IX - LIVE FOREVER
Marta Fitzroy was a piece of work. Brass had a serious dislike for the woman, and, after spending less than an hour with her, had already chewed through a whole pack of Trident gum and was now pounding back gummie bears like there was no tomorrow - anything to keep his mouth busy. If he wasn't chewing on something, he had a feeling he would start swearing - and would just never stop.
Under normal circumstances, Brass might have found this slight woman attractive. He supposed she was pretty enough, in the highly artificial way only a woman who has had too much plastic surgery can be, but the pinched look around her mouth was really starting to annoy him. As were her weepy statements about the death of Audra van der Brucke, which - oddly enough - produced no tears from the woman. Perhaps she had had her tear ducts permanently damaged during her last eye-lift.
When he heard the slightly uneven gait of Grissom's shoes echoing down the hallway, he jumped to his feet in relief. He actually felt like hugging the man, but better sense prevailed. The happy look on his face must have given away his delight at seeing Grissom however. Sara, who had come with Grissom, shot him a highly amused look.
"Grissom - Sara. Glad you're here. I think Ms. Fitzroy here is finally calm enough to speak with us," Brass tried to keep the relief out of his voice, but knew he failed miserably.
Upon hearing her name, Marta rose to her feet and gracefully slid to Brass' side, smiling bravely at Grissom as she artfully dabbed at her eyes with a pristine hanky.
"Mr. Grissom, I'm feeling much better now. I am ready to talk to you about Audra - but I promise you, I don't know much."
Grissom nodded at her, "You might know more than you realize Ms. Fitzroy. Let's move this down to Interview Room 1. Captain Brass and Ms. Sidle -" he indicated Sara beside him, "will be joining us."
"Whatever you say, Mr. Grissom," Marta murmured. She managed to artfully squeeze in beside him when he turned, claiming his elbow as if he were her escort as they headed down the hallway, leaving Sara and Brass in her wake. Sara rolled her eyes at Brass, muttering under her breath, "She seems all shook up!"
Brass grunted back, "You ain't seen nothing yet!"
* * * * *
"Lindsey-lou, how's my favorite girl?" Warrick laughed as Lindsey launched herself at him, wrapping her arms and legs around his neck and waist like a little monkey.
"My and 'Nessa are going to see a movie later. And my best friend Mindy and her mommy are coming with us. I love it when we don't have school - and mommy said maybe this weekend we could go and get a doggy from the Humane Society, right mommy? And we finally finished dec'rating my bedroom - it's all Barbie now - wanna see? And -"
Catherine was laughing, "Lindsey - honey! Give Warrick time to respond to you - you're going to scare him away with all that babbling."
Lindsey look chastened for all of two seconds, before starting again, "Am I making you dizzy, Warrick? Mommy says sometimes I make her dizzier than a tormato-"
"Tornado, Lyns," Catherine interrupted.
Lyndsey rolled her eyes at her mom, "Whatever, mommy - a tornado, because I talk too much!"
"You talk just right, Lyndsey-lou," Warrick interjected. "So, wanna show me your room?
"Yeah! Did I tell you it was all Barbie? Even my bedsheets! Even my lamp! Even my wallpaper -" Lyndsey's happy voice disappeared down the hallway, and Catherine listened to Warrick's deep rumblings in amusement. The man would go into shock when he was assaulted by the pink that was Lyndsey's room. Catherine imagined he would have nightmares about it for weeks.
Turning to Vanessa, her new in-home babysitter, she grinned. Vanessa was staring at the doorway Lynds and Warrick had just walked through, and if the love-struck look on her face was anything to go by, she was wondering what it would be like to show Warrick *her* bedroom. "So, Vanessa, Lyndsey said something about a movie?"
Vanessa snapped her gaze at Catherine, grinning sheepishly, "Sorry, Catherine - I was just, uh."
