~*^*Chapter 5*^*~
After lunch and a long talk about jobs and home, the two couples went their different ways. Sara had suggested they meet for dinner and continue their talk, which they eagerly agreed. With a few hours spread before them, Sara decided to visit the pool, but with no success in coaxing Grissom into the water.
Sara slipped off her towel and let it drop to the sun lounger as she stepped towards the pool. Grissom looked up from his book that he was reading from the lounger beside hers.
-Dear God!- His mind screamed as his eyes scanned over her lithe form. -Jesus!- If he didn't think he'd draw attention to himself, he'd have his fist in his mouth.
Sara sat on the edge of the pool and briefly watch some children playing in the shallow end. She smiled as two of them screamed and tried to drown each other. -Kids- She thought with a sigh. -Something of the future and something I'll never witness at this rate-
Grissom saw the heavy sigh as her rib cage inhaled and exhaled slowly. His eyes were drawn up her spine to her neck. He couldn't stop thinking about how beautiful she looked and how much he'd like to explore that birthmark on her hip.
Shaking the thoughts from his mind, he closed his book and drew his eyes from her body to search the area around the swimming pool. He could see several male onlookers eyeing her and it made him angry. -What the hell are they looking at?-
Before his anger could surface and his blood pressure to rise, his ears were capture by her voice as she spoke. Turning his head back, he noticed Sara was actually calling him.
-You think I don't know what you're thinking Gil Grissom. You have the same look in your eyes whenever a man comes near me- She smiled at the possessiveness he seems to have over her and called out his name again.
"Gil."
He shook his head and stood. "Yes." He looked down at her and watched as she treaded water and smiled up at him.
"Come in." She coaxed.
"No, I'm fine."
"Come on."
Grissom sighed and crouched down. "It's bad enough the male population of our lab stares at you, but this pool area is swarmed with men who can't seem to keep their eyes off you." He hadn't meant to say that aloud, but it seemed to slip out.
Sara watched his face contort with shock at his own words and giggled. -Gotcha-
Swimming towards him and holding onto the side, she was close enough to kiss him, but thought it might scare him away, so. she decided to ask.
"Can you kiss me?" She raised her eyebrows and waited. "It's the only way they will stop." -That's not entirely true, but it might put his mind at ease-
-I think I'm going to have a heart attack- His lips twitched and as he looked around them, he noticed a few men look away. -Maybe she's right-
"It's acting, right? It's all part of the game and you might as well get use to it." She watched his eyes drop slightly and realised he was staring at her lips. She smirked and nodded her head.
Grissom leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers chastely for a few seconds. -Warm, so warm-
"Did the world stop?" Sara teased as she pushed away from the side.
He shook his head and stood. -I'm feeling a little light-headed all of a sudden-
~*^*^*~
As Sara walked out of the bathroom after a long awaited shower to relieve her tension and wash the smell of chlorine out of her hair, she glanced over at Grissom, who was sitting at the table, working. -Some things never change-
"Bathroom's free." She called, patting her hair with the fluffy white towel the hotel provided; she hated water dripping down her neck.
"Thanks." Grissom said as he turned to face her, stopping when he saw what she was wearing.
It was a normal enough outfit, a plain black jumper and a pair of shorts, but it wasn't what she was wearing that bothered him, it was whom the jumper had probably belonged to. The sleeves draped over her hands and it reached almost to her knees, it was obviously not hers and Grissom knew that it most likely belonged to 'him'.
'Hank!'
It was no secret that Grissom wasn't a big fan of 'him'; he had dated Sara, his Sara. -Like I have the right to call her that- You'd think that after they had broken up it would have been okay, but no, it was now 1000 times worse.
When Catherine had told him what had happened, he felt like committing a crime of his own. How could he have done something like that to her? Making her the other woman, even now Grissom felt angered by it, he couldn't begin to imagine how Sara must have felt.
"Are you working on new interrogation methods? It may just be me but I don't think the Sheriff will recognise excessive staring as a technique." Sara joked.
Realising that he hadn't taken his eyes from her the whole time he was thinking, he stood up from the table and looked away, his mind reeling.
"Sorry," He muttered, "It's just. .Nothing." He backed out; he didn't want to bring up anything that could hurt her.
"Let me finish that sentence for you," Sara said with a hint of bitterness in her voice, "It's just.you're surprised that I didn't get rid of this after I broke up with him."
