Chapter Three: Happy New Year

A week later Grissom and Sara were both lucky enough to have to work New Year's Eve. Not that either of them ever really had plans to celebrate the holiday, it just always seemed unfair to have to work on a holiday. There was a small celebration being held in the break room. Someone was playing music while the New Year's celebrations were displayed on the TV. The night was unusually slow for Las Vegas and the CSIs were just waiting for the next call to come in.

Sara made her way to the break room and someone handed her a party hat. She laughed and put it on at Greg's insistence.

"Come on Sara, if we all have to be here tonight, you have to wear one of these," Greg pleaded.

"Well if I have to be here, how does wearing a hat make it fair?" Sara teased.

"Just put it on, don't be a party pooper," Greg batted his eyelashes at her.

"I'll do it if you promise to never do that again," Sara pretended to gag.

"It's a deal," Greg grinned his goofy grin.

"Cake," a voice announced and everyone crowded the table to get a piece of the cake. The cake had 'Happy New Year 2005!' written across it. Apparently no one could wait until midnight to eat the cake, even though it was only 20 minutes away.

Grissom was walking through the lab, trying to figure out where everyone had disappeared to. He finally spotted them in the break room, everyone donning a ridiculous party hat. Before he could protest, someone slapped one on his head. He made a face and was about to remove it when he spotted Sara sporting a hat. He stopped and laughed at how silly she looked in the pointy hat.

"Nice hat," he teased.

"I could say the same," Sara grinned.

"It was on my head before I knew what was happening," Grissom reached up to take it off.

"No you don't," Sara swatted his hand away, "if I'm wearing one, you're wearing one."

"Then there's a simple solution, take yours off," Grissom told her.

"No, it's New Year's Eve, you'll wear the stupid hat for one night, it won't kill you," Sara insisted.

"Fine, we'll have it your way," Grissom crossed his arms in an almost childish manner.

"Everyone grab a champagne glass, and don't worry, it's only sparkling grape juice, not real alcohol," someone announced.

Champagne glasses were passed around, full of juice. Everyone in the room had a glass and they raised their glasses to a toast and drank.

"It's almost midnight," Grissom pointed out to Sara a little while later.

"Is it?" she asked, looking for a clock.

"It is 11:57," Grissom told her, "what do you say we countdown together?"

Sara raised her eyebrows, "Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting?"

"If you think I'm suggesting that we countdown to midnight together, then yes," Grissom replied.

"Okay," Sara agreed, shrugging her shoulders, "like I have anything better to do."

Suddenly there were only ten seconds left until midnight. Everyone in the room was counting down out loud with the TV, chanting the seconds backwards as the ball dropped on the TV screen.

"Ten…nine…eight…seven…"

Grissom, feeling bold, grabbed Sara's hand in his own as they counted. She looked down at their joined hands in surprise for a moment. Then she smiled and continued the countdown.

"Four…three…two…one, Happy New Year!"

Grissom turned Sara toward him and kissed her. At first she freaked out a little, there were so many other people around. Then she realized just how good it felt to kiss Gil Grissom and it suddenly didn't matter who was in the room. When they broke apart Grissom was smiling warmly at Sara. Their hands still joined, he lead her gently away from the party.

Once they were outside the lab, Grissom spoke again, "I made a New Year's Resolution this year, and I don't think I've ever made one before."

"What is it?" Sara asked, feeling very nervous.

"I've decided that 2005 is the year that I'm going to show the woman I love just how much she means to me," Grissom looked deep into Sara's eyes, "you know that you mean a whole lot to me. I've just been too stupid and set in my ways to tell you before."

"Did you just say you loved me?" Sara stammered, eyes wide.

"Yeah, I think I did," Grissom said, "that's okay isn't it?"

"It's what I've wanted to hear for a long time, I love you too," Sara's eyes were filling with tears.

"What? What's wrong?" Grissom asked with concern.

"Absolutely nothing, I think this might just be the greatest year of my life," Sara beamed at him through her joyous tears.

"And think, this year has just started," Grissom pulled her into a passionate kiss, "happy new year, Sara."

"Happy new year Grissom," Sara leaned into his embrace, "and even if this Christmas present was late, I'd say it was the perfect Christmas present. I got exactly what I wanted."

At that precise moment, both of their pagers went off, interrupting their moment and dragging them back to reality.

"Sounds like we've got a new case," Grissom sighed.

"Of course, it's a new year, everyone's out partying. Something was bound to happen, this is Vegas after all," Sara shook her head.

"How about we continue this at breakfast after shift?" Grissom suggested.

Sara smiled, "Sounds like a date."

A/N: All right, in the spirit of the holidays, I decided to write one more chapter to this story with a happy ending. Happy New Year 2005! May you all have a prosperous and joyous new year.