"Admiring the view?" Catherine smirked, "Don't worry - I do it all the time. About the movie - I hope you don't mind? Jennifer called and invited us to go with her and Mindy to see a special showing of Monster's Inc. at the repertory cinema." Vanessa looked at her watch, "and they should be here any minute to pick us up. I was going to leave you a note."
Catherine grinned, "Well, far be it from me to say no to Monster's Inc. So, still enjoying the job?"
Vanessa grinned, "Sure am. Lyndsey's a sweet kid, and I like the lo-ooo- oong hours."
"I promise, tomorrow will be normal. I have the day off after shift tonight, and you'll be free until Sunday evening."
"Don't worry about it, Catherine. Lyndsey and I have plans for the evening - involving a Toy Story marathon and lots of buttered popcorn. Are you really getting a puppy?"
Catherine shrugged, "Well, Lyndsey seems to think so. I wanted to run it by you first, since you'll have to be responsible for it when I'm at work."
"I love puppies. And since I can't have one in my apartment, having one at your place sounds just about perfect," she was still grinning as she heard the honking car, "Sounds like Mindy and her mom are here. Lyndsey!!!"
"Coming - 'bye Warrick!" the little girl swept into the kitchen at a dead run, quickly kissing her mom before grabbing Vanessa's hands, "Bye Mommy! C'mon, c'mon' c'mon!"
Catherine watched the door slam behind Lyndsey, turning to smile at Warrick when she heard his chuckle behind her.
"That girl is all go," he commented. "I think the pink that is her room has got her on a permanent sugar-high." He sighed as he stepped into her kitchen and folded his tall frame onto a small kitchen chair, smiling at Catherine. "You realize, Lyndsey's already named her dog."
"How can she name something she doesn't even have yet?" Catherine rebutted, as she walked to the fridge and looked in it grimly. "What do you want for lunch?"
"Nothing in your fridge if the look on your face is anything to go by," Warrick teased. "You have cheese singles and salsa?" At Catherine's nod, he continued, "Good - let me make you my grams' famous grilled-cheese and salsa sandwiches. She's naming the dog Spot."
Catherine chuckled as she grabbed the cheese and salsa, "Spot? What if the dog is a solid color, like brown or something?"
Warrick shrugged, "I wouldn't worry about it. She's planning on dying the dog pink to match her room."
* * * * *
"No - I never had plans to meet Audra at all!" Marta denied, blinking furiously. She gazed appealingly at Grissom, her dainty hands fluttering around her collarbones, "I was home all night last night."
"Mr. van der Brucke says Audra was meeting you to go shopping. And if you were home all night, why didn't you answer your phone? We called you several times."
Audra shrugged, "I went to bed early, and I probably didn't hear it. But Audra and I didn't have plans. We spoke several times yesterday, but I was supposed to meet her tonight for dinner."
"Can you tell us why Marta would tell her husband she was meeting you for dinner?"
Audra blinked widely at Grissom, "I - I don't know. You don't think she was having an affair or anything, do you?"
Over the back of her head, Brass rolled his eyes at Sara. Grissom shook his head, "I don't know. Was she?"
Audra shrugged daintily, "Willem is a wonderful man, but he *is* quite a bit older than Marta. Maybe she got - bored. Sexually, I mean."
Brass sighed loudly at this, "I think that's it for now, Ms. Fitzroy. If you can think of anything else, you'll let us know?"
Marta turned to Brass and smiled brilliantly at him, "Absolutely. I can't imagine what poor Willem is going through right now. We need to find Audra's killer."
Sara rolled her eyes again at this, sighing abruptly as she stood up and rubbed her hands on the legs of her jeans. "We may need to talk to you again, so please don't leave Las Vegas."
Audra trilled a slight laugh, "Leave Las Vegas? Why on earth would I do that?"
As she stepped out of the interview room and started walking down the hallway Brass grumped, "She's phonier than a three-dollar bill from the planet Neptune."
Grissom looked surprised at this, "Really? You think she was lying?"
Brass shrugged, "I don't know if she was lying about dinner with Audra or not, but she was lying about being her friend."