Grissom could see the hurt in her eyes, which only made him wonder why she had kept even it.
"I kept it." She continued as though reading his thoughts, "Because he left it at my apartment and I have no intention of seeing him again, if he wants it, he knows where to find me and besides, it's comfy." She added, trying to lighten the mood, but failing miserably.
To be honest she had kept it because it didn't really bother her to have it around, so what was the point in getting rid of it?
"I'm sorry, .about what happened, I would have said something, but you know me, I'm not good with that kind of stuff." Grissom confessed.
"Tell me about it," Sara blurted out absentmindedly causing him to look up sharply, "I'm fine, we're over, he's gone, I'm moving on, well I'm trying."
Grissom knew she was referring to his refusal of dinner and couldn't, not for the first time, think of an answer.
"Sara, if you.." He began.
"It's okay," She stopped him. "You don't have to do this, I'm a big girl now."
She hadn't meant to sound harsh, she knew that this made him uncomfortable that's all, but she feared that she had hurt his feelings when she saw the pained expression appear in his eyes as he sat on the couch.
"I appreciate it, it's just I don't need any help, it's not like he was the love of my life."
Grissom shivered at the use of the word love, he didn't understand it and he was sure that Sara had loved Hank; it proved he didn't know much about the way she thought.
"Like I said, we dated, we finished, it's not the first time and I'm sure it won't be the last." She reassured him.
-If I was Hank I would never let you go, but I blew that well and good when I said no-
"Well, you know if you ever change your mind." He offered, not knowing what he would do if she did.
"Thanks." Sara answered, she wasn't happy that it was Hank that they had bonded over but she was glad that they were talking again, she had missed it.
-Ah! Here it is, the awkward silence, this I didn't miss-
She headed to the bedroom to avoid the black hole that was rapidly consuming them.
"I'm going to add to my report, I've been putting it off, I hate paperwork," She called to him.
"Try being a supervisor," Grissom challenged.
"Well, if you're offering," She laughed. "I'd love to have some more work, I live to work."
-Yes I do know you and you need to relax-
"Well right now, I live to shower." Grissom said, changing the subject and remembering how this conversation had started. "I'll be out in a minute."
"Okay," Sara called, trying to get certain thoughts out of head. "I'll get to work."
~*^*^*~
Standing under the water, waves of guilt washed over him, mimicking the water trickling down his back. He knew that despite her protests, talking couldn't have been easy, yet here he was keeping secrets from her.
He wanted to tell her about his hearing, but he was afraid. Yes, the unemotional Gil Grissom was afraid. He didn't know how she would react and he didn't want to make things worse, but what if she didn't care? Who could blame her for not being interested, he had pushed her away so many times, but deep down, he knew Sara could never be that cold.
Brushing a hand through the soft curls of his hair he decided that he had to tell her, the question was when. They were starting to get back to how they use to be, friendly. It was still a long way off from being pals, but he wasn't against the idea and wasn't going to stop trying.
~*^*^*~
The dining area was filled with guessed and employees of the hotel that evening. It was the first of many dressy dinner parties that were held for new and old couples, to celebrate the years to come or the years gone. Music and dancing were situated in the centre of the large room that was decorated with many bright flowers and sculptures, blending in with the tall pillars that held the ceiling up.
Tables lined the outside and filled out in groups of 6 to a table. Sara and Grissom hadn't arrived yet, but Sean and Allison were seated at one table with Doctor Ian Jenkins. Although deep in conversation, Sean spotted Sara enter the room and look around. He waved his hand to get her attention and smiled as she spotted him.
"Here's Sara." Sean looked to his wife.
Allison smiled and leaned into the doctor. "You'll love this couple. On their honeymoon after 10 years of friendship."
"Ally!" Sean scolded playfully. "They're in love, leave them be."
The doctor looked over at Sara as she approached them. He stood and pulled out a chair next to his for her to sit. "Here," He offered.
Sara smiled her thank you and turned to look over her shoulder. -I know he's not the social type, but you'd think he'd be on time for dinner, especially during an investigation- She thought, turning to talk to Allison.
Grissom watched briefly from the door and sighed. -They are going to expect some kind of close interaction between us- They were supposed to be in love and on their honeymoon and they were still distant with displays of affection.
