Revised for noted inconsistency with the gift - Changed to one that isnt real (yet! ;) )

Grissom lay awake on his couch-bed staring at the ceiling above him. The amount of times he'd imagined himself in Sara's apartment, it was never on her couch under Hello Kitty covers... but here he was, and he'd never been happier. Sara was in the next room over blissfully asleep (or so he thought), and he had a Christmas gift from her

The gift!

Thoughts of Sara in the next room had clouded the fact that an unopened surprise stood staring back at him from the table at his side. The silver paper glistened in the moonlight that shone through the window. Will she mind if I opened it now?

Even though he was trained at not jumping to conclusions and never rushing into anything, Grissom found the object to appealing and impossible to refuse.

He tossed the baby-blue duvet from himself and sat up. Trying not to make a sound, he reached over and picked up the book-shaped surprise.

Carefully tugging at the edges, he untied the mesh bow and placed to his side. Flipping the gift over, he quietly peeled away the cellotape from the sides and laid the shiny paper flat against his knee.

Melting Penguins and Flying Donuts by Stevie D.

Smiling as memories flooded back to him of the significance of the gift.

He opened the cover to see himself smiling back.

A younger Gil Grissom with an un-measurable smile stretching from ear to ear looked up from the glossy photograph. His arm was strewn casually over the shoulders of an attractive brunette. Sara. An equal smile was immortally captured on the young face of Sara Sidle.

Noticing a hand-written message to the side of the glossy photograph, Grissom, smiled as he moved the picture to the side of the book.

Merry Christmas 2004!

I saw this and thought of you...well, really, ME and you.

This book was the first book you ever told me to read (that was non-forensic) and I enjoyed every page. I have you to thank for introducing me to my favourite novel all those years ago...

I don't know about you, but I think back on our first meetings as some of the best times of my life. You taught me so much in such a short time about the field and about myself. I realised, when I saw this book, that you still teach me so much, day-in, day-out. I cant thank you enough for that. I also cant thank you enough for dragging me over here to work with you and the rest of the guys. ï