Grissom turned to look at Sara, who smiled grimly, "No tears."
"Yeah," Brass muttered, "her histrionics were full of sound and fury, signifying - what?"
Sara suddenly grinned, "Quoting Shakespeare now, Brass. You've been hanging with Grissom too long."
* * * * *
"That was the best grilled cheese sandwich ever!" Catherine sighed contentedly as she and Warrick trudged into her living room.
Warrick grinned, "Glad you like it. That was my favorite meal as a kid. I'd come home from school after a hard day, and my Grams would always be ready to make me one - a little bread, two slices of cheese, and salsa grilled in the middle - perfection every time!" He walked over to her CD and DVD collection, scanning the titles and smiling, "Boogie Nights? Tsk, tsk, Catherine."
Catherine laughed, "I take it you've seen it, then?"
"No - actually. I haven't."
"Well, I have to warn you - if you like Rick Springfield and you watch this movie you'll never be able to listen to Jesse's Girl again without laughing."
"I laugh when I hear that song now - 80s dreck," Warrick teased. "So - it's 1:30. We have to be back at work by 4:00. Want to watch a movie?"
"Sure," Catherine yawned, "Can I pick it?"
"You going to make me watch a chick-flick?"
"Yeah. You mind?" Catherine sauntered over to him and scanned the movies, quickly pulling out one still wrapped in plastic. "I had to special order this one - just came in a few days ago." She flashed the film at Warrick, "Timothy Hutton and Kelly McGillis - Made in Heaven. All about finding your soulmate. So - wanna watch it with me?"
Warrick smiled, "You going to cry at the ending?"
"Probably," Catherine cheerfully responded, "and I may need your shoulder when I do it."
"By all means, then, Cath. By all means."
* * * * *
Grissom sighed as Sara fidgeted in the seat beside him, adjusting her seat belt and playing with the automatic door lock as they pulled out of the parking lot at work. The midday sun was ferociously hot, and Grissom could feel a tension headache just itching to turn into a full-fledged migraine.
"Something bothering you?" Sara asked suddenly, turning to stare at him. In his peripheral vision he could see the set of her mouth as she frowned at him. Obviously, she had picked up on his tension.
Grissom shrugged and continued driving, "I'm just at a loss as far as this case goes."
"A loss how?" Sara responded.
"I believed Mr. van der Brucke when he said that Audra wasn't having an affair; but if she wasn't meeting Marta, who was she meeting? Why would she lie to him?"
"Are you so sure Audra did?"
"You really think Marta was lying?"
It was Sara's turn to shrug, "Maybe. I didn't like her all that much - and before you tell me evidence and not gut - what evidence do we have she was telling the truth?"
Grissom mulled this over in his head, consideringly, "None. But it wouldn't be unheard of if she was. Younger woman - older man. The temptation is obviously there."
"Why?" Sara retorted, "Don't you think younger women are capable of committing to older men, without having to resort to little sexual flings on the side?"
Her question caught Grissom off guard. "I didn't say that."
"No - but you said the temptation for her to have an affair would be there because her husband is so much older than her. Frankly, I saw Mr. van der Brucke - he's in good shape for an older man. Very debonair, if you ask me. I'm sure he would have no problems - servicing - his wife."
Grissom felt his hands tighten on the steering wheel at her words, wondering at the hidden anger in them, "Something bothering you?"
Sara sighed, "Yes. No. I don't know. I'm sorry if I was being crude, but sometimes men are so dense it's unbelievable." When Grissom didn't respond, she continued, "I mean, you and Brass; Nick, Warrick and Greg - you've all made comments at one time or another tonight about the age difference. Frankly, I think it's wrong for you to be questioning the victims integrity in all this when she isn't even here to defend herself. You all find it perfectly acceptable that a man her husband's age could love her - why is it so unbelievable she loved him back? You have no proof to suggest otherwise."
Grissom grimaced, "You're right. We have no proof - and until we can find evidence one way or the other, I'll try to keep an open mind."
