Chapter 10
The Outcome
In an infinite dance of passion they found themselves kissing. So many years of deprivation had unleashed a beast of desire, yearning, and need. They wholeheartedly lost themselves beyond any return, changing everything. Hands wandered through hair, over hips, and under clothing continuously fueling the kiss. Skin on skin increased as the need to feel each other increased.
Grissom could not describe what he felt. It was too overpowering for words. He never knew a woman could make him at a loss for words. He smiled against her lips at the thought but lost track of brain activity when her hand wander dangerously close to the edge of his pants. He couldn't stop himself from gasping as her hand seized his shirt tearing it out of his pants.
She threw her leg over to straddle his hips. "Shh." She whispered before grabbing his lips with her own. She pushed his head hard against the wall to quench her tongue's thirst for him. He pushed back with equal force as his tongue lashed savagely in her mouth. She always mused that Grissom would be an excellent kisser, and no doubt a passionate lover. One step at a time she told herself. She withdrew from the kiss to trail down his salty neck.
"Sara..." He gasped between kisses losing total control.
Her name on his lips sounded so unbelievable she stopped. She pulled away panting to look at him. His eyes were a fierce raging blue that she had never seen, but full of pleasure. He was real and this wasn't a dream.
"What?" He asked caressing her cheek as his lungs took in much needed air.
"Nothing." She felt her face grow hot but doubted he could see the blush on her already pink face.
She leaned in softly to deliver a tender kiss to his pursed lips but stopped and turned away from him. "Did you hear that?"
He leaned his head against the wall to rest. How was it possible to be worn out just by kissing? "Did I hear what?" He said closing his eyes.
"Grissom?! Sara?!"
Their heads snapped to attention viewing the door cautiously. The sound was muffled but distinguishing. A resounding click echoed through the bunker before the heavy door began to creak open. In an instant Sara jumped away as if Grissom was the carrier of a contagious disease. Before they knew it three CSI investigators stepped through the metal door with very worried expressions on their faces.
"Are you two all right?" Catherine asked in concern as she hustled over to the unlikely pair.
Sara tried to speak but her dry throat would not permit it. Grissom spoke as he rose to his feet smoothing his untucked shirt and trying to act as casual as possible. "We're fine. What took you so long?"
"We had no idea you were here." She answered looking at Sara with a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah, we thought you were just working a case." Warrick added.
"We were until we got stuck in here." Grissom turned to Sara hiding his blush. He extended a hot hand to pull his partner to her feet. "You didn't notice when we didn't come back?" He asked.
Nick and Warrick exchanged glances before Catherine spoke. "Well we did, but..."
"Didn't think much of it." Nick finished. "Sara why are you only wearing one shoe?"
She looked down at her foot then raised her eyes to Nick's expecting glare. "I hurt my ankle." She swallowed hard. Did her voice just crack?
"She needs X-rays." Grissom added trying to get away.
"How did you...?"
"Don't ask. Right now all I want is some water." A little water might calm her senses.
Warrick frowned. "Uh Sara, there is like at least twenty gallons in that corner."
"Yeah." Nick added completely lost. He began to think that they were acting even strange by Grissom-Sara standards.
Sara and Grissom looked at each other before sharing a small smile they couldn't stop. "Well?" Catherine prodded.
Grissom sighed. "Well our victim had no external injuries, so we thought he was poisoned by the water."
"It was a caution." She gave them an exhausted smile.
"Your guy died of natural causes."
"Huh?" They asked in unison turning to the Jim Brass as he stepped through the door.
He knitted his eyebrows in confusion as he took in their appearance. Both were severely flushed, sweaty, and he could have sworn that Grissom's breathing was labored. "I just got a call from David as he was leaving the morgue and said to pass the word along. Your guy just...died." He said finally.
"What?" She hissed. "Why didn't he come looking for us?!"
Grissom touched her arm. "Jim we some water." Brass sent a puzzled look to the team but shrugged it off as he went to retrieve some water.
"Who made the thingy?" Nick asked picking up the contraption that led to their discovery.
"Sara."
"Well we wouldn't even be here if it weren't for Catherine's cell phone ringing." Warrick nodded.
"Yeah when I picked up all I heard was static and shuffling, so we knew something was up. We came here as soon as we couldn't reach Grissom's cell."
"It was a good thing you found us." Sara thanked them but silently scorned her mind for ruining something her body was enjoying.
"Yes. Thanks." Grissom replied without feeling. Brass rejoined the group with two bottles of clear, wet, thirst quenching, mouth watering, cool, natural, spring water and handed one to each deprived investigator. "Thanks Jim." Grissom said cracking the bottle open and indulging in the plentiful euphoria of water. Sara did the same while the rest of the team looked on in amusement. It wasn't unnoticed by the team either that both victims of entrapment were quite haphazardly thrown together. They did not doubt that such a long time in a hot, humid, suffocating bunker with no water could turn anyone into a disarrayed person. Yet there was something different in their proximity to each other and there was something odd about the stares with reddened cheeks.
"Well I don't know about you Gris." Sara said nonchalantly bending down to pick up her boot. "But I cannot wait to get out of here."
