DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters from 'CSI'. They're not my property.
He found her pouring herself a cup of hot tea in the break room. "Long night?" he asked Sara.
She yawned. "Oh, yeah," Sara responded, trying hard to hold back another yawn.
Warrick smiled. "So, what are you up to tomorrow?"
"Oh..." Sara blew softly at the steam from the tea. "Going to an engagement party."
"Alone?" he asked and took a cup for coffee.
"No," she brought her lips closer to the edge of her cup. "Grissom's joining me."
"And this is a party?"
"Aha."
"Grissom – party, Grissom – party..." Warrick bit his lip and shook his head. "Unless it's formal, can't really picture it."
"I think it'll be decent," Sara looked at him and smiled. "You have any plans?" she asked him.
"I wish. I'm still on the case."
"I pity you," Sara said and grinned. "Wanna go to the party tomorrow instead of me?"
"And spend the night with Grissom? No, thanks," he replied.
Sara chuckled, unaware of the impressions Warrick was having of her newly developed relationship with Grissom.
"Well, have fun," Warrick said and tapped her back before walking away.
"Thanks, you too!"
"Oh, I always do!" he replied without turning back.
Sara put on her sunglasses and curiously went through the parked choices of transportation with her gaze. She smirked. There was even a pair of bicycles.
"Your brother must have a lot of interesting friends," Grissom said, observing the variety of vehicles even if was a small number. All that was missing here was a monster truck.
"Oh, he does. Not sure how many of those made it here. Some hate the very idea of marriage."
"That sounds like you know them."
"I've met a few of them," Sara replied and shrugged.
They passed some trees and exited at a wide and beautiful meadow. There was a large diversity of people here, from aging hippies (much to Sara's dismay) to individuals with piercing on every imaginable place not hidden by their clothing.
Grissom smiled to this. "Colorful group."
"Yeah." Sara agreed.
A moment later, everyone began taking their places on the blankets. Apart from Grissom and Sara and a young man dressed as a pirate, everyone had either sat down or lay down.
"Is there supposed to be a show?" Grissom asked in confusion.
"No idea," Sara responded. "You want to..." she nodded toward the pink blanket next to them.
"No." He responded.
Their heads suddenly turned towards the source. The music was emerging from a speaker but one that was very well hidden.
"I got you babe?" Grissom's eyebrow shot up.
Sara glanced at him.
"Hey, I was young once," he told her and shrugged.
Sara smiled and looked back at the pirate.
A few whispers and a giggle diverted the couple's eyes further east. Mark and a young brunette appeared barefooted, dressed in jeans and red t-shirts; the woman carrying a crown made of green leafs on her head.
Sara slowly removed her sunglasses. "You really have got to be kidding me..." she whispered while watching the couple walk hand in hand toward the pirate.
"Hey!" an older woman whispered to them from her place. "The ceremony started, maybe you should sit down," she told Grissom and Sara.
Looking at each other, they both then looked back at her and noticed that their earlier decision to remain standing had attracted an unwelcome attention from the surrounding guests.
"Maybe we should sit down," Sara suggested.
Grissom sighed. "Very well."
With her legs crossed and the sunglasses in her hands, Sara continued watching the "ceremony" unraveling in front of them. Her attention was slowly cut when she felt Grissom's warm arm pressing against hers. Glancing at this and then at him, she noticed the lack of comfort due to the closeness.
"It's a small blanket," Grissom said and dusted his hands off.
"Looks like it," Sara responded.
"Friends, welcome to this wonderful witnessing of Mark and Lydia's..." the pirate started speaking as the song continued playing in the background.
"I thought this was an engagement party," Grissom said quietly to Sara.
"I thought so too," Sara confessed.
"Who would like to go first?" the pirate asked.
"I think I'll give it a go," Lydia smiled and turned to Mark. "My love... This little heart here had a lot of pain before you. I thought I had some illness or something. Then, you came. It stopped hurting. Ten years ago we became friends. Ten years later we're still friends, but we gained something." She placed his hand on her heart. "This. It's stupid to say I love you because I know you can feel it." Lydia leaned in and kissed him.
