I'm still upset that Jorja left and the way it was done, so I'm just going to pretend like it didn't happen. I'm also going to pretend like the whole abduction/car/desert thing never happened and the gang found out about Grissom and Sara at some point and Sara did switch shifts. Hope that clarifies some things when you read this.

Please keep reading and reviewing!!

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She was sitting indian-style on the sofa reading a book when he came through the front door.

"Hey." She called, not looking up from the book as she tried to finish the page she was on. Although he did not respond, she didn't seem to notice, as she was so buried in her book. In fact, she didn't even remember that he was home until he plopped down onto the sofa next to her. He ran a weary hand through his hair just as she finished what she was reading and placed the book onto the table next to her.

She started to ask him a question, but he took that moment to switch positions and lay down so that his head was on her leg. She uncrossed her legs and placed her feet on the floor, allowing his head a more comfortable resting spot.

She gently ran her right hand over his face and down his cheek, tracing the frown lines she found. He closed his eyes as her thumb dipped into the cleft in his chin and her other fingers continued stroking the side of his face.

He interrupted her actions by taking her hand in his own and bringing it to rest on his chest. She watched as their hands rose and fell will each breath he took.

"How was your night?" She really didn't need to ask the question, she could see by his demeanor that he must have had a rough shift. His response was a sigh and a shake of his head, which further confirmed her suspicions. He generally closed himself off from her when he had an especially rough case or anything that hit him too hard. When this behavior had started, she had resented the fact that he felt he couldn't talk to her about what was bothering him, but as time went on, she realized that in his own way he was trying to protect her from any projecting he might do with his frustrations.

She moved her left hand from her side to run gently through his hair. This move rendered a small moan from him, which repeated when she started to massage his head. A more peaceful look spread onto his face as he relaxed more and more.

"What did you do last night?" His voice broke the silence.

"Bruno and I went for a walk. Then we came home and I made dinner."

"Mm, what'd you make?

"Pasta and broccoli."

"Yum."

"There's a plate of it in the fridge for you for lunch."

"Thanks."

They sat for a moment in this position on the sofa until he opened his eyes and looked up at her as she smiled down on him.

"Are you okay with this?"

"This? Sitting here?" She asked, puzzled.

"No, I mean work. Forget about policy and rules and all that, are you happy with this setup?" His question made her think for a moment.

"Honestly? I don't know. I guess I miss that feeling of being surrounded by people I know, people who know me. I miss being able to see you whenever I want. But it's a small sacrifice to have to make. It's worth the sacrifice."

They sat in silence for several more moments as they both contemplated her words.

"Maybe it would be better if we were married."

"What?" She looked down at him abruptly in surprise, as if trying to register his level of seriousness.

"Well if we were married, then no one could say you were just some floozie trying to sleep your way to the top."

"Who said I was a floozie?" Her eyes narrowed as she leered down at him.

"No one, I'm just saying..."

"Was it Greg?"

"No…honey, I was just joking…" He tried to repair the damage his careless remark had made, but it seemed the damage had already been done.

"I don't want to get married for the lab…" She reverted back to the original subject, much to his relief.

"That's not really what I meant."

"I don't need to get married, you know. I'm not that kind of girl that needs a ring or a white dress to tell me I'm in love."

"I know…" He tried to further explain his odd question, but she interrupted him again.

"I'm happy with the way things are. I feel like things are finally right and why should we try to fix something that isn't broken? I mean, we've been living together for a while now. So why do we need a piece of paper that tells us we're legally together if we've been doing just fine without it for this long."

"I'm old school remember? I like the idea of tradition." He gave a small smile at the idea of her dressed in a long white gown and a veil covering her face coming down an aisle towards him.

"Do you think I'm a floozie?" The tone of her voice and the expression on her face interrupted his little menagerie and made him roll his eyes and sit up from his position on the sofa.

"Honey," he smiled and leaned in to give her a kiss on the cheek, "you could never be a floozie."

As he started to leave the room, she picked her book back up, but spoke before she could get too wrapped up in it again.

"Do you really want all that? The ceremony and the cake and the flowers and the white picket fence and the two and a half children for as long as we both shall live?"

"All I want is you." He turned around and smiled at her before disappearing into the bedroom, leaving her to smile on the sofa.