DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters from 'CSI'. They're not my property.

Grissom stood in front of the mirror troubling himself with the bowtie for the millionth time. This had become a hassle for him each and every time he was forced to dress up for a formal evening. Grissom was grateful those nights were rare.

He had received an invitation from retired colleague from the lab for a small, private party. Grissom was not too thrilled when he found out that it would be a formal party as the host had recently won the lottery, but he felt that it might appear rude from his side if he did not attend.

The damn tie broke the last string of patience he had. Ripping it away, Grissom shoved it in the pocket of his jacket. He could not be bothered any longer and he was running late anyway.

Grissom looked down at the card in his hand as he was waiting for the elevator to take him to the VIP floor where the party was taking place. He then heard a familiar voice or two coming from the end of the corridor. Turning his head, he was soon taken by a pleasant surprise.

In a soft pink vintage gown, hair up in a bun, a young woman had asked a hotel employee for the location of the party. When she was given directions, she thanked them quietly with a polite smile and began heading toward the elevator where Grissom had been standing.

Abruptly she paused when she recognized him. Chuckling quietly, she resumed her walk towards Grissom.

The man before the elevator watched her with astonishment. His face did not show his feeling of the moment, apart from his eyes that were hurrying to absorb this different image of Sara. He liked what he saw. The color of the gown matched the softness of her face and her heart perfectly.

"So, you got an invitation after all," she told him, gripping the small pink purse with her left hand.

He smiled. "So did you."

Sara nodded once and stopped next to him, facing the elevator. They both stood there quietly for a while.

"I've never really seen in you in an evening dress before. It's a surprise."

Sara chuckled. "Gee, thanks, Grissom."

He leaned his head closer to her, whilst his eyes were fixed on the elevator doors. "That was meant as a compliment," he said and pulled away.

Sara glanced at him and smiled shyly.

The doors opened.

"After you," he offered her.

"Thank you," Sara responded and walked inside, thus giving Grissom the chance to check out the back of her dress, and perhaps a little lower as well.

The doors closed.

There was silence again as the elevator started moving. The mirror walls gave him the opportunity to look at Sara's reflection without having to turn his face towards her.

She smiled. "You keep looking this way."

"There isn't anything else to look at." He shrugged. "I'm certainly not an interesting specimen."

"I don't know about that," Sara told her self and chuckled.

"It's a nice dress," he said.

"It's still a shocker seeing me in one, huh?"

"Well, it is a very pleasant one." He looked at her and smiled softly.

"Thanks, Griss," she replied. Sara was pleased. He could be sweet when he wanted. She looked back at him. "Where's your tie?"

"Oh, uh…" he touched his collar. "I was in a hurry and didn't have the time to put it," he lied.

She watched him carefully with amusement. "You can't tie your bowtie, can you." She chuckled.

Grissom sighed and looked away. "I was in a rush."

"It's not gonna kill you if you admit it."

"If it were true, I would have," he replied.

"Where is it now?"

"In my right pocket."

"Oh." She looked back at the doors. "You do have fifteen more seconds 'till those doors open if you want to give it another try."

"You make it sound like it's a contest."

"Hey, I'm just trying to help you out."

"It's too late now anyway," he said and the doors opened.

Stepping out on the floor, Sara quickly pulled him away from the entrance.

"What are you doing?" Grissom asked her.

"Give me the tie," she said.

"What?"

"The tie please."

"Why?"

Sara gave him a knowing look, reminding him of the absurdity of his question.

He sighed and took out the black accessory before handing it to her. She gently slid it across his neck and began tying the ends, giving him a chance to watch her face and even her hands. He noticed she didn't have much make up, in fact, it was barely evident. The pale pink lipstick on her lips was more visible but even that mixed perfectly with the rest of her appearance, not hiding away the natural beauty about her.

When she was finished, she looked up at him with a warm and satisfied smile.

"How come women are always more successful with bowties?" he said, brushing his fingers against the perfectly made bowtie.

"Ah, I think we have more patience."

Grissom chuckled. "I look okay now?"

"I think you looked better without the tie."

He sighed. "Thank you." Grissom turned around and placed his hand on her lower back. "Come on, let's try to enjoy the evening."

"Let's hope we succeed." Sara smiled and walked into the main room where some of the guests, all in evening wear, had gathered.

It did not pass long before both of them realized something: the party turned out to be more boring than either of them had anticipated. It appeared more like a dinner party to them; a painfully dull dinner party.

"How are you holding up?" Grissom asked her.

"As well as I can."

