Chapter 11 (Would you like to have dinner with me?)

A/N: Our geeks do the next step. I hope this is what you had in mind. And for all those who hoped I'd go further, sorry, but good things come to those who wait.

xxxxx

Sara was surprised to find out that Grissom had reserved a table in a little restaurant outside of Vegas. It was not frequented by tourists. People came out here looking for a quiet spot away from the hectic buzz of sin city, to wind down from their every-day-stress. There was a nice back yard where one could sit beneath an arbor. And as she studied the menu she saw that half the dishes were vegetarian.

In short, it was perfect for a (romantic) dinner with Grissom.

She was completely stunned by his thoughtfulness.

After they had ordered – Sara chose a Greek salad and stuffed grilled mushrooms while Grissom went with a seafood pasta dish – he brought up work. He wanted to get it out of the way so they could enjoy their food. "So..." He still had that annoying grin plastered on his face.

"So..." Her face, on the other hand, showed her flaring temper.

"He took it pretty well. You were right, by the way. Catherine was holding my position. She convinced Carvallo to do so. The thing is... I don't know if I want my old position back."

Sara was about to interrupt him, but a simple look from him told her he was not finished yet. "Sara, I have already told you there was more to my leaving than just my hearing and the problems of the team. I feel like I'm close to burning out. I'm losing my passion for this work over all the administrative crap. I never wanted this, it just happened." He was looking deep in her eyes, willing her to see that it was his decision.

"And now, Carvallo made me an offer I cannot decline. I know I should have talked to you first, but I took it."

It was hard for Sara to sit there and listen. She was burning for him to tell her what would happen and she wanted to let him know that everything would be alright if only he didn't shut her out again.

"Catherine will officially be the nightshift supervisor from now on." She had to swallow a bit at that part, unsure how she felt with this revelation.

"I'm gonna be a normal CSI, well... almost. I am moving back to Senior CSI. I will still have to do more paperwork than you or Nick or Warrick. And..." And now Grissom was really smiling. "...Carvallo decided that our lab should start training CSIs officially. For some reason he thinks, I am the best man for this job."

Sara could only stare at him. Not really believing what she was hearing. On the first glance it looked like he was being shortchanged, but as she listened to all this she realized that this was what Grissom wanted, or even needed. He could be a CSI again, no paperwork, no power plays, no politics. And they could be together without professional restrictions.

"Guess who is the first trainee?" Now she looked really incredulous. He couldn't possibly mean...

"Of course this is a trial run and Greg seems to be the perfect subject for this experiment. If we can make it through this without killing each other, then this could really work." He looked really satisfied and happy right now. She remembered how much he had loved teaching as a reprieve from his dark profession. He had described it once as relaxing.

"Sara, say something." He was getting worried that she was having second thoughts.

"Well, I have to admit that I was prepared for a lot of things, but not for that. Are you ok with this?" She traced circles on his hand with her thumb, an expression of nervousness and her desire to be there for him.

He nodded and she continued. "But you would not be the supervisor anymore. Catherine will be your boss." She had to admit that the thought scared her a bit. She and the other female CSI had some difficulties and she didn't know how she would treat her, now that she was the supervisor. But she decided, as long as Grissom was ok with it, she would be too.

"I never wanted that position to begin with. After a while I thought it would work out and I could keep doing it, but now I realize that it was a big mistake. I'm not good with the administrative stuff, I'm no good with people and I have absolutely no political bone in my body. Catherine is good at all this. And to be honest, she always has been bossy and now it's in her actual job description." He smiled at that thought.

"What about... the future. Will a reprimand go into your file?" She worried that it could hurt his reputation, but again he was able to assuage her fears.

"No, it's me cutting back on work. It's just a change of position. It's not a downgrading. In fact, they're making it a new position just for me."

Sara nodded in understanding. "So, you really are alright with this?"

"Yes, are you?"

She thought about it for a second before answering. Her smile was back in place when she asked him, "Does that mean we're equals now?"

The waiter picked that moment to bring their food, effectively interrupting their conversation. When he had left again there were a few tense seconds, neither really wanting to start eating before this was resolved.

"I still have seniority of experience, but otherwise, yes, we're equals." Sara let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.

Grissom took her hand again and brought it to his face. "I want this!" He could say so much with so little. He wanted his work and he wanted her.

He kissed her hand in a gesture of his devotion. He would not back out.

With her heart so much lighter, Sara finally picked up her fork and dug into her food.

Grissom did the same and reveled in his new freedom.

xxxxx

Dinner was over way to soon for both of them.

They had to return to work. Carvallo had insisted that Grissom would be the one to tell the other CSIs, so he had to join Sara on her first night back.

But after two weeks of not going to work and just being with each other, they felt strangely reluctant to go to work. With the prospect of a relationship their work started to take a second place. Maybe, Grissom thought, this is the distraction we both need.

After dinner they decided to take a short walk before heading in and Grissom held her hand again. It was nothing like those walks on the beach. There was less tension, because they now knew where they were headed and more tension, because work was near.

On the drive back, Sara brought up something else that had been on her mind since California. "Grissom?" She looked briefly over at him before focusing back on the street. "I was wondering..."

He put one hand on the middle console. Sara took it gratefully, trying to draw some strength from his touch. "Do we tell the others that... that something has changed between us?" She didn't want to be presumptuous about their relationship and say 'that we are dating'.

Grissom thought about this for a second, caressing her hand. "I think we should..." he started, but then stopped himself. No, he was done making decisions for the both of them. "Sara, if you want to tell the others we can, but I would like to have you for myself for a little bit longer. We put enough pressure on ourselves – I put enough pressure on myself – that I think we don't need anyone else putting their two cents in."

Sara nodded. She had thought about that too and she didn't want to answer questions about her and Grissom yet. "I agree. I don't want to share you either and..." She wondered if she should say it, but then decided to go for honesty, "and I don't want you to become scared."

How can we be so in tune and at the same time misread each other so much, Grissom wondered. "So we keep it to ourselves."

She smiled at him and nodded again. She put her hand back to the wheel and drove the rest of the trip back in silence. Sara wanted to stay like this forever and she felt it was too soon when they pulled into the parking lot.

TBC