Everyone applauded. Sara's eyes fell on the glasses in her hands. She tilted them slightly and saw Grissom's face on them. He had glanced at her. Only a smile was exchanged through those reflections on her sunglasses.
Mark took Lydia's hand and smiled. "What can I say, Lydia. I've been through tough times, and some almost managed to beat the crap out of me. Was getting pretty lonely in here. Then you showed up. You wanted to care about me. I don't know why you did it then... But I'm beginning to realize it now. You know me, you always did. You are my love and my soulmate. We realized ten years ago that we're stuck with each other... And I love it," he grinned. Mark kissed her.
Sara smiled. "He was never too much of a poet," she said, joining in the applause.
Grissom leaned closer to Sara. "When emotion is love... everyone's a poet," he said and glanced at her.
Sara glanced back and smiled once again but nervously to this.
The words were exchanged, followed by the tongues and kisses between the newlywed couple as the ceremony came to its end. As if on cue, everyone began standing up and cheering.
"Oh, good." Sara said and was offered a hand by Grissom who had stood up before her. "Thank you," she smiled once she was on her feet.
That was a nice ceremony," Grissom said.
"You think?"
Grissom looked at her. "Yeah. Unusual," he said and smiled.
"Just don't let Mark hear you saying that," she told him.
"Ego boost?"
"Yes."
"Everyone!" Mark called to the guests, with his arm around Lydia's waist. "Thanks for coming." He grinned. "Friends are a person's blood. You kept me alive; you helped me in my most fucked up moments. I wouldn't be here without you." He glanced at Lydia who kissed his lips briefly. "That's the reason why I wanted you to be here. Who better else to share this great day for me and Lydia with but you!"
Satisfied cheers were heard as a response.
"Before I turn this short speech into a novel, I'll stop and thank you all again. Oh, also!" He chuckled. "I'm happy that my dear sister, Sara," he pointed towards her. "Along with her fiancé was able to come." He received strange looks from the couple but ignored them.
When the guests finally dispersed, Grissom and Sara approached the newlyweds. "Very funny," Sara told him.
Mark chuckled.
"Fine ceremony," Grissom said, trying to avoid the earlier absurdity.
"Thanks, Gil," Mark smiled. "I see she talked you into coming here."
Grissom faked a smile. "Yes, she did."
"An engagement party, huh?" Sara crossed her arms.
"We changed our minds," Mark said.
"And we do that very often," Lydia added.
"You should've mentioned it. I would've brought a gift," Sara told him.
"A gift? You?" Mark snorted. He then turned to Grissom. "Being a nightshift supervisor must be boring, eh, Gil?"
Grissom was taken aback by his question and it did not help in the smoothening of the young man's image in his eyes. He tilted his head. "Sara never told me what you do."
"We travel," Mark responded.
"You work in the traveling industry or..."
"No, no, we travel for pleasure. For fun. So, no, I don't have a steady job."
"Me neither," Lydia chimed in.
"We take something, earn enough money and hit the road. So, we travel."
"It's really fun." Lydia nodded and giggled.
"Really. What places have you been to?" Grissom sounded unimpressed.
"Asia, Europe... Next stop is Australia. I think that's the best way to live. Travel and see what's on this planet. I can't imagine myself being stuck working for... oh, 40 or more years and then when I'm, like, 95 to finally realize, oh, no! What have I done with my life?" Mark grabbed his head, acting a devastated man. "I'm not a fan of people being slaves to money."
"But without money, you can't do much traveling," Grissom said.
"Oh, we just pay for the food, the rest is free," Lydia said.
"How so?"
"We go by hitch-hiking, have our tents and sleeping bags."
"Doesn't sound very safe," Grissom said. "Especially hitch-hiking."
"Oh, we've heard that from a lot of people. It's called fear of living."
"I would think it's called staying safe."
"Sure it's a risk. But everything in life is a risk. Even your job. What we do is an adventure." Mark chuckled. "Sara never quite understood that." He looked over at his sister. "Our childhood forced us to find ways to escape from what was happening. She found it in science. I - in traveling."
"Mm..." Grissom glanced at Sara.
"You like bugs I've been told," Mark said.
"I suppose you have to if you're to be an entomologist."
"We've seen insects on our trips that would fascinate even you." Mark smiled.
