Chapter 9/?
The Final Variable- Solitude
She couldn't help but let her eyes study him. After their sign language session together and his educating talk on otosclerosis, they took opposite sides of the room to stop the spinning. The constant emotional contact and sitting with knees touching were like electricity for both of them. The heat did not help. Awkwardly they parted for a break with a promise that they would continue later. They had plenty of time, now that she knew.
The strong muscles in his neck were visible due to the angle as his head rested on the wall behind him. His matted hair was still thick with salt and pepper curls. His eyes were closed just barely. She could tell he wasn't asleep by his breathing. Instead of soft and deep, his breaths were shallow and short. He was regulating his temperature and his energy, she told herself with a smile. Of course the only reason she noticed was due to the opening in his shirt showing just enough skin of his chest. He was shiny with perspiration as her eyes traveled to his exposed forearms. The muscles made him look so strong, yet it intrigued her that he was so elegant with his hand motions. Even when he examined her foot he was gentle. It did not shock her, but he had so much power to hurt her that made the contact more pleasant. She wondered what his caresses were like. How would he hold her? Softly to let her know he cared like the friendly hug they shared? Or maybe hard so she would never leave? Would he be tender yet demanding? Her mouth was dry and thick as her eyes landed once again on the opening in his shirt. She shook her head before looking away in shame. She shouldn't be thinking like this. He was trusting her with such personal knowledge that it felt wrong to think about him in such a carnal way. She mimicked his action, and closed her eyes to clear her foggy head.
Grissom felt Sara's burning gaze trained on his body. He braved a look and was relieved to find that she had closed her eyes. He never had such freedom to view her this closely. He was never completely alone with Sara or felt comfortable staring at her for long periods of time for fear of being noticed. Now he had that chance and did not ignore it. He was alone with her and no one was walking through that door anytime soon.
Starting at her face he observed her closely decanting every detail to memory. She was the image of perfect relaxation. Her long eyelashes could even be seen from his position so far away. Her mouth was slightly parted as her tongue snaked out and wet her dry lips. She was thirsty. He wanted to quench her thirst. He wanted to quench his own thirst.
Her small necklace lay just in the hallow of her neck, which moved his eyes to her damp collarbone. He became fascinated by her small shoulders that led to her sinewy arms. Small or not, Sara was not a weak woman. He wondered just how strong and passionate she was when with a man. No. That isn't right. Sara doesn't need to fantasized about. She needs better than unclean thoughts by her boss. Well now he was more than just a boss. He told her his dark secret, one of them at least. The intense pressure on his chest was lighter now, no gone, but lighter. He owed that to her and this bunker. By trapping him literally and psychologically, he was given the push to explain what he wanted to tell her since the first day he found out about his disease. He smiled and released hot air from his mouth.
"You're still awake." Came her voice. She slowly opened her eyes and smiled over to him.
"It is too hot to sleep." He answered running a hand through his hair. She abruptly stood up and limped to the end of the room. "Where are you going?"
"We're still trapped Grissom, I'm not going anywhere. I just wanted to stretch my legs."
He looked at his watch then rose to his feet. "Well still no word from anyone. I think it is safe to say we are not missed."
"How long have we been in here?"
"In total, nine hours and twenty-three minutes."
She threw her hands up in the air. "What the hell? Does no one notice we haven't come back to the lab yet?"
"Well Catherine's case must be good or she would have noticed."
"And David?"
"Who knows?" He shrugged because he didn't care at the moment if anyone found that they were missing in action. "So what do you want to do?"
She could not stop the smile forming as his question conjured up...things they could do. Her smile faded and she cleared her throat. "Well one thing is for sure, I need to get out of here soon. I am going stir crazy with only my thoughts to keep me company."
"What am I? Chopped liver?"
"You know what I mean." She picked up the smashed technology she bestowed on herself and limped back to Grissom.
"I told you to stay off that ankle. I don't have x-ray vision and you might have a hairline fracture."
"Whatever you say Dr. Grissom."
"I know you are using my title as a pun but I was a coroner so I know a little about anatomy."
