"Come on Ecklie!" her voice was getting higher "Even you can't be this heartless!" she was going over several reports he'd tossed on Gil's desk and told her that she needed to straighten them out, there was a discrepancy on two of them...but neglected to point out exactly what only saying that they needed to be finished and on his desk before she left. It was nearly 5 pm, she knew that Gil had wanted to go out for dinner and suddenly, here she was, stuck in the office doing more work.

"Gil, it's Sara" she went right to voice mail. "I'm sorry Honey, I really thought I'd be home hours ago but Ecklie dropped off a couple folders and I have to find out what's wrong with my notes though I've been through them 4 times each and I cannot find a single thing wrong!" she sounded exasperated about the entire thing. "I'll call you before I leave, hopefully those dinner reservations can be moved to a little later" she crossed her fingers hoping he wouldn't be mad. It was Christmas for God sake and she seemed to be the only one from Grave stills stuck in the lab.

When Gil played the message for his guests, they all laughed. "She's going to be so pissed off at me" Ecklie smiled as he picked up a glass and ladle pouring himself and Mandy a glass of nog. "Gil you should have seen her face when I said they 'Must be on my desk tonight come hell or high water!' he recreated the scene. "She thinks I didn't hear her call me a heartless bastard but tonight, I'll let it slide...I can't wait to see her face!" he downed the first cup and went for a second.

"Thanks for getting yourself on her shit list...I owe you one!" Gil toasted him and moved through the throng of people crowded in his house. "I'll call her just as soon as Catherine and Warrick get her and tell her to go ahead and blow them off, I'll cover for her" he laughed knowing that it was the only way that Sara would willingly give up on the challenge to find a mistake with her work.

Catherine and Warrick arrived hand in hand. Catherine had a champagne dress that was cut in a handkerchief cut around her knees and hugged her bodice just right. She had her hair was pulled up and tendrils curled around her face. She looked lovely. Lindsey was wearing a blue dress that hugged her changing teen age curves without being too suggestive. Warrick wore a black suit with fine pinstripes and his shirt of a soft green played well against Catherine's dress. Her mother wore a simple black pantsuit with a red satin blouse and had her hair done as well. "Sorry we're a little late, have the flowers gotten here?" she handed Warrick her coat as she slid out of it.

"Flowers?" Gil looked like he wanted to say more but bit his tongue and shook his head. Right on cue the doorbell rang and Catherine turned to open the front door.

"Hello, yes this is the Grissom house. She stood back as three men wiped their feet then proceeded to carry in poinsettia plants and Christmas flowers. Before they left, the rooms had been transformed into a Winter wonderland and Gil was awestruck that all his friends had gone all out to make this day special...then there were pink and blue balloons and flowers that were put in the area designated as the baby shower area. Gil decided to play it safe, gathered up all the things Catherine said Sara would need to dress up for the festivities and headed out to the lab to rescue her. He was already adorned in a beautiful black suit complete with a red silk shirt with matching kerchief tucked in his breast pocket. Gently loading her gown into the Denali, he bid his friends goodbye and headed to the lab...

He found her, in a foul mood and cussing like a sailor inside his office.

"This sorry excuse of a Director wouldn't know proper dictation and evidence collection if it jumped up and bit him in his balding ass...that Son of a Bitch just finds excuses to ruin a holiday spirit...it's Christmas for God sake and where am I? I'm stuck here going over something so stupid...could have pointed out where he thought I..."

Gil stood in the doorway, she'd obviously not heard the door open nor saw her husband standing there, suit and polished shooks with her dress hooked on his finger over his shoulder. "Hey beautiful...I came to rescue you..." he smiled and saw her face light up.

"If only, Ecklie wants this done before I go and honestly Gil, I've been over them dozens of times, I don't find a single discrepancy..I don't know what that idiot thinks but..." Gil held up his hand.

"Put it away, I'll talk to Conrad when I see him...it's Christmas, I brought your dress so you could change here, and your make up and curling iron...and fresh towels and underwear and..." she ran over and kissed him before he could say more.

"How'd I get so lucky?" she reached to take her things from him and with a final kiss disappeared toward the woman's showers. Gil sat down and closed out the reports he knew to be a ruse to keep her in the lab. There would be hell to pay later but it would be worth it tonight.

When she came out of the washroom, she was stunning. The gown was a red that matched his shirt perfectly, it was strapless and the upper portion was a sequined bodice with a beautiful bunch of layered chiffon that took his breath away.

"You look..." his open mouth and wide eyes said everything his mouth couldn't and she kissed him lightly not to leave any of the red lipstick she'd put on her pouty mouth.

"Shall we?" she reached for his arm and he took it, before he led her out the door, he wrapped a handmade shawl around her shoulder that matched the dress, when he had seen her gown originally, he'd asked Catherine to find the shawl or have it made, it wasn't a waste of money. The shoes one her feet were made to match her dress as well and he just smiled at the entire ensemble.