"The dying process begins the minute we are born, but it accelerates during dinner parties."

"It most definitely does. I'm beginning to write my epitaph already," Sara replied, looking around.

Grissom chuckled to this.

"I thought this was supposed to celebrate a success, not put everyone to sleep…. And adults at that."

"Poor organizing," Grissom responded.

Charlie, the host of the evening, finally spotted the CSIs and with a sincere smile approached them. "I'm sorry I couldn't greet you earlier. This is a charity party at the same time and I was, uh, chatting up the potential donors."

"Dirty job, but someone's got to do it," Grissom said and smiled.

"You've no idea. It's amazing what kinds of people get rich these days. Enjoying the party?" Charlie asked them.

"To be honest, Charlie…. It's boring," Sara said.

"I know….. you're not the first one to mention that. I paid the wrong person to organize it. But the real music should start soon, so, hopefully that'll live things up."

"Let's hope so," Grissom said with a soft smile.

"I'm glad you came. And Sara, you look beautiful," Charlie told her.

"Thank you."

"If you'll excuse me, I have to take care of the other…. Guests."

"Please," Sara smiled. "You think he was telling the truth about the music?" Sara then asked Grissom after Charlie left.

"One can only hope."

A moment later, the promise was kept as the music decent for everyone's ear began to play. "What do you know? It came true," Grissom said and smirked. He leaned in closer to her. "I need to visit the men's room. I'll be right back," he whispered to her.

"Okay," Sara responded.

"You were gone for a while," Sara said jokingly after Grissom came back.

"There was a line," Grissom replied. "The lab called, I have to go back."

"Oh, what happened?" She became worried.

"Nothing serious, they just need me to check something."

"Well, can I help?"

"No, stay here and enjoy yourself," he said and touched her elbow before rushing out.

"Well…" Sara sighed. "Great…." She mumbled and looked across the room.

Sitting down on one of the tables, Sara leaned her chin on her hand, absently watching the events before her.

A moment later, a young man, not older that eighteen sat next to her. "Hi," he said.

Sara looked over at him. "Hi," she replied and smiled.

"Boring party, huh?" He smiled back at her, his voice showing obvious nervousness.

Sara chuckled briefly. Nothing like a nervous teenager trying to flirt with a lady. "Yeah, it is."

"I didn't wanna come here either, but my parents threatened to exclude me from the Bahamas trip if I didn't go."

"Everyone loves blackmailing parents," Sara said and shrugged.

"You're lucky you don't have mine. So… I see your date left."

Sara opened her mouth to deny Grissom's companionship described in that way, but she suddenly figured that it would work in her favor if she went along with the boy's assumptions. "Yeah, work."

"Bummer."

Sara chuckled. "Bummer indeed." She had to admit she found the boy's nervousness all too adorable.

"I don't mean for this to sound weird but he looks kinda old for you," he said quietly.

Sara smirked. "Looks can fool," she replied.

"Oh. So you want to dance?" he asked.

"No, but thank you for asking," she responded politely.

"I'm really not that bad," he tried to convince her.

Sara chuckled again, looking down at her purse. "What's your name?" she asked and looked over to him.

"Bobby," he responded and smiled.

"And how old are you?"

"E-eighteen."

"Okay, Bobby, let me make this easier for you. I already have a boyfriend, I'm a little old for you and…" she leaned in closer to him to whisper. "I don't think your girlfriend that I saw you with earlier would like it if she saw you flirting with me," Sara told him and leaned back.

As if on cue, a young girl in a green evening dress suddenly appeared behind him. "Hey, I was looking all over for you," she said to Bobby.

"Oh, well…" he turned to Sara, obviously struggling to know her name.

"Sara," she relied and looked up at Bobby's girlfriend who had a suspicious look on her face, combined with some jealousy. "We were just talking. He was interested in a possible career in forensics," she told her.

"Forensics?" The girl looked back at Bobby. "You?"

Bobby nodded. "A good advice is better than none," he replied and stood up. "Thanks for the… info, Sara."

"You're welcome, Bobby," Sara said and smiled at the pair. She shook her head as the couple left the table, even noticing yet another suspicious glance from the girl. She could not help but wonder what Grissom would have thought of this situation.

Thirty minutes later, her cell phone rang. "Sidle," she replied.

"I need you to come to this location," Grissom's voice was heard.

Taking in the information, she nodded. "DB?" she then asked.

"Something else. You better get here as soon as you can."

"Okay, I'll just need to stop by my apartment to change and…"

"There's no time. You need to come now!" he told her.

