~*^*Chapter 9*^*~
[Spoilers: Fahrenheit 932]
Sara and Grissom were walking side by side as Allison and Sean walked a few steps ahead of them. -If anyone sees us, we're doomed- Sara thought as she glanced across the road.
"It's so hot." Allison smiled at them as she turned and stopped walking. "But you too don't look affected."
Grissom smirked. "We're use to it and it's not that hot today." He said casually, looking at Sara.
"True, it can get hotter." She agreed, turning her attention to Sean, who was looking up at the casino entrance. -I know we're going to get discovered any second-
"Let's head back." Grissom suggested, seeing Sara's anxious face. -I know exactly how you feel-
Sara nodded and looked at Allison and Sean, but they seemed more interested in walking away from them. "Or not." She grumbled.
"This is so not happening." Grissom sighed, rubbing his face.
"What?" Sara asked.
Turning to face her, he looked into her eyes. "It's Conrad."
"What the hell is he doing here?" Sara said, almost screeching. "It's the middle of the day, he should be at work!"
"Well, you know Conrad, he should be a lot of things." Grissom replied, his heart beating faster as Ecklie came closer.
"Okay, we can do this." Sara whispered, "Just act natural." -Huh? Natural?- She thought. -What on earth is natural about this?-
"Gil, Sidle." Ecklie said far too smugly. "Fancy seeing you here."
"Her name is Sara, Conrad. Maybe you could use it." Grissom snapped, surprising Sara. He was acting just like a husband would. "And do you want to keep it down. You'll blow our cover." He added, risking a side glance at the other couple who were peering into the windows of shops far too expensive for them.
-Tourists, this town gets them all the time- Grissom almost laughed.
"What do you want, Conrad? We're kind of busy." Sara inquired.
"Nothing. I was on my way back to the lab and saw my favourite CSI couple, so I thought I'd say hi." He taunted.
-Ah, the lab. How I miss it- Grissom sighed to himself.
"We're not a couple." Sara corrected, hoping she didn't sound as though that was something she would never want.
"Really? Well that's not what that ring says." Ecklie mocked, touching Sara's hand.
Sara pulled her hand away, a movement that surprised Grissom, as she never did that with him. -Does that mean anything? Yeah, that she hates Ecklie. Dream on Gil, she's not interested in you anymore- He chided himself.
"Okay Conrad, you've had your fun, now would you leave before they get back." Grissom almost begged.
"It's a free country my friend."
"You are not my friend Conrad, you wouldn't know friendship if..."
-Oh god- Sara thought. -Of all the times and places to fight, they had to pick now-
She knew she had to do something before this turned into another broken coffeepot incident. Sean and Allison were walking over to them so she did the first thing that came into her mind. Sara only knew one way to shut him up, but was she brave enough?
-Oh screw it!- She thought. -It's now or never- And with that, she grabbed Grissom's wrist and spun him round to face her and before he could react she kissed him, in front of everyone.
~*^*^*~
-What the hell? - Grissom thought, but after the initial shock of what was happening he surprised himself by kissing her back.
-Oh my god! This is actually working- Sara thought.
Ecklie couldn't believe his eyes, the lab was going to have a field say with this.
After what seemed like a lifetime, the soft voice of Sean broke the silence that now encompassed them.
"Hey, you guys are gonna have to come up for air sooner or later." He laughed.
"Aren't they cute." Allison added.
At this, the couple pulled apart as though they had been electrocuted and just stared at each other, realising that this wouldn't seem odd as they were supposed to be married and do this all the time.
Grissom started the introductions as a distraction from his racing thoughts. "Sean, Allison, this is Conrad Ecklie, a 'friend' of ours, he's in town for a seminar, aren't you?"
He knew that it was wrong to lie, but he didn't think that giving the impression that they were workaholics that couldn't even leave their hometown for their honeymoon was a good idea, even though that impression would be completely accurate, the last thing they needed were more questions.
"He was just leaving" Sara added, almost glaring at Ecklie.
Silence filled the space between them now, Ecklie was in shock. Grissom and Sara were still trying to process what had happened and Sean and Allison were trying to think of what to say.
