AUTHOR: Amanda Hawthorn and Geena

TITLE: If you're not the one

RATING: PG-13

PAIRING: Grissom/Sara

CATEGORY: fluff/ romance

ARCHIVE: Grissomandsara.com and my site

FEEDBACK: Love it, but no flames please I'm fragile!!

EMAIL: Amanda: southerngirl_uk@yahoo.co.uk  Geena:  tom_margo4ever@yahoo.com

SPOILERS: None

SUMMARY: G/S Christmas fluff

DISCLAIMER: CSI belongs to CBS and Alliance-Atlantis Productions. No infringement intended.

AUTHORS' NOTES:

Amanda: When Geena asked if we could write together again, I loved the idea. We've had great fun with this as always. Huge hugs to everyone. Have a very happy Christmas and an even better new year. Thanks for this opportunity Geena, as a friend you're the best and as a writer you rock hun.

Geena: As always it was a great joy to write this fic with you, Mandy! I don't know why but it always seems to be that writing with you is a lot easier than writing a fic on my own. We decided for fluff because we didn't feel like angst. Beside with Christmas coming, who wants angst?! Mandy, as always you did a great job. You are a great writer but most important you are a great friend. You are the best!! It's always wonderful to write with you. You rock!!

Chapter One

Sara smiled over at Nick as he sat down beside her. Nudging her shoulder, he urged her to take a sip of the coke she had requested when he'd offer to buy her a drink.

"You okay?" he asked quietly when she shifted a little uncomfortably in her seat.

"I don't think this was such a good idea for me to come Nick," she started, her voice in a hushed whisper. "I'm not up to the socializing thing."

"Course you are," he grinned, nodding towards Greg who gazed at her adoringly. "How can you resist that?"

"Quite easily," she muttered as she leaned forward to pick up her drink to and bring it to her lips. For the tenth time in five minutes she replayed their earlier conversation in her mind, wondering what had possessed her to agree to this.

"Awww come on Sara. It'll be fun," Nick had followed her out of the break room, determination in his voice.

"I don't think so Nick," she had sighed, turning around to offer him a slight smile. "I don't do Christmas."

"What do you mean 'you don't do Christmas'?" Nick gasped, reaching out to stop her movements. "Everyone does Christmas, Sar."

"Well, not me," she'd told him. "Besides I'm working."

"Come on Sara, all we're talking about is an hour before work. Everyone's going to be there."

Taking a deep breath, Sara had turned to him prepared to protest once more, but the hope in his eyes deflated her defenses. "Okay."

"You will?" He'd beamed, picking her up in his arms to spin her around only to place her feet firmly back on the floor once more. "You won't regret it."

"I'm already regretting it," she'd groaned. "Why do you want me there anyway? I don't even go out with you guys anymore."

"That's why we want you to come to the party. You hardly ever spend time with anyone now." Reaching out to squeeze her shoulder, he offered her a warm smile. "I'll even drive you back to the lab afterwards if you want me to."

"Okay, but I'm not dressing up." Stepping back, she had smiled briefly before turning to walk away.

"Sara…"

"Nope." She told him defiantly. "You get me as you see me, that's the deal."

"If that's the deal then you're on."

"What are you thinking Sar?" Nick asked softly as he shuffled a little closer to her side. "You haven't been happy for a long time."

"I'm fine," she sighed sadly, leaning slightly into his warmth as she spoke. "Tired I guess."

"You?" he asked incredulously. "Sara Sidle. Tired?"

"It's known to happen occasionally," she grinned, instantly warmed by his ability to chase away the icicles surrounding her heart.

"Grissom and Catherine just walked in," he whispered into her ear. "I thought he wasn't gonna show up, he never does."

Sara's heart began to thud painfully in her chest with the mere mention of his name, and she found herself unable to lift her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she wished she had dressed up and worn something a little different instead of the close fitting burgundy, spaghetti strap top, and black cords. Her mind drifted, creating another scenario where she was the one who Gil Grissom actually wanted, a scenario where she was beautiful enough for him to love her. She could feel the lump burning inside her throat and swallowed back the stinging tears that threatened to fall. She needed to escape from this situation before she totally embarrassed herself in front of him again.

tbc