"That would be a beginning," Sara retorted softly. "Younger women fall in love with older men all the time. I admire Mr. van der Brucke for having the courage to accept what Audra was offering."
They rode in silence for a few miles, before Sara suddenly reached forwards and snapped on the radio. Grissom had a Queen CD in his player, and he smiled as Sara started pounding the forward button, looking for a song she recognized.
~There's no time for us
There's no place for us
What is this thing that builds our dreams, yet slips away from us?
Who wants to live forever?
Who wants to live forever?
Oh ooo oh
There's no chance for us
It's all decided for us
This world has only one sweet moment set aside for us
Who wants to live forever?
Who wants to live forever?
Who dares to love forever,
Oh oo woh, when love must die?
But touch my tears with your lips
Touch my world with your fingertips
And we can have forever
And we can love forever
Forever is our today
Who wants to live forever?
Who wants to live forever?
Forever is our today
Who waits forever anyway?~
The words of the song faded as Sara turned the radio off, sighing sadly as she did so. "That song always makes me feel like crying," she offered into the silence of the Tahoe cab. Grissom was pulling into the driveway at Nick's house, and he stopped the Tahoe before turning to look at her.
"Why listen to it, then?"
Sara shook her head at him, smiling in sad exasperation, "Why indeed?" She opened her door and slid out of the vehicle, leaning into the interior quickly after she said goodbye, "I listen to it to try to build up my courage, Grissom. We all have only a finite amount of time on this earth. Wouldn't it be much better to leave it knowing you'd loved someone who loved you back?"
Grissom heard the door slam and watched her run up the driveway and into Nick's house, barely knocking before she opened the door and walked in. Sighing, he started the Tahoe and pulled out of the driveway, flipping his stereo back on and quickly finding the song again. He replayed it several times on his lonely drive back to his townhouse; and didn't even realize he was crying until he opened his front door.
______________________
Author's Note: Sorry - I know I said a couple of days, but things popped up and I just couldn't do it.
Marta Fitzroy was a piece of work. Brass had a serious dislike for the woman, and, after spending less than an hour with her, had already chewed through a whole pack of Trident gum and was now pounding back gummie bears like there was no tomorrow - anything to keep his mouth busy. If he wasn't chewing on something, he had a feeling he would start swearing - and would just never stop.
Under normal circumstances, Brass might have found this slight woman attractive. He supposed she was pretty enough, in the highly artificial way only a woman who has had too much plastic surgery can be, but the pinched look around her mouth was really starting to annoy him. As were her weepy statements about the death of Audra van der Brucke, which - oddly enough - produced no tears from the woman. Perhaps she had had her tear ducts permanently damaged during her last eye-lift.
When he heard the slightly uneven gait of Grissom's shoes echoing down the hallway, he jumped to his feet in relief. He actually felt like hugging the man, but better sense prevailed. The happy look on his face must have given away his delight at seeing Grissom however. Sara, who had come with Grissom, shot him a highly amused look.
"Grissom - Sara. Glad you're here. I think Ms. Fitzroy here is finally calm enough to speak with us," Brass tried to keep the relief out of his voice, but knew he failed miserably.
Upon hearing her name, Marta rose to her feet and gracefully slid to Brass' side, smiling bravely at Grissom as she artfully dabbed at her eyes with a pristine hanky.
"Mr. Grissom, I'm feeling much better now. I am ready to talk to you about Audra - but I promise you, I don't know much."
Grissom nodded at her, "You might know more than you realize Ms. Fitzroy. Let's move this down to Interview Room 1. Captain Brass and Ms. Sidle -" he indicated Sara beside him, "will be joining us."
"Whatever you say, Mr. Grissom," Marta murmured. She managed to artfully squeeze in beside him when he turned, claiming his elbow as if he were her escort as they headed down the hallway, leaving Sara and Brass in her wake. Sara rolled her eyes at Brass, muttering under her breath, "She seems all shook up!"