"Well, I'd better go." Ecklie finally said, "I'll see you guys when you get home."
-Home- Sara thought. -It seemed so far away now and she wasn't sure if she wanted to go back, that would mean going back to normal and pretending that this had never happened.
"Bye." Grissom and Sara said, quite feebly as they were still both dazed.
"So, lets carry on our walk then." Grissom suggested, slipping his hand into Sara's, who turned to smile at him.
"Yeah, I bet they're still plenty more to see." She said, knowing full well that there wasn't, but she didn't want this moment to end yet.
-Wow, we just kissed. I kissed Sara- This was all Grissom could think. He didn't feel nervous anymore because it felt right to be with her, and Sara seemed to be acting normally again as well.
Maybe the rest of this case won't be so bad after all. Grissom smiled to himself, it's a shame we have to work though.
~*^*^*~
Captain Jim Brass waited at the reception desk for Grissom, but what he didn't expect was what he was seeing.
Sara leaned forward in laughter and gripped Grissom's hand tighter as she fell back against his arm and giggled hysterically with Allison. Sean was grinning and shaking his head, exchanging the odd comment with Grissom.
"No idea." Was all Brass could make out as they got closer.
"Excuse me sir." Brass stepped in their path and held up his badge. "Can I speak with you for a moment please?"
Sara and Grissom exchanged confused glances.
Allison took Sara's arm and pulled her away. "We'll be in the bar, Gil."
"Ok." He nodded, watching Sara's worried face. "I won't be long."
Brass looked at him curiously before grinning as the others disappeared. "Gossip travels fast. You are working, aren't you Gil?"
Grissom's face didn't waver at the detectives teasing. "Hello Jim and how nice of you to drop by. I take it the FBI aren't happy with the progress, or lack of?"
"Something like that." Brass nodded, motioning for them to move towards the side of the lobby. "Sheridan had a meeting this morning and came up with a plan to lure the suspect out into the open."
Eyeing the detective with narrowed eyes, Grissom sighed. "As long as it's safe and it doesn't get either of us into danger."
Brass looked around them to make sure they weren't overheard. "It's not the, bait and catch, method, don't worry."
"Good." Grissom nodded, checking his watch. "What is it then?"
"All you have to do is go for couple counselling." Brass smirked as Grissom's head snapped up. "Personally, I think it would be a great opportunity."
-You would- Grissom sighed. "Fine."
~*^*^*~
Allison pushed Sara's drink towards her and smiled. "He'll be fine."
-Of course it's going to be fine- She thought. -This is Brass. He's not going to put us in danger, just give us bad news- Sara looked down at her drink with a sigh.
"Gil isn't involved in anything dangerous, is he?" Sean asked, taking a sip of his drink.
Sara's head snapped up. "No,. No, nothing like that."
"I'm sure it's nothing." Allison shot her husband a disapproved look.
"At least he's not cuffed." Sean grinned as he raised his drink at Grissom.
Sara turned and looked at him. "Hey. Everything ok?"
Grissom nodded moved towards the bar behind her. "Everything's fine. Just a misunderstanding."
Allison smiled. "See."
"Yeah." Sara laughed lightly, looking back at her drink.
-Well, he goes nothing- He thought, moving his arm to wrap around her waist and kiss her neck. "I'll tell you later." He whispered into her ear.
-Hmm. I like this- Sara smiled as she tilted her head slightly for him. "Ok."
Sean and Allison turned away with grins and started talking about their walk and what they were going to wear at the party.
"Party?" Sara asked, enjoying the feel of Grissom's hand absently rubbing against the fabric across her stomach.
Allison nodded. "Yeah." She turned and looked at them both. "The couples party tomorrow night. You forgot, didn't you?"
"No." Sara grinned. "I didn't forgot. It's just... I didn't think it would be so soon."
-Oh god! I've got to wear my dress. I hate what Brass is putting me through- Picking up her drink, she smiled slyly. -Just wait Jim Brass, just wait-
Grissom sensed her relax against him as she looked around the room. -I didn't think this could be so easy. It was only making it harder for me not to tell her-
As the room slowly filled with people for lunch and drinks, the two couples decided to eat before heading back to their rooms to rest.
