The Rival
By Tres Mechante
Disclaimer and author's note in chapter 1
=== === === ===
Chapter 3 of 3
"Is there something I can help you with, Detective?" He turned to face his visitor.
Grissom moved to sit behind his desk as Vartan entered and closed the door behind him. The silence stretched out before them, but Grissom made no effort to initiate a conversation.
"It occurs to me you and I have something in common," began Vartan, his gaze level.
Grissom stared back at him. "You mean we're both in law enforcement."
"That, too. We are both observers, picking up on the subtleties and nuances of interactions around us – the kinds of things most people miss. And we're both good at it."
Sensing where this was going, Grissom remained silent.
"I've had the opportunity to watch you at crime scenes. You and members of your team," Vartan said.
Grissom leaned back in his chair and looked at the younger man. Time to go on the offensive, he decided, removing his glasses. "Ah. You're here to talk about Sara."
Vartan was momentarily startled but didn't deny it. "Alright. Let's talk about Sara."
Grissom waited.
"I don't want her hurt again," he said. Leaning towards the older man, he declared, "I care about her deeply. As a friend, and...maybe more. Your history with her--"
"My history with her, as you call it is none of your business!" snapped Grissom. "Our relationship, however it may develop is between Sara and me."
"No, dammit, that's not how it works. You weren't the one who stood by her while she struggled to put her life back together! You were the reason she had to do it in the first place!" he shouted. He paused to take a breath. "I'd hardly call that caring. Sara deserves better. And frankly I won't just stand by and watch her fall again."
Biting his lip, Grissom focused for a moment on the desktop. Looking up at Vartan, he spoke in a low voice. "Do you think I'm unaware of my contribution to her pain? I have worked, hoped and even prayed that we could somehow have a healthy work relationship, perhaps even a return to friendship. And we have finally reached that stage." Licking suddenly dry lips, he said "But now, there is the hope of something more. Sara has forgiven me. And she is strong enough not to settle for anything less than she deserves."
"Like I said, I've observed you at crime scenes. I've seen the way you look at her...and I've seen the way she looks at you," Vartan acknowledged. "But I'm not going to just disappear. Sara is my friend and I won't abandon her. Consider yourself put on notice."
He stood, buttoned his jacket and looked Grissom straight in the eye. "If you screw up, if you hurt her, I'll be there. I will be her comfort and support. And I will not screw up. More to the point, I personally guarantee you will not have another chance."
Slowly Grissom got to his feet. "And while you're waiting for this to happen...?" he left the question unfinished.
"I won't interfere unless you give me a reason to. Sara's happiness is all the matters."
The two men looked at each other, neither breaking eye contact. "In that case, you are correct. We do have something in common," Grissom said. They stared at one another for a long hard moment and then each nodded an acknowledgement of the other's position.
After Vartan left, Grissom breathed a guarded sigh of relief. His rival was willing to cede the field to him, but would be watching, waiting in the background for his chance. Until he knew there was no chance.
The detective had youth on his side, but Grissom was fighting for his future. And was determined that he would not fail.
--- --- ---
The following week found the Grissom, Sara and Nick at the scene of a double homicide – a robbery gone wrong at an amusement park at closing time. Detective Vartan was also on the scene. Grissom and Vartan were cordial and professional, both remembering their last conversation.
As the criminalists prepared to leave the scene, Grissom sent Nick ahead with the evidence and went in search of Sara who had disappeared.
He found her standing in front of a roller coaster that was to be opened the following night. He stood back and watched her as her eyes traveled along the rails, mapping the twists, turns, rises and falls of the ride.
"I wondered where you'd gone off to," he said quietly, coming to stand beside her.
They jumped slightly when a voice boomed behind them, "You kids want to take a ride?" Turning, Grissom smiled at the sight of his friend Woody from the Sphinx Amusement Park.
"I thought you were devoted to Pharaoh's Fever? You starting up with a new ride?" asked Grissom with a smile.
"My hours are still limited over there," he said. "Much as I love Pharaoh's Fever, I still have to eat, so I'm helping out a friend getting this one ready for her debut. She's a beaut. Runs only a short bit out here, but the real fun's in there," he pointed to a tunnel across from them. "That's where the rest of the ride is – complete with a light show of some sort."
"I take it you haven't ridden this one?" asked Grissom, aware of Sara's slight smirk as she watched the two 'roller coaster wackos' talk shop.
