me too, Grissom thought, but didn't say. They shared a smile and as an afterthought Grissom rummaged in the bag for the plates and plastic forks he'd remembered to pack. Maybe he ought to invest in a proper picnic hamper, he thought idly, if he were to do this again. He placed a plate and fork near her leg and after helping himself to a cheese sandwich and some salad began to eat.

"Pickles?"

Grissom smiled. His shoulder lifted self-consciously, and laughing Sara took a pickle from the container and bit into it. Grissom could only stare fondly at her as she helped herself to some more salad and continued to eat. It was nice to see she was relaxed enough in his company to act normally.

"The other day when I bumped into you and Hank at the park," she said, and he refocused on her, "you said that you getting Hank was your doctor's idea. Is he…huh…like a special dog?"

Grissom cocked his brow. "Special like what? Like a guide dog?"

Sara shrugged. "I was thinking more like a medical response dog."

"No, he's not," he said in a chuckle, which soon died on his lips when he realised she was being serious and concerned. "Not like you're thinking." His expression turned fearful at what he was about to confess, and yet he found himself speaking the words quite candidly. "I have high blood pressure. I think it's the job to be honest, and the doc figured that getting Hank would make me re-evaluate my priorities and help lower my stress levels."

Sara held his stare. "And has he?"

Grissom pondered his reply. "Yeah, he has. He helps take my mind off stuff."

Sara gave a knowing nod. "He's your diversion."

A smile formed on Grissom's face at the reference. "Yeah."

"I run."

"I know." Hank moved closer, and instinctively Grissom's hand lifted to his side, patting and stroking soothingly.

Smiling to herself, Sara gave her head a shake.

"What is it?" he asked, eyes narrowed enquiringly.

Her eyes averted to her plate. "Nothing," she said, keeping her gaze down. Was she embarrassed? And if so, what about?

"Sara?"

She looked up, met his gaze. A smile was tugging at her lips. "Nothing really. Just…Greg had a bet going, that's all." Laughter bubbled out of her. "He thought you leaving on time was because of a girlfriend."

Should he be offended? Angry, even? Thinking of a suitable sanction for Greg? Or flattered that his team cared enough about him to notice changes in his routine? He looked away at the lake beyond, pondering the appropriateness of his next question. "And you?" he asked, his mouth suddenly feeling very dry as he turned back to her, "Did you think I had a girlfriend?" His heartbeat quickened in anticipation of her reply.

Her shoulder lifting, she reached out to stroke Hank. "I like Hank a lot better."

The breath caught in his throat at her admission. When she glanced up at him, her smile was shy and pained.

Oh, god, how he wanted to kiss her.