Moving into the room, he avoided looking at them for a few metres, but once he reached the table, he placed his hand on Sara's shoulder to briefly get her attention. "Sorry I'm late, Catherine rang." He explained as he leaned down to place a kiss on her cheek.
"Ok. You hungry?" She asked, trying to replace the uneasy feeling from her stomach.
He nodded and reached out to cover her hand after he sat beside her. "Hey guys." He greeted the other couple with a shy smile, before turning his head to see the doctor. "I'm Gil Grissom." He held his free hand over the table.
The doctor chuckled. "I know. I'm Doctor Ian Jenkins, I've heard much about you."
Grissom looked towards Sara. -What's that suppose to mean? Did he know me as the CSI?-
Sean laughed at the look on Grissom's face. "Don't worry pal, Ally can't stop talking about you both. Big mouth."
"Hey!" Allison protested by smacking her husband's arm.
Sara smiled and shook her head at the display. She squeezed Grissom's hand absently and started talking to Jenkins. "Doctor? Are you a medical doctor?"
Jenkins grinned as he reached for his water. "I'm sorry, nothing so gory, blood makes me queasy." He replaced his water when he'd taken a sip. "I'm actually a couple psychiatrist."
Laughing lightly, Allison nudged Sean's arm. "He's given us some marital advice that's to go by." Sean blushed and turned his head away to hide it room the others.
Grissom's interest peaked, but didn't want to embarrass Sean any further; his wife was doing a great job alone. -I think I can guess what advice that may have been- He mused with a small smile and glanced at Sara.
-I wonder what he's thinking- Sara leaned against his side as the waiters came to take their order. While the others ordered their food, she whispered something into his ear that made his cheeks redden.
"Sara." He whispered on a mock scold.
Allison watched briefly and giggled. "You do know how to light up a room, Gil." She teased.
Sara looked at Grissom quickly before blushing herself and ordering her meal. -Does he remember saying the same thing to me?- She wondered. It wasn't so long ago was it? It was a surprise to hear him say it, but they were alone and the case were something they both enjoyed, it was challenging and putting a car back together was probably the most fun she'd had in ages that involved him. -That Lawyer didn't know what hit him-
After lunch and a long talk about jobs and home, the two couples went their different ways. Sara had suggested they meet for dinner and continue their talk, which they eagerly agreed. With a few hours spread before them, Sara decided to visit the pool, but with no success in coaxing Grissom into the water.
Sara slipped off her towel and let it drop to the sun lounger as she stepped towards the pool. Grissom looked up from his book that he was reading from the lounger beside hers.
-Dear God!- His mind screamed as his eyes scanned over her lithe form. -Jesus!- If he didn't think he'd draw attention to himself, he'd have his fist in his mouth.
Sara sat on the edge of the pool and briefly watch some children playing in the shallow end. She smiled as two of them screamed and tried to drown each other. -Kids- She thought with a sigh. -Something of the future and something I'll never witness at this rate-
Grissom saw the heavy sigh as her rib cage inhaled and exhaled slowly. His eyes were drawn up her spine to her neck. He couldn't stop thinking about how beautiful she looked and how much he'd like to explore that birthmark on her hip.
Shaking the thoughts from his mind, he closed his book and drew his eyes from her body to search the area around the swimming pool. He could see several male onlookers eyeing her and it made him angry. -What the hell are they looking at?-
Before his anger could surface and his blood pressure to rise, his ears were capture by her voice as she spoke. Turning his head back, he noticed Sara was actually calling him.
-You think I don't know what you're thinking Gil Grissom. You have the same look in your eyes whenever a man comes near me- She smiled at the possessiveness he seems to have over her and called out his name again.
"Gil."
He shook his head and stood. "Yes." He looked down at her and watched as she treaded water and smiled up at him.
"Come in." She coaxed.
"No, I'm fine."
"Come on."
Grissom sighed and crouched down. "It's bad enough the male population of our lab stares at you, but this pool area is swarmed with men who can't seem to keep their eyes off you." He hadn't meant to say that aloud, but it seemed to slip out.
Sara watched his face contort with shock at his own words and giggled. -Gotcha-
Swimming towards him and holding onto the side, she was close enough to kiss him, but thought it might scare him away, so. she decided to ask.
