Chapter 5- Stalking?

It was Saturday, the day after they had gone to the movies. Gil woke up at 6:00, as always, even on his days off. He glanced at the clock, and got up. As he passed the mirror he smiled. His face was a little worn; yet his bright blue eyes decreased his age. He ran his hand down his chin, feeling the little bit of scruff there. He turned back around and put on his round reading glasses, so he could read the paper. Once he picked it up from outside his door he moved to the kitchen. In the kitchen a thought occurred to him. He had never been to the Wonderland Theater with someone before. He smiled and reached into the refrigerator for a carton of milk, but came up empty. He also noticed he had no eggs, and little bread. He was shocked at himself for not cursing, but shook it off. Instead he went to shower, so he could go to the store.

Gil pulled into the familiar parking spot and opened the door. As he climbed out he noticed the most obvious thing. The sky. He felt silly. How can you not notice the bright blue sky? Filled with the wonders of the universe. And up until today, his third year in San Francisco, he had been oblivious to it. Actually, when was the last time I was happy enough to notice the simple things like the sky? He wondered to himself. He snapped out of it when his hand fell to his side and brushed a black jeep. That car is familiar...he noted in his head. He stood there for a good minute, staring at the jeep, trying to remember its owner. He looked at the store and moved toward it. Taking one last glance, he mentally tacked it on the fish corkboard, the one of cold cases. He didn't like holes, no matter how small. He would come back to it later.

Gil walked into the store, a wave of cold air slapping him in the face. He grabbed a small cart and walked directly to the first item on his list. As he walked down the isle, he felt as though he was being watched. He laughed in his head. I'm just paranoid from the movie, although that didn't convince him. Wasn't he the man that dealt with men slicing necks, dogs attacking joggers, women drinking blood, and children stabbing the elderly? All on a daily basis? He continued down the isle, getting the groceries he needed and continuing his quest.

He got to the bread selection and scanned it for whole wheat. As his hand slipped around the plastic covering, he felt a presence, followed by a voice.

"Are you stalking me, professor Grissom?" Sara's smirk evident in her tone. Grissom jumped, remembering his previous thoughts. As if on cue, she mocked, "You sure are jumpy for a man who faces death daily." He pursed his lips in a smile and spun around.

"You know I do control your grades..." He said, smugly.

"Truce." She raised her hand.

"Deal." He glanced in her cart. "You know, I didn't picture you as the type to go to a Frat or Sorority party." She gave him a confused look, followed by a chuckle.

"Oh. These are for my roommate..."

"The one that drives you out of the dorm?"

"That's the one. See, every time she leaves the dorm, somehow, something dramatic happens. Let me phrase it this way; I'm very good at not sleeping." Gil laughed, and put the bag of bread he hadn't realized he was holding in his cart. Sara glanced at her watch and then at Grissom. "Do you have any plans today?"

"No. Why?" Sara hesitated for a moment. Had they been spending too much time together? She pushed the thought aside. Besides, if they had, wouldn't he be gone by now?

"Well, the carnival's in town for a few days..." He tried to read her expression. She seemed ashamed and embarrassed. Why?

"Sounds fun. Wanna meet there in an hour?" She nodded her head. She still had some stuff to get.

She remembered the person she was shopping for and added, "Better make it hour and a half." Grissom furrowed his brow, and then felt the heat of the fictional light bulb above his head. At the same moment they said, "roommate." They laughed, and then Sara started to move towards the frozen foods. "Bye. See you later." Grissom waved and headed for the milk.

Sara walked up to her dorm and slipped her key into the hole. She struggled with the door and her bags of groceries. Finally the inevitable happened; she dropped a bag.

"Watch it will you? I need those for tonight." Sara rolled her eyes as she shut the door. She picked up a bag and handed it to Dana, her roommate. "Sorry, just did my nails." Sara grumbled as Dana ran a perfectly manicured nail through her blonde hair. Dana moved over to her closet and Sara went to put the food away in her mini fridge. She heard Dana mumbling as she rumbled through her clothes. "Sara..." she whined. Might as well call me mommy you baby...

"Yes?"

"I can't find my denim mini." She placed her hands on her hips and paced back and forth, as if that would conjure it up. Sara stared into her helpless green eyes and sighed. She walked over to the hamper and looked at the top. Sara had to repress a smile when she saw it right there.