"Yeah anatomy of bugs." She whispered grabbing a screwdriver and other various tools needed to fix her wandering mind.
"I'll pretend I didn't hear that so I don't have to comment. Now what are you doing Mrs. Hyperactive?"
She threw daggers with her eyes. "I'll have you know that I am not hyperactive. I just am full of energy."
"So what are you doing?" He asked clearing his throat to keep laughing.
"Attempting to fix this." She slid down the wall to a sitting position and he joined her.
"Watch you don't cut yourself." He said as he watched her work diligently with the screwdriver. He was practically leaning on her trying to get a good view.
She stopped and turned to face him. She could not ignore that their faces almost touching. "Okay." She said suddenly flushed.
He studied her face closely while he spoke. "Are you sure that is going to work?"
"No."
"Okay." He mumbled unaware of her answer.
He inched closer to her without knowing it. A searing hot line dominated every point of contact: shoulders, hips, thighs, feet. Every sensory organ concentrated on those four zones. He needed a drink, but then again so did she.
"So..." She said using the screwdriver to pry open a smashed side of the radio.
"So..."
"Well what were you thinking about?" She asked trying to keep her mind on track.
"Nothing. Just thinking."
"Oh." She said unconvinced by his tone.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"Well what were you thinking about?" He shot back.
"Nothing." She replied nonchalantly but it failed miserably.
"Come on I will tell you what I was thinking if you tell me what you were thinking."
His breath hit her face sending chills down her back despite the heat. She wet her lips slowly. "It's hot in here."
He smiled. "Sara you are changing the subject. That's my job."
She beamed with her thousand-watt smile. "You tell me first then."
He examined her playful eyes. "It really is hot in here now that you mentioned it."
She chuckled and turned back to her project. "Subject change Grissom."
"No it's a fact." He went back to studying the possible object that might end their time together. No, he said to himself, they had plenty of time.
She removed the cover to her cell phone to expose the wires. "Do you have a pocket knife?"
"Yes." He shifted away from her digging in his pocket and delivering it to her hand. "I had no idea you were such the electrician."
"I'm not. I'm playing this by ear."
"Should I be worried?"
She lifted her head to smile at him. "Nah."
Grissom watched her splice the wires and begin to loop them around the exposed radio conductors and electrical conductors. The crossing of wires was making Grissom nervous but doubted it would even work. What were the odds that it would work?
"There." She said turning on the radio and the phone. "Cross your fingers."
She pressed the talk key on her phone and hit the speed dial for Catherine's phone. 'No Signal' flashed across the teal screen. "Damn."
"The frequencies probably aren't consistent." Grissom informed her. "You might be able to..."
"No, I didn't think it would work anyway." She sat it down beside her and looked over at him getting lost in his eyes.
"What?"
"Right now I don't care if anyone finds us." She whispered.
"We'll dehydrate Sara."
"Now who is being the pessimist?"
He chuckled and she dropped her head giggling. Neither one of them could believe they were stuck in such a situation, let alone have such a night full of conversation or progress. She never in all her life thought she would be so close to Grissom without feeling doubtful that it was misunderstood. Her head shot up when he pushed the hair away from her face.
"I couldn't see you." He said softly. Her eyes locked with his as he tucked the hair behind her ear. "That's better."
She could feel herself leaning into him. She swayed slightly as the distance became less and less. Her mind could not process anything. He was the only thing that existed in this time, in this place, in this feeling. She felt his eyes study her which only increased her need to kiss him. She had to feel his lips on hers, yet she stopped half way with only her eyes and his will to bring him to her.
His eyes traveled over her form as he leaned into her. The apprehension was mounting as the urge to kiss her increased. His brain was foggy and nonfunctional. His eyes studied her face until they reached her eyes. They pleaded for release. His own held such desire from years when he remained inactive and deprived of her sweet lips and her gentle caresses.
He closed the distance effortlessly and in a gracious exploring touch of the lips. Something ignited deep within their souls as they met. They experimentally tasted each other's lips before a graze of tongues spawned more than either party could bear.
(tbc)