"But I don't have a kit."

"I have one. Hurry, alright?"

"Okay, I'm on my way." Sara felt curious and also relived that she was given an excuse to leave even if it was work-related. After excusing herself to Charlie, she rushed to her car.

It took her an hour to arrive at the address Grissom had given her.

As it happened, his car was parked next to a few trees, with the edge of the cliff visible. He saw standing there with his back to her, observing something in front of him with a flash light. Sara also noticed two field kits next to him. "What's up?" She asked as she was approaching him.

"Oh, you made it. Good," Grissom said when he noticed her.

Sara came up to him, wondering what he had been looking at. But when she looked down at the ground before them, there was nothing but grass and dirt. "What was the emergency?"

"Nothing," he replied.

"Nothing…" She repeated, sounding unimpressed.

"Yeah." He pointed at the kits. "Could you set those down please?" he asked her.

She raised an eyebrow at him, perplexed by his request. "O-kay…" Sara complied while Grissom walked over to his car, getting something out from the back seat. "Everything okay at the lab?"

"Everything was fine," he replied. Grissom returned with a rucksack in his other hand. When he saw her standing still, he tilted his head. "Have a seat."

Sara glanced at the kits and then back at him. "Is there a purpose to this?"

"Yes," he answered simply.

Sara shrugged and lifting up her dress a few inches as she circled the kit and sat down on it.

Grissom sat down on the other kit and positioned the rucksack in front of him. He took out a thermos and handed it to Sara.

Sara felt skeptical of this as she held the thermos. "This is all awfully familiar," she said.

Grissom only smiled in response as he took out two cups.

Sara opened the thermos and a pleasant smell overwhelmed her. She had to smile. "Mm… tea?"

"They were short of coffee," he said and brought one of the cups closer to her so she could pour some tea in it.

She took her cup and gave the thermos back to him. Wrapping both her hands around it, she shivered slightly, thanking that the heat could at least warm her palms.

Grissom noticed this. He pulled out a blanket and carefully placed it over her shoulders. He received another look and a grateful smile; the crème color of the blanket adding a sweeter image to her.

"So, what's all this for then?"

"Ah, I figured we'd make an alternative evening."

Sara looked at their surroundings. "Here, alone, at night."

"The view is nice," he said, nodding towards the wide view of the city far away from them.

The various lights of the city made it seem like Christmas every night from afar. "What do you know…. It is pretty."

"That, and I'm not so fond of crowded places."

"Ah, now that I've noticed a long time ago," she said and grinned. Sara looked at her tea.

"All this and the only thing that is missing is a decomposing pig."

"I have something for that," he said and pulled out a small box from the rucksack. Grissom opened it and showed the contents to Sara.

"Oh, what's this??" she wondered at the small pig-shaped objects.

"Chocolate pigs."

"Wow…" she chuckled. "May I?" Sara asked.

"Please."

"I must say," she took a pig. "I've never had a chocolate piglet before."

"First time for everything."

"You got that right." Sara took a bite. "Mm…" she had to make a sound as the sweet desert began melting inside her mouth. "This is good!"

Grissom smiled and took one himself. "They're not bad."

"Can I have…." She started when he handed her the box again. Sara took another pig and let out a satisfactory moan. "D-delicious."

"Yes." He saw her attempts to somehow wipe the remains of chocolate from her fingers being useless, so he took out a pair or paper napkins and handed one to her.

"Thank you." She took the napkin.

Sara did not know what to make of this moment, or his gesture. "You should've at least given me a chance to change."

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I'm still in this tuxedo."

Sara grinned. "Oh, it does!"

Silence again. But Grissom did not complain. He could enjoy their silence together as much as he could enjoy their interesting conversations. A unique experience for both.

Strange.

Sara looked up at the night sky. Stars twinkling, small clouds floating by…. Everything done slowly, with no rushing.

"Night, the beloved. Night, when words fade and things come alive. When the destructive analysis of day is done, and all that is truly important becomes whole and sound again. When man reassembles his fragmentary self and grows with the calm of a tree," She said.

Grissom felt surprised hearing words like these. His lip curled up. "Antoine de Saint-Exupéry," he guessed the source.

"Mm." She took a sip from her tea. "There's a lot of truth to it, don't you think?" she asked softly.

He watched her… each time he thought he had figured something out about her, Sara surprised him. "Incredibly true."

A small star next to the tree looked down at the two lonely people that were slowly finding each other. The moon smiled, the clouds grinned. It had been a delightful site.