"Nope. Still a traditionalist." Looking between Grissom and Sara, he asked "So, you kids want to take a ride?" He watched Grissom eye the ride longingly and grinned. "It'll just take a minute to get ready. I was gonna make a test run anyway." And with that, he walked over to the control panel to ready the light show inside the tunnel.
Grinning, Grissom looked at Sara and commented, "It occurs to me that I've never properly reciprocated the passion you've shown me." His grin widened at her look of confusion. "You shared with me your work at the center as a means of staying grounded. You know about my riding roller coasters, but I've never actually shared it with you."
Sara looked up at the monster roller coaster, eyes following the steel track as it curved and looped and soared before disappearing into the tunnel. She couldn't help but laugh at the name above the entrance – "The Great Unknown". She turned to look at Grissom, the hopeful expression in his eyes. Damn the man, she thought.
"Is this going to be one of your infamous roller coaster evaluations?" She huffed, the twinkle in her dark eyes taking any sting from the question.
"Sara! Don't be ridiculous. I never do evaluations on rides that are less than a year old," he replied in kind. Then sobering, he held out his hand, asking "Sara, do you trust me?"
She smiled faintly at the echo of the question she had once asked him. "With my life, Gris, with my life." Taking his hand she followed him to the lead car.
As the ride started, Grissom turned to Sara. "In some ways, this is a metaphor for our relationship," he said. "There have been ups and downs and heart stopping moments. But somehow we always manage to stay on track."
Sara just grinned at him. "Do you have to be philosophical about everything?" she asked. "Just shut up and enjoy the ride!"
As they slowly climbed the rise before the tunnel drop, Grissom leaned over and placed a playful peck on her cheek. She turned to look at him, her eyes shimmering. The car crested the hill then began it's speedy descent, and their lips met as they plunged into the Great Unknown.
Standing off to the side, Detective Vartan witnessed the kiss. He had come in search of Sara and Grissom when they hadn't returned to their vehicle.
"You look like someone just stole your best girl," called a voice from beside him. Turning to leave, he glanced at Woody and said sadly, "Not yet, but I think he just might."
-End-
By Tres Mechante
Disclaimer and author's note in chapter 1
=== === === ===
Chapter 3 of 3
"Is there something I can help you with, Detective?" He turned to face his visitor.
Grissom moved to sit behind his desk as Vartan entered and closed the door behind him. The silence stretched out before them, but Grissom made no effort to initiate a conversation.
"It occurs to me you and I have something in common," began Vartan, his gaze level.
Grissom stared back at him. "You mean we're both in law enforcement."
"That, too. We are both observers, picking up on the subtleties and nuances of interactions around us – the kinds of things most people miss. And we're both good at it."
Sensing where this was going, Grissom remained silent.
"I've had the opportunity to watch you at crime scenes. You and members of your team," Vartan said.
Grissom leaned back in his chair and looked at the younger man. Time to go on the offensive, he decided, removing his glasses. "Ah. You're here to talk about Sara."
Vartan was momentarily startled but didn't deny it. "Alright. Let's talk about Sara."
Grissom waited.
"I don't want her hurt again," he said. Leaning towards the older man, he declared, "I care about her deeply. As a friend, and...maybe more. Your history with her--"
"My history with her, as you call it is none of your business!" snapped Grissom. "Our relationship, however it may develop is between Sara and me."
"No, dammit, that's not how it works. You weren't the one who stood by her while she struggled to put her life back together! You were the reason she had to do it in the first place!" he shouted. He paused to take a breath. "I'd hardly call that caring. Sara deserves better. And frankly I won't just stand by and watch her fall again."
Biting his lip, Grissom focused for a moment on the desktop. Looking up at Vartan, he spoke in a low voice. "Do you think I'm unaware of my contribution to her pain? I have worked, hoped and even prayed that we could somehow have a healthy work relationship, perhaps even a return to friendship. And we have finally reached that stage." Licking suddenly dry lips, he said "But now, there is the hope of something more. Sara has forgiven me. And she is strong enough not to settle for anything less than she deserves."
"Like I said, I've observed you at crime scenes. I've seen the way you look at her...and I've seen the way she looks at you," Vartan acknowledged. "But I'm not going to just disappear. Sara is my friend and I won't abandon her. Consider yourself put on notice."
