Title: Take A Chance
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah, they're not mine ::grumble::
Notes: Unbound challenge response – first and last lines provided. I even managed to stay under the 1000 word limit this time – yay me!
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"You always look before you leap."
"Well, that's a non-sequitur if ever I heard one," commented Grissom. He had been expecting Sara's response to concern the B&E case they were processing, since his question had been about possible escape methods for the perpetrator.
"Not really," she said, nodding her head towards the wall that fenced in the yard. Coming to stand beside her, Grissom followed her gaze and took note of the footprints and other impressions in the mud.
"Looks like someone misjudged the height of the wall and landed on their knees," he said and Sara nodded her agreement. "We'd better take some plaster molds of those shoe prints," he stated, looking around for a gate and not finding any. Deciding he didn't want to trek right through the house and around the building to reach the external area behind the yard, he opted for finding the best part of the wall to climb over. Sara looked at him curiously and her eyes widened as she watched Grissom push himself off the wall and land on the ground, about a foot away from the prints.
"You okay?" she queried when she heard a muttered expletive escape his lips the moment he landed.
"Yeah, but I know how the perp fell, this mud is almost like quicksand. Strange, when you consider there's not been much rain lately."
"I'd say some kids have been using the area as a soccer pitch," she deduced, passing Grissom's kit down to him gently and then handing him her own.
He placed both kits on the ground and looked up to find her sitting on the wall, calculating the best way to reach the ground below; should she jump, or should she try to lower herself?
"Turn around, grip the top of the wall with your hands and then drop down, I'll catch you," said Grissom.
"You'll catch me?" she queried incredulously.
"You don't trust me?" he smirked. "If I drop you, you'll get my Tahoe covered in mud on the drive back."
"Like you care," she laughed, "you'd just get Greg to clean it for you."
Grissom cocked his head to the side as if he was considering the idea and then smirked again. "You're right, but I won't drop you, you'd take me down with you."
"As enticing as that suggestion sounds, you'd better not drop me," she warned with a grin.
Sara cautiously turned herself around and gripped the top of the wall, letting her legs dangle. Automatically, Grissom's eyes found their way to Sara's butt and remained fixed in that position.
"You ready?" she called. He murmured a response, but was unable to speak as Sara had started wiggling around and he found himself staring harder. When she started moving more furiously, he realized that was his cue and he stretched his arms up and out, grabbing her around the waist as she dropped.
Unfortunately, he had misjudged Sara's position and he felt himself falling forward towards the wall. Sara kicked out with her legs to stop them hitting the wall and then cursed as she comprehended the consequence of that action; the force of her legs caused them to fall backwards, Sara still held firmly in Grissom's grasp.
"Oomph," muttered Grissom as his back made contact with the muddy ground.
"You dropped me," stated Sara, still lying on him and making no attempt to move.
"Hardly. You're a physicist, you should have known not to use as much force when kicking against the wall."
"Oh right, 'cause I can make calculations like that in a millisecond," she said dryly. "Just be thankful that you're the one who ended up in the mud, or I'd really be pissed."
"You still have to get up," he pointed out. "You're going to come in contact with the mud."
"No, I'm not," she replied, turning herself over to face him, with the intention of pushing against his chest to stand up, rather than having to place her hands on the ground. However, as soon as her gaze met his, all thought left her brain and she became mesmerized by the emotion showing in his eyes.
In return, Grissom was just as captivated by the emotions swirling in Sara's eyes and he could feel his heartbeat quickening. Her hands came to rest on his chest and he released one of his hands from her waist, pushing it between their bodies and bringing it to cover one of hers.
Their gazes were still locked, the heat and intensity becoming unbearable as each fought their bodies to allow them to speak. Sara recovered first.
"I have something to say," she told him and he looked at her with wide eyes, head tilted to the side. Her voice dropping to an almost whisper, she said huskily, "This isn't your last chance, but it's the best one."
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The End