DISCLAIMER : I don't own CSI nor it's characters. Everything belongs to the brains behind this wonderful show. Props go out to them. :D

AUTHOR'S NOTE : Thought some flashback would be good. :D

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CHAPTER IX

Driving the short distance to the lab Sara's thoughts, despite willing herself not to, turned towards Grissom. Her heart constricted at just the mere thought of him.

It was moments like this, when her mind was unoccupied by either work or other things, that she had come to hate. Lately, there was only one scene that kept running through her mind.

"No." Grissom said, sounding like he was joking. It was his tone that made Sara think he considered her dinner invitation jokingly, so she asked again. Saying that they should just do it and see what happens.

Although the words that followed came out in a calm voice, her insides were really screaming, "Please, Grissom. Just have dinner with me!"

It was then that she realized that Grissom wasn't joking. His facial expression told Sara that he hadn't expected this. Grissom closed his eyes and let out a long sigh that sounded almost irritated to Sara's ears. She had made a complete fool of herself!

What was he saying? The words, "I don't know what to do about 'this'" bounced around in her head. She felt her body go numb. The smile that was playing on her lips vanished and she felt her face harden. In slight anger, she told him something that would hopefully have him thinking about 'this'.

Afraid that things would get more worse, she turned around and walked out without a single backward glance. Half of her wanted Grissom to follow her, to make things better, but half of her didn't. Her feet brought her to her car and there, enveloped by her now aching heart, she no longer could hold her tears at bay. She didn't know how long she had sat there, staring at the steering wheel, by the time she snapped out of her reverie, her face was all blotched up with her tears.

A frown creased her forehead. She couldn't understand what had just happened. She thought there was something between her and Grissom ... no, cross that, she felt it. Was it all one-sided? Sara shook her head. No, she knew that Grissom felt something, otherwise, what was all that flirting for? Oh God, was I imagining it? Have I been reading all the signs wrongly?

The thought of this made her shiver and more tears to spring to her eyes. Too many questions were running through her mind now, though no answers came. No answers came, only pain and numbness surrounding her heavy heart. She angrily wiped her tears away, mad at herself allowing things to get to this and deluding herself that Grissom cared.

Just that instant, she saw Grissom emerge from the building. Not wanting to have him see her at this state, she quickly started up her vehicle, pulled out of the parking lot and sped away.

Sara let out a small and heavy sigh. Till this day, she still couldn't figure out what had happened that night. She tried to forget that night ever happened, God knows she had. But things were never the same after that. They were both hell-bent on staying away from each other as possible. There were times when she missed his company, but she knew it was hopeless. She would only end up reading more into the things he'd do. She was better off staying away, she'd move on faster that way.

"That's what I keep telling myself," Sara thought, a pathetic smile coming to her lips.

"I wonder if he misses me," the question naturally came to mind. Grissom had tried to chat her up a couple of times. I'm just being silly again. He's worried about my performance. These days, he's only my supervisor. Friends? Those days are now so distant.

A bitter laugh escaped her. For someone who was moving on she thought a lot of Grissom.

Arriving shortly at the lab, she easily parked her car and using the rearview mirror, checked that the few tears she had shed remembering a memory didn't show. Putting on a nonchalant face, she put a quickness to her pace, dropped all her stuff by the locker rooms and joined her friends at the break room.

The break room was witness to Nick laughing at something Greg had been relating to him. Warrick and Catherine on the other hand were seated at the end of the table and were talking in low voices.

Walking up to the doorway, she caught the tail end of Greg and Nick's conversation.

"... Chu called himself Chuck, Bu called himself Buck, unfortunately, Fu had to go back to China," Greg finished off his joke grinning at Nick. He was pleased to have elicited a laugh from Nick with his joke.

"That's a good one Greggo." Nick said, laughing heartily, "Good one."

"Thanks!" Greg grinned, "I'm just glad that you got it the first time around. I must have repeated it 3 times to dayshift before they actually got that joke!"

"That's because they have mush for brains, Greg." Sara butted into their conversation. "You shouldn't even bother telling them these kinds of jokes. You'll only overwork their brains."

"Awww, that wit of yours is one of the many reasons I'm crazy about you." Greg's attention was now with Sara.

"Awww," Sara mimicked, "Much as I am flattered by that, Greg, you crazy for me, is not a good thing."

Sara and Greg's little banter had now captured the attention of everyone else in the room. They all smiled at Sara's last comment.

"Whoa! Shut down again Greggo," Warrick laughed pointing an almost accusing finger at Greg. "You know, if I were you, I'd quit while I was ahead."

"Yeah, I keep telling my heart that," Greg said trying to look as serious as he can.

"Really? You have a heart?" Sara asked jokingly, resting her hip by the doorframe.

"Oh yes! And it beats wildly for you!" Greg smiled and moved to stand beside Sara.

"Greg," Catherine's voice sounded for the first time, "your sweetness might attract that ants that are in Grissom's office. Besides, Sara's heart is already spoken for."

All eyes in the room grew wide and turned towards the blonde CSI. Sara's eyes were the widest and were the most piercing.

"What did you say?" Sara's words were labored and were full of shock.

"You heard me perfectly," Catherine smiled innocently. "Don't think we haven't seen the signs."

"Signs?" Sara choked, "What signs are you talking about?"

"Yeah Cath, what signs?" Greg had to add. He wasn't just going to stand by and let this go.

"Cath, what are you trying to do?" Warrick leaned over to her to whisper so no one could hear.

Catherine ignored Warrick's question and continued to stare at Sara with a very knowing smile. The questions hung in the air, electricity building up. Nobody dared to speak or comment on the silence either.

After a significant amount of time and silence, Sara broke her eye contact with Catherine, acknowledging that Catherine was indeed right about the state of her heart. Sara was hoping though that Catherine didn't know it was Grissom.

Sara huffed and Catherine's smile grew wider at the sight of the younger woman's resignation. Her defeat though, didn't stop the uncomfortable silence between the five room occupants.

No, the silence was broken by Grissom's voice coming from behind Sara's head saying, "Sara... I need to get inside the break room. But with you and Greg here, that's hardly possible."

Sara's leaning form stiffened. Greg had quickly moved away from the doorframe but she still occupied most of the passage way.

She calmly straightened herself and moved inside the room to stand anywhere except where she originally was.

Grissom nodded in her direction, looked at everyone's silent demeanor and said, "So... what did I miss?".