He stood, buttoned his jacket and looked Grissom straight in the eye. "If you screw up, if you hurt her, I'll be there. I will be her comfort and support. And I will not screw up. More to the point, I personally guarantee you will not have another chance."
Slowly Grissom got to his feet. "And while you're waiting for this to happen...?" he left the question unfinished.
"I won't interfere unless you give me a reason to. Sara's happiness is all the matters."
The two men looked at each other, neither breaking eye contact. "In that case, you are correct. We do have something in common," Grissom said. They stared at one another for a long hard moment and then each nodded an acknowledgement of the other's position.
After Vartan left, Grissom breathed a guarded sigh of relief. His rival was willing to cede the field to him, but would be watching, waiting in the background for his chance. Until he knew there was no chance.
The detective had youth on his side, but Grissom was fighting for his future. And was determined that he would not fail.
--- --- ---
The following week found the Grissom, Sara and Nick at the scene of a double homicide – a robbery gone wrong at an amusement park at closing time. Detective Vartan was also on the scene. Grissom and Vartan were cordial and professional, both remembering their last conversation.
As the criminalists prepared to leave the scene, Grissom sent Nick ahead with the evidence and went in search of Sara who had disappeared.
He found her standing in front of a roller coaster that was to be opened the following night. He stood back and watched her as her eyes traveled along the rails, mapping the twists, turns, rises and falls of the ride.
"I wondered where you'd gone off to," he said quietly, coming to stand beside her.
They jumped slightly when a voice boomed behind them, "You kids want to take a ride?" Turning, Grissom smiled at the sight of his friend Woody from the Sphinx Amusement Park.
"I thought you were devoted to Pharaoh's Fever? You starting up with a new ride?" asked Grissom with a smile.
"My hours are still limited over there," he said. "Much as I love Pharaoh's Fever, I still have to eat, so I'm helping out a friend getting this one ready for her debut. She's a beaut. Runs only a short bit out here, but the real fun's in there," he pointed to a tunnel across from them. "That's where the rest of the ride is – complete with a light show of some sort."
"I take it you haven't ridden this one?" asked Grissom, aware of Sara's slight smirk as she watched the two 'roller coaster wackos' talk shop.
"Nope. Still a traditionalist." Looking between Grissom and Sara, he asked "So, you kids want to take a ride?" He watched Grissom eye the ride longingly and grinned. "It'll just take a minute to get ready. I was gonna make a test run anyway." And with that, he walked over to the control panel to ready the light show inside the tunnel.
Grinning, Grissom looked at Sara and commented, "It occurs to me that I've never properly reciprocated the passion you've shown me." His grin widened at her look of confusion. "You shared with me your work at the center as a means of staying grounded. You know about my riding roller coasters, but I've never actually shared it with you."
Sara looked up at the monster roller coaster, eyes following the steel track as it curved and looped and soared before disappearing into the tunnel. She couldn't help but laugh at the name above the entrance – "The Great Unknown". She turned to look at Grissom, the hopeful expression in his eyes. Damn the man, she thought.
"Is this going to be one of your infamous roller coaster evaluations?" She huffed, the twinkle in her dark eyes taking any sting from the question.
"Sara! Don't be ridiculous. I never do evaluations on rides that are less than a year old," he replied in kind. Then sobering, he held out his hand, asking "Sara, do you trust me?"
She smiled faintly at the echo of the question she had once asked him. "With my life, Gris, with my life." Taking his hand she followed him to the lead car.
As the ride started, Grissom turned to Sara. "In some ways, this is a metaphor for our relationship," he said. "There have been ups and downs and heart stopping moments. But somehow we always manage to stay on track."
Sara just grinned at him. "Do you have to be philosophical about everything?" she asked. "Just shut up and enjoy the ride!"
As they slowly climbed the rise before the tunnel drop, Grissom leaned over and placed a playful peck on her cheek. She turned to look at him, her eyes shimmering. The car crested the hill then began it's speedy descent, and their lips met as they plunged into the Great Unknown.
Standing off to the side, Detective Vartan witnessed the kiss. He had come in search of Sara and Grissom when they hadn't returned to their vehicle.
"You look like someone just stole your best girl," called a voice from beside him. Turning to leave, he glanced at Woody and said sadly, "Not yet, but I think he just might."
-End-