"No doubt, there are still unknown species out there."
"And sometimes that's the best way – remaining undiscovered. Allowing the world to keep some of its mysteries."
Grissom only smirked to this.
Mark suddenly noticed something in the distance. "Sis, look who showed up," he said.
She turned around. Her eyes narrowed. "Dan and Chatty? They have a baby already?" Sara asked, seeing a couple with an infant behind them.
"Yeah, three weeks ago. Come on!" Mark grabbed Sara's hand and pulled her away.
"I'll be right back," Sara said quickly to Grissom before she disappeared.
Watching them go, Grissom heard Lydia giggle. He looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
"I'm sorry," Lydia apologized and blushed. "So, you're Sara's fiancé." She grinned at him.
"No," he said, correcting the young woman. "Mark exaggerated there."
"Oh." She looked over at the trees where Mark and Sara disappeared.
"Are they close?"
"Mark and Sara? Don't think so. They talk from time to time but I can't say they're tight."
"Mm..." Grissom glanced at the trees.
"You don't seem to like him very much," Lydia noticed.
Grissom looked at her, his expression serious. There was something that he found irritating about the young man, but was unable to describe it. "I don't know him well."
"Oh, whether you do or don't, you'll warm up to him sooner or later. It happens with everyone that meets Mark."
The young woman's innocence and her child-like features helped her words sink into him easily. The line on his lips was drawn as a result. "You think so?"
"Oh, yes. Mark is a little unusual. You try to think outside the box, keep an open mind, you'll find him a good person."
Grissom glanced over at the trees. "I see." He then turned back to Lydia. "What about you?"
"Um, what?"
"Well, what do you do?"
"Oh, ah... Well, I... I'm a teacher."
"Really... What do you teach?"
"History."
"Interesting."
"Thank you. I wish my students were as enthusiastic. You can learn so much from history that can actually be helpful for the future."
"That's true. It's a shame that so much of it is manipulated."
"Yes... I know that. I've managed to get into trouble with the board quite a few times for giving my students 'inaccurate' facts. But I want them to know as much of the truth as possible, so..."
"Like what?"
"Well, oh... Where to start... There's so many." She giggled. "For example, you know in..."
"Lydia!" someone called over to her.
"Oh, they made it." Lydia giggled, suddenly becoming excited by the unknown arrivals. She looked back at Grissom. "I'm sorry, Gil. I really have to see my friends."
"Sure, don't let me keep you." He smiled.
"Enjoy the day!" she said and left.
"At least she's nice," Grissom told himself and then looked over at the trees. He waited, she didn't show up.
He became curious and went after her. He did not find her or Mark there.
Grissom took an unwilling tour of the green meadow, looking for Sara. An instrumental melody got some of the guests dancing, others drinking, and a third bunch just talking and laughing. He stopped for a moment and shoved his hands in his pockets. There was such a variety of interesting people that it got him smiling.
Suddenly, something grabbed his arm and spun him around. A young woman with bright red hair and a colorful tattoo on her neck grinned at him. "Wanna dance?" she asked and started moving to the music.
"Ah, no, thank you," he said politely and started walking back when she grabbed his hand.
"Hey, it's fun!"
"As much as the offer is tempting, I'll have to pass."
The woman shrugged and skipped away from him like a ten-year-old.
Grissom turned around again and was met by an older man in baggy clothes and long gray hair in a ponytail.
"You a friend of Mark?" he asked Grissom with a smile.
"Y-eah, sort of."
"Great wedding, don't you think? The old bastard finally got pinned down!" the man joked and laughed.
"He sure did." Grissom smirked. "Excuse me." He quickly slipped away and continued walking.
The song had finished and another one began. He had barely taken ten steps when he was quickly surrounded by ten young women – half of them blonde. "Are you married?" one of them asked in a squeaky voice.
"Uh, no, wh-..."
"He's not married!" the brunette next to her said, sounding overly excited.
"Wh-..." Grissom did not get a chance to ask when he was quickly pulled away and dragged over to a spot where four more other women were waiting
"Okay, okay," a hazel-hared girl said and started giggling. She seemed very excited, much like everyone else in this circle. "So! We have our bachelor now; next we need the white scarf. Amanda, do you have it?"
