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 : Set Post-Butterflied. Still unsure as to how this story is going to unfold and I like it that way. I could surprise the readers and myself. :D
The title may also change.
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CHAPTER IV
Sara avoided all possible confrontation with Grissom days after the Marlin case. She rapidly applied for a couple of days off and was thankful that Grissom didn't see the need to ask her for a reason. If Brass mentioned her presence at the Lurie interrogation to Grissom, the latter did not give any indication of the knowledge. Sara was partly grateful about this, though part of her wanted him to acknowledge that she knew about it.
She was still unsure as to how she was going to react about if asked though, so maybe the no discussion of the topic was working for now. She had spent most of her time away from the lab inside her apartment, desperately finding a way to distract herself from her work and Grissom. She remembered that Grissom once told her to find a diversion, something to occupy her attention outside of work ... maybe it was time she listened to his advice.
"Earth to Sara!" Nick's voice interrupted her thoughts. Sara had to literally shake her head and then she turned to look at Nick and mumbled a low "Hmmm?"
"You were miles away ... again." Nick pouted. "You haven't been listening to a word I've said have you?"
"What?" Sara teased Nick some more. She was ashamed to have been caught, but she just couldn't help herself. "I'm sorry Nicky. I've just been a bit preoccupied with things lately."
"Yeah?" Nicky raised an eyebrow looking squarely at Sara. "You've been like this for a while now. You sure everything is alright with you?"
"C'mon, what could possibly be wrong with me?" Sara teased some more, wishing that Nick wouldn't delve too deep into her current state. "Seriously, I'm okay. No need to worry. I'm actually glad I took a couple of days off."
"That is shocking. I can't remember the last time you took a break, let alone enjoy it!" Nick laughed softly and Sara gave him a playful punch on the shoulder for that.
They continued their banter along the lab walking towards the break room. They were about to enter the room when Sara heard her name being called.
"Sidle? Are you Sara Sidle?" a man carrying a huge bouquet of red, red roses asked. Nick gave Sara a surprised, yet amused look and she gave him a totally confused one.
"Ye..yes." Sara stuttered, her brows meeting over her confused eyes.
"Great, I've been all over this place looking for you." the guy shrugged off the bouquet and handed it over to Sara who was still looking at it like it was a piece of alien fragment. "That is for you, and if you please sign here, I'll be on my merry way."
Sara tried to balance the huge bouquet so she could sign the device the delivery man was trying to shove into her hands but she awkwardly shifted the thing from her left arm to her right arm.
"Here, let me sign it for you." Nick offered, a smile playing along his lips. The delivery man gave the device to sign, seconds after he was off walking towards where he came from. That left Nick looking very much amused at each passing second and Sara beyond bewildered.
"Uhhh... " Sara looked up from the bouquet, "You didn't send this, did you Nicky? Another one of your jokes?"
"Hey!" Nick said, raising his hands in mock arrest. "Don't look at me like that. I've stopped flirting with you years ago!"
"Funny, Nick!" Sara sarcastically said. "Who sent these anyway? You think Greg?"
"Greggo? He's had a crush on you forever, Sar," Nick replied now grinning from ear to ear, "But I don't think this is within his budget. This much roses? This has got to be muy expensive."
"Whoa! Who died that we have those for?" Warrick's voice came from behind Sara. Sara whipped her head around and gave Warrick and glaring look. She quickly went into the break room and placed the bouquet on top of the table continually eyeing it like it was a piece of evidence.
Warrick and Nick followed her into the break room and stood on each side of her also looking down on the beautiful bouquet lying on the table.
"Who sent these?" Warrick asked Sara while she shook her head in response, still not able to find her voice.
"Look for the card." Catherine's voice rang from the doorframe. Sara turned to see her leaning casually against it, a hint of a smile on her face.
"What?" Sara asked, feeling utterly dumb at the moment and unsure as to what Catherine meant.
"Look for the card." Catherine moved away from her position to stand with them. "These things generally go with cards or sentiments."
"Oh!" was all Sara could come up with. She softly poked about the roses until she found a small envelope tucked between two of the shorter stems.
She carefully opened the envelope and slid the card out of it. Flipping it over, she saw that only one line was written on it and didn't contain any name from the sender.
"You came to me like a dream, you held me in reality and will leave me gasping for your loving breath when you are gone..."
Catherine read the message aloud while Sara felt a shiver run through her. She couldn't quite decide whether it was of excitement or what she felt like fear. She had never received something like this before and the fact that she didn't know who it was from was getting to her quick.
"My, my ... looks like somebody's got an admirer." Nick said jokingly, wriggling his eyebrows at Sara.
"Have you been holding out on us girl?" Warrick laughed along with Nick, not realizing the almost panic that was building inside Sara. "Is this guy the reason you took those days off?"
"I ... " Sara shook her head, her mouth opening and closing in shock. "I ... I spent my days off in my apartment. I hardly left my apartment. I ... I don't know who this is from!"
Catherine eyed Sara carefully and saw that she was confused. She stepped closer to Sara and tried to calm her down. "Hey, hey. Don't panic. Maybe somebody just felt romantic enough to send you these roses, which are absolutely gorgeous if I might add. Maybe somebody is finally starting to notice?" Catherine added the last bit with a knowing look directed at Sara.
"Noooo... it couldn't be! Not after what I heard back in that room!" Sara's thoughts ran amok. She tried to keep a straight face, not answering Catherine's last statement, but she could clearly see that Catherine knew she got a reaction from her.
Despite herself, Sara felt elation fill her at Catherine's suggestion. She was starting to think that it was indeed Grissom who sent her the wonderful roses when she heard his voice behind her.
"Those are really lovely roses Catherine. Who are they from?"
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A/N : suspense sound taaaaaaaaaantaaaaaaaaaaaaantaaaaaaaaaaaaaan/suspense sound Thought it would be nice to end that chapter right there. Once again, thank you for the varied reviews. They've been a great help.