Brass grunted back, "You ain't seen nothing yet!"
* * * * *
"Lindsey-lou, how's my favorite girl?" Warrick laughed as Lindsey launched herself at him, wrapping her arms and legs around his neck and waist like a little monkey.
"My and 'Nessa are going to see a movie later. And my best friend Mindy and her mommy are coming with us. I love it when we don't have school - and mommy said maybe this weekend we could go and get a doggy from the Humane Society, right mommy? And we finally finished dec'rating my bedroom - it's all Barbie now - wanna see? And -"
Catherine was laughing, "Lindsey - honey! Give Warrick time to respond to you - you're going to scare him away with all that babbling."
Lindsey look chastened for all of two seconds, before starting again, "Am I making you dizzy, Warrick? Mommy says sometimes I make her dizzier than a tormato-"
"Tornado, Lyns," Catherine interrupted.
Lyndsey rolled her eyes at her mom, "Whatever, mommy - a tornado, because I talk too much!"
"You talk just right, Lyndsey-lou," Warrick interjected. "So, wanna show me your room?
"Yeah! Did I tell you it was all Barbie? Even my bedsheets! Even my lamp! Even my wallpaper -" Lyndsey's happy voice disappeared down the hallway, and Catherine listened to Warrick's deep rumblings in amusement. The man would go into shock when he was assaulted by the pink that was Lyndsey's room. Catherine imagined he would have nightmares about it for weeks.
Turning to Vanessa, her new in-home babysitter, she grinned. Vanessa was staring at the doorway Lynds and Warrick had just walked through, and if the love-struck look on her face was anything to go by, she was wondering what it would be like to show Warrick *her* bedroom. "So, Vanessa, Lyndsey said something about a movie?"
Vanessa snapped her gaze at Catherine, grinning sheepishly, "Sorry, Catherine - I was just, uh."
"Admiring the view?" Catherine smirked, "Don't worry - I do it all the time. About the movie - I hope you don't mind? Jennifer called and invited us to go with her and Mindy to see a special showing of Monster's Inc. at the repertory cinema." Vanessa looked at her watch, "and they should be here any minute to pick us up. I was going to leave you a note."
Catherine grinned, "Well, far be it from me to say no to Monster's Inc. So, still enjoying the job?"
Vanessa grinned, "Sure am. Lyndsey's a sweet kid, and I like the lo-ooo- oong hours."
"I promise, tomorrow will be normal. I have the day off after shift tonight, and you'll be free until Sunday evening."
"Don't worry about it, Catherine. Lyndsey and I have plans for the evening - involving a Toy Story marathon and lots of buttered popcorn. Are you really getting a puppy?"
Catherine shrugged, "Well, Lyndsey seems to think so. I wanted to run it by you first, since you'll have to be responsible for it when I'm at work."
"I love puppies. And since I can't have one in my apartment, having one at your place sounds just about perfect," she was still grinning as she heard the honking car, "Sounds like Mindy and her mom are here. Lyndsey!!!"
"Coming - 'bye Warrick!" the little girl swept into the kitchen at a dead run, quickly kissing her mom before grabbing Vanessa's hands, "Bye Mommy! C'mon, c'mon' c'mon!"
Catherine watched the door slam behind Lyndsey, turning to smile at Warrick when she heard his chuckle behind her.
"That girl is all go," he commented. "I think the pink that is her room has got her on a permanent sugar-high." He sighed as he stepped into her kitchen and folded his tall frame onto a small kitchen chair, smiling at Catherine. "You realize, Lyndsey's already named her dog."
"How can she name something she doesn't even have yet?" Catherine rebutted, as she walked to the fridge and looked in it grimly. "What do you want for lunch?"
"Nothing in your fridge if the look on your face is anything to go by," Warrick teased. "You have cheese singles and salsa?" At Catherine's nod, he continued, "Good - let me make you my grams' famous grilled-cheese and salsa sandwiches. She's naming the dog Spot."
