"Wow,
Sara, you scrub up really well," Greg said in mock shock.
"Thanks Greg," she smiled.
Why am I here?
Her mind was reeling.
Greg's mind was also full of questions. 'Why is she here, with me?'
I thought she was thinking of someone else, well, she talked about
someone else on the rooftop, is she only here with me because, because I said
some kind words to her?
Greg decided his only choice of action was to pretend she wanted to be here as
much as he did. Maybe her mind was on someone else, but surely he could change
that.
Greg acted like the perfect gentle man, he pulled out her chair, he asked her
what wine she wanted, and he complimented her on the jewellery she wore.
Sara had never been treated this way in her life. The way he seemed to drown
out his surroundings, and fully focus on her, it made her feel special.
He was funny. He was smart, his interest seemed to be so broad, and for the
first time in her life she felt ashamed that her only interest away from work
was a scanner.
Then he reached across the table and took her hand, and smiled. But he didn't
receive the response he wanted.
Sara shot up, and pulled her hand away, "I'm sorry Greg" she started, visibly
ruffled, "I cant do this right now, I really can't."
"Sara," Greg called after her, then decided it was best to follow. He didn't
mind waiting for her to get over someone. He didn't mean to push her.
It was too late, by the time Greg had pushed past the waiters – who insisted on
payment for the meal – whether it was half eaten or not – she was gone.
* * * * * *
"Has anyone seen Sara?" Grissom questioned, when handing out assignments.
"No," was the simultaneous reply that echoes round the CSI's. Grissom couldn't
remember the last time Sara hadn't turned up.
"Ok, well, Nick, you and Catherine take the DB in the mountains…"
"God, not in this heat," Nick moaned, which was greeted by a cold look from
Grissom.
"Warrick, you take the overdose," Grissom continued. "Ok, that's it." He said,
closing the folder.
"What about you Griss?" Catherine questioned from the doorframe.
"I have paperwork," Grissom said, apparently distracted by the paperwork on his
desk.
"Not waiting for Sara then?" Catherine said slyly.
"No," he said, with a note of aggression in his voice. Catherine just simply
smiled at his efforts to conceal his feelings, before leaving.
Grissom arrived at his office, and before he even had chance to sit, there was
a knock at the door. He was expecting Sara, but, unfortunately, it was Greg.
"What is it Greg," grissom said in monotone.
"I, erm…" Greg found himself unable to talk.
"Greg, breath, then talk." Grissom commanded.
Greg took a minute to compose himself.
"Last
night, me and Sara went out on, erm, I think it was a date, but she freaked out
half way through, and kinda left. I keep phoning her, and I got no answer – and
Nick told me she didn't show up today," Greg said, nervous that he may receive
a lecture on the lab rules on 'relationships.'
Grissom remained silent for sometime, apparently thinking over the situation. "Did
you go to her house?" he eventually questioned.
"No," Greg started, "I don't even know where she lives." He said, voice full of
disappointment.
"Ok, I'll see if she's at home, and ill talk to her," Grissom stated, getting
his coat.
"Shouldn't I come?" Greg was really nervous; he didn't want Grissom to think
he'd done something wrong.
"Greg, I think I can handle it."
* * * * * *
Grissom sighed as he knocked on Sara's door. He didn't know what state she'd be
in. Was she upset with Greg? Or herself?
"Hey," she said, opening the door, "I just called in sick." She said, slightly
confused at why Grissom was at her door.
"You don't look sick," he said, examining her face.
Suddenly, realisation struck her, "Greg told you, didn't he?" she said,
disappointed that Grissom probably knew about the 'date.'
"Yes," Grissom eventually divulged, he didn't want to get Greg in trouble with
Sara.
"Come in," she said, retreating into her house. Grissom was slightly shocked
that she wanted him in her home, but he decided she might need to talk.
She gestured for Grissom to sit, and she did the same.
"I went out with Greg, but I was thinking of you, in fact, I don't know what I
was thinking," she conceded.
"Oh," Grissom said, slightly embarrassed at what she'd just told him.
"Grissom, help me out here, I just don't know what I'm feeling!" She exclaimed.
She was frustrated, torn between what she could have, and what she wanted.
Grissom held a thoughtful expression for a few minutes, then replied, "tell me
briefly what you feel for Greg."
Sara closed her eyes for a moment. What did she think of Greg? What did she
feel for Greg?
"I think he's cute - but I don't think I see him as anything more than a
friend." Sara responded slowly, thinking about each segment of her answer
before she spoke it. A small-relieved smile appeared on her face – things were
starting to make sense.
"What about me?" Grissom asked in monotone, slightly fearing her response.
She took the same amount of deliberation over her response to this, and replied
"I think I feel a large amount of respect for you Grissom, I'm not sure what
else I feel for you – maybe I respect you too much," she said, and paused, her
answer even shocked herself.
"Feel better?" he said, with a small smile.
"No." she said sarcastically. Grissom could see that she was contemplating. She
was as bad as him when it came to thinking; she needed to learn to stop every
once in a while.
"Sara you don't have to have someone in your life." Grissom said, knowledgably.
"I know, its just…I...need something in my life," she said with a huge amount
of conviction.
"The operable word being 'something' and not 'someone.'" Grissom responded with
a grin.
"I have my scanner," she said thoughtfully.
"You need more" he insisted.
She shrugged, and looked toward Grissom, "...any suggestions?"
Slowly a beaming smile appeared on Grissom's face.
* * * * * *
Grissom took Sara in the Tahoe, not answering her insistent questions of 'where
are we going.' When her questions changed to 'what about work' he simply told
her life, 'isn't all about work.'
* * * * * *
"Ah," she said, as she saw the roller coaster. "You're gonna take me on that?"
she said, eyes huge with anticipation.
"No – you're going on by yourself," he said slowly.
She turned to him, her eyes searching for answers, "why?"
"Because, you need something Sara" – he pointed to the roller coaster, "not
someone," he said, indicating to himself. "And I'm sharing this with you," he
said, looking toward the roller coaster, "not this" with his last answer, he
indicated his heart.
For the first time in her life, Sara felt in control. She beamed at Grissom,
and started heading toward the 'coaster, Grissom watched her leave.
Then she turned, "Grissom?"
"Yeah?" he responded, he hoped that she didn't want him to say, he wanted to be
with her, but he knew that it wasn't the best thing right now.
"Ill be in work later, and tell Greg……tell Greg that I appreciated what he did
for me," Grissom nodded in acknowledgement, and watched her run to the roller
coaster.
Sara felt something that she'd never felt in a long time……free.
