Precious Things by SLynn
Spoilers: Up to 'Nesting Dolls'
Rating: R for violence and disturbing content.
Disclaimer: Not mine – well, some are mine, just not the ones you recognize.
Notes: I promised Tripp3235 some fluff and here it is! Enjoy it while it lasts. Also, Duckie, thank you for all the reviews! I'll be sending out more thanks in another chapter or two.
These fragile bodies of touch and taste
This fragrant skin this hair like lace
Spirits open to the thrust of grace
Never a breath you can afford to waste
'Lovers in a Dangerous Time' by the Barenaked Ladies
Chapter 16: Plans
Greg went into work that night alone. It wasn't unexpected or even unplanned, Sara had the night off after all. However, he didn't say goodbye this time. Didn't even tell Sara he was going. Just left.
Driving in gave him plenty of opportunity to think it all over. Which he did. Endlessly. Nearly to the point of exhaustion. Way past the point of confusion.
By the time he arrived at the lab he was more then ready to work. To not think about what now felt like such a problem. Sara and him. But really, the whole night, it was the only thing on his mind. It made it hard to concentrate on anything else.
He'd gone out for most of the night on a call with Warrick which had kept him busy and made it all a little bit easier. When he got back he learned that Sara had been in and left already. That wasn't really like her to not wait and at least say hello but he wasn't surprised.
Once shift was over he headed home having accomplished very little.
Normally he would have stopped and grabbed them both something to eat but he just wasn't in the mood today. All Greg wanted to do was sleep. Sleep and not fight. Or think. Thinking was becoming a very bad, dangerous thing.
Quietly as possible he made it into the house. From the stillness he figured Sara was already asleep and he debated just crashing out on the couch. Ultimately that was rejected because he really didn't want to be fighting with her in the first place and he really didn't want her to know how much this was affecting him.
So he made his way to their bedroom, undressed and crawled into bed nearly beside her. She was sleeping as he'd guessed, nearly hanging off of her side of the bed with her back to him. Subconsciously he did the same, but that didn't last long.
No matter what, whenever they slept beside each other, they both usually ended up meeting somewhere in the middle of the bed at some point or another. Habit probably. Comfort really.
Even partially asleep he was aware of her hand grazing his stomach. It had to have been hours later because they were facing each other now, Sara curled up like she usually was in his arms.
Greg kissed the top of her head before running a hand through her hair and then down her back in an effort to remove any of the space still between them.
She mumbled something in her sleep, something he couldn't quite understand but then again he was still only half awake himself. She mumbled something more and moved her hand from his stomach to his back, snaking the other around him as well as she leaned in and kissed him once and then once more on his neck.
Before he could stop himself, before he'd even thought twice about stopping, Greg leaned in and kissed her full on the mouth. Hungry for her touch and she responded. Sara pulled him closer, hands moving up to his neck deepening the kiss.
Reluctantly Greg pulled back. More awake now and feeling uncomfortable. This just didn't seem right.
"What?" Sara asked, obviously awake now too.
"It," Greg stammered, moving further away and out of her arms, "it isn't right. We were fighting. I should have slept on the couch."
"Can't we just not be fighting," Sara said and her voice was a near giggle. He had to fight down the urge to kiss her again. He loved her laugh. Loved how she sounded like that, especially in bed like this. But not right now.
She pulled him back towards her, kissed him again all passion. Greg didn't have the resolve for this. Had never had the resolve to stay mad at her for long, but he was going to try.
"Sara, no," he said again, more then reluctant to leave her embrace. "Wait. I'm really mad and if we do this I won't be. I won't be and I'll forget why we were fighting and I don't want to forget."
"We can talk later," Sara said evidently not willing to give up so easily.
"No," he managed more forcefully, sitting up now and shaking his head, "No. You always say that and we never do. I mean it; I want to talk about this."
"Now?" she asked sitting up as well.
"Yes. Now."
"Okay," she said turning to him, checking the clock briefly. It was just after noon.
"Really?" he asked. His face said it all. He hadn't thought she'd agree so quickly. That she would talk to him.
"Yes," Sara answered, nodding for emphasis. "But you've got to tell me what it is you want to talk about first."
"Alright," Greg began, now not certain where he was going with this, "your family."
"What about them?"
"Exactly," Greg returned, "What about them? I don't know anything about them."
"There's not much to tell," Sara said evenly, "My father died when I was a teenager. I don't really speak to my mother and my brother only calls when he needs money."
"Oh," he said feeling a little stupid.
"You didn't know," Sara said, "I should have told you sooner but it's not something I like to think about a lot."
"I'm sorry."
"I'm not telling you because I want you to feel sorry for me."
"That's not…. I'm just sorry you're not closer to your family."
"Not everyone is."
Greg nodded and guessed she was right. His own family was so much a part of his life it was hard to imagine.
