Chapter II: The Bug, er, Big Day
"Hey Sara."
Sara stops abruptly at the sound of a voice. She turns to find herself face to face with Grissom, who has somehow come up behind her without her hearing.
"God, she really is beautiful," Grissom thinks, looking into her eyes.
*Yeah, yeah, we know that already* CS-eye and some shippers mutter under their breath.
Here we are again, of course. The shippers wouldn't miss this for the world.
*Hmph, you're just jealous…* One girl whispers to CS-eye.
*Shush! We have to get back to the plot.* CS-eye retorts.
"Could you come with me for a moment, please?" Grissom asks Sara, gingerly taking her left hand in his right.
"Why, are you going to tape me up?" Sara remarks with a smile.
*Sigh.*
Grissom leads Sara to his Tahoe, his eyes never leaving her face. They both get in. Sara wonders what he's up to.
*Oooh! We want to tell you, Sara! sigh But of course we can't…*
Just as Sara is about to wonder where all the faint mumbling voices are coming from, she catches a glimpse of a box, roughly the size of a human fist, peeking from under Grissom's jacket. Grissom gently takes it out, and places it on the back seat.
"Don't look yet," Grissom implores.
Sara eyes him suspiciously, but makes no effort to ask what is going on.
Grissom starts the engine, and they set off
After driving for almost half an hour, they arrive at a marina.
There, tied to the dock, is a ship. Yes, a ship.
"S.S. Geeklove? Who'd name their boat that?" Sara wonders. "But it sure looks magnificent."
"Damn. I'm nervous," Grissom thinks.
*Don't be.* We remind him.
"Sara, this ship was lent to me by some friends. It is ours for the night – Valentine's Night," Grissom says, a bit nervously.
"Oh, Grissom! I – I don't know what to say," Sara exclaims.
Grissom and Sara walk farther down the dock. Suddenly, Grissom stops and turns to Sara.
"Sara, I forgot my gift in the car. I'll go get it. Be right back," Grissom hurriedly tells Sara.
Sara gives him a nod and a smile.
"What a smile. I'm such a geek, forgetting the gift." Grissom hastily runs, and opens the car door. He picks the present up carefully, and then checks if it's still one piece by rattling the box a bit.
"Good. Still okay," Grissom thinks.
*Don't screw this up!* We butt in on his thoughts again.
"I won't," he answers positively.
Returning to Sara, he takes her by the hand and leads her to the ship.
"What a wonderful view… And the breeze is just right – not too warm, not too cold," Sara comments, as they step onto the deck.
Grissom pulls out the box, his hands beginning to perspire a bit. He hands it over to Sara, whispering "Happy Valentine's Day –er, Night, honey."
Sara beams at him, remembering the first time he called her that.
She carefully takes it, and thanks him with a kiss.
"Open it," Grissom says.
Sara complies, unwrapping the small package.
A ceramic ladybug, an exact replica of last year's gift emerges from the box.
Sara bites her lip, trying to hide her disappointment.
"I love Grissom, and whatever comes from him I shall love too," Sara thinks.
Grissom gives a soft chuckle, interrupting Sara's thoughts.
"You hate it," he observes.
"Of course not."
"Of course you do. You should know by now that I know you too much."
Sara doesn't know what to say. She just continues to bite her lip.
All of a sudden they both begin to laugh.
"You know me too much," Sara admits.
"Break it," Grissom suddenly says.
"What?" Sara looks at him, stunned.
"Break it."
"No way! Why should I? This is your gift!"
"You said it's 'my' gift, right? So I'm asking you to break it."
"No."
"Sara…"
"You're crazy."
"Trust me."
*Trust him! Just break it already.* A chorus of animated voices fills the air.
"Whaaa – What!? Who's that? Who's there?" Sara looks around abruptly, her mind now bursting with questions.
"I'll explain it to you later. Now, come on, break it," Grissom again tells Sara.
Sara finally relents, breaking the piece of pottery against the deck railing.
Crash.
The pieces of the ceramic bug scatter all over the deck.
Clink.
Clink?
Right beside a broken red piece of ceramic, a circular band glistened in the moonlight.
A ring.
Grissom picks it up, his hand shaking slightly.
Sara is stunned beyond words.
Grissom slowly takes her hand, and says:
"Sara, will you marry me?"
"Oh my god. I don't know what to say… Are you – are you sure?" Sara manages to stammer.
"I've never been more sure, Sara." Grissom replies.
"I really don't know what to say…" Sara is still at a lost for words
"Say yes."
Grissom slips the ring into Sara's finger.
"I'll ask you again. Will you –"
Sara cuts him short. "I will."
Grissom feels as though he was floating on air.
Again Sara speaks, "Yes, I will. I'm sure."
Grissom sweeps Sara off her feet – literally, and kisses her, wanting to feel her, wanting to be sure if this is all for real.
They dance in the moonlight as the whole shipper world bursts into cheers.