A/N: Thank you guys so much for all of the reviews! You have no idea how much they brightened my day and kept me writing this story. Well, this is the longest chapter that I've written, but it is also the last chapter of the story. :( Anyways, you all know the deal: I don't own any of the characters from CSI and so forth. Please R&R!
Grissom opened the case folder in front of him before closing it, then opening it again. A slight smile graced his face as he looked down at the mint condition contents. He was so engrossed in the file that by the time of Warrick's meeting announcement, he had barely blinked.
"I'll be right there." Grissom told Warrick absentmindedly, as if he couldn't tear himself away from the pictures and facts in front of him.
"We'll be waiting." Warrick replied, accustomed to Grissom's detached ways.
As soon as Warrick was out of view, Grissom excitedly tucked the file away in is desk and flipped through his phone book. What he'd done during the last loop had been fun, there was no question about it. But it hadn't been what he'd really wanted to do. He quickly found the number that he'd been searching for and dialed with nervous fingers.
As he waited for the ringing to be answered, an out of place 'ding' sounded from his computer. He turned to see the message 'You've got mail' flash on his screen.
'Well, this is new.' Grissom thought to himself as he opened the opened the message and waited for the phone on the other end of the line to be answered.
The email was short, concise and sent from Greg's work address. Grissom muttered the message to himself as he read it. "Being normal isn't a good thing, it just denotes a lack of courage."
Just then, the phone was finally answered. "Flo's Floral Shop, how may I help you?"
"I was hoping that you could tell me how much it cost to have a dozen long-stemmed roses delivered." Grissom asked.
After placing his order, he rushed over to the briefing room, apologizing pathetically as he sat with the rest of his friends. He sat through the meeting quietly, laughing and offering his money when he was supposed to. When everyone agreed to work on the same case until something new came up, the meeting was finally dismissed after what seemed like an eternity to Grissom. He walked down the hall excitedly and thought to himself. 'Soon…'
Right on time, Greg stepped into the hall with his safety gear and blowtorch, and offered Grissom yet another game of 'extreme tiddly winks'. Grissom happily declined from the invitation.
"You never want to play!" Greg replied sadly, his frustration and disappointment evident on his face.
"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that…" Grissom began before they were interrupted by a man with flowers walking past them.
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Sara was feverishly filling out forms when she heard someone knock politely on her door. Expecting more paper work, she was surprised to see a man wearing a green uniform standing in her doorway.
"Are you Sara Sidle?" The man asked with a smile.
"Yes," she said hesitantly. "Can I help you?"
"These are for you." He replied, taking four bouquets of roses in vases from a cart he'd been pulling behind him.
Flustered, Sara sat gapping in silence as her office was virtually filled with the roses. After the deliveryman had left, she opened the card that had accompanied the flowers and read it out loud slowly.
"Lately it seems like everyday is exactly the same, it's frustrating and confusing. The only thing that brightens my day is simply seeing you, and I've never really thanked you. But I'd like to change that. Does dinner sound all right?
-Gil"
"Well?" Grissom asked suddenly, causing Sara to jump.
"I would love to." Sara replied smiling as she got up and walked over to him. "How about right after tonight's shift?"
"Sounds perfect." Grissom smiled as she walked past him on her way to file the paperwork she'd completed. As an afterthought, she turned back and kissed him hesitantly on the cheek before disappearing down the hall.
Blushing lightly, Grissom went back to his office and waited for the end of the shift to roll around.
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Grissom cried out inwardly when a knock sounded and he gloomily replied without looking up. "Be right there, Warrick."
"It's not Warrick." Greg replied.
His thoughts raced at his unexpected visitor and he found himself focusing on the words that he had exchanged with Sasha. She had mentioned something about his intelligence not being able to assist him… was this what she'd meant? He also recalled her asking him to 'follow his heart', and his heart had been begging him to tell Sara what he felt. Grissom glanced at the clock and, relieved, motioned for Greg to come in. "What can I do for you?"
Greg sat in a chair in front of Grissom's desk and lazily slung one leg over the arm of the chair. "You said you wanted to talk to me. I'm assuming that you're referring to the loop we've been experiencing."
"How did you-"
"Let's just say that practical jokes should not be directed at carnival gypsies." Greg said, smiling.