"Can you kiss me?" She raised her eyebrows and waited. "It's the only way they will stop." -That's not entirely true, but it might put his mind at ease-
-I think I'm going to have a heart attack- His lips twitched and as he looked around them, he noticed a few men look away. -Maybe she's right-
"It's acting, right? It's all part of the game and you might as well get use to it." She watched his eyes drop slightly and realised he was staring at her lips. She smirked and nodded her head.
Grissom leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers chastely for a few seconds. -Warm, so warm-
"Did the world stop?" Sara teased as she pushed away from the side.
He shook his head and stood. -I'm feeling a little light-headed all of a sudden-
~*^*^*~
As Sara walked out of the bathroom after a long awaited shower to relieve her tension and wash the smell of chlorine out of her hair, she glanced over at Grissom, who was sitting at the table, working. -Some things never change-
"Bathroom's free." She called, patting her hair with the fluffy white towel the hotel provided; she hated water dripping down her neck.
"Thanks." Grissom said as he turned to face her, stopping when he saw what she was wearing.
It was a normal enough outfit, a plain black jumper and a pair of shorts, but it wasn't what she was wearing that bothered him, it was whom the jumper had probably belonged to. The sleeves draped over her hands and it reached almost to her knees, it was obviously not hers and Grissom knew that it most likely belonged to 'him'.
'Hank!'
It was no secret that Grissom wasn't a big fan of 'him'; he had dated Sara, his Sara. -Like I have the right to call her that- You'd think that after they had broken up it would have been okay, but no, it was now 1000 times worse.
When Catherine had told him what had happened, he felt like committing a crime of his own. How could he have done something like that to her? Making her the other woman, even now Grissom felt angered by it, he couldn't begin to imagine how Sara must have felt.
"Are you working on new interrogation methods? It may just be me but I don't think the Sheriff will recognise excessive staring as a technique." Sara joked.
Realising that he hadn't taken his eyes from her the whole time he was thinking, he stood up from the table and looked away, his mind reeling.
"Sorry," He muttered, "It's just. .Nothing." He backed out; he didn't want to bring up anything that could hurt her.
"Let me finish that sentence for you," Sara said with a hint of bitterness in her voice, "It's just.you're surprised that I didn't get rid of this after I broke up with him."
Grissom could see the hurt in her eyes, which only made him wonder why she had kept even it.
"I kept it." She continued as though reading his thoughts, "Because he left it at my apartment and I have no intention of seeing him again, if he wants it, he knows where to find me and besides, it's comfy." She added, trying to lighten the mood, but failing miserably.
To be honest she had kept it because it didn't really bother her to have it around, so what was the point in getting rid of it?
"I'm sorry, .about what happened, I would have said something, but you know me, I'm not good with that kind of stuff." Grissom confessed.
"Tell me about it," Sara blurted out absentmindedly causing him to look up sharply, "I'm fine, we're over, he's gone, I'm moving on, well I'm trying."
Grissom knew she was referring to his refusal of dinner and couldn't, not for the first time, think of an answer.
"Sara, if you.." He began.
"It's okay," She stopped him. "You don't have to do this, I'm a big girl now."
She hadn't meant to sound harsh, she knew that this made him uncomfortable that's all, but she feared that she had hurt his feelings when she saw the pained expression appear in his eyes as he sat on the couch.
"I appreciate it, it's just I don't need any help, it's not like he was the love of my life."
Grissom shivered at the use of the word love, he didn't understand it and he was sure that Sara had loved Hank; it proved he didn't know much about the way she thought.
"Like I said, we dated, we finished, it's not the first time and I'm sure it won't be the last." She reassured him.
-If I was Hank I would never let you go, but I blew that well and good when I said no-
"Well, you know if you ever change your mind." He offered, not knowing what he would do if she did.
"Thanks." Sara answered, she wasn't happy that it was Hank that they had bonded over but she was glad that they were talking again, she had missed it.
-Ah! Here it is, the awkward silence, this I didn't miss-
She headed to the bedroom to avoid the black hole that was rapidly consuming them.
"I'm going to add to my report, I've been putting it off, I hate paperwork," She called to him.
"Try being a supervisor," Grissom challenged.
"Well, if you're offering," She laughed. "I'd love to have some more work, I live to work."
-Yes I do know you and you need to relax-
"Well right now, I live to shower." Grissom said, changing the subject and remembering how this conversation had started. "I'll be out in a minute."