"Um...have a back up plan?" Dana slumped down on the bed and hugged her long legs wrapped in denim.

"Uh...buddy 'o' pal." Sara shook her head.

"No. You cannot borrow my clothes." Dana conjured up the puppy dog look.

"Please...I'll clean the dorm for a week." Sara considered the proposition.

"Week in a half."

"Deal." She walked over to her roommate's closet. "Sara...don't you own at least one skirt?" Sara rolled her eyes. She walked over next to her annoying friend and shooed her to the side. Sara reached up for the string to turn on the light. Pushing past all the long sleeved blouses, she found what she needed. Straightening it out, she held it up for Dana to see.

"Woah. Why have you never worn this?" Sara was puzzled. Why hadn't she worn it?

"Where would I wear it?" Dana's mouth dropped.

"On a date?" she dragged out the last part, as if to say 'duh'.

"Uh, great...except for the fact that I haven't been on a date since I came here." Dana gave her a questioning look.

"What was last night then?" Sara pondered her assumption. It wasn't a date...was it? No, Grissom wouldn't date a student...would he? She snapped back into reality to remind them both it wasn't a date.

"Last night? We ran into each other. So what?"

"Ok. It wouldn't have been bad if you just ate together. That's not so hard to understand, but Sara...You saw a movie. Can you say 'date'?" Sara shook her head.

"You're wrong." She checked her watch. "Now. If you'll excuse me I have to get ready." She pulled out a shirt, but was stopped before she could grab her Capri's.

"For what?" Sara answered without thinking of their chat.

"The carnival. I'm meeting..." she stopped herself and her eyes popped out. What to say now? "...A friend." Great cover up Sara. That won't invite questions at all.

"Does your friend have a name? Does it start with a 'G'? End with a 'm'?" She stood there, waiting for an answer.

"Maybe." She grabbed her Capri's and pushed past Dana.

"Are you sure you don't want to wear this skirt?" Sara closed the door to the bathroom so she could change.

"Shut up!" She screamed through the door. Dana leaned against the frame of the door and kept up the mocking.

"I have a shirt that would go great with this." Sara swung the door open, revealing her new apparel. Dana looked at her baby blue spaghetti strap tank top, dark blue denim Capri's, and her flat blue sandals that revealed neatly painted toenails. "Wow. Painted nails. You must really like this guy."

"I get your point." She grabbed her sunglasses off of her nightstand and stuck them on top of her head.

"Carnival. Wow. Great place for a date. Be sure to go on scary rides so you can snuggle close." She smiled widely.

"Dana..." she warned. She picked up her purse and put it over her shoulder. "Cleaning for a week and a half. Bye." She grabbed her keys and turned to leave the room.

Before she could shut the door Dana called out, "Send me a wedding invitation!"

As she drove to the carnival, Sara couldn't help but wonder if Grissom thought this was a date. More importantly, did she? She slowed down as she drove down the bumpy road, but she couldn't slow down the thoughts in her head. When she went home she had one question; were they spending too much time together? Never did it cross her mind that this could be a date. Sure she had had that one dream. It was a fluke, she had convinced herself. So what if in the dream she was wearing the skirt. The one she had lent to Dana. It couldn't be anything significant, could it?

Sara wanted to scream. Every time she answered her question, a new question came up. The ratio was insane. 3 or 4 answers compared to 10 or 11 questions.

Sara pulled into the parking lot, and saw Grissom, standing next to his car. She pulled up next to him and got out. "Hi." He greeted her, along with a friendly smile.

"Hey." They walked to the entrance in an awkward silence. Finally Grissom spoke up.

"Did you're roommate bug you?" Sara looked over at him but kept walking.

"Yeah. Dana wouldn't let a certain issue go."

"Dana...Henderson?" he asked. Sara put her sunglasses on, as she felt the sun beat down on her.

"Yeah. How'd you know?"

"Paul Robinson, the Chemistry teacher, and I used to eat together. He would always talk about his class. She has him this year, right?" Sara nodded her head, but added a verbal response.

"Yes."

"I can talk to him if you want. He owes me a favor. One word and I'll flunk her." Sara laughed, and Grissom gave her a small smile.

As they entered the carnival Sara let all her questions go, and focused on the answers she had.

She was happy around Grissom, and She was going to have fun.