"Yep!" A girl with pigtails held up a scarf and threw it over to the other girl.
"Wait!" Grissom held his hands before the girl could put the scarf over his eyes. "What are you doing?"
"Oh, you don't know." The girls giggled. "I'm sorry. It's a game. We do this on many weddings. We pick a bachelor and blindfold him like this..." She brought the scarf close to him but Grissom stopped her.
"I don't think I want to be a part of this."
"But you didn't hear the rest! We blindfold you, spin you around and then we stand here, and who ever you..." she giggled, "...touch, gets the luck to be married. Not to you of course, although if you're interested..."
"I'm already taken, thanks," Grissom responded, smiling graciously.
"Ah, that's too baaaad!" The girl pouted. "So, wanna participate?" she then grinned.
"I'd love to but..."
"Please... What's your name?"
"Gil Grissom."
"Please, Gil Grissom! You'll make one of us very, very happy if you took a part in our game. It won't take long!"
"Well, I'm actually looking for my... friend and..."
"Please, Gil Grissom, please!" the girl persisted and the others joined in an annoying choir.
"Oh, uh," Grissom looked at the anticipating faces of the girls and women. "Okay." He gave in.
"Yippie!" the girl squeaked and quickly got behind him.
"Why am I doing this?" he thought and sighed as the scarf was being placed over his eyes.
"Can you see this?" he heard a woman's voice.
"See what?"
"Great!" the woman said and started spinning Grissom slowly around.
After he finally stopped, and feeling a little dizzy, Grissom almost tripped and fell before regaining the right balance. "This is ridiculous," he thought and reached out. "Now what?" he asked.
"Now, go whichever direction you want and make a girl happy!" someone said which got all the women and girls laughing.
"Okay." Grissom turned to his left and heard a few gasps. He then did a 180 degree spin and stepped forward, touching some woman's arms.
He then heard a very loud, very happy scream which nearly left him deaf again. Grissom had to remove the blindfold.
"Oh, my god! It's me! It's me!" the 'chosen' girl started jumping up and down. She hugged Grissom tightly. "Thank you!"
Grissom nodded and slowly backed away, leaving the girls and women lost in their own so-called pre-wedding frenzy.
"Now..." he looked around and continued his search, hoping that there would not be any more interruptions.
Twenty minutes later, Grissom found her sitting in the driving seat of the car. He came in from the other side. "What are you doing in here?" he asked her.
"I decided to wait here 'till the whole thing's finished," Sara responded, tapping the steering wheel with her fingers.
"Why?"
Sara bit the insides of her mouth, eyes up, shaking hear head. She looked back at the wheel and then at him. "You know, you're very lucky you're an only child, Griss."
There was silence.
"What happened?" The swift change of mood worried him.
"Nothing." She looked away.
Grissom watched her, studying her face, the biting of her lower lip, the shifting of her eyes, the sigh... "Mark?" he asked cautiously.
She pressed her lips tightly together. "You... can stay if you want, but I would prefer going home."
"You okay?" he asked her.
"Fine," she replied and turned on the engine. Sara felt Grissom's hand on her wrist.
"Maybe I should drive."
She smirked. "I may not be in my best mood, but I haven't gotten that suicidal, Grissom."
"Good. But I still think I should drive."
Sara looked over at him, or more correctly, she glared at him. Unfortunately for her, Grissom didn't back off. "Fine," she mumbled and turned off the engine.
They both exited the vehicle and switched places.
When Sara sat down, she buckled up and immediately dropped her head back with a stone-heavy sigh.
Grissom did not start the car right away. Instead, he kept his hand on the keys and his eyes on her.
All the noise from outside did not exist in here. It was quiet. Quiet enough for him to whisper to her. "Want to tell me?"
Sara sighed again but did not respond.
Grissom waited a while longer but nothing happened. He then wordlessly started the engine and pulled the car out of the parking space.
"He's one of the only two persons in this world who can push my buttons and he knows it..." Sara finally said.
Grissom looked over at her. His eyebrows furrowed.
Note: The scene of Grissom with the women might have been a little OOC for him but it was too good to pass up. Hope you liked it. Thank you for the reviews!