"Okay," Sara called, trying to get certain thoughts out of head. "I'll get to work."
~*^*^*~
Standing under the water, waves of guilt washed over him, mimicking the water trickling down his back. He knew that despite her protests, talking couldn't have been easy, yet here he was keeping secrets from her.
He wanted to tell her about his hearing, but he was afraid. Yes, the unemotional Gil Grissom was afraid. He didn't know how she would react and he didn't want to make things worse, but what if she didn't care? Who could blame her for not being interested, he had pushed her away so many times, but deep down, he knew Sara could never be that cold.
Brushing a hand through the soft curls of his hair he decided that he had to tell her, the question was when. They were starting to get back to how they use to be, friendly. It was still a long way off from being pals, but he wasn't against the idea and wasn't going to stop trying.
~*^*^*~
The dining area was filled with guessed and employees of the hotel that evening. It was the first of many dressy dinner parties that were held for new and old couples, to celebrate the years to come or the years gone. Music and dancing were situated in the centre of the large room that was decorated with many bright flowers and sculptures, blending in with the tall pillars that held the ceiling up.
Tables lined the outside and filled out in groups of 6 to a table. Sara and Grissom hadn't arrived yet, but Sean and Allison were seated at one table with Doctor Ian Jenkins. Although deep in conversation, Sean spotted Sara enter the room and look around. He waved his hand to get her attention and smiled as she spotted him.
"Here's Sara." Sean looked to his wife.
Allison smiled and leaned into the doctor. "You'll love this couple. On their honeymoon after 10 years of friendship."
"Ally!" Sean scolded playfully. "They're in love, leave them be."
The doctor looked over at Sara as she approached them. He stood and pulled out a chair next to his for her to sit. "Here," He offered.
Sara smiled her thank you and turned to look over her shoulder. -I know he's not the social type, but you'd think he'd be on time for dinner, especially during an investigation- She thought, turning to talk to Allison.
Grissom watched briefly from the door and sighed. -They are going to expect some kind of close interaction between us- They were supposed to be in love and on their honeymoon and they were still distant with displays of affection.
Moving into the room, he avoided looking at them for a few metres, but once he reached the table, he placed his hand on Sara's shoulder to briefly get her attention. "Sorry I'm late, Catherine rang." He explained as he leaned down to place a kiss on her cheek.
"Ok. You hungry?" She asked, trying to replace the uneasy feeling from her stomach.
He nodded and reached out to cover her hand after he sat beside her. "Hey guys." He greeted the other couple with a shy smile, before turning his head to see the doctor. "I'm Gil Grissom." He held his free hand over the table.
The doctor chuckled. "I know. I'm Doctor Ian Jenkins, I've heard much about you."
Grissom looked towards Sara. -What's that suppose to mean? Did he know me as the CSI?-
Sean laughed at the look on Grissom's face. "Don't worry pal, Ally can't stop talking about you both. Big mouth."
"Hey!" Allison protested by smacking her husband's arm.
Sara smiled and shook her head at the display. She squeezed Grissom's hand absently and started talking to Jenkins. "Doctor? Are you a medical doctor?"
Jenkins grinned as he reached for his water. "I'm sorry, nothing so gory, blood makes me queasy." He replaced his water when he'd taken a sip. "I'm actually a couple psychiatrist."
Laughing lightly, Allison nudged Sean's arm. "He's given us some marital advice that's to go by." Sean blushed and turned his head away to hide it room the others.
Grissom's interest peaked, but didn't want to embarrass Sean any further; his wife was doing a great job alone. -I think I can guess what advice that may have been- He mused with a small smile and glanced at Sara.
-I wonder what he's thinking- Sara leaned against his side as the waiters came to take their order. While the others ordered their food, she whispered something into his ear that made his cheeks redden.
"Sara." He whispered on a mock scold.
Allison watched briefly and giggled. "You do know how to light up a room, Gil." She teased.
Sara looked at Grissom quickly before blushing herself and ordering her meal. -Does he remember saying the same thing to me?- She wondered. It wasn't so long ago was it? It was a surprise to hear him say it, but they were alone and the case were something they both enjoyed, it was challenging and putting a car back together was probably the most fun she'd had in ages that involved him. -That Lawyer didn't know what hit him-