"I don't know..." Sara looked at the towering ride and involuntarily gulped.

"C'mon...It'll be fun." He took her by the arm and walked her up the stairs. "You're acting like I'm leading you to your execution. How about this; you go on the roller coaster with me," she whimpered, looking at the ride, "and you get to pick what we do for the rest of the day." Sara let out a deep sigh.

"Fine."

"Good you're gonna love this!" Sara smiled at his enthusiasm.

"Tickets please." The carny said, holding out his hand. Grissom placed four tickets in his hand and dragged Sara to the middle car. She got in and pulled the stuffed overhead device down, securing herself in.

"Why did I agree to this?"

"Oh come on, you'll love it." He smiled at her and they started to go up the steep track.

"So did you have fun?" Grissom asked as he offered her his hand, helping her out of the car.

"Ok, I'll admit it. I had fun." They walked down the steps and Sara's eyes lit up. "Ok. Time for you to keep your promise. You said anything, right?" Grissom gave her a puzzled look and she smiled.

"Yes...Why?" Sara walked over to a booth, and Grissom followed. He stopped at the table, while Sara talked to the clown on the stool of the dunk-the-clown tank. Grissom stared as she reached into her purse. She pulled out a 20-dollar bill and whispered to the clown. He took the money and got off the suspended stool. She motioned for him to come over. "You have got to be kidding me." He looked at her, hoping for someone, besides him, to get up there.

"Hey, I just paid a 6' 5'' clown 20 bucks. You're gonna get up there." He stuck his hands in his pockets, waiting for her to back down.

"Sara, when I said anything, you knew what I meant." He was just about ready to beg.

"I did, but, technically, you said anything." Grissom hung his head. "You can flunk me if you want, but you're going up there." She smiled, and Grissom walked up to the stepladder. He slipped off his shoes, and handed his wallet to Sara.

"Hold this." She grabbed it and stifled back her laugh. Once he was up there, she got out the camera she had luckily brought. She held it behind her back so he couldn't see it.

"Comfortable?" He gave her a sarcastic thumbs-up sign, and she laughed. The clown she had paid to get down gave her three baseballs, and she looked up at Grissom.

"Please tell me you aren't a good aim?" he hoped. She smiled and shook her head.

"I'm not a good aim." She handed two of the baseballs back to the clown and tossed the one she still had in the air. "I'm not going to need those." Grissom gulped. "I'm a great aim." She caught it and threw it at the small target. As Sara hoped, the ball hit the target bullseye, and Grissom was dunked. Sara whipped out the camera and took several pictures as he fell. She laughed and laughed as Grissom floated to the surface of the water. Grissom saw her laughing and couldn't help but smile. He forced himself not to as he climbed out and grabbed his shoes and socks. Then he walked over to her and grabbed his wallet.

"I want every single one of those pictures." Sara just kept laughing as he walked away. Sara followed and stopped laughing.

"Don't you want to dry off?" Grissom looked at her.

"And how will I do that?" Sara glanced around and noticed the Tilt-a- Whirl. It was getting dark, so she took off her sunglasses and set them on her head.

"Air drying sound good?"

Sara walked to a car in the Tilt-a-Whirl, and motioned for Grissom to follow. He walked over and sat down. "This should dry you. Or at least be fun." She smiled. The ride started and Sara grabbed the wheel in the center. She spun it faster and faster. "C'mon Griss!" She said, encouraging him to help spin. He did, and Sara's head flew back as she laughed. Grissom smiled unknowingly, and he kept spinning. Finally he let go and their cart stated to slow. As the ride stopped, so did Sara's fit of giggles.

Grissom looked over at her and noticed a water droplet on her cheek. His hand came up to her cheek, and his thumb brushed the water away. They stared at each other, and then Grissom slowly leaned in, his hand still cupping her cheek. Sara leaned in, too, and their lips lightly brushed. She leaned back and reality came rushing to her. Her eyes got wide and she got up out of the car. As she ran to her car, Grissom ran after her, all the while shouting her name.

A/N: Ok...time for input. I have already made a 6th chapter. I need you people to tell me if you want this to end in angst (I'll try to have a sequel if you chose this), or end with them...together. (Was that clear enough? Lol) Ok...then if you want this to go a certain way you're going to have to press that little button that's right...the 'GO' one...or email me at grissomsplantyahoo.com . Thank you!!!