Two days later, things were still running smooth between Grissom and Sara, although both felt it was a little forced, and the tension was palpable. Around the lab, Grissom barely saw Catherine anywhere, and when he did, she refused to talk to him unless it was strictly work related. It drove Grissom insane, and it didn't help with Sara always hanging around, trying her hardest to make the relationship work. Sara, however, was loving that Catherine wasn't hanging around much anymore.
It was at the end of the shift when Grissom finally decided to end it.
"Sara," he said slowly, looking at her from across his desk. "I-"
"Grissom." She interrupted. "I know what you're going to say. I know lately things have been kind of weird, but I can change. Grissom, I can change. Please. I still love you. I thought that things were going okay."
"Sara." Grissom repeated firmly. "You were right the first time. Things have been weird. I love you too, but not romantically. I think that maybe we shouldn't get married."
The room was dead silent.
Sara cracked a thin smile. "Okay. Okay, Grissom. Maybe all we need is a little time away from each other.."
Tears were swelling in her eyes, which Grissom noticed guiltily. He reflexively wanted to apologize, but then said in a firm voice, "No, Sara. We need to end this. It's not working out."
Slowly, Sara nodded. Her voice was straining to remain emotionless, but nevertheless began to shake. "I guess it's a good thing you didn't buy those rings yet."
She quickly got up and walked out of his office and down the hall, wiping away the tears that were starting to fall uncontrollably.
Grissom laid his head in his hands and sighed. He felt like a complete asshole, yet there was another part of him that felt like it had finally been freed. Minutes later, Nick appeared at the doorway.
"Hey, Gris," he said, holding a case file. "I finished my 419 downtown and I need your authorization signature."
Grissom nodded and took the folder from Nick. He scribbled on his name and watched Nick turn to leave. Right before he did, Grissom called him back. "Nick, can you do me a favor?"
Nick nodded. "Sure, Grissom. What's up?"
"Go tell Catherine I need to see her in my office. It's important and it can't wait. Tell her it's about her suspicious circs case."
Nick, like the rest of the team, noticed the tension between the two best friends, and nodded again. He felt paternal vibes from two, and recently it was like two parents on a heated argument nearing closer to divorce. It was unsettling.
"Sure, Grissom." Nick said again. "I'll get her in two seconds. She just came back from the field a few minutes ago, I think. Hold on."
A few moments later, Catherine popped her head through the doorway. "Nick said you needed something?" she asked in a short tone.
"Yes, come in and shut the door, Catherine." Grissom instructed her. He watched as she glared at him, and hesitantly entered. "Can we talk?"
"Of course. You know that case Nicky and I have been working? Well, we finished it and-"
"I know, Nick already came in about that." Grissom interrupted. He received another, harsher glare from her, but ignored it. "Catherine, we need to talk about us."
"Well, Grissom," Catherine replied. "We're at work. You've told me enough times that personal business needs to be handled after shift."
"Then come have breakfast with me." Grissom said. "After shift. And then we can talk. Either way, it needs to happen, Catherine. What do you say?"
"Obviously, I'm fighting a battle I won't be winning," Catherine muttered, "So, what the hell, fine."
Grissom smiled warmly at her. "Thank you. I'll meet you by my car after shift then."
Catherine shrugged and turned around and walked out. Grissom watched her leave, an amused smile sitting on his lips. He knew she was still furious with him, which made her even more incredibly sexy, but he'd make her see his reasoning, now that he'd ended it with Sara. And then he could finally acquire what he'd been missing and unknowingly wanting in life for so long.
Immediately after shift, Grissom rushed to his car. He waited for Catherine to show up, wondering if she had stood him up. It sounded like something she would do, but he knew her too well, and they had been friends for too long. She would show.
Ten minutes after standing in the cold alone, Catherine walked out of the crime lab. She seemed surprised to see Grissom leaning on his black Denali, awaiting her with a smile.
"Hello, Catherine," Grissom said, opening the passenger seat for her and going around to open his own.
"Hello, Grissom." Catherine replied, still refusing to call him by his first name again. She slammed her door shut.
The drive to Grissom's townhouse was silent. He wasn't really sure of what to say, and he didn't want to get her more upset before they even arrived. When they got there, Grissom began to make breakfast and Catherine sat on his leather couch with a screwdriver, their formerly common ritual before Sara had come into the picture.
"No butter, right?" Grissom asked from the kitchen, sliding a lightly toasted bagel next to some scrambled eggs onto her plate.
"Yeah," Catherine called back, peeking through the window shades at the rising sun.
Shortly, Grissom entered his living room with two plates, handing one to Catherine and sitting next to her on the couch, leaving plenty of space. "It's over," Grissom began softly. "It's over between me and Sara. Things were ending even before… that night, Cath. I don't know why I asked her to marry me. I guess I was just hoping that things would work out."
"So, now what? Is that supposed to justify for you kissing me while you were still with Sara? What do you want, for everything just to go back to the way it was before?" Catherine whispered, scooping up a forkful of egg.
"I don't know." Grissom answered truthfully. Although, he had silently been hoping that some of the tension around the lab would ebb, and that maybe his and Catherine's relationship could go down the path untraveled. "Catherine?"
She looked up from her plate and met his eyes for the first time that night.
"What do you suppose would have happened if I hadn't been with Sara when I kissed you?"
Catherine thought for a moment. "I don't know," she echoed. But she knew. Every moment she had seen the two together, it had stabbed away at her secret hopes and desires.
"Catherine?" he repeated slowly, putting his plate on the side table. "Do you think I could kiss you now?"
"I-"
Before she could fully respond, Grissom's soft kiss descended upon her quickly. His hand rested on her shoulder, as the pressure of their lips intensified. Catherine opened her mouth, inviting him in, and she leaned in and put her arms on his. Grissom followed her lead, deepening the kiss, pulling her closer to him.
Suddenly, she pulled away. "Gil," she breathed.
He smiled. "Yes, Catherine?"
She set the plate aside. "I'm really not hungry anymore."
"After knowing you for more than twenty years and not being able to kiss or touch you, I'm starved." Grissom replied, leaning back in and kissing her, harder this time.
Catherine laughed and kissed back, wrapping her arms around his neck as he pushed her down on the couch.
