A/N: I don't own them, but in a perfect world, I would. Plot and subordinate characters are mine, the rest belong to Anthony Zuicker and company. Special thanks to my husband and my beta readers, Ash and Anne. Without those three, I would never have the courage to continue writing.

Chapter 2

Several hours into the flight and Sara had finally had it.

"Would you please stop doing that?"

"Stop what?" Grissom asked innocently.

"Don't give me that 'I'm innocent' look, Dr. Grissom. You know perfectly well what I'm talking about. You've been staring at me for the last five minutes. Don't you have something else you could be doing?"

"I like staring at you. You're beautiful, you know." Grissom causally said.

The announcement made Sara momentarily speechless. She decided to let it slide, knowing that Grissom probably meant it as a rhetorical question. Besides, she didn't think of herself as particularly beautiful. "Well, if you need something to do, I have a couple of journals you can read, if you want. Just stop staring at me."

"Alright, spoilsport," Grissom grinned, noticing that Sara had not said anything about his admission. Okay, so she was going to go that route, pretend that he had said nothing. He would have to work at it to make her see the light. And to make her realize that he loved her.

"How much longer before we land?" Sara asked, hoping to distract Grissom. Maybe if she got him on another topic other than his false perception of her beauty, she could feel better.

"Ten hours. Why"

"Just wanted to know so I can prepare myself."

"Need to use the restroom?" he asked, raising an eyebrow and grinning.

"Nooo, and even if I did, I don't think I need to be telling you."

"Why not, maybe I could help."

"You are incorrigible, you know." Sara said as she went back to reading the travel book that she had brought along. It never hurt to be a little knowledgeable about any new city, or country for that matter, that one might find oneself in. Besides, she was a goner when it came to travel books and history. And this particular book was steeped in outstanding pictures and interesting tidbits.

"Interesting book?" Grissom asked.

"Yeah, and maybe if you're a good boy, I'll let you borrow it when I'm done," Sara smiled at him.

"You think that you will be done with it by the time that we land? I wouldn't want to take it from you before you finish."

"It's a long flight. I'm sure that I can manage to get it read before we land. Didn't you bring anything to read or do? You knew it was going to be a long flight."

"I brought you," Grissom offered.

"Ugh, I can't believe you. If you're bored, why don't you get a movie, the county's paying for it, right?"

Grissom picked up the list of available movies and lightly glanced at the titles. "They don't have anything I like," he smiled, aggravating Sara and enjoying it. At least she was paying attention to him and not keeping her head buried in a book or journal the whole flight.

"Give me that," she pulled the list out of Grissom's hands. "They have plenty here...'A Bug's Life'...'Ants'....'Them'...'Arachnophobia'... 'Eight Legged Freaks', don't any of those sound like something you would like, Bugboy?"

"Well, maybe one or two of them sound halfway decent, but I really hate to watch movies by myself when I have such a beautiful date handy." There, he had said it again. Maybe this time she would acknowledge it.

"I'll make you a deal. I watch one movie with you, but only if you do something for me."

"Name it."

"Stop calling me that."

"What? Beautiful?"

"Yeah, that. We both know that I'm not, so why say something you don't mean."

She was putting herself down again, something he really didn't like about her. She was confident in her job, just not in herself. He intended to change that. He was partly to blame, he admitted. Treating her the way he had until recently hadn't done much for her ego and for that he would be forever sorry. He would make it up to her, even if it took a lifetime.

"You see, that's the problem. I say it because I mean it. Now, how about that movie? I'll be nice and let you even pick the one we watch."

So he thought she was beautiful. He had said it once, in the middle of an icy cold skating rink at a crime scene, but hadn't said it since. Until now. What was he up to? She would figure it out, but until then, she'd play along. "Okay, you're on. Let me see that list."

Grissom handed her the list of offered movies, brushing his fingers along her hand as she took it from him, causing her to shiver.

"Cold? Need a blanket?" He smiled at her reaction.

"No, I'm fine." Sara snapped. How did he always manage to make her feel like an awkward teenager? She turned her attention to the list. Her eyes scanned the laminated piece of paper until she came to her choice. She smiled. He wanted to play games. Let him sit through this one. "This one," she pointed to a title on the list.

"You're kidding, right?" Grissom could not believe that she had picked this one.

"Nope, you said I could pick and I pick this one."

"All right, all right." Grissom decided that watching the quintessential chick flick would be pretty nice sitting next to Sara for a couple of hours. He singled for the flight attendant, "Miss, could we please have this movie," he gestured to the list.

"An Affair to Remember?"

"Yes, and can we have two sets of headphones?"

"Certainly, sir."

Minutes later, as soon as the flight attendant had brought the movie and headsets, Grissom and Sara settled into an easy companionship and enjoyed each others company, words not being necessary.

While watching the movie, Grissom had employed the age old maneuver and yawned, putting his arm around Sara's shoulders. Sara felt a tiny thrill inside her, but decided not to say anything, simply enjoying her time with the man she loved. Maybe, this trip wasn't such a bad idea after all.

A movie later, Grissom looked down and found that Sara had fallen asleep, his arm still around her. He would let her sleep, she needed it. Secure with the knowledge that he loved her, Grissom closed his eyes and let sleep over take him.

TBC