Title: Never in Vegas
By: Annie Lune
Summary: Sara believes that some things will never happen in Vegas.
Disclaimer: Boo hoo hoo. Cry cry cry. Sob sob sob. But I do own a lot of snow right now.
Spoilers: Nope
A Note: This is kind of like the fluffy white snow in my front yard. And to all of those who don't have snow, you can have some of mine.
And please, as always, review. I like to know what you think, but remember, the flames will melt my snow.
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"This city is so boring." Sara Sidle lead up against the windowpane and looked up at the sky. It was raining heavily and the dark clouds of the night caused even the bright lights of the city to dim.
Gil Grissom looked up. He was in no mood to get into a deep and meaningful conversation with her right now. They were buried knee deep in evidence on their triple homicide and had just begun to sort it out. He looked at Sara who stood with her back to him on the other side of the room.
"Why do you say that?" he finally asked and put down the evidence bag that he was holding.
"It is always the same thing, day after day. I do not know how someone could live here their entire life and never tire of the tedious routine." Grissom saw Sara's shoulders relax as she leaned down against the windowsill. He knew that they were not going to get back to their evidence any time soon.
"Sara, this city is anything but boring. New and interesting ways to die keep showing up every day." He said with a little curl of his lip, but then he realized that Sara was not looking at him.
"You can die in an interesting way anywhere. The people are the same wherever you go, but their surroundings, that is what differs from place to place" Sara sighed and leaned her forehead up against the glass so now she was looking at the floor. She saw a shadow approach her from the back, and then noted that there was another pair of shoes next to hers. Sara looked back up to see Grissom leaning up against the window, too.
"You do not think that the Belligao's fountains are exciting?"
"You can see a fountain anywhere. Sure, you can see a good one here, but you will never see a hurricane."
Grissom glanced over at her. Sara continued to look out at the falling rain. "Hurricanes happen on the coast, Sara."
"Which is why one will never happen in Vegas." she stated dryly.
"Do you want a hurricane to come through?"
"It might be nice." For the first time, she turned her head and looked at him. "Think of all the fun we would have after that storm."
"It would be a disaster. We would not know how to handle it."
"But it would be different. That is my point, Grissom. It is sunny, raining or cloudy here, sometimes even all three at once. There is never any variety; I want to see something different, something that would never happen in Vegas otherwise. "
Grissom turned away from the window and walked back to the table, hoping that Sara would follow suit. "There was a flash flood a while ago. That was different." Sara didn't budge.
"Flash floods can happen anywhere." Sara paused for a moment. "Has there ever been a tornado?"
"Sara, why are you suddenly so interested in the climate?" Grissom asked bluntly.
"Has there ever been a tornado?" she asked again, this time a little more forcefully.
"Possibly, but I cannot remember." Grissom replied meekly.
"See? Nothing ever happens in this city other than the usual stuff. We are never going to uncover a body that has been thrown fifteen feet in the air because of a swirling vertex, or swept down the street after a hurricane. They are either in the desert, in the forest, or out in plain sight in the city." Sara spun around and leaned her shoulders against the window. She looked at Grissom who had gone back to the evidence.
"So, what strange natural event – that otherwise does not happen in Vegas – would you like to find a body in?" he asked, sitting down in one of the chairs at the table. There was so much evidence to process and the fact that Sara was now distracted was not helping.
"Snow. I want to find a body in the snow." She simply stated.
Grissom looked up at her for a moment, and Sara swore she saw him smile. But then he looked back down at the table and picked up one of the bloody knives there.
"Has it ever snowed here?" Sara made her way across the room and pulled out another chair at the table. She leaned forward and rested her elbows there.
"Probably."
"Do you remember it?"
"No."
Sara slouched. "I miss the snow."
Grissom looked up. At first the statement confused him, wondering when she had ever seen snow. But then he remembered that she had gone to college in New England, and the weather there changes every five minutes. Sara more than likely saw her first snow during her freshman year of college.
"It was so great to wake up and look out the window only to observe white as far as the eye can see. The only thing I did not like was the fact that I had to get up and shovel my car out of its parking space every time even the littlest flurry came by. But on those days, I did not want to drive anywhere. I wanted to walk through the winter wonderland." Sara paused seeing that even though Grissom looked inattentive, he was really listening to her every word.
"Walking to my classes was the best part of my day. When it snows, everything is quite except for the crushing of the flakes under your boots. It was cold of course, but that did not bother me. I can remember sometimes the boys in my building would have snowball fights and pummel you with the hard balls as you walked by. I always joined in through, who cannot resist a snow ball fight?" Sara was now lost in the memory of the winters she could remember. For a moment she forgot about Grissom and the crime lab all together and could almost smell the heating that used to pump through her building when it would snow.
Sara remained silent, still reminiscing about her past. "I have never seen snow." Grissom stated bluntly.
"You have to have seen snow, Grissom."
Grissom shook his head.
"Were you not in the mid-west for a while?" Sara shifted in her seat.
"Never at the right season, though."
Sara looked surprised. "I thought someone like you would have seen snow before."
Grissom shrugged. "You all might think I am the almighty master who has seen and done all, but I really have not."
"That is good to know." Sara said with a laugh.
"I also have not been sky diving." Grissom looked over at Sara who continued to giggle. Her curly hair got into her face and she brushed it out of the way.
"But you can do that in Vegas." she said showing him her gap toothed smile.
Grissom for the first time let a smile onto his lips. Sara was the only person he might want to strangle one minuet, and then take her into an embrace the second. He so badly wanted to hug her right now, even to touch her hand that rested on the table. But for some reason he could not bring himself to do that, he could not bring himself to even make the first move.
"You know," Grissom said breaking the silence that had fallen after Sara had stopped laughing, "I have always wanted to take a trip up to New England and see the leaves change colors and the snow falling."
"I have been meaning to take a trip up there for ages, but I never seem to want to take the vacation time. Maybe the two of us…" Sara stopped mid-sentence and glanced at Grissom. He sat there, waiting for her to continue. When she did not his smile dropped.
"Never mind." She said curtly instead and pushed her chair back.
"No, what?" Grissom asked. There was always a point in their conversations when one of them knew it was time to retreat because they had gone to far. Grissom didn't want Sara to leave, not now.
"Never mind." She said again and stood up. Sara glanced down at the watch on her wrist. "I am going to go take a coffee break." Sara pushed the chair underneath the table and began to make her way towards the door.
Grissom thought fast. He and Sara had made notable progress with this last conversation with some friendly banter and actual interaction. He could not let this go to waste again.
"Sara," he called out. She stopped in the doorway, but did not turn around to face him.
"What?" she called over her shoulder.
Grissom pushed his chair back and stood up. "Um, instead of taking a coffee break…do you want to go and grab a bite to eat with me?" he saw her stiffen for a moment, and then she relaxed and turned back around to face him.
Sara stared at him intently for a moment, studying his face. He saw her eyes narrow, as if waiting for him to suddenly start laughing as if the whole thing was a joke. But Grissom stared straight back at her, into her eyes. After a moment, her demeanor lightened when she realized that Grissom was serious. Sara cocked her head to the side, like she was seriously contemplating what he had just stated. Finally she relaxed down to her normal stature.
"Now, that is something I never thought I would see in Vegas." She answered back.
"Sometimes things surprise you, Sara." Grissom replied. "Is that a yes?"
Sara nodded, "This is something I definitely want to see." Sara turned and exited the room, with Grissom close on her heels. This was something he wanted to see, too.
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FIN