Catherine chuckled as she grabbed the cheese and salsa, "Spot? What if the dog is a solid color, like brown or something?"
Warrick shrugged, "I wouldn't worry about it. She's planning on dying the dog pink to match her room."
* * * * *
"No - I never had plans to meet Audra at all!" Marta denied, blinking furiously. She gazed appealingly at Grissom, her dainty hands fluttering around her collarbones, "I was home all night last night."
"Mr. van der Brucke says Audra was meeting you to go shopping. And if you were home all night, why didn't you answer your phone? We called you several times."
Audra shrugged, "I went to bed early, and I probably didn't hear it. But Audra and I didn't have plans. We spoke several times yesterday, but I was supposed to meet her tonight for dinner."
"Can you tell us why Marta would tell her husband she was meeting you for dinner?"
Audra blinked widely at Grissom, "I - I don't know. You don't think she was having an affair or anything, do you?"
Over the back of her head, Brass rolled his eyes at Sara. Grissom shook his head, "I don't know. Was she?"
Audra shrugged daintily, "Willem is a wonderful man, but he *is* quite a bit older than Marta. Maybe she got - bored. Sexually, I mean."
Brass sighed loudly at this, "I think that's it for now, Ms. Fitzroy. If you can think of anything else, you'll let us know?"
Marta turned to Brass and smiled brilliantly at him, "Absolutely. I can't imagine what poor Willem is going through right now. We need to find Audra's killer."
Sara rolled her eyes again at this, sighing abruptly as she stood up and rubbed her hands on the legs of her jeans. "We may need to talk to you again, so please don't leave Las Vegas."
Audra trilled a slight laugh, "Leave Las Vegas? Why on earth would I do that?"
As she stepped out of the interview room and started walking down the hallway Brass grumped, "She's phonier than a three-dollar bill from the planet Neptune."
Grissom looked surprised at this, "Really? You think she was lying?"
Brass shrugged, "I don't know if she was lying about dinner with Audra or not, but she was lying about being her friend."
Grissom turned to look at Sara, who smiled grimly, "No tears."
"Yeah," Brass muttered, "her histrionics were full of sound and fury, signifying - what?"
Sara suddenly grinned, "Quoting Shakespeare now, Brass. You've been hanging with Grissom too long."
* * * * *
"That was the best grilled cheese sandwich ever!" Catherine sighed contentedly as she and Warrick trudged into her living room.
Warrick grinned, "Glad you like it. That was my favorite meal as a kid. I'd come home from school after a hard day, and my Grams would always be ready to make me one - a little bread, two slices of cheese, and salsa grilled in the middle - perfection every time!" He walked over to her CD and DVD collection, scanning the titles and smiling, "Boogie Nights? Tsk, tsk, Catherine."
Catherine laughed, "I take it you've seen it, then?"
"No - actually. I haven't."
"Well, I have to warn you - if you like Rick Springfield and you watch this movie you'll never be able to listen to Jesse's Girl again without laughing."
"I laugh when I hear that song now - 80s dreck," Warrick teased. "So - it's 1:30. We have to be back at work by 4:00. Want to watch a movie?"
"Sure," Catherine yawned, "Can I pick it?"
"You going to make me watch a chick-flick?"
"Yeah. You mind?" Catherine sauntered over to him and scanned the movies, quickly pulling out one still wrapped in plastic. "I had to special order this one - just came in a few days ago." She flashed the film at Warrick, "Timothy Hutton and Kelly McGillis - Made in Heaven. All about finding your soulmate. So - wanna watch it with me?"
Warrick smiled, "You going to cry at the ending?"
"Probably," Catherine cheerfully responded, "and I may need your shoulder when I do it."
"By all means, then, Cath. By all means."
* * * * *
Grissom sighed as Sara fidgeted in the seat beside him, adjusting her seat belt and playing with the automatic door lock as they pulled out of the parking lot at work. The midday sun was ferociously hot, and Grissom could feel a tension headache just itching to turn into a full-fledged migraine.