"You are tall!" he laughed as he wrapped a protective arm around her and led her out to the waiting Denali.

They drove home refusing to talk about office work, she was thrilled to tell him that she had actually enjoyed coming in but the minute the conversation turned to Ecklie, he'd quickly changed the subject and told her they were out for an evening of celebrating. He pulled over to the side of the road and smiled. "Do you trust me?" she sat there with her mouth open.

"Of course I do Gil...why would you ask that question?" she wondered what brought this on.

"I have a surprise for you" she thought it was dinner but sat there waiting for him to continue. He pulled out a red blindfold and smiled. "I hope you don't mind but..." she smiled and nodded slightly then waited for him to tie it around her head, he was extremely careful not to mess the beautiful hairdo she'd fixed for herself.

"I thought we were going out for dinner?" she sat back, hands folded demurely in her lap.

"We are having dinner but I wanted this to be perfect ... so I took a couple liberties and I hope you enjoy yourself this evening." he reached out and squeezed her hand gently.

"O...okay..." she sounded unsure of herself but knew she trusted him implicitly.

They drove and Gil purposely made several false turns to throw her off course. "Sorry it's taking longer to get there but...traffic is a little heavy and everyone must be out celebrating" he smiled and made yet another turn approaching their house from the opposite direction.

"Gee Gil, did they move this restaurant out of town?" she was beginning to wonder just where the heck he was taking her.

"It's a bit of a drive but my Darling, I think you'll find it was well worth the trip" he pulled up to the sidewalk knowing he couldn't pull into the garage or she'd catch on. He parked then hurried to her side and opened the door. Taking her hand in his, he guided her up the stairs and into the door where Greg was standing waiting and in his best voice added.

"Velcome to Chez Louise...may I take your coats?" He realized that he slipped up when he saw no coat on Gil and then smiled "May I take zee ladeez wrap pleazzzzz?" he delicately removed it from her shoulders and stepped away. Gil had to check himself to keep from laughing and could tell by the wrinkled brow that Sara was trying to figure out where they were.

"Just a few more steps my Dear and we'll be properly seated" he held her arm while everyone gathered at the doorway. Slowly he removed her blindfold and it took a minute for her eyes to adjust...there were all their friends, gathered in her living room, the tree was aglow with colored lights, fragrant flowers filled each room and everyone including Conrad Ecklie stood staring at her before they yelled.

"Surprise!" Sara's mouth fell open as she looked around and then up to her husband.

"You did this?" He nodded "For me?" he smiled and nodded again. "This is all for me? You arranged this...just for me?" she couldn't get over it, no one had ever done anything remotely like this...even on a smaller scale, Christmas had always been a dismal reminder of a life less ordinary. Gil put his hand around her shoulder.

"I did this for my wife, but I did not do this alone...Everyone in this room had a hand in each and every part of this celebration..." she stood stunned into silence. "Catherine and Warrick, Lindsey...Mandy and Nick...Greg, David and Wendy...Conrad...oh and don't be mad at him, I asked him to find a way to keep you in the lab today...so if you're angry, you can deal with me later" he wiggled his eyebrows at her and quirked his usual smile.

Sara turned to her boss and smiled "I knew damned well there wasn't anything wrong with my reports!" but then she wrapped her arms around him and smiled then planted a kiss on his cheek. Al and his wife had picked up Conrad's wife after checking that she might feel like celebrating and they came in right behind Gil and Sara...

"Merry Christmas you two" Al's wife hugged them both then handed over a bottle of wine and some packages wrapped in red ribbons. When Gil went to take the bag she was carrying, she shook her head slightly not wanting him to spoil the second part of the surprise. "Oh, I"ll just keep these with me for a bit...just in case I need them" she held the package tightly. Sara returned the hug then made her rounds with everyone gathered. Catherine pulled her into a hug and asked her if she'd help her in the dining room. When Sara walked in she just about collapsed.

"Oh God, Catherine this is the set...the dining room set you and I looked at...and the rug, it's exquisite...but how?" Catherine simply smiled and handed her a card. "I wanted this Christmas to be especially good for both of you...consider it a Christmas and Wedding present from your sister" she kissed Sara's cheek, Warrick hugged her and Lindsey was dancing around waiting for her turn.

"May I?" she wanted to touch Sara's belly so badly but knew it was bad manners to simply do so. Sara turned and hugged her.

"Well of course you can, you'd better get acquainted with your niece and nephew cause you get to be their babysitter if you want the job." Lindsey looked back at Catherine who nodded then she laid her hands on Sara's belly and felt the babies move. Her smile could have lit up the room.

"This is so awesome..." she looked at Sara who looked about to cry from sheer happiness.

"Merry Christmas Honey!" Gil kissed her passionately in front of everyone and heard them all clap.