~*^*TBC*^*~
[Spoilers: Fahrenheit 932]
Sara and Grissom were walking side by side as Allison and Sean walked a few steps ahead of them. -If anyone sees us, we're doomed- Sara thought as she glanced across the road.
"It's so hot." Allison smiled at them as she turned and stopped walking. "But you too don't look affected."
Grissom smirked. "We're use to it and it's not that hot today." He said casually, looking at Sara.
"True, it can get hotter." She agreed, turning her attention to Sean, who was looking up at the casino entrance. -I know we're going to get discovered any second-
"Let's head back." Grissom suggested, seeing Sara's anxious face. -I know exactly how you feel-
Sara nodded and looked at Allison and Sean, but they seemed more interested in walking away from them. "Or not." She grumbled.
"This is so not happening." Grissom sighed, rubbing his face.
"What?" Sara asked.
Turning to face her, he looked into her eyes. "It's Conrad."
"What the hell is he doing here?" Sara said, almost screeching. "It's the middle of the day, he should be at work!"
"Well, you know Conrad, he should be a lot of things." Grissom replied, his heart beating faster as Ecklie came closer.
"Okay, we can do this." Sara whispered, "Just act natural." -Huh? Natural?- She thought. -What on earth is natural about this?-
"Gil, Sidle." Ecklie said far too smugly. "Fancy seeing you here."
"Her name is Sara, Conrad. Maybe you could use it." Grissom snapped, surprising Sara. He was acting just like a husband would. "And do you want to keep it down. You'll blow our cover." He added, risking a side glance at the other couple who were peering into the windows of shops far too expensive for them.
-Tourists, this town gets them all the time- Grissom almost laughed.
"What do you want, Conrad? We're kind of busy." Sara inquired.
"Nothing. I was on my way back to the lab and saw my favourite CSI couple, so I thought I'd say hi." He taunted.
-Ah, the lab. How I miss it- Grissom sighed to himself.
"We're not a couple." Sara corrected, hoping she didn't sound as though that was something she would never want.
"Really? Well that's not what that ring says." Ecklie mocked, touching Sara's hand.
Sara pulled her hand away, a movement that surprised Grissom, as she never did that with him. -Does that mean anything? Yeah, that she hates Ecklie. Dream on Gil, she's not interested in you anymore- He chided himself.
"Okay Conrad, you've had your fun, now would you leave before they get back." Grissom almost begged.
"It's a free country my friend."
"You are not my friend Conrad, you wouldn't know friendship if..."
-Oh god- Sara thought. -Of all the times and places to fight, they had to pick now-
She knew she had to do something before this turned into another broken coffeepot incident. Sean and Allison were walking over to them so she did the first thing that came into her mind. Sara only knew one way to shut him up, but was she brave enough?
-Oh screw it!- She thought. -It's now or never- And with that, she grabbed Grissom's wrist and spun him round to face her and before he could react she kissed him, in front of everyone.
~*^*^*~
-What the hell? - Grissom thought, but after the initial shock of what was happening he surprised himself by kissing her back.
-Oh my god! This is actually working- Sara thought.
Ecklie couldn't believe his eyes, the lab was going to have a field say with this.
After what seemed like a lifetime, the soft voice of Sean broke the silence that now encompassed them.
"Hey, you guys are gonna have to come up for air sooner or later." He laughed.
"Aren't they cute." Allison added.
At this, the couple pulled apart as though they had been electrocuted and just stared at each other, realising that this wouldn't seem odd as they were supposed to be married and do this all the time.
Grissom started the introductions as a distraction from his racing thoughts. "Sean, Allison, this is Conrad Ecklie, a 'friend' of ours, he's in town for a seminar, aren't you?"
He knew that it was wrong to lie, but he didn't think that giving the impression that they were workaholics that couldn't even leave their hometown for their honeymoon was a good idea, even though that impression would be completely accurate, the last thing they needed were more questions.
"He was just leaving" Sara added, almost glaring at Ecklie.
Silence filled the space between them now, Ecklie was in shock. Grissom and Sara were still trying to process what had happened and Sean and Allison were trying to think of what to say.
"Well, I'd better go." Ecklie finally said, "I'll see you guys when you get home."