"What else?" she asked.
"Okay," Greg said a bit more tentatively, "the wedding. You still want to get married right?"
"Yes Greg," she said smiling now, "I do. Of course I do. I wouldn't have said yes if I didn't want that. And actually, I was thinking about it last night. What about we move the date up?"
"Well that should be easy to do because we still haven't set one," he said with a smile of his own.
"Funny," she said sitting up straighter, but obviously not upset with him, "I was thinking maybe this fall, while the weather is still nice enough so we could have it outdoors. Maybe at Red Rock Canyon."
"That would be cool. Do you have an actual date in mind?"
"I do. September third."
Greg nodded and smiled at her.
"We can do it at sunset, but I'm not sure I want a traditional gown."
"Wow, you really have been thinking about this."
"I have," she nodded, "I told you I was serious. I'm sorry if you didn't think I was before."
"No, I did. I'm just… can I blame the meds?"
"No," Sara said laughing.
"I'm sorry," he said sincerely.
"Stop," she said putting her arms around his neck. "Is there anything else you want to know? My first kiss? My favorite color? When I lost my virginity? What? Ask away."
"Now you're making fun of me," he said still smiling as he pinned her beneath him.
"Maybe," she said with a not-so-serious look on her face.
Greg leaned in and kissed her quickly.
"Maybe?"
"Yeah," she said before kissing him back, "just maybe."
Greg kissed her again, this time longer. Their bodies already moving together as they had so many times before.
"Because I already know how you lost your virginity," he said with a smile as he moved away from her slightly.
Sara laughed and again he was reminded how much he loved that sound.
"I told you that?" she asked raising an eyebrow at him as if he couldn't be serious.
He just nodded and leaned in once more, kissing her breathless.
"So your sister is coming tomorrow?" Nick asked Amy as they sat down to dinner.
She'd finally gotten around to telling him just now. They'd both been so busy, so completely overwhelmed with work that the topic kept getting dropped between them. Nick was actually looking forward meeting Karen. They had got along quite well on the phone the few times they'd talked.
"Yeah," Amy answered, "she flies in tomorrow so I'll have to go to McCarran right after shift. Do you want to come with me?"
"What time?" he asked in between bites.
"Early. Her flight gets in at eight-thirty."
"I'm not sure I'll be able to get out on time, but I'll try."
"If you can't that's fine," Amy returned, "She'll understand. Besides, it's not like you won't see her. Karen's interview is on Tuesday with the park services in Boulder City. I'm probably going to drive her out there and then Jen and Tasha fly in on Thursday, but they've already got a ride to the Venetian where they're staying."
Nick nodded along, he knew this part. Karen would be staying with Amy at her place for the week, until next Sunday afternoon. Jennifer and Tasha were staying at a hotel, thankfully. He didn't know Tasha but could only imagine what Jennifer's best friend would be like.
"So what have you got planned for this party?" he asked with smile. "Anything I should be worried about?"
"No," Amy said with a laugh, "I'm just thinking we'll go around and hit some of the clubs on the strip. I'm a horrible party planner."
"You'll have fun."
"Yeah," Amy said rolling her eyes, "sure. I'm just glad it's not going to just be Jen, Tasha and me. That would be bad."
"So who else is coming?"
"Karen, of course. Sara, Catherine, Jacqui and maybe Danielle. I stopped short of asking Gretchen because Greg is already weird enough about me talking with Dave at work, he'd really freak if I started making nice with her. That and she really is strange. And hateful. What did Greg do to her?"
"I'm actually barred from telling you or anyone that story. Sorry. But yeah, it's probably best if you didn't go there," Nick agreed.
Amy laughed.
"So," Nick said after a minute more, "when can I take you out this week?"
"Like a date?" she asked in return, smiling with a bit of a laugh still in her voice.
"Yes, like a date. We can still do that. I wanted to do it on your birthday but…"
"That's so sweet," she cut in, "but you don't have too."
"Yes I do. And I want too. How about Wednesday night?"
Amy nodded looking down, pushing her food around the plate some, almost embarrassed.
"Good," Nick said, "because I already switched days off with Catherine and convinced Travis to come in for you as well."
"He's already working Saturday night for me."
"He's okay with it," Nick assured her.
"Alright then, looks like you've got a plan. Just, really Nick, you don't have to get me anything."
"What if I already did?"
"You didn't have too."
"Amy, it's your birthday."
"But it's really…"
Nick cut her off by coming over and kissing her once. She smiled up at him as he took both their plates away.
"It's important."
"Okay, so where are we going then?" Amy asked as she stood to join him at the sink.
"It's a surprise."
Amy looked at him, her face a mixture of amusement and confusion.
"Alright," she said putting her arms around his waist. "I can wait."
"You sure?" he asked, kissing the top of her head.
"Do I have a choice?" she returned.