He started to follow her towards the door but Catherine stopped them. "Wait. Aren't you guys going to tell us what happened?"
Sara looked at Catherine with a blank face then to Grissom. He shrugged as he turned back to the curious crowd. "Victims of circumstance." He nodded to himself agreeing with the true description before turning up the stairs. Everyone watched his hand cup her elbow until they were out of view.
"Wait." Nick turned to his coworkers. "That's it?"
Warrick sighed. "I guess so."
:::: Three ::: Days ::: Later ::::
Sara tried to disguise her limp as she hobbled towards Grissom's office to hand in her paperwork. Even the simple task of dropping off her papers was strained. It wasn't because of her ankle either. Just like so many times before Grissom pushed her away as if nothing happened. He hadn't talked about what happened in the bunker which made her believe he was having second thoughts. His comment to Catherine was also disconcerting. She didn't see herself as a victim of circumstance, but apparently he did. The knotting pain still gripped her insides every time she rethought his words. She thought they broke down walls. She knew about his hearing and they knew how they felt about each other, yet he shoved her away. Again. She wasn't bold enough to approach the matter fearing her heart could not take his words of regret. Not yet. Sara was left confused and hurt by the one man that could change her whole life; she didn't want to find out he was doing it on purpose. She painfully reached the door but despite her upset stomach she had to smile at his hunched form in the soft glow of his desk lamp.
Grissom sat pouring through the latest stack of papers that had seemed to spontaneously generate, but he welcomed the time alone to sort things out; to sort his feelings out. He didn't want to mention their kiss until some things were put into perspective. It hit him really hard when he realized they risked a lot by stepping over the line at a crime scene. The whole situation he was thrown into was a bit overwhelming for the man of mystery. He needed time to think and reach a conclusion like any scientist would do.
"How was your case?" She asked testing the waters from the doorway.
His head rose to meet the beautiful woman conquering his thoughts. "Good." He motioned towards the chair in front of him before going back to his chore, or attempting to look like he was concentrating.
She gradually made her way across the office. She placed her papers on his desk before flopping down in the chair. "What are you up to?"
"We have a case going to court in a week and it's a mess. Then I have everyone's papers to file." He sighed but forced a smile. "Thank you for your punctual filing as always."
"No problem." She said with a nervous smile.
The room grew too quiet for far too long until Grissom was forced to break it. "How is your ankle?"
"Fine."
He scoffed. "I saw you limping on your way here."
"You were watching me?"
He froze. "Well...I was worried."
"Oh. I'm fine really." She said sadly but something caught her eye laying amongst the papers. "Hey this doesn't look like paperwork."
Before he could stop her she removed the sheet of paper from his protective chaos. "It's just..."
"My Reason." She whispered in shock unable to take her eyes from the paper.
"Um...well...I got Greg to find the lyrics for me." He tried clearing away the lump in his throat but it wouldn't budge.
" 'And I needed someone to love me, but you just left me here and I'm lonely. You know I needed someone to love me but I'm all alone.' " She heard her voice crack as she felt the tears start to prickle her eyes. She spoke the words in painful realization.
" 'I'm searching to find my reason, to find a reason, to find my reason why I need you. And I need you, and I want you but I need to get away from you...but I need you and I want you.' " His tone was soft, barely audible, as he let the memorized lyrics fall from his mouth. He was so afraid the first time he read the entire song realizing she was pushed away too far to be pulled back. But...'I want you. I need you.' His eyes locked with hers and he knew everything he had to say as it lay in her brown eyes. "I need you."
She couldn't move or even breathe. "What?"
He inhaled deeply. "I don't need a reason anymore. I need you Sara."
She blinked wildly in confusion. "But you...you said we were victims of circumstance and you didn't...mention anything. I thought you regretted everything. And the song, it's..."
"Being a victim of circumstance can never be a bad thing when the outcome is right." He watched shock shine through her lovely face. It was the same reaction he received at his omission on beauty. He smiled in spite of himself as he stood slowly. "Would you like to get some breakfast?"
She closed her agape mouth. "Oh yeah, sure."
He nodded and began to collect his things as if admitting his need was an everyday occurrence. She shook her head in amusement as she stood. "Is something wrong?" He asked watching her rise.
"Oh no. I'm just...you just...surprised me. Again."
"Oh." He said shrugging his strong shoulders as if he hadn't a clue. "Wheat toast, one egg sunny side up, a side order of pears, and a glass of orange juice right?"
She awarded him with a gapped tooth smile. "Two blueberry waffles, maple syrup on the side, a grapefruit half, and a cup of coffee; two sugars, three containers of half-and-half milk. Not the powder because it reminds you of fingerprint dust." He raised an eyebrow. "I saw you in the lounge pretending to print the table."
"Oh." He managed to say again but this time he was the one surprised that she was watching him. "Are you ready?"
She squinted passed him staring at the wall considering the full range of his question. Was she ready? Were they ready? The sudden brush of his fingers on the back of her hand made her snap out of her reverie to meet his eyes. He gave her a reassuring smile which she widely returned. "Yes I'm ready."
-end.