Bricks & Brass
By Dany
Summary: Brass makes a unusual observation while indulging in a secret pleasure.
A/N: This is a rewrite
of my story "The couch". I adapted that story so it would fit in
my 'Alliterations' series. It follows "Baseball & Brown".
Thanks for the lovely reviews. Anyone sensed the pattern yet?
Disclaimer: I don't own CSI
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Jim Brass was on his way to an appointment with a real-estate agent.
He didn't want to move, but he always looked at some houses anyway. It was sort of a hobby, one he would never admit to have. People would think he was a softie or simply crazy, when he was only indulging.
There were actually two reasons why he liked going to such a viewing. One, he was a cop. It was in his nature to be curious. He saw how people were living and his mind catalogued the different styles of houses. That had come in handy more than once. If he had seen a specific type of house before he knew his way around the crime scene better and therefore wasn't at risk of compromising evidence.
But besides that, he did it solely for the relaxation. Looking at houses, no matter what price range, made him think how it would be to move out of his small apartment. Sometimes he wondered how it would have been if Ellie had chosen to stay with him. He would have wanted to give her a real home.
Today's house was situated in one of the best parts of Vegas - Summerlin - and one of the more pricey ones. He had seen it on the internet and although it was not his usual taste he had set up an appointment. His car moved slowly through the neighborhood giving him the chance to take a look at the other houses.
Pictures of happy families formed in his head. Maybe they had just moved in and this sight was as new to them as it was to him. Or maybe they had already sent off their kids to college after giving them a fulfilled childhood here. He liked those fantasies. They gave him a balance to the times he had to drive through similar neighborhoods and had to imagine what kind of horrors would await him today.
Counting the house numbers he saw that he was nearing his destination, but he was ten minutes early. It didn't matter though. He had time and he would drive around the block once more until it was time for his appointment.
And then saw the house coming up. It was as nice as the pictures in the ad suggested. The style was slightly Mediterranean. The two-story house was painted with a bright sand color and the terracotta tile roof went down in terraces, making the second story slightly smaller than the first one. Big white windows would let in a lot of light. It didn't seem as big as the other houses on the street, but big enough for a little family of three, maybe even four.
Fresh green dominated the front lawn, only small patches of faded grass could be seen. And the driveway...
His thoughts broke off as he saw a familiar car in the driveway.
What in the world was he doing here?
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He parked his car near the next corner behind a large truck, hoping to go undetected and waited. Not five minutes later the front door opened. When he saw the first person his breath locked in his throat.
Sara Sidle walked out of the house, followed closely by Gil Grissom.
Seeing Gil had not been such a big shock, after all it was his car parked in the driveway. But Sara... why would she go and look at a house with Grissom.
The first thing that came to his mind was an experiment. What he saw next, though, disproved this theory.
When Grissom and Sara turned to the woman walking right behind them, he put his arm around Sara. A very 'relationshippy' gesture.
That would mean they were really here to find a house, quite possibly to further their relationship. Or was that just some 'Green Card' thing to get the house? But why would either of them need a house if not to move in together.
The realtor turned and went back inside while Grissom and Sara got into the car. From his point, several yards away he couldn't see in clearly, but he could swear they were kissing.
A couple of minutes later the car backed out of the driveway and vanished down the road.
Brass wondered if he should still go in. He wasn't really in mood, but maybe the realtor would give him some information regarding the nature of the relationship. So he got out and went to talk to the agent.
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As he drove home, his head was still spinning. The relaxation that normally followed a viewing failed to set in.
The realtor had been able to shed some light on Grissom and Sara's new 'arrangement'. At first she had been reluctant, but he didn't earn his money for nothing. Interrogations were often his favorite part of the day.
She told him that it was a very nice couple that was very interested in the house. Their relationship was still fresh, because they still had the 'newlywed-glow'. But due to the scientists' private nature she didn't have anything more to add.
Brass mulled over these revelations long after he arrived back at home. He wondered if he should talk to Grissom, ask him straight out about Sara. But it didn't feel right.
They had looked so comfortable around each other and he didn't want to destroy something blossoming.
What did this relationship mean to his friend? Relationships, no matter what kind, had never been easy for Grissom. Even a friendship like theirs took a lot of effort from his side. He had a hard time opening up to anybody.
But something was different when he was around Sara. Brass always thought that there was a force field around Grissom, so that no one could get to close. Although when it came to Sara he swore that Grissom was trying to push his hand through it to touch her.
So, if he had finally broken through, would it be fair to complicate matters anymore than they already were?
As Grissom's friend he made the decision to let them be for now. If the time was right they would come forward.
TBC
Final A/N: The next part is "Clues & Catherine", but I already posted that story under the title "Clues". Just click on my pen name and you'll find the story there. I promise the sixth part will be a completely new one. Thank you!