-Home- Sara thought. -It seemed so far away now and she wasn't sure if she wanted to go back, that would mean going back to normal and pretending that this had never happened.
"Bye." Grissom and Sara said, quite feebly as they were still both dazed.
"So, lets carry on our walk then." Grissom suggested, slipping his hand into Sara's, who turned to smile at him.
"Yeah, I bet they're still plenty more to see." She said, knowing full well that there wasn't, but she didn't want this moment to end yet.
-Wow, we just kissed. I kissed Sara- This was all Grissom could think. He didn't feel nervous anymore because it felt right to be with her, and Sara seemed to be acting normally again as well.
Maybe the rest of this case won't be so bad after all. Grissom smiled to himself, it's a shame we have to work though.
~*^*^*~
Captain Jim Brass waited at the reception desk for Grissom, but what he didn't expect was what he was seeing.
Sara leaned forward in laughter and gripped Grissom's hand tighter as she fell back against his arm and giggled hysterically with Allison. Sean was grinning and shaking his head, exchanging the odd comment with Grissom.
"No idea." Was all Brass could make out as they got closer.
"Excuse me sir." Brass stepped in their path and held up his badge. "Can I speak with you for a moment please?"
Sara and Grissom exchanged confused glances.
Allison took Sara's arm and pulled her away. "We'll be in the bar, Gil."
"Ok." He nodded, watching Sara's worried face. "I won't be long."
Brass looked at him curiously before grinning as the others disappeared. "Gossip travels fast. You are working, aren't you Gil?"
Grissom's face didn't waver at the detectives teasing. "Hello Jim and how nice of you to drop by. I take it the FBI aren't happy with the progress, or lack of?"
"Something like that." Brass nodded, motioning for them to move towards the side of the lobby. "Sheridan had a meeting this morning and came up with a plan to lure the suspect out into the open."
Eyeing the detective with narrowed eyes, Grissom sighed. "As long as it's safe and it doesn't get either of us into danger."
Brass looked around them to make sure they weren't overheard. "It's not the, bait and catch, method, don't worry."
"Good." Grissom nodded, checking his watch. "What is it then?"
"All you have to do is go for couple counselling." Brass smirked as Grissom's head snapped up. "Personally, I think it would be a great opportunity."
-You would- Grissom sighed. "Fine."
~*^*^*~
Allison pushed Sara's drink towards her and smiled. "He'll be fine."
-Of course it's going to be fine- She thought. -This is Brass. He's not going to put us in danger, just give us bad news- Sara looked down at her drink with a sigh.
"Gil isn't involved in anything dangerous, is he?" Sean asked, taking a sip of his drink.
Sara's head snapped up. "No,. No, nothing like that."
"I'm sure it's nothing." Allison shot her husband a disapproved look.
"At least he's not cuffed." Sean grinned as he raised his drink at Grissom.
Sara turned and looked at him. "Hey. Everything ok?"
Grissom nodded moved towards the bar behind her. "Everything's fine. Just a misunderstanding."
Allison smiled. "See."
"Yeah." Sara laughed lightly, looking back at her drink.
-Well, he goes nothing- He thought, moving his arm to wrap around her waist and kiss her neck. "I'll tell you later." He whispered into her ear.
-Hmm. I like this- Sara smiled as she tilted her head slightly for him. "Ok."
Sean and Allison turned away with grins and started talking about their walk and what they were going to wear at the party.
"Party?" Sara asked, enjoying the feel of Grissom's hand absently rubbing against the fabric across her stomach.
Allison nodded. "Yeah." She turned and looked at them both. "The couples party tomorrow night. You forgot, didn't you?"
"No." Sara grinned. "I didn't forgot. It's just... I didn't think it would be so soon."
-Oh god! I've got to wear my dress. I hate what Brass is putting me through- Picking up her drink, she smiled slyly. -Just wait Jim Brass, just wait-
Grissom sensed her relax against him as she looked around the room. -I didn't think this could be so easy. It was only making it harder for me not to tell her-
As the room slowly filled with people for lunch and drinks, the two couples decided to eat before heading back to their rooms to rest.
~*^*TBC*^*~