"Something bothering you?" Sara asked suddenly, turning to stare at him. In his peripheral vision he could see the set of her mouth as she frowned at him. Obviously, she had picked up on his tension.
Grissom shrugged and continued driving, "I'm just at a loss as far as this case goes."
"A loss how?" Sara responded.
"I believed Mr. van der Brucke when he said that Audra wasn't having an affair; but if she wasn't meeting Marta, who was she meeting? Why would she lie to him?"
"Are you so sure Audra did?"
"You really think Marta was lying?"
It was Sara's turn to shrug, "Maybe. I didn't like her all that much - and before you tell me evidence and not gut - what evidence do we have she was telling the truth?"
Grissom mulled this over in his head, consideringly, "None. But it wouldn't be unheard of if she was. Younger woman - older man. The temptation is obviously there."
"Why?" Sara retorted, "Don't you think younger women are capable of committing to older men, without having to resort to little sexual flings on the side?"
Her question caught Grissom off guard. "I didn't say that."
"No - but you said the temptation for her to have an affair would be there because her husband is so much older than her. Frankly, I saw Mr. van der Brucke - he's in good shape for an older man. Very debonair, if you ask me. I'm sure he would have no problems - servicing - his wife."
Grissom felt his hands tighten on the steering wheel at her words, wondering at the hidden anger in them, "Something bothering you?"
Sara sighed, "Yes. No. I don't know. I'm sorry if I was being crude, but sometimes men are so dense it's unbelievable." When Grissom didn't respond, she continued, "I mean, you and Brass; Nick, Warrick and Greg - you've all made comments at one time or another tonight about the age difference. Frankly, I think it's wrong for you to be questioning the victims integrity in all this when she isn't even here to defend herself. You all find it perfectly acceptable that a man her husband's age could love her - why is it so unbelievable she loved him back? You have no proof to suggest otherwise."
Grissom grimaced, "You're right. We have no proof - and until we can find evidence one way or the other, I'll try to keep an open mind."
"That would be a beginning," Sara retorted softly. "Younger women fall in love with older men all the time. I admire Mr. van der Brucke for having the courage to accept what Audra was offering."
They rode in silence for a few miles, before Sara suddenly reached forwards and snapped on the radio. Grissom had a Queen CD in his player, and he smiled as Sara started pounding the forward button, looking for a song she recognized.
~There's no time for us
There's no place for us
What is this thing that builds our dreams, yet slips away from us?
Who wants to live forever?
Who wants to live forever?
Oh ooo oh
There's no chance for us
It's all decided for us
This world has only one sweet moment set aside for us
Who wants to live forever?
Who wants to live forever?
Who dares to love forever,
Oh oo woh, when love must die?
But touch my tears with your lips
Touch my world with your fingertips
And we can have forever
And we can love forever
Forever is our today
Who wants to live forever?
Who wants to live forever?
Forever is our today
Who waits forever anyway?~
The words of the song faded as Sara turned the radio off, sighing sadly as she did so. "That song always makes me feel like crying," she offered into the silence of the Tahoe cab. Grissom was pulling into the driveway at Nick's house, and he stopped the Tahoe before turning to look at her.
"Why listen to it, then?"
Sara shook her head at him, smiling in sad exasperation, "Why indeed?" She opened her door and slid out of the vehicle, leaning into the interior quickly after she said goodbye, "I listen to it to try to build up my courage, Grissom. We all have only a finite amount of time on this earth. Wouldn't it be much better to leave it knowing you'd loved someone who loved you back?"
Grissom heard the door slam and watched her run up the driveway and into Nick's house, barely knocking before she opened the door and walked in. Sighing, he started the Tahoe and pulled out of the driveway, flipping his stereo back on and quickly finding the song again. He replayed it several times on his lonely drive back to his townhouse; and didn't even realize he was crying until he opened his front door.
______________________
Author's Note: Sorry - I know I said a couple of days